Lowestoft & East Suffolk Maritime & Royal Navy Patrol Service Museum

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Thirty years after the end of World War 2 a handful of ex-members of the Royal Naval Patrol Service got together to form an Association to link not only those who had passed through HMS Europa, the stone frigate based at Sparrow’s Nest Gardens, Lowestoft during the WW2 but also the widows of those who made the supreme sacrifice.

The National Office and Museum are situated in Sparrow’s Nest and a most attractive display of relics and memorablilia has been gathered together by members of the Association who devote a great deal of their spare time in making this a unique and brightly-decorated meeting place.

(The RNPS Association holds no records about individual members’ service or medal entitlements. The main record of service is the form S-459 which records name, next of kin, postings, rating, etc. and is a potted account of each member’s entire service. The original document was handed over to the member on discharge and there is no duplicate on file. Only brief details are likely to be recorded in the Ministry of Defence archives and so this prime record is the main source of any detail and only likely to be found amongst the member’s personal possessions.)

Collections description
The Museum is located in ‘The Stannard Room’, on the first floor, and ‘The Europa Room’ (behind the War Memorial Museum) which includes the ‘slops’ shop, in some of the original buildings in Sparrow’s Nest, Lowestoft.

Lining the walls of the exhibition are the 17 boards commemorating the 850, or thereabouts, honours won by members of the R.N.P.S. during the war including a VC, along with a list of over 200 ‘Mentioned in Despatches’.

In addition to a mock-up of a wheelhouse there are numerous small exhibits including photographs and models of many of the ships of RNPS and much war memorablilia such as shields, uniforms, flags and personal possessions. The photographs illustrate many of the members of RNPS at their various duties, in many parts of the world and at various locations in Lowestoft. Many include unidentified members and so if you visit and can recognise anyone we have not identified please let us know.

Additional material not able to be displayed is also available for research purposes and there is a small reference library.

Lowestoft & East Suffolk Maritime & Royal Navy Patrol Service Museum Contact Information

Sparrows Nest
Whapload Road
Lowestoft
Suffolk
NR32 1XG

Telephone Number 01502 562111
Website: Lowestoft & East Suffolk Maritime & Royal Navy Patrol Service Museum


 
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