
Rare documents and stories revealing what life was like serving on board HMS Belfast are being shared to mark the 80th anniversary of the historic warship's launch.

Among one of the peculiar stories to be retold include the first 'certificate for wounds and hurts' issued on the warship, which has been revealed by the Imperial War Museums, who own and run the vessel as a museum near Tower Bridge on the River Thames in London.

The document cites the 'accidental traumatic amputation' of Boy John Campbell's 'first two phalanges' while carrying out a gun-drill on HMS Belfast. The incident is dated August 18, 1939 - the same month the warship was commissioned by the Royal Navy.

Visitors will have the chance to meet some of the surviving veterans from HMS Belfast next weekend to mark the 80th anniversary and to explore the ship.

HMS Belfast is moored on the Thames in London in 2016. Rare documents and stories revealing what life was like serving on board HMS Belfast are being shared to mark the 80th anniversary of the historic warship's launch

Great British Bake Off winner from 2017 and serving army officer, Sophie Faldo, has also designed a nine-tiered cake to celebrate the occasion which punters can enjoy.

John Harrison, the oldest surviving World War Two veteran who served on HMS Belfast, described the dangers of serving at sea, facing German magnetic mines and treacherous Arctic conditions.

Mr Harrison described HMS Belfast as 'a lovely ship, there's some ships that are warm, and that was, it was a lovely ship, it still is'.

The 104-year-old served as an ordinance artificer on HMS Belfast in the Second World War. He recalled some of the dangerous conditions he and his crew had to endure in the Arctic, including narrowly avoiding being swept overboard while trying to get to his gun turret.

An Imperial War Museum handout photograph dated 16/05/1950 of HMS Belfast arriving at Kure, Japan. To mark the 80th anniversary, the oldest surviving World War Two veteran who served on HMS Belfast, described the dangers of serving at sea, facing German magnetic mines and treacherous Arctic conditions

HMS Belfast encountering heavy seas off Iceland in February 1943 during the Arctic Convoys, as stories and rare documents revealing life aboard HMS Belfast are being shared ahead of the 80th anniversary weekend of the historic warship's launch on March 17-18

Imperial War Museum handout photo dated 17/03/38 of HMS Belfast's launch ceremony. To mark the 80th anniversary of the ship's launch, visitors will have the chance to meet some of the surviving veterans from HMS Belfast next weekend

The war hero said: 'I came to these big waves coming over, and I dashed to my turret, grabbed the turret door.

'Another one came over, my legs went up with the water, and my hand was actually frozen onto the the turret handle, otherwise I'd have gone over the side with it.

'I had to massage my hand when the wave's gone to get my hand off it, open the turret door and get in. That was a scary moment.'

Mr Harrison also recalled the near-death experience when the ship was hit by a German magnetic mine. He said that it felt as if his head was squashed down into his shoulders and that the air bottle he was working in had blown up and might kill him.

He added: 'The deck stopped bouncing, but it was very very still and very, very dark.

'I found my way out and up, as I opened the hatch, water came pouring in and I thought "my God, we've sunk", but one of the fire hoses had been distorted with the explosion and had directed right down my poor old hatch.'

Undated handout photo issued by the Imperial War Museum of HMS Belfast sailing under Tower Bridge to take up its permanent mooring in the Pool of London

Undated handout photo issued by the Imperial War Museum of HMS Belfast firing a six inch salvo against enemy troop concentrations on the west coast of Korea

HMS Belfast was involved in the Arctic convoys between the Allies and the Soviet Union and played a pivotal role in D-Day and helping to liberate internment camps in the Far East in 1945, and was in the Korean War.

The ship was on the verge of being scrapped in 1971 but was saved the Belfast Trust and docked in London for the public to view. In 1978, the Imperial War Museum took over its running.

Ian Kikuchi, senior curator at the IWM said HMS Belfast was an 'unique witness' to 20th century conflict.

'During this anniversary weekend visitors can come on board and experience the ship's life and adventures by walking the same decks, ducking through the same hatches and climbing up and down the same ladders as the crew who served on board,' he said.

An undated photograph of British children, liberated from Japanese internment camps in Shanghai, China, being entertained aboard HMS Belfast in October 1945

HMS Belfast leaving Scapa Flow in Scotland for the Normandy beaches in June 1944. The ship played a vital role in D-Day and helping to liberate internment camps in the Far East in 1945, and was in the Korean War

An undated photograph of HMS Belfast after the visit of King George VI. The ship was on the verge of being scrapped in 1971 but was saved the Belfast Trust and docked in London for the public to view. In 1978, the Imperial War Museum took over its running