26 NAVY NEWS, JULY 2008
Collingwood ‘Other’
Battalion is heroes
honoured recalled
in Dorset
DON’T forget the other Enigma
heroes, said a former Royal Navy
sailor.
Mr Hodgins said he does not
AN ARMED guard and wreath
in any way wish to take away
bearers, together with First
the credit for the bravery of the
Lieutenant Lt Cdr Martyn
three men of HMS Petard who
Peak and Rev James Francis,
recovered vital secret codes from
represented HMS Collingwood at
the U-559 in October 1942.
the annual memorial service at
Two of the men, Lt Tony Fasson
the Collingwood Corner Naval
and AB Colin Grazier, died in the
Division Memorial, Blandford
process, but historians have said
Camp.
their actions shortened the war by
Wreaths were laid on behalf
many months.
of HMS Collingwood, the
Mr Hodgins refers to the earlier
Blandford Garrison, the RNA and
capture of codes and an Enigma
the trustees of the Collingwood
machine itself from U110 by HM
Memorial.
ships Bulldog, Broadway and
At the outbreak of World War
Aubretia in May 1941.
1 the First Lord of the Admiralty,
Winston Churchill, directed that
Pictures: Mike Crowe
The Germans, fearing that
● The newly-commissioned HMS Solebay acts as guardship for yacht racing at Ryde Canoe Lake
they were to be rammed, escaped
those members of the Royal
from their boat, but a boarding
Navy who could not be used
at sea should be formed into a
land-fighting division to operate
alongside the Army.
The RN Division consisted of
battalions named after famous
Secret new Solebay
party, led by S/Lt David Balme,
recovered the vital equipment and
information.
The booty enabled code-
breakers at Bletchley Park to start
to untangle the fearsome Enigma.
British admirals, and the Second
In 2001 a memorial stone and
Collingwood Battalion was initially
plaque were unveiled at Horsforth,
trained at Blandford Camp, near
which in 1941 was a village just
Pimperne in Dorset, and was later MEMBERS of the HMS Solebay
outside Leeds and which adopted
almost wiped out in Gallipoli. Association were sent on a secret
Aubretia.
A memorial was placed near the mission during their weekend
Inside the village museum is
entrance to the camp. reunion on the Isle of Wight.
a model of the corvette and an
School visit
They left their base at the
account of the capture of U110.
Shanklin Hotel, and were
At the unveiling, a parade of
A PARTY from the Association
transported to Ryde on the orders
more than 300 ex-sailors, including
of Wrens has visited the Defence
of association chairman Malcolm
seven from Aubretia and one from
Helicopter Flying School at RAF
Clarke and Shirley Winn,
Bulldog, marked the occasion.
Shawbury to see how trainees pick
managing director of weekend
Unsung heroes? See letters marina
up aviation skills.
organisers IOW Tours.
on page 25
The group watched 705 Naval
Their destination was the
Air Squadron activities and were
Canoe Lake in Ryde, where the
shown the Horsa glider project.
veterans were treated to the sight DVD given
While on station the party met
of a magnificent 4ft scale radio-
the Commandant of the DHFS,
controlled model of their old ship.
In true Royal Naval style, to
to museum
Capt Martin Westwood RN, and
705 NAS senior pilot Lt Sly
mark the debut of the Battle-
SHIPMATES Francis Brown and
Vorley.
class destroyer, a commissioning
Peter O’Malley, of the City of
cake adorned with the ship’s
Bourne grateful
Glasgow branch, were invited to
crest was cut by the ‘CO’s wife’,
Edinburgh Castle to present a
Sue (wife of Malcolm) and the
copy of the DVD Mayday Tugs to
BOURNE branch are now the ‘youngest member of the crew’ the National Museum Scotland.
proud owners of a crucifix, thanks Jock Brodie, a junior cook on the Librarian Sarah Dallman was
to an appeal in Navy News last last commission in 1960, and now ● Former junior cook Jock Brodie (left) and HMS Solebay Association chairman Malcolm Clarke with the very grateful to receive a copy of
winter. sporting a magnificent beard. model of their old ship during the Isle of Wight reunion the DVD because of its connection
The memebsr of Bourne had The launch was held in to World War 2.
several replies from both branches co-operation with the Ryde
And it seemed only proper race was HMS Vigo in 1958. Cowes Royal British Legion.
Peter enlisted in 1942 and
and individuals who either had Model Yacht club to ensure radio
for the newly-commissioned It was the first time the Any past members of the crew
served in the tugs Dexterous,
one available or were willing to frequencies did not clash; the
greyhound of the sea to lend association has held their reunion of HMS Solebay who would like
Bustler, Growler and Jaunty.
make one. club, formed in 1874, uses the
her services as guardship for the on the Isle of Wight, and they to join the Association at their next
He also served in Atlantic and
In the end, one was obtained lake every Sunday morning for
racing yachts. enjoyed a tour of local beauty reunion, to be held in Scarborough,
Mediterranean convoys, took part
from Harlow branch, but members racing Marbleheads, named after Members reckoned the last time spots on the Saturday.
should contact Malcolm Clarke at
in the invasion of North Africa,
were keen to thank everyone who a prominent yachting town on a sister-ship of Solebay acted as A magnificent buffet lunch was 164 Southmead Road, Westbury- Sicily and Normandy, and saw
contacted them on the issue. Long Island Sound. guardship for a Cowes Week yacht laid on for the visitors by the on-Trym, Bristol BS10 5DR. action in the Far East.
Zeebrugge group look to 90th
AN ex-Services group which founded in 1919 following the was still going strong after 90
traces its roots back to the raid on Belgium, which took years.
Zeebrugge raid has recently place on St George’s Day in Recognised by the Admiralty
celebrated its 89th annual 1918. in 1927, the association claims
dinner and dance. The founder was H H Turner it is arguably the oldest of its
The Bristol Royal Navy RM, who actually took part in kind in the country, older even
and Royal Marines Old the raid, and would be very than the Royal British Legion.
Comrades’ Association was proud to think that his group “We still commemorate the
Zeebrugge epic with our annual
dinner, held on the Saturday
nearest St George’s Day,” said
association secretary S/M Ken
Fry.
“We are also custodians of a
White Ensign flown during the
battle which is on display in a
cabinet aboard HMS Flying Fox
in Bristol.”
Sea Cadets from TS
Endurance and TS Endeavour
paraded the Colours with the ● A touch of yesterday’s Navy was served up at the HMS Glory Association reunion at the Savoy Hotel
association’s own standard in Bournemouth, when chairman S/M Les Reynolds (centre) and his oppo S/M Arthur Norman (right)
bearer S/M Tony Rice. distributed tots from a rum tub specially made by Arthur. Enjoying his tot is vice chairman Bernard Skam
0026-028_NN_jul.indd 126-028_NN_jul.indd 1 220/6/08 14:40:030/6/08 14:40:03
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