Text: Ditte Arendt Toft
Photo: Gert Hertz Jensen

The invited guests were received with music by the Royal Marines Band Scotland and a shiny September sun at Christianshavns Channel.

The bell is back

Soldiers from Denmark and Great Britain dressed in 18th century uniforms were standing inside the yard of the Naval Museum.

It was an historical event that took place at the Naval Museum. For the first time ever Denmark received a prize of war.

Admiral Danish Fleet Nils Wang received the ship bell, which originates from the Danish ship Christian VII.

The ship and the bell were stolen 200 years ago, when the British took the entire Danish fleet.

Until now, the ship bell has been hanging in a navy hospital in the t

Admiral Danish Fleet and viceadmiral  Fleet shake hands after the transfer

own Halstar in England. Because the hospital closes down in 2009 the town bishop felt that the bell should be returned to the rightful owner. The British Ministry of Defence accepted and the bell could return to Denmark.

Deputy Commander-in-Chief Fleet Paul Boissier said in his speech that it was a privilege and a great joy to return the bell back to Denmark.

After the transfer Admiral Danish Fleet Nils Wang presented a beautiful cutlass as a return gift.

He finished his speech by wishing good luck getting the cutlass through airport security.

Danish and English soldiers dressed  in 18th century uniforms

The event was also the official opening of the Golden Days Festival. It is a cultural festival to mark the bombardment of Copenhagen in 1807.

For three days the British troops bombed the city and Vor Frue Kirke, one of the major churches in Copenhagen, burned to the ground.

Director of the Golden Days Festival Ulla Tofte gave the official opening speech and thanked the Admiral Danish Fleet for good cooperation.

Facts on the ship bell and the ship of the line Christian VII: The ship bell weighs over 100 kilos and is almost one meter high The bell is cast in 1790 by H.C. Gamst in Copenhagen The ship of the line Christian VII had 90 canons and was launched in 1803. Had a crew of 849 men Great Britain never changed the name of the Danish ship and after 1807 they still sailed with the name of the Danish king Several British man-o-wars were build after 1807 from the same design as Christian VII  Source: Golden Days