44 NAVY NEWS, MAY 2007
The eternal fl ame
I
T IS often said that Britain
Rudyard Kipling regarded the task begun by Sir
treats its servicemen
Fabian Ware, the driving force behind the
and veterans poorly.
Imperial War Graves Commission as it was
then, as “the biggest single bit of work
No ‘jump to the front of
since any of the Pharaohs – and they only
the queue’, no ‘free subway
worked in their own country.”
travel’ here.
It is clear from the dozens of photographs
But let it not be said,
that these hallowed grounds are maintained
at least, that this nation
to the same immaculate standards today as
does not honour its war
when they were dedicated – and also that,
dead, amply demonstrated
despite the passage of time, they remain places
by the official history of
of pilgrimage for Britons of all ages.
the Commonwealth War Graves
This is quite possibly the most tragically
Commission, Remembered (Merrell,
beautiful book to land on our desks.
£29.95 ISBN 978-1-8589-4374-9).
And it is also clear from Harris’ moving
Author Julie Summers provides a useful
photographs that Britons did pay for memorials
summary of the Commission’s 90-year history
which befit the sacrifices made.
and unearthed numerous quotes, comments and
The three imposing naval monuments at Chatham,
observations pertaining to the countless memorials
Portsmouth and Plymouth are the most visible signs on
which fall within the CWGC’s domain.
these shores of the losses of the Senior Service in two
But it is the haunting images which form the core
global conflagrations.
both of the book and an exhibition which opens
But you will find the Royal Navy’s dead honoured in
on May 21 at Canada House in London – the 90th
pretty much every corner of the globe. In Flanders. On the
anniversary of the Commission’s foundation.
forbidding terrain of the Dardenelles. On the Menin Gate
Photographer Brian Harris, a veteran of The Times
and in the rolling countryside of Picardy.
and Independent and former Photographer of the Year,
And you will find them honoured too on the outskirts of
travelled around the world to capture images of the
Bayeux in Normandy, resting eternally in the shadow of a
commission’s cemeteries.
simple mausoleum.
It is a measure of Britain’s global
Its inscription aptly sums up what their sacrifice achieved:
commitments in the past 100 years
nos a gulielmo victi victoris patriam liberavimus – we who
that its servicemen and women are
were conquered by William have set free the
commemorated in 23,000
conqueror’s fatherland.
cemeteries scattered
across 150 lands.
● Henry Poole’s magnifi cent
lions stand guard at the
imposing Naval Memorial in
Chatham
Picture: Brian Harris
Warships IFR
Letters from beyond a watery grave
Magazine with all the latest news
& features, focusing on the latest
DURING his short naval “superb old tub” HMS Vanessa in
career, that lasted from his
which he expected to have “quite a
developments in the world’s navies.
The Grove Review
joining the training cruiser
lot of unobtrusive fun”.
www.warshipsifr.com
Frobisher as a Special Entry
After a winter in Vanessa he sat
Cadet at the beginning of
his examinations for sub-lieutenant
in the battleship Nelson which he
Available at all Good Newsagents
1939 to his sad loss in the
and copiously-illustrated As usual in a cadet training
claimed he had boarded and then
famous submarine Upholder
– Price £3.60
volume, Wartime ship the young men were
“announced I intended to join!”.
in April 1942, Lt Peter Russell
Correspondence generally treated aboard
But he had developed an
On Sale 2nd Friday Every Month
Hay Allen, scion of a notable (c.£30 Livadivia as ratings, even to increasing interest in becoming a
New Zealand family, kept up Publications the extent of three
submariner and in late September
HPC Publishing (NN), Drury Lane, St Leonards-on-Sea, a frequent correspondence, Ltd, PO Box weeks’ broadside
1941 went to HMS Elfi n, the
East Sussex, TN38 9BJ, UK
mainly with his mother Mary.
37-662, Parnell, messing which submarine base at Blyth, to begin
Tel: +44 (0)1424 720477 Fax: +44 (0)1424 443693
These letters have now been
Auckland Allen much the training course. In December
collected by his nephew, Peter
1151, New enjoyed. from HMS Dolphin, Allen
An HPC Publication, Distributed by Seymour Macky, in a very well-produced
Zealand, peter@ Just before he reported that he had come fi fth,
mackyroberton.com). left Vindictive, Allen high enough to request a boat
HP BOOKFINDERS: Established
They are a fascinating heard that the next batch based in Malta.
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insight into the life of a of cadets included one Newly-promoted, the 20-year-
professional service locating out
RARE AND OUT
junior offi cer during the Prince Philip of Greece and old Lt Allen duly went out to the
of print titles on all early part of WW2, writes Dr Denmark; “never heard of him embattled island. He was attached
subjects. No obligation or SAE
OF PRINT
Eric Grove of the University of before,” Allen wrote, “but can’t to a number of U-class boats,
required. Contact: Mosslaird,
NAUTICAL BOOKS
Salford. think of what possessed him to the Polish manned Sokol, HMS
In the space of just over three come here!” Umbra, the yet-to-be-named
Brig O’ Turk, Callander, FK17 8HT ON LINE AT
years the young man served in Having dined well in Vindictive P35, P36 and fi nally Wanklyn’s
Telephone/Fax: (01877) 376377
www.mclarenbooks.co.uk
catalogues issued retail premises (restricted hours)
two training cruisers, three heavy Allen, still a cadet, spent a couple Upholder.
bookfinders.co.uk">martin@hp-bookfinders.co.uk cruisers, an escort destroyer, an of days in the heavy cruiser Suffolk On April 1 1942 – the day P36
McLAREN BOOKS LTD.
old fl eet destroyer, a battleship, before joining her sister Norfolk was sunk at her berth – Allen
22 JOHN STREET,
four shore establishments and fi ve where he was to remain for almost proudly reported to his mother
Harrier Carriers
HELENSBURGH, G84 8BA
tel. 01436 676453 email sales@mclarenbooks.co.uk
submarines. nine months as the ship spent most that he was “torpedo offi cer in an
Vol 1
Allen had always wanted to of its time operating on northern excellent boat now”. A fortnight
HMS INVINCIBLE
join the RN. He found Frobisher patrols in Arctic waters. later he was dead. It remains
“pretty hard and unsympathetic” In April 1940 Allen joined uncertain whether Upholder was
By Neil McCart
at fi rst but soon settled down, yet another County class, HMS sunk by an Italian warship or
The well illustrated story of the first of
fi nding the petty offi cer instructors Berwick, “a most amenable ship” struck a mine.
the Royal Navy’s new generation of aircraft
“much nicer and cheerful and which had a more comfortable Rather sadly the editorial
carriers from the Falklands War to the early
years of the 21st Century.
humorous… as long as we run fl at gunroom but less enjoyable food. notes are somewhat erratic and
Hardback Price £19.95+ p&p. ISBN 1 901225 08 9
out wherever we have to go, and Allen was unable to say much. amateurish. The Special Entry did
Also Still Available in Hardback:
use our common sense and do our He chafed at the enforced not date from the 1920s. Much
best to be smart.” inaction as France fell and Britain of the ship detail is also wrong.
FEARLESS & INTREPID 1965~2002 £24.00 + P&P
His account is an excellent was beseiged, and looked forward The assessment of the importance
COLOSSUS-CLASS AIRCRAFT CARRIERS 1944-1972 £24.00 + P&P
portrait of the training of a ‘Special to the German invasion as a of the Malta submarines is also
HMS HERMES 1923 & 1959 £24.00 + P&P Entry’ of the time, just before they chance to sink the German Army rather uncritical.
THREE ARK ROYALS 1938~1999 £23.00 + P&P began to be sent (as ‘Frobishers’) at sea and, after expressing some But the letters give an excellent
TIGER, LION & BLAKE 1942~1986 £21.50 + P&P
to Dartmouth. Frobisher was regrets about not having joined the insight into aspects of WW2
HMS VANGUARD 1944~1960 BRITAIN’S LAST BATTLESHIP £19.95 + P&P
a harbour training ship in RAF who were getting the lion’s Naval life that are often hidden in
ILLUSTRIOUS & IMPLACABLE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS £23.00 + P&P
Portsmouth (she moved from share of the action, developed retrospective accounts.
HMS GLORY 1944-1961 £19.95
alongside to a buoy in the harbour an enthusiasm for destroyers
+ P&P
Allen’s hardening attitude to the
shortly after Allen joined). – Britain’s main line of direct
Please add £2.75 p&p for the UK & EU or £4.50 for worldwide surface mail. Payment
Germans is noteworthy. At fi rst
by sterling cheque, postal order, or by VISA/MASTERCARD/SWITCH. Telephone/Fax/Email orders welcomed.
In May 1939 Allen moved to maritime defence. he generously gives credit to well
From FAN PUBLICATIONS, 17 Wymans Lane, Cheltenham, Glos GL51 9QA.
Frobisher’s near sister, the former He got his wish with a transfer executed operations. Latterly the
Tel/Fax:01242 580290 / Website: www.fanpublications.co.uk or order from good bookshops.
carrier Vindictive, for a revised fi rst to the new escort destroyer enemy is a “reckless fanatic” and
training cruise. Hambledon and then to the only “hysterically” brave.
0044_NN_May.indd 144_NN_May.indd 1 113/4/07 14:53:503/4/07 14:53:50
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