30 NAVY NEWS, MARCH 2011
Book your own rooms this year
THE programme for this year’s National Conference is taking shape, and delegates are reminded they will have to make their own accommodation booking this time.
Last year saw staff at RNA Headquarters take a leading role in sorting out administration for the visit to Ouistreham in Normandy,
including booking
ferries and accommodation. But with the conference back on UK soil – Plymouth is the host branch – individuals will be sorting out their own arrangements. The conference itself will be held in the Guildhall on Royal Parade, with a number of functions also taking place in the WOs and CPOs Mess at HMS Drake in Devonport.
There is no accommodation at HMS Drake, and delegates and observers should not contact the mess or Drake accommodation office.
The Plymouth Tourist Office can advise on such matters – their telephone number is 01752 306330. Delegates and observers will also need to make their own arrangements for getting between venues; a taxi fare between HMS Drake and the conference venue is around £5 one way.
Access to HMS Drake can only be guaranteed for named people and their vehicles, so it is important to be accurate when completing a booking form. Coaches can only gain access through the Camel’s Head Gate, and again details of vehicle and driver must be supplied in advance.
The outline programme is: Friday
June 10: Welcome
buffet at WOs and CPOs Mess, HMS Drake; President’s Dinner at WO and CPOs Mess, HMS Drake. Saturday June 11: Conference
at Plymouth Guildhall. Conference Gala Dinner at WO and CPOs Mess, HMS Drake (1930). Sunday
June standard laid up. March to Plymouth Hoe, and
wreath laying at Naval Memorial. Light buffet and bar at Guildhall (payable over the bar).
and dedication of new National Standard at St Andrew Minster Church,
Plymouth, 12: Service and old ● Association branch standards, members and friends gather at Ford Park Chapel before visiting the grave of Lt George Hinckley VC
ROYAL Navy veterans and supporters turned out in force to pay tribute to a Victorian hero.
Veterans salute Victorian hero
Members and friends of
Plymouth branch of the RNA, the HMS Ganges Association and the Burma Star Association paraded at the graveside of Lt George Hinckley VC in Ford Park Cemetery to pay their respects. Alongside them was Mrs Hinckley’s great and
Joan Smith, granddaughter,
Andrew
Smith, his great great grandson. A wreath was placed on the
grave by Plymouth RNA Life Vice President S/M Harry Sparks, and a short service of remembrance was conducted by Rev Peter Warland, the Queen’s Honorary chaplain to the Royal Navy. Lt Hinckley was serving as an Able Seaman aboard the six-gun
Albacore-class wooden paddle sloop HMS Sphinx during the Taiping Rebellion in China in 1862, when rebel forces attempted to overthrow their government. Hinckley was part of a Naval
Brigade which joined forces with a 3,000-strong Imperial Chinese army unit and a 500-strong Sino- French force under a French Navy lieutenant.
Alongside the Sphinx brigade
were similar groups from sister gunboats Hardy and Flamer. The sailors marched 30 miles
overnight on October 8-9 1862 to attack the fortified settlement of Fung Wha, near Shanghai, facing driving rain and poor roads. Within four hours of their 4am
breakfast of biscuit and a tot of rum, the Sphinx brigade had joined the main force in front of the gates of Fung Wha. The Imperial Chinese troops
were driven off with heavy losses, leaving the dead and dying strewn across the ground in front of the town’s fortifications. Amongst those seriously injured and lying in the open were Mr Croker, assistant master of the Sphinx, and Capt Bruman of the Chinese group. Despite the fact that the ground
was being raked by gunshot, shrapnel, stinkpots (jars filled with noxious material) and the like, Hinckley ran into the open, picked up Mr Croker, put him over his shoulder and ran for the shelter of a joss-house or temple around 150 metres away. Having returned to his place, Hinckley volunteered for a second dash into the hail of metal, this time rescuing Bruman. The 43-year-old’s actions won
him a Victoria Cross. Hinckley, a Liverpudlian with a
Members enjoy a trip around the Bay
MEMBERS of the HMS Cardigan Bay Association visited their RFA namesake at the invitation of the auxiliary landing ship’s captain. The 22-strong group spent an
enjoyable afternoon on board, taking a tour around the ship – and being amazed by the advances in technology and her capabilities. Capt Paul Minter, Chief Officer (X) Cdr Martin Gould, Navigating Officer 1/O Martin Jones, together with his PRO Joe Anderson, who coordinated the visit, looked after the group exceedingly well, said association chairman S/M Ron Binmore.
● Members of the HMS Cardigan Bay Association with their hosts on board the namesake RFA vessel
After the tour, the group dined on board and were presented with a medallion to commemorate our visit; in return S/M Ron presented Capt Minter with two copies of
a book entitled Memories of a Frigate, written by S/M Gordon Green, a potted history of HMS Cardigan Bay during her service. The link between the original Cardigan Bay and the RFA is strongly maintained by both sides. Members attended the launch of the RFA in Glasgow and her dedication ceremony in Portland, though she has been deployed in the Middle East in recent years. On behalf of the association S/M Ron thanked Capt Minter for allowing the visit, adding that if he ever needed any extra crew members to wash down the upper decks, polish the brass or make the tea, he need only to call upon the Association as they would be delighted to assist whilst at sea during a short journey.
THE mystery ship in our January edition (right) was HMS Shoulton, which – according to Jane’s Fighting Ships and the Ton Class Association – was converted to a minehunter 1963, a year before sister ships
in
including HMS Kirkliston. The winner of our £50 prize was
K Clark, of Whitchurch, Hampshire. This month’s mystery ship (pictured
above) was a destroyer which was sunk as she bravely fought to protect an aircraft carrier from two German battlecruisers early in World War 2 – before she sank, one of her torpedoes badly damaged one of the German vessels.
Only one member of her ship’s company survived.
What was her name, and what was the name of the carrier she was escorting? We have removed her name and
pennant number from the picture. Complete the coupon and send it to Mystery Picture, Navy News, HMS Nelson, Portsmouth PO1 3HH. Coupons giving the correct answer will go into a prize draw to establish a winner. Closing date for entries is April 11 2011. More than one entry can be submitted but photocopies cannot be accepted. Do not include anything else in your envelope: no correspondence can be entered into and no entry returned.
The winner will be announced in our May edition. The competition is not open to Navy News employees or their families.
MYSTERY PICTURE 193 Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . My answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wetherby celebrates anniversary
MORE than 20 shipmates and their guests gathered at the Pax Inn, Thorp Arch, for a dinner to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the commissioning of Wetherby branch.
Social secretary S/M Vince
Parks gave the roll-call of the 17 members who had crossed the bar since 1996, while branch president S/M Eric Drummond expressed the gratitude of the branch for the continuing support which shipmates receive from their spouses. He added: “We miss those that cannot be with us tonight for medical reasons, and our thoughts are with them.” Honorary member Cdr Mark Lister had to send his regrets that he could not attend, but he was otherwise engaged on active duty.
Dagenham looks back
chequered career, lost the VC at a funeral just four months later, and had to stump up 24 shillings for replacement.
Year’s Eve 1904, aged 85. Shipmates were most grateful to all who attended the event, and to the Friends of Ford Park Cemetery for providing information, shelter, and hot refreshments on what turned out to be an extremely cold day.
More information on the branch and activities is available from chairman S/M Bob Palmer on 01752 509931 or social secretary Sue Gutteridge on 01752 849176.
He died in Plymouth on New
THE RNA may have received its charter in 1954, but shipmates at Dagenham branch are looking a few year further back for a reason for a knees-up. As Navy News went to press, the 80 or so members were due to gather at their headquarters, at Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club, to mark 75 years since the formation of the Dagenham branch of the Royal Naval Old Comrades Association (RNOCA).
The RNOCA was born in a restaurant in Whitehall in early 1935, and little over a year later Dagenham joined the growing list of branches.
The ages of members range from mid-20s (still serving) to mid-80s (not serving but not through choice). As well as supporting each
other, Dagenham shipmates offer help for other local and national military charities, including TS Hurricane, the Hornchurch and Upminster Sea Cadet unit.
£50 PRIZE PUZZLE
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