Swedish rock band Sabaton to visit historic Hartlepool museum they helped to save

History-obsessed Swedish metal band Sabaton raised over £4,000 for the Heugh Battery Museum on the Headland in 2019 after hearing about its battle to survive due to lack of funds.

The band created a specially designed t-shirt with sales helping the museum to achieve its initial target.

Sabaton are now due to visit the museum for the first time on March 3 on the eve of the release of their latest album entitled The War To End All Wars.

Museum manager Diane Stephens has also invited the band to fire one of their original World War Two British field guns, the Ordnance Quick Firing 25-pounder.

The gun is used on ceremonial occasions and at public events as a saluting gun and fired only on very special occasions such Remembrance Sunday, Armed Forces Day, Bombardment Commemoration Day, and to mark the Queen’s Jubilee.

Diane said: “Sabaton have been a huge support to us in our fundraising efforts and for that we hope to show our gratitude.

“We really believe that their music brings history to a wide audience who then become visitors to the museums of the world – so they support many museums, not just us.

"This is a huge achievement and one which should be acknowledged and applauded.

“Being invited to fire our gun is a gesture of our appreciation of the band and their attitude to keeping history in the minds of those who may not otherwise engage with these momentous historic events and figures.”

The honours of firing the gun will fall to guitarist Chris Rörland, himself a veteran of the Swedish army, who will be be the first non-British Army veteran to fire it.

The museum’s long term survival was also greatly boosted by the Tommy to Tommy sponsored walk in July 2019 organised by supporters from the town which raised an incredible £23,000.

The Heugh Battery Museum was at the forefront of defending the town during the Bombardment of the Hartlepool’s when three German Navy battleships opened fire early on December 16 in 1914.

It is the only First World War battlefield in the United Kingdom.

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