32 NAVY NEWS, OCTOBER 2008
Ocean
HQ bids farewell to Chelsea
Winchester
trawls for
AFTER many years of residency in leafy and to where the RN is – following the recent accommodation, procuring new IT equipment,
celebrates
upmarket Chelsea, the RNA is in the throes of signing of the Memorandum of Understanding furniture etc.
members
moving its HQ to Portsmouth. with the RN, easier access (collocation almost) New staff are being recruited since the
As of the first of this month HQ will be to the Naval authorities is seen as highly long-standing and loyal team from Chelsea,
silver date
within the confines of the naval base, following desirable. Tony Sattin and Noeline Lee, are going off to
the decision of the 2007 annual conference. Additionally, the Chelsea site was pretty well-deserved retirement, though they will be
MEMBERS of Winchester
FORMER Fleet MAA Mick Cahill
The HQ was established in Chelsea in the remote, and visitors to HQ were few and far sorely missed.
branch, including president David
is the first new ship member to
early 1950s because, at the that time, there between – the General Secretary reckons that Much still remains to be done, so be patient
Oddie and his wife Gill, gathered
join the HMS Ocean Association
was a considerable Naval presence in London, the last sailor to visit HQ was Noel Coward… – it should be worth the wait once everything
at St Barnabas Church, Weeke,
– and it is hoped he represents
and the communications technology of the day Maybe not quite, but staff did not have to is in place and running smoothly!
to celebrate the 25th anniversary
a reversal in the trend of falling
almost necessitated a presence in the capital. buy too many visitors' books. The new HQ address is Room 209,
of the recommissioning of the
numbers. branch.
The Association was formed in
Since then things have changed dramatically; For the time being, access to HQ will be Semaphore Tower, Building 1/040, PP70, HM
Guests of honour included the
1987, eight years before the current
the RN presence in London is markedly restricted as it is within the naval base security Naval Base, Portsmouth PO1 3LT.
Deputy Mayor of the city, Cllr
HMS Ocean was launched.
reduced with the staff of 2SL and CINCFleet perimeter, but it is hoped there will be better The number to call for general enquiries
Dominic Hiscock, and Admiral
It flourished for many years, but
relocated to Portsmouth. visiting arrangements in due course. is 023 9272 3823, for the Deputy General
Sir Derek Reffell, president of
numbers are now declining among
Additionally, advances in communications The recently-recruited Deputy General Secretary the number is 023 9272 0782,
Area 3.
the old and bold.
now make a London presence unnecessary. Secretary of the RNA, S/M Frank Ward, and for the General Secretary dial 023 9272
Also in attendance were
In the hope of attracting more
The aim of the move is to take the Association is now busy preparing the new offices for 2983.
shipmates from Southampton
young members, the association and Alresford, plus two Sea
is offering associate membership Cadets officers.
to everyone serving in the current The service was taken by
HMS Ocean, and to pilots who Revd Terry Roberts, vicar of St
served on board the current or Barnabas and Winchester branch
previous ship – but so far these padre, while S/M Martin Wiltshire
measures haven’t been enough to carried the standard.
swell the numbers.
Back to Bulwark –
All then moved to the church
“We do recognise that the hall for speeches and refreshment
present ship’s company is only a – branch chairman John Wyeth
quarter that of the previous ship,” also toasted the Association and
said Rear Admiral Euan Maclean, absent friends.
the association’s president.
“Also, time on board and in the
Service tends to be shorter and
Kenyan
people tend to join ship associations
47 years later…
when they leave the Service.”
He added: “We’re still keen to
reunion
recruit members from the previous
“WELL – back on board after three took a trip to the top of the
ship. And if the association has to
47 years,” writes Leigh Easton
Rock before the ship sailed.
THE Church House Inn at
die out, we’ll go down with all of the HMS Bulwark, Albion,
The assault ship undertook
Rattery was the venue for the
guns firing.” Centaur Association, on board
exercises with HMS Somerset, and
35th reunion of the Kenya Navy
Mick Cahill, who left the Navy
HMS Bulwark from Gibraltar
Leigh managed to communicate Veterans of Mtongwe Naval
as Fleet Command Warrant Officer
to Plymouth.
with the frigate by Aldis lamp – Base Mombasa.
(Surface Ships) after a 35-year
“my mate from all these years ago
“Not yet. How does one salute
The team, which trained the
career, said: “For those on board
the quarterdeck without a beret?
– an R02 – will be impressed.” fledgling Kenyan Navy in the
Ocean now there will always be a
1960s, may be losing a few of
Ah… that’s the reason all the
There was also a tour of
welcome for you here and please
its older members, but has also
retired Naval officers wear funny
Bulwark, including the operations
never forget the ship you came
gained several younger ones along
hats whilst in civvies.
room and the bridge, revealing
from and the affection those before
the way.
“Who is this at the other end of
an impressive range of hi-tech
you still have for her.”
A big vote of thanks was due to
the gangway? Good grief, it’s the
equipment which could have been
Anyone wishing to join the
Dave Hutson, who has organised
HMS Ocean Association should
Captain, Jeremy Blunden.
useful on the old carrier, then
the events for many years but is
contact chairman Bill Entwistle
“It’s fair to say I was not greeted
down to the teeth of the ship,
standing down next year because
at 8 Irene St, Burnley BB10
on board by Capt Franks in 1961.
the amphibious assault craft and
of his health.
4DJ, tel 01282 433910 or email
Very nice though, and all very
associated gear.
newsletter editor Eric Dempster at
friendly – if only I could think of
Weapons and the engine room
dempstermuffin@aol.com
something appropriate to say!
were also on the tour list before an
“Something a bit odd though
evening in the messes, including
Ships tour
Stamps in
– the flight deck has disappeared
a quiz.
MEMBERS of Falmouth branch
and the stern rises; still room for
The followings evening brought
enjoyed a waterborne tour of the
two choppers though.”
Bulwark’s Got Talent, which was
competitors in the Funchal 500
the bag
S/M Leigh’s contact was CPO
not a million nautical miles away
Tall Ships Race on the evening
Auty (Weapons Engineering), and
from the old SODS Operas,
before they departed.
the welcome to the Chiefs’ Mess
according to S/M Leigh. The excursion included a trip
TWO officers from the
prompted him to reflect that he
The veterans sat in on routine up the River Fal and a grandstand
Portsmouth branch have handed
should never have left.
briefings, and watched landing view of the evening’s fireworks
over bags of used postage stamps
He was joined the following day craft launches before being ferried display.
to the city’s lifeguards.
by S/Ms Bob Cowan (ex C/Sgt ashore in an LCU “driven in a
The trip was organised by
Branch secretary S/M Rev David
RM, Bulwark 5 and 6 commissions) very seamanlike manner by C/Sgt
branch social secretary S/M Stan
Stephen Butler (a city councillor, in
and Ian Chesney (ex-Stoker, Mell Mellor of 4 Assault Squadron
Kirkbride and treasurer S/M Alan
● The well deck of HMS Bulwark
whose St Jude ward the lifeguards
Bulwark 10 commission), and the RM.”
Polley.
operate) and chairman S/M Peter
Longstaff took the stamps along
to the Portsmouth and Southsea
Club funds
Voluntary Lifeguards’ station.
Service gives thanks for
The stamps will help the
lifeguards achieve their target of new lifeboat
a new HQ.
AN RNLI lifeboat, funded by life of VC submariner
Visit of the
a donation from the North
Russia Club, is to be
named during a ceremony
ELEVEN standard bearers were ex-Service organisations including
honoured to parade at the service the RNA and the Merchant Navy
lamp men
at the Sea Survival Centre
at the Lifeboat College in
of thanksgiving for submariner Lt Association.
Poole this month.
Cdr Ian Fraser VC. The service was dedicated to the
The national standard of the life of Ian Fraser, but also marked
MEMBERS of the Batti Wallahs
The club originally
Submariners Association was the end of a significant era.
Society visited HMS Collingwood
covered ex-Servicemen
paraded, together with five branch The man who drove the
to see how training is carried out
who served at RN bases
standards – those of Merseyside, midget submarine XE3 through
at the Maritime Warfare School.
in Archangel and Murmansk
Manchester, Wales, London tight security into the Strait of
The society was founded in 1906
during World War 2, and was
and Derby. Singapore to sink the Japanese
by P&O Line electrical engineers,
later extended to all who
The Royal British Legion, the cruiser Takao in the summer of
who provided navigational lighting
served in Arctic convoys.
RNA, HMS Conway and other 1945 – an operation which also
for shipping passing through
But with the formal
standards were also on display. saw diver Jim Magennis win the
confined waters such as the Suez
winding-up of the club, due
St James's Church in New VC – was the last remaining
Canal.
to declining numbers, the
balance of club funds was
Brighton was packed for the holder in the Silent Service.
Membership was later extended
donated to the RNLI to pay
service, with standing room only. Indeed, it also marked the
to electrical engineers in the RN
for the new boat, Northern
Rear Admiral Submarines passing of the last holder of the
and merchant shipping lines.
Light, named after the club's
attended, together with four 119 VCs awarded to the Royal
‘Batti wallah’ is derived from
former quarterly magazine.
members of the crew of HMS Navy, including those in the Royal
the Hindustani for ‘lamp men’.
Astute and senior officials of Marines, RNR and RNVR.
● The US Navy colour party parades at Falmouth
Sea Sunday splendour
GLORIOUS weather once again colour party from the US Navy at
greeted the marchers in the annual St Mawgan.
Falmouth Sea Sunday parade A number of other branches
and church service, organised by from Cornwall and beyond
Falmouth branch. were involved, as were youth
HMS Cornwall was off organisations such as the Sea
Falmouth for the event, before Cadets and Sea Scouts.
sailing for an intensive period Following the service at the
of training, and 60 of her ship's church of King Charles the Martyr,
company took part in the parade. the parade reformed and marched
Also on the streets of the on to a buffet and reception which
town were 15 midshipmen under was held at the National Maritime
training at Dartmouth and a Museum.
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