14 NAVY NEWS, DECEMBER 2010


Nation stops to pay its respects


THE national focus for remembrance has since 1919 been a modest structure in Whitehall, opposite the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Designed by Lutyens, the Cenotaph (Greek for “empty tomb”) was first built of wood and plaster, and was the centrepiece of the 1919 ceremonies to mark the first anniversary of the Great War armistice.


simple, clean lines of the Cenotaph had been made permanent, with the original structure having been exactly recreated in Portland stone. As is customary, the


By the following year the


Journey south


reawakens memories


SHIPS and units at home and abroad took time out from their busy schedules to reflect on the sacrifices made by comrades and predecessors.


And for one sailor, his current


deployment allowed him to reflect on his time as a teenager sailing into danger. Weapons engineer WO Gav Dunkley, 47, is the senior rating in HMS Gloucester, currently on patrol in the South Atlantic. And 28 years ago, Gavin was on board County-class destroyer HMS Antrim as she took part in the mission to regain the Falklands – the teenager actually celebrated his 19th birthday on the passage south.


Queen, members of the Royal Family, senior politicians and Servicemen and women of all ranks joined with veterans, youth organisations and civilian groups on Remembrance Sunday to pay their respects to the fallen of all conflicts, right up to the current campaign in Afghanistan. Armistice Day itself saw around 2,000 people gather for a service at the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas in Staffordshire.


was part of the congregation at the stunning Armed Forces Memorial, designed in such a way that at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, when a two-minute silence is called in remembrance of the cessation of World War 1 hostilities, a shaft of sunlight spears through the inner and outer walls, hitting the central bronze wreath sculpture – and despite grey skies, a beam of light pierced the gloom right on cue.


Royal Marines Band, and Sea Cadets were amongst the 100 cadets at the service to reflect the Cadet 150 anniversary. Ceremonies were held at the homes of all the Naval establishments. These included Clyde


Music was provided by the The Duke of Gloucester


Although nobody died on board the ship, several men were injured when a bomb struck her in San Carlos Water during the amphibious landings


He had not been back to the islands since. Gavin read the


Act of


Remembrance on November 11 to the ship’s company of the Fighting G during their service. “Coming back to the Falklands after so many years has been an odd experience,


many old memories,” he said. “Believe it or not, most of them are good – of service I am proud of, and of people I am proud to have known. “I feel privileged to have been able to pay my respects here in person to all those who fell during the conflict.”


Closer to home, many warships sent teams of sailors to join in civic ceremonies, as well as holding their own services on board. HMS Ark Royal was at sea


personnel gathered at Hermitage Park in Helensburgh, with the HMS Neptune Volunteer Band providing musical accompaniment, while in the West Country almost 150 Servicemen and women from Devonport Naval Base attended ceremonies on Plymouth Hoe, where the Royal Marines Band Plymouth were also on duty. Just along the coast, HMS


Raleigh provided 450 sailors for a service in Horson Cemetery, Torpoint, around the grave of 44 sailors and 21 Royal Engineers who were killed when a German bomb hit their air raid shelter in Raleigh on April 28 1941. During a moving ceremony at


● Four-year-old Molly Marsh remembers her father – Royal Marine David Marsh, who died in a roadside bomb in Helmand, Afghanistan, in March 2008 – at the unveiling of the new memorial to fallen members of 40 Commando RM at Norton Manor Camp


Picture: LA(Phot) Si Ethell


HMS Collingwood on Armistice Day, Executive Officer Cdr Chris Lade read out the names of the 31 Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel who lost their lives over the past year. RN Air Station Yeovilton’s


service was held in 847 Naval Air Squadron’s hangar, where sailors and Royal Marines were joined by civilian workers and children from three local schools. One of the more remote


services was at the Royal Marines Memorial at Emmetts Hill, on the Dorset coast, dedicated to all Royals who have died in conflicts since World War 2. The memorial, in a small


A NEW memorial has been dedicated to members of 40 Commando Royal Marines who have given their lives for


stone-walled garden, is on an exposed plot of high ground, typical ‘bootneck’ terrain, and during the ceremony it has become traditional, on the command of “about face”, for all attending to face out to sea whilst the names of all Royals who have died in the past year – 20 on this occasion – are read out. This year saw ferocious high winds during the service, making the trek from the car park treacherous, but there was still a strong turn-out by 90 members of 1 Assault Group RM at Plymouth, and the Corps bugler did an admirable job of making the Last Post and Reveille heard above the clamour of the storm.


Royal Marines unveil monument to fallen


their country. The granite monument was unveiled at the Commando’s base, Norton Manor Camp, Taunton, shortly before Armistice Day. Paid for after a groundswell of public support for the unit, recently returned from operations in Afghanistan, and created by a Taunton stonemason, the black globe-shaped memorial was blessed by the unit’s chaplain, Andrew Rawding, at a special ceremony. Among those attending were some of


the families of the 14 Marines who died in Afghanistan, civilian fund-raisers including Royal Marines Association branches and the Mayor of Taunton, Cllr Jefferson Horsley. Lt Col Paul James, Commanding Officer of 40 Cdo, thanked the fund raisers and other who helped build the memorial garden site. He said: “It is very moving to be here


and to think this beautiful memorial and the garden was all made possible only through the generosity and kindness of people


who undertook it all while we were out in Afghanistan, largely without our knowledge. “Both local people and others throughout the country helped raise money. “It is a source of added pride to know that


we have so much support, especially when people are giving their lives in combat.” A slow-growing memorial tree and dedicated plaque is planned for each of the fatalities in Afghanistan. Claire Marsh and four-year-old Molly, the


widow and daughter of Royal Marine David Marsh who died in a roadside bomb in 2008, placed flowers at his tree and plaque. Claire said: “This garden is a lovely place to come and pay tribute to David. “He was killed by an IED when driving with


his colleague and friend Lt John Thornton on patrol with the fire support group. They were both killed together.


“The garden is an ideal place to meet other


families, and I have spoken to John’s family today.


“It is very comforting to share this support. It makes me extra proud of David to be here as part of the ceremony with Molly.”


on Armistice Day, so some 400 of her ship’s company – many with recent experience in Iraq or Afghanistan – gathered in her hangar for a service. Others took part in ceremonies or appearances in Leeds and Glasgow (see page 46), while new Type 45 destroyer HMS Defender was also represented at the service in


person of Lt Adam Robertson. A


Sutherland visited the historic namesake county, led by the frigate’s CO, Cdr Roger Readwin, over the Remembrance weekend, with attendances at Brora, Golspie and Dornoch. Staying north of the border, minehunter HMS Ramsey visited Dundee, culminating in a role for her sailors at the Festival of Remembrance in Caird Hall. Sister


Glasgow Cathedral, delegation


from HMS


visited her namesake town in Cornwall,


ship HMS Penzance during


which time


a detachment from the ship marched through the town during the Sunday ceremonies. Frigate HMS


Monmouth


Lt Col James said: “It is a particularly proud moment to help launch the memorial and garden.


“It is a good place for families, friends and colleagues to come and reflect on the lives of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. “ There is a sense of sorrow at this ceremony, but mixed with pride


for what has been


achieved by those with great valour, courage and selfless sacrifice. “However, families who have lost sons will


find that they have gained many others through support of the family of the Royal Marines, both past and present.” Ginge Rees, of the Bridgwater branch of the


RMA, helped build the memorial garden paths and set up the tree memorials. He said: “My previous unit was 40 Cdo, so I


have a great affinity for them. “Our branch donated £250 to the fund because we veterans feel every death. When one falls in battle we all feel that loss like a family. “You can take the man out of the Marines,


but not the Marine out of the man, and this applies throughout your life.”


pitched up in Cardiff to take part in events in both the capital city and her namesake town – and there was also a chance for sailors to get themselves involved in the rugby international between Wales and South Africa. And HMS Bulwark was back in Durham to take part in a number of civic ceremonies, led by CO Cdr Nick MacDonald-Robinson. Beyond UK shores, Naval


personnel paid their respects at a service held in conjunction with allied forces in Bahrain. Cdre Tim Fraser, Commander of the UK Maritime Command Component, laid a wreath on behalf of the Senior Service at the ceremony, held in the Christian Cemetery in central Manama. UK forces at Kandahar Airfield


in Afghanistan staged a ceremony at 11am local time, watched by coalition partners.


The CO and 35 members of the crew of HMS Turbulent were a welcome addition to the congregation at a service of remembrance in St George’s Church, Lisbon And not too far away, on the


homeward leg of her Atlantic Patrol Tasking (South) deployment, HMS Portland – with around 50 family and friends having embarked in Las Palmas – held a service of remembrance in the hangar.


in the


reawakening


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