26 NAVY NEWS, FEBRUARY 2010
Centenary didn’t take flight
I HAVE been very disappointed with the merely indicate the different regiments. Navy News contacted Cdr Sue Eagles, who headed unveiling of a new Fleet Air Arm Memorial at
publicity over the Fleet Air Arm’s Centenary.
Even when our returned Naval personnel are being up the Fly Navy 100 PR team, about this letter. Her the National Memorial Arboretum and Henry
Consider the way the RAF got on to the national
presented with their medals, although the senior reply: Allingham’s 113th birthday also received national
news with their mere 90 years, and then did the Fleet
naval officer and associated officers are wearing “As the Communications Director for the Royal TV coverage.
Air Arm get any prime-time television? Of course
blues, the sailors are wearing combat rig. Why? Navy’s Centenary of Naval Aviation last year, I agree “The film 100 years of Naval Aviation continues to
not.
Some 40 years ago there was a strong movement to with Lt Cdr Akerman that there was not as much be shown to large audiences and the considerable
What is happening to our publicity? I have become
combine all three services into one and to have all the continuous national TV coverage on the centenary involvement of the Fleet Air Arm in Afghanistan was
increasingly concerned at what seems a deliberate
same ranks and uniforms for all three. as we might have wished, particularly in the area of also extensively covered.
attempt to make all three Services look the same. Fortunately the idea died a natural death but, I historical films and documentaries, but the coverage “Given that the news agenda in 2009 was driven
Consider the return of the Navy from Afghanistan wonder, is it being resurrected in an undercover way of the individual events throughout the year was almost entirely by the banking crisis and MPs
and a proud march through their town. What were today? superb. expenses, and the MOD communications strategy
they wearing? Combat rig – but with dark blue berets. Is that why so little is said of the Navy’s presence in “Certainly the BBC, ITV, Sky News and BBC was focused on Afghanistan, the coverage we did
The Royals on their return go marching in combat rig battle zones? Is that why the Navy has to wear khaki North West gave us outstanding coverage for the manage to achieve was extremely positive.
with green berets. instead of blue? Is that why nothing of our centenary fly pasts over London on May 7 and Liverpool on It raised awareness both of the importance of
The RAF do the same thing, with their berets. reached the national news? October 23. the Navy to a maritime nation and the enormous
Whilst those in the know recognise the differences, to Surely, this is where ‘silent’ has become ‘stupid’. “The fly past over Eastchurch on the Isle of contribution being made by the Fleet Air Arm to
Joe Public anyone in khaki is a soldier and the berets – Lt Cdr K Akerman (Ret’d) Liskeard, Cornwall Sheppey, the birthplace of Naval aviation; the current operations around the world.”
Tell it to the
Marines…
IN REPLY to Ian Campbell
(letters, December) I am
● The men of HMS Kent just before the First Falklands Battle of
surprised that a former Royal
1914; Wilfred Neale’s father is on the right in dark jersey supporting
the banjo player
Marine from Southsea has
● Presenter Dan Snow fi lming
no idea where he stands. on board HMS Victory
Where went Kent?
As the oldest PRO in the
country, in my 92nd year, let me
try and explain to him something
I AM not normally one for writing Kent was making unheard-
that in this day and age should be Hopes of
to editors, but I have to take of speed (25 knots) to catch up
obvious.
umbrage with December’s article with Nurnberg and had to burn
Royal Marines are 100 per cent
Trophy Lives, which was about the up all her woodwork (wardroom
Royal Navy.
First Falklands Islands Battle on furniture, tables, chairs) – anything
Afloat and ashore they are raised Empire
December 8 1914. burnable, but did catch up
and paid by the Admiralty.
At the Coronel Battle, some eventually, the furnaces working
Ashore and afloat, they are
THE flagship television series
days earlier, HMS Monmouth was overtime, and the gunners ready to
controlled by Queen’s Rules and
Empire of the Seas has got off
severely mauled and for refusing avenge Monmouth.
Admiralty Instructions.
to a good start – I hope it helps
to strike her flag, was finished off After catching up and closing
Not by Queen’s Rules and
to spread the Naval message
by the German SS Nurnberg. All in to around 4,000 yards (usually
Army Regulations.
and to increase interest in
hands were lost. 15,000-12,000 yards and firing
Wherever they serve, all over
the Naval service and British
HMS Bristol was not at Port salvoes) both German and British
the world, their battle tanks fly
history too.
Stanley, but had been sent ships turned broadside to each
the White Ensign, outside the
I feel no need to apologise
to destroy Admiral Von Spee’s other, to batter each other to bits.
main entrances of their shore
at all for our history – although
auxiliaries, and replaced HMS HMS Kent took up to 40 hits in
establishments they fly their corps
some of it is certainly not
Defence, Admiral Stoddart’s doing so, but to avenge Monmouth
colours and the White Ensign, and
glorious.
flagship. was uppermost in Captain Allen’s
on every button on their uniform
However, given the modern-
In Port Stanley were Carnarvon, mind. Nurnberg refused to strike
they wear the fouled anchor, the
day propensity to apologise
Glasgow, Cornwall and Kent. her flag, so Kent completed the
proud symbol of the Royal Navy. for the long-distant past, I was
The latter two were sister ships to action. There were fewer than ten
At the top, their Commandant surprised that those end
Monmouth. HMS Canopus was survivors on Nurnberg, and four
General is usually an advisor to credits of the programme that
grounded to act as guardship at killed and several injured on Kent.
the First Sea Lord. were legible did not contain
the entrance. Admiral Von Spee Three months later, SS
In foreign countries, ie Norway, a long list of apologies for
approached, and the German ships Dresden, who had escaped earlier,
the senior RN attaché is sometimes our nation’s history, so as
Gneisenau and Nurnberg made as was caught at Juan Fernandez by
a Royal Marine colonel and I to appease those seemingly
if to attack HMS Kent but saw the Kent.
myself am looking forward to the embarrassed by it.
large tripod masts of the others, The reason I am writing all
day in the not-too-distant future Perhaps too a help-line
and sheered off. this is that your article evoked
when the First Sea Lord himself telephone number for those
Alerted by Canopus, HMS some memories, as my father was
will be a Major General of the who are ‘affected’ by the
Kent, who had partially coaled a gunner on HMS Kent. He wrote
Royal Marines. Many in the past would or have Wren. programme...
ship but had no idea beforehand of letters to his girlfriend (my mother)
After all, only the best is good or do believe that the Navy still If he went sick he would be My therapy for the series
the German presence, had enough about what was happening, and
enough. carries them. treated by naval medical staff. is drinking an appropriate
steam to move off, and was seen to I remember reading them as a
‘Once a Marine, always a The real reason for landing After training if he saw any beverage while watching each
come out to fight, the crew hastily young man.
Marine.’ them ashore is to give Jack a action, chances are he was different part: beer for the first;
washing off the coal dust for action He received the sum of £12.10s
– Bernard Hallas, 1935-47, rest and to smarten up the other taken there and back by naval grog for the second; port for
stations. prize money for his action
York Branch RM, Haxby, York services. helicopter. the third; and perhaps it will
In hindsight, had Admiral von and a plate in his head for his ...HAVING in the past served as a
I enjoyed working and later As he quite rightly says, on have to be a champagne for the
Spee been more gallant and closed troubles (those shell splinters got dabtoe in the Naval Beach Unit, in
messing with the RMs – you do a
parade he would be at the front, final part, by way of celebrating
up, the whole force would have everywhere!) Oh – and a 1914-18 the early sixties, the commanding
great job, keep going.
as part of the Senior Service, our Navy’s marvellous history.
been caught in the harbour. He Star Medal. offi cer being at times a major or
– T H Crawford, (ex MAA and
marching to the tune of A life on Thirsty work going to sea
could have ‘corked them up’ – but Reading your article stirred lieutenant RM, I can assure Mr
Dabtoe) Plymstock, Devon
the ocean wave, and he would not
on TV!
I guess he lost the bottle! some long-forgotten memories, Campbell that the Royal Marines ...I AM SURE Ian Campbell,
stamp his feet as the Army do.
– Lester May, Lt Cdr (Retd),
Apparently they were eight miles and I just wanted to set the record are an integral part of the RN, like the rest of us, went to a Navy
No sir, the Royal Marines have,
Camden, London
out, and HMS Glasgow overtook straight. My father died when I was confi rmed at the time, albeit with recruiting offi ce to join the Royal
for the last 300-odd years, been
For our own opinion of BBC
HMS Kent (being eager to chase a young man, and he never saw me some reluctance, by the said COs. Marines.
part of the Royal Navy, and like
Two’s Empire of the Seas, see
and faster). in uniform. My mother never quite Now on a lighter note, you During training, probably at
myself and all comrades proud
our Reviews page on page 45.
Cornwall, Glasgow and Kent got over him. asked for whatever so here goes, Deal, he was fed by RM chefs to be so. Glad to see that some
chased after the German ships, The point was, you never even the navy carried the RMs ashore trained at the Naval Cookery And he did write his letter to programmes on the Navy
Nurnberg, Dresden and Leipzig mentioned Kent! in Gibraltar thus keeping their School, Chatham, and he would Navy News. are catching your eyes and
who had set sail to escape and were – Wilfred S Neale, Bitterne, feet dry to enable them to scale have been paid by the Admiralty –Tom Smith, RM (ret’d) provoking some interest – even if
faster than ours. Southampton the heights. in a pay packet made up by a Maidstone, Kent predominantly alcoholic... – Ed
THE forthcoming Defence Review offers the welcome understood by all the Service Chiefs as they review their own
opportunity for an informed debate on the sort of security capabilities in the light of the forthcoming review. Leviathan Block, HMS Nelson, Portsmouth PO1 3HH
strategy to which the UK aspires, and the level of forces it It is unfortunate that the beginnings of the defence debate
needs – and can afford – to realise it. are being reported by some of the national media as a bout
February 2010 no.667: 56th year
As the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, said of in-fighting among the Services chiefs.
in his speech in the City of London in January, we need to This is far from the case, as anyone who reads their
Editorial Business
think afresh about how defence delivers in this post-Cold speeches verbatim will realise. (See p19). The media have a
Managing editor: Business manager:
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