Swedish metal band Sabaton visit Hartlepool museum they helped save from closure

Sabaton, from Sweden and who have a huge international following, raised more than £4,000 for the Heugh Battery Museum in 2019 after hearing about its battle to survive.

They designed a special T-shirt with proceeds from sales helping to secure the immediate future of the only First World War battlefield in the UK.

Sabaton’s five members, Chris Rörland, Pär Sundström, Joakim Brodén, Hannes Van Dahl and Tommy Johansson, visited the museum on Thursday, March 3.

They had been invited to fire the museum’s 25 pound saluting gun which is usually reserved for special and ceremonial occasions.

But due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, they instead lowered the barrel as a mark of respect, and the gun powder in a charge was burned so it could not be used again.

Guitarist Chris Rörland, who served in the Swedish Army, said: “I’m so grateful for this honour. We just felt we shouldn’t fire it today.

"Maybe another time, but with what’s happening in Ukraine we want to stop the war, we don’t want to make war.

"Guns like this should be in a museum and not being used today.”

They were given a tour of the site which has been a military position since the 17th Century and played a key role during the Bombardment of the Hartlepools in the First World War.

Chris added: “It’s bigger than I thought it would be. It’s amazing to see everything still standing.”

Museum manager Diane Stephens confessed she was not familiar with Sabaton before they worked together but said: “I’m a great fan of their music now.

"When they released the T-shirt we were getting messages and donations from all over the world because they had heard of Sabaton.

"We’ve waited a very long time for them to come but we are so delighted that they have come here today and be with us, look around our museum and learn about the history that happened here in Hartlepool during the First World War.”

Sabaton, whose new album is called The War To End All Wars, said they hope to return to the museum in the future.

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