26 NAVY NEWS, JANUARY 2010
Navy’s work
Baby
chiefs
ROBERT Frost asked (letters,
December) if he would be the
goes unsung
youngest Chief Petty Offi cer in the
Royal Navy in the near future.
I was advanced to CPO and
Engine Room Artificer First Class
on September 6 1966.
My date of birth is August 22
1943, thus making me 23 years
and 15 days when I ‘put up my
WHEN IS the Royal Navy
buttons’ – several months younger
Public Relations team going
than PO Frost will be even if he is
to let the public know of our
advanced now.
contribution in Afghanistan?
I am sure that I was far from
being the youngest, so I am not
I have read with utter dismay
claiming any records.
and disgust Max Hastings’ column
– C R Whitehouse,
in the Daily Mail (November 24
Welshpool, Powys
2009) about how he considers the
Royal Navy a non-fighting force,
MY CONGRATULATIONS
and to use his words “cowardly”.
to Robert Frost, it’s quite an
This is regarding the taking
achievement in this day and age.
of the Chandlers by Somalian
However, I think I can cap
pirates.
his ‘bragging rights,’ as I put my
The public is totally unaware
three buttons up on the 4th of
that members of the RN are
December 1960 at the grand old
serving in Afghanistan, I am not
age of 23 years, two months and
referring to the sterling work of the
two days.
Royal Marines but RN sailors.
I became Acting local CREA
I myself deploy next year to
1962 and Acting CREA on the
The rowed to nowhere
Helmand Province at the total
4th of December 1963 at the age
bewilderment of my civilian
of 26 years, two months and two
friends. I tell them of the RN
days.
I JOINED HMS Raleigh 63 years I sat in a 32ft cutter with an oar
officers and ratings there, only to
However, I only held this rate
ago to be trained as an ordinary at the ready.
be met by disbelief, they are still
for 27 days as I was promoted to
seaman. The PO Cox gave the order
not convinced.
Acting Electrical Sub Lieutenant
With reference to the letter ‘give way together’ and there
I currently work in a tri-service
SD(R).
[referring to a photograph was a scraping of oars on the
environment and my Army/RAF
I was in the right place at the
we published in July’s tarmac. The oars were worn at
colleagues are amazed at the lack
right time as the branch was
Photographic Memories from the ends. I nearly laughed, but
of publicity there is for our lads/
expanding due to the Cold War.
the Imperial War Museum was not allowed to!
lasses in theatre.
I don’t want to detract from
collection showing a land- – K W Evans, ex AB TASOW,
Commercial radio stations quite
Robert’s achievement but I often
locked cutter] I can confirm that Fairbourne, Gwynedd
rightly refer to the brave soldiers
wondered if I might have been the
and airmen in Afghanistan but fail
youngest Chief Artificer and/or
Cure-all remedy
to mention the RN.
Electrical Sub Lieutenant SD as
Is it going to take, God Gododd
later I became a Weapons Engineer
forbid, for a sailor to take kee
Sub Lieutenant (SD) (RE) when
the sad journey through hh
the branch titles changed.
passed its trials
Wootton Bassett for thehee
As the junior WEO I became
public to be made aware??
the ‘Wee Wee.’
Until someone gets ats a a
– Terry Barritt
grip and promotes the RN RRNN
Newbiggin, Penrith
contribution, I’m afraidaaidd
I READ the supplement about HMS Amethyst (August) with great the public view of the RN RNN
interest as I was involved at the time. will be exactly what the hee
African
I was called up in June 1956 Amethyst or Concord. responding comments to too
and went on sea trials on board The film The Yangtze Incident Max Hastings column on onn
a ship that was being sold to the was, as you said, made on the the Daily Mail website are ree
Egyptians. Orwell near Ganges and he was saying.
● The Duchess of Cornwall presents medals to RN liberty
I know that HMS Whimbrel asked to play a part, appearing That we are a waste A £25 Amazon voucher
medics returned from Afghanistan
was sold but I am not sure if it briefly as an Engineering Officer of money and an to the letter which worse, let down I raised this issue with Navy
I WOULD like to ask if RN
was the same ship, as I cannot and shouting something like embarrasment to the amuses, impresses or by our own News a couple of years ago in a
personnel and other Navy News
remember her name.
“Hard to port”.
Armed Forces and
enlightens us the most. PR. letter which was shown to a large
readers support my proposal to
Camper Nicholson staff were
He was a great character and
Britain, and in some It is only due number of RN officers and rates
create a Royal Navy memorial to
on board and we were worried
I always look forward to hearing
extreme cases need to be scrapped to the excellent coverage from before it was forwarded, all of
the sailors and Royal Marines who
that having left Portsmouth, our
and seeing him when the film is
in total. Navy News of the RN efforts in whom agreed fully that something
lost their lives in the 19th century
next port of call might be Cairo!
shown again.
We have discussed this today at Afghanistan, that a small number needs to be done.
campaign to end the slave trade?
However we returned safely,
I would be interested to know
length, between all ranks and rates, of the public even get a whiff of – CPO Jan Pestel, Chicksands,
More than 16,000 RN
having reached high speeds which
which ship I was on for my brief
we feel extremely embarrassed and what we do. Bedfordshire
personnel died in the campaign.
might have caused following ships
Their contribution was vital.
contribution to what was a brief
a problem.
The memorial could include
war.
I was issued with a formidable
Perhaps one of your readers
medical steaming trials kit in
can help?
several large packing cases and
– Dr Brian Baker, ex Surg Lt
Don’t overload the postie
and represent all those from Africa
and Europe who campaigned or
fought for the abolition of the
told that if I opened any of
transatlantic slave trade.
RN, Brighton
them, I would have to take a full
A STATEMENT by the Deputy Chief of the Defence mail out to theatre in November indicated that over
I suggest it could be situated in
inventory and be fully responsible
...AFTER the end of 1942 an Staff (Personnel) discouraging the sending of parcels 40 per cent of the packages in the system were
Ghana – a stable and democratic
for everything.
increasing number of escorts, old to troops on active service was published in your from well-wishing members of the public rather than
country closely associated with the
Fortunately I found a large
and new, were being fitted with November issue. family and friends.
slave trade.
bottle of aspirins on board and I
the Hedgehog (an anti-submarine And yet, on the notice board of my local British “As a result we have already received a number of
It could be a statue of liberty for
issued these in great numbers for
mortar).
Legion Club and also in the local Conservative Club queries from deployed personnel who want to know
Africa and demonstrate to people
all conditions, with advice to see
This included a number of
is an appeal from the Royal Marines Chaplain, Camp where letters and packages that they are expecting
of all races that although the
their own doctors on return to
sloops – we had one in HMS
Bastion, asking for parcels. from the families have got to.”
slave trade was driven by extreme
Egypt. I was able to return the kit
Magpie, commissioned in 1943.
There is an obvious conflict between these two “As there is no RM Chaplain currently in Camp
brutality it was also stopped
unopened.
You will recall that HMS
messages. Could it be that one of these two gentlemen Bastion, the message appealing for parcels was
by the courage and conviction
I would be very interested to
Amethyst and HMS Magpie took
is more concerned with logistics and the other with probably an old one. Post sent out to personnel no
of Africans and Europeans who
know if that ship was Whimbrel or
the surrender of U-boat 249 on
the welfare of our troops? longer on deployment also causes delays.
increasingly rose up against the
if others were sold as well?
VE Day and escorted her into
– Bob Griffiths, Hon Secretary, RNA Abingdon, “The best way to support the servicemen and
abhorrent trade.
I had heard, whether true or
Weymouth harbour.
Oxon women is to make a donation through SSAFA
I think the Commonwealth will
not, that the ship I was on had Amethyst was commissioned Vice Admiral Peter Wilkinson, DCDS(P), has asked
Forces Help at
https://www.bmycharity.com/V2/
also be interested in this.
surrendered to the Israelis at the in November 1943 and one’s us to point out that while he and everyone in MOD
welfarefund. This fund enables commanders on the
Please could readers visit the
first sound of gunfire! memory does ebb away, but I am are extremely grateful to those who wish to show
ground to bid for those items which they judge will
Parliamentary site on http://
I was then posted to HMS fairly certain she had a hedgehog their support to the Armed Forces, sending letters
have the best impact on morale.
lordsoftheblog.net/home/
Ganges where I met Lt Cdr fitted. and parcels to the front line overloads a stretched
“Other charities providing valued support to the
page/6/ and give their responses?
‘Foxy’ Davidson who had been – B Haskell-Thomas, Wilton, mail service.
troops can be found on the MOD website at www.
– Lord Soley of
an Engineeering Officer on board Wiltshire The Admiral told us: “An analysis of one week’s
mod.uk/publicsupportforourservicepersonnel” – Ed
Hammersmith, House of Lords
THE ROYAL Navy’s role in Afghanistan has been well- grave mistake to base our future defence structures on this
documented in Navy News, especially in the six months up particular conflict. Leviathan Block, HMS Nelson, Portsmouth PO1 3HH
to April 2009, when the Senior Service provided more than a We must look beyond Afghanistan to security challenges
third of the UK forces deployed to Helmand. elsewhere in the world, never forgetting that Britain is an
January 2010 no.666: 56th year
But as one disappointed correspondent points out on this island nation, dependent on global security and the free
page, other media have not always grasped the extent of the movement of maritime trade for our stability and prosperity.
Editorial Business
RN’s involvement. As the Admiral said, a single warship can do everything
Managing editor: Business manager:
The US troop surge of 30,000 announced in December, from diplomatic engagement to humanitarian aid to embargo
Sarah Fletcher (023 9272 4194) Lisa Taw 023 9272 0494
backed up by another 500 British troops, will once again operations to fighting. A balanced maritime force can deliver
Editor: Mike Gray Subscriptions 023 9272 6284
(023 9272 5136)
subscriptions@navynews.co.uk
focus media attention on Afghanistan. amphibious forces, carrier strike and cruise missiles.
News editor: Richard Accounts 023 9272 0686
However, as the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, It is only our versatile maritime forces which give the UK Hargreaves (023 9272 4163) Advertising 023 9272 5062
pointed out in his speech at Chatham House, one day the the ability to operate on land, sea and air to defend our Production editor:
advertising@navynews.co.uk
fighting in Afghanistan will be history, and it would be a interests.
Helen Craven (023 9272 5067) Graphics and reproduction:
Fax 023 9283 8845 023 9272 2010
The views expressed in Navy News do not necessarily reflect those of the Ministry of Defence
edit@navynews.co.uk Fax 023 9283 0149
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