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40 NAVY NEWS, JUNE 2010

Police beat Southend in other Boat Race

WHO won the boat race this year? Cambridge?

Oxford, for that matter. It was C Shift, actually, which

No. Nor

The CO at Southend, S/Lt (SCC) Les Hawkins RNR, is also C Shift Sgt Les Hawkins at Leigh Police Station (Essex Police), who decided to organise an ASC pulling race between his shift and two teams from TS Implacable, raising funds for the Corps and Help for Heroes.

● Youngsters get a feel for the cut and thrust at the Swordfencing Roadshow – with Molly the VW camper van in the background

Roadshow highlights fencing

SAILORS in the days of yore could wield a mean cutlass, and echoes of that tradition can still be seen in versions of the hornpipe and in the prowess of Naval personnel in the sport of fencing. And

swordsmen and women in the Naval community

encouraged by a fencing club just outside the naval base in Portsmouth. The John Pounds Centre, just off

Queen Street, runs the Academie D’Escrime, which counts among its young members Explorer Scouts from Gosport and the children of Naval families.

are being new generations of

The race was a straight-line 800m dash, and the police were first over the line, with the male cadets consigning their female compatriots to third place.

narrowly beat the Southend unit boys in a clash of the giants in the Royal Victoria Docks.

“I have to say that I was quite surprised by the result as the shift had only had about an hour’s practice before the race,” said Les. “Because of my conflict of interest – the cadets calling me ‘sir’ and the shift calling me ‘sarge’ – I ended up driving the Champ, towing the teams to the start line and ferrying supporters around. “However, not a bad day’s

work in the end as we raised just over £600.” The cadets

a rematch, and Les

looking at making it an annual event, and including the other emergency services as well. Les also thanked staff at the

Corps boat station for helping make

smoothly. sure the event went

are seeking is now

● The Southend unit teams (on left, from left, boys): OC Luke Kingham, LC Henry Saunders, LC Liam Overy, OC Lenny Connolly and OC Michael Dear; (girls): OC Shinia Byrne, OC Emma Parrish, Cdt Charlotte Wright, OC Matisse Matchett, OC Brogan Ford; (middle, blue shirt): S/Lt Les Hawkins; (middle, blue shirt): Sgt Les Hawkins, Essex Police team, C Shift, on right

Banbury’s saviour wins civic award

THE CO of Banbury unit has been honoured by the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire for his work in the community with

young people.

In February 2008 TS Harvester

Coach Kevin Reilly also seeks to take the message out into the community, so he and the junior coaches from the Academie voluntarily run a roadshow – but he doesn’t use any old transport. The Swordfencing Roadshow rolls up in a fully-restored classic VW camper van, circa 1972 – called Molly – complete with a teardrop trailer named Monty. Kevin, a county fencing coach,

now combines the promotion of the sport with a chance to show off the van and trailer – despite their compact size Molly and Monty, plus awnings, can accommodate ten people.

Units interested in learning more about the sport can contact the Academie and Kevin through the John Pounds Centre at www.

johnpoundscentre.co.uk

New title is agreed

THE Queen has agreed to the use of the prefix ‘Royal’ for Marine Cadets of the Sea Cadet Corps, and they are

‘Royal Marines Cadets’

immediate effect.

to be known as with

The announcement was

made at the Royal Albert Hall in the presence of the Duke of Edinburgh, Captain General of the Royal Marines. Although the Corps regards it as a great honour,

the change

will have no major impact on the way the Corps does its marine cadet business or promotes the Sea Cadets. And given the longstanding and continuing reliance on support from the Merchant Navy and private sector as well as the Royal Navy, there is no proposal nor intention to change the title from Sea Cadets to Royal Navy Cadets.

Raft of benefi ts

GUILDFORD cadets will be able to buy a much-needed new engine for their safety boat thanks to a donation from the White Lion Walk shopping centre.

The cheque for £1,200 was the result of a charity raft race last year, in which staff from White Lion Walk won the title of champion fundraisers as well as best-presented raft and crew in their class.

● Lt (SCC) Peter Killick RNR with his prize and a front-page citation from the South Wales Evening

Post

Pride of Llanelli

THE Executive Officer of Llanelli unit has won a South Wales Evening Post Pride Award. Lt (SCC) Peter Killick RNR,

who is also a former Commanding Officer of TS Echo, won the Mentor of

his commitment, dedication and excellent standards of training and mentoring over the years. Peter was nominated by his CO, PO (SCC) Paul Jenkins, who said: “I think it’s fair to say that all the kids look up to him. “There have been children coming from troubled backgrounds and he has always ensured that they were not left out.” The award is another example

the Year award for

of the South Wales unit making headlines – the cadets of TS Echo have been well to the fore in publicising the activities of the Corps in their area. At the start of the year they

invited their shipmates from Port Talbot unit to Llanelli Leisure Centre to a ‘swim the Channel’ event. Starting at midday the cadets ploughed up and down the pool, achieving their target of 1,404 lengths well before their scheduled finish time of 3pm. They were not too tired at the end to unwind on an inflatable assault course set up by leisure centre staff.

The Llanelli cadets raised over £300 for the unit from the swim. A group from the unit visited the newly-refurbished Mayor’s Parlour in Llanelli, where the Mayor, Cllr John Jenkins, paid tribute to the cadets and staff, thanking them all for their commitment and hard work, especially at Remembrance Day parades and various other activities. There was also the usual range

of courses and regular training to fit in, including a joint training weekend with Neath unit at Weymouth, when

cadets tried their hand at sailing and powerboating in glorious weather.

19 Llanelli

● The Mayor of Fareham, Cllr Ruth Godrich, and members of the Royal Marines Band HMS Collingwood join Warsash unit cadets and their Commanding Offi cer Lt Cdr (SCC) Vicki Marson RNR (second right)

Concerted effort

15, spent the evening at Ferneham Hall during a concert by the Royal

WARSASH unit members gave up an evening to help the Mayor of Fareham, Cllr Ruth Godrich, raise funds for one of her chosen charities, SSAFA Forces Help. The cadets, aged between 12 and

Marines Band HMS Collingwood. Some took buckets round to add to the total collection, while others handed out programmes and escorted people to their seats. At the end of the evening, when the sums were done, TS Tormentor had raised almost £200.

was just three weeks from being paid off as it had no staff, just four female cadets and very little equipment. Chairman

Neil Clarke

approached former CO, Lt (SCC) Jon Cox RNR and asked him to return and rebuild the unit. After being persuaded by his wife Hazel and long-time friend S/Lt (SCC) Ingham RNR, CO of Oxford unit, Lt Cox took up the reins again and,

supported by his District and Area staff, has

overseen the re-emergence of a unit which now boasts almost 40 cadets and eight staff, some of whom are former cadets from Lt Cox’s previous tenure as CO. With considerable begging and scrounging Lt Cox has not only managed to build up cadet and staff numbers and reclaim its boats, but has also obtained funds enabling the unit to buy its own minibus and ten new kayaks complete with road trailer. He has also established a new link with the local sailing club where last year, with the help of RYA/BCU instructors at the club, his cadets gained more than 50 boating awards.

The unit continues to prosper and has won several district

events.

Earlier this year TS Harvester

represented the Oxon & Bucks

District at the Southern Area drill competition at HMS Excellent, where they finished second and their

guard commander, POC

Dan Southan, won the Best Area Guard Commander trophy. Two weeks later cadets, along with four staff and Lt Cox, planted more than 1,500 trees and shrubs in conjunction with Banbury Town Council as part of the Cadet 150 scheme with the Woodland Trust. Lt Cox was nominated for the

High Sheriff ’s Award by Banbury Town Mayor Cllr Tina Wren and was personally selected by the High Sheriff, Richard Dick, from the 60 nominated candidates.

● Lt (SCC) Jon Cox RNR

A GROUP of 30 from the City of London unit swapped the urban River Thames for a week amongst the bucolic Norfolk Broads. The

parades on board the World War 2 cruiser HMS Belfast, permanently moored close to Tower Bridge, spent much of the time navigating the various Broads. They also met up with the local

unit, Great Yarmouth, at the TS Norfolk boating station at Oulton Broad Yacht Club. Great Yarmouth unit, based in Gorleston, spent the day with their London colleagues enjoying powerboating, pulling and sailing activities and training, as well as socialising with each other.

unit, which normally

Fall killed Royalist teenager

AN inquest is to be held into the death of a Sea Cadet who fell from the mast of the tall ship TS Royalist. Jonathan Martin, 14, a member

of Ashford unit, was working on board the ship when he fell into the sea on May 2 in Stokes Bay, off Gosport. He was pulled from the Solent by the ship’s sea boat, and transferred by helicopter to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, where he was pronounced dead. A post mortem determined

Jonathan died as a result of severe chest injuries because of his fall from a height. The Marine Society & Sea Cadets (MSSC),

which owns the Royalist,

that Jonathan was “a popular and much-loved cadet who worked hard and was

to a great future within the Sea Cadets.”

looking forward

“We are all shocked and saddened by this tragic accident and our thoughts are with Jonathan’s family and friends at this distressing and painful time.

The MSSC statement said:

the charity said

“The protection and safeguarding of young people is of paramount importance to the charity, and we take our duty of care very seriously. “TS Royalist is staffed by

experienced and qualified crew. This is the first fatality the ship has experienced since she was commissioned in 1971.” The charity is working with

the Marine Accident Investigation Branch to establish the full details of what happened and has offered every assistance to the local authorities and police. Royalist was at the start of a

week-long cruise in the Channel, and the cadets and staff on board had taken part in an event at Gunwharf Quay in Portsmouth to mark the 150th anniversary of the cadet movement in the UK. The brig is the flagship training vessel of the charity.

From the Thames to the Norfolk Broads

It is hoped a return trip, to HMS Belfast, can be arranged for later this year.

Norfolk, said: “This was a great opportunity for two units who would not normally work together to meet and use each other’s skills and qualifications to provide the highest levels of training which the Sea Cadet Corps offers and expects.

“Being situated for boatwork on the Broads is an ideal environment for all our water-based training and we are proud and privileged to be here.” The day was also the first

PO Richardson, of TS

opportunity for the unit to try out their new RiB safety boat. 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  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56
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