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NAVY NEWS, JUNE 1994
End of term party
Yangtze book A BOOK of Remembrance has been dedicated at St Ann's Church in Portsmouth naval base, in memory of the 44 RN officers and men killed by the Chinese People's Liberation Army during the 1949 Yangtze Incident. Half of those killed were buried at sea but the graves of those buried at Hung Jao Cemetery, Shanghai had disappeared, probably during the Cultural Revolution. As a result of the efforts of the association of HM ships Amethyst, Consort, Black Swan and London a memorial plaque was dedicated at St Nicholas's Church, Devonport, last year and there are also plans for a memorial to be placed on a wall in the residence garden of the British Embassy, Beijing.
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PICTURED reviewing ceremonial divisions is First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Benjamin Bathurst, during a recent visit to HMS Collingwood. After touring the establishment's recreational facilities he went on to officially open new accommodation blocks. A prizegiving ceremony was also held in the Collingwood Club where the Admiral presented end-ofterm prizes for training achievements by individuals and training schools.
Pennant's number is up in Nelson
COMMODORE Roger Lowndes (centre) Cdr Brian Wheeler and Capt Andrew Slater take the salute as the commodore's pennant is lowered at HMS Nelson for the last time. Commodore Lowndes, who retires from the Navy, handed over the reins of the establishment to Capt Slater.
Saint's day in Piraeus
ARCHBISHOP Father Nicholas Tzevas, senior chaplain to the Hellenic Navy, is pictured below with the Rev Mike Brotherton. of HMS Ark Royal, blessing the Icon of St Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors. After the service, which took place while the ship was alongside in Piraeus, Father Nicholas presented the icon to the chapel.
German patrol boats visit city A GERMAN naval flotilla of eight light patrol boats arrived at West India Dock last month for a four-day v i s i t to London. The fifth Fast Patrol Boat Squadron, made up of eight Class 148 patrol vessels, and their support ship Rhein. was under the command of Fregattcnkapitan (Commander) John Schamong who, along with other officers, paid courtesy calls to Lord Mayor of London Alderman Paul Newall. Mayor of Tower Hamlets Cllr J. Snooks and Deputy Master of Trinity House ('apt Edge. Cdr Schamong also hosted a lunch for local dignitaries while his ships' companies took part in a football match against HMS Westminster and invited local children on board for a party. The Fifth Patrol Boat Squadron has travelled over 300,000 nautical miles as a goodwill ambassador to leading European ports since it was formed in 1959 and last month enjoyed a second visit to London.
JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE EARTH ONE of the greatest English Antarctic explorers, Sir Ernest Shackleton, was commemorated at a simple ceremony on the island of South Georgia. Sir Ernest, who died of a guardship, in which Mrs BerThat journey, made in 1918, heart attack while his ship gel travelled to the island. was celebrated in the unveilwas at anchor off Grytviken Representatives of the ing of a plaque outside the and who was buried at the Southern Ice Ebor Expedition, manager's house in Stromlocal cemetery, was wellbeing undertaken by the ness by the explorer's grandknown to the local people at Royal Green Jackets to redaughter, Mrs Alexandra Berthe whaling stations for his gel pictured below. Also trace Shackleton's steps, also epic journey from King witnessed the ceremony. present were Mr Craig ShelHaakan Bay to Stromness, a • HMS Norfolk handed over ton, Assistant Commissioner journey lasting 36 hours, withher guardship duties to HMS for South Georgia, and Capt out any rest, to ensure the Brazen last month before emJames Perowne, CO of HMS safety of his stranded and barking on her passage home. Norfolk the Falkland Islands' starving colleagues. The first door he knocked on was that of the whaling station manager where he received shelter and where the rescue party was organised.