30 NAVY NEWS, NOVEMBER 2008
Aquitaine
consider
Nelson –
Two reasons for
the man
AQUITAINE branch held its
annual Nelson Lunch last month,
at which the deputy defence
one great event
attaché in Paris, Capt Phil Stonor,
was guest speaker.
More than 90 shipmates and
ISLE of Sheppey branch had
partners welcomed amis de bord
two good reasons to hold a band
(French shipmates) from six local
concert and parade of standards.
amicales (branches) of AMMAC,
The first was to celebrate
the French eqiuvalent of the RNA.
Nelson’s 250th birthday.
70 years and counting
Les amicales have invited their
But secondly, and just as
CHELMSFORD branch has Cann, and alongside him were
British shipmates to events
importantly, was the chance to
raise funds for Headley Court –
celebrated 70 years since its the standards of the Chelmsford
throughout the year, ranging from
which they did to the tune of more
foundation. branches of the RMA, the
parading the standard at Liberation
than £1,000.
Members gathered for a service RAFA and the RBL, while the
Day parades to excellent lunches.
On the day, 16 standards were
in St John’s Church in the town at Maldon branch standard was also
Capt Stonor spoke in English
paraded – the Area 2 standard,
which the Mayor and Mayoress, paraded.
and French on ‘Nelson the man’,
paraded by S/M Steve Susans
Cllr Tom and Jane Willis, were Afterwards members and guests
quoting from Nelson’s Trafalgar
of Bromley branch, 11 branch
guests. were entertained at the RBL,
Prayer, when he prayed for
standards from Area 2, three
The Rev Keith Magee led the where they had the chance to
victory for Europe, and looked
ship associations (those of the
service, during which the branch look through a book, compiled by
for compassion and support for
Bulwark, Albion and Centaur,
standard was rededicated. Mrs Gamlin, recording members’
the defeated French after the
HMS Phoebe and HMS Cavalier)
The honour of bearing the service and events affecting the
successful battle.
and the Merchant Navy was also
standard went to S/M Jack branch over the years.
Stalwart lost
represented.
The whole affair was ably
controlled and directed by S/M
Hood memorial to be unveiled
● Standard bearers gather for the parade organised by the Isle of
HAVANT branch has lost a stalwart Chris Durban, Area 2 Parade and
Sheppey branch
with the death of founder member Ceremonial Officer.
AS Navy News went to press members of the HMS Hood Association
S/M Derek Kennard. Guests included ten members of
Sheppey branch president S/M from the old School of Music in were due to gather at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire
S/M Derek served 43 years in the Pembroke House and five Chelsea
Mick Withington said: “They were Deal in its ranks. for the dedication of a new memorial to the ship.
Navy, latterly as a chief writer and Pensioners.
so professional and dedicated and During the course of the event The polished grey granite stone, bearing a bronze crest, will be a
warrant officer, and his shipmates Nearly 200 people, most
a credit to our uniform. a plate buffet was served, and the lasting tribute to the 1,415 men who died when the battlecruiser was
felt that made him ideally suited to of them locals, turned up to
“They had actually made a whole evening was rounded off
sunk in the Denmark Strait on May 24 1941.
the role of branch secretary. watch proceedings, including a
dash from the Lord Lieutenant with the singing of wartime songs,
Only three men escaped from the doomed ship, but the last remaining
Branch treasurer S/M particularly impressive turn-out
of Kent’s 100th Remembrance led by the ladies of Memory
survivor, association president S/M Ted Briggs, died just weeks before
Woodward said: “Derek was a by Chatham branch.
Parade for the TA in Canterbury Lane.
the ceremony.
kind and generous member of the Well to the fore were the band
that morning.” Isle of Sheppey branch was most
A report on Ted Briggs’ funeral at HMS Collingwood can be found
branch and a gentleman in every of the Sea Cadets of Whitstable
Also entertaining the guests grateful for the support which the
on page 34.
sense of the word. unit, who staged a half-hour
was the Snowdon Colliery Welfare event received – some people had
“He was an enthusiastic member performance which moved many
Brass Band, which numbers a few travelled some distance to take
with a great sense of humour.” to tears.
former Royal Marines bandsmen part.
Tribute to ‘last destroyer’
Good job is rewarded
THE HMS Aldenham was mined and sunk in the Adriatic
Association, together with – the last RN destroyer to be sunk
Aldenham branch of the in World War 2.
WE reported in our June issue on the unveiling of a memorial to Lt
RNA, will be holding a service The day is particularly
Humphrey Firman VC, killed in action in the SS Julnar on the River
of remembrance on Sunday appropriate as the ship was lost on
Tigris in Mesopotamia (now Iraq) on April 24 1916.
December 14 at St John the December 14 1944 to a mine.
The hard work for the ceremony at New Malden was largely
Baptist church in the village of Friends and relatives who wish
due to S/M John Snowdon, of Crieff and District branch, and
Aldenham, near Watford. to attend are invited to contact
that work earned S/M John a certificate of appreciation, which
The service will honour and association secretary S/M John
was presented to him by the chairman of No 1 Area, S/M Alan
remember the crew who lost their Carder at johned.carder@
Robinson.
lives when the Hunt-class warship ntlworld.com
Young and fi t – or
Heroes helped
EAST Grinstead branch, assisted
old and confused?
by members of the local ex-Services
Club, have raised around £3,500
through a Help for Heroes fund-
raising weekend.
FOLLOWING on from a to write an essay on what they had the Veterans Awareness day.
A raffle, auction of promises,
recently-held Veterans Awareness learned and presented prizes to Branch members also went bag-
disco and donations helped swell
Day, members of Norwich branch the best three in each school. packing at a local Asda, when
the total – as did a club swear box.
formed a team of school speakers. The visits were deemed an customers’ shopping was packed
The branch also sent small
The team has already visited outstanding success, with the at the check-outs and members
parcels to members of 3 Para
two junior schools in the city, with team being invited back, and news were able to chat to people about
serving in Afghanistan after the
● Poppy wreathes adorn the site of the St Vincent Association
more planned for next term. has spread to other schools.
themselves. son of one member noticed some
memorial plaque
Year 6 at both schools – that’s Branch secretary S/M Ken
“A bit of banter from Jack and of his colleagues were not receiving
ten and eleven-year-olds – enjoyed Baish said: “We found that we had
they all left smiling – and we had much support from home.
St Vincent plaque
a series of individual experiences explained the role of the veteran
our buckets at the ready for any He sent their names back to the
related by the veterans, followed to 90 children on each occasion
donations,” said S/M Ken. UK and each received a parcel.
by a questions and answers who took the message to 90 sets
“Once again we created The most popular items in the
is rededicated
session in the style of the BBC of parents.”
awareness on a one-to-one basis parcels turned out to be water
Any Questions radio programme. One 11-year-old wrote: “A lot
which was good.” pistols…
The team consisted of two of people consider veterans to be
World War 2 veterans and three old, confused people who stutter
TWENTY members of the St Vincent, now lie in the mausoleum veterans who were boy entrants and have glasses.
Vincent Association, along with at St Michael’s Church. immediately after the war. “However, as the video proved,
relatives and friends, gathered at The admiral was born in nearby There was not too much
not all veterans are like that.
the National Memorial Arboretum Meaford. emphasis on the war, but a more
“Not all veterans are old and
at Alrewas to rededicate their Among the guests were the humorous take on life at sea
confused, a lot are young and fit.
memorial plaque. Mayor and Mayoress of Stone, during and after the war.
“The image of veterans is
The original plaque had become Cllrs Mark and Kristian Green, Items of memorabilia were
completely wrong.”
tarnished and members decided along with a number of town shown, as were two DVDs from
As S/M Ken said: “Which one
that it needed to be replaced. councillors.
the MOD Veterans Unit. do you fit, shipmate – young and
HMS St Vincent, and now The Act of Remembrance and
The whole event took up two fit or old and confused?”
the association, enjoyed close Dedication was held at the site
hours and was conducted as part He has also written to the
links with the town of Stone in of the memorial and conducted
of the youngsters’ World War 2 MOD about the visits, which the
Staffordshire, where the remains by association chairman S/M
history syllabus. branch found created more of a
of Admiral Sir John Jervis, Earl St Malcolm Smith.
The visitors also asked the pupils splash about veterans than did
● S/M Gordon Witton (left), chairman of Bloxwich branch, presents
the cheque for £10,000 to John Thompson of the RNBT
RNBT given donation
WHEN Bloxwich branch had to through the RNBT, which was
sell their premises, as membership promptly presented with a cheque
was declining and the costs of for £10,000.
maintaining the club were proving The Trust’s vice president, John
to be too high, a meeting was held Thompson, executive assistant
to decide what to do with the Lyn Gannon and trustee Julie
proceeds of the sale. Halford attended an enjoyable
Branch president Ken Marsham, social evening at Colebatches
chairman Gordon Witton, secretary Club, in Walsall, to be presented
Len Wood and treasurer Ray Birch, with the donation.
plus other club members, decided S/M Gordon Witton said that
they would make donations to other the RNBT had been the first choice
charities that help their members. from all the members, because the
And they decided that the Trust supports so many of the
best way to achieve that aim was ex-Royal Naval community.
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