NAVY NEWS, NOVEMBER 2009 33
Kenyan Orkney Arctic Convoy
Ceremony
team is memorial is unveiled
honours
reunited
A GOOD attendance by Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug
members of Orkney branch, (District), who spoke through
casualty
the Royal British Legion an interpreter.
Kirkwall and Stromness branch RN chaplain Rev David
VETERANS of the RN Training and members of the public Dawson and Fr Nikolay
of raid
Team Kenya and their friends helped make the unveiling of Savchenko, Russian Orthodox
gathered at the Church House an Arctic Convoy memorial a minister, made a call to A SERVICE, thought to be unique,
Inn, Rattery, to revive old special occasion. remembrance. has been held at the graveside of a
memories of service in Africa Held on the island of Hoy, After the memorial had casualty of the raid on Dieppe in
while training up the fledgling overlooking Scapa Flow, been unveiled, wreaths were August 1942.
Kenyan Navy during the 1960s the service was opened with laid by the RN, RNA, RBL, The service, supported by
and 70s. introductions by Dr Tony Russian and Orkney councils members of the Netley and
Toasts were made to Absent Trickett, Lord Lieutenant of and visiting navies. District branch, is believed to
Friends, and in particular to their Orkney, who was followed by There was also a service for be special as it is, as far as they
old CO, Tim Hall, who died in Vasily Sondykov, Chairman the handing over of Liverpool know, the only one to take place
December after a long illness. of the Duma (representative
Association of Wrens standard
on the exact day of the raid,
A warm welcome awaited new
● The Arctic Convoy memorial service takes place on Hoy, Orkney
assembly) of the Khanty- to Lyness Naval Museum.
August 19.
guests, including Arthur Coxon, It was the brainchild of John
ex-CO Patrol Craft, who was
Unsung hero mourned
Curtis, who started it around 25
accompanied by his wife Nora. years ago whilst serving as CPO
Arthur gave an interesting of the Sea Cadets at HMS Wessex,
account of the Kenyan Navy’s the RNVR base in Southampton
three Vosper Thornycroft patrol Docks.
craft Simba, Shui and Ndovu The service is held at the
leaving Portsmouth Harbour to graveside of LS Stanley Sparks,
start the long voyage to Mombasa who died of injuries sustained
in 1965.
BEXHILL-on-Sea branch is was drafted to HMS Sunflower, being sex maniacs,” said Bexhill Phil went on to serve as
during the raid, and Stanley’s
They were among the first
mourning the loss of branch
serving with Atlantic convoys. chairman S/M Eric Woodhouse. Communications Officer in HMS
daughter, who lived for only a
vessels to transit the newly-
president S/M Phil Humphries
On completion of officer Phil also used to recount the Glenroy at the D-Day landings,
few weeks.
reopened Suez Canal. at the age of 87.
training at Lancing College he rather awkward predicament of after which he became Navigating
Stan Sparks’ family kept a small
A bouquet was presented to Phil, a founder member of the
and a colleague applied for Special one of his men. Officer of Tank Landing Ship LST
tobacconist’s shop at Woolston in
Guest of Honour Hilary Hall, branch, dedicated much time
Services, not knowing what it “Whilst clearing the beach in the 373, taking her to the Far East.
Southampton for many years.
who entertained everyone with and effort to ensure the branch
involved but feeling sure it must be dark one of the seamen sat down to After the Japanese surrender
Originally only a handful of
some kind words, after which the remained on an even keel.
better than life with the convoys. readjust his gaiters,” said Eric. he was made CO of LST 413 –
people attended the service, but in
diners settled down to a well- His quiet demeanour, and
It was certainly different; “The next thing he did was send where he was congratulated by
1994 Southampton Town Cryer
received meal which was polished natural ability to make people
the pair were drafted to HMS
out a prearranged warning signal. Louis Mountbatten, then CinC
Jack Hibberd, who was a member
off in true Royal Navy fashion.
feel welcome and at ease, was
Armadillo, on a remote shore of
“On investigation they realised Far East, for being the youngest
of the Netley branch, drew the
The team was once again
far removed from the wartime
Loch Long in Scotland, where
that he had set on a German teller officer he had ever met in charge
attention of S/M Brian Sandom
grateful to Ray, the landlord of
exploits which marked Phil out as
they were introduced to 76
mine; as these were double-action, of a major war vessel – Phil was
to the event.
the Devon inn, and his staff for a
a genuine unsung hero.
ratings, who Phil described as “the
it would be triggered once the still only 23.
Brian, who is the current branch
first-class venue – and plans are
On joining the Navy in 1940 he
roughest, toughest bunch of guys I
pressure had been released. Although demobbed in 1946,
chairman, and his shipmates
already well in hand to repeat the
was singled out for officer training,
had ever set eyes on.”
“They had to defuse the mine he was recalled for the Korean
agreed to renovate the stone on
success of the event next year.
and while awaiting his turn Phil
Phil’s job was to help knock
whilst the seamen remained War in 1951, and worked as the grave, which had become
them into shape as the first
seated on it, therefore ensuring his Navigating Officer in HMS Tiree rather scruffy.
organised RN Commandos.
wedding tackle remained intact.” on secret trials of submarine The event has attracted more
The training was tough. They
S/M Phil’s team also saw action tracking systems around the UK people year by year, including
had to adapt their equipment to
at the Operation Torch landings coast – a job which required very Stan’s nieces, who were tracked
enable them to remain underwater
in North Africa, and at Sicily, but precise navigating skills. down by John.
for 20 minutes, using the face-
Phil’s craft was hit by a mortar at Phil’s shipmates thanked And Netley branch has taken
pieces of their Service gas masks
the Salerno landings, causing Phil the Conquest and St Michael’s part in the ceremony every year
and a piece of hose, one end of
to be hospitalised for six months Hospice for the care and attention since 1994, bringing along the
which was buoyed up by a piece
after being temporarily blinded. given to Phil in his final days. branch standard.
of cork.
The group’s first operational
deployment was Dieppe, where
they had to clear a safe path to
the beach.
As they cleared mines and
obstructions they buoyed the
channel using inflated condoms
● Members of Bristol branch did not let inter-Service rivalries get in attached to weighted fishing line.
the way when they did some voluntary work. The group descended
“Their biggest fear was being
on the Westbury-on-Trym RAF Association club, where they cleared
captured by the Germans with
up the barbecue area. Pictured above are the Naval working party,
large amounts of condoms in their
showing how it should be done...
pockets and being accused of
£50 PRIZE (and Swordfi sh beer) PUZZLE
THE mystery ship in our
September edition (right) was
HMS Murray, and the other two
ships built at Alex Stephen and
Co were HMS Palliser and Indian
ship Kirpan.
G Palmer, of the Isle of Man,
which was set up because of the
answered correctly, and wins our
boat’s name.
£50 prize.
So what was her name?
This month, in addition to
We have removed her pennant
our normal £50 prize, a second
number from the picture.
Complete the coupon and send
winner will be selected to receive
it to Mystery Picture, Navy News,
a case of Swordfish beer. HMS Nelson, Portsmouth PO1 3HH.
To enter this draw you must be Coupons giving the correct answer
aged 18 or over – please indicate
will go into a prize draw to establish
this on the form below.
a winner.
Those who do not confirm they
Closing date for entries is
December 4. More than one entry
are aged 18 or over will only
can be submitted, but photocopies
be entered for the £50 prize; all cannot be accepted. Do not include
others are eligible for both prizes.
anything else in your envelope: no
This month’s submarine
correspondence can be entered into
(above) was reported to carry
and no entry returned.
an extra piece of kit – a crystal
The winners will be announced in
our January edition. The competition
ball, provided by Old Moore’s
is not open to Navy News employees
Almanack to honour the link or their families.
Wadworth Swordfish, a blend
MYSTERY PICTURE 177
of the brewery’s renowned 6X
real ale and Pusser’s Rum, is a
Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
special beer with a Naval twist
to celebrate the centenary of
Naval aviation.
Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The brewery, based in
Devizes, named the five per
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
cent bottled ABV beer after
the Navy’s legendary wartime
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
torpedo-bomber as a tribute
to the men and women of the
My answer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fleet Air Arm.
Remember – enjoy Wadworth
I confirm that I am over 18 years old . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Swordfish responsibly.
032-033_NN_nov.indd 2 20/10/09 18:36:41
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