NAVY NEWS, NOVEMBER 1997 Options
People in the News Freighter honours Barham LWRN(SA) Nicola Bird's efforts towards establishing a system to monitor stores expenditure at HMS Excellent won her the Commodore's termly special prize. Nicola (above) worked on stores-related costings, and still managed to be a key member of the support party for HMS Excellent's Whitbread field gun crew.
• All set- (left) Trevor Jones, In the Tiger Moth cockpit, with Cdr Phil Shaw, before the flight over Yeovilton (above).
The sky's the limit
S/Lt Peter Towell has received the 1996 British Aerospace Sword, awarded annually to the Special Duties Officer in Engineering who shows the best across-the-board results. Peter (above), who was given the sword during Ceremonial Divisions at HMS Sultan, is now Deputy Marine Engineer Officer in HMS York.
A FORMER naval officer who broke his neck in a skiing accident ten years ago took to the skies over Yeovilton.
THE
ROYAL NAVY 1939 to the present day Max Arthur's collection of remarkable accounts from brave and unassuming individuals who represent a testimony to courage and endeavour.
Trevor Jones became hooked on flying when he visited the Duke of York during his helicopter training at RNAS Culdrose, and flew with the Duke's instructor, Lt Phil Shaw. Trevor served in the Falklands with the Fleet Air Arm, and made the headlines when he helped to rescue Richard Branson from the Irish Sea after his transatlantic balloon crossing. But in 1987, while competing in the RN skiing championships, Trevor had an accident which left
him paralysed and with only limited use of his arms. But that did not prevent him from testing himself at a number of arduous and adventurous 'hobbies', including scuba-diving, skiing, and piloting his own microlight aircraft - solo. He recently flew himself across the English Channel, and his next project is to sail around the world in a specially-adapted trimaran named The Next Challenge. Now Trevor has flown with Phil once again - this time in Cdr Shaw's Tiger Moth, over Yeovilton, when the pair took a 45minute spin, including aerobatics.
A CRUISE round Europe on a container ship provided poignant memories for a survivor from HMS Barham. John Cross, a former Royal Marines corporal, was a passenger on a container ship which crossed the North Sea, then made its way round the Mediterranean. The ship's officers were German, and though John had been "warned not to mention the war" the subject was raised by the officers. John asked how close the ship would pass to the resting place of the Barham, sunk in 1941 off North Africa, and the captain told him it would be five miles. But as the ship drew closer, the captain invited John to take the helm and, under his supervision, John steered her to the exact spot. Even though it was the small hours of the morning, John was taken to the upper deck where he was delighted to find the ship's company assembled for a short service, organised by the captain. Prayers were said for those who died, the survivors, and the crew of U-331, which sank her. John then dropped Barham and Royal Marines mementoes over the side. The ship's siren was sounded six times, and the captain took him back to the bridge where, on the ship's sonar, two sea-bed contacts could be seen where the Barham sank - probably indicating that the ship broke in two as she went down. • The HMS Barham annual remembrance service will be held on the afternoon of November 22 at \\festminster Abbey.
Bell moved THE BELL of the battleship HMS Valiant has edged closer to home. After serving in two wars, the battleship was broken up, and the bell was presented to retired Lt Cdr David Dumas in 1976. The presentation was made by Cdr Noel James, then CO of frigate HMS Rothesay, which was visiting America on an eastward round-the-world deployment. Now, after 21 years at Lt Cdr Dumas's home in Sausalito, California, it has been given to Cdr Dumas's son Patrick, a former US Marine Corps helicopter pilot who lives in New York State - so the bell has now completed threequarters of a circumnavigation.
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ANACCOUNT of the early days of a Naval officer's career has put Mm In the running tor a short-story competition. Lt Cdr Ken Napier, based at HMS Dolphin in Gosport, telts of W» adventures in the Far East during the 1960s In A Year in the Life of a Midshipman. The story has been shortlisted In the Royal Armouries/ Ex-Services Mental Welfare Society competition, which offers a £1,000 prize. Deadline for entries ia November 28, and titles to choose from are Military Life, Wartime, or Peace.
Balearic link A RETIRED Royal Navy chaplain is retaining his maritime links with his latest appointment. The Rev Dr Simon Stephens completed 17 years with the Navy, including spells with the Surveying Squadron and in HMS Ark RoyaL Now the Anglican Church has given Dr Stephens special responsibility for the British Community in Minorca, which was given to Britain by the Treaty of ytrecht, and remained under British rule for almost 100 years. The island's capital, Mahon, was once base port for Nelson's Mediterranean fleet.
• Hotel service -STD Ron Greenwood of HMS Berkeley prepares to serve up dinner with help from Steve Flower, head chef at the Berkeley Hotel In London.
Dining out in style THE wardroom of HMS Berkeley dined out In style when they held a mess dinner at the Berkeley Hotel In London. The Hunt-class minehunter has a strong affiliation with the hotel, which has in the past provided opportunities for Naval chefs and stewards to see how hotel kitchens are run. In return, the ship has taken hotel staff to sea so they can appreciate the working condi-
tions of their Naval counterparts. LCH Graham King and CH Gary Mackay worked under the watchful eye of hotel head chef Steve Flower, while STD Ron Greenwood, having conducted a wine selection and tasting in the hotel cellar, served dinner to the wardroom and guests, including guest of honour Jean-Jacques Pergant, general manager of the Berkeley.