30 NAVY NEWS, DECEMBER 2008
Mighty
Boosting the
Nelson the
navigator
challenge for
REAR Admiral John Myres
stated in his letter (October) that
William R Colbeck, a Lieutenant
Navy’s image
RNR, was the navigating offi cer
of the Discovery in 1929-31.
mini-Kent
This is not so, as the navigating
officer on that expedition was
Lt J Nelson. I have photographs
of most of the officers, scientists
and crew.
THE CYGNETS Model Boat We will also be working with
My father, Albert Edward
Club in Maidstone, Kent, will Demelza House, a children’s
WHAT ARE the people responsible for PR in the Royal Navy Wyatt, was on that expedition
mark 50 years of model boating hospice in Kent, which I
doing?
and received the Polar Medal
next year and to celebrate we understand the ship already has
If you watch the news, you would be forgiven for thinking that the RN
from King George VI.
are planning to take HMS Kent an affiliation with.
has no involvement in Iraq or Afghanistan and spends its time swanning
He died when I was four years
somewhere she has never been Hopefully we can assist the
around the world enjoying itself whilst the Army and RAF get on with
old, but I was fortunate to follow
before and is unlikely to go again. charity by raising money and
the the important stuff.
in his footsteps when I served
We are planning to build a 1:36 awareness of the work they do
For example, earlier this year there was a presentation around St Paul’s
onboard HMS Protector
scale model of HMS Kent. across Kent.
in London. It started with a fly-past by the RAF, there was a display by
1957-58. I have his diaries and
This will make her about 3.69 In addition, we hope to work
the RAF Regiment, who we were told were about to be deployed. Then
albums of the Discovery trip.
metres long, with a beam of about with the local Sea Cadets from
there was a display of Army vehicles.
I would suggest that William
447mm. Maidstone and Tonbridge.
The only involvement by the Navy was by a squad of young sailors
Colbeck may have been
The plan is to launch her in We are hoping to use the model
in training at Collingwood who took part in the march-past of all three
navigating officer of the RRS
Tonbridge on July 9 and sail at other events in 2009 but as yet
services.
William Scoresby, which was in
her the 16 miles to Maidstone, we have not firmed up the details.
At the Remembrance service at the Albert Hall, the only Navy
the Antarctic at the same time as
contending with other river traffic I have already started to put
involvement was in the general parade.
RRS Discovery II, and on which
and nine locks. together a picture diary of the
Today, in our local paper is an advert for the RN.
my father also served.
I have made contact with build of our HMS Kent and
It is all about a night out in New York, giving the impression that
– Stanley Wyatt,
our local RNA in Maidstone in would be only too happy to share
whilst the other branches of the services are involved in important things
Canterbury, Kent
the hope that they will be good this with readers.
the RN are wasting tax-payers’ money jollying around the world.
enough to act as our conduit with – Paul Dengate, Lordswood,
Whilst those of us who know about the Navy are aware that the Navy
is involved in Afghanistan, Iraq and other operations, most of the public
Rugby hero
HMS Kent, who we have yet to Chatham, Medway, Kent
contact. email: paul@dengate.co.uk
who are continually being fed the line that the Navy is irrelevant, are
IN HIS autobiography, Bless our
Maybe through Navy News they Mobile: 07973 724161
not.
Ship, the late Capt Eric Bush
could become involved in some Landline: 01634 684336
I am aware that the Royal Marines are, rightly, mentioned a great deal
refers to the death in action on
way? (evenings and weekends only)
for their brave acts in these areas.
July 4 1941 of Lt Cdr Norman
However, most of the public (and according to correspondence in
Woodhouse, England and RN
Navy News earlier this year, some Royals), think that they are part of
rugby captain, with whom he
Submariners
the Army.
served in the battleship Revenge
It seems a shame that the Navy News so often wins awards for its
at Jutland.
journalism and yet the Navy is unable to bring to the attention of the
I can find no further reference
public at large what a good job it is doing around the world. ● Personnel from all three
to Cdr Woodhouse or his career.
need confidence
I’m not sure what the opposite to BZ is but that is what the PR guys Services at the Remembrance
Can any fellow readers tell us
deserve! Festival at the Royal Albert Hall
more about this outstanding RN
Dave Jones, Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Picture: PO(Phot) Ian Richards
sportsman?
– Lawrence Phillips, Editor,
I SEE that wet training at the AS28 in 2005), or the team and The Royal Navy Day by Day,
Submarine Escape Training Tank equipment are already attending
Courageous
Northwood
(SETT) has been suspended, with another incident far away?
the idea that it will be superseded Every submariner knows that
by rescue sub actions alone. time is the critical factor – pity
carrier
A damsel
Has the MOD gone collectively the poor chap who has to inform DAVE HARDING asked (No-
mad? a stricken boat that they must try vember) if anyone could identify
in distress
The ‘RN spokesman’ quoted to get themselves out right now, the carrier astern of HMS Hood
I REFER you to page 5 of Navy
(Letters, November) clearly has using a technique taught only in on your September letters page.
News (October) which shows
no concept of the immense dry theory in a classroom. She is HMS Furious, who along
a photograph of a young lady
psychological boost to one’s self- The Government cannot afford with her two half sisters Glorious
waving God Speed to HMS
confidence experienced when another disgusting failure to and Courageous was completed
Northumberland with a Union
you surface after completing safeguard its servicemen like the as a light battle cruiser in World
fl ag which is unfortunately
both the 100ft suited and non- one with the Hercules foam fire War 1. All three were converted to
upside-down.
suited escapes – you feel you suppressant – their actions smack aircraft carriers in the 1920s.
Alas, with our national fl ag
might just be capable of escaping of money-saving rather than – Ian Richardson, High
fl own this way it represents a
safely even from depths like 600ft improvement to the service. ● A sad Stalker laid up in Portsmouth Shincliffe, Durham
signal of distress.
if that was absolutely your only Whilst there is no doubt
It is quite amazing these days
option. that sub rescue is preferable to
Sign to save
...SHE IS a Courageous-class
to find that so many people are
Even after 45 years I recall that personal escape whenever it is
carrier, and looking at the upper-
not aware that our flag has a right
feeling. feasible, those responsible for the
works or lack of it I would guess it
and a wrong way up.
The statement that submersible safety of our submariners need
is HMS Glorious.
Wherever I see this happening
rescue techniques are now the to remember that old adage ‘if
I have read Prof Grove’s review
I make the effort to point it out
preferred method blithely ignores something can go wrong with
historic ships
of Bruce Taylor’s book and didn’t
to the person responsible.
potential problems. a plan, it will’ and continue to
like it.
As an ex-member of the
For example, what happens ensure that our men are given the
To make a mention of paying
Communications Branch, I never
if the rescue equipment suffers self-confidence to help themselves
over the odds shows contempt for
THE PUBLIC may not realise I can only wonder where DCMS expected to see Navy News on
unexpected failure, or delays in if all else fails.
the book – it is the first slip-up of
that over the coming months ‘Captains Defaulters.’
arriving on site occur (witness Nothing less will do.
priorities lie, particularly when we a confusing review which slides off
– John G Pollard, President,
the near-fatal delays in getting – Derek R Thorne, Titchfield,
the Heritage Protection Bill will are about to lose HMS Stalker, the subject.
HMS Indomitable Assocation,
our ROV to the Russian mini-sub Fareham, Hants
be debated in Parliament. They the last steam-driven LST left in – Michael Nottage,
might assume it would include the the world. Portsmouth
Worksop, Notts
protection of all elements of our All Historic Ships are asking is
Oh dear. I too noticed the flag
One L of an omission
heritage – not so. a halt for six to 12 months to a
but concluded the young lady
Probably one of the largest ship under threat to enable those Tot time
was communicating her distress
sections of heritage, namely his- concerned to raise the funds, or
at the prospect of six months’
toric ships, have been deliberately obtain a buyer, or failing that,
THE article Photographic Memories
separation – Ed
ONE of the memorable parts of mentioned in your article A excluded by the Department of
at least fully record it for future
(November) contains a picture ‘Tot
my Naval career was my service in Lament for Superb (November). Culture, Media and Sport, ably reference.
time aboard a British Battleship,
the ships of the 4th Minesweeping Of course, it could have been a assisted by English Heritage who That does not seem too much
probably King George V.’ Masterchef
Squadron (HMS Bramble, relic from one of the Bond films, never consider the value of his- to ask, does it? But you try telling
This same picture appears in
Cockatrice, Cheerful, Pickle, something that Q had invented. toric ships to our nation. that to the DCMS.
HMS Belfast’s Association book
of the deep
Pincher, Rinaldo, Laertes and – B R Hudson, Hanworth, The concrete monstrosity of May I ask therefore that those
Men of the Sea produced by Ernest
Rattlesnake) serving a short while Middlesex Milton Keynes central shopping who believe that Historic Ships
Smith.
THE NEW job title of naval
on each. Well spotted Mr Hudson. We all area is being considered for list- should be given the same pro-
So is it Belfast or King George
cooks is nothing new.
I can remember that when proof-read page 6 and none of ing, while magnificent historic tection as buildings please sign
V?
On the submarine Orpheus
we went to sea in ‘roughers’ we us noticed the missing ‘l’. But at ships such as Shieldhall, Waverley, the Prime Minister’s petition at:
– Richard Bannister, HMS
in 1964 our Leading Cook
seemed to be submerged for quite least your letter gave us a laugh. I Robin, Massey Shaw and Medway http://petitions.number10.gov.
Belfast Association
used to introduce himself as an
a bit of the time, but I am not did think of headlining it Pinnace Queen are all being denied protec- uk/historic ships ...THE helicopter on p.26 is of ‘Underwater Dietic Technician.’
able to recall any of them carrying Envy, but the Committee of Taste tion and only those in dry dock – Sid Anning, Crownhill, course 848 Squadron. – Andy Clarkson,
an ‘underwater pinnace’ as was stopped me – Ed will be protected. Plymouth – John Dale Chigwell, Essex
opinion
THERE WAS never any doubt the Royal Navy had the will and Irangate image. Nor were there many voices of dissent. Leviathan Block, HMS Nelson, Portsmouth PO1 3HH
the skills to fight pirates – it just needed its hands untied. Pirates, as Cicero pointed out, are the enemies of the human
And no sooner were the legislative knots, caveats and race.
December 2008 no.653: 55th year
operational restrictions loosened ever-so-slightly than HMS Anyone who doubts the esteem in which the Service is
Cumberland scored a notable hit in the Gulf of Aden, killing held should read some of the comment pages of our national
Editorial Business
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Editor: Business manager:
Great was the rejoicing in the British media, where report- tion for the Senior Service.
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