NAVY NEWS, DECEMBER 2007 29
Not so
LETTERS to the editor should letters, we cannot publish all of your
always be accompanied by the correspondence in Navy News.
plain
correspondent’s name and We look particularly for corre-
address, not necessarily for spondence which stimulates
English
publication. debate, makes us laugh or raises
Email correspondents are important issues.
also requested to provide Please try to keep your
I have just attempted to read the this information. submissions as brief as
article Time to take stock – one year
Letters cannot be possible – our space is
on (page 23, November).
Was it drafted by someone from
submitted over the limited.
the European Union? I know I
telephone. The editor reserves
may be an old sailor, 1949-72, Given the impres- the right to edit your
but I couldn’t understand it at all.
sive volume of submissions.
Why have the naval authorities
stopped using plain English? what
or who is a TLB?
One other gripe, call me
● Dark Adventure, Dark Aggressor and Dark Biter showing an
impressive turn of speed in the English Channel in 1957
pedantic, but no self respecting
Hydrographer would call the end
Diving on
product of his work a map, it’s a
chart for goodness sake.
– K Miller, Plymstock, Plymouth
David Hogan-Hern, Deputy
Programme Manager for the Fleet
the Darks
Transformation Programme, said:
“I must say that I am delighted
Mr Miller read the article so avidly
– even if some of the language
READING the letters from I never believed the salt crys-
was not as transparent as it could
Lt Cdr Upton and Mr Padgin- tal story personally, but thought
have been.
ton (July and August) about the it might be a lack of cathodic
“The TLBs to which we referred
‘Dark’ boats brought back some protection.
in our article are Top Level
memories. They certainly were fast
Budgets, the major organisational
I remember diving on the Dark though!
groupings within the MOD. The
Intruder in June 1966 at Portland, – Terence Gosling, former
Fleet TLB comprises the Fleet
to inspect the propellers, both ABCD2, Alford, Aberdeenshire
and Naval Home Commands and
props were badly pitted with a The caption in our archives for
a single Headquarters.
hole right through a blade on the the picture above reads: “..light
“Transformation plays a vital
starboard prop. coastal craft powered by Napier
part in making the shore-side of
It was said this was happen- Deltic engines of very high perfor-
the Fleet as effective as it can
ing because of the salt crystals in mance. This opposed piston two-
be in its support to the front line.
seawater acting on the metal of the stroke cycle engine in triangular
Transformation and its successor,
prop because of the very high revs form with three crank shafts is
‘continuous improvement’, will
seen at high speed. a new engineering development.
become part of all our daily lives
In August 1967 I had a similar They can be readily adapted for
– which is why it is so important
experience with Dark Hero in use either as motor torpedo boats
that as many people understand
Vernon creek. or motor gun boats.”
it as possible.
“We do, therefore, try to avoid
technical jargon: our apologies if
Christmas
we didn’t manage this time.”
Tot ended
cheer for
in tears
READING the letter from Ken
the Booties
Tipper (November) re-ignited a
painful memory for my husband
who was serving in HMS Wolver-
ton at the time the rum tot was
I AM a serving member of the Royal Marines on a six- terminated in 1970.
month operational tour in the Southern Helmand Province of The loss of losing his rum
Afghanistan in a remote Forward Operating Base. ration was nothing compared with
Supplies are frugal at the moment to say the least and only the trauma he experienced on
cover the remit of operational effectiveness. bringing his tot glass home as a
As an avid reader of Navy News, please could you publicise memento of six years imbibing
this to your readers, as any small comforts sent by anyone Pusser’s Rum.
would be gratefully received and greatly appreciated. Taking one look at the filth-
Mail takes about two weeks to get here from the UK and vice encrusted glass I plunged it into
versa, and we would be most grateful of any support, be it just hot water, whereupon it disinte-
a letter or a bar of chocolate for Christmas. grated in my hand.
We all look forward eagerly to any replies, thank you all for Watching a rugged sailor sport-
your time in reading this letter. ing a full set, close to tears, is
– Cpl P Eastwood, 40 Cdo RM something which should never be
Letters and chocolate can be sent to to Cpl P Eastwood, A Coy, 40 witnessed.
Cdo RM, Op Herrick, BFPO 792 for distribution among the boys. Even after 37 years, he hasn’t
There is a 4.4lbs (2kg) weight limit on parcels. forgiven me.
■ See page 47 for more details on Christmas post – Ed – Mary E Holmes,
Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Notts
028-029_NN_dec07.indd 2 21/11/07 13:45:42
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