Speaker: Robert Rumble, Imperial War Museums

From December 1942 to April 1944, HMS Belfast was involved in the most active period of its life, the Arctic Convoys. Join Robert Rumble, Project Curator from Imperial War Museums, and former Lead Curator of HMS Belfast, as he explores efforts to protect the Arctic Convoys as they carried crucial supplies to Britain’s ally, the Soviet Union. Thousands of crew men who served aboard the ship during this period faced the misery of warfare in the icy waters of the Arctic. Never dry, always cold, short of sleep; the ship over-worked and desperately needing time for maintenance; every second of each hour, every day, the fear of a freezing death – these were the conditions which became part of life for the men who served on the Arctic Convoys.

About the speaker: Robert Rumble is a Curator of conflict history at the Imperial War Museum. His current role is Project Curator, sponsored by Lloyd's Register Foundation, specialising in science and technological collections, with an emphasis on STEM innovation in conflict. His specialisms also include Second World War and Cold War naval history, where he previously served as Curator of the Second World War, and Lead Curator for HMS Belfast, where he curated the reinterpretation of Belfast’s permanent displays in 2021. He also represents HMS Belfast on the International Congress of Maritime Museums. His film and TV credits include ‘Great British Ships’ 2018, ‘Eric Ravilious – Drawn to War’ 2022, and ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ 2023.

This event is open to the public and free to attend both in-person and online (via Zoom). In-person spaces are limited, so register now to secure your spot!

For those joining online, the Zoom link will be sent by email two days before the event.