Since the concept of e-commerce has caught on with the global Internet users, auctions, which were considered to be exclusive and overrated have now reached to just about anyone with a computer, a modem and some spare cash to spend away on relics and important artifacts of history. Online auction portals such as the likes of eBay have made auctions fun and accessible to the millions of users across the globe. Another auction service, eDisposals, is now offering the avid military enthusiasts an opportunity to lay claim to one of the most significant British naval assets in the Second World War. The legendary HMS Ark Royal has now been sighted at the online auction site and this light aircraft carrier is set to be sold off at an auction scheduled between 3rd-4th May, 2011.
HMS Royal Ark after providing 25 years of dedicated service to the British navy, was finally decommissioned just two weeks ago and is now placed on eDisposals to be auctioned off. This online auction portal is run by the Defence Equipment and Support division of the Ministrry of Defense (MoD), U.K and as per the rules and regulations, the applicants are required to submit in writing their plans of using the Royal Ark. In the month of December, eDisposals also auctioned off Royal Ark’s sister ship, HMS Invincible, which alas was later sent to a scrapyard in Turkey.
However, with HMS Royal Ark, a myriad of possible reuses have already been stated, where in this incredible vessel of the second world war could be used as a commercial heliport in London or could easily serve as the deployment point for British special operations unit during the London Olympics 2012.
Via Daily Record
I am very sad to see the Ark go but the history needs to be written correctly, as the name Ark Royal goes back to the 1st aircraft carrier in the second world war, the current ark was made in newcastle and launched in 1981.
Please let it be kept in britain and not go off to another country.