The South West Film and Television Archive (SWFTA) is the regional film archive for the South West of England. Established in 1993, SWFTA's core collection comprises of the combined programme libraries of Westward Television and TSW (Television South West). The archive also cares for a significant number of donated film collections, both amateur and professional, dating back to the early 1900s.
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Devonport Launch of HMS Cleopatra
Mrs Peter Walker proudly names this ship at its launch from Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth.
From the collection of:
Overview
HMS Cleopatra with pennant F28 was a Leander class anti submarine frigate built at HM Dockyard Devonport in Plymouth and launched on 25 March 1964 by Mrs Peter Walker (later to become Lady Walker) with the Lord Mayor of Plymouth H M Pattinson and Rear Admiral R S Hawkins. On the insignia is Invicta ut olim meaning unconquered as ever.
The new ship had been fitted with long-range air warning radar, the Seacat anti-aircraft guided missile system, improved anti submarine protection equipment and a lightweight helicopter armed with homing torpedoes. In 1975 the ship was fitted with Exocet missiles and in 1982 underwent a further refit before being decommissioned in 1992. HMS Cleopatra was affectionately known as Cleo and the ship that never dies.
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