18 NAVY NEWS, MAY 2008
Bobby and
Clyde
THERE was this policeman,
a horse, a widow and a Mars
bar. ● Lt Cdr Lorraine England
Not a hoary old stand-up joke, QARNNS
but a life-saving deed courtesy of
sailor-turned-bobby John Barron.
John was patrolling the streets
Farewell
of Hartlepool on his trusty steed
Clyde when a frantic bus driver
● A surprisingly formal welcome for an 8inch rodent on to a warship
flagged him down.
– Mighty Mouse makes a grand entrance on to HMS Chatham
Aboard was 72-year-old Joan
to the
Guthrie who had slipped into a
The Mighty
coma.
John dismounted Clyde, leav- final
ing him in the capable hands of
the driver, then attended to Mrs
Guthrie.
midwife
Rifling through her handbag, he
from
found details that suggested Mrs THE last practising Royal Navy
Guthrie was a diabetic and imme- midwife has stepped down in
diately dispatched a bus passenger Naples.
to buy a Mars bar. Lt Cdr Lorraine England
A few pieces of chocolate and QARNNS formally handed
Blighty
some glucose tablets later, and over the role to Kathy Gladwell,
the pensioner was coming around a SSAFA midwife, who will
from her deep low blood sugar continue to provide midwifery
coma. services to the area.
“I’ve never had to deal with a The senior nursing officer
situation like that,” said John, “but AJFC Naples was the last
THE trouble with Navy News is torpedo exercises). I thought if I looked in her bag it appointment available to a Royal
that there’s too much talk about Ninety years later, the museum might give me an idea of what was Naval midwife, since the gradual
ships and not enough about has produced a children’s book wrong. Once I knew it was diabe- reduction in numbers following
cheese. celebrating the two creatures, tes, it was OK, but I was glad to the decision in 2001 that
Yes, Mighty Mouse, the mascot which above all highlights our see the ambulance arrive.” recruitment of midwives into the
of HMS Chatham, is back and he’s nation’s continuing reliance on John served in the RN as an Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval
been having a few adventures (as the sea for our prosperity. OEM between 1979 and 1982, Nursing Service would cease.
have, one might add, the frigate’s And so the sea lions are joined first with HMS Ashanti, then with During the intervening
ship’s company…). by Connie the Container ship HMS Tartar (known affectionately years a number of midwifery
The 8in rodent joined the ship’s and her guardian, Sammy the as the Rat-Rat) before joining the appointments that had been
company last autumn, in time for Submarine, which keeps the sea world of law enforcement in May held by QARNNS have been
a NATO deployment to the Med lanes open for her. 1982. transferred to other agencies,
and Adriatic, some time alongside There’s also a short section in Ordinarily, such a story prob- such as SSAFA.
in Devonport while the frigate was the book about life in the RN and ably wouldn’t have reached the Although Lt Cdr England is no
undergoing a short overhaul, and aboard a submarine. ears of our newsdesk… longer the midwife in the British
is now helping to keep morale up Queenie and Billikins Deliver … but John has his old pal, fel- Forces Clinic AJFC HQ Naples,
as Chatham heads to the Gulf for the Goods is available from the low law enforcer and ex-Bootie she will remain there continuing
● Former Naval man John Barron with his police-horse Clyde and
seven months (see page 16). submarine museum shop or Tony Green to thank for that. He
Joan Guthrie
in her second specialism of
The diminutive mascot was online at www.submarinegifts. felt the former matelot deserved a practice nursing and supporting
introduced to Chatham to provide co.uk/acatalog/shop.htm, priced little publicity outside Hartlepool,
Sisters with 45 Commando in the says Tony.
the development of nursing
a link with families and schools, £5.99. not least as he’s well known by
final battles for Stanley. He too became a truncheon
services in the area.
sending back regular reports on Cleveland police colleagues for
Actually, in fairness to John, wielder after a tour of duty with
A midwife in the QARNNS
his activities, postcards from the being “a bit of a character”.
he did see the Falklands. Ashanti HMS Brilliant in the mid-80s and
since 1993, it is estimated that
Pyramids and Gib, and evading As his friend was signing on the
visited during a West African and is currently an acting chief inspec-
Lt Cdr England has helped over
his feline arch enemies, Oil dotted line to become a bobby,
South American deployment in tor running police operations in
600 mothers during her career
Can Harry and Julius Pinhead Tony was locked in mortal com-
1979. “I never tire of telling him Hartlepool.
in the Royal Navy, which has
Schlabotka (Hmmm, the sailors bat with the Argies, storming Two
he was three years premature,” Picture: Hartlepool Mail
included appointments to PJHQ
seem to be taking this mascot Northwood, HMS Raleigh and
lark far too seriously – Ed).
Youngsters can follow Mighty
Mouse’s escapades via Chatham’s
website at royalnavy.mod.uk/ Cut from the same cloth
RNH Gibraltar.
The end of the era of Naval
midwifery was marked with a
cake-cutting ceremony, attended
server/show/nav.6527, where by SSAFA midwife Kathy
there’s also a small gallery charting
FATHERS and sons at sea aren’t
Gladwell and health visitor Dawn
his global tour.
so unusual, but they are usually
Baran to celebrate the start of an
If that’s not enough animal
the result of a families’ day out,
era for SSAFA.
magic for this month’s paper (It’s
not Drafty...
These two will form a
not – Ed), then enter sea lions
PO Kevin Stocker and his son
specialist peripatetic nursing
Queenie and Billikins from the
AB Ollie Stocker (pictured left in
team, spending some 60 per cent
RN Submarine Museum.
Malta) are both serving together
of their time in their home base
The museum has teamed up
in HMS Illustrious.
of Naples, and the rest of their
with author David Wixon and
The two of them have drawn the
time moving between the other
illustrator Matt Jordan to bring
attention of the visiting Granada
isolated commands and units of
the two legendary mammals back
TV crew, who are making a six-
■ AND on a fi nal sad note, it’s Valencia, Lisbon, Rome, Latina,
to life. farewell to CPO(Dog) Flloyd
part documentary on board the
Milan, Varase and Poggio.
Nine decades ago in Britain’s (pictured above when he received his
strike carrier.
first struggle with the U-boat, the long service and good conduct medal),
Kevin said: “It’s been good fun
RN trained two sea lions, Queenie who retired from the RN back in
so far. We’ve got used to hav-
Lancaster
and Billikins, to find the German 2006 after 14 years of dedicated
ing a cameraman suddenly appear
submarines. gull- and rat-chasing service for
when we’re doing something
The animals were never the Navy in Gibraltar.
interesting.
doubles up
deployed on active service, but After just over 18 months of
“I’m looking forward to hearing
they became extremely popular retirement back in Blighty in the
what my wife thinks when she sees FRIGATE HMS Lancaster’s
among sailors of the day (so much loving care of the Todd family, the
the programme. I’ve been telling ship’s company more than
so that to this day the Sea Lion old seadog slipped his moorings
her what life’s like on board for 20 doubled in size when the Type 23
Trophy is presented to the most for the last time and crossed the
years – now she can see it!” welcomed 200 friends and family
successful submarine involved in bar in February.
The programme, with the work- on board for a bracing March
ing name of Warship, is due to families’ day.
be broadcast on Channel 5 this A particularly bracing day
spring. for AB(Sea) Jethro Hollet who
Meanwhile at HMS Raleigh endured a protracted swim
twins Nick and Adam Crabtree during the ship’s man overboard
(pictured left) have signed up for exercise – but was rewarded with
life as Naval divers. warming cheers by all onboard.
The two celebrated their 18th The inclement weather
birthdays in the midst of the first prevented the ship heading out to
week of their nine-week initial sea, but other distractions were
training course. laid on with the ship’s Pacific 24
Their big day began with a whizzing around Lancaster at
5.45am start, followed by lessons speed, breaking all the harbour’s
in ironing, polishing boots and kit speed-limits – but with the
inspection. Queen’s Harbour Master’s
Nick said: “If we were at home permission, of course.
we’d probably meet up with some Lt John Richardson said:
mates for our birthday. “The day involved a good deal of
“I never imagined that we would organisation.
be marching around on our 18th, “We had to be flexible to
but I’m glad we’re here.” change at the last minute – but all
The two will move on to their the effort was worth it to see the
professional training next. enjoyment of people’s families.”
018-019_NN_may08.indd 1 21/4/08 10:08:46
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