32 NAVY NEWS, NOVEMBER 2009
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VETERANS of the 8th Destroyer is held
Squadron Association paid
tribute to the heroes of Afghanistan
by inviting a detachment of 42
Cdo RM to join them for their
on ferry
reunion weekend in Scarborough.
A MEMORIAL service was
A full programme was
held on board a Brittany Ferries
organised for the association’s
vessel travelling from Portsmouth
21st anniversary, including social
to Caen to commemorate HMS
gatherings, a memorial service
Quorn, which was lost in action
and a march-past.
off the D-Day landing area in
August 1944.
BUDE branch has adopted
The Quorn was a sister ship
an ex-Stoker as an associate
to HMS Southdown, the ship
member because of his link with
in which event organiser Neville
the town through his old ship.
Hallifax served during the
Derek Balman served in World
landings.
War 2 minesweeper HMS Bude
The service was broadcast over
between May 1944 and October
the ferry’s public address system
1945, and although the 83-year-
to inform passengers as to what
old lives in Surrey, he is now
was happening.
regarded as one of the Devon
Neville and his group then went
town’s own shipmates.
on to Colleville Montgomery, near
Four other former shipmates
● Dignitaries, representatives, a dog-walking family and dogs – Derby is the black labrador on the left – on the pitch at Pride Park Sword Beach, and a visit was
of Derek’s have been traced, and
made to a small cemetery with
the branch has been instrumental
memorials for British, Canadian
in attempting to put them in
touch with each other.
The branch has also presented
its Shipmate of the Year award,
which went jointly to Mick Philp
Deeps hand over
and German soldiers, as well as a
sailor from HMS Quebec.
A further visit was made to
Arromanches beach, where the
remaining Mulberry Harbour can
and Godfrey Harrison.
still be seen offshore.
The parades were well-attended
VETERANS of the Arctic Convoys
retraced the route to Murmansk in
order to pay their respects to those
who never returned.
Twenty veterans, RN and Derby the puppy
and the French foreign minister
presented commemorative
medals.
Sea Cadets from Ryde and
Eastbourne units also attended.
Merchant Navy, left Harwich on
board the passenger ship MV
Appreciation
Discovery, bound for Narvik and
POOR Derby – the puppy The Submariners Association Ambush – which is affiliated to
North Russia.
seal on the whole day.
The 20,000-tonne cruise ship
didn’t know if he was coming
(Derbyshire) set the ball rolling Derby – and a number of his crew
Also involved throughout fund-
or going.
– appropriately enough, as they helped the Submariners Association
raising and the ceremony itself
and largesse
was escorted out of port by patrol
boat HMS Tracker.
In a matter of minutes the
were the driving force behind raise some of the £5,000 required
were members of RNR unit HMS
KING’S Lynn branch has granted
A memorial service was held off
young black labrador passed
the initiative, raised most of the to obtain the guide dog. Sherwood and Ambush’s affiliated
Life Membership to padre and
Narvik, where the convoys suffered
through three sets of hands to his
money, and chose Derby County’s Cdr Green then passed Derby Sea Cadet unit TS Kenya.
welfare officer S/M Rev John
the greatest loss of life – poppies
new family – and even then it will
Pride Park stadium as the location on to the Steans family, who will During the ceremony Derby
Freston in recognition of his many
and wreaths were scattered on to
only be a temporary stay.
for the ceremony. look after the puppy during his was also presented with his
years of loyal service.
the sea.
It’s not as if he wasn’t centre
So Association president two years of training, at which submariner’s Dolphins, which it is
of attention – he was watched by
Admiral Sir James Perowne handed point he can be given to his hoped he will wear on his harness
The branch has also totted up
more than 26,000 people, after all. the little dog over to the Mayor of ultimate owner.
the amount raised for charity by
MEMBERS of Cheshunt branch
throughout his working life as a
It’s just that so many people Derby, Cllr Sean Marshall, who The handovers were made before
fundraising officer S/M Jim Clews,
joined Welwyn Garden City
reminder of his background.
had worked so hard to make it handed it on – on behalf of the the Championship match between
his wife Val and daughter Tania –
branch to attend the Battle of
Submariners Association
all happen that there were certain city – to Cdr Peter Green. County and Plymouth Argyle; the
and the final total tops £2,000.
Britain Ball at the Royal British
(Derbyshire) branch secretary S/M
protocols to be observed. Cdr Green is the CO of HMS home team won 2-1, which set the
It was distributed as follows:
Legion.
Terry Hall said the representatives
£1,400 to King’s Lynn Sea Cadet
Apart from “a superb spread
of all the organisations involved in
unit, £200 to Pembroke House,
[which] was put on by the
the handover had done themselves
£50 to the RNBT, and £100 each
ladies”, there was dancing to
proud.
to the RMBT, the Gurkha Welfare
the 13-piece Hertfordshire Brass
“A sincere thanks to all
Fund, Mike Smith’s Maritime
Band, which took many back
submariners who donated, no
Museum and the FAA Museum.
to the wartime music of Glenn
matter how small; it was a day
Attempts to bring in fresh
Miller – and some shipmates
when the RN Submarine Service
blood – S/M Clews’ newly-
even managed to find their war-
took pride of place on the football
arrived granddaughter Phoebe
time rigs.
pitch at half time,” he said.
“To pinch a Northern expression, – as an associate member were
it was ‘A Grand Day Out’ and one deemed a little premature, so
WORKSOP branch has been I feel our branch can be proud of branch shipmates had to settle
forced to call it a day after shortage and one we were definitely proud for a photograph taken with her
of members meant it was unable to share with all our guests.” instead.
to form a committee.
The branch standard was laid
up at the Worksop Sea Cadet
unit, with the ceremony being
Plenty on parade
conducted by Padre Philip
Corbett – the evening being
A DECISION to open the RNA’s 400 marchers and 66 standards,
organised by the CO, Lt (SCC)
biennial Whitehall parade to including the RNA national
Val Gillert RNR, with help from
brother and sister organisations standard.
MID Matthew Mitchell.
was vindicated with a good turnout The salute was taken by Second
The standard was carried and
at this year’s event. Sea Lord Vice Admiral Sir Alan
escorted by cadets – for which the
Joining the Association on Massey, while National President
last members of the branch were
the day were members of the Vice Admiral John McAnally also
sincerely grateful.
Association of Wrens, the attended.
Royal Marines Association, the Chaplain of the Fleet the ● Standards are dipped at the memorial service for the victims of the 1917 air raid at HMS Pembroke
LICHFIELD branch has handed
HMS Ganges Association, the Venerable John Green conducted
over a cheque for £1,000 to
Poem marks frozen time
HMS St Vincent Association, the service at the Cenotaph, where
Tamworth Sea Cadet unit, to be
the Federation of Naval wreaths were laid on behalf of
used to fund course attendance
Associations, the HMS Belfast a number of organisations, areas
for cadets who could not
A NEW dimension was added to a memorial service Library staff member Neil Saunders wrote and Association, the Submariners and branches.
normally afford to go.
commemorating the loss of 130 ratings during a read the poem, which takes its title from the fact that Association and the International Admiral Massey congratulated
bombing raid in World War 1. the large clock in one of the two towers of the Drill Maritime Confederation. the marchers on their turn-
The additional element was in the form of a Hall was stopped by the blast from the first bomb.
The newly-formed Collingwood out, and spoke highly of the
THE HMS Barham Association poem entitled The Clock Just Froze, which described S/M John Wigley, Chatham branch chairman,
Royal Marines Band led the co-operation achieved between so
will be holding their Remembrance the events of the night of September 3 1917 when laid a wreath at the memorial stone on behalf of
parade, which consisted of some many different organisations
Service at Westminster Abbey on the Drill Hall at HMS Pembroke, the Royal Naval the RNA and Prof Tom Barnes did the same for the
November 28. Barracks in Chatham, were attacked. universities, while Prof Alan Reed, of the University
The service begins with the The hall is now the Drill Hall Library at the of Greenwich, gave the reading.
parading of the association Medway campus of the Universities of Greenwich Additionally, for the first time, resident shipmates
standard, and includes the laying and Kent, which organised the service in partnership of the RNBT’s Pembroke House care home at
of wreaths with Chatham branch. Gillingham also attended the event.
● Peter Bloxham lays a fl oral tribute to his late father at the Fleet Air
Arm Memorial at Lee-on-the-Solent. Tom Bloxham was a Telegraphist
Air Gunner in Swordfi sh and Walrus aircraft during the war, notching
up 30 years in the RN. The scene was captured on camera by Cdr Sue
Eagles, one of the offi cers involved in the Fly Navy 100 celebrations
this year and who was formerly a Navy photographer, and the whole
thing was snapped by former Navy photographer Dave Morris
032-033_NN_nov.indd 1 20/10/09 18:35:44
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