20 NAVY NEWS, DECEMBER 2007
in brief
news
AWARDS and recognition of
Naval personalities include:
■ Capt Matthew O’Sullivan RM
of 847 NAS has become the fi rst
recipient of the Darren Chapman
Award that commemorates
the commanding offi cer of the
squadron who was killed in
action over Basra, Iraq.
The award, which will be
presented annually, is given to
the front-line pilot who, from
training to front-line flying,
has demonstrated the highest
personal, professional and
leadership qualities.
■ CPO Grant ‘Mac’ McGuire has
been awarded the RN’s Sick Berth
Sombre
Petty Offi cer’s Effi ciency Medal.
Although the medic is now
serving on board HMS Bulwark,
his medal recognises his time
within the Defence Diving School
in Portsmouth where he doubled
the output of the medical section
and designed three separate
training courses.
■ PO Russell Simkins of
times
HMS Chatham has received
a Commander in Chief Fleet’s
Commendation for his quick
responses when mooring
ropes parted the ship from
its ammunitioning buoys in
● Sister and brother LReg Emma Crawley and L/Bdr Chris Kearn
Picture: LA(Phot) Dan Hooper
Devonport.
O brother,
■ Cdre David Steel, Naval Base
IT has been a time of pause and remembrance across the nation, but two units from the
Commander Portsmouth, is due
to receive a civic award from
Royal Navy travelled to Auschwitz in Poland and to the Somme to remember those who had
Portsmouth City Council for
died in the conflicts that raged across Europe. his leadership when the future
here art thou
Personnel from 824 NAS, the ly, which is a chilling testimony that was noticeable was the sheer of Portsmouth Naval Base came
Merlin training squadron based to those who served their country amount of people visiting the site, under review in the last year.
in RNAS Culdrose, visited the with so much dignity and pride. all ages, all nationalities – includ- Council leader Gerald Vernon-
ASSAULT ship HMS Albion was helicopter and beach assaults with
battlefields and cemeteries of the “One of the things that was ing a lot of Germans. Jackson said: “David has been an
the meeting place of two Forces’ X-ray Company – which meant he
Somme. particularly surprising during this “Instead of being packed full inspiration to many people in the
siblings who met up during am- was with the commandos for the
AET Luke Cowton said: trip was finding out the huge role of emaciated and exhausted pris- city during an extremely uncertain
phibious exercise Grey Heron. amphibious exercise.
“Walking along the old front that the Royal Navy played during oners, each of the buildings now and worrying period when a very
LReg Emma Crawley is one Emma, who has been in the
lines, you can still find bullets and the fighting in the Somme. houses various exhibits reflecting heavy black cloud hung over the
of the small team of RN Service RN since 1997 while her brother
shrapnel in the fields. Farmers still “One can only try to imagine different aspects of the camp. base.”
Police on board the warship, joined the Army a year earlier,
find shells and grenades whilst what the sailors were thinking “By far the most poignant and ■ Logs(PA) Nicola Taylor became
and her Army brother Lance said: “It’s nice to be in the exercise
ploughing the land, and leave as they reflected on their for- unnerving sight for me was a pic- the fi rst recipient of the Anthony
Bombardier Chris Kearn serves environment together for the first
them on the roadside for the Army tunes of war; after signing up to ture taken of a group of Hungarian Cavanagh Memorial Trophy
with 7th Battery Royal Artillery time in ten years.”
to collect. fight powerful sea battles with the Jews getting off the train after as the result of her hard work
in Arbroath. During a whirlwind tour of the
“Many of those buried in the RN, it would have been the last being deported to Auschwitz – the during specialist training.
Chris is currently attached ship, Emma showed him around
Somme are in graves marked thing they expected to find them- picture shows a small boy holding The award was donated to
to 45 Commando working as the amphibious fleet’s capabili-
‘Known unto God’. selves fighting for their countries’ on to his younger brother and the Defence Maritime Logistics
part of a fire-support team for ties.
“In all the cemeteries visited freedom in the dreaded stinking mother. School at HMS Raleigh by the
these markings came up constant- trenches of the Somme.” “His face is one of total confu- family of 22-year-old Writer
Luke summed up the feelings sion and fear, unknown to him he Anthony Cavanagh who died
of all the Merlin squadron saying: was being sent to the gas cham- after an unprovoked attack in
“Although most people are aware ber.” his hometown of Liverpool.
Look into Hood
of the Battle of the Somme, it is From Auschwitz the group ■ CPOET(WE) Lance Morris of
not until you stare headlong at the moved on to Birkenau, the Nazi’s SCU Leydene has been presented
rows upon rows of graves that you labour camp. with a US Navy and Marine
THE only living survivor of begin to appreciate the enormity “There is a strange unnerv- Corps Commendation Medal for
the loss of HMS Hood, Mr of the war, the number of every- ing quiet hanging over Birkenau. his outstanding professionalism as
Ted Briggs, visited his ship’s day families that the war affected, People say no birds fly in the a COBLU maintainer instructor
namesake building in HMS and most hauntingly the amount camp, a claim rubbished by our whilst on exchange with the US
Collingwood. of young lives that were tragically guide – however it was a lovely Navy at Corry Station, Pensacola,
The Naval veteran presented lost in history. bright sunny day and I never did Florida.
Cdr Allun Watts, the training “Those men fought for our see a single bird during the visit.” ■ Lt Thomas Michael Knott has
base’s executive officer, with freedom with honour and glory He added: “The gas chambers been awarded the Beaufort-
an album of photographs from and must be remembered, not (pictured above), although no long- Wharton Testimonial Prize at
the Hood’s 1923-24 period. forgotten.” er standing, serve as an indication HMS Collingwood as the Naval
The album is held with mem- It was to a different aspect of of man’s ingenuity and ability to college entry with the highest
orabilia from HMS Hood in the war that PO(PT) Mickey Breed design the ultimate killing factory. marks in navigation.
building. led a party from the Medical “Five hours visiting the camp ■ Lt James Martin won the Carl
Also taking pride of place in Centre at HMS Collingwood. was definitely enough, there was Zesis Prize as the offi cer with the
Hood building is a painting of In sunshine the party of eight a strange quiet all the way back as highest marks in navigation after
the ship by artist David Jordan – military and civilian – stood our group reflected on what they completing a 13-week course at
– an artwork to which the vet- amid the abandoned walls of the had just seen. HMS Collingwood.
eran provided invaluable guid- German death camp Auschwitz. “To this day I have not fully ■ Dr Colin White, eminent Naval
ance and insight. Mickey said: “The first thing come to terms with what I saw.” historian and director of the Royal
Naval Museum in Portsmouth,
has been appointed as Visiting
Professor at the University of
Portsmouth.
The academic said: “I am most
honoured. Maritime history is an
absolutely vital part of general
historical studies. I look forward
to playing a part in bringing
this marvellous story alive to
those who come to study here
in Portsmouth.”
AND just to prove that the RN is
keeping an eye to the future:
■ Former pupil Lt Cdr Mark
Brayson of 815 NAS fl ew his
Lynx from RNAS Yeovilton to
his old school Lawrence Sherriff
Grammar School, Rugby;
■ A Lynx helicopter and person-
nel from destroyer HMS Man-
● PO Duncan Kniebbs interviewed for ITV’s Britain’s Best Dish
chester dropped in on Grosvenor
Picture: LA(Phot) Shaun Barlow
Grammar School, Belfast;
A sausage dish
■ Fife youngsters from Hillside
Residential, Inverkeithing High,
St Columbas High and Dunferm-
SAILORS on board HMS Cumberland – the ‘fighting sausage’
line High were welcomed for two
– enjoyed a tasting test courtesy of ITV programme Britain’s Best
days into HMS Caledonia;
Dish.
■ Olympic contender Lt Cdr Pen-
The sailors sampled the three dishes shortlisted as the nation’s
ny Clark from Sultan spent the day
favourite, all cooked on board by the ship’s own galley crew.
with pupils from Ipswich School
TV director Yvonne Alexander said: “It was an absolute pleasure
sharing her sailing expertise.
working on board. I’ve never known a shoot to run with such fantas-
tic military precision.”
Cumberland’s CO Cdr Peter Sparkes said: “Food plays an impor-
tant part in keeping morale high while a ship is deployed, and it is
great that those who work hard are showcased on national TV.” in brief
news
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