28 NAVY NEWS, JULY 2009
Fantastic in plastic
I I WISH WISH to take you to task over your views as
expressed in the editorexpres ial (June) about the
new ArA med Forces action fi gures (pictured
leftt).
As an ex-RN divA er, I take exception to
these remarks,the for too long the CD (Mine
Warfa are) branch of the RN has been
sswwept under the carpet as second-class
citizenscit .
OK, due to the very name of the
branch most of their hazardous wb ork
The barn
goes on unseen.g
This is an elite branch of the RN
whose training is very rigorous with
identity
a drop-out rate similar to that of
the SAS. They are underwater bomb
disposal personnel who every time
I ENJOYED reading your article
they go to work are put in harm’s way,
about the barn owl that landed on
in time of war and peace.
the fi shery protection vessel HMS
Is it so soon forgotten the images of
Severn (Navy News, June).
those yth oung men during the Falklands
The D-Boats Association
WWaar sitting on top of bombs, out of
mascots are two barn owls called
the wthe water that were dropped on to HMS
Nelson and Emma, and live in
Argonaut (and other ships) and landed up Argon
an aviary at Marshland Maritime
in the magazine without exploding to be in the
Museum in Clenchwarton.
rendered safe and grendere iven to Davey Jones?
In March this year we were
All of this inforAll o mation can be found in the
pleased to see that Emma had
excellent book excellen Diver, written by one who was
laid and was sitting on five eggs.
there, T Tony Groom.
Good, we thought, new members
The divThe ers were highly recommended by
for the D-Boats without trying.
Admiral Sir JAdmira onathon Band, and many medal
The only trouble was that
recommendarecomm tions made on behalf of these
14 days later we found out that
divdiveerrss,, again not all medals were received
● The guard of honour from HMS Illustrious stands outside St Paul’s Cathedral following the centennial
Nelson had laid and was sitting by the divby t ers.
commemoration of naval aviation Picture: PO(Phot) Christine Wood, HMS Illustrious
on two eggs. That means that So tell me, what is Jack if not a Navy
Nelson is no longer Nelson and divdi er?
we now call him/her Kiss Me – Christopher Roddis, ex RN
Hardy.
I am also pleased to tell
you that Marshland Maritime
Museum has now doubled in size
and can take 40 people at any
Illustrious’ sad toll
Rename that tune
one time. DURING the service
Marvellous! The National Anthem
If you’d like to visit, contact
I HAVE only just read the February edition with its item Three
of thanksgiving for the
should indeed have found a place
us on 01553 765530 or email
dboats@tiscali.co.uk
centenary of naval aviation
in the excellent Fleet Air Arm
Bells sound for Illustrious. During my war service I was on board
songbook.
Illustrious during her Far Eastern tour.
– Mike Smith, Marshland
in St Paul’s Cathedral, Naval aviation is a real boon in
There were two events where the ship was damaged. The first
Maritime Museum I was struck by the
this uncertain world, so let us now
was the more serious one during which, I have been told, 20-odd
appropriateness of the
look forward to sending Her Majesty
lives were lost.
We stood up
words of the fi rst verse of
the tremendous new carriers HMS
I was not on board at the time because I was an observer in an
Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of
Avenger diving through the balloon barrage over Palembang.
the National Anthem, both Wales, which will enable this country
with Bernard
On return I was told that a Japanese aircraft had flown down
for the Royal Navy and, in
to deploy offensive air power with
the flight deck.
particular, the Fleet Air Arm.
flexibility and at a time and place of
I did not hear of the aircraft doing any damage, however, a
AS OF this month
I DON’T know where Bernard In seven short lines are the names
our choosing.
destroyer of the escort – I think it was HMS Euryalus – was firing
we’re awarding a
Hallas was sitting in the Royal of three aircraft carriers – HM Ships
It is hard to resist thinking how
at the aircraft but did not stop firing as the aircraft passed behind
£25 Amazon voucher
Albert Hall for the Mountbatten Queen, Victorious and Glorious –
pleasing it is that those serving in that
the island. I leave you to visualise the damage that was done. Did
to the letter which
Festival of Music concert in and one destroyer, HMS Noble.
younger flying service find themselves,
I hear you mutter “friendly fire”?
amuses, impresses or
February (Comment, March) but Mentioning this to a former petty
from time to time, singing out the
The second incident was a true kamikaze. Fortunately, the
enlightens us the most.
I can confi rm that over a dozen officer aircrewman, in the pew behind,
names of aircraft carriers being sent
aircraft was hit by ‘AA’ fire and was out of control and only hit
We thought Jackpot
ex-Marines from the Blackpool he ventured a version replacing happy
to Her Majesty!
the housing of a radar aerial and fell into the sea. I was on board
sounded rather more
branch of the Royal Marines (sotto voce) with another aircraft
The RAF should take note.
on that occasion but did not hear anything.
appropriate than ‘star
Association all stood up for the carrier name, to give the nautically
– Lt Cdr Lester May (retd),
I presume that the least said about the first incident the better
letter’ or ‘prize letter’.
Regimental March. sonorous:
Camden Town, London
the authorities are pleased.
Anyway, this month
– Ray Saunders,
– Walter Barnard, Solihull
we’ve been amused...
“Send her Victorious,
Blackpool, Lancs Hermes and Glorious....”
And talking of
Positive nuclear reaction
word play...
“ALL OF US are Astute enough
to realise that all politicians are
FOR THE 22,000 men stationed in dragging it on through the courts. But witnessing thermal nuclear weaponry
Artful at an Ambush of us, the
the Pacifi c Islands during the nuclear make no mistake; this is a landmark at close quarters, and their deaths were
general public, especially in these
tests in the 1950s – bringing Britain victory for veterans. long and protracted due to the ailments
Turbulent times.
into the nuclear arms club, stabilising We hope that the powers that be mostly of cancers, leukaemias, and
“As we know, their Audacious
the nuclear threat to Britain and the do not force us into a long protracted other radiation-linked illnesses.
plans are never Superb, and
thankfully we have a Trenchant
world – our presence achieved what the litigation but resolve this out of court Of the 22,000 men who were deployed
Sovereign who carries a Sceptre
British Government wanted at the time before more of the veterans have passed for the 1950s tests we estimate 18,000
and she is a Splendid example with
and have since stabilised the nuclear era away as have many since the court case of these men have already died, many
Talent and her work is Tireless for
from that time until present day. first started three years ago. as young as 40 and 50 years old, leaving
our country, long may she reign.
The judgement given by Lord Justice The British Nuclear Test Veterans’ behind many inherent diseases for their
“Never more so since Trafalgar
David Foskett, at the High Court in Association have raised money to offspring to pass down the genetic line.
do we have to be Swift&Sure
London on Friday June 5 2009, is the commemorate a memorial at Alrewas These veterans have all been
she remains on the throne in
opening of a door to justice, showing to the veterans of the countries taking members of the Armed Forces under
Triumph or else life will be ever
recognition to the veterans of the part in the nuclear and atomic tests. the badge of Combined Operations
more Spartan – unless you live in
nuclear tests and what they have been There is also a memorial to the and no matter how they died, they Torbay.”
fighting for, for the last 25 years. personnel who have died and been died from consequential service to their This little dit was started whilst
It’s absolutely brilliant news we’ve killed in action from the end of World countries. playing with submarine names
waited a long time for this. I’m just War 2 to the present day. It is a dishonour not to mention them with a friend, and I share it with
sorry that a lot of my friends and But there are no nuclear tests on a memorial and I would like to see Navy News readers in the light-
colleagues, who witnessed the same veterans announced on its tablets. their names on a scroll of honour to hearted manner that I put it
events as I in the 1950s, did not survive Admittedly, these veterans did not die dignify their memories for history.
together.
long enough to see this day. on the battlefield, or from subsequent – Douglas Hern, Litigation Secretary,
– Terry Hall,
● A British nuclear bomb detonates during one of
the Christmas Island tests
We are now hoping the Government wounds at the time, but have suffered British Nuclear Test Veterans’
(former submariner)
will meet us across a table, rather than and died as a consequence of their Association, Spalding, Lincs
Ilkeston, Derbyshire
COMMAND is lonely, but it has its compensations. In fact defence of the small green vegetables has been Leviathan Block, HMS Nelson, Portsmouth PO1 3HH
Just as the former US President George Bush famously remarkably subdued – if there is such a thing as the Brussels
remarked that he wasn’t going to eat any more broccoli, Sprout Marketing Board it has kept very quiet.
July 2009 no.660: 55th year
the Commanding Officer of HMS Bulwark has apparently Of course it’s right to encourage a ship’s company to eat
banned sprouts from his ship. healthy food, but the ‘five portions a day’ messages can
Editorial Business
“They are the devil’s vegetable and the only thing I do not become a little earnest.
Managing editor: Business manager:
like,” said Capt Wayne Keble. The sprouts story proved the Navy still has an independent
Sarah Fletcher Lisa Taw 023 9229 1525
Whether Capt Keble has banned them from the entire cast of mind, plus a sense of humour.
Editor: Mike Gray Subscriptions 023 9273 4448
News editor: subscriptions@navynews.co.uk
ship or just the captain’s table has been a matter of debate, It got the major Taurus 09 deployment into the pages of
Richard Hargreaves Accounts 023 9272 0686
but it’s a fair bet he has a strong body of public support, most national newspapers (and a good few international Production editor: Advertising 023 9272 5062 or
especially from small boys and husbands urged into healthy ones) plus various television shows – quite an achievement Helen Craven 023 9275 6951
eating. in itself.
023 9229 4228/9380 24163 (Mil) advertising@navynews.co.uk
Fax 023 9283 8845 Distribution 023 9282 9065
The views on sprouts expressed in Navy News do not necessarily reflect those of the Ministry of Defence
edit@navynews.co.uk Fax 023 9283 0149
028_NN_July.indd 1 18/6/09 19:09:38
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