NAVY NEWS, MARCH 2008 29
LETTERS to the editor should letters, we cannot publish all of your
always be accompanied by the correspondence in Navy News.
correspondent’s name and We look particularly for corre-
address, not necessarily for spondence which stimulates
publication. debate, makes us laugh or raises
E-mail correspondents are important issues.
also requested to provide Please try to keep your
this information. submissions as brief as
Letters cannot be possible – our space is
submitted over the limited.
telephone. The editor reserves
Given the impres- the right to edit your
sive volume of submissions.
● Lima echoes... This photo of HMS Hampshire giving a 21-gun salute as she entered Callao, near Lima,
fi rst appeared in Navy News in 1969. Thanks to Dave Evans of Sutton Coldfi eld, in Hampshire’s ops room
at the time, for plugging a gap in our archives
The right precautions
I WAS disappointed by the views expressed in Keith as a 15-gun salute they moved significantly.
Miller’s letter (January) which suggests that the Navy My point is that saluting guns remain dangerous
projects a ‘wimpish’ image. and proper precautions should be observed when
This accusation was based upon the fact that HMS using them. Not to do so would be unprofessional.
Lancaster’s saluting gun team were correctly dressed In the picture of the Royal Marines mortar crew,
to carry out a salute using the ship’s 3pdr saluting which the same letter hails as ‘doing it for real,’ you
guns. can clearly see burning material ejected from the
The saluting gun has a significant discharge from barrel.
the barrel which may be largely wadding, but which is Yes, the lads are doing it for real and the risks in
extremely unpleasant should you be on the receiving their situation are significant, but in my mind that
end. doesn’t mean that a lack of protection is desirable.
Many persons in best uniform will have experienced As far as I can tell, they are wearing hearing
being downwind of this discharge and know the cost protection and are adopting protective positioning,
of putting right the damage it does. making the risk as low as they practically can.
Similarly, salutes are generally carried out with I suggest that both teams are doing their jobs as
the ship far enough at sea for the gun crew not to be professionally as the available equipment allows.
observed directly. Our people do a great deal and are often pushed
In the 1980s, I was involved in using saluting guns for resources. I do hope that the writer of the
ashore in the West Indies so that islanders could letter to which I refer looks through Navy News to
return the ship’s salute to them. discover the plentiful evidence that the RN remains
We bolted the guns to two large railway sleepers. an organisation of which we can all be immensely
When fired, the recoil of the guns physically pushed proud.
the railway sleepers backwards, and over what I recall – Lt Cdr Guy Nicholls, AIB, HMS Sultan
Shedding light where it is Dark
I JOINED the Dark Buccaneer Hero, Dark Hussar, Dark the new Brave class, Brave
at Vospers in Portsmouth at the Highwayman, Dark Fighter, Dark Borderer and Brave Swordsman,
beginning of 1957 and brought Adventurer, Dark Gladiator and so that the art would not be lost.
her round to HMS Hornet. Dark Intruder. Both operated from HMS
She became leader of the 2nd Two more arrivals in 1958 were Vernon until the end of 1970.
Fast Patrol Boat Squadron with Dark Invader and Dark Scout, To make up the squadron to
Dark Clipper, Dark Killer and making 18 in the class. three boats, four of the Darks
Dark Rover. All these conducted trials were brought out of reserve –
The 1st Fast Patrol Boat for short periods so no more Dark Fighter, Dark Hero, Dark
Squadron was already in service squadrons were formed for Intruder and Dark Gladiator –
in 1956 consisting of Dark Hunter operational requirements. and operated with the Braves at
(leader), Dark Aggressor, Dark However, by December 1960, varying times until 1970.
Avenger and Dark Biter but by the First Lord of the Admiralty In your photo (December)
August 1957 all had paid off stated that the Navy had not showing three Dark Class boats
at HMS Hornet on economic abandoned coastal forces at speed, the leading one is Dark
grounds. altogether. Adventurer (not Adventure as
But official acceptances of A nucleus had been kept alive of captioned).
new Darks coming into service three boats to form the fast special – Brian Hudson, Birstall,
continued and included Dark service squadron which included Leicestershire
0029_NN_Mar.indd 129_NN_Mar.indd 1 118/2/08 10:32:038/2/08 10:32:03
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