Theme for mess dinner
RHYL Sea Cadets held a mess dinner at the Fenol Fawr hotel in Bodelwydden, with Cdr (SCC) Janet Evans RNR as guest of honour (pictured above). The event was arranged by the Cadet Mess President, POC CJ McDermott, assisted by the senior cadets at the unit, taking the theme of World Wars 1 and 2 Cdr Evans said it was the first mess dinner organised by cadets that she had attended, and that she’d had a very enjoyable evening. After the meal a raffle and games took place and cash raised will be used for the benefit of the cadets.
CCF to study RN war role
l Capt Nigel Palmer and Lt Angie Morris view the flagship a head start in life that perhaps otherwise they would never get.” Capt Jonathan Holloway, Captain Sea Cadets, said: “This is a monumental occasion for us and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Sea Cadets to see first-hand and experience the launch of their brand new ship. “We look forward to the commissioning of the new ship when Sea Cadets will finally have the chance to sail the new ship on an offshore voyage.”
Cadet Rosie Clark, 17, from Barnsley, said: “It’s a beautiful day for a ship launch. I was here for the keel laying and it was rainy and miserable. “It’s a great honour and privilege to see this amazing ship. I watched the old one go out and the new one come in. “It’s quite emotional as well. When she hit the water I felt a mixture of shock and amazement.” Fellow cadet Robyn Knowles said: “I love it. It was brilliant when she hit the water.” Following the launch, the vessel – which was decked out with the Union Flag, the Spanish flag and the flag of the region of Asturias – was towed back into the yard and moored to enable the cadets to step aboard. There is much work still to do, including installing the mast, but the cadets were able to see for themselves how much room the new ship offers. The vessel, designed by Acubens, also offers better all-round sailing ability and performance.
Much to the delight of the cadets, the ship will also have proper beds. She will also be faster, easier to run and more economical than her predecessor. The launch day ended with a gala dinner in the town of Ribadeo, where commemorative gifts were exchanged. The flagship’s captain Lt Angie Morris received a new logbook for the vessel – and MSCC chief executive Martin Coles was presented with the neck of the bottle of Cava, complete with a ribbon in the colours of the Spanish flag. The MSCC handed over a print to the yard depicting the 54 Sea Cadets’ ‘Commonwealth boats’ taking part in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee pageant on the Thames in 2012. The cadets who attended the launch are: Georgina ThorntonBarter, Rosie Clark, Chris Davies, Craig Symmons, Fiona Tait, Simon Hodgetts, Samuel Hall, Harry Rose, Charlie Abbot, Jade Coughlin, Jessica Edwards and Robyn Knowles. Their
Pictures: Martin J Coles and Ben Thornley
names have been recorded in the hope they will be able to attend the decommissioning of the new ship in 40-plus years’ time. The flagship will take up to 900 cadets a year on offshore voyages during her expected 40-year career. Detailed finishing work on the new vessel is now coming to an end with the finalisation of the interior fit-out. Although built in Spain, several of the ship’s parts were made in the UK. A crew will travel back to Spain to work the ship up before bringing her to Portsmouth Harbour where she will be officially named and commissioned in May. The MSCC is now focusing on launching a Flagship Bursary Appeal aimed at helping more young people get on board. The Sea Cadet Corps aims to raise £500,000 over the next five years, and have already received support from the Michael Uren Foundation, a supporter of good causes including medical research, education, the Armed Forces and wildlife conservation.
Medal for padre
A SPECIAL evening was organised at New Romney and District unit to present Revd Jim Field with the Sea Cadet Long Service Medal and Certificate to mark his service to units in Kent. The presentation was made by unit chairman Lt Cdr (SCC) Don Davies RNR. Revd Field was Vicar of St Nicholas and Benefice and New Romney unit padre until his retirement last April. The chairman thanked Jim and Lily for making the journey from their home in Littlehampton.
Reunion for Jack
l Delight as the cadets watch the vessel make its way down the slipway and on to the Ria de Ribadeo in Asturias, northern Spain www.navynews.co.uk
A STALWART supporter of TS Alacrity Junior Cadet Corps is to be honoured at a reunion in Denmead, north of Portsmouth. Jack Hotchin has devoted 50 years to cadets, 21 with TS Alacrity, an independent naval cadet unit. The reunion/awards night will be at Denmead War Memorial Hall at 7pm on March 7, and any former cadets who remember ‘Uncle Jack’ are invited – bring any memorabilia along as well.
contribution into context the group assembled at the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Southsea Common after the museum visits. The day ended with dinner at Hornet Sailing Club in Gosport. The INSET was concluded by Cdr Mackie launching the fouryear programme for cadets. In so doing he said that the aim was “to bring to the Cadets, particularly of the RN and RM CCF, an awareness of the role of the Royal Navy in helping to shape what we understand as the First World War and also to look at what we as a nation and as the nation’s Navy learned from its lessons.” The proposal is for a programme of standalone activities, repeated each year but which collectively will build into a body of knowledge which may be of use to future students and to schools. It will consist of a Cadet Challenge, a Cadet Course and a Local Focus. At the heart of the plan would be the Cadet Course which would involve research activities for the cadets using the resources of the museums and which would include a planned visit to France and Belgium to follow in the footsteps of the Royal Naval Division on the Western Front. The Cadet Challenge will run in 2015 and 2016, with cadets invited to research any aspect of the role of the sea in World War 1. Finally the Local Focus will be held in 2017 and 2018, with cadets encouraged to research areas of note relevant to their locality – the years 1917 and 80x42were Portrait (col)_Layout 14/06/2010 1918 chosen as this was1 the period when the worst effects of the war were felt at home.
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sits in the shadow of a Norwegian North Sea supply vessel under construction at Astilleros Gondán
MORE than 50 Combined Cadet Force officers and area instructors recently met to launch a four-year programme to give Combined Cadet Force Naval Section cadets an understanding of the role of the Naval Service in World War 1. The two-day INSET – dubbed Op Retrospect – was led by Cdr (CCF) Alan Mackie, who is leading the steering group which was set up to deliver the initiative. An overview of World War 1 was provided by steering group member Lt (CCF) Michael Barraclough, and a targeted review of the RNAS was given by another member, Lt Cdr Peter Finan. The keynote address was given by Mike Farquharson-Roberts, the author of A History of the Royal Navy during World War One. The retired Surgeon Admiral gave a lively and informative account of the role of the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines during the war, drawing attention to both the successes and failures encountered both before, during and after the conflict. This was followed by visits to the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth, the Royal Marines Museum and a tour of M33, a monitor currently undergoing a major refit. These visits were designed to show how the museums could help cadets to gain a greater understanding and knowledge of the role of the Navy. To put the scale of the naval
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