30 NAVY NEWS, AUGUST 2007
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CHATHAM branch has presented a
replacement plaque to the Universities at New day
Medway to commemorate a World War
1 bombing.
The plaque marks the place where two
bombs from a German Gotha aircraft
came through the roof of the Drill Shed
at HMS Pembroke on September 3
1917, killing more than 130 ratings as
they slept.
dawns for
The Drill Hall is now the library for
the site, jointly owned and operated by
the Universities of Greenwich and Kent,
and the plaque was unveiled by branch
chairman S/M John Wigley.
MEMBERS of Market Harborough
branch joined colleagues from the
Aurora
Royal British Legion and the RAF
Association to celebrate Veterans Day
November 1941.
with lunch at the Angel Hotel in the
A WORLD War 2 cruiser
Damaged in the minefield which
town.
has stepped back out of the
sank HMS Neptune and HMS
During the meal music from the shadows as her supporters
Kandahar, she was quickly repaired
1940s was played, and there was a
ensure her name lives on. and back in action, taking part in
singalong afterwards.
HMS Aurora was an
the Torch landings in North Africa,
Arethusa-class cruiser of 5,270
landings in Sicily and Salerno and
the liberation of Athens.
● S/M Doug Shingler
A GRANT of £7,590 from the Awards tons, launched in 1936 and
for All England scheme will allow which was in the thick of the
In 1948 she was sold to the
shipmates from Wetherby branch to
action throughout the war.
Chinese Navy, and in 1949 she
tour naval heritage and historical sites in
defected to the Communists – and
Ex-Tiffy
She started in the Norwegian
the South of England.
campaign, seeking the Scharnhorst,
was promptly sunk by Nationalist
Branch chairman Fred Wake said: “We
then joined the hunt for the
air attacks, though she was later
are delighted to receive this award, which
Bismarck.
salvaged.
elected
will enable members, at limited cost, to
She was part of Force K cold
She is believed to have been
visit the sites in Portsmouth which some
northern seas, and then became
scrapped in 1960.
have not seen since their Service days.”
part of the Mediterranean Force
Some of her ship’s company
● Derrick Denyer of the HMS Aurora Association at the
Proposed visits include the Historic
kept in touch with each other, and
mayor
Maritime Club in Portsmouth
K, playing a leading role in the
Dockyard, the RN Submarine Museum,
destruction of an Italian convoy in
an association was formed which
Explosion!, the D-Day Museum and
met annually at the Home Club THE chairman of Northwich
the Royal Marines Museum, as well as
New home for Kingston
– now the Maritime Club – in and District branch has swapped
Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.
Portsmouth. uniform for robes after being
A picture of their cruiser hung elected Mayor of Vale Royal.
on a balcony, and members S/M Doug Shingler spent 29
HARWICH and District branch were
decided that a ship’s crest and years in the Fleet Air Arm after
the proud recipients of a Bosun’s Call
MEMBERSHIP of the – a new deputy secretary was forthwith, and the RNA had to a history of the Aurora would joining at HMS Fisgard in 1962.
donated by honorary member S/M
Kingston branch stands at 114
appointed to help him. find a new berth. complete the display.
He went on to serve as a
Rosemarie Quaintance, widow of S/M
members – including seven
In June the branch came in Fortunately, the treasurer
Derrick Denyer, who was a helicopter engineer at RN Air
Jack Quaintance.
currently serving in the RN.
for a shock – Kingston Royal found a new home at the
teenaged boy signalman in Aurora
Stations Culdrose, Portland and
Jack was secretary of the branch
But the 45 shipmates who
British Legion club gave notice Kingston Working Mens Club,
from 1941 to 1943, presented the
Yeovilton and on aircraft carriers
until his death in March last year, by
attended the branch AGM
deployed worldwide, retiring as a
which stage he had been a member for
the club was closing for business where June’s meeting was held.
crest and history to the club.
were also told that, like other Mr Denyer said the association
CPO in 1991 – at which point he
some 20 years.
branches, Kingston has an
joined the Association.
The call is displayed in a case
ageing cohort, and not many
He also worked with the RN
specially built by S/M Paul Catton,
shipmates come forward to
Pride and sadness
was still going strong, despite the
fact that with a Navy career of
less than ten years and a ship’s
Historic Flight.
and contains Jack’s Full and Life
serve on the committee. ALMOST 60 standards were paraded and more than 200 shipmates company of only 600 there are not
On leaving the Navy Doug
Membership lapel badges.
Branch chairman for 14 marched at the Sunday Church Parade on the last day of National too many to draw from.
became a facilities manager in the
years, S/M Len Stokes, has had Conference weekend in Torquay. Mr Denyer, at 83, is one of the
North West before retiring – but
FOUR members of Burgess Hill branch
to retire through ill health – As the band which should have led the parade was missing, the youngest, and he sends out two
that brought more responsibility
– Dave Lingard, Fred Reynolds, Ted
Len and secretary S/M Gordon column was led by a small, determined group of percussionists association news letters a year, and
in the shape of civic office; Doug
Chapman and John Mead – braved
Tucker were responsible for So popular was the event that it was standing room only inside at its peak the association could
was elected a councillor in 2003,
difficult conditions to raise more than
ensuring the branch went the church for the service itself. attract 100 or more into their
and is also a parish councillor,
£100 for the Seafarers Association.
from strength to strength after The weekend concluded with entertainment laid on by the annual reunion in Portsmouth.
governor of as high school and a
Their tombola stall at the Scaynes Hill
recommissioning in 1984. Torbay branch at the local RAF Association Club. The picture of the ship, along
mmeber of a church choir.
Village Day needed ‘Sloped Awnings’
As a result of the AGM S/M On a sad note, S/M Melvin Rand, Welfare Officer of Spennymoor with Mr Denyer’s potted history
His wife Pam, who is his
and extra moorings, but in addition to
Gordon Tucker was appointed and Ferryhill branch, died on the evening before the Conference and the ship’s crest, are due to
Mayoress, served with the Wrens
raising cash their efforts also led to the
chairman as well as secretary, itself at the first social event of the weekend, and the Association’s be moved to a more prominent
as an education officer before
recruitment of a new member.
as there was no other nominee officers have sent their condolences to Mrs Rand and her family. position in the club shortly.
pursuing a career as a teacher.
SHIPMATES from Norwich branch
joined the congregation at Thorpe
Tribute to the RN fallen
Hamlet St Matthew’s Church to
celebrate Sea Sunday.
A MEMORIAL service for the
Sea Cadets from TS Lord Nelson in
infantry sailors of World War 1
Norwich also attended, and they and
drew hundreds to Blandford
the RNA paraded their standards.
Camp in Dorset.
The service was conducted by
The Collingwood Act of
Canon Graham Drake, vicar of St
Remembrance has been organised
Matthew’s and chaplain to the branch,
for the past 57 years by Roy Adam
and the address was given by Mrs M
in honour of the Collingwood
Rowland, lay reader and wife of branch
Battalion of the Royal Naval
chairman S/M Graham Rowland.
Division.
The RND, which fought inland
campaigns as part of the British
THE Scottish Area has obtained a pitch
Expeditionary Force, was made
at one of the biggest Highland Games of
up of sailors who were waiting
the summer.
in RN Barracks to be assigned
Members will set out their stall at
● A reunion of four old shipmates after 45 years has led to a thriving
to a ship – but ended up in the
the Crieff Highland Games on Sunday
24-strong association which aims to mark the 50th anniversary next
trenches.
August 19, when they hope to spread
year of their commission in HMS Alert. “We are all getting towards
Roy, whose father fought in
the word about the RNA and the RN to
our sell-by date so we need a bit of help to fi nd the rest of the 1958-
Benbow Battalion of the RND, is
crowds of up to 7,000 people from across
60 commission while we can still do something about it,” said ex-
a founder member of Blandford
the world.
AB Dodger Long. If anyone would like to join the group, all RNA
branch, and said the attendance
members, they should contact S/M Long on 01323 891389 or email
list this year was excellent,
around th
davlev30@talktalk.net
including representatives from
branches
e
Australia, New Zealand, Canada,
the United States, UK Armed
● Cdr David Hobbs at the Collingwood Act of Remembrance
at Blandford
Forces and veterans’ groups.
Air station visited
MEMBERS of Bourne branch Following lunch in the Officers’
paid a visit to an RAF station to Mess, where they were joined by
meet some Royal Navy personnel. several Royal Navy personnel, the
The 14 shipmates travelled to visitors toured Harrier workshops,
the Joint Harrier base at RAF taking the chance to try the pilot’s
Wittering, where they had a good seat for size, then were given a
look behind the scenes. full explanation of how ejector
They were shown a film seats work and how survival packs
outlining the history of the base, work.
then saw a Harrier practising take- S/M Brenda White, Bourne
offs and landings on the runway in branch secretary, said: “This was
front of the control tower. a great opportunity to swap yarns
In the tower the visitors met and relate to the modern-day
and talked to weather experts and Royal Navy and the way in which
flight commanders, and could both RAF and RN personnel
watch the Harrier activity on the integrate to put best practice to
air base. the forefront.
Other aerial activity over a “RNA Bourne branch thanks all
much wider area was revealed those serving, including civilians,
by peering at the control tower’s for an informative, educational
radar screens. and interesting tour.”
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