NAVY NEWS, NOVEMBER 1997 Options
• Capt Peter Bryan.
Seafarers mission accepted A FORMER Royal Navy officer has been appointed deputy secretary general of The Missions to Seamen. Capt Peter Bryan (59) joined the organisation's southern region as director in 1993, following retirement from the Navy. He had spent 38 years in the seaman branch of the service, specialising in submarines four of which he commanded. He also held staff positions in Portsmouth and Whitehall, and, as a committed churchman, was chairman of the RN's archdeaconry synod. The Missions to Seamen is an Anglican Church missionary society, caring for all seafarers in 300 ports worldwide. Working through chaplains and staff it averages 70,000 ship visits, welcomes 900,000 seafarers to its centres, visits 1,000 in hospitals and helps more than 1,000 justice and welfare cases each year.
NATO roles TWO RN personnel took leading roles in a major NATO ceremony in the United States. CPOWEA Andy Wyatt was given the honour of carrying the ACLANT colours at the change of command ceremony for SACLANT - the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic. Dignitaries, including the US Secretary of Defence and the NATO Secretary General, were piped on board American nuclear aircraft carrier USS John C Stennis by an international side party which included LWTR Adrian Humphries. Both are serving with Naval Party 1964.
Marching first? A TEAM from RN air station Yeovilton has completed the gruelling Nijmegen Marches in the Netherlands - and believe they are the first Navy team to do so. The team, led by CPO Roger Collar from Portland, completed the 100-mile course over four days, each carrying a 10kg pack. Around 8,000 military personnel and 37,000 civilians from around the world take part in the annual marches, which began in 1900.
People in the News
Lifemembership lor 102-year-old A FORMER submariner has celebrated his 102nd birthday in appropriate fashion - with a tot or two of rum. Albert Wood, who now lives in Canada, served in RN submarines during both World Wars, winning many medals. And as part of the birthday celebrations at the Extended Care Unit of St Joseph's Hospital in British Columbia, Albert was presented with life membership of the Royal Canadian Submarine
• LWEA Simon Day.
Association, making him the oldest member in the country. He is also believed to be the oldest member of the Submarine Coxswain Association in England. Albert, who was born in September 1895 in Croydon, Surrey, joined the Navy at 15, and in the following 29 years served in many vessels and establishments, including HM ships Impregnable, Prince of Wales, Superb, Hercules, Dolphin, Excellent, Cyclops, Titania, Inconstant and Vulcan. Mr Wood's son Colin was also at the party.
Trainees score in contest TWO ENGINEERS from a Royal Navy establishment reached the final of a national competition. LWEAs Simon Day and David Parr, who were at the time based at HMS Collingwood in Fareham, entered the regional Young Engineers for Britain competition with a squash Scoreboard, designed and built for their apprenticeships. The project won the industrial section, and picked up the Omicron Surface Science Ltd award for outstanding entries. Victory in the regional competition put the pair into the national final, which was held at the Commonwealth Institute in London. They were one of only four teams selected to contest the national category of "working in industry", but they could not repeat their success at regional level - although their entry was deemed to be of a very high standard. The pair have now left HMS Collingwood and have joined HM ships York and Invincible.
• All yours - Commodore Peter Kldner takes over the Defence Helicopter Support Authority from Air Commodore Ian Brakenbury. The DHSA, at RN air station Yeovilton, provides support for all British military helicopters.
Veterans back at base FORMER US Air Force veterans have made a nostalgic visit to their old air base in Scotland. Around 65 ex-Servicemen and their wives from the Prestwick Alumni Association called in at HMS Gannet, the RN air station which now occupies the site of the old American air base In Ayrshire. The visit included tours of the Operations building and the hangar, where there was a chance for the veterans to see the Sea King helicopters and learn about life at the base. For many It was their first time back, and they were pleased to see landmarks from their era still standing. The Commanding Officer of HMS Gannet, Cdr Nigel ArnallCulllford, presented the Association with crests from 819 Squadron and HMS Gannet as permanent reminders of their return to Scotland.
THE LAST class of Artificer Apprentices to wear Class III uniform has passed out of HMS Raleigh. As Wrens are now dressed the same as their male counterparts, so too are the apprentices. Out goes the collar and tie and peaked cap, and all apprentices are now issued with Class II uniform - square rig. Of the 47 youngsters who joined Fisgard Squadron last April, 33 have successfully completed basic training course - and made a little bit of history into the bargain.
• Up front - former Brigadier General Robert Petty of 2176 Communications Squadron, based at Prestwlck In 1964-66, Is shown the Sea King by Lt SI Kirkham of 819 Naval Air Squadron.
Long time, no sea A NAVY charge chief has received a long service award - while serving in a vessel which is more like a building site than a submarine.
CCWEA 'Rab' Butler is serving in HMS Vengeance, the last of the four Trident missile submarines which is now in build at VSEL in Barrow, and will not be commissioned until 1999 - shortly before Rab leaves the Navy. Rab joined up in 1966, and has spent the past 16 years in the submarine flotilla, including spells in HM ships Repulse and Victorious. Rab is married, with two sons, and is a county class d?-1s player. He is pictured being awarded the clasp to his Long Service and Good Conduct medal by Flag Officer Submarines, Rear Admiral James Perowne.
New rig for apprentices
Award for telecomms THE QUALITY of naval shore communications has been recognised with the award of official certification. The Maintenance and Support Division of the Directorate of Naval Shore Telecommunications gained ISO 9002 certification. Director General Fleet Support (Ops and Plans), Rear Admiral Brian Perowne, making the award, said it marked a major milestone in ensuring that the highest possible standards of support are available to the operational fleet.
• LWEA David Parr
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