24 NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER 2008
Noble actions
THERE was a Lord Mayor, a chaplain, an MP, a Page
3 girl and some Royal Marines.
Not a Bernard Manning joke, but two very different
days in the life of the men of 40 Commando who
were hailed by their fellow Brits.
Fresh from their tour of duty in Helmand, the
Norton Manor-based green berets were granted the
honour of a homecoming/freedom parade in nearby
Taunton.
More than 400 Royals marched through the streets
of Somerset’s county town, cheered on by thousands s
of locals – and not-so-locals, with families of loved
ones travelling from all over the land to witness the
parade.
In an age when sportsmen, movie stars and even Big
Brother contestants are elevated to the status of gods, s,
a colourful sign waved by a young girl as the commandos d
marched past put it all in perspective: You’re our superheroes.
Mayor of Taunton Cllr Tim Slattery agreed. “The freedoms and privileges that
we in Taunton enjoy today are a direct result of your noble values and noble
actions,” he told the marines.
40 Commando were led through the damp streets of Taunton by the band of
HM Royal Marines Lympstone to the town’s Burma war memorial for a traditional
drumhead ceremony (pictured left by LA(Phot) Al Macleod) conducted by the
unit’s chaplain, the Rev Stuart Hallam.
The unit lost three men in Afghanistan – Lt John Thornton, Cpl Damian
Mulvihill and Mne David Marsh, all victims of Taliban bombs. Their families were
present at the ceremony, as were some of the Royal Marines seriously injured in
Helmand, including Mnes Joe Townsend, Mark Ormrod and Ben McBean.
It’s not just the men and women of Taunton who appreciate 40 Commando’s
sacrifi ces in Helmand. So too do the folk of London.
The green berets of Bravo Company headed to the capital in desert fatigues
to sample some political and military history. Oh yes, and there was a Page 3
girl to greet them…
The Royals were given a VIP tour of the Houses of Parliament by their local
MP, Jeremy Browne, a tour of a brewery, a free ride on the London Eye, and
tours of the MOD headquarters in Whitehall, the nearby Cabinet War Rooms
and the Imperial War Museum.
“Wearing desert camoufl age made sure we got lots of attention. People kept
coming up to us in the street and shaking our hands,” said Mne Gary Mitchell.
His boss, 2/Lt Tom Williams, added: “The reaction of people in London was
excellent – they congratulated us on our efforts in Afghanistan and wished us
well.
“The visit to London gave the company a chance to experience some military
history but also to learn about the larger picture of government and help the
marines understand the job we do and the decisions that shape it.”
And the Page 3 girl? You might remember blonde Danni (the Royals certainly
do…) from Lympstone when she attempted the commando assault course last
year.
There was no mud this time but plenty of admiring glances in Trafalgar Square
this time. The model proved quite popular too…
North of the border, Bravo’s sister company Alpha headed to the Commando
Memorial at Spean Bridge to pay their respects to the three comrades lost in
Helmand, laying a small plaque embossed with the Globe and Laurel at the foot
of the monument.
Navy News Calendar 2009
NAVY IN FLIGHT - 100 Years of Naval Aviation
is the theme of the 2009 Navy News Calendar.
Full colour photographs of jets, helicopters and action shots including ships are
featured in this year’s calendar accompanied by some interesting facts and figures.
To order simply phone: 01159 399797
£7.99 UK £9.99 EU & O/Seas
Or write to:
2009 Navy News Calendar Offer
Please allow 28 days for delivery
3 Church View, Canalside, Ilkeston Road, Sandiacre, Nottingham
NG10 5EA
Navy News at your fingertips...
Buy online at www.navynews.co.uk
Cheques payable to ‘Navy News’ to accompany orders. For orders outside the UK, payment can be made by
Cheque/International Money Order in £ Sterling and drawn on a UK Bank. worldwide
0024_NN_Sept.indd 124_NN_Sept.indd 1 119/8/08 17:08:229/8/08 17:08:22
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