20 NAVY NEWS, NOVEMBER 2008
Passing on
the family
sword
A ROYAL Naval sword has
passed from father to son
when Cdre Chris Palmer, the
commanding officer of RNAS
Yeovilton, handed on his blade
to his son Nicholas.
Nicholas, due to pass out of
Britannia Royal Naval College
as Navy News goes to press,
has decided not to follow his
father into the air, and has
chosen the path of surface
warfare instead.
As a teenager, Nicholas
came to know BRNC rather
well – his father was the
Commander there.
The graduate of Exeter
University is also very familiar
with his father’s current
stomping ground – he has
spent the past year working at
the Fleet Air Arm Museum while
recovering from a sporting
injury before starting his RN
career.
Almost 33 years separate
the two men’s careers, but the
sword forges an unbroken link.
● Father Cdre Chris Palmer
Picture: LA(Phot) Simmo Simpson
looks proudly on as his son
Telegram for Miss Lloyd
Profile of
Nicholas holds his Royal Naval
sword
Picture CPO Kev Preece
WHILE this month sees the release of the autobiography of the
nation’s oldest Naval sailor Henry Allingham (see page 44), a lady who
must be a strong contender for the title of the nation’s oldest Wren re-
a hero
leased hers last year. A DISTINCTIVE profile links
Miss Lloyd Remembers... is the title of the small autobiography of the faces of Mrs Anna Tribe
Noreen Lloyd, the daughter of a Naval captain, who joined the WRNS and her ancestor hero Vice Matt is the
at the start of World War 2. Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson.
The wartime years saw service around the UK, including a terrible The new life-size bronze
night-time air raid on her base of HMS Watchful in Great Yarmouth sculpture was crafted by
which killed eight of her fellow Wrens, before Second Officer Lloyd’s Robert Hornyold-Strickland,
final posting to HMS Drake in Plymouth. himself the son of a Naval
On October 13, Miss Lloyd celebrated her 105th birthday at home in officer, and meticulously
Wales with friends and family. researched to depict the
Her friend Margaret Strange said: “She is an amazing woman with great Naval hero on the eve
music-man
the ability to ignore the disabilities of age to concentrate instead on the of Trafalgar in 1805.
world and the people who visit. Information was sought
“Her mind is sharp and her memory good. She enjoys a glass of from the archives of the Royal “IF YOU write a song on the out in the evening, meeting a players at an open mic night that
whisky and enjoys good food. She doesn’t even look or sound her age. Naval Museum in Portsmouth
ukulele and it works, then
young lady, and deciding where Matt attended – “It was terrible,
“She looks back on her years in the WRNS with surprising clarity, and and the National Maritime
it’s a good tune,” so says
next to go with their lives. Matt but it made me want to delve into
for years kept in touch with friends made during that time.” Museum at Greenwich,
Margaret added: “Now she has outlived them all.
POMA Matt Hicks.
admits that this is a classic themed the instrument more.”
seeking clues and evidence
“Is Noreen now the oldest Wren?”
And the Culdrose-based medic
song, although not usually on the Although it did lead to a slight
from contemporary books,
ukulele... change in direction for Matt
fashion and artefacts.
should know, as one of his songs
Apparently it was composed from his original musical
Simon scores a triple
The sculptor deduced that
‘Hand Brake Turns’ won him the
during the medic’s six-month inspirations of the Smiths, Jeff
Nelson wore his hair low over
position of semifinalist in the UK
deployment to the Gulf in HMS Buckley and Nick Drake.
his right eyebrow to disguise
Songwriting Contest.
Argyll, where he took with him Matt however describes himself
WARRANT Offi cer Simon Lewis,
a scar from the Battle of the
The (despite its name)
both his guitar (his first-love of 23 as slightly chirpier than the
Squadron WO of 814 NAS in
Nile in 1798.
international competition is
years) and his ukulele (a recent average acoustic depressive which
RNAS Culdrose, has just notched
Second Sea Lord Vice
supported by such bastions of the
dalliance of two years). is reflected in Union Circus’
up his 3,000th hour in the air.
Admiral Alan Massey
music industry as BBC Radio,
He said: “I kept my ukulele songs about love, bad love, the
Lt Chris Simpson said: “WO
unveiled the new sculpture,
the Brit Trust and the Guild of
under my desk most of the time, environment, war and being
Lewis has been on 814 NAS for
commissioned by an
International Songwriters and
ready to pull out to entertain the skint.
two years now, since joining as
anonymous donor, at the
Composers.
troops.” “The tunes on a ukulele tend
Chief Aircrewman in 2006. He is
historic wardroom at HMS
Matt, who is one half of band
Union Circus are, first and to be a bit more uplifting, it does
well known and very well respect-
Nelson.
Union Circus with another Naval
foremost, a guitar-based band force you to explore the fret
ed by all at Culdrose. He was
He said: “I am delighted
Matt, PO Naval Nurse Matt
who can be found gigging across board.
Rawlins, said: “There were some the south-west – Naval Nurse “It’s good to have an instrument
promoted this spring.
to mark the auspicious
6,200 international entries this Matt is based at Derriford. that forces you into more positive
“Having recently returned
anniversary date by unveiling
year, so I am absolutely elated The unusual addition of a songs.”
from Orion 08 on board HMS
this generous gift to the MOD
that I got this far in the ukulele to their gigging repertoire Find out more about Union
Illustrious, WO Lewis is now
Art collection.
competition.” came about as the result of a Circus online at http://profile.
involved in the re-deployment of
“It is a fitting tribute to Vice
elements of the squadron out to
Admiral Lord Nelson and I am
The song itself is a tale of going performance by two ukulele myspace.com/unioncircus
the Middle East.
particularly pleased that it will
“And often now calls himself
find a home in HMS Nelson’s
the 814 NAS Travel Agent.”
wardroom.”
BLACK SWAN CLASS 1943
Replica representative model, measuring 10.5”, hand cast in metal and hand painted,
presented on a wooden plinth 12” x 3” with brass nameplate and hand made gift box.
HMS BLACK SWAN, FLAMINGO, ERNE, IBIS, WHIMBREL, WILD GOOSE, WOODCOCK,
WOODPECKER, WREN, ACTAEON, ALACRITY, AMETHYST, CHANTICLEER, CRANE, CYGNET,
HART, HIND, KITE, LAPWING, LARK, MAGPIE, MERMAID, MODESTE, NEREIDE, OPOSSUM,
PEACOCK, PHEASANT, REDPOLE, SNIPE, SPARROW and HMS STARLING (PICTURED)
£85.00
+ £8.00 p&p
UK Only
Stitch-up for Jessie
To order your model send your name, address and daytime telephone number,
along with your cheque or credit card details (visa/mastercard) to:
THE CHALLENGE: have your photo taken reading said about this so I think a stitch-up is called for,”
Skytrex Ltd, Unit 1 Charnwood Business Park, North Road, Loughborough,
the Coventry Telegraph in a strange and exotic said his photographer LA(Phot) Owen King.
place... “Jessie won a holiday, and I would love it if we
Leicestershire LE11 1LE Tel: 01509 213789 Fax: 01509 230874 The winner: LET(ME) ‘Jessie’ Owens of HMS could have it in your People section as he would
email: sales@skytrex.com www.skytrex.com
Kent, sitting astride the Type 23’s 4.5in gun in be buying a crate for the mess if it does make it
PLEASE ALLOW UP TO 28 DAYS FOR DELIVERY
Hong Kong. to print.”
The stitch-up? “Jessie doesn’t want anything Job done. (Twice.)
020_NN_Nov08_alt.indd 1 21/10/08 14:21:13
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