 1958 NAVY NEWS R.N.A.S. FORD-NEW CANTEEN ON DECEMBER 1,


orders at Ford bore an obituary notice, it read:


1957, daily "On November 30 - Shedfield


Henry, pedigree large white boar, father of 965 pigs, passed peacefully away in his sleep. Mourned by his


death of a large boar to the opening of a new canteen, but there is a con-


twenty-five wives and surviving children-and surely by us all." It may seem a far cry from the


nection for if Henry had not been so industrious it is more than prob-


able there would have been no can- teen. The idea of replacing the


c.Xising junior rating canteen at Ford was born in the mind of Capt. (now Rear-Admiral) H. C. N. Rolfe in


November, 1956. when the chief petty officers and petty officers moved to their tine new messes. The wooden-


butted buildings which they had vacated seemed to oiler themselves


many years as canteen, bar, res- taurant. billiards and TV room will


ideally for conversion to a new can- teen. Anyone who has seen the long, harnlike building which served for so


readily appreciate the captain's earnest wish to get something better. True. a blue print exists for building won- derful new accommodation here,


including canteens, cinema, gym- nasium, and so on. but as the annual


cstimatcs conic and go, the improved


thing here and quickly. Favoured Visit


Various


through officials channels hut, for one reason or another, were turned down


proposals were made


and, without funds, the prospect seemed pretty bleak. In June, how- ever, we were favoured with a visit


from the First Lord of the Admiralty. the Rt. Hon. the Viscount Selkirk. After touring the establishment and seeing the palatial new messes occu-


pied by the chief and petty officers, he asked what we were doing with the old buildings. Opportunity was


ing officer. Capt. A. H. Abrams, D.S


plan was explained and the First Lord


carry out such electrical repairs as were necessary to make it habitable. This was the beginning--it assured the basic financial support-the build- ins was to he made sound and fit for


-%-


knocking and the present command- was not slow to seize it. Our


left, promising to help if he could. A week or so later we received ap-


conditions seem to the present inhabi- tants to be little more than pipe dreams. We wanted, no, needed, some-


Captain Abrams and Mr. Knight, Ci *sonic of "th


was reached; the question of com-


pletion was raised-no one seemed able to "go firm" on a date. At this juncture Capt. Abrams se: the cat among the pigeons by saying that the


target date was to be November 25, and that he was determined the place should be a thoroughly going concern before the Christmas leave period. N.A.A.F.I. quite openly said


possible;" S.C.E. and E.E.M. were


unwilling to be committed; the ship's officers said "Aye, aye, sir"-in the best Naval tradition.


Well, there we were, six weeks to


get the job done. The building we had to convert was derelict-just as it had been left when the last occu-


plete year before. Coal ranges, steam boilers-almost a complete


pants had moved out almost a com- old-


proval to redecorate the building and in six weeks. However, all hands


fashioned galley for 200 men-had to be got rid of. Public rooms had to be stripped and repainted; an enor- mous amount of rewiring undertaken. Partition walls had to be built, new lint) needed to he laid, kitchen equip- ment. lamp shades, convector heaters had to he bought. It did seem impossible to get done


turned to with a will-S.C,E's painters and joiners. E.E.M.'s electricians, Naval shipwright and the ubiquitous "buffer party." If ever things looked like lagging or people flagging the


inniand Supervisor, N.A.A.F.L, with e builders"


Yet, suddenly, at half-past eleven, all was quiet. As the last civilian work- man slid into an unfinished back


room and the "hook rope party" vanished, as usual, into thin air, the


captain arrived. Outside were gathered the welfare committee, the repre-


sentatives of S.C.E.. EE.M., ship's officers, and also Mr, A. S. Knight, the command supervisor, N.A.A.El. We all went inside and carried out


an inaugural "rounds." First, the restaurant, then the new galley where


gas cooker. From there, past new store rooms which, eight weeks ago, had


N.A.A.F.I. girls were already prepar- ing the first lunches at the Calor


harboured all the old paraphernalia of an obsolete galley, looking into a new office for the manager, a staff room resplendent with fresh paint and into what will be the games and bil-


liards room-the work here-is to be


complete4 early in the New Year. Returning through the passages we


entered the tavern-a splendid room with Continental bar, brightly up- holstered furniture, complete with


TV and darts. There were assembled a representative cross-section of all who had helped in this conversion,


been provided, would both enjoy it and look after it in the future.


-


NEW GUNS TESTED IN


TRIALS CRUISER Higher Rate ofFire


THE NEW three- and six-inch fully automatic guns being developed for service with the Fleet have been given further exhaustive tests during the


spring and summer programmes of the trials cruiser Cumberland, now at


I)evonport. These weapons have a much higher rate of lire than existing


guns of similar calibre, that of the P A corner of the new cantecn-"lheTavern-Continental Bar"


conversion. The actual conversion had to be done from our own rc-


soLwces. Financial Support


presided over a meeting of all in- terested parties-station officers, re-


On October 4, 1957, Capt. Abrams


presentatives from S.C.E.. E.E.M., and N.A.A.F.I. The captain, as prime


financial obligations from the funds at his disposal-the profits, in fact. from Shedfield Henry's hard work recorded at the beginning of this article. Other financial support was


sponsor, undertook certain


forthcoming from the station welfare funds. The project was discussed from many, angles and overall agreement


extra


words "The.captain said November 25" worked like magic to spur on greater efforts. As the day approached, it was ob-


vious that we could jot be ready. Th cold spell had mad it virtually im-


possible to lay lino; supply of one or two other items had been delayed and there was nothing for it but to ask for time. Eight more days were allowed so, once again, crack went


three-inch being equal to a heavy machine gun. Both guns were subjected to severe tests against airborne and surface tar-


being fired in a little more than a month. Aircraft at 728 Fleet Air Arm


Squadron based at the Royal Naval Air Station at Halfar, Malta, G.C.,


co-operated in these trials. Special Propellers


propellers for testing were fitted and these trials involved night photography through glass windows installed in the


by Capt. H. 6. T. Padficld, R.N., sailed for the Mediterranean, special


ship's hull. The testing of various systems of


pre-wetting, the method of washing clean a ship suspected of contamina- tion by radioactive fall-out, has been another feature of the season's work,


the whip and round went th! wheels. As Wednesday, December 4 ap-


inging any unwarned visitor might well have thought himself to be in


proached, the tempo of work in- creased until at ten o'clock that morn-


the midst of a Crazy Gang film running at twice the normal speed,


while a new pattern anchor has also been investigated. The Cumbcrland steamed nearly


end of April. when she sailed from


1.400 miles and fired over 12,000 rounds of ammunition between the


Devonport after her conversion period and her return to that port from the Mediterranein at the end of Sep- tember.


Before the Cumberland, commanded


and all joined the captain in his wish that the Naval airmen, their wives and sweethearts, for whom it had


IT IS somewhat ironical that the secret


ployed by the Royal Navy in the future should have been carried out


Ensign. She is the trials cruiser Cumberland, which celebrated the


for the past six years in the oldest warship still afloat under the White


thirteenth anniversary of her accept- ance into service in D&emher.


Nine of the officers who have com- manded the Cumberland during the last three decades and some 60


officers of past ship's co,mpanics took


part in a commemorative ceremony on her quarter (leek in Devonport Dockyard on Wednesday, December


measures and the complex gunnery, radar and other equipment to be em-


trials of atomic defence


KM.S. CUMBERLAND Thirtieth Anniversary


D.S.O., represented the Border Regi- ment, formerly


During the last war, H.M.S. Cumberland, the fifteenth ship of her name in the Service, served in most


Regiment, which has associations with the ship, at the ceremony.


parts of the world from Russian waters to the Far East. In 1951. she


gunnery and radar equipment, she has also made important contributions to the habitability of mess decks, testing


became the Royal Navy's first trials cruiser. In addition to the trials of


many, new devices aimed at improving the living standards afloat of ratings.


used at her launching by the Dowager Countess of Carlisle at Vickers-


II, when the same hymns and prayers


1926. were sting and offered. Admiral Sir Philip K. Enright,


K.B.E.. captain in 194445, and the most C.B., the II.M.S. ROTIIESAY Cumberland's launched on December 9. 1957, at the


THE WHITBY class anti-submarine frigate


H.M.S.


senior of those present, replied to the address by the present Commanding Officer, Capt. H. G. T. Padfield, R.N.


Oldest of the ship's former captains to attend the ceremony was Vice-


reached Flag rank are Vice-Admiral Sir William Beverley, K.B.E.. C.B.,


Burghard, C.B., D.S.O. A Link


C.B., who was Chief Engineer on board when she sailed from Barrow to Chatham, her original manning


commissioning was the presence of Rear-Admiral (E.) H. A, Sheridan,


try. He was in the ship, a 9,800 tons cruiser, which was eventually sold in 1921, for the operations against the Germans in the Cameroons from


port. A still older link with the past, however, was former Sgt. Joseph Wells; of Plymouth, who served on board the First World War Cumber- land in the Royal Marine Light Infan-


A link with the Cumberland's first


Admiral T. B. Drew, C.B., C.V.O., O.B.E., while others who have


Rear-Admiral R. A. Currie, C.B.. D.S.C., and Rear-Admiral 6, F.


Rothesay was


yard of Messrs. Yarrow and Co., Ltd., Scotstoun, Glasgow. The naming cere- mony was performed by Lady Selkirk, wife of RI. Hon. the Earl of Selkirk, O.B.E., A.F.C., First Lord of the


Admiralty, and the religious ceremony was conducted by the Very Rev. Dr. Charles L. Warr, K.C.V.O., Dean of the Thistle. Minister of St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh.


in extreme length, 360 feet between perpendiculars and have a beam of 41 feet,


Having been primarily designed for the location and detection of the most


Frigates of this class are of 370 feet


Major-General V. Blomfield, CA, the Cumberland


modern type of submarine, they will be fitted with the latest underwater


detection equipment and anti-sub- marine weapons of post-war develop- ment. A novel design of geared steam turbine machinery of high power will


give them the speed necessary for their important task., The vessels are all-welded and the structural arrangements have been specially designed to achieve the


September to December, 1914, and a German ensign, which he captured at the time, is still one of the ship's trophies,


arrangements calculated to conduce to rapid building of such vessels in an emergency,


WHEREVER UNIFORMS ARE WORN WITH PRIDE ... IT IS WELL TO REMEMBER


BEltNAII1.1S For Bernards long experience in


tailoring uniforms ensures that whatever the style desired it will be absolutely correct, finely tailored and perfect in fit and . workmanship.


- -


Bernards have set aparticularly fled style uniforms and are tailor-


high standard for the new modi- fied


- - tailor- ing these to measure from T65


Diagonal Serge for £8.15s.Od. (8.5s.Od, Ready-to-Wear); from - T76 Serge for £6.2s.6d.; andfrom White Drill for £5.5s.Od.


gets in the Mediterranean during the summer, 645 rounds of six-inch ammu- nition and (i.4() rounds of three-inch


These uniforms may be pur- chased for Cash or on Credit


Account for Settlement by Ban- ker's Order or Admiralty Allot- ment, and full details of this


facility and of the complete Bernard Service will gladly be given on request at a branch or through Head Office.


START YOUR NEW YEAR RIGHT BY ORDERING A NEW UNIFORM FROM BERNARDS


C.R.Bernard&SonsLtd. Tailors and Outfitters


Anglia House, Harwich, Essex Telephone 880


Branch.. at PORTSMOUTH, CHATHAM. DEVONPORT, WEYMOUTH. PORT- LAND, FALMOUTH. MILFORD HAVEN, DEAL, WETHERBY, LONDONDERRY,


ROTHESAY, HELENSBURGH, DUNFERMLINE, ROSYI'H. INVERGORDON, GIBRALTAR and SLIEMA and VALLETTA, MALTA.


*1.0


at LOSSIEMOUTH. ARBROATH, ABEOTSINCIS, KETE, BRAWDY, CULDROSE, FORD, WORTHY DOWN and H.M.S. DOLPHIN.


Members ofthe LX.T.A.


lightest possible structure. Opportunity has been taken in this building to gain experience in welding procedures and


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