28 NAVY NEWS, AUGUST 2007
Confessions
of a cat
Falklands parade
Thank
burglar
you,
REGARDING Roger Breakwell’s
letter about the missing stones for
Lynx (July) I can shine some light
on the mystery.
was first-rate
boxers
In order to lay stones on the
ATTENDING the recent Class A
camber opposite Stanley planning
and B Amateur Boxing Association
permission must be granted by
of England Championships hosted
the local body. Planning permis-
by the Royal Navy at HMS Nelson
sion given to us had two condi-
THIS letter is a note of grati-
where I had a boxer competing in
tions – ‘ENDURANCE’ was to be
tude to all the ratings who
each class, I was very impressed
moved 200 yards left and ‘LYNX’
trained and took part in the with the overall organisation – it
was to be lifted. The reasoning
Falklands Parade and to was superb.
given was that the names were to
all the Ceremonial Training
Unfortunately one of my box-
be in chronological order, and that
Staff who made it possible.
ers was knocked out and while at
LYNX was never given permis-
I joined the Navy as a baby
first he seemed to have recovered,
sion to be laid. I confess we had
apprentice in 1977 and went on
after an hour or so his condition
no knowledge of the history sur-
to serve in the Falklands War in
deteriorated and we rushed him
rounding its placement.
HMS Bristol as a Petty Officer
to Queen Alexandra Hospital in
As to where the stones are
MEA. I later left the Navy to join
an ambulance.
– embedded in ‘ENDURANCE’
West Midlands Police.
During this very anxious period
to bring the height of her letters
It wasn’t too long before I had
we had full support from the med-
up to the specified size. The rest,
the desire to return in some way
ical teams, the Paramedicals and
my now muscular ship’s company
and therefore joined the Royal
security and I am glad to report
will readily confirm, came from
Naval Reserve at HMS Forward
he has now fully recovered and is
Pony Pass and other quarries.
in Birmingham. I am current-
back at work, thanks to their help
I believe the tradition of laying
ly employed there as the Initial
and professionalism.
stones comes from having a long
Training Officer and Deputy
Our sincere thanks from all his
association with the islands.
Recruiting Officer.
family and boxing club members.
Certainly no offence was intend-
I was immensely keen to take
On a lighter note, good luck to
ed to Lynx, we were just carrying
part in the Falklands Parade and
Q Shillingford when he leaves the
out the planning body’s condi-
managed to secure special leave to
service shortly. We have been on
tions. ‘LEEDS CASTLE’ is still to
attend. I was fortunate therefore to
opposite corners on many occa-
be placed, however estimated at
witness and take part in the week’s
sions (as coaches of course I’m
66 tones lifting it will be another
training at HMS Excellent.
a couple of decisions ahead of
huge effort when the ground dries
The ratings were drawn from
him)!
out after the winter.
all corners of the Fleet, which was
Lastly to the ratings for their
One thing I would agree with,
evident by their cap tallies. Some
very impressive no 3s – it’s a
short names with straight letters is
had volunteered and others sent,
smarter rig than in my day.
the way ahead for stone laying.
but during the whole week I never
– Brian ‘Taffy’ Noblett,
Good luck to Clyde should her
● The former First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Alan West, now Lord West of Spithead, leading the Royal Navy
heard anyone moan about being
former POAMA/L Pilots Mate,
turn come to lay stones!
contingent for the Falklands 25 parade in June.
Picture: S E Rowse
– Lt Cdr Ian Lynn,
part of the group.
Senior Coach Lewsey ABC,
Commanding Officer, HMS
In case shipmates and divisional
jumpers because the Army was an providing top-class training and case here and on behalf of all the Dunstable, Bedfordshire
Dumbarton Castle
staff think otherwise, I can assure
hour late! supportive management through- veterans, I would like to offer our
you the training was hard work,
I was particularly impressed out. They had a very limited time sincere and heartfelt thanks to all
Do we want
plentiful and tiring.
by the way the Ceremonial Staff to achieve the standard required the junior ratings on parade and
Those involved will recall
impressed upon everyone how for a BBC televised parade, but our congratulations on their excel-
Speedy
the hour-long inspections every
important this event was to all proceeded to do exactly that. lent performance on the day.
the Wavy
morning, the square-bashing on
the veterans, their families and for When Sunday arrived the rat- It is highly unlikely there will
the drill square to get those wheels
the memory of those left behind, ings contributed in making the ever be such an event again to
Braves
correct, lunch hours slumped over
ensuring that they all tried to parade something which I felt mark the Falklands War and you
Navy?
tables at the Spar in exhaustion
appreciate and understand what privileged to be part of, and which should all feel justifiably proud of
I READ with interest Lt Cdr’s
and the long trip to London and sacrifices had been made during I will always remember. yourselves. Upton’s letter (July) about Fast
back for the 0300 rehearsal. the conflict. I sometimes hear the comment – WO2 Steve Bland, Patrol Boats.
I SUSPECT the removal of the
This was spent standing in The staff, led by WO Ronnie “it would have been done better Initial Training Officer, I served in a former squadron
RNR badge (July, page 21) is a
the rain mostly without coats or Barker, did an amazing job all week in my day,” but that was not the HMS Forward, Birmingham in the 1960s (1st FPBS) compris-
sign of the times and the reserve
ing HMS Brave Borderer, Brave
bases will be scrapped.
Remember
Swordsman, Dark Intruder, and
Other than that, as a chap who
St Helena’s sterling work
Dark Gladiator.
was RNVR and RN I would per-
Korea
The ‘Braves’ were a direct
sonally be very disappointed to
descendant from HMS Bold
have been unable to wear my
THANK you for publishing a very Pathfinder, and were all built by
‘Wavy Navy’ tie and lapel badge
informative guide on the Falklands
WE have had celebrations for 50
Vospers in about 1959.
of which I was immensely proud
confl ict.
years and 60 years for D-Day and
The Brave Class were of light
in the past – proud to be seen as
But there was no mention of
the end of World War 2, then for
alloy construction, length 99ft,
an enthusiastic volunteer.
the work carried out shortly after
Suez and now for Falklands 25.
beam 25.5ft, displacement 75-100
I certainly didn’t do it for the
the war by the MCMVs HMS
All the celebrations are well-
tons, complement 23-28.
money (about £15 per annum).
Ledbury and HMS Brecon along
deserved but what about the
They were powered by three
– Edward Freathy
with the civilian support ship
Korean War?
Rolls-Royce Proteus gas turbines
Committee member,
RMS Helena, which was partially
Never a word is spoken about
feeding three screws through
Ton Class Association
manned by the Forward Support
the period from June 1950 to June
three V8 direct drive gearboxes.
Unit (FSUO1) with a civilian
1953. Don’t forget that a lot of the
Auxiliary power was supplied by
...NOW that the ‘R’ has been
crew mainly from the island of St
removed from reserve offi cers
campaigners in those days were
two Rover diesel AC generators
Helena in the South Atlantic.
braid, would it not be a point to
National Service men on four shil-
with 24V DC emergency battery
The civilian crew took us to
go one further and give the RNR
lings a day.
backup.
their home port on the island
Offi cers of the Combined Cadet
– A W Moore (former RM )
The propulsion of 10.500 HP
before arriving at the Falklands,
Force the same braid as regular
Earl Shilton, Leicestershire
gave these vessels a speed of well
this was partly to allow the deliv- over 50 knots. The two ‘Braves’
offi cers and not the ‘Wavy Navy’ ery of the post and goods that
broke the water speed record from
braid? were part of the ship’s normal
Oslo in Norway to Cologne when
The ‘Wavy Navy’ and the RNR delivery schedule.
Gibraltar
we were ordered to present at
twisted braid has long gone for I was on the St Helena and
volunteer and reserve officers, enjoyed their hospitality whilst on
IN your article about HMS
very short notice a British/NATO
and the CCF is in effect wearing board and ashore on their home
Northumberland (July, page
escort for the funeral of the West
the volunteer reserve stripes from island.
2) you mention that whilst at
German Chancellor Dr Konrad
Adenauer.
yesteryears. The three ships did a large
Gibraltar the ship hosted Cdre
● The minesweeper support ship St Helena – deserving of a mention If there is anyone out there who
The Cadet Army Officers and amount of work in checking for – replenishing HMS Ledbury and HMS Brecon after the Falklands
Allan Adair, the outgoing Gover-
can remember Brave Borderer
the RAF Officers wear the chev- and clearing mines and diving on confl ict
nor.
breaking her back off Plymouth
rons of the regular services and sunken aeroplanes in and around
The Governor and
and nearly foundering, I would be
are commissioned in them where- the waters of the Falklands.
But everything always seemed south prior to June 14 1982, none Commander-in-Chief Gibraltar
pleased to hear from you. I was
as the RNR CCF are not. After all, it was a long way to go
to go to plan, even in rough seas. of us got anything except maybe is Lt General Robert Fulton,
the LRO(G) on board during the
In the age of equal opportuni- in a balloon on water for the ships’
I felt a little sorry for the civil- a thanks for a job well done from RM, the Commodore was or
incident.
ties should not this anomaly be companies of the minesweepers.
ians, as I believe they should have our CO. is Commander British Forces
– Michael John Padginton,
addressed? It was even harder for the civil- been given some sort of recog- – Allan Blanchard, former Gibraltar. former 1st Fast Patrol
– Lt Cdr Alan Clifford, Queen ians on the St Helena to carry out nition for their hard work, but RO(G) on FSUO1, 1980-1982, – Ernest Reading, Kenton, Boat Squadron,
Camel, Somerset RASes with little or no training. because we were not far enough Warwick Harrow, Middlesex Brighton, Sussex
opinion
HOW many of the British public realise that since 1969 there has extremely repetitive demands of life on patrol without expecting
not been a single minute when a Royal Navy submarine was not on much public recognition. Leviathan Block, HMS Nelson, Portsmouth PO1 3HH
nuclear deterrent patrol somewhere in the world? Up to a point this lack of publicity enhances the mystique of the
No.637: 54th year
It is an awe-inspiring thought that HMS Vengeance has just Silent Service.
completed the Submarine Service’s 300th nuclear deterrent patrol. But such a milestone as the 300th patrol could not go unrecognised,
Editorial Business
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deployed for months on end – makes publicising its work almost a so an awesome responsibility is placed on their young shoulders.
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Not that most submariners would seek the limelight. of the generations before them since 1969, than the Government’s
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