NAVY NEWS, MAY 2007 31
Branch
secretary
Ton-Class Association
Plaudits
for Ron
mourned
FRANCE Nord branch has lost
celebrates 20 years
and Joan
MEMBERS of Royal Leamington
one of its most influential and
Spa branch have paid tribute to
energetic workers with the death of
S/M Ron Capers and his wife
Peter Coston, who died in hospital
Joan for their dedication to the
after complications following an
branch since he became chairman
operation.
in 1989.
At the time of his death S/M
TON-Class Association
The Tons were a class of ship be named after insects, including Said during the Suez landings and
On his retirement as chairman,
Peter was branch secretary, and
S/M Ron was elected vice
his widow Stephanie has gallantly
(TCA) members celebrate
which were a feature of the Royal such names as Green Ant, Blue saw action during the Indonesian
Navy for decades, from the launch Bee and Red Cricket.
Confrontation.
president.
agreed to continue as membership
the organisation’s 20th
of HMS Coniston in 1953 until But that swiftly changed to
Several made long ocean
In welcoming new chairman
secretary for the branch.
anniversary this year. HMS Nurton paid off in 1993. towns ending in the suffix “-ton”,
passages, and two circumnavigated
S/M Tony Dixon, S/M Ron told
At the branch annual meeting
members at the annual general
shortly after S/M Peter’s death, Although the actual There were 118 of them in all,
and this legendary class was born.
the globe, returning from the Far
meeting that he appreciated the
chairman John Marett said that
anniversary falls on August
150ft long. displacing 360 tons They were designated ‘coastal
East across the Pacific and through
the Panama Canal, finishing with
support he had received from
the branch “owes a huge debt of
28, the TCA has arranged
and mainly built with mahogany minesweepers’, but that did not
a transatlantic leg.
shipmates past and present.
gratitude to Peter.”
a number of regional events
hulls over aluminium frames. stop them roaming the world.
In November last year the branch
S/M Peter served 25 years in Powered by Mirrlees and, They patrolled the waters off
Ideal for training, several of the
throughout the year, which
was successful in its application to
the RN, his first posting being later on, Deltic engines, giving Cyprus, they were in the Gulf,
class spent their Service careers as
in HMS Ocean to Korea. He culminates in the annual
the Lottery Fund for a grant of
a maximum speed of 15 knots, around Hong Kong and Singapore
sea tenders to RN Reserve units.
also served in HM ships Jaguar,
£10,000 to reposition and rebuild
reunion at Southport. the class were originally going to and also led the fleet into Port
Tons were transferred to
Wizard and Girdle Ness.
other navies, including Australia,
a new galley to replace the one
He also represented the
Argentina, Ghana, India, Ireland
destroyed by the floods of 1999.
Navy at rugby and cricket, and
and Malaysia, and the last two in
Many shipmates gave freely of
after achieving high office in
full service, Argentina’s Chaco and
their time and skills over many
the Northern Ireland Office he
Formosa (formerly Rennington and
weeks, and the galley was available
spent two years in the Lebanon,
Ilmington) paid off in late 2002.
and functioning by the time of the
becoming fluent in Arabic, and
Ton design was also adopted by
59th annual dinner and dance in
served for two years as senior
navies such as Belgium, Canada
February.
adviser to the Sheikh of Bahrain.
and South Africa, and the GRP
With other renovation work now
ship HMS Wilton played an
being carried out, this will extend
Party at
important role in the development
and improve the facilities available
of the current generation of mine
for the many functions which are
countermeasures vessels, including booked throughout the year.
reunion
the Hunt and Sandown classes.
The TCA owes its existence to
A PARTY of 15 members from
the determination of its founder Shipmates
Redruth and Camborne branch
Jack Worth, who served as a
attended the 32nd annual reunion
Telegraphist in HMS Lullington
of No 4 Area at the Durrant
and in 1975 began to compile a at funeral
House Hotel, Bideford.
history of the Ton class.
Among the activities enjoyed
Appeals in Navy News and
MEMBERS of Stourbridge
was an evening of entertainment, a
Warship World for information and
branch formed part of the Guard
formal dinner and a church service,
then interest in an association,
of Honour at the ancient church
while members of the Association
supported by the Royal Navy, led
of St John, Halesowen, for the
laid on some entertainment of
to a first committee meeting at
funeral of Paul McCann, one of
their own.
HMS Nelson in August 1987.
the ratings killed by an explosion
Members of the branch also
The TCA now has an active
on board submarine HMS Tireless
attended a St Patrick’s evening
membership of over 1,200, ranging under the Arctic ice cap.
– wine, cheese and Guinness
from stokers to admirals, and The party was led by president
– at the CPOs and WOs Mess
former CO of HMS Bronington, S/M Tom Edwards, an ex-PO who
at RNAS Culdrose, and thanks
Prince Charles, is TCA Patron. saw service in the Korean War.
were due to the hosts for a very
For more information on the More than 70 members of
enjoyable evening.
TCA, contact Dennis Cook at 11 the Royal Navy, many of them
Anderson Drive, Kettering NN15 shipmates, attended, along with
York trio to
5DG, tel 01536 521681, or email his American fianceé Julie – the
fsnet.co.uk">dennis@cook82.fsnet.co.uk couple were due to marry within
The TCA website is at www. months and set up home in the
visit Crete
tca2000.co.uk United States.
A DELEGATION of three from
York branch are to travel to Crete
££50 PRIZE PUZZLE50 PRIZE PUZZLE
this month to commemorate the
lives lost in HMS York during
World War 2.
Secretary Michael Farrington,
who is also chairman of the Yorkshire
Fleet Air Arm Association, Patricia
Farrington, national chairman of
the Association of WRNS, and
branch publicity officer Bernard
Hallas will accompany RN attache
Capt Wills and the British Consul
and Ambassador to Souda Bay
War Cemetery.
A floral tribute will be laid at the
war memorial, and the following
Sunday a special service will be
held at the cathedral in Ghania.
The visit will need with an
THE mystery ship in our March she collided?
evening’s entertainment and buffet
edition was destroyer HMS The correct answer could win
laid on by the people of Crete for
Solebay. you £50.
visitors and members of the Crete
The £50 prize for the correct Complete the coupon and send
Veterans Association.
answer goes to Mr D Harrison,
it to Mystery Picture, Navy News,
of St Austell.
HMS Nelson, Portsmouth PO1 3HH.
Looking ahead
This month’s vessel was an
Coupons giving correct answers will
S-class submarine which was
go into a prize draw to establish a
winner.
THE RNA annual conference will
launched during World War 2
Closing date for entries is June
● In true derring-do tradition of the Royal Navy, members of the Cape Town branch recently mustered,
be held in Dundee from Friday
starkers and completely sober, and were photographed in various poses. The object of what S/M Peter
and scrapped in September 15. More than one entry can be
June 27 to Sunday June 29 2008
Turton says “may seem at fi rst glance mass senile lunacy” was an effort to produce a 2008 calendar
1958. submitted, but photocopies cannot
at the Caird Hall.
along the lines of the famous Women’s Institute ‘calendar girls’. Proceeds will go to the National Sea
She saw action in the Far
be accepted. Do not include
Sufficient copies of the Official
Rescue Institute at Station 10, Simons Town – the South African version of the RNLI. S/M Peter – Mr
East, but another claim to fame
anything else in your envelope: no
Guide to Dundee will be available
May! – said: “If anyone has a penchant for old crinkly ex-matelots or would just like to support a worthy
was when she collided with a
correspondence can be entered into
shortly, which also contains a guide
cause, calendars are available at £8 (including postage and packing) from Peter Turton, via email
RN destroyer in the summer of
and no entry returned.
The winner will be announced in
to available accommodation.
Bl1cks@yahoo.co.uk
1952.
our July edition. The competition is
Can you name her, and also
not open to Navy News employees
name the destroyer with which or their families.
MYSTERY PICTURE 147
Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
My answers: 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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