26 NAVY NEWS, FEBRUARY 2009
Last of the
lovable
Battleaxes
IT IS WITH a certain degree of
sadness that I recently learned of
the passing of actress Kathy Staff,
best-known for her portrayal of
Nora Batty in the long-running
sitcom Last of the Summer Wine –
but she did have a much-valued
relationship with a certain ship in
the Royal Navy also.
Somerset’s Christmas cheer
After being in commission for a
number of years my old ship was
still searching in vain for a female
personality to represent us. After
WE THOUGHT your readers might like to see how LWEA ‘Scottie’ Waters, LLogs Craig Spurgeon; Lt
all, who would want to be known
we spent our time over Christmas duties on HMS Jim Harkin; Logs Mel Haslam, ET(WE) Joe Noon,
as Miss (HMS) Battleaxe?
Somerset in Plymouth and AB Illy Venetti.
Up stepped Kathy Staff who
From left to right are AB Danny Tregarthen; – SWEA ‘Scottie’ Waters, HMS Somerset
graciously visited us in our home
port of Devonport and had several
Submariners
photos taken in and around
the ship and crew, especially
one wielding a pusser’s broom
threateningly at the top of the
gangway.
A genuinely nice person, she
will be greatly missed. My best
wishes are sent to her family.
need the SETT
– Rob ‘Gen’ Patten, Victoria,
British Columbia, Canada
We’ve searched our archives
here for a photograph of the
actress in all her finery on board
HMS Battleaxe, but sadly to no
avail.
AS A former submariner, now ability than in the machine they much longer. If any of our readers can help,
The day of
aged 77, I could not agree
were sent to sea in. They just had It was quite a traumatic
please write in to us – Ed
more with Derek Thorne
to be aware of the risks associated experience but our training in the
(letters, December) about the
with their boats, but were still tank was invaluable and put us in
Submarine Escape Training
confident in their own ability to good stead. I would have hated
Tank.
survive. that to be my first experience of We’re in
the dragon
Look at the A1. Please don’t
using the escape equipment.
The confidence that I and my
let some prat who has never been
Even after 27 years I remember
colleagues gained from the 100ft
to sea in a submarine make the
the escape procedures. The deep trouble
escape tank was immense, totally
decisions.
decision whether to use the rush
WITH REGARD to the article She was lucky enough to
beyond the intended purpose of
– Brian Cox, formerly of Sidon
escape or sit tight until help
on the launch of HMS Dragon be chosen as one of the young
the training.
and Tally-Ho! Bridport, Dorset
arrived depended on the number
– again
(December) my grand-daughter, apprentices to represent BVT at
From my training, I was left
of survivors and the volume of air
Lisa Macpherson, who was a Gang the launch.
with the confidence that if it all
...I AGREE that the MOD must
available. What happens if there is
THE LAST time I wrote to you
Plank member some years ago, and A very proud day for all the
went pear-shaped and all else
have gone mad. Going through
not enough air to stay until help
was about your reference to an
won several of the competitions, is family.
failed, at least I might be able to
the tank put me off becoming a
arrives and none of the survivors
‘underwater pinnace’ having
now an Engineering Apprentice – M Christie, Kilmacolm
do something for myself.
submariner for a long time until I
have had the wet tank experience?
caused some damage to HMS
with BVT. Scotland
Advanced technology is
joined the Polaris Project.
I was led to believe the RN
Superb (November’s issue)
excellent and I applaud that. Long
I entered the tank with
preferred their escape method
What is it with you and things
may it continue, but please don’t
apprehension and left after
to the rescue vehicle because it
sub-aqua? This time, in January’s
expect it to replace that inner
completing the training much
gave the crew a certain amount
edition, (Mystery picture) you
sense of security and confidence
more confident. I had further
of independence to make the
refer to RFA Wave Sovereign as a
that the individual can have in
experience when a number of
decision when to leave.
submarine!
himself if all else fails. I was left
us escaped during a trial from
Waiting for a rescue vehicle
I was in company with the
with the confidence that ‘at least I
Repulse 150ft beneath the surface
coming from the other side of
RFA on numerous occasions
will always be able to do something of Loch Fyne back in the 1970s. the world could spell disaster.
during my time in the Mob, but
to get out of this.’ I wanted to experience the real Surely the cost of maintaining this
never once saw her submerged.
False as that may prove to be, thing in controlled conditions, as training facility must be worth it,
The thought makes my mind
at least it reassured me in the job one day I might be the senior even if it saves one life?
boggle and it certainly gives a
that I was doing. survivor. This I believe is just another
new meaning to the term ‘milch
Advancement in submarines, The experience has never left cost-cutting exercise and should
cow.’
submarine technology, and escape me, I found the water in a Scottish be resisted, perhaps a few letters
– B R Hudson, Hanworth
technology is fine, but remember loch much colder than the bath to MPs and the MOD might have
Oh dear. Thanks for putting us
the early submariners. They did water in the SETT, the pressure the desired effect.
right – again...
what they did because they were came on much quicker and the – Lofty Powers, Ball Hill,
more confident in their own journey to the surface seemed Newbury
No rest
Kent’s lucky
for Talent
Salty seadog
mascot
IN THE December edition (page
12) you say that the fi rst HMS
FOLLOWING the article on
Talent spent her fi nal years in the
seeks shipmates
HMS Kent’s reindeer episode, I
Med.
enclose a photo of the animal on-
In fact, having completed a
board the ship.
refit at Devonport Dockyard in
I AM a retired Chief Petty Officer and I am living aboard my 50ft
We had to billet the reindeer
1964 and after completing work
motor/sailing vessel Saiorse in the Eastern Mediterranean.
between Y gun and X gun barbette
up on the west coast of Scotland,
I would like to contact any ex-RN, RM or WRNS etc who may
with canvas screens to prevent it
she spent her final years on the
be interested in joining me for a cruise through the Greek Islands,
from jumping over the side.
First Submarine Squadron based
Turkish Coast, Syria, and Cyprus, and eventually to Egypt this com-
The reindeer must have brought
at HMS Dolphin.
ing summer.
us luck because it was one of the
I know this because I joined
A sense of adventure, physical fitness and a good sense of
very rare occasions that we came
her as an ERA 1, having just
humour are more important than sailing experience.
down from Murmansk without
completed submarine training,
Please contact me by email on alanandicare@yahoo.co.uk or
having to fire any of our arma- and served in her for the whole
by telephone on 0039 3409558503 (Italy) I am currently in Cariati,
ment - which would have killed of her last commission, finally
Southern Italy, until March.
the beast. leaving her in December 1966 as
Blue skies and calm seas,
– David Davis, Tilgate, her last Outside Wrecker.
– Alan Booth, Northolt, London
Crawley, West Sussex – Brian Thornton
THE naval historian Colin White, who died on Christmas Day, He only had to utter his opening words: “Ladies and
made the study of Nelson his life’s work to such an extent gentlemen, I would like you to imagine, if you will, that you
Leviathan Block, HMS Nelson, Portsmouth PO1 3HH
that he became known by many as ‘Nelson’s representative are standing on the deck of HMS Victory and the year is
on earth.’ 1805” – and the magical scene was set.
February 2009 no.655: 55th year
The description was light-hearted, but it had the ring of During Trafalgar 200 Colin White gave an incredible number
truth. Colin White researched diligently for decades to bring of public lectures up and down the country – more than 300
Editorial Business
new material to light, and he also had a huge empathy for in the course of the year. No audience was too small, or too
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because it was theatrical and rather formal. Not for him the his series The Golden Thread (now reprinted on our web in
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combativeness of so many modern historians (satirised by the Letters section) gives some idea of his knowledge and
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