NAVY NEWS, MARCH 2008 43
Anniversary Warspite
approaches
Scouts
for Great
reaffirm
Yarmouth
RN link
NEXT month will see Great
Yarmouth unit celebrate its 70th
1st CUDDINGTON (Warspite)
anniversary.
Sea Scout Group reaffirmed
Originally commissioned as TS
their strong links with the Royal
Wishbone, Great Yarmouth has
Navy at their inspection night.
always been an active unit in the
Lt Cdr David Griffiths was
heart of Norfolk.
hosted at the group’s HQ in
The training ship assumed
Worcester Park, Surrey, rather
another guise in the 1960s, being
than at their riverbank boathouse
renamed TS Yarmouth after
at Thames Ditton, four miles
becoming affiliated with the frigate
distant.
of the same name.
More than 130 people turned out
The unit maintained a close
for the event, among them Martin
relationship with the ship through
Gerrard, Regional Commissioner
the rest of its service life, and
for South East England, and N
took part in her decommissioning
Bird, District Commissioner.
ceremony in the mid-1980s. The event began with Lt Cdr
At around this time the unit’s Griffiths being piped onboard,
name changed for a second time and after Colours the Beavers,
when a new affiliation was forged, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers
this time with Type 23 frigate started their various nautical-
HMS Norfolk. based activities.
Now based on Riverside Road in Among the displays were first
Gorleston, TS Norfolk is currently aid, survival skills, chart work and
enjoying an upswing, and the planning water-based activities,
staff and cadets are committed while the Beavers made bookmarks
to bringing Great Yarmouth back for use in training manuals.
up to the standard they believe it Following the formal inspection,
deserves. a number of presentations were
TS Norfolk is now seeking as made, including four Scout
many former cadets and members Investitures.
● Nookie 1 – named by the Coventry unit in honour of former Sea Cadet Richard Darnell, who died in helicopter crash – is put through its
of staff, as well as anyone else
paces during ‘sea trials’ at Draycote Water Sailing Club
involved with the unit over the
Lt Cdr Griffi ths then
past 70 years, to join a special
presented a trophy to the
anniversary parade.
winning team of the U14
The event will be followed
pulling crew, who entered
by a buffet at which photos and
the ‘Great River Race’, a
memorabilia from past and present
22-mile pulling race on the
will be displayed.
Thames.
Anyone who would like further Martin Gerrard presented
information or to attend the
Coventry’s new boat
Lt Cdr Griffiths with the Chief
parade should contact PO(SCC) Scout’s Award for Merit in
Graeme Richardson on 07817 recognition of his outstanding
901114, or email grichardson@ services to Scouting, and the Bar
tsnorfolk.org
is tribute to Richard
to the Long Service Award.
Afterwards Lt Cdr Griffiths
Galley stalwart
complimented the group on its
performance, discipline, piping
SEA Cadets from across the UK and dress code, declaring the
joined in wishing a happy retirement group had achieved the required
to CPO (SCC) Bradnock – known standards, and presented the
as JB – after 35 years of service as COVENTRY unit has named
The new RIB was officially from the Awards for All scheme, Richard’s mother Carole said:
Certificate of Recognition to Group
cook on TS Royalist.
its new rigid inflatable boat
launched at Draycote Water Rolls Royce plc, Richard’s family, “I would like to thank you, from
Scout Leader Len Brooker.
JB joined the vessel in April
Sailing Club following a special naval colleagues and friends. Kevin, Kim and myself, for all of
(RIB) in honour of a former
1st Cuddington was first
1972 and, after spending some
waterside service, blessing and It will be used as a safety and the hard work that you and your
recognised in 1941, together with
time working on deck and as
cadet who died in a Royal naming ceremony. training boat by the unit. colleagues put into this project, for
Leander Sea Scouts from Kingston,
the coxswain, was permanently Navy helicopter crash.
The unit’s chaplain, the Rev Lt Steve Warwick, the CO of us, our family and our friends.
and in 1955 1st Cuddington
employed as cook in 1978.
Richard Darnell was a
Cleophas Lungha, conducted the Coventry unit, said: “We wanted “We had a wonderful day. I
became a stand-alone unit – 66
He has produced many
helicopter winchman for the
service in front of family, friends, to have some form of fitting and don’t think that any of us expected
years as one of the top 100 Sea
thousands of meals over the years
naval colleagues and cadets. lasting memorial to Richard, quite so much, and the turn-out of
Royal Navy, based at Yeovilton,
Scout Groups (their recognition
out of a tiny diesel-powered galley,
The boat was officially who was our Cadet of the Year people was tremendous. number is RN95) is something of
and his commitment to the Corps
who joined the Navy in 1991
named Nookie 1 after Richard’s in 1990. “The officers at the unit were so which the unit is rightly proud.
resulted in the award of the BEM
after several very successful affectionate nickname. “As he enjoyed boating so helpful to all of us, giving us their
and the Sea Cadet Medal. years as a Coventry Sea Cadet.
Following the ceremony, much as a cadet, and as the unit time and their care and attention,
Richard’s mother and sister were were looking for a new safety boat, including a very interesting tour of
Going back
the first to be taken afloat for ‘sea we decided to combine the two the Coventry HQ, and letting us FORMER Great Yarmouth
trials’, followed by other family projects. see where all the young cadets do cadet CPO Pointon returned to
members and friends. “I’d like to thank everyone their learning.” his old unit to deliver a careers
The day concluded with who contributed and made this Coventry Sea Cadets are based presentation to the current crop
an excellent buffet laid on by important project a reality. on Crescent Avenue, Binley, and of youngsters.
Draycote Water Sailing Club. “We’re all delighted and moved there are some 75 youngsters aged CPO Pointon, now a Royal
The RIB had been purchased to have shared such a special day between ten and 18 on the unit’s Navy careers officer, was at TS
through grants and donations with Richard’s family.” books. Norfolk between 1982 and 1990.
Joan’s hard work is rewarded
THE EFFORTS of Southwark staff side as uniformed adults.
unit’s chairman has been But even more important,
recognised with the award of she said, were the ‘young
an MBE in the Queen’s New volunteers’, without whom
Year Honours list. there would be no Sea cadet
As we reported in our Corps.
February edition, Joan Nevard “But enough about me,” said
was given the award for her Joan, pointing out instead the
● Cdt Stephanie Sinclair, Anne Edwards and AC Tim Peterson with a
sample of the new stand-easy snacks available at Merton unit
many years of service to the wealth of opportunities offered
young people of Southwark. by TS Cossack.
Merton unit goes for
It is around 20 years In the course of 2007,
since Joan first visited the cadets took part in pulling,
unit headquarters, in Surrey sailing, canoeing and power
Square, as a parent. boating, both locally and at
healthy stand easies
As volunteers are always in HMS Caledonia (Rosyth) and
short supply, she was quickly HMS Raleigh (Plymouth) for
inveigled into joining the Unit specialist training
Management Committee Four cadets took passage
CADETS at TS Trafalgar now due to the munificence of a local (UMC). in the sail training brig TS
enjoy fresh fruit, nutritious cereal business. And now, as chairman, Royalist, including a visit to a
bars and soup at stand easy. Cdt Stephanie Sinclair, who Joan is jointly responsible for foreign port, two joined HMS
In 2007, the Merton unit PFA, hopes to be a doctor in the RN, running the unit alongside the Roebuck from Ostend to
chaired by Anne Edwards, decided has monitored the change and Commanding Officer. Devonport, and another pair
to offer cadets a new-style menu has conducted a poll of the ship’s Her duties include sailed on board RFA Largs
of fresh fruit and fruit juice to company, which shows an approval fund-raising and financial Bay from Portsmouth to
replace the ‘norm’ of sweets and rating in excess of 80 per cent. management, health and safety Greenwich.
sugary fizzy drinks. She believes that this diet has issues and the maintenance of Southwark cadets were
The choice includes such exotic several advantages – less chocolate buildings and equipment. involved in numerous parades,
items as passion fruit, pineapple and sugar reduces hyperactivity, Joan said that the including those at Tower Hill,
and water melon. is good for health and enhances organisation was always St Paul’s Cathedral, Horse
This quickly became so popular concentration to task, there is less seeking volunteers on the Guards Parade and Trafalgar
as to become a permanent practice. manufacturing process and waste UMC side as civilians or the Square.
● Joan Nevard at the Southwark unit headquarters
These are supplied free of charge wrapping is more eco-friendly.
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