NAVY NEWS, NOVEMBER 2007 29
Corps reputation ‘in safe hands’
War sites
A VETERAN Royal Marine has spent a “I was not impressed. I then realised that and their forte is out in the field, and because
weekend watching the latest generation Green pre-war Royal Marines were a different kind of this they are now so much better than
on itinerary
Berets go through their paces – and is happy of animal.” anything we could produce,” said Bernard.
RAYLEIGH and Basildon
that the reputation of the Corps is in safe S/M Bernard recalled the months spent “They are now proving to all those that
branches paid their respects to
hands. pounding the parade ground getting the drill matter, and in particular to us old ’uns, that
war victims thanks to a grant from
Ninety-year-old S/M Bernard Hallas was right, and how a complete King’s Squad, in they are the best in the world.
the National Lottery Fund.
at Lympstone with the RMA, where he saw HMS Warspite in Seattle during 1942, swept “Recent events have proved beyond a shadow
Rayleigh used the £8,400 to
a rehearsal of the King’s Squad passing out to victory over the US Marine Corps in a drill of a doubt that today’s youngsters wearing the
travel to France and Belgium,
parade. display. Globe and Laurel are the ultimate fighting
with Basildon members filling
“My first impression was that it was not up to “Having said that, drill does not win wars, machine and we are convinced that they will
spare places.
standard, and in theory this was probably true,” and whereas we spent months pounding the never tarnish our history, and we are more than
The party visited the memorial
said Bernard, a member of York branch. square, today’s King’s Squads only spend days, a little proud of them.”
and beaches at Dunkirk/Malo les
Baines on the way to Lille.
One day saw an excursion to
Picture: Derek Cooknell Photography
sites and towns of the Somme
Mayor is
battlefields, including Thiepval,
Longueval and Beaumont Hamel.
The following afternoon was
fan of RN
Orkney connection
spent at Ypres, with the highlight
being attendance at the Last Post
ceremony at the Menin Gate in
THE current Mayor of Warwick is
the evening.
an ex-Crab – but he has a soft spot
is re-established
As well as Belgian fire brigade
for the Royal Navy.
personnel, who play the Last Post
Cllr Martyn Ashford (above)
and Reveille every day of the year,
joined the RAF in 1974 and trained
there was also a contribution by a
as a propulsion fitter – though early
police band from Yorkshire.
in his career he spent two years on
The next day allowed a leisurely
exchange with 809 NAS.
visit to Bruges and Ostend, then it
He later served at Malta with JUST over 50 years after the with a commissioning ceremony
was back to the battlefield tour.
Vulcan bombers, in Germany
White Ensign was lowered
at the Royal British Legion Club, The party had time to visit
with Buccaneers and at RAF
Vimy Ridge, where the Canadians
Cottesmore with Tornados.
at Lyness for the last time,
followed by a buffet supper and
dance attended by around 120 won a costly victory over German
His final posting was at RAF
a new link between Orkney people. defenders in April 1917 during the
Chivenor with 22 Air Sea Rescue. and the Royal Navy has On the Sunday, members of
Battle of Arras, and then the RNA
Martyn became Mayor of
been forged.
the new branch marched from contingent climbed back aboard
Warwick Town Council in 2007
the bus to catch the ferry home.
– and the Warwick branch is very
March 29 1957 was a typical
the RBL Club to St Magnus
Cathedral, with a wreath-laying
proud, as Martyn is an associate
Orcadian early spring day – a
ceremony at the Cenotaph on
member of the branch.
bitter gusting wind and heavy
the way.
Welfare in
The branch also boasts Mace
clouds – as a small contingent Marching with them was a pipe
Bearers to the Mayor – both S/M of RN personnel and crowds band and standards of various
Derek Fletcher, branch secretary,
of islanders listened to the
ex-Service organisations, and
the spotlight
and his assistant have that
bugle call of Sunset as an era
on arrival at Kirkwall’s ancient
responsibility.
AN RNA welfare seminar at
came to an end.
cathedral a dedication service was
HMS Nelson was attended by
Silver lunch
But the relationship between
held, at which branch honorary
Scapa Flow and the Senior Service,
chaplain Rev David Dawson
some 32 delegates from areas and
forged over years of triumph and
preached a well-received sermon.
branches.
SHIPMATES and friends of
tragedy, has been maintained over
The celebrations attracted a
Among the topics covered were:
the Falmouth branch celebrated
the intervening decades.
number of senior officers from the
The range of benefits available marina
the 25th anniversary of the
Partnerships between sailors
Association.
to the mature citizen.
recommissioning of the branch
and local women, and old salts
These included RNA president Points to watch for when marina
with a lunch in the town.
heading north for retirement, have
S/M John McAnally and chairman assessing completed standard
S/M Richard Hart, chairman
helped, as have the presence of the
S/M David White, Scottish Area application forms (the A Form)
of Area 4, spoke of the significant
Sea Cadet Corps.
president S/M David Cowan and for almonisation (in use in various
events of 25 years ago, in particular
But the formal connection
chairman S/M David Berisford. forms by the RBL, SSAFA and
the Falklands War, while branch
between the Navy and Orkney
The Lord Lieutenant of RNBT);
chairman S/M Mick Stevens
ended on that grey March
Orkney, Dr Tony Trickett, was also marina Relative poverty and the ex-RN
observed 1982 also saw the raising
afternoon.
present. community;
of the Mary Rose – disproving the
But now a new link has been
The new branch itself, led by The various aids and appliances marina
submariners’ theory that it is only
forged with the commissioning of
chairman S/M David Hughes, has available to the disabled sector of
submarines that go to the bottom
the Orkney branch of the RNA.
started up with 16 members. the community;
and come back up again.
The two-day programme began
The Orkneys lie eight miles marina How the RNA was involved
north of the Scottish mainland, in helping our Servicemen in
and at the centre of the archipelago Afghanistan and Iraq, and how
££50 PRIZE PUZZLE50 PRIZE PUZZLE
lies the sheltered anchorage of assistance could be offered to
Scapa Flow, used by the RN as a
● Standards are paraded at the commissioning of Orkney branch
returned wounded, injured and ill
safe haven in both world wars.
Picture: Ken Amer, Orkney Photographic
Servicemen in Selly Oak MDHU.
Newcastles
Welsh memorial is
in the picture
A MEMBER of the HMS
Newcastle Association was given
consecrated in Cardiff
the task of creating a painting of
the two ships which the group
THE Welsh National Falklands losses had dead and injured men
represents.
Memorial has been consecrated at from Wales.
The association has never
a drumhead service in Cardiff. “Many members of the Welsh
had a standard to hang in their
The concept, three-years of fund- public have contributed to the
THE mystery ship in our church – St George’s in Portsea
raising and most of the building National Memorial,” said Andy
September edition (right) was – during reunion services, so G
was done by veterans of the South Jones.
RFA Lyness, later known as Knapp created the painting of
Atlantic Medal Association “Emotions within Wales have
USNS Sirius, and was correctly the wartime cruiser and Type 42
(SAMA) Wales/Cymru. run high during this special 25th
identified by Mr D Dobbie, of destroyer to display.
The memorial consists of a commemorative year.
Fife, who wins our £50 prize. The picture was presented to
five-ton granite rock transported Southampton to South Wales by “Wales, more than any
This month’s ship (above), Rev Karina Green at St George’s
8,500 miles from Mt Harriet in the Royal Logistics Corps territorials, other home nation, suffered a
another RFA, was launched in by association secretary David
Falklands, which sits on a Portland it ‘rested’ near Brecon until the 6ft disproportionate percentage of
October 1959 at Scotstoun. Park, treasurer Brian Ainsworth,
stone plinth with granite facings. plinth was completed. casualties during the conflict.”
Although this particular tanker Gary Roe and Paul Temperley.
The rock was found by Welsh At a ceremony marking the laying
apparently shares a class name
Guards veteran Andy ‘Curly’ of the foundation, David Pickering,
with later, bigger ‘sisters’, she
In praise of the tot
Jones at the base of the mountain, chairman of the Welsh Rugby
Portland ships’
was a one-off, and served with
where the Guards secured the Union, placed an engraved brick,
Closing date for entries is
the others in the Falklands
December 7. More than one entry THE demise of the Royal Navy
‘start-line’ for an attack by 42 and his presence was a symbolic
campaign. Can you name her? can be submitted, but photocopies
rum ration was commemorated by
Cdo RM, when he made a return act from a rugby nation as “a final
flights reunite
The right answer could win cannot be accepted. Do not include
Plymouth branch in the WO&SR
visit to the South Atlantic in 2005 touch-down for the boys who will
never see again their nation playing
AVIATORS from the Falklands
you £50.
anything else in your envelope: no
Mess of HMS Drake, where
– though he admits the rock was
Complete the coupon and send
correspondence can be entered into
a little larger than he had been the wide and open game.”
Confl ict staged a reunion at
members over 20 were treated to
it to Mystery Picture, Navy News,
and no entry returned.
looking for. The memorial commemorates
Weymouth Golf Club to mark the
HMS Nelson, Portsmouth PO1 3HH.
The winner will be announced in
a free tot of Pusser’s Rum.
The 7ft boulder was brought to the 258 members of the Task Force
25th anniversary of the campaign.
Coupons giving correct answers will
our January edition. The competition
Branch secretary S/M Arthur
the UK by UK service personnel, and three Falkland Islanders who
The reunion was for members
go into a prize draw to establish a
is not open to Navy News employees Gutteridge gave a brief history
died – all major battles and ship
of ship’s flights based at Portland
winner.
or their families. of the events leading up to Tot
and after being shifted from
who operated helicopters from
Black Day.
frigates and destroyers.
A rum raffle raised £140 towards
MYSTERY PICTURE 153
Glamorgan veterans remember
A welcome address was given
branch charitable donations.
by Dave McCaughey, formerly
Warm welcome
THE HMS Glamorgan Falklands in Portsmouth for a reunion and of HMS Yarmouth, in which
Association have held a memorial remembrance service, and in
Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
shipmates killed in action or who
service in Portsmouth Cathedral. 1997, thanks to the efforts of have died since were remembered.
SHIPMATES in southern Spain
The Portsmouth-based County- association president Capt Mike A total of 75 people attended,
would like to remind ex-pats and
Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
class guided missile destroyer was Barrow, a memorial window representing Lynx, Wasps and
visitors that the Torrevieja branch
one of the first ships to join the and commemorative stone were Wessex 3s of the following ships:
on the Costa Blanca meets on the
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Falklands campaign. dedicated in the cathedral. Ambuscade, Antelope, Antrim,
fi rst Wednesday of the month at El
She was attacked three times More than 300 members Ardent, Argonaut, Arrow, Brilliant,
Paraiso bar and restaurant in the
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
by Argentine aircraft, but it was attended the 25th anniversary Broadsword, Cardiff, Coventry,
Avda Las Alondras, Becisa, Los a shore-launched Exocet missile, service, and a donation of £1,000 Endurance, Exeter, Glasgow,
Angeles, Torrevieja. on June 12, which caused most was made to the cathedral Hecla, Hydra, Hermes, Invincible,
My answer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
For more information contact damage, killing 14 of her sailors. development appeal as a gesture Sheffield, Plymouth, Yarmouth,
Rod Millington on 966764292 or The HMS Glamorgan Falklands of appreciation for the church’s RMS Contender Bezant and RMS
see www.torreviejarna.info Association meets every five years support over the years. St Helena.
0028-029_NN_Nov.indd 228-029_NN_Nov.indd 2 117/10/07 11:54:507/10/07 11:54:50
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