Navy News June 2010

36 NAVY NEWS, JUNE 2010

Reunions

JULY 2010

HMS Fisgard Series 38 Entry, January 1960, Artifi cer Apprentices: There is a reunion

for members of this entry (plus adoptees who joined on the way and passed out with S38 in December 1963). The reunion will take place at the Langstone Cliff Hotel, Dawlish from July 9 to 11. If any former apprentices included above are not yet in contact with me they can get in touch through the Fisgard Association website or through Stan Oram at stanoram@googlemail.com or call me direct on 01264 710331.

Royal Naval Physical Training Branch

Association Part 1: Two reunions take place very close to each other, and are open to all PTIs and Associate/Honorary members. The fi rst is the RNPTBA Golf reunion at the Whitsand Bay Golf Club, Cornwall on July 8. For those PTIs who wish to re-associate themselves with their past life, you can fi nd information on the website at www.rnptba. co.uk or contact Alfi e ‘Jack’ Halford at

jackhalford@mac.com.

Royal Navy Physical Training Branch

Association Part 2: A reunion for ex-serving and

serving Physical Trainers will take

place on July 15-16 at HMS Temeraire, Portsmouth. There shall be an afternoon of competitive sport taking place to include, football, cricket, hockey, softball and volleyball commencing at 1330. This will be followed by a PTs got Talent competition commencing at 1930, where a buffet and bar will be available. Families, partners and friends are most welcome to attend. For further information contact Lt Doug Wylie at temso3rpd@fl eetfost.mod.uk or visit the website at http://www.rnptba.co.uk or tel: 023 9272 3958.

SEPTEMBER 2010 HMS Diana Association hold their

next reunion and AGM at the Nautical Club, Birmingham from September 3 to 5. Accommodation at the Edgbaston Hotel, Birmingham. Anyone who served on the Diana is welcome to come along and join us. We welcome new members from any commission. For further details please contact John ‘Sham’ Fisher at johnjackie. fi sher@talktalk.net or tel: 01530 242850.

HMS Duke of York Association will

be celebrating the 65th Commemorative Dinner of VJ Day during their annual reunion scheduled for September 3 to 5. Details from the Secretary, Rose Cottage, 103 Orchard Park, Elton, Chester, CH2 4NQ or tel: 01928 725175.

HMS Gambia: 50th anniversary of ship paying off. Reunion in Portsmouth. September 10 to 13. Contact John Andrews, Social Secretary at babsjo2@hotmail.co.uk or tel: 01970 627811 or write to 10 St James Mews, Great Darkgate Street, Aberystwyth. SY23 3RZ.

HMS Ark Royal Communicators

Reunion 1973-78 takes place in London from September 10 to 11. All Sparkers, Buntings and Gollies from that period are welcome. There will also be special guests on the Saturday. Any news on the following “missing” ratings from that time is sought:

Sparkers ‘Stan’ O’Connor from Bury and Pete ‘Doomer’ Gould from Manchester along with buntings Clive Smith from Bradford and Denis Spicer from Luton. For further information please contact Jeremy Smith at jsmith@greenford5.fsnet.co.uk or 5 West Ridge Gardens, Greenford, Middlesex, UB6 9PE.

River Plate Veterans and Families

Association: 71st anniversary reunion at the Royal Fleet Hotel, Plymouth from September 24 to 26. For further details please contact Jim Smith at lyntondale@toucansurf.com or tel: 01302 841806 or write to Lyntondale, Kirton Lane, Stainforth, Doncaster, DN7 5BP.

HMS Jupiter Association: Reunion takes

place from September 24 to 26. The annual reunion will take place in Litchfi eld together with a tree dedication ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum at 1130 hrs on the 25th to remember those who lost their lives when the WW2 Jupiter sank in the Java Sea in 1942. All previous Jupiter’s captains have been invited to attend and we would like to invite all those who served on the destroyer and the latest F60 Jupiter together with family and friends of both ships’ crews. For more information see the website at http://www.hmsjupiter.co.uk or contact Ken Williams at ken.williams@zen.co.uk or tel: 01743 341439.

14th Carrier Air Group Reunion

Association: The 16th reunion for anyone who served with 804 and 812 NAS, HMS Ocean, Glory and Theseus 1946-52, or at any other time, will be held on September 25, at the RNA Club, Royal Leamington Spa. Wives, partners and family members welcome. Further details from Ken Lambert at Lambert5nr@btinternet.com or tel: 01733 234655.

TS Mercury Old Boys’ Association hold

their annual reunion and AGM at the Royal Beach Hotel, Southsea during the weekend of September 25. Full details available from Social Secretary Mike Ball at MBall0983@ aol.com or tel: 023 9263 7477.

OCTOBER 2010

HMS Royal Oak: The memorial service

will be held at the Church of St Barbara at HMS Excellent on Whale Island at 1100 on October 9. Further information can be obtained

from the Secretary on 01256

323444 or write to 5 Downsland Road, Basingstoke, Hants, RG21 8TU.

HMS Illustrious Association: Reunion

from October 15 to 18 at the Russell Hotel, Weymouth. This weekend will include the unveiling and dedication of the memorial to those lost in Portland Harbour in the Liberty Boat disaster on October 17 1948. Details from the Secretary: Diane Coleman at dianecoleman@talktalk.net or tel: 01424 720745.

Royal Naval Electrical Branch

Association: AGM and autumn reunion will be held from October 1 to 4 at the Best Western, Tillington Hall Hotel, Stafford. Details available of the reunion and the association from our website http://www. rneba.org.uk or from Mike Crowe, 7 Heath

Chesterfi eld Hotel in Chesterfi eld from October 15 to 18. Enquiries to Tom Stallard at

tel:01303 256457.

margaretstallard@yahoo.co.uk

or

RNR Postal Association: Reunion will

be at the Weston Hotel, Scarborough from October 29 to November 1. If you would like to attend or require further information about the association contact Nobby Clark at rex.w.clark@btinternet.com or tel: 07713 155575 or write to 12 Bentinck Way, West Lynn, Kings Lynn, Norfolk, PE34 3LZ.

Calling all ex Diamonds: Reunion this

year is at the King Charles Hotel, Chatham, Kent on October 30. Come and join your old shipmates and raise a glass or two to the old and the new Diamond, the brightest gem. For full details on the reunion or the association contact Ray Shipley at 20 Winchester Way, Rainham, Gillingham, Kent. ME8 8DD or tel: 01634 267084.

HMS St Vincent on November 14 1960 and were a member of Anson 360 please contact either Colin Noyce at candinoyce@sky.com or tel: 023 9275 3517 or Bill Batchelor at

batchelor.grant@googlemail.com

HMS St Vincent: If you joined the RN at

NOVEMBER 2010

01305 821462 with a view to a get-together to mark the 50th anniversary.

Pembrokers Reunion: Former members

of F/Chief & CPOs Mess, HMS Pembroke, Chatham are invited to the reunion which will take place from November 19 to 21 at the Cumberland Hotel, East Overcliffe Drive, Bournemouth. B&B and dinner £47 PPPN, entertainment at sister hotel next door, use of indoor pool and facilities. To book contact Miss Hana Smith on 01202 298350 and quote: Pembrokers Group. Deposit £15 PPPN, balance by November 5. For more information contact George Creasy on 01634 715784.

Sports lottery

April 17: £5,000 – Cdr S P Hardern;

£1,500 – PO I J McLaughlin; £500 – Lt N M Locke.

April 24: £5,000 – OM(TSM)1 D R

Edwards; £1,500 – AB E A Parks; £500 – ALAET(M) M C Hurt. May 1: £5,000 – ETWE R N Garrett;

£1,500 – S/Lt E C Rolls; £500 – PO J Jackson. May 8: £5,000 – AET J L Wallwork;

£1,500 – RPO J C Jack; £500 – ETME O W Amos.

May 15: £5,000 – C/Sgt N L Keast;

£1,500 – Mne2 A W Cloete; £500 – Lt R J Metcalfe.

www.royalnavy.mod.uk

Veterans Agency: 0800 169 2277, www.

veterans-uk.info

www.royal-naval-association.co.uk

Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity:

023 9254 8076, www.rnrmc.org.uk

227912, navysearchpgrc@tnt.co.uk

Royal Naval Association: 023 9272 3823,

www.mod.uk

Royal Navy recruitment: 0845 607 5555,

Ministry of Defence: 0870 607 4455,

RNBT: 023 9269 0112 (general), 023 9266 0296 (grants), www.rnbt.org.uk

British Legion: 08457 725725, www.

britishlegion.org.uk

RN and RM Service records: 01283

4374, www.nff.org.uk

Seafarers UK: 020 7932 0000, www.

Naval Families Federation: 023 9265

www.ssafa.org.uk

RN Community: www.rncom.mod.uk

Medals enquiries: 0800 085 3600

seafarers-uk.org

SSAFA Forces Help: 0845 1300 975,

www.royalnavalmuseum.org

Fleet Air Arm Museum: 01935 840565,

www.royalmmarinesmuseum.co.uk

RN Submarine Museum: 023 9252 9217,

www.rnsubmus.co.uk

National Maritime Museum: 020 8312

www.iwm.org.uk

Royal Naval Museum: 023 9272 7562,

www.fl eetairarm.com

Royal Marines Museum: 023 9281 9385,

6565, www.nmm.ac.uk

Imperial War Museum: 020 7416 5320,

or tel:

Road, Sandown, Isle of Wight, PO36 8PG. If you are looking for the old Royal Navy camaraderie and a great time, come and join us on this very popular association reunion and weekend. HMS Glory: Reunion to be held at the

Ask Jack

there got any photos of Victoria Barracks, Southsea and events taking place (Divisions etc.) in the barracks. I am writing memories of my naval career and wish to include photos of the place where I joined up. I am also looking for photos or instructional illustrations of divers wearing UBA oxygen breathing apparatus rigged for shallow water diving and SABA as I was a very enthusiastic shallow water/ship’s diver for many years. If anyone has any such pictures that I could borrow and copy, I would be most grateful and promise to return them and cover any costs

Victoria Barracks: Has anyone out

Edwards at roy.edwards75@btinternet.com or write to 75 Harold Street, Dover, Kent, CT16 1SB.

HMS Ark Royal V 1985-2010: This year

HMS Ark Royal celebrates the Silver Jubilee of her commissioning on November 1 1985. To mark this anniversary, a history of the

ship, subtitled Zeal Does Not Rest will be

published at the end of the year and we’re hoping to include fi rst-hand accounts from former members of her ship’s company. If you have served in HMS Ark Royal and have memories and photographs you would like to share that might contribute to the book, then we want to hear from you. All photographs will be returned and those used will be credited in the fi nal publication. For further details and to send your material, please contact Lt Cdr Alastair Graham at HMS Ark Royal, BFPO 212, or email: 212-snrwe@a. dii.mod.uk Deadline for submissions is July 31 2010.

incurred. Please contact Roy

Cheese Ush: My husband served 12 years as an Electrical Artifi cer in both RN and the Fleet Air Arm when he encountered something he calls “Cheese Ush”. During the 50 years of our marriage he has often asked me to make “Cheese Ush”. I try – I never get it right! So I wondered if there is an RN chef out there somewhere who can let me have the recipe? I’m sure you will think this is a strange request but I do hope you can help

Contact sheet

CPO Tinks: Last heard of on a Scottish uni boat – possibly Aberdeen? (formerly Kent, Whale Island, Fife and lots more). How about you drop your old oppo, Doc an email. Tinks, let me know how you are doing in civvy life. No longer at the address you knew, but same town. Contact Ian Holliday at ian.oldsailor@ ntlworld.com or tel: 07876 558006.

Mid Cedric Kretschmer, Stoker Henry Charles Townsend: Seeking photographs

and brief biographical details of Midshipman Cedric Kretschmer RNR died December 12 1939 when HMS Barham collided with HMS Duchess. He came from Winchester. Also of Stoker Henry Charles Townsend RN lost with HMS Neptune on December 19 1941. His widow, Gladys Irene Townsend, lived in Plympton St Mary, Devon. Both sailors are commemorated on the war memorial in East London, South Africa and their details are being sought for inclusion in a record of the naval servicemen of the city who lost their lives in WW2. Please contact Alan Harris at alanandirene@telkomsa. net or write to PO Box 594, Kwelera, 5259, South Africa. HMS Warwick: My mother aged nine and her mother Madeline Passleque talked their way aboard HMS Warwick, on its exit from Dunkirk as the Germans approached. They have lived in the UK ever since till Madeline’s death last year aged 99. Would it be possible to contact or meet any Royal Navy people who would have been on the ship during that evacuation? Are reunions organised? How could I get in contact? If you can help, contact Mike Gray at MIKEGRAYMAIL@aol. com or tel: 01544 885338. HMS Mercury: I am trying to fi nd/contact a very old friend of mine from the 1960s. Myself and another friend were members of the Falcons motorcycle club at that time and are trying to trace members and friends to try to have a reunion. We have found four

me. Contact Mrs Rosemary Alexander at alex-alexander@tiscali.co.uk or tel: 01548 821302.

so far. The friend we are looking for is Dave Price who was a member but went off and joined the Royal Navy in the 1960s, and the only time we met up was when he was on leave. The last letter from him came from KA19 Class, Knowles 1 Mess, HMS Mercury, Leydene, Petersfi eld, Hants. If anyone can help with his whereabouts could they contact P J Brown, 32 Blackthorn Road, Hartcliffe, Bristol, BS13 0AL. HMS Tunisian: My father, G A F Ibbotson PO BDS, served in HMS Tunisian which was mined and sank in the Harwich area on July 9 1942. The vessel was based at Felixstowe. My father was killed and I know that two of the crew are buried at Shotley. Were there any survivors? If anyone has any information could they contact A G Ibbotson, 31 Coopers House, 90 Whitecross Street, London, EC1Y 8TD.

Unit: I would like to get in touch with any ex member of staff or cadets who were at TS Royal Sovereign, Hornsey Sea Cadet from 1965 onwards. The names that I can recall are: Jim Downing, Bill Courtney, Dave Oakley, Brian Webb, Bob Sidey, Pat Buckeridge, Tom Burns, and Tony Walker who if I can remember was a Midshipman in the RNR. Contact Joan Soole, ex-Admin Offi cer, TS Sovereign at j.soole@hotmail.co.uk or call 01206 867817.

TS Royal Sovereign, Hornsey Sea Cadet

Royal Naval Electrical Branch

Association: Will have their stand at HMS Collingwood’s Open Day on Saturday June 5. Come and meet some ex Greenies, scan the lists on display for your old Electrical Branch Shipmates be they Electrical, Radio and Radar, Weapons or Control. Hundreds of members in this ‘Sprog’ and rapidly growing Association. Details and a copy of our superb newsletter from mike.crowe1@ btinternet.com or Mike Crowe, 7 Heath Road, Sandown, IOW. PO36 8PG. Read how many members had a special day as guests of HMS Collingwood viewing the present day training methods.

SHIP of the MONTH

Collectors’ Corner

Build an exciting and interesting collection of B&W and coloured postcard sized photographs of ships and aircraft of the Royal Navy and RFA’s.

Only £12.50

UK

£14.50

I YEAR’S SUBSCRIPTION

Which includes ONE NEW postcard sized photograph of our featured vessel each month.

Overseas

Trophy P3841 is an etching by the renowned marine artist Harold Wyllie, depicting the heavy cruiser HMS Sussex sailing

from Portsmouth

Harbour. A previous ship of this name, a 46-gun vessel built in Portsmouth Dockyard in 1652, saw action soon after entering service as one of several ships under the joint command of Admirals George Monck and Richard Deane at the Battle of the Gabbard (or Nieuwpoort) on June 2 and 3 1653. This major British victory was the decisive action in the first Anglo-Dutch war.

Photographs can also be purchased individually for £1.20 each (minimum of three).

Send Cheque/P.O. together with name and address of subscriber to Anne Young at…

Navy News, HMS Nelson, Queen Street, Portsmouth PO1 3HH Or phone on – 023 9272 6284

Cheques payable to: Navy News

For orders outside of the UK, payment is to be made by cheque/International Money Order in £ Sterling

SEND FOR FREE PHOTOGRAPH LIST!

(Older photographs will be in Black & White)

In mid-May 1653 the Dutch, under Admiral Maerten Tromp, had attempted to attack the British off the Downs.

However with the British at sea and under bombardment from Dover Castle Tromp withdrew and returned to the Flanders area, where he was advised that his enemy had been seen off Nieuwpoort. Monck and Deane were actually off Great Yarmouth on June 1 but, learning that the Dutch were closing in, moved to a new location outside the Gabbard Bank, 17 miles from Orford Ness. Tromp also anchored that

night a similar distance north east of the North Foreland.

The two fleets sighted each other on June 2, the Dutch (98 warships and six fireships) being down wind of the British (100 warships and five fireships).

The first day’s fierce fighting, which ended in the early evening, saw the Dutch lose two ships with another exploding before nightfall. Tromp knew that his ships

were low on ammunition and tried to escape the following morning.

With success within his grasp, at eleven o’clock the wind fell leaving his ships marooned under the heavier British guns.

A rather one-sided, four-hour fight started at midday; 11 of Tromp’s major warships had been captured, six had been sunk and two more exploded. Although

the remaining

ships escaped to Holland 1,350 prisoners were captured, including six captains. The British lost no ships and casualties were 126 killed and 236 wounded.

After the battle the Dutch ports were blockaded and peace negotiations resumed; the Dutch were prepared to fight one more battle in an attempt to restore the situation and the war finally ended following their defeat at the

Battle of Scheveningen the following month.

HMS Sussex was not to be in service for long as she was accidentally destroyed by an explosion in December 1653; her successor depicted in this Trophy was more fortunate and was in service from February 1928 to January 1950.

■ The May 2010 edition of Navy News featured Trophy No P21504, and stated that it is a replica carved figurehead from the fifth HMS Centurion. Unfortunately this is

incorrect, the lady who carved the replica in 1979 was told that the original she was copying was from the fifth ship and this error has been inadvertently carried forward until now. The author of Trophy Lives

has now been informed that the original was actually carved for the sixth HMS Centurion, a battleship built in Portsmouth Dockyard and launched in 1892.

This corrective information was kindly made available by Admiral David Pulvertaft (author of The Warship

Figureheads of Portsmouth)

who also provided a copy of a photograph of the battleship which shows clearly the figurehead in question; unfortunately this picture is unsuitable for reproduction. Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7 | Page 8 | Page 9 | Page 10 | Page 11 | Page 12 | Page 13 | Page 14 | Page 15 | Page 16 | Page 17 | Page 18 | Page 19 | Page 20 | Page 21 | Page 22 | Page 23 | Page 24 | Page 25 | Page 26 | Page 27 | Page 28 | Page 29 | Page 30 | Page 31 | Page 32 | Page 33 | Page 34 | Page 35 | Page 36 | Page 37 | Page 38 | Page 39 | Page 40 | Page 41 | Page 42 | Page 43 | Page 44 | Page 45 | Page 46 | Page 47 | Page 48 | Page 49 | Page 50 | Page 51 | Page 52 | Page 53 | Page 54 | Page 55 | Page 56