Middleton ‘disappointed’ at cool reception of British naval patrol boat in Derry
DUP MLA Julie Middleton has expressed ‘disappointment’ at the cool reception a British naval patrol boat received during its visit to Derry over the Foyle Maritime Festival.
HMS Biter (P270), a Royal Navy Archer-class patrol vessel, was subject to protest when it was docked along the Foyle Port Marina in the city centre during the four-day festival.
Speaking at Stormont on Monday, Mrs. Middleton complained about ‘the treatment from some quarters of the presence of the Royal Navy vessel gracing our shores’.
She claimed opposition to the presence of the British Coastal Forces Squadron boat was ‘not just tiring; it [was] completely divorced from the history of Londonderry’.
"We are a city built on maritime heritage. During the darkest days of the Second World War, our city was the vital nerve centre for the Battle of the Atlantic. At the peak of the battle, the Royal Navy base at HMS Ferret hosted tens of thousands of British and Allied servicemen, serving as a shield against tyranny.
"Let us never forget that it was to the waters of the Foyle that the German U-boat fleet was ordered to sail to offer its historic surrender in May 1945. That pivotal moment in global history happened right on our doorstep, delivered by the courage and strategy of the Royal Navy and its allies,” she said.
The DUP MLA said she looked forward to the forthcoming new maritime museum at Ebrington Square, ‘a site steeped in naval and military history’.
"I say to those who tried to protest against a visiting ship over the past few days that history cannot be rewritten to suit a narrow political agenda.
"The stones of Ebrington and the waters of the Foyle bear testament to our true past. True tolerance means respecting all aspects of our shared history, not trying to airbrush out the parts that you find politically inconvenient. The Royal Navy is a vital part of who we are, where we come from and what we have achieved on the global stage.
"I commend the organisers of the festival and thank the crew of the visiting vessel for their service,” said the DUP representative.