26 NAVY NEWS, OCTOBER 2009
Paulton’s
perfect
I’M NOT normally driven
to taking time out to ‘big up’
companies or businesses for
making gestures towards our
Armed Forces, but felt the need
to make an exception in this case.
I was recently fortunate
enough to be in receipt of free
tickets to attend Paultons Park,
near Southampton, on one of the
two Forces Days they held.
We found out about this
through our local Hive at
Yeovilton and I am sure that
all those who found themselves
enjoying the sunshine (and free
entrance) at the park would
agree that Paulton’s provided
a fantastic occasion in a very
understated manner.
My (almost) three-year-old had
a wonderful time and spent the
whole day amazing us with her
new-found enthusiasm for one
ride after another.
If this event is to be followed
by similar days in the future then
I feel it only right to express
my thanks to Paulton’s for a
wonderful day out enjoyed by
the many ‘Forces Families’ that
we saw on the day, and a special
No-one better
thanks from young Orla – who
keeps reciting to daddy how she
“saw penguins and went on the
than Hoagy
Teacups, and Vikings, railway,
Ladybirds...” and so on.
Repeat performance
WITH REFERENCE to your
It won’t be long before we find August Heroes of the Royal Navy,
ourselves back there reliving that
YOUR VERY complimentary
I was acquainted with Hoagy
day. Well done to Paulton’s for
review of the book Loyal and
Carmichael in the latter part of
giving young Service families a
Steadfast (April) resulted in a
his naval life.
fantastic day out.
– CPOAET(AV) R P Kemp,
complete sell-out of copies within
He finished up as a full
Merlin IPT
days, as we started receiving orders
commander, OBE, and a finer
and cheques from all parts of the
fellow you would never meet.
UK as well as Canada, Australia,
He was for many years the
K not OK
New Zealand and the US.
officer in charge of the North
As publication of the book
West Area Sea Cadet Corps and
had been a high-risk, non-profit
he was fully active in all that went
The review of K Boat Catastrophe
project it removed a great weight
on.
in your August edition delivered
from our shoulders not to have
I am 81 years old and
a lambasting which I believe was
dozens of unsold books on our
throughout my life they came no
ill-deserved.
hands and very little money left in
better than ‘Hoagy’.
The book certainly makes
our funds.
– D R Scrivener,
no pretensions to intellectual
Fleetwood, Lancs
But such was the impact of
brilliance, but it is responsibly
the review that many Navy News
researched, is accurate on the
readers failed to obtain a copy, as
facts of that little-known disaster,
we had no option but to return the 391 beat 102
expresses tenable opinions on
cheques and unfilled orders along
the debatable aspects, and is a
with an appropriate apology.
worthwhile addition to the library
We have continued to receive
by a good 7kt
of naval history.
The author is indeed a “brown
orders for the book, which has led
job”, but one with few of the
to the decision by the committee of
I WOULD like to suggest that
limitations sometimes associated
HMS Consort Association to risk
the statement on page 10 of the
with that ilk and with an
a second edition which became
September issue – that MTB 102
affection for the Navy. He sought
available in mid-September.
was the fastest wartime vessel
professional advice from three
I say ‘risk’ because we are
with a speed of nearly 50 knots –
sailors with extensive experience
naturally bound by the publishers
is arguable.
to order in high minimum quantity,
At Plus 8 boost on the three
● Booking her place in history – HMS Consort, one of the ‘forgotten ships’ of the Yangtze incident
of sea command, two of them flag
officers, one of whom is a very
or pay an exorbitant price for
1,500 hp Packard engines the
publication.
... FURTHER to the very ... ONE or two things in the Naval Historical Branch, Amethyst four (torpedo) tube, 73ft Vosper
eminent submariner. They are
Even now there will be a
interesting piece on HMS exploded view of Amethyst jarred. was fitted with stabilisers, but HMMTB 391 did 57 knots on
well-qualified to assess the events
marginal loss on the project but
Amethyst (August) readers may be For example, I doubt very there’s less conclusive evidence the measured mile during log
and errors of that dreadful night
we will not be unhappy about
interested to know that a 78rpm much if she had stabilisers, we on bunks/hammocks. trials.
in a way which one with a purely
that as our main objective was
record was produced under the didn’t in a Type 12 frigate 10 years As for a cutaway diagram of a She was light though, with
academic background, however
to tell the tale of HMS Consort
Philips label titled The Amethyst later. The sketch shows bunks Southampton-class cruiser, we practically no crew and no
well-informed, is not.
to as many people as possible,
March. in the messdeck – surely not? – did produce one of the modified ammunition or stores.
There is no room here to
particularly with regard to the true
This was the music from the film hammocks! Town-class HMS Belfast a decade – Lt Cdr A D Fletcher, Beech
discuss every point made by Prof
story of the events of April 20,
Yangtse Incident and was played by It would have been useful ago – Ed Hill, Berks
Grove, but K-class apologists
1949, which came to be known as
the Band of the Royal Marines had the ASDIC dome been
should perhaps recall that the
‘The Yangtze Incident.’
School of Music, conducted by Lt identified and a number of other
Fleet Submarine concept, which
The second edition of Loyal
Col (later Sir) F Vivian-Dunn. identifications use a rather strange
gave rise to the K-Boats, was
An interesting aspect of the terminology.
No way to say goodbye
no flawless success even with
and Steadfast is now available to
Navy News readers who were
recording is that it includes actual I recall similar comments
the application of nuclear-age
naval gunfire sound effects. on your Ark Royal supplement
I FEEL that I have to write to Navy News just to get things off my
technology.
disappointed in not obtaining a
chest!
I do wonder whether the
copy last April, as well as those
– Roy Stevens, Woolston, and suggest that in future you
I left the Navy last month after 30 years’ service and feel that the way
comment in the review that the
who have ordered since.
Southampton run these past an appropriate
servicemen and women are discharged is appalling.
author “has had little contact
It can be ordered from Mr ... IN 2003, Laura Rossi, in
contemporary.
I felt extremely emotional at the total lack of respect from the MOD.
with naval historians” gives a
T J Flanagan, 7 Ennis Close, conjunction with the Torbay Brass
Should you ever do the
I was sent a small HM Armed Forces Veteran badge along with a
clue to the disdain of one such
Hale Village, near Liverpool, L24 Band, composed a march, Salute to
Southampton-class cruisers
certificate of service, and the biggest insult was a small A5 certificate
historian, and I recommend 5RT, priced £11 per copy which the Amethyst, for the Remembrance
I offer myself. I still have my
from the Under Secretary of State for Defence that wasn’t even signed.
that readers should base their includes postage and packing, Parade at Teignmouth.
Midshipman’s journal with a
These items are now in the back of a cupboard because I feel ashamed
judgement on the book itself cheques payable to HMS Consort I was invited to attend and it
detailed and tallied exploded
to have them on view.
rather than on the savaging by Association. sounded good to me!
view, cribbed from what was then
I feel that we all deserve much more respect after serving our country
The Grove Review. – Terry Hodgins, She was awarded Best Film
known as DCHQ.
and I sincerely hope that the MOD will look at this closely when they
– Peter Grindal, Olveston, HMS Consort Association, Music Composer.
– Cdr Julian Loring, Downton
discharge people from the Armed Forces.
South Gloucestershire Abergavenny, Monmouthshire – J French, Cheltenham According to the experts at the – Mike Brown, ex-LMEM(M)

IT’S ALWAYS a risky business to invite the TV cameras into Perhaps Mr Galinski and the others who have not been
your workplace or your home (same place, if you’re a sailor) impressed with Warship will be reassured when they read
Leviathan Block, HMS Nelson, Portsmouth PO1 3HH
to make a fly-on-the-wall documentary. pages 4 and 5 about the latest operational honours.
The results tend to show you ‘warts and all’ – which of Our sailors and Marines showed famous courage at October 2009 no.663: 56th year
course is why these programmes make compelling viewing. Trafalgar 200 years ago, just as they showed it in every
And it’s so good to see the Royal Navy featured on prime- century before and since.
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