NAVY NEWS, FEBRUARY 2008 29
Projects
Ensign is
will mark
Branches urged to
presented
Battle of
to cadets
THE GATWICK branch of the
Atlantic
back Heroes charity
Submariners Association
presented a wartime submarine
White Ensign to TS Cossack to
mark the Sea Cadet unit’s 50th
PLANS to create a series of
anniversary.
memorials to those who fought
The veteran deeps brought their
in the Battle of the Atlantic are branch night forward 24 hours to
taking shape. ASSOCIATION General
S/M Lock continued: “To kick-
nominated charity for the year, Any information about events
be able to join in the celebrations
The archivist of the HMS Vidette
Secretary S/M Paddy
start our support we have sent a
and we are hoping this will or participation by branches
with Cossack, home for many
Crew Association, J Whittaker,
cheque for £15,000.
encourage all our branches to do and areas should be forwarded
McClurg and National
years of the Gatwick branch.
said that a remembrance cross
“This is now a chance to go
something. to S/M McClurg at paddy@
Around 50 per cent of the
bearing the inscription Convoy
Charities and Welfare back to the branches and take
“One branch – Chatham – has royalnavalassoc.com – S/M
membership was on parade – the
ONS 5 was laid in the Field AdviserS/M Rita Lock have
it on.
already done something, and Area McClurg will act as a focal point
passing years are taking their
of Remembrance at Westminster
obtained the unanimous
“The project and main reason
7 has already sent a cheque.” for such events.
toll – and they had to put on a
Abbey last November, a practice
S/M Lock said the charity’s Help for Heroes was set up by
approval of the Nationaal
for this fund-raising is to build good show, as the smartly-dressed
which will continue.
a swimming pool and gym at website www.helpforheroes.org.
Bryn and Emma Parry who were
youngsters laid on a first-class
Convoy ONS 5 was a slow-
Council to nominate the Headley Court, so our guys and uk has a list of events organised to moved by the plight of Servicemen
display of drill.
moving westbound Atlantic convoy charity Help for Heroes as
girls will get their own complex. raise funds. at Selly Oak Hospital. On completion the World War 2
of more than 40 ships which left
the RNA’s main charity for
“The price they have already Branches can either take part It aims to give people a way White Ensign, donated by branch
Liverpool in April 1943.
in an event, or organise their own of offering practical support to
the year.
paid none of us can afford – most president S/M Keith Nethercoate-
The convoy and its escorts were of them are amputees.
witin their premises and have wounded personnel, by fundraising Bryant, was presented to the Sea
set upon by wolf packs of U-boats,
National Council has backed
“This is a recommendation it publicised on the website, as for the Service charities and other Cadet unit by branch chairman
and a week-long series of ferocious
this decision with a cheque for from the National Council that well as through normal RNA associated projects.
S/M Phil Prew and treasurer S/M
attacks saw both the allies and £15,000, and is now asking Help for Heroes should be our channels. marina Help for Heroes – page 34 Barry Caldicott.
Axis forces suffer heavy losses.
areas and branches to follow
But history also sees it as the
its lead.
turning point in the Battle, with
“We are ‘Once Navy, Always
attacks on Allied shipping falling
Navy’, so we are helping this project
and U-boat losses rising.
Russian veterans
because we know there are many
S/M Whittaker also said there
Service people involved,” said
are plans to create a national
S/M Lock.
memorial based on HMS
“We have nominated it as
tour Devonport
Whimbrel, the last surviving ship
our main charity for this year,
of the period which is currently in
and I can only remember this
ARCTIC veterans from their escorts had to cope with
mothballs in Egypt.
happening once before, when we
Severodvinsk in Russia have ferocious weather, freezing
The project is led by Vice
concentrated our efforts on the
visited Devonport Naval Base cold and mountainous seas,
Admiral Michael Gretton (retd),
Pembroke House refurbishment.”
as part of a tour of the West as well as constant daylight in
the son of Peter Gretton, Convoy Country organised by the the summer.
Escort Commander of ONS 5. In a total of 40 return
For more details see the website Tribal videos
Royal British Legion.
The four Russians all served convoys, 104 merchant ships
www.hmswhimbrel.org in the World War 2 convoys, and 22 Allied warships were
S/M Whittaker is also involved
SHIPMATE Ian Fraser, of Woking
which saw up to 800 ships sunk out of 811 participants.
in the nascent Earthwaves project
branch, has two videos which he
carry vital supplies of tanks, The veterans were joined by
to create memorials in towns and
thinks may be of some interest.
aircraft, ammunition and other the British comrades for a tour
cities closely associated with the
One is of the Tribal Association
war matériel to Russia over a of the Naval Base Heritage
Battle in the UK, on continental
Service of Dedication on May 12
four-year period. Area, and after lunch, hosted
Europe and in Canada.
1991, the other is of the Force
As well as the threat from by Naval Base Commander
These will take the form of
26 Tribal Association Cenotaph German aircraft, ships and Cdre Simon Lister, the group
an earth wave the size of those
Parade and River Thames reunion U-boats, the convoys and toured frigate HMS Montrose.
typically experienced in the
cruise in November 1991.
Atlantic, seeded with grasses
S/M Fraser said he will post
which will give the illusion of a them free of charge to whoever
wave in motion when blown by is interested – call him on 01932
the wind. 344501. Ex-Tiffi es reunited
£50 PRIZE PUZZLE
A 50th anniversary reunion was join the police, said: “Spending
held in Weymouth for former that formative period of my life
Tiffies from HMS Fisgard. at Fisgard and Condor was the
Some of the 28 ex-artificer best thing I did, and it was only in
apprentices were meeting later life that I came to appreciate
colleagues for the first time since the sense of discipline, moral
Series 32 passed out of Torpoint values and comradeship that my
in 1959. apprenticeship had given me.”
Organiser Trevor Waddington, The event, at the Hotel Prince
a one-time Ordnance Artificer, Regent, proved such a success that
said: “The reunion dinner was a 55th anniversary reunion has
an evening of celebration and been mooted, giving organisers
unashamed nostalgia – a time to the chance to find more of the
swing the lamps and renew old ‘missing’ 40 or so from the S32
● From left: Les Cooper, vice chairman of Mansfi eld RNA, welfare
offi cer George Thompson, chairman Brian Dykes, president William
friendships.” entry.
McNicoll and the Mayor of Mansfi eld Cllr Tony Egginton
Mike Hollingsbee, a former See www.fisgard-s32.org for
Aircraft Artificer who went on to more details.
THE mystery ship in our
Icarus badge is
December edition (right) was
HMS Gurkha, which served as
the Wilhelmus Zakarias Yohannes
in the Indonesian Navy. back at branch
The £50 prize-winning entry
came from Peter Clarkson, of MANSFIELD branch has
Dinner attracted more than 70
Great Clacton in Essex. reclaimed the badge of the ship
participants.
This month’s vessel pictured which was adopted by the town
The branch was keen to display
at speed (above) was the last of
Coupons giving correct answers will during World War 2. the Icarus badge at meetings, and
her class of three to be launched,
go into a prize draw to establish a
Mansfield raised £442,031 the Mayor agreed to return it to
in 1970, but has a modern-day
winner.
around Warship Week in March the care of the branch.
namesake serving with the Fleet.
Closing date for entries is March
1942 – a sum equivalent to around HMS Icarus was involved in
Her identification code has been
11. More than one entry can be
submitted, but photocopies cannot
£15 million today, according to the destruction of four U-boats,
removed from the picture.
be accepted. Do not include
the branch.
took part in the hunt for the
Can you name her, and the
anything else in your envelope: no
The adopted warship was
Bismarck (and the search for
home base of the vessel which correspondence can be entered into I-class destroyer HMS Icarus,
survivors from HMS Hood), and
now bears her name? The right and no entry returned. which was launched in November
was one of the escort ships on the
answers could win you £50.
The winner will be announced in
1936 and won a host of battle
heroic Operation Pedestal convoy
Complete the coupon and send
our April edition. The competition is
honours, including Bismarck 1941,
to Malta.
it to Mystery Picture, Navy News, not open to Navy News employees or
Arctic 1941-43, Malta Convoys
The destroyer was broken up
HMS Nelson, Portsmouth PO1 3HH. their families.
1942 and Normandy 1944.
in 1946.
Wartime veterans from the
MYSTERY PICTURE 156 ship visited Mansfield when the
Memories of the
RNA and council used to host
Icarus reunions, but the passage
Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . of time eventually put paid to
Palestine Patrol
these events.
WERE you involved in the
The branch used to be the
Palestine Patrol off Haifa in 1946-
Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . keepers of the ship’s badge and
48?
bell when they had a headquarters
Navy News will be producing a
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in Sutton.
supplement in our May edition on
But when the branch was the 60th anniversary of the end
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dissolved in the late 1990s the
of the operation, and would like
badge was handed to the council to hear from you if you have any
for safekeeping. memories or photographs.
My answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Members of the old branch Please keep any accounts
resurrected it in 2005, and its brief, and send them to Palestine
membership has grown steadily Patrol, Navy News, HMS Nelson,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
– from 29 at the relaunch to 45 Portsmouth PO1 3HH, or email
at present – and the last Trafalgar edit@navynews.co.uk
028-029_NN_Feb.indd 2 17/1/08 14:24:16
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