18 NAVY NEWS, DECEMBER 2008
Somerset
Benefits
of age
THE Lympstone to Poole race
sees red
this year brought two contending
teams of Royal Navy Training
Managers.
The youngsters (all in their
20s) were gathered up from the
Commando Training Centre RM
at Lympstone and the veterans
BITTER cold could not keep
(average age 47) from across the
MOD.
away the men and women
However the experience bun-
who had gathered to launch
dled up in the veterans team – for
the Royal British Legion’s team captain Cdre Campbell
Poppy Appeal on board HMS
Christie this was his 16th event
Somerset at Avonmouth.
– proved a strong combination
The ship’s fleeting visit to the
despite the advanced years, as
Bristol Channel on that freezing
they romped home in ninth place
autumn day saw enough time
overall.
to perform a remembrance
Cdre Christie said: “Finishing
service on the flight deck for guest
is always good, but what is really
of honour Harry Patch, Britain’s
rewarding is introducing new
last Tommy and last survivor of
runners to the camaraderie of
trench warfare on the Western
what is a truly exceptional race.”
Front.
The race starts at CTCRM
Other guests on board to mark
and follows the South West
the RBL’s fundraising efforts
Coast Path for 87 miles through
for the nation’s servicemen
beaches, forests, and peaks to the
and women included Falklands
RM base at Poole.
veteran Simon Weston, cricketer
Teams run in pairs, each com-
Marcus Trescothick and members
pleting 22 miles each day and
of the Somerset branch of the
carrying a safety pack weighing at
Royal British Legion.
least 5kg.
● Sailors from HMS Somerset with WW1 veteran Harry Patch
A flypast from the Army Air Picture: LA(Phot) Jenny Lodge
To date the team have raised
Corps Historic Flight (pictured refit in 2007, and sailors from the arrived alongside in foreign ports.
over £800, but if you would like
left) concluded the ceremony, warship joined the remembrance “We even did a 24-hour
to pledge your support telephone
dropping poppies over the water day parade at Wells last month. ‘runathon’ on a treadmill.”
023 9262 5877.
of the Bristol Channel, and two The sailors on board the Type He added: “We wanted
cannon mounted on the ship’s 23 have also been keeping an something to achieve, both as a
hangar fired poppies over HMS eye on the younger members of mess and personally. Today has
Lee lookback
Somerset. society. been a wonderful end to the
Sailors on board the warship During their six-month project.
FORMER RFA man Ray Hard-
were keen to meet the World War deployment in the Mediterranean “It’s also been good to get to
ing is trying to remind people of
1 veteran. AB Aimee Kelly said: the crew raised £2,200 for know the local charity and to learn
the Naval history of Lee-on-the-
“The Poppy Appeal means a lot Plymouth children’s charity about what they do.”
Solent.
to all the Services because of the Jeremiah’s Journey. Jeremiah’s Journey fundraiser A DVD snapshot of Lee will be
help it provides to those serving PO Martin Hopton said: Sarah Wilson said: “It’s been familiar to anyone who served at
today as well as those who fought “When we learned about the work fantastic working with them and Daedalus, Collingwood, Sultan,
in previous conflicts. of Jeremiah’s Journey we knew we we really really appreciate their Dolphin, Haslar, Seafield Park or
“Meeting Harry Patch was an wanted to help them. efforts. the Armament, Victualling and
inspiration. It puts everything into “We came up with the idea of “It’s a lot of money to us and will Naval Store Depots, and money
perspective when you actually running 4,750 miles during the make a big difference. It will allow raised from the sale will go to
meet them and realise what they deployment – that’s the distance us to help more than 20 children, the Vision4Lee Market Town
went through. from Devonport to the furthest pay for days out for bereaved Initiative funding youth projects
“I have too much respect for point that HMS Somerset reached children and their families – we in the local area.
what they did and won’t ever during her voyage. are all absolutely delighted.” Orders cost £3, and are avail-
forget that.” “Everyone in the mess joined Jeremiah’s Journey is a able at www.vision4lee.co.uk
This was the first time that the in, running as many miles as we Plymouth-based charity that or write to Ray Harding, Manor
Type 23 had come close to her could around the deck and also supports bereaved children: www. Way Surgery, Manor Way, Lee-
affiliated county since her major going on squad runs when we jeremiahsjourney.org.uk/ on-the-Solent, PO13 9JG.
Egg-centric
behaviour
in MCMs
OH what the Navy will do for a afficionado Chip who had urged
Cadbury’s Creme Egg... his partner to buy more of the
NEED initial FREE
Six months in the northern foodstuff) and had disappeared
Arabian Gulf was seen as a at speed during the deployment,
valuable fundraising opportunity much to the despair of the men
LEGAL ADVICE?
by Brocklesby’s PO(MW) of Chid.
Then contact:
Antony ‘Pinta’ Beer, who took up Chip said: “We sailed with
‘nutty’ duty running the ship’s loads of creme eggs. They just
canteen for his crew’s six months kept selling, they were so popular.
on HMS Chiddingfold in the But we couldn’t get any more out
Gulf. there.”
He determined to turn his Pinta added: “So we put the
Deep running
chocolate duties to good use last one aside for a month. Then
however, fundraising for two produced it for auction.”
EIGHT submariners pounded their way through the Great North Run
causes close to his own heart Such was the avid crowd of
in Newcastle to raise funds for charity Children with Leukaemia.
– the midwife unit at the War chocolate eaters, the auction took
The men – LS Benny Benson, AB Stevie Liddell, Lt Adrian Baugh,
A Nationwide network of highly experienced Independent Solicitors
Memorial Hospital in Gosport place in the Ops Room under the
PO Dave Pitt, LS Keith Harding, CPO Kenny Walker, PO Davie
and Macmillan Cancer Support. watchful eye of CO Lt Cdr Tom
McCoy and Lt Justin Cloney (pictured above) – are all members of HMS
Who advise and represent Service Personnel, Reservists, the
The first because that’s where Tredray.
Astute’s ship’s company, based up in Barrow while the new submarine
Civil Service and their Families
his son was born last year, and In the end, the last precious
is being fitted out.
the second because his aunt and egg was sold for the impressive
CPO Kenny Walker said: “After three months of intensive training, it
grandmother were affected by the total of £78 to PO Diver ‘Mac’
was a fantastic effort by the team and their work in collecting the charity
Contact:
disease. Macpherson.
money has been outstanding.”
He gives full credit to LS(MW) Who gleefully blew it up on the
So far the team have raised almost £3,000.
0845 601 1260
Chris ‘Chip’ Miles, who he roped ship’s next demolition day, much
into the job as an expert on to the general horror of the other
or
chocolate habits, but when Pinta unsuccessful egg bidders. Bob’s life celebrated
told him that he planned to give In total, the two men begged,
his share of the profits to charity, borrowed and bullied shipmates
THE Stroke Association has decided by the family to go ahead
www.forceslaw.com
Chip jumped right in too. and allied sailors into a total of
benefi ted by £2,032 from the with the event as a celebration of
Chip said: “Everyone has been £1,600 which was split £1,000
fundraising efforts of the Type Bob’s life to raise funds for the
for a Local Lawyer who
touched by cancer. You just don’t for Macmillan Cancer Support
45 Training Unit at HMS Stroke Association.
always know it.” and £600 for the midwife unit
Collingwood – all in memory of Almost 200 people gathered to
SPEAKS YOUR LANGUAGE
Money was raised by various at the War Memorial Hospital in
CPOMEA Bob Griffi n. mark the CPO’s life with many of
COURTS MARTIAL • DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES • EMPLOYMENT
means including beard-growing Gosport.
Bob, who was a founder mem- humorous anecdotes told among
and REINSTATEMENT of RESERVE FORCES PERSONNEL • SERVICE
contests and bingo nights. Chip admitted: “We really have
ber of the unit, became ill during a the friends.
INVESTIGATIONS • CRIME • HOUSE or BUSINESS PURCHASE
But the one that stands out is to say thank you to the lads. We
training course last year, and died Bob’s ashes were scattered by
or SALE including LSAP’s • DIVORCE CHILDREN PENSIONS and
the auction of the last Cadbury’s did hound them.”
peacefully in April this year. his daughter from the PO Liner
TERMINAL GRANTS • ACCIDENTS and COMPENSATION • ARMED
Creme Egg... And plans are already in hand During his illness, the T45 TU Aurora in the Norwegian fjords
FORCES COMPENSATION SCHEME PREVIEW • WILLS or
It seems that the chocolately for similar fundraising during decided to raise fund for his care, – getting the duty watch out in
DEATH of a RELATIVE
ovoid had been the surprise fad Brocklesby’s upcoming NATO planning a social event with raf- their No.1s would have definitely
of the Gulf trip (no surprise to deployment. fle prizes. When Bob died, it was brought a smile to Bob’s face...
018-019_NN_dec08.indd 1 20/11/08 10:50:06
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