HMS President 1918 arrives at Chatham Docks

Rob PowellNavy, News

HMS PRESIDENT came down the Thames yesterday and turned in to the River Medway where she entered her new temporary home at Chatham Docks.

The historic warship from WWI has left the Embankment in London – her home since 1922 – to make way for the new Thames Tideway sewage tunnel works.

With her dazzle ship livery, President arrived at Chatham in dazzling sunshine assisted by several GPS tugs.

Her funnel and wheelhouse had been taken off to allow her to fit under the bridges on the Thames on a journey which started last week and saw her pause at Erith for several days because of bad weather.

The owners commented, “the current management team are working hard to secure a new mooring along the Thames, which requires a lottery grant and permission from the Port of London Authority. We aim for the ship to be brought back and opened again to the public very soon.”

The ship was originally commissioned in the Royal Navy as HMS Saxifrage in 1918 and tasked with finding and destroying German U-Boat submarines.

Photos of HMS President (1918) arriving in Chatham yesterday

HMS PRESIDENT MOVED TO CHATHAM

HMS PRESIDENT MOVED TO CHATHAM

HMS PRESIDENT MOVED TO CHATHAM

WATCH video footage of HMS President (1918) arriving at Chatham