# QE2 launch.



## jeffs (Nov 22, 2011)

Reading an article on the QE2, it listed the launch on the Clyde as being in September 1967.
I sailed down the Clyde on my first ship (City of Hereford) in February/March 1967 and I thought I remembered the QE2 being alongside the fit-out berth (still with no funnels) at that time. Can anyone throw more light on the subject?

Thanks

JeffS


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## gdynia (Nov 3, 2005)

Jeffs please find

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/20/newsid_3075000/3075555.stm


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

The launch was definitely September 1967.


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## jeffs (Nov 22, 2011)

Thanks everyone. She was obviously still on the chocks when I went past. 
My memory has tricked me and I ve been telling fibs about it for years.

Cheers


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## R396040 (Sep 30, 2008)

jeffs said:


> Thanks everyone. She was obviously still on the chocks when I went past.
> My memory has tricked me and I ve been telling fibs about it for years.
> 
> Cheers


I was having a sort out the other day and found two newspapers describing launch etc of QE2 and the next days when the Scottish public were apparemtly up in arms because of the name given to the ship . Sounded like the name was unexpected/ I was with Cunard cargo ships at the time but memories like yours a bit hit & miss,
Stuart


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## Scurdie (Aug 6, 2009)

Yes, the Scottish public were indeed up in arms. Our present Queen Elizabeth is 2nd of England, but 1st of Great Britain (including Scotland), because of course Good Queen Bess was an English queen. The Scots took it as an insult that a Scottish-built ship was given the Queen's English title. They had to be soothed by assurances that the "2" meant the second ship of that name, not the Queen herself.


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## tom e kelso (May 1, 2005)

Referring to the QE2 launch, my late father who at the time was a Secondary School master in a pretty "deprived" shipbuilding area of Glasgow referred to a substantial class absence on the day that the Queen Mary was launched (1934?). The next day, lining up the absentees of the previous day, he quizzed them as to how many funnels the QM had....not one of the "miscreants" replied "none" ......"three being the concensus reply!!!


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## tom e kelso (May 1, 2005)

I should have mentioned that the "absentees" had all claimed that they had been to the launch of the QM at Clydebank !


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## andybogle (Apr 24, 2012)

At the launch the Queen actually said "I name this ship Queen Elizabeth 2".


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## gordy (Apr 18, 2008)

andybogle said:


> At the launch the Queen actually said "I name this ship Queen Elizabeth 2".


And the reaction from the crowd was a stunned silence, no cheering, now edited out of any film of the event. 
The yard manager, (Willie Rennie?) frantically waving his bowler hat about to try to encourage the crowd is a favourite comedy scene of mine.

My dad had tickets for the launch, but my Republican tendencies were building and I volunteered to stay at home and look after the dog!(Jester)


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

andybogle said:


> At the launch the Queen actually said "I name this ship Queen Elizabeth 2".


I think she meant Queen Elizabeth too(LOL)


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