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NAVY NEWS, JULY 2008 27
BAC group
prepare for
30th year
Veteran visits
WITH their 30th anniversary
falling next year, the HMS
Bulwark, Albion and Centaur
Association is going from
strength to strength.
The celebratory AGM/reunion
the Błyskawica
weekend will be held at Sand Bay
Holiday Village, Kewstoke, Weston-
super-Mare from May 29-31.
A FORMER wartime
The towns, on either bank of the Neville, who retired as a
The association maintains close
destroyer sailor has had a
River Medina, came under fierce lieutenant commander, visited the
attack in early May 1942 from ship in Gdynia along with fellow
ties with the five training ships that
long-held wish fulfilled by
more than 150 enemy aircraft. islander Nigel Plumly, whose
bear the relevant names – there are
● First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Jonathon Band with the two rugby
visiting an heroic Polish The Polish Grom-class father helped build the Polish
three TS Bulwarks and one apiece
teams involved in the Pussers Rum Challenge match
of TS Albion and TS Centaur –
warship in her home
destroyer, one of the fastest and ships and RN Hunts.
and sponsors a sea cadet for one country.
most heavily-armed ships of its “I was very well received and
type in her day, was in Cowes piped on board and, following
week each year aboard the sail Neville Halifax served
for an emergency refit, and lay an intensive tour of the ship,
Veterans gather
training ship TS Royalist.
in Hunt-class ship HMS
out in the harbour during the attended an excellent luncheon in
To date cadets from TS Bulwark
Southdown from 1943, and raids, using her anti-aircraft guns the wardroom,” said Neville.
(Buxton) and TS Centaur
only discovered years later
to keep the bombers at bay. “I returned from Poland with
(Dudley) have benefited from the
for Moortown gala
sponsorship, and next year will be
that the Polish ship ORP
It is said that her guns grew so greetings from the officers and
the turn of TS Albion (Sandwell).
Błyskawica was built at the
hot during the barrage that they crew of the ORP Błyskawica to all
THE Royal Navy’s top officer Legends, made up of a few past
The association will rededicate
same yard, J Samuel White at
had to be doused with water, and the residents of Cowes East and
travelled to Leeds for the Veterans international players, Rotherham,
extra ammunition was rushed over West, and indeed to the whole Isle
a tree and new plinth at the Cowes, in the mid-1930s.
Day Gala at Moortown Rugby Leeds Tykes/ Carnegie, and county
from Portsmouth. of Wight.”
Błyskawica had served in
Union Football Club. club players.
National Memorial Arboretum in
But her fire, and a smoke-screen Neville, who will be 83 this
several actions with British
Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, The Legends won the Pussers
Alrewas on September 27.
she laid down to shroud the towns, month and who is life president
Hunts, including Southdown,
Lady Sarah Band and Capt Mike Rum Challenge 22-10, having
Association secretary Denis
forced the Luftwaffe pilots to take of the local Sea Cadet unit, is a
but she is perhaps most fondly
Mansergh, CO of HMS Ark Royal, soaked up Army pressure before
Askham said: “We have in excess
evasive action and helped thwart member of the Friends of the
were VIP guests at the event, which hitting them on the break to build
of 600 current members and a remembered on the Isle of Wight
the bomb-aimers. ORP Błyskawica Society, which
at first appeared to be threatened an unassailable lead.
committee that looks to the future for her steadfast defence of Cowes
Although there was significant keeps the memory of the ship’s
by the torrential downpours. The event was organised by three
and doesn’t rest on its laurels. and East Cowes against German
damage, including damage to the contribution to the town fresh
But the rain abated early in the of Moortown’s club members,
“Here’s to the next 29 years!” bombers. shipyard, it was widely recognised in Islanders’ minds, not least
afternoon, allowing Admiral Band Debbie Sowrey, Barbara Robinson
that her efforts saved the town through an annual ceremony of
to inspect the parade and present and Paul Walker, a member of
from a battering. remembrance.
Veterans Badges to past members Headingley Leeds No1 branch,
Standards rededicated
of the three Armed Forces. who served on the previous Ark
The Band of the Royal Air Force Royal.
Regiment played throughout the
SELSEY branch is joining Selsey On completion there will be a
Veterans Parade.
Sea Service
Lifeboat in rededicating standards reception at the Selsey Club.
Ten crew members from HMS
on Sunday July 27 in an open- Branches wishing to participate
Ark Royal joined the veterans MAIDSTONE branch is holding
air service on the Selsey Lifeboat should provide details of the name
from the RNA, the Royal British its annual Sea Service on Sunday
Legion, Fleet Air Arm Association,
Green, starting at 6.30pm. of their standard bearer, numbers
July 20, celebrating 20 years of the
National Malaya & Borneo event and the 60th anniversary of
Branches are invited to send attending and a contact number to
Veterans Association and other the branch’s commissioning.
standards with up to three secretary Brian Hall at Lauriston,
ex-Service organisations on the In addition, the branch will be
shipmates. 39 Hillfield Rd, Selsey, PO20
parade with their standards. laying up its standard.
The muster will be at East Beach 0LB, email brianhall@selseypc.
Following the parade there was Details of this event are available
car park (free parking) at 5.45pm net or call 01243 604273 by July
a rugby match between the British from secretary S/M John Cooper
to march less than half a mile. 10 for further information.
Army Veterans and the Yorkshire on 01622 675895.
● York and District branch has been celebrating its 30th
anniversary, and at their May meeting shipmates honoured
three men with life membership. Pictured above are secretary
S/M Mike Farrington, PRO S/M Bernard Hallas and S/M
Derek Eggleton, recently retired chairman, with president Cdr
Paul Porter, the former CO of HMS York, who presented the
certifi cates. Pictured right is S/M Bernard – “the oldest active
offi cial in the country” – with Commandant General RM Maj
Gen Garry Robison following the Graspan Parade in London,
an event which owed much to the hard work of Don Denby, his
committee and the London branch of the RMR
The Royal Naval Association
££50 PRIZE PUZZLE50 PRIZE PUZZLE
Torrevieja
Once Navy Always Navy
Unity, Loyalty, Patriotism and Comradeship
call in at
Who can join?
Cartagena
• Full Members
Serving and Ex-Service members of
MORE than 30 members of the
RN, RM, QARNNS, WRNS, Reserves
Torrevieja branch visited the RFA and RNXS
Cartagena Naval Museum.
Members were impressed both
• Associate members
by the exhibits on display at the Others in sympathy with our objects
museum and by the translations
provided by former branch
especially families
chairman S/M Robin Hargrave.
The branch crest was presented
to the museum by current
What does the
THE mystery ship in our May chairman S/M Rod Millington. Association do?
edition (right) was HMS Crane. The group then headed to a
She was correctly identified by local restaurant for lunch, the
We:
Mr M Oldham of Exmouth, in
venue having been the subject of • Support the Royal Navy
Devon, who wins £50.
a reconnaissance mission by social
• Maintain Naval traditions
This month’s ship was launched
secretary S/M Gerry England.
go into a prize draw to establish a
on Tyneside in 1963 and had the
winner.
nickname the Black Pig. Closing date for entries is August Ulster reunion
• Enjoy social activities
• Re-unite shipmates
Can you name her – and 15. More than one entry can be
THE 50th anniversary and final
the British cartoon pirate who
submitted, but photocopies cannot
reunion of the HMS Ulster
• Remember the fallen
commanded a ship named the
be accepted. Do not include
1958-60 commission takes place • Help the disabled
Black Pig? We have removed her
anything else in your envelope: no
correspondence can be entered into
on October 24-27 in Torquay.
pennant number from the picture.
and no entry returned.
The event will be staged at the
• Look after the needy
Complete the coupon and send The winner will be announced Kistor Hotel. • Cheer up the distressed
it to Mystery Picture, Navy News, in our September edition. The Full details are available from
HMS Nelson, Portsmouth PO1 3HH. competition is not open to Navy
Reg Ralph, 20 Penhale Road,
• Stand together in unity
Coupons giving correct answers will News employees or their families.
Eastbourne, East Sussex BN22
7JX, telephone 01323 725978, or
MYSTERY PICTURE 161
email rejoice@milnet.co.uk
How to join
Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Matchless day
Write to RNA HQ
82 Chelsea Manor Street
SHIPMATES from the first and
London SW3 5QJ
Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
second commissions of HMS
Matchless and other M-class Tel: 020 7352 6764
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
destroyers of the flotilla are
Fax: 020 7352 7385
welcome to attend the 22nd
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
annual reunion of the HMS
www.royal-naval-association.co.uk
Matchless Association 1942-46,
My answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
to be held on September 20 at the
Union Jack Club.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contact J. Horton, 10 Finch
Court, Coles Close, Ongar, Essex
CM5 0AY, tel 01277 366617.
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