The Penelope Association 

The PENELOPE Association was established in 1987 to bring together those who had served in the Royal Navy cruiser of that name (1936-44). The following year it was unanimously agreed that the association should also include those who served on the frigate (F127) from 1963. In this way it became the means of uniting all those who had served on either ship. The membership is now starting to reflect this. Although most of the members are from the wartime cruiser, more and more of those who served on the frigate (sadly now gone) are now joining. This is something the association is rightly proud of, and fully illustrates the close bond that will always exist between those who served in the Royal Navy, irrespective of when that may have been, and typifies the words of Sir Francis Drake- 'All of one Company".

Among the full members who served on the frigate, a number are still serving in the navy today and the association is rightly delighted at this.

Also the association is delighted to have among its members a number of associate members, whose relatives served in one of the two ships. Some of them are children, grand children, brothers and sister of members of the association and some are relatives of men who died when the Penelope was sunk on that fateful day in February 1944. Others just have fond memories of the Penelope for their own reasons and keep the memories alive by just being a member of the association.

The Association keeps in touch through a quarterly Newsletter, The Shadow', so-called because that was the nickname given to the Penelope by the enemy during the war. It contains news of the association, as well as articles relating to the two Penelope's. The association also has strong links with the Blackpool Sea Cadet unit "TS Penelope". This name was chosen for the unit because of the adoption of HMS Penelope (cruiser) during the war years. The link between the association and the town of Blackpool is further strengthened through the happy relationship with the local branch of the Royal Naval Association, which meets in the Penelope Mess at the Stretton Hotel North Promenade Blackpool.

The association holds an annual reunion weekend in Blackpool, normally the weekend nearest the 18th February, that being the date the cruiser was sunk off Anzio with the loss of 417 lives. Among those that died was the Commanding Officer Capt. G.D. Belben, the association is very proud to have the son of Capt. Belben, David as its President. David is an enthusiastic and valued supporter of the association.  

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Available is a small booklet put together by me (the Secretary Mike Bee), called 'HMS Penelope Her Life and Times', this as taken me about 3 years so-far to put together and is constantly being up-dated. It contains some of the history of all nine Royal Naval ships that bore the name Penelope . If you have any stories or information relating to any of the Penelope's I would love to hear from you.