NAVY NEWS, MAY 2007 13
Belated honour
for the fallen
Zong of praise
EVENTS on the Thames and off the African coast have commemorated the
Navy’s role in ending the Atlantic slave trade.
IN FEBRUARY 1982, as the junta unsheathed its sword
HMS Northumberland escorted a replica slave ship into London, while 2,000 miles to the
and prepared to invade the Falklands, two Argentinian
south the crew of HMS Ocean gathered on the helicopter carrier’s fl ight deck for a service
of remembrance in honour of the victims of slavery – and the British sailors who sought
divers plunged into the waters of the Rio Deseado.
to put an end to the trade.
They set in train a series of the British cemetery in Chacarita, The Zong is a copy of a ship which played a key role – indirectly – in the abolition of
events which a quarter of a century Buenos Aires, with full military slavery.
later saw the remains of a British honours by British and Argentine Back in 1783, the Zong’s master tossed 133 slaves overboard in an insurance scam.
marine interred with full military Navies, civic dignitaries, and The slaves’ deaths prompted widespread public outcry in Britain and gave impetus to the
honours in Argentina’s capital. government offi cials. anti-slavery movement.
Marines – the Corps did not The Argentine Navy provided a The replica of the Zong (actually she’s the Kaskelot, but was renamed for the London
earn the prefi x Royal until 1802 – nine-marine guard and a bugler to visit) was shepherded up the Thames by Northumberland from Greenwich to Tower
Rusker and Ballard suffered a grim
sound the last post for the marine,
Pier, where the sailing vessel berthed.
fate, drowned when their ship,
whose dark oak casket draped with
“It was a real honour for us to escort the Zong up the Thames because there are
HMS Swift, foundered on rocks
the White Ensign was lowered into
clearly strong parallels between the efforts of the Royal Navy 200 years ago and our
near Port Desire in Argentina.
the earth beneath a memorial
many varied operations across the globe today,” said Northumberland’s captain
The men died when their brig
stone with a simple inscription:
Cdr Tom Guy.
foundered on rocks in the Deseado
An unknown private marine, HMS
It took another 24 years after the Zong tragedy before slavery was outlawed by
estuary as she attempted to shelter
Swift, 13 March 1770.
Great Britain, a landmark ruling commemorated aboard Ocean in the mid-Atlantic
from a storm in March 1770.
“We will probably never know
with a memorial service, led by Ocean’s padre Fr David McLean.
Swift had been based at Port
which of the two marines has been
Conditions in ships of the West Africa Station which waged war on slave traders
Egmont, a settlement and naval
interred,” said Capt Hyldon.
were grim – rates of death and disease were generally higher than the rest of the
base in the Falklands, and was
“But RN records of the time
Fleet, and the slave traders often put up a fi erce fi ght.
dispatched to the Patagonia coast
were so extensive that we know the
But the RN persevered for seven decades, helping to put an end to the global
to conduct survey work.
names of all the crew, including
slave trade.
All but three of Swift’s 90 crew
those who died, their town or
“We felt it was important that we recognised the part played by our predecessors
survived the sinking; the body of
village of origin, as well as their
– those sailors and marines who helped bring an end to the trade. So many
a cook was washed ashore shortly
date of birth.”
died through disease and from wounds received in action against slavers,”
afterwards and buried by his
For the record, the marines
said Ocean’s CO Capt Russ Harding.
comrades.
drowned were 21-year-old Robert
Fittingly, Ocean’s deployment is a modern-day variant of the anti-slavery
A few Swift survivors rowed to
Rusker and 23-year-old John
campaign. She will eventually take up station in the Caribbean, using her
the Falklands to raise the alarm;
Sea Kings to fi nd drug runners racing across the sea in speed boats.
Ballard.
a rescue vessel was sent to bring
Northumberland was in London to formally mark the shake-up of the
their shipmates home.
Further information about the
ratings branches of the RN (the ship pioneered the new system two years
But the sea never gave up
Swift project is available from
ago; see pages 34-35), to throw open her gangway to the public for two
Marines Rusker and Ballard
proas@inapl.gov.ar
days, and to publicise the launch of the memoirs of
– until maritime archeologists RATHER closer to home, a
Lt Cdr James Newton of 847 NAS, Armed
marina
began to investigate the wreck site weekend of commemorations in
Action, a vivid account of the airman’s
in earnest. Norfolk marked the deeds of the
war in Iraq four years ago (see page 45).
Divers started to show an heroes of Copenhagen.
interest in the loss of the Swift in A memorial to the men
the late 1970s, but it wasn’t until who fought in the 1801 battle
early 1982 that the remains of – Nelson’s most controversial and
the ship were found close to the diffi cult victory – was unveiled in
main berths of Puerto Deseado, a Great Yarmouth, the port from
thriving fi shing port. which the fl eet sailed to Denmark
In the two decades since that 206 years ago.
discovery, around ten per cent The idea for the monument
of the ship has been uncovered sprang from a gathering of naval
beneath the silt. historians in Portsmouth in
Cannons and the captain’s 2001 to discuss the battle in its
Chinese porcelain have been bicentennial year.
recovered and are now in the local “At last we can honour the
museum. heroism and sacrifi ce of all those
But it wasn’t until the autumn of who fought at this terrible – and
2005 that the fi rst human remains unnecessary – battle,” said Peter
were found in the wreck – a foot Warwick of The 1805 Club which
bone in a shoe discovered near the keeps alive the memory of Nelson
captain’s cabin. and his era.
After receiving permission from “The unveiling of the memorial
the British Defence Attaché in was as much for the Danes as it was
Buenos Aires, Capt Christopher for the British – we concentrate
Hyldon RN, to continue our minds on the courage and
excavation, the dig’s leader Dr bravery shown by all heroes, rather
Dolores Elkin and her team than merely celebrating the British
recovered a complete skeleton. victory.”
And so it was that 237 years The memorial, whose inscription ● Replica slave ship Zong follows HMS Northumberland up the Thames
after the Swift sank that one of is in English and Danish, can be Picture: PO(Phot) Terry Seward, DPR(Navy)
her crew was fi nally laid to rest at found in Middlegate Gardens.
ADVERTISEMENT
Breakdown service
A Personal Service - In Plain English
which safeguards
PEACE OF MIND:
your finances
�House Buying/Selling & Tenancies
THE press often publish high-profi le stories of mega-
(Free Estimates)
rich celebrities being caught out fi nancially, receiving
too few – or too many – millions as a result of the
�Divorce & Pensions & Childcare
breakdown of a relationship.
But the same can happen to us ordinary folk too (perhaps not
�Property Ownership Disputes
the millions...) unless a few precautionary steps are taken to protect
ourselves, and give some peace of mind, for our futures.
�Enduring Powers of Attorney & Care of Elderly
We think splitting up will never happen to us, and happily, for many
of us, it won’t. �Wills, Probate & Estate Planning
But for many people it does happen – and for all sorts of reasons.
And that’s where the problems begin. �Contract Disputes & Debts
Are you thinking about tying the knot, by marriage or entering into
a civil partnership – or just living together, but worried about your �Business/Company Start-up Advice
fi nancial security if you did happen to part ways at some time in the
future?
�Employment & Problems At Work
This area of law is developing quickly and it is essential that legal
advice is sought not only when relationships break down but also
�Court Martial Defences &
when relationships begin.
Financial claims can still be made in relation to property even if
Criminal/Driver Defences
the deeds are only in the name of one party, particularly if there are
children of the relationship.
�Armed Forces
Property rights and other fi nancial rights can be protected from the
www.stokes-law.co.uk
outset and cohabitation agreements and pre-nuptial agreements are
becoming more commonplace.
Although these are not binding upon the courts, they can have a
signifi cant infl uence on any fi nancial settlement ordered by the courts
(
023
)
92 828131
law.co.uk">bg@stokes-law.co.uk
24 HOUR POLICE STATION ASSISTANCE
if a relationship breaks down.
108 Victoria Road North, Portsmouth
It is essential that these sorts of agreement are prepared by a lawyer
Mob. 07810 437373
for them to have any effect.
If you’re planning to tie that knot, or if your relationship has
broken down and you don’t know which way to turn, call us at Stokes
(
023
)
92 661541
Solicitors for a free initial meeting to consider your options in terms
of pre-nuptial agreements, separation, divorce, children and fi nancial
229 London Road, North End
matters (including the specialist area of the Armed Forces Pension).
It’s all to do with having peace of mind.
0013_NN_May.indd 113_NN_May.indd 1 113/4/07 14:39:383/4/07 14:39:38
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57