26
NAVY NEWS, JULY 2008
Collingwood Battalion is honoured in Dorset
AN ARMED guard and wreath bearers, together with First Lieutenant Lt Cdr Martyn Peak and Rev James Francis, represented HMS Collingwood at the annual memorial service at the Collingwood Corner Naval Division Memorial, Blandford Camp. Wreaths were laid on behalf of HMS Collingwood, the Blandford Garrison, the RNA and the trustees of the Collingwood Memorial. At the outbreak of World War 1 the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, directed that those members of the Royal Navy who could not be used at sea should be formed into a land-fighting division to operate alongside the Army. The RN Division consisted of battalions named after famous British admirals, and the Second Collingwood Battalion was initially trained at Blandford Camp, near Pimperne in Dorset, and was later almost wiped out in Gallipoli. A memorial was placed near the entrance to the camp.
‘Other’ heroes recalled
Secret new Solebay
● The newly-commissioned HMS Solebay acts as guardship for yacht racing at Ryde Canoe Lake
BOURNE branch are now the proud owners of a crucifix, thanks to an appeal in Navy News last winter. The memebsr of Bourne had several replies from both branches and individuals who either had one available or were willing to make one. In the end, one was obtained from Harlow branch, but members were keen to thank everyone who contacted them on the issue.
MEMBERS of the HMS Solebay Association were sent on a secret mission during their weekend reunion on the Isle of Wight. They left their base at the Shanklin Hotel, and were transported to Ryde on the orders of association chairman Malcolm Clarke and Shirley Winn, managing director of weekend organisers IOW Tours. Their destination was the Canoe Lake in Ryde, where the veterans were treated to the sight of a magnificent 4ft scale radiocontrolled model of their old ship. In true Royal Naval style, to mark the debut of the Battleclass destroyer, a commissioning cake adorned with the ship’s crest was cut by the ‘CO’s wife’, Sue (wife of Malcolm) and the ‘youngest member of the crew’ Jock Brodie, a junior cook on the last commission in 1960, and now sporting a magnificent beard. The launch was held in co-operation with the Ryde Model Yacht club to ensure radio frequencies did not clash; the club, formed in 1874, uses the lake every Sunday morning for racing Marbleheads, named after a prominent yachting town on Long Island Sound.
AN ex-Services group which traces its roots back to the Zeebrugge raid has recently celebrated its 89th annual dinner and dance. The Bristol Royal Navy and Royal Marines Old Comrades’ Association was
founded in 1919 following the raid on Belgium, which took place on St George’s Day in 1918. The founder was H H Turner RM, who actually took part in the raid, and would be very proud to think that his group
School visit
A PARTY from the Association of Wrens has visited the Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury to see how trainees pick up aviation skills. The group watched 705 Naval Air Squadron activities and were shown the Horsa glider project. While on station the party met the Commandant of the DHFS, Capt Martin Westwood RN, and 705 NAS senior pilot Lt Sly Vorley.
Bourne grateful
Pictures: Mike Crowe
DON’T forget the other Enigma heroes, said a former Royal Navy sailor. Mr Hodgins said he does not in any way wish to take away the credit for the bravery of the three men of HMS Petard who recovered vital secret codes from the U-559 in October 1942. Two of the men, Lt Tony Fasson and AB Colin Grazier, died in the process, but historians have said their actions shortened the war by many months. Mr Hodgins refers to the earlier capture of codes and an Enigma machine itself from U110 by HM ships Bulldog, Broadway and Aubretia in May 1941. The Germans, fearing that they were to be rammed, escaped from their boat, but a boarding party, led by S/Lt David Balme, recovered the vital equipment and information. The booty enabled codebreakers at Bletchley Park to start to untangle the fearsome Enigma. In 2001 a memorial stone and plaque were unveiled at Horsforth, which in 1941 was a village just outside Leeds and which adopted Aubretia. Inside the village museum is a model of the corvette and an account of the capture of U110. At the unveiling, a parade of more than 300 ex-sailors, including seven from Aubretia and one from Bulldog, marked the occasion. H Unsung heroes? See letters on page 25
DVD given to museum
● Former junior cook Jock Brodie (left) and HMS Solebay Association chairman Malcolm Clarke with the model of their old ship during the Isle of Wight reunion Cowes Royal British Legion. Any past members of the crew of HMS Solebay who would like to join the Association at their next reunion, to be held in Scarborough, should contact Malcolm Clarke at 164 Southmead Road, Westburyon-Trym, Bristol BS10 5DR.
SHIPMATES Francis Brown and Peter O’Malley, of the City of Glasgow branch, were invited to Edinburgh Castle to present a copy of the DVD Mayday Tugs to the National Museum Scotland. Librarian Sarah Dallman was very grateful to receive a copy of the DVD because of its connection to World War 2. Peter enlisted in 1942 and served in the tugs Dexterous, Bustler, Growler and Jaunty. He also served in Atlantic and Mediterranean convoys, took part in the invasion of North Africa, Sicily and Normandy, and saw action in the Far East.
And it seemed only proper for the newly-commissioned greyhound of the sea to lend her services as guardship for the racing yachts. Members reckoned the last time a sister-ship of Solebay acted as guardship for a Cowes Week yacht
race was HMS Vigo in 1958. It was the first time the association has held their reunion on the Isle of Wight, and they enjoyed a tour of local beauty spots on the Saturday. A magnificent buffet lunch was laid on for the visitors by the
was still going strong after 90 years. Recognised by the Admiralty in 1927, the association claims it is arguably the oldest of its kind in the country, older even than the Royal British Legion. “We still commemorate the Zeebrugge epic with our annual dinner, held on the Saturday nearest St George’s Day,” said association secretary S/M Ken Fry. “We are also custodians of a White Ensign flown during the battle which is on display in a cabinet aboard HMS Flying Fox in Bristol.” Sea Cadets from TS Endurance and TS Endeavour paraded the Colours with the association’s own standard bearer S/M Tony Rice.
● A touch of yesterday’s Navy was served up at the HMS Glory Association reunion at the Savoy Hotel in Bournemouth, when chairman S/M Les Reynolds (centre) and his oppo S/M Arthur Norman (right) distributed tots from a rum tub specially made by Arthur. Enjoying his tot is vice chairman Bernard Skam
Zeebrugge group look to 90th