NAVY NEWS, MAY 2009 15
Chatham
Chatham
provides
Scene is set to pay
plans for
second
a day to
US gift
tribute to Services
remember
AT THE heart of the government
of the most powerful nation THE Beat Retreat and
on earth stands a little piece of Ceremonial Sunset which
RN history, thanks to Chatham
CHATHAM Historic
will ring down the curtain
Dockyard. on Armed Forces Day will
Many Presidents of the United
Dockyard is promising an
be a separately-ticketed
States have carried out their
occasion to remember when
event.
business using the Resolute Desk,
it hosts the first Armed Forces Seats in the tiered
made from the timbers of a Tyne- Day national event – and
grandstand will cost £12
built exploration vessel of the mid- access will be free.
while the stalls (non-
19th Century. A wide range of activities,
tiered) will cost £8; tickets
The ship was abandoned when displays and entertainment
are limited so organisers
she became trapped in Arctic ice is planned for the day itself –
suggest those interested in
but was later discovered by an Saturday June 27 – as well as the
attending should visit the
American whaler more than 1,000 week leading up to it.
Historic Dockyard ticket
miles from where she had been The event is designed to cater
office in person or call
abandoned. for the entire Service community,
01634 823826.
Resolute was brought back to from cadets through to veterans.
Other events of note
New England and a year later, in But those wishing to go
during Medway Armed
1856, having been refitted, was along should keep an eye on
Forces Week include:
sailed back to the UK as a gesture the dockyard’s website, www.
marina Cruises on the Medway on
of national respect. thedockyard.co.uk, to be aware
paddle steamer Kingswear
When the ship was broken up of any ticketing arrangements
Castle on June 24-26: www.
in 1879, the British Government which may be necessary when
pskc.freeserve.co.uk,
arranged for a desk to be made numbers need to be restricted.
Armed Forces and marina
from her timbers by craftsman Armed Forces Day will begin
Veterans Film Festival at the
William Evenden at the joiner’s with a celebration parade through
Central Theatre, Chatham,
shop of Chatham Dockyard. Chatham town centre featuring
including In Which We
It was sent back across the contingents from the three Armed
Serve: www.medway.gov.
Atlantic and presented to President Forces led by the Royal Marines
uk/theatrebookings,
Rutherford Hayes. Band.
Service of Thanksgiving marina
It has been used, either in the Cohorts of veterans, complete
for the Armed Forces at
Oval Office or in the president’s with standards, will join the parade
Rochester Cathedral on
private study, by all except three as it proceeds into the Historic
June 28.
presidents – Lyndon Johnson Dockyard, where a royal salute
The following attractions
(who was reportedly too big to use will take place prior to an open-air
are amongst those which
it comfortably), Richard Nixon Drumhead service.
have offered free admission
and Gerald Ford. Throughout the day displays
to Forces personnel and
Now another such gift has and activities will be staged on
veterans on presentation of
followed the desk across the
ID or Veterans’ Badge for
land, on the water and in the air.
● The RM Band will feature in the Beat Retreat and Ceremonial Sunset on Armed Forces Day
certain events during the
Pond – Prime Minister Gordon For Crab fans there will be
week: the Historic Dockyard,
Brown presented new President an area at Anchor Wharf which
At the heart of the Historic shooting range and climbing wall fast jets and helicopters to the
the Royal Engineers
Barack Obama with a pen-holder will concentrate on the RAF, and
Dockyard, Museum Square with the RAF regiment. programme in due course.
Museum, Rochester Castle,
made in the same Joiner’s Shop at allow visitors a close look at three
will become a ‘Veterans’ At the yard’s Thunderbolt Pier, Other organisations expected to
Upnor Castle, Dickens
Chatham. aircraft – a Typhoon, a Tornado Rendezvous’, featuring music, a Royal Navy ship – identity yet participate besides the military
World and Fort Amherst.
The craftsmen on this occasion and a Chinook. catering, promotions and charity to be confirmed – will be open to include the RNLI, Kent Fire
For more information on
were shipkeepers David Appleton The Army will have an Expo information tailored to the interests visitors. and Rescue, BAE Systems, HM
events and accommodation
and Chris Jones, and the timber site of their own, there will be a of the ex-Service community. The Red Arrows are scheduled Coastguard, military vehicle
see www.medway.gov.uk/
was an off-cut from HMS Sea Cadet village, and ‘Soldiers In the main Armed Forces to put in an appearance in the preservation groups and many
tourism
Gannet, a Victorian naval sloop through the ages’ tableaux are also areas there will be plenty of action skies over the Medway towns, as others.
now preserved on public display due to feature. and hands-on activities, such as are the veteran aircraft of the
at Chatham, and which entered Maritime and airborne events driving a digger, bricklaying and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight,
service in 1879, the same year the will be centred mainly on and mine-detecting with the Sappers, while organisers are hoping to
Resolute was broken up. above the Medway. an inflatable assault course, a confirm the inclusion of other
● The gun is fi red by the Ark Royal team, including PO Mark Boyles (left), shown priming the
weapon
Pictures: Cdr Chris Clough
Ark to the sound of a gun
AN HISTORIC cannon on show at a South Coast Engineering, said: “Technology has changed over
tourist attraction has been fired by serving Royal the last two centuries, but the need for well-trained
Navy personnel for the first time in at 150 years. and motivated young men and women, working
The original 1805 12-pdr gun at Fort Nelson, together as a close-knit team, is what wins wars.
near Portsmouth, was decommissioned in the “The sailors learnt a lot about the weapons
mid-19th century but sailors from the aircraft and gun drills of the period which they found
carrier HMS Ark Royal brought it back to life fascinating.”
during a team-building exercise. ET Kevin Clucas said: “Operating the cannon
Almost 40 sailors from Ark Royal’s Weapons as part of a 12-man crew was an interesting
Engineering Department fired the cannon using experience – we are used to firing the Phalanx
the exact gun drills from the period, as taught by gun and small arms, but using the cutting edge
staff at the museum. technology of 200 years ago gave us an interesting
They also saw the fort’s national collection insight into life in Nelson’s Navy.”
of artillery and historic cannon and heard the The exercise was also a chance for the sailors
experiences of a gunner at Trafalgar courtesy of an to bid farewell to Cdr Clough, who leaves
actor from Royal Armouries, which owns the fort. the carrier to take up a new post at HMS
Cdr Chris Clough, Ark’s Commander Weapon Excellent.
015_NN_may.indd 1 21/4/09 14:46:42
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