This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
10 NAVY NEWS, NOVEMBER 2007
● Sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley’s group in the new Armed Forces Memorial
Picture: Graeme Main (Soldier magazine)
Making the invisible visible
SUBTLETY is not always
killed while on duty or by terrorist cousin Lord Louis Mountbatten, and an older couple, representing
part of the fabric of a great
action since World War 2. killed by an IRA bomb in 1979. the loss and grief of loved ones.
monument.
That roll of honour includes As the royal party met In a second group a figure points
reservists and members of the representatives of families of the through a doorway to another
But Robert Browning’s idea
RFA and Merchant Navy who dead and key figures in the creation world as a warrior lies dying, and
of “less is more” is of hugely died in support of the Forces. of the memorial, the Band of the a letter-carver prepares to record
poignant significance in the But the remaining blank space – RAF, Winchester choristers and his death for posterity.
new Armed Forces Memorial
room for roughly the same number All Angels maintained the mood The alignment of the memorial
at the National Arboretum,
again – also speaks volumes, and of dignified contemplation. is such that at 11am on November
which has been dedicated in
ensures that this memorial is very
Looking on were the heads
11 every year, the sun’s rays
the presence of the Queen.
much part of the present and
of the three Services,
will pass through the gap in the
For here in the heart of Britain,
future as it is of the past.
including First Sea Lord
doorway and illuminate the centre
it is what is not on view that
There are already around 100
Admiral Sir Jonathon Band
of the memorial.
is perhaps just as significant as
further names to be added, those Vice Admiral Sir John Dunt,
what is, a theme outlined by the
who have died in the past few
and his wife, and Prime
chairman of the memorial
Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr
months.
Minister Gordon Brown.
trustees, said the memorial will be
Rowan Williams, in his address to
The moving service of Architect Liam O’Connor’s “a fitting tribute to the memory
those gathered in Staffordshire.
dedication featured contributions design beat 44 others, and draws of all those who have made the
Dr Williams spoke of the ease
from those affected by loss, inspiration from ancient Britain, ultimate sacrifice.”
with which people screen out that
including a letter to “Daddy in Greece and Rome. More than £6 million has so far
which makes them uncomfortable,
Heaven”, read by nine-year-old The memorial stands on a 20ft been raised for the memorial, but
and do not think of the invisible
Georgina Chapman. mound echoing British burial more is needed to complete and
work done by others to protect our
‘Daddy’ was Lt Cdr Darren mounds, and a path spirals up to maintain it – see the website at
own comfortable lives – including
Chapman, CO of 847 Naval Air the memorial itself. www.forcesmemorial.org.uk
the work of our Armed Forces
Squadron, who died in Iraq in That consists of two straight The RNA had seven Standards
He said we needed visible
May last year when his Lynx walls within a circular enclosure, on display, borne by the National
memorials because “if we are
helicopter was shot down. at one side of which is an obelisk. Standard Bearer and six shipmates
not to be dishonest, shallow and
A lesson was read by the Duke One set of bronze figures by from No 8 Area, and the Lord
● Former sailor Keith Walker paid tribute to his brother Peter and of Edinburgh, who later joined the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley shows Lieutenant of Staffordshire’s Cadet,
their friend Edward Sheppard; the two men died in an explosion in
unreal, we need to make the
Queen, the Prince of Wales and the a wounded Serviceman raised Cdt Siân Colloby, of the Tamworth
on board submarine HMS Rorqual in 1966
invisible visible once in a while.
“And that is what today is about
Duchess of Cornwall in seeking aloft on a stretcher by comrades, unit, was also on official duty.
Picture: Graeme Main (Soldier magazine)
– naming all those who have been
out the name of the Queen’s watched by a mother and child marina Comment – page 26
ready to risk everything for the
good of our national community,
Supporting independent living for our

and indeed the good of our
ex-Service community
Arboretum has dark-blue roots
world.
SVR, a charity formed in 1910, supports
“Some of them have died in ALTHOUGH the Armed Forces inspired by the Arlington 999-year lease, and the first
independent living accommodation for the ex-
heroic circumstances, some in Memorial is independent of Cemetery and National plantings took place in 1997.
Service community who are homeless or in
tragedy and conflict, some in Government and any other Arboretum in Washington DC. At the head of the Arboretum
routine duties – but all of them organisations, it is an integral The project was supported itself is another former Naval
times of need. At our residences in Edinburgh
Registered Charity No. 15260 as parts of a single great and part of the 150-acre National by Gp Capt Leonard Cheshire, officer, chief executive Charlie
and Dundee each resident has their own fully
generous enterprise.” Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas. and the project was officially Bagot Jewitt, whose family
furnished single-room, almost all More than 15,500 names on the Now part of the Royal British launched in 1994. hails from the area.
of which are en-suite and full Portland stone panels, organised Legion group, the arboretum The reclaimed gravel quarry See next month for an in-marina
board is provided.
in date order and with no ranks was founded by Naval officer was given by Redland (now depth look at the National
shown, represent men and women Cdr David Childs, who was Lafarge) Aggregates on a Memorial Arboretum
Every year SVR cares for more
than 300 ex-Service men and
women of all ages. We believe
Nation acknowledges each sacrifi ce
our residents deserve the best
quality of support, services,
KEITH Walker and his wife Margaret had years to have somewhere to come. of his death,” said Walter, from Tenby in South
kindness and understanding we
made the short trip from Brierly Hill to pay “I think this is magnificent. The design and Wales, who attended with his wife Sheila.
can provide. Dignity, privacy and
tribute to Keith’s brother Peter and their concept is marvellous – you cannot walk in “I feel the nation has acknowledged him,
respect for our residents are our
mutual friend Edward Sheppard. here without getting a lump in your throat.” and all the other people as well.
The pair died in an explosion on board HMS Margaret added: “The architect has achieved “It is right that we remember people who
principal objectives.
Rorqual as the submarine passed Mozambique what he set out to do – it is spot on.” died in conflict, but this was training, and he
WE URGENTLY NEED YOUR SUPPORT!
en route to Singapore in August 1966. The couple intend to bring Keith’s 92-year- was on duty – that was his work.”
“We had seen him off at Snow Hill Station, old mother Ivy to the memorial when the Former WO Barrie Knight was at Alrewas to
Please send your donation, large or small to ensure that our and I was going on the Beira patrol [the crowds have subsided. remember shipmates who didn’t make it back
veterans are looked after in years to come.
blockade of oil shipments to Rhodesia, now Also there for the sake of his brother was – in particular, four from Borneo, four from
Zimbabwe] so I said I would see him in Walter Morse; William Howell Morse was 24 Aden and six from the Falklands.
Please make cheques payable to ’SVR’ and send them to :
Singapore,” said Keith. when he died off Gibraltar, the first fatality “I think this is excellent – I am absolutely
Marion Anderson, Fundraising, SVR, “We never met up. He was 22, I was 24. suffered by the fourth HMS Ark Royal delighted,” said Barrie, who served with 40, 41,
53 Canongate, Edinburgh, EH8 8BS
“This is the first time we have really been Lt Morse’s Sea Hawk of 800 NAS ditched 42, 43 and 45 Cdos over the course of 38 years,
able to have somewhere to come to pay our on take-off on October 14 1955; a seaboat was and was Regimental Sergeant Major on board
For more information or to donate on-line visit
respects. quickly on the scene but Lt Morse’s body and HMS Fearless in the Falklands.
www.svronline.org “We had a service in the local church at the the wreck of his aircraft were never recovered. “I am not sentimental, but this is one
time, but it is not the same. It has taken 41 “This is the first acknowledgement we have occasion when I am chuffed to bits.”
0010_NN_Nov.indd 110_NN_Nov.indd 1 119/10/07 11:16:499/10/07 11:16:49
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
Produced with Yudu - www.yudu.com