NAVY NEVIS, NOVEMBER 2009
16
PEOPLE
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Veterans visit modern
Christopher Smith has won a prestigious prize for an outstanding performance at HMS Raleigh. LS
Tlie rating, who served in HMS Northumberland, received the Institute of
Seamanship award
achieving an per cent
(Sea)
on course
for overall mark of 97.8
his Leading Seaman last year.
The silver salver was presented by Lt Cdr Nicko Franks (Retd) from the Institute of Seamanship, who said that LS Smith proves the art and skill of seamanship is alive and well in the Royal Navy.
THE Muslim Chaplain to the Forces. Imam Asim Hafiz, has welcomed plans to embrace all faiths at HMS Raleigh with the building of a new dedicated prayer room. During a visit to Raleigh. Imam Asim visited the existing prayer room, which is to be relocated into a new building alongside the main chaplaincy complex. watched recruits undergoing training and spoke to two trainees of the Muslim faith, Logs Kebba Jaye and Kemo Kassama. A NAVAL officer was due to take his place on stage in the West End as i\'a't'_\' .\.'e:t*s went to press.
Lt Edward Black, a diving officer recently returned to the UK from Bahrain, was due to be one of the ensemble (around 1'30 strong) in a production of (.‘ra.:_v _fi)rIt’I)ll at the London Palladium. Rehearsed from scratch in just -18 hours by Eyebrow Productions, the musical will raise money for
Cecily‘s Fund, helping Zanibian orphans.
was at school with Cecily Eastwood, after whom the fund is
Edward
named, and who died in Zambia while on .1 volunteering visit.
TWO war veterans have taken the opportunity to visit modern Royal Navy vessels. Albert Horatio Jones found himself back on board HIVIS Illustrious, though not his Illustrious, the wartime carrier. Ex-Stoker Albert joined the Navy 70 years ago this month, and served in Illustrious from commissioning in April 1940 until late 1942.
John (85)
served in HM ships King George V and Calder in which he won the DSC before moving on to submarines Vulpine and Springer. He was shown round HMS Talent b_v her CO Cdr Simon Asquith, and submariner Lt Cdr Peter Stanton-Brown also arranged for John to peer through the periscope of the Talisman submarine command team trainer.
his time on board the carrier took part in the Battle ofTaranto. Albert (90), who emigrated to Canada in 1958, and his son Michael were guests on the current Illustrious alongside in Portsmouth. It was a submarine rather than a carrier which interested John Huckle when he was hosted by the Devonport Flotilla.
—
—
Charlotte joins alter coulnort sea-time with lamily
visitor is rohoused
A YOUNG fox found skulking beneath a diesel generator at Coulport is now enjoying the
good life outdoors armaments depot.
TWO weeks at sea with members of her family convinced Charlotte Stocker that the Royal Navy was the career for her.
As they could not just leave the door open overnight to allow Basil,
inevitably been dubbed, to escape, he was humanely trapped, using cat food as bait. It is thought the animal found its way into the building to seek shelter from a heavy downpour. Basil was driven to Helensburgh as
Stocker and brother Oliver (20) in HMS Illustrious as the carrier sailed home from Gibraltar. She also spent a week with 18-year-old Alex on board HMS
As well
as
at
0 Charlotte Stocker (second left) makes it a Senior Service quartet with brothers Oliver (left) and Alex (right) and father Kevin, who is now serving at HMS Collingwood where his daughter is training
brothers, some 35 members of her
extended family were there to see Charlotte's passing—out parade at the end of basic training. And among them was one very special guest Charlotte’s twoycar-old daughter Daisy, who is being cared for by Charlotte's ~
mother Jayne. “It has been hard leaving Daisy, and I couldn't wait to see her again," said Charlotte.
“I didn’t think I would be able to do anything like this after she was born, but when I spoke to the women at sea who had children,
they put it into
perspective.
a
different
"I am now doing this for her because I want her to have a better life. “I've kept in touch with her on the phone, and all the girls I’ve been training with have spoken
to
her,
so
it’s like
the_v’ve
known
her forever. “They will be like an extended family for her.” With basic training over, Charlotte took her summer leave and is now at HMS Collingwood. where she will train as a warfare
specialist.
And the family ties are still as strong as ever her father is also —
now
serving at Collingwood.
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HMS Bulwark I960 £50.00 HMS Albion I962 £50.00 HMS Victorious Aircraft Carrier I966 £60.00 : HMS Eagle Aircraft Carrier I964 £60.00 (Pictured) HMS Ark Royal Aircraft Carrier I977 £60.00 : HMS Hermes Aircraft Carrier 1982 £60.00 All model: pf": par! mirfpnckirrg £8.00 (UK Orrfy) r
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“the most famous warship in the world..." That rivalry is now embodied in the sibling competition between Sarah and Adam Vines (abate, on Arie Royal), who are
conducting Initial Fleet Training in preparation to outdo each other in their forthcoming Fleet Board. The brother and sister have
/
PO(Phol) Jon
Hamlet
Sibling rivalry relloots carrier competition Illustrious is the older, Ark is slightly bigger, ‘Lusty’ featured in
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‘WITH HMS Ark Royal leaving dry dock, the long-standing and healthy rivalry between the UK’s two operational aircraft carriers is
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awarded the PDSA Gold Medal the George Cross of the animal world in 2002 for rescuing his owner when Allen had been knocked out of his wheelchair. As Allen lziy unconscious, Endal put him into the recovery position,
Picture:
—
GULF War veteran Allen Patton has received an honorary PDSA Pet Tribute Tag in remembrance of his assistance dog Endal, who died earlier this year. Endal’s tag will remain on permanent display in the PDSA ‘Paws Forever’ pet tribute garden at Ilford in Essex. F.x—chiefA|len, who was injured during the Gulf War, and his faithful pet were well-known to
Iindal,
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millions through the development of their partnership.
HMS CORN\‘v'ALL’S special award for leadership has been awarded to I.S(CIS) Sarah Metcalfe. Each year a member of the frigate’s ship's company is chosen for demonstrating leadership qualities well beyond those expected for their rate ztnd experience, and they receive the Company of Leathersellers’ Trophy. Sarah (left) was chosen for her exceptional performance on board during intensive training in UK waters and on counter-piracy operations in the Gulfof Aden. Frigate CO Cdr Johnny Ley praised Sarah's “pivotal role“ in the communications centre.
.
Coulport.
was
clean billof released back a
Department.
loading loading llflllll
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gave him
“There is enough open land at the site to ensure that it can live a healthy life with plenty to eat and it won’t be :1 nuisance to livestock,“ said John Belshaw, of Faslane’s Environmental Health
shown
her parents and
a vet
health, then he
Charlotte said: “Before going to sea with Dad and my brothers I had no intention of joining the Royal Navy, but as soon as I was
ship being
he has
where
Nottingham.
board the
the Scottish
when the cub (czbuac) was found in a high security building.
joining her father CPO Kevin
on
at
Environmental Health officers were called in from nearby Faslane
And Trainee Warfare Specialist Charlotte (21) has now followed in the footsteps of her father and two brothers. Last year Charlotte took part in the R.\"s ‘Familiesat Sea‘ initiative,
www.showtimecha|lenge.co.uk round and seeing my family at work, I changed my mind.” On returning home she visited AN able rating at HMS Raleigh has won a special commendation the local careers office and, having from his CO in recognition of passed all the recruitment checks, she was asked to report to HMS his role in hosting visits by youngsters on work experience Raleigh for basic training. With nine weeks learning the at the training establishment. AB Ian Beacon, from Jamaica, fundamentals of being a sailor behind her, Charlotte said: was chosen to help with the programme while waiting to “Training has been good, but hard. start specialist training. “Dad and my brothers gave me Over a three-week period he escorted some 30 14- and some inside tips on completing 15-year-olds, winning acclaim the course, including how to use from Capt Jonathan Woodcock cotton buds to shine my boots and how to revise for the exams." for his “can-do approach" and “meticulous attention to detail”.
During
warships
wanted to join the Service, and both are former Sea Cadets.
long
They arrived at Dartmouth on the same day in April, but have been kept apart to help bond with members. Adam (I9). who aims to
new team
fly
the Joint Strike Fighter, claims he led the way, but Sarah (23),
potential the timing
a
Warfare Officer, said
just coincidence, and that both decided to join was
Navy because of the “endless opportunities" it offers. Although Sarah has already got some sea—time in on board Lusty. Adam is looking forward to closing the gap during his time in Ark. Once they have completed their Fleet Boards and undergone further leadership assessment at
the
Dartmouth their careers should follow very different paths. IFT under way p35 —
covered him with a blanket and alerted staff at a nearby hotel. The PDSA Dickin Nledal won by Simon the Cat in HMS Amethyst during the Yangtse Incident 60 years ago has been returned to the RN for a year. The medal, in recognition of Simon‘s vermin—catching prowess, helping preserve food stores, has been loaned to HMS Collingwood for an exhibition dedicated to the incident, when the sloop was attacked and trapped on the Yangtse for 10] days by Chinese Coniinunist forces.
BEIIIIIII Illfl SBGIIES RECEPTION,YearOne and Year Two pupils from St John's College
in Southsea were treated to a VIP visit to HMS Illustrious in
Portsmouth. The visit, which gave them
supervised carrier
public,
studies
not
parts of the normally seen by the
access to
was part of on life at sea.
the
pupils’
Workers clean on TWO Sodexho staff at Culdrose have won certificates and £50 shopping vouchers in recognition of their professional achievements. Sam Temp|eton—I.ee and Sue Mallinder both have cleaning and
housekeeping responsibilities the Cornish air station.
on