22 NAVY NEWS, MAY 2008
Ten more
wrecks
Unsung heroes – and
Citizens
of Cardiff
gain legal welcome
protection destroyer
THE final resting places of more
campaign – saluted WARSHIP HMS Southampton
than 750 people who died at sea
has welcomed the citizens of
are now protected by the MOD.
Cardiff on board – and shown
Additional legal protection has
THE culmination of a ten-
Walenty Pytel. how she could help the city in a
been extended to ten shipwrecks
year crusade saw the official
Now comes the launch of crisis.
under the Protection of Military
The Type 42 destroyer spent a
launch of a book celebrating
Phil Shanahan’s book, which
Remains Act (PMRA) 1986
intertwines the story of the heroes weekend alongside the Millennium
to ensure the sites remain
three unsung war heroes with the Herald campaign to mark Quay in Cardiff Bay, and among
undisturbed by divers. – and demonstrated the
their place in history,.
the hundreds of visitors was Welsh
Designation as a protected
power of the local press.
The event saw 11 former
First Minister Rhodri Morgan.
place allows the site to be visited
Southampton was open to the
Tamworth Herald deputy
sailors from HMS Petard gather
by divers on a ‘look but don’t
public for around four hours on
editor Phil Shanahan, who
at the Ballroom in Bletchley Park,
touch or enter’ basis.
Buckinghamshire, the heart of
the Saturday.
Any physical disturbance of
led the campaign, has written
British wartime cryptanalysis.
On the following Monday the
the wreck would require prior
The Real Enigma Heroes, which
Phil said of the campaign:
ship hosted a Maritime Resilience
licensing by the MOD.
tells of the recovery of Enigma “There was a serious wrong here
Capability Demonstration for the
The ten new designations came code material from a sinking
that needed to be righted.
Welsh Resilience Forum, which is
into effect on May 1, adding to U-boat and of the drive to win “These men were denied
chaired by Mr Morgan.
the existing 48 designated sites.
international recognition for
proper recognition – yet the whole
The event is a detailed
The ten designated wrecks are:
demonstration of the contribution
the main players.
free world should be grateful to
HMS Amphion, the first
the Royal Navy could make in
marina
The three were AB Colin
them.”
British warship lost in WW1,
the event of a large-scale incident
Grazier, from Tamworth, Lt
He also described Petard as “a
mined in the North Sea on
or emergency in the region that
Tony Fasson, a Scot, and Tommy
ship of heroes”.
August 6 1914 killing 169;
would require co-operation from
Brown, a civilian canteen assistant
Shadow defence minister Julian
Destroyer HMS Ghurka,
a number of different civil and
marina
from North Shields.
Lewis, introducing the book, said:
mined off Dungeness on 8
military organisations.
On October 30 1942 their
“Phil Shanahan’s book will be a
February 1917. Only five of 75
Members of the Forum
ship, HMS Petard, was one of
source of great pride not only to
survived;
heard from the Naval Regional
four RN warships harrying a
the families of the men and the
Submarine HMS L24 sank
Commander, Cdre Jamie Miller,
marina
German U-boat in the Eastern
communities they came from, but
off Portland on January 10 1924
about how the Navy could help
Mediterranean.
to all those who revere the Royal
after a collision while training,
the civil authorities – as happened
After a ten-hour hunt, involving
Navy and its role in preserving
killing her crew of 36;
in Gloucestershire during the
well over 100 depth charges, the
our democracy against the evil of
Destroyer HMS Delight – 19
floods last summer.
marina
crippled U559 was forced to
Nazism,” he said.
died in an air attack off Portland
Southampton’s Commanding
surface and her crew abandoned
Just weeks earlier Phil had
on July 29 1940;
Officer, Cdr Richard Morris, said:
her at once, expecting her to sink
officially opened the refurbished
HMS Curacao collided with
“The visit to Cardiff is crucial
marina
at any moment.
Hut 8 at Bletchley Park – the
troop-carrying liner Queen
to our relationship with the city
But as they fled, Grazier
humble wooden building in which
Mary in the Atlantic during an
and we want to demonstrate that
and Fasson swam towards her,
Enigma was cracked, allowing
anti-submarine manoeuvre on
as well as being a highly-capable
clambered inside and hunted for
significant parts of the Nazis’
October 2 1942 – 338 men died;
warship we can also play a vital
useful material.
signal traffic to be laid bare.
Destroyer HMS Penylan was
role in peacetime operations –
marina
What they found, and handed
Among those in attendance were
torpedoed in the Channel by
anywhere in the world.”
to Brown on the conning tower,
two of Colin Grazier’s shipmates,
an E-boat on December 3 1942
has been widely acknowledged
Lt Cdr Robert de Pass and Reg
whilst escorting a coastal convoy
to have given the Allies a telling
Crang, and members of Tamworth
Dive trial success
– 38 of her crew of 155 died;
● Phil Shanahan with book in St Editha’s Square, Tamworth, in front
advantage, and to have ‘shortened RNA. DEEP sea trials of a new NATO
DEMS ship SS Storaa was
of the Petard heroes’ sculpture
marina
the war’ by months and possibly Exhibitions in Hut 8, renovated submarine rescue system have
sunk by E-boats whilst in convoy
years.
dragged to their deaths when From a modest start, the for around £500,000, recount the been declared a success.
under RN escort off Hastings on
The Enigma codebooks
the U-boat suddenly sank, or by campaign gained unstoppable Petard incident and the Herald’s The system, owned jointly by
November 3 1943 – 21 died;
enabled Bletchley Park boffins
Brown, who died in a house-fire momentum, and not only achieved campaign for recognition. the UK, Norway and France,
marina Minesweeper HMS Loyalty
full access to U-boat movements before the end of the war. its aim of honouring the men, but The Real Enigma Heroes, price was tested off Bergen when the
was torpedoed off the Isle of
Wight by U480 on August 22
and strategies, which protected The Official Secrets Act hid also brought justified plaudits to £19.99, is published by Tempus, free-swimming rescue vehicle
1944, with the loss of 20 men;
convoys and ensured the Nazi this stunning act of bravery from both Phil, his team and the paper. part of The History Press (ISBN successfully ‘mated’ with
stranglehold of the North Atlantic the world for decades, and it One tangible result was the 978-07524-4472-7). Norwegian submarine Uredd at
marina German U-boat U714, sunk by
depth charges from South African
was broken. was a chance remark to a Herald spectacular sculpture in St Editha’s www.thisistamworth.co.uk 87 metres, then the submersible marina
frigate HMSAS Natal near the
But none of this was known reporter which set Phil Shanahan Square, consisting of three anchors www.bletchleypark.org.uk went on to complete a deep dive marina
Firth of Forth on March 14 1945
by Grazier or Fasson, who were on his quest. and a chain, by renowned sculptor www.thehistorypress.co.uk to 610 metres.marina
with the loss of 50 men;
Cunard roll-on/roll-off marina Record beaten – but no laurels
container ship Atlantic Conveyor,
Defender bows out on time
serving as an aircraft transport as
FIELD gunners from Devonport beat the record time for the Swartkop
part of the main task group east THE bow section of the fifth took around 20 months to hours between the first and final
Challenge in South Africa – but still ended up in second place.
of the Falklands when she was Type 45 destroyer has been complete, and, like the previous ships.”
The honours in the gruelling race up a boulder-strewn 45 degree
struck by an Argentine Exocet on rolled out at Portsmouth Naval units, has been fitted out to Defender is due to be
slope above Ladysmith went to the First Bn Irish Guards B team, who
May 25 1982; 12 men died. Base by VT Shipbuilding. an advanced stage before launched on the Clyde in the
completed the course in 16m 53.3s, while Devonport recorded 18m
PMRA 1986 allows the MOD The 1,000-tonne section of assembly. autumn of 2009.
12.69s, still well inside the previous benchmark of 20m 58s.
to protect from unauthorised HMS Defender was placed on VT Type 45 project director www.type45.com
They also accepted the Freedom of Ladysmith on behalf of the RN.
marina
interference the remains of air- the barge Woolston in a two- John Richardson said: “We are
craft and vessels that were in hour operation. on course to complete our part
military service when lost. That will be joined by the of the programme ahead of
Shipwrecks are eligible for uptakes/downtakes and mast, schedule with the final ship-set
designation if they lie in UK or and the whole lot floated up to due to be in Glasgow before the
international waters. Glasgow in the early summer end of the year.
In UK waters any military for assembly by BAE Systems “The programme has
aircraft or vessel of any nationality Surface Fleet Solutions – the underlined the capability of
may be designated, but only first time all the main elements our Portsmouth facility and our
aircraft or vessels belonging to built at Portsmouth will be progress along the contract
the UK may be designated in shipped north together. learning curve, with a reduction
international waters. The bow section of Defender of more than 30 per cent in man
TOWN CLASS CRUISERS 1942
Replica models, measuring 10.5” long, hand cast in metal and hand painted, mounted
on a wooden plinth 12” x 3” with brass nameplate. HMS Southampton, HMS
Newcastle, HMS Birmingham, HMS Glasgow, HMS Manchester, HMS Gloucester,
HMS Sheffield. Also available HMS Belfast 1943 and HMS Edinburgh 1940.
£75.00
+ £8.00 p&p
● Civilian workers and ship’s company hold a tea party in the dry dock under HMS York
UK Only
Tea party in the dock
A TRADITIONAL tea party was held at Portsmouth refit milestone.”
Naval Base – underneath the hull of a destroyer. The refit will include an overhaul of York’s engines,
The party marked an important milestone in the weapons and computer systems, and she is due back
refit of HMS York, as the Type 42 warship was left with the Fleet in March next year.
To order your model send your name, address and daytime telephone number,
standing on huge ‘stilts’ in dry dock. The MOD’s Defence Equipment and Services has marina
along with your cheque or credit card details to:
Workers from Fleet Support Ltd (FSL), who are commissioned a new Dry Dock Code of Practice as
Skytrex Ltd, Unit 1 Charnwood Business Park, North Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 1LE carrying out the refit package, joined members of a safety initiative.
Tel: 01509 213789 Fax: 01509 230874
York’s ship’s company and personnel from the base’s The code, produced by Gifford, BMT Marine
Superintendent Fleet Maintenance for tea and cakes. Projects Ltd and FSL, is designed to ensure safe dry-
email: sales@skytrex.com www.skytrex.com
Lt Cdr Will Proctor, York’s Senior Naval Officer, docking by the MOD, shipyards and other military
PLEASE ALLOW UP TO 28 DAYS FOR DELIVERY
said: “It is impressive to see the ship out of the water and civilian organisations handling mono-hulled
and tea in the dock was a great way to mark this key surface ships of over 500 tonnes.
022_NN_may.indd 1 21/4/08 09:23:03
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