30 NAVY NEWS, MAY 2010
Pension changes: action needed?
THE UK state pension changed on April 6 this year, and if you are over 55, have recently retired, or if there is an adult who depends on you financially, you may need to take action now to make sure you don’t miss out on money for your future. For further information
on how the state pension is changing,
uk/en/Pensionsandretirement planni n g / S t a t ePension / DG_069498
You can claim your state pension
visit www.direct.gov.
if you live outside the UK. However, you’ll only receive the index-linked increases if you live in the european Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland or in a country with which the UK has a social security agreement that includes increasing state pensions. For more information on the
UK state pension for Britons living abroad,
uk/en/Pensionsandretirement planni n g / S t a t ePension / Ba si c s t a t e pe n si o n / DG_10026714
If there is an adult who
visit www.direct.gov.
Theatre visit takes deeps back
VETERANS from the nuclear attack submarine HMS Valiant met for a reunion in London – and found themselves in very familiar surroundings.
The deeps met at the Union
Jack Club, and after lunch strolled the short distance to the Young Vic theatre to watch a performance of Kursk – set in a British nuclear attack submarine as she shadows the doomed Russian submarine. The set and script would ring
particularly true to the Valiant crew, as one of the actors who had input to the play, written by Bryony Lavery, was Ian Ashpitel,
l Ex-deeps at the HMS Valiant reunion on the set of Kursk at the Young Vic
who served on board Valiant for two years at the end of the 1970s. The chain of events which brought the former shipmates together is a tale in itself, involving a chance visit to a Chatham graveyard and a stunning coincidence which revealed the last resting place of a sailor killed in a car accident decades ago. For the full story of how the reunion – which could feature in a TV documentary – came about, see next month’s Navy News. Kursk is now on tour, and
the play, which garnered critical acclaim during its run in London, can be seen at Warwick Arts (May 4-8), Liverpool Everyman (May 12-15) and Glasgow Tramway (May 19-23).
depends on you financially from
April 6 this year it will no longer be possible to claim an increase of your state pension for another adult.
dependency increase’. It is an increase in your state pension for a wife, husband or someone who is looking after your children, if he or she is considered to be financially dependent on you. If you were already entitled to this increase on April 5 this year, you will be able to keep it until you no longer meet the conditions for the increase or until April 5 2020, whichever is first. If you claim your state pension on or after April 6 2010, you will not be able to claim an increase for an adult who depends on you financially when you finally claim your state pension, even if you have reached state pension age before April 6 2010. For more information on how to claim your state pension, contact the International Pensions Centre. You can find a range of contact details via this page on Directgov: www.direct.gov.uk/ pensionsabroad and click on the ‘Contact the International Pension Centre’ link.
This is called an
A HOUSING association in South Wales plans to name one of its developments after a local Royal Navy veteran whose research
created
‘adult
a
memorial to merchant sailors.
Fred Hortop was a depth charge specialist during World War 2, serving in destroyer HMS Hesperus, the scourge of the U-boats (Fred had a hand in the sinking of U93 in early 1942 and U357 at Christmas the same year) and the equally aggressive Flower- class corvette HMS Stonecrop, which accounted for U124 in April 1943 and U634 almost five months later. But it was the Merchant Navy
that attracted Fred’s attention in civilian life – Fred’s brothers all served at sea in World War 2. His eldest brother Robert
was killed in action on board the tramp steamer SS Baron
Civic honour for chronicler Fred
Dechmont in January 1943 when she was sunk by U-boat, while another brother, Dan, was sunk three times in less than a year (SS Clune Park,
January 1941, SS
Jedmoor, September 1941 and SS Maclaren, December 1941 – Dan was severely injured in the latter sinking).
According to Fred’s brother George, the Navy veteran set himself the task of recording the names of merchant ships and sailors from Barry and the Vale of Glamorgan who were lost during the war. In five years he had come up with 268 names from the World War 1 and 637 from World War 2. The latter research was chronicled in a leather-bound book which was not only displayed as a book of remembrance in the Barry area, but has also been officially recognised as a memorial in its own right by the Imperial
Convoy medals presented
ARCTIC Convoy veterans gathered on HMS Belfast in London for a presentation of commemorative medals by the Russians. Described by Churchill as “the worst journey in the world”, the
Captains gather
THE Captain Class Frigate
Association has held its annual reunion at the Hilton Hotel in Warwick, and there was unanimous approval for another reunion next year. Guest speaker at the dinner was
Vice Admiral Richard Ibbotson, Deputy CINCFLEET,
who
congratulated the veterans on their determination to continue their association – the youngest member is 84. Association chairman S/M Don Hitchcock,
formerly of HMS
Narborough, responded. Despite the fact that the class of ship was enormous – no fewer than 78 were lend-leased from the
United States – the association is a particularly tight-knit group. Young ships’ companies were sent across the Atlantic to pick up their ships from the east coast shipyards from 1943 onwards, with most sailors being between 18 and 20 years old. In their short service lives 17 Captain-class ships were either sunk or judged to be constructive total losses, and more than 700 of their sailors were killed. Virtually all the surviving vessels
were returned to America in 1946. The thriving association still seeks members – anyone interested should contact secretary Tom Fraser on 01539 536324.
convoys saw Belfast and warships of the RN and other allies escort merchantmen to and from the ports of Archangel and Murmansk in north Russia in temperatures as low as minus 30°C. Such convoys carried more than four million tons of vital supplies, including more than 5,000 tanks and 7,000 aircraft, for use by Soviet forces fighting the German Army on the Eastern Front. The 14 veterans were presented with their medals on the old cruiser by the Kremlin’s Chief of the Presidential State Decorations Directorate, Vladimir Borisovitch Osipov.
War Museum. Now the Newydd Housing
Association plans to name a new 20-rental unit of affordable homes in Cadoxton
‘Cwrt Hortop’,
following a suggestion by local historian Tom Clemett. An official from the association said it was important to maintain links with the past, and although old shops and homes on Main Street will disappear as part of the development, the efforts of Fred to place the names of lost seamen in the town’s annals made him a worthy candidate for having his own name honoured.
l Fred Hortop
History comes alive
MEMBERS of the HMS Calliope Association are planning to pay their own tribute to ‘local hero’
Collingwood. Vice Admiral Cuthbert
job at Trafalgar – he assumed command of the British fleet on the death of Nelson – Newcastle- born Collingwood led the Mediterranean Fleet for the rest of that decade.
He died off Menorca, one of his Mediterranean strongholds, in March 1810, and his home on the island is now the Hotel
Almirante, run by a Collingwood enthusiast.
del
at the RNR base on the Tyne at Gateshead, plan to fly out to Menorca this month and stay at the Admiral’s former home. Association chairman S/M Bob
New man in hot seat
THE RNA National Council has announced that they have recruited Capt Paul Quinn as the new General Secretary of the Association. Capt Quinn, a former Supply and Secretariat officer, has a strong record in naval administration and, since leaving the active list, has been engaged in restoring the fortunes of the Apostleship of the Sea, in which task he has been most successful. He will join the headquarters staff on May 4 to enable him to
participate in planning the Annual Conference, and will assume the reins of power at the end of the conference in Normandy, on June 7.
l Capt Peter Voute presents Marj Dodsworth with her certificate
Band liaison officer is rewarded for efforts
A FORMER Wren who worked with codebreakers in World War 2 has been recognised for her work as association liaison officer working with Royal Marines bands. S/M Marj Dodsworth, of the
was presented with a certificate, signed by the Lieutenant Governor Vice Admiral Sir Fabian Malbon, by association president Capt Peter Voute.
Guernsey Association of Royal Navy and Royal Marines, has
been instrumental (sorry – Ed) in making arrangements (sorry again,
too many musical puns – Ed) for
visits by bands for the Charybdis and Limbourne weekend over the past 30 years. S/M Marj, who worked on Enigma decryption during the war,
She also received a travel voucher and flowers.
At the last RM band concert at
St James’ last October S/M Marj was presented with a bouquet and a statue of a Royal Marines bandsman by Bandmaster WO2 Ashley Williams – the concert was the last weekend that she would be responsible for the band’s visit.
The visitors, who all served The man who completed the
same roof as Collingwood, and that the trip would really bring history to life. During their visit the group plans to hold a silver service dinner in the admiral’s honour, which will be attended by members of the Menorcan Britannia Club, which promotes links between the UK and the island.
Electrical veterans back ohm
MEMBERS of the Royal Navy Electrical Branch Association spent a day reminiscing during a visit to HMS Collingwood, the Fareham establishment where they all served at some stage in the past 50 years or more. With one member of the group
having first joined Collingwood in 1947, and the most recent dating back to the 1970s, they were expecting a very different place to the one they remembered. And although they saw
training, had a demonstration of the Phalanx weapon system and went on the bridge simulator, they were delighted to find some things hadn’t changed. Association founder S/M Mike Crowe said that they were pleased that basic theory is still taught – instead of a ‘throw-away Navy’
simply replacing failed
circuit boards, today’s sailors can fix a fault, despite the far more complicated nature of modern electronic equipment. The group also enjoyed lunch
in the wardroom and watched training divisions.
Standard date
THE Orkney branch standard will be dedicated over the weekend of May 22-23, and shipmates are welcome to attend. Details of travel and accommodation can be obtained from S/M David Young at david@ kilgower50.plus.com or see
www.rnaorkney.moonfruit.com
for more on the event, plus a trip to the Lyness Naval Museum, cemetery and Arctic Convoy Memorial on May 21.
Final reunion?
THE HMS Orion Association
annual reunion this summer could be the last as time takes its toll on members. The event will be in Plymouth
on August 21-22, with dinner on the Saturday evening at the Royal Fleet Hotel. HMS Kenya members are also
invited to the weekend. Whatever the final decision
at the AGM over future reunion weekends, the association itself remains in rude health.
Harrison, a former submariner, said they were excited at the prospect of staying under the
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