20 NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER 2007
A spark
of an
idea
AT the age of 12, the future Royal Marine Lee Hanmore was
taken by his dad to a book signing.
Mr Hanmore was a bit of a Sixty-five years on Lee has
history buff and wanted the author enlisted the help of Portsmouth
to put his signature on the tome naval base support organisation
he was reading. FSL to build a replica canoe, or
The author was William ‘Bill’ cockle – hence the name of the
Sparks. The book was The Last of subsequent book and film – so the
Picture: Dave Sherfield
the Cockleshell Heroes. recreation of the mission will be as
● Marie Cockburn and husband Bob
Lee admits that the meeting authentic as possible.
Marie is back
“went a bit over my head” – but “The plans for the boats
several years down the line the
changed all the time – there’s no
now green beret is following in the
definitive version saying ‘this is
heroes’ wake.
the cockle used,’” explained
in blue
With a fellow Royal Marine
Graham Feasey of FSL, who
Commando, Lee, based at CTC
is overseeing a team of
RM in Lympstone intends to
apprentices.
WE have featured her on these left to do.
recreate Operation Frankton – the
“It’s not easy building the boats
Picture: LA(Phot) Billy Bunting
pages before, but hats off “I originally joined at 17, but
official name for the ‘Cockleshell
– it’s actually quite intense, even
KATERINE Poole of RNAS Yeovilton, pictured with Cdre Chris
to Trainee Logistician Marie left the Navy to become a full-
heroes’ raid – as Bill Sparks and
though it’s only wood and canvas,
Palmer, has taken the first steps on the ladder, becoming the first
Cockburn who 17 years after time mum and wife. Now that
his comrades did it: in traditional
because we want to use the same
student to complete an apprenticeship as a Royal Naval Air Traffic
she first entered the establish- my children are older I decided
canoes; paddling by night; sleeping
methods as they did 60 years
Control Assistant (ATCA). ATCAs support air traffic control officers
ment has finished her initial I’d like to carry on with my
rough – in December.
ago.”
in the demanding business of regulating the flow of military and
training at HMS Raleigh... career.
Pretty much the only thing
Authenticity is key to the
civilian air traffic in the congested air space above the UK.
And no, it hasn’t taken her “It’s a lot different now to
missing will be the Germans.
recreation. Lee will take it in
that long to complete the when I first joined. Then I was a
In December 1942 a dozen
turns to sleep in his boat as
course – just the regulation member of the Women’s Royal
commandos paddled up the
the men did in 1942, while his
eight weeks in fact. But Marie’s Naval Service; we were sepa-
Gironde to destroy German
colleague performs sentry duty.
Royal audience for
original Naval career was sent rate from the men and only did
shipping in the port of Bordeaux
The duo will paddle by night and
off course two years after she six weeks initial training.
– something they succeeded in
rest by day.
joined the Service when she “Now the course is a lot more
doing but at a terrible cost.
“We are not using anything
fell pregnant with her first child physical, with the obstacle and
Only two of the Royals survived
which was not used in 1942 – we
Great War veterans
Michelle. assault course included. My
the raid – Maj ‘Blondie’ Hasler
even have replica ration packs
IT SEEMS the secrets to long life Before the event, Mr Stone said:
The 34-year-old mother of husband took me out running
and Mne Bill Sparks – the rest
from the era,” he explained.
are cleanliness, contentment and “I am overwhelmed to be meeting
two has now returned to the a few times before I joined and
were drowned, killed, or captured
“There will be a safety boat with
trust – according to one World War the Queen.
life in uniform, much to the baf- said I was a natural athlete.
by the Nazis and subsequently
us because if we capsize there’s no
1 naval veteran. “The secret to long life is clearn
flement of her husband PO Bob “I wasn’t so sure and I was
executed as ‘saboteurs’.
way of righting the canoe again
Two of the last three survi- living, be a contented man, and
Cockburn, himself an initial really worried about how I
with 150lbs of kit aboard.
vors of the Great War travelled to trust in the Lord.
training instructor at Raleigh. would do.
“Negotiating the river is going
Buckingham Palace for a garden “My motto is: keep going.”
“My husband thinks I’m “I actually surprised myself
to be a shock to the system, but
party as part of the events mark- Mr Allingham, the oldest man
mad,” said Marie, “and he by knocking one minute off my Culdrose
hopefully by then all our training ing 90 years since the Battle of
in the United Kingdom and
wouldn’t do it at my age, but time for my 2.4km run in week
will have paid off.” Passchendaele (see next month’s the last survivor of the Battle of
then he’s only got four years five.”
top of
All of which begs a simple Navy News for a four-page supple- Jutland, commented: “There will
question: why? ment on the battle). be a bond between William and
“Many of the recruits and Henry Allingham, who signed me for as long as we both live.
It is rocket science
the RIAT
qualified marines I serve with have up with the Royal Naval Air “I am here today not for myself,
heard of the raid but perhaps Service in 1915 and is a founder but in memory of all those who
don’t know who carried it out or member of the Royal Air Force, didn’t make it home.”
what it was for, so a key aim is to joined with William Stone, who The veterans were welcomed
acts
raise awareness,” said Lee. signed up for the Royal Navy at by the First Sea Lord and Chief
“People have paddled the route Devonport in 1918, and served of the Naval Staff Admiral
since 1942 but using modern kit, through World War 1 and World Sir Jonathon Band at a small
or in the summer, but as far as War 2 until he retired in 1945, for reception inside the Ministry
THE KING Hussein Memorial
we’re aware, no-one has done an a private audience with the Queen of Defence before their Palace
Sword – a trophy awarded annually
authentic recreation like this.” at Buckingham Palace. appointment.
for the best overall display at the
prestigious Royal International Air
Tattoo – has been given to pilots
from RNAS Culdrose.
The Cobham Formation,
comprising of the Serco FRADU
Black Seahawks based at Culdrose
and FR Aviation Falcons based
in Bournemouth, beat off
competition from the Red Arrows
and highly esteemed teams from
Italy, Spain and the USA to net
the top prize.
The FRADU team’s real job
is to provide realist airborne
threat attacks during Royal Navy
training exercises such as the
‘Thursday Wars’ which take place
off Plymouth.
The team members practise
their display skills in their spare
time and this year’s tight schedule
meant that they had only five
opportunities to train together
before RIAT.
Black Seahawk team leader
Martin Stoner said: “We were just
so proud and thrilled to have
been honoured, not least because
● Lt Rory McEwan with students from Neville Lovett Senior School
we were up against the very best
OFFICER Lt Rory McEwan took The efforts of the pupils were display teams in the world.
a break from his day job with the judged on their artistic and tech- “We have been aiming to win
Technical Training group in HMS nical merit, as well as their time a trophy at RIAT for many years,
Collingwood to judge a rocket- in flight, height and distance but it was beyond our wildest
building competition at a local achieved. dreams to win the best of the
school. Rory had previously given a best.”
Pupils from Neville Lovett presentation to the pupils offering People who attended Culdrose
Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Adrian Johns takes by his boss’ shooting skills. During the visit the
Senior School had been set the an insight into the different missile Air Day on August 1 had the
aim on the Mk44 Mini gun at HMS Collingwood’s admiral also visited the bridge simulator training
challenge to design and build systems used by the Royal Navy, opportunity to see the winning
weapon system simulator, watched by CPO facility, and the command training department,
rockets based around a body made and gave advice on the various trophy on display, plus watch the
Matthew Rose, Cdre Steve Kirby – the command- and saw an unusual form of training when Phase
from A3 paper and launched by design features that could be used aerial choreography of the expert
ing officer of HMS Collingwood, and Command 2 trainees ‘let their hair down’ in a wet’n’wild It’s
compressed air. to boost their rockets’ scores. flyers of the Culdrose unit.
WO Vic Parsons – who seems quite amused a Knockout competition.
0020-021_NN_sept07 copy.indd 120-021_NN_sept07 copy.indd 1 221/8/07 13:21:481/8/07 13:21:48
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48