36 NAVY NEWS, JULY 2009
Family
focus at
THE TIME OF YOUR LIVES
1969
1989
We flick back through the pages of Navy News to see which stories were drawing attention in
past decades...
RNBT
ARE you or your partner ordinarily made through a
serving or have you served
caseworker.
in the RN as a rating or a
For serving personnel this is
Royal Marine, other ranks?
usually NPFS and for the retired
If so, the RNBT is your charity;
community through either the
it exists to give financial and other
Royal British Legion or SSAFA
help to those in need or distress;
Forces Help.
the beneficiary group is known as
In addition, the RNBT has its
the RNBT Family.
own caseworkers that respond
The RNBT Family is the
very quickly when required.
collective term used to describe
Every case is considered by
everyone who is eligible to be
three members of the committee
considered for assistance from the
who decide on the level and type
Trust.
of help given.
As well as serving and former
The RNBT has a speed of
RN ratings and RM other ranks,
response that very few other
eligibility extends to wives,
charities can match. In 2006/07
husbands, dependent children
nearly 4,000 grants and annuities,
and, in some circumstances,
totalling over £2.6 million were
unmarried partners and those who
made and a good number of these
are separated and divorced.
went to help serving people and
The RNBT is the largest of
their dependants.
the benevolent charities for naval
The Trust runs its own world-
people, its beneficiary group is
class care home – Pembroke
approximately 80 per cent of all
House, near Chatham in Kent
those who are serving and have
that provides nursing and personal
served and is estimated at well
care for up to 50 old sailors,
over two million strong.
Royal Marines and their wives
The Trust is run very much
and widows.
by sailors and Royal Marines for
It is the only home that cares
sailors and Royal Marines.
specifically for the RNBT Family
More than two thirds of the
and there is a long waiting list;
trustees are serving or former
more homes like Pembroke House
sailors and Royal Marines and the
would be very welcome.
Grants Committee, responsible
Needy members of the
for dealing with more than 4,000
RNBT Family able to look after
cases per annum, comprises
themselves benefit from six
exclusively of peers, helping their
almshouse ‘cottages’ run by the
peers.
Trust at Hornchurch in Essex,
The Committee made grants
originally purchased with money
● Leander-class HMS Hermione who featured in both the 1969 and 1989 July editions of Navy News
of over £2.6 million in the last
collected to raise a permanent
financial year. The number
memorial to Boy Seaman John
July 1969
of grants made in the current
Cornwell VC of Jutland fame.
July 1979 July 1989
financial year at the time of Navy
The need for the RNBT’s
NO FEWER than three Leander-class IN July 1979 Navy News was MORE THAN 80 sailors from HMS Hermione
News going to press is shown in
support outstrips the funds
general purpose frigates commissioned in speculating about the future of the joined in a major firefighting operation to
the RNBT’s advert on page 5.
available.
Portsmouth in July 1969. HMS Hermione Navy’s most exciting new asset – the Sea save a blazing tanker in the Gulf.
Some recent examples of help
Income is received from the
and HMS Charybdis were to spend part of Harrier. The Leander-class frigate had picked
given include special equipment
Trust’s own investments, grants
their general service deployments east of The first had been delivered at a up distress calls from the Greek tanker
for the disabled daughter of a
from other organisations and
Suez, while HMS Jupiter was to go to the ceremony the previous month at Dunsfold, Drastirios early on June 1, reporting fires
junior rating, essential household
donations from many sources.
West Indies. Surrey, attended by the First Sea Lord, in the engine and boiler rooms and loss
goods for a young rating in
Amongst the donations are
July’s Navy News devotes almost a Admiral Sir Terence Lewin, who told of power.
financial difficulties and with a
those from serving people made
whole page to the commissioning guests from British Aerospace: “We want Hermione and RFA Olna were quickly on
large family, funding care for the
via the Navy’s payroll scheme,
forecast. September alone was to have them as fast as you can turn them out.” the scene but by the time they arrived the
92-year-old widow of an ex-Royal
SABS.
ten commissions, including the frigates The paper reported that future tanker had been ablaze for 17 hours.
Marine, a contribution towards
This is a very good and easy way
Scylla, Dido and Bacchante, and the possibilities included flying Sea Harriers Hermione’s sailors brought in pumping
university fees for the daughter
to help. Members of the scheme
Ashanti, Lowestoft and Hecla flights. from container ships, as both the US and and generating equipment and used 40
of an ex-rating who died in his
usually contribute a pound per
Commissions nowadays are few and far RN were interested in operating helicopters hoses, portable gas turbines and more
40s and support for the care of
week, taken from their pay in
between, reflecting not just fewer ships and jump jets from their decks. than 80 foam-filled containers to fight the
members of the RNBT Family
monthly instalments and this
but a different system. In the old days A ramp was being built at Yeovilton, the fire. Without the assistance of Hermione
in hospices in Portsmouth and
money is distributed amongst a
whole ships’ companies commissioned paper reported, to enable naval pilots to and Olna, the tanker would have suffered
Plymouth.
number of RN and RM charities
post-maintenance, while nowadays, with practise the “Ski-jump take-off”. irreversible damage and might have been
The RNBT helped 314 serving
by the Royal Navy and Royal
squad drafting, only new ships are com- Sadly the ski-jump ramp has now gone lost.
personnel in 2007-08 to the tune
Marines charity.
missioned, with a rededication ceremony from RNAS Yeovilton as have the Sea “The sailors fought like lions and
of £142,000 and at the time of
More members are needed
after a lengthy maintenance period or Harriers, although Harriers still feature at heroes,” said the master of the 83,000-ton
writing, 169 cases had been dealt
and Unit Personnel Officers can
refit. the Joint Force’s Stamford bases. Drastirios.
with in the current financial year
provide full details.
at a cost of £93,000. We receive a constant stream of
The RNBT is very much in the requests for advice about welfare
business of supporting the front- and naval matters.
line as well retirees. Often we can provide the Diary dates
The core business of the RNBT answer ourselves, but if not, we are
has always been grant making. usually able to direct the enquirer
Help is given for food, clothing, to someone who can.
rent, mortgage payments, house If you need help or want to
JULY advance booking (£17, £14(OAP) and £5. cost £39.95, under 16s with paying adult go royalnavy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.6201
July 4: RN Volunteer Bands Festival at Call 08445 781 781. free. Visit www.airtattoo.com/airshow or
repairs, disability aids, household help others, read about us on Guildhall Square featuring eight bands from
SEPTEMBER
July 18-19: Royal Navy Past and call 0800 107 1940.
September 5-6: Navy Days: Meet Your
goods, training courses, medical our website – www.rnbt.org.uk or
RN establishments. Begins at 9.30am. Event Present at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. July 29: RNAS Culdrose Air Day. The
Navy 09 at HM Naval Base Devonport,
matters, removals, funerals, contact us at Castaway House.
is free but due to space limitations tickets Commemorating the 250th anniversary of only day in the year when the public can
Plymouth. Tickets cost £14 (adults one-
respite holidays, annuities for The RNBT Headquarters
should be obtained from Portsmouth Central the laying of HMS Victory’s keel. Visitors step inside RNAS Culdrose. Tickets costing
day) with concessions for pensioners and
Library. will be able to board the Navy’s newest £12 (adult) and £4 (child) in advance, or
children, and multi-day entry. Ticket line
older people and much more. Castaway House, July 11: RNAS Yeovilton Air Day: warship HMS Daring, amid many other £15 and £5 on the day, are available by 08445 78 78 78. Further information at www.
The committee consider every 311 Twyford Avenue,
Celebrating 100 years of Naval aviation. displays. Enquiries: 023 9283 9766, www. calling 08705 321 321 or www.ticketzone. royalnavy.mod.uk/navydays.
application with a mixture of Portsmouth
See www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server/show/ historicdockyard.co.uk. co.uk. Concessions for UK Armed Forces September 11: Dedication of Fleet
nav.4948. Tickets cost £21 (adults) and £8 July 18-19: Royal International Air Tattoo Veterans Badge and UK Merchant Seafarers Air Arm Memorial, National Arboretum,
compassion, pragmatism and a PO2 8RN (children) on the day, with concessions for at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. Tickets Veterans Badge holders available. See www. Staffordshire.
deep understanding of the people Telephone: 023 9269 0112;
that ask for help. . fax: 023 9266 0852; email: rnbt@
Applications for help are rnbt.org.uk Where are you now?
HMS Newcastle and Exeter: Seeking he left the Arethusa? If you know anything enrolled in 50 Class, Air Engineering. I say 69 Dunmore, Park Barn Estate, Guildford,
Don Brothwell who served in Newcastle contact Philip Lickorish at philipl@rogers. fortunate because in my opinion I was lucky Surrey, GU2 8JX.
and Exeter in the 1980s. We lost contact, com or write to 1880 Valley Farm Road, Suite enough to be in the company of collectively Royal Naval Electrical Branch
but I would really like to hear from him or 722, Pickering, Ontario, Canada. L1V 6B3. the fi nest group of lads ever seen together Association is there to reunite you with your
someone who knows him. Contact Joanne HMS Decoy: I have been for many years in one unit. Where are you all now, lads? old shipmates from the Electrical Mess. This
née Haskell at PaulandJoanneB@aol.com trying to track down an old shipmate by the I wonder if any of you are interested in new and rapidly growing association with
or tel: 07830 486107. name of John Raymond ‘Tommy’ Tucker. getting in touch for a possible reunion. hundreds of members has its own Blazer
HMS Caprice: John (Brigham) Young We served together in Decoy 1967-70, Some names I remember are: Pete Beasley, Badge and Tie, all sporting the distinctive
is looking for Charles Baden (Freddy or he was the POGI, I was the PO UW1. We Trevor Foster, Dave Owen, Mike Elliot, Tim fl ashes of the Electrical Branch and now our
Freddie) Fox. Charles lived in Salisbury maintained contact for a while whilst I was Ridgeway, Jock Robertson, Ian Harrison, own colour newsletter. The web site, http://
before he joined the Navy. John hasn’t at the command sailing centre and he at George Armstrong, Rob Taylor, Roy www.rneba.org.uk is where you can see
seen his friend since they completed their ‘Whaley’ and now a CPOGI. My next draft Meakin, R Nicholas, Rod Smith, J Webb details of many members. Our next reunion
service in 1963. If anyone can help could as CPOUW1 was to Kent as Buffer and it and apologies to a few whose names have is on the South Coast and is fi lling fast. A
Please call 023 9273 4448 for details
they contact John’s daughter-in-law, Jayne was then we lost contact. He lived in Nailsea dimmed over time. Please call Bill Hughes on lot of ‘Lamp swinging’ has already taken
Young at dave-young@blueyonder.co.uk or near Bristol. I now live in Palma, Mallorca. If 01407 831362. place and there will be a lot more. If you are
or email: tel: 0121 526 4296. you can help contact Bill Porter at Porter. HMS Mohawk: Any old Mohawks out ex Royal Navy Electrical, send your details
subscriptions@navynews.co.uk
HMS Sheffi eld: Seeking Robert Fuller billandcate@hotmail.com or tel: +34 971 there? If you are interested there is an and the ship you would most like to fi nd your
DSM, Chief Yeoman of Signals, HMS 400009. association, open to crew and family from shipmates from, to Membership Secretary
Sheffi eld WW2; Nautical Instructor TS HMS Condor, Arbroath: In July this year any of the ships names Mohawk. Reunion in and Newsletter Editor Brian Joy, 237a Tithe
Arethusa in the fi fties. Can anyone tell me it will be the 50th anniversary of my joining October at Hayling Island. Contact Joe Artis Farm Court, Alexandra Avenue, Harrow, HA2
what happened to Mr Fuller, ‘The Wiz’ after the Fleet Air Arm and I was fortunate to be at joeartis@hmsmohawk.org.uk or write to 9DN.
036-037_NN_jul09.indd 1 19/6/09 17:19:55
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