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LIST OF CONTENTS
Page 1 CONTENT amp EDITORIAL
Page 2 BRANCH DIARY 2010
Page 34 UN PC PAGE HUMOUR
Page 5 SA amp WELFARE NEWS
Page 6 POPPY APPEAL amp MICROWAVES
Page 7 DEFENCE CUTS TRIDENT DELAY Holland V theft from wreck
Page 8 CUCUMBERS amp SENSE OF HUMOUR
Page 910
DIESEL SUBMARINES 1948-1958 Part One of Six
Page 11 I AIN‟T NO HERO (But I did my bit) An Understatement By An bdquoilson Lad 44
Page 12 HMSM VANGUARD VISIT DERBY Coffee Morning
Page 13-14
HMSM VANGUARD VISIT DERBY 30
th AnniversaryTrafNMA amp Home
Page 15 TS KENYA PRESENTATION NIGHT HMS Tireless amp Astute News
Page 16 BRANCH BITS AND BOBS
Page 17 BRANCH OCT MEET MINUTES
Page 18-19
Nov Lunch Club The Punchbowl Christmas Lunch Application Form
Guide Dog Puppy bdquoDerby‟ Born 22 March 2009
EDITORIAL
AB ST Tom Smith CJX 542849 It was with sad regret that on 6 October 2010 we heard of the death of Tom Smith aged 85 Tom was a WWII submariner
serving in Submarines from 1943-1946 in Oberon P46 and Unruffled He had also served at Ganges Pembroke (Chatham) Dolphin Elfin and Cyclops in Blyth Tom was admitted to the new Derby Royal Hospital last week with a heart attack and I spoke to him at the hospital up until the day before he died They had stabilised his heart and blood pressure and he was in high spirits despite missing our Branch 30th Anniversary Party He advised me on the phone they were keeping him in a while longer to try and sort a previous balance and leg problem out It was a terrible shock to hear that he had passed away Tom was an ardent supporter of branch activities and will be sorely missed by all in the Derbyshire branch especially at meetings and luncheon clubs Our branch deepest condolences go to his son Dave in West Hallam and his two sisters in Portugal amp Aussie amp Vida Resurgam The Funeral was held on Tuesday 19 October at Markeaton Continued on Page 2
IN REMEMBRANCE
SUBMARINES LOST IN NOVEMBER
SUBMARINE DATE SUBMARINE DATE
D5 031114 M1 121125 D2 251114 Swordfish 071140 E20 061115 Regulus 261140 E30 221116 X3 061142 E37 301116 Unbeaten 111142 K1 181117 Utmost 251142 E36 191117 Simoon 191143 G7 011118 Stratagem 221144 G11 221118
LEST WE FORGET - RESURGAM
Derbyshire Branch 30th Anniversary amp Traf Dinner See report on pages 12-14 amp 16 what a cracking weekend
Terry Hall Derbyshire Newsletter Editor Hon Secretary Submariners Assn (Derbyshire)
Branch Newsletter Issue Number 133 NOVEMBER 2010
Freedom of the City of Derby to RN Submarine Service Granted 28 April 2002
S u b m a r i n e r s A s s o c i a t i o n ( D e r b y s h i r e )
BIRTHDAY BOYS 2010
04 Nov Ron Slater
04 Nov Stan Smart
09 Nov Colin Watson
12 Nov Jenny Williamson
16 Dec Roy Thurston
20 Dec John Arthur
POSITIVE THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH
Remember Growing old is
something you get to do if you are lucky
Groucho Marx
2
DERBYSHIRE BRANCH DIARY
Winter Routine Meetings The branch elected to hold the November to February
meetings similar to last year This entailed a meeting at 1215hrs at the Jubilee Club on Morley Road at
Chaddesden Permission has now been granted and the branch is grateful to the Club for granting this
privilege to hold our winter meetings
Please Note the Maritime Hotel (Ex Royal Fleet Club Devonport closed its doors for the last time early June 2010 without notice Unless you are a Scientologist it
will not be accepting bookings again
SA DERBYSHIRE LUNCHEON CLUB At the September Luncheon Club at the Newdigate in West Hallam we as normal had excellent food and service We were very concerned that one couple didn‟t show and were unable to contact them either at home or on the mobile However all was well when we found out they were safe and well and were waiting for us to turn up at the October venue of The Park at Chaddesden a month early Thus this month is The Park at Chaddesden and November is the popular Punch Bowl Carvery at West Hallam with superb view of the wonderful West Hallam WWI Machine Gunner War Memorial and the recent addition of the local WWI Mapperley Coal Mine War Memorial Please phone Ron Slater and let him know if you intend to attend
15 January HMSM Truculent Service Chatham
21-23 January KI13 Memorial Weekend Faslane
12 March Ton Class Meeting Saturday
I intend travelling to Portsmouth for this event over the weekend 11-14 March 2011 If anyone would like to share travelling cost with me and have a weekend in Pompey the same weekend please let me know
19-21March SA National AGM Weekend Imperial
Hotel Blackpool Joint Weekend of AGM amp Full Members only
6 August Dieso Boat Reunion Saturday My car is already fully booked Anyone else interested let me know whether you want to do a two night stopover or three If you want to fill your car or just book and make your own way please let me know
16 September Submariners Association Mixed
Reunion Weekend at Adelphi Hotel Liverpool
AB ST Tom Smith CJX 542849
Tom‟s bdquolast patrol‟ was from Markeaton Crematorium where the cortege was met by seven Ex Association Standards 14 Branch Members which is over half our number and many other ex Servicemen and friends who had attended to salute a true Gentle - man and WWII submariner friend or neighbour The Standards dipped in salute to a bdquoshipmate‟ and thence all ex Service lined the entrance at least three deep whilst Tom was piped over the side to enter the chapel The principle Standards Submariners RNA and Ganges lined up facing the coffin with Tom Smith BEM RNA as Standards Marshall and me as Parade Marshall The other Standards stood down the side of the Chapel in a very smart line The service was undertaken by the Rev Simon White who is the Stanley as well as West Hallam Vicar where the family reside The Naval Hymn was sung and a very poignant poem from Tom‟s granddaughter in Australia At the Committal I piped the Still and the principle Standards dipped until the carry on We then departed the Chapel to the Royal Marine Band playing bdquoA Life on the Ocean Wave and Standards were then lined up to bid family and mourners farewell A collection was taken for SA to provide a fitting Memorial to Tom in his memory amp the total collected and the form of this memorial (trophy) will be advised when known We thence went to the White Hart at West Hallam for a drink or two and a superb buffet
2010
Maritime Club Portsmouth SA Ref 2075
75-80 Queen St Portsmouth PO1 3HS Telephone 023 92824231
29 Oct
WRNS Derbyshire Coffee Morning Derby
Can you help this fledgling branch in any way and assist with coffee door keeper etc Contact Nobby or John Sayers
04 Nov SA Branch Meeting bdquoWinter Routine Lunch Meet‟ Jubilee Club Chaddesden 1215 Start
07 Nov SA Embankment Rem Service London
11 Nov Armistice Day (Thurs) Soldiers Corner Svc
12 Nov Schools Remembrance Svc Chaddesden TBC
14 Nov Remembrance Sunday
24 Nov SA Luncheon Club The Punchbowl West Hallam
02 Dec
SA Branch Meeting bdquoWinter Routine Lunch Meet‟ Jubilee Club Chaddesden 1215 Start
08 Dec
Branch Christmas Lunch Oak amp Acorn Application Forms sent on line and hard copies with this newsletter Note closing date please
2011
3
THE UN-PC PAGES
THE LIFT A fifteen year old Amish boy and his father were in a shopping mall They were amazed by almost everything they saw but especially by two shiny silver walls that could move apart and then slide back together again The boy asked What is this Father The father (never having seen a lift) responded Son I have never seen anything like this in my life I dont know what it is While the boy and his father were watching with amazement a very fat old lady on a mobility scooter moved up to the moving walls and pressed a button The walls opened and the lady drove in between them into a small room The walls closed and the boy and his father watched the small numbers above the walls light up sequentially They continued to watch until it reached the last number and then the numbers began to light in the reverse order Finally the walls opened up again and a gorgeous 24-year-old blonde stepped out The father not taking his eyes off the young woman said quietly to his son Go get your Mother YOU MAY NOT OF KNOWN THIS A group of soldiers and sailors sitting around bragging about their different services One of the soldiers said You know though that the Army invented sex They all pondered this statement and then the Submariner responded he replied Yes but the Royal Navy introduced it to women THE CHARITABLE ADMIRAL One afternoon an Admiral was travelling in his Rolls Royce when he saw two men along the roadside eating grass Disturbed he ordered his driver to stop and he got out to investigate He asked one man Why are you eating grass We dont have any money for food the poor man replied We have to eat grass Well then you can come with me to my house and Ill feed you the Admiral said But sir I have a wife and two children with me They are over there under that tree Bring them along the Admiral replied Turning to the other poor man he stated You come with us also The second man in a pitiful voice then said But sir I also have a wife and six children with me Bring them all as well the Admiral answered They all entered the car which was no easy task even for a car as large as the Admirals Rolls Once underway one of the poor fellows turned to the lawyer and said Sir you are too kind Thank you for taking all of us with you The Admiral replied Glad to do it Youll really love my place My garden is several acres and the grass is almost a foot high LOGIC OF CHILDREN Little Emily went home from school and told her mum that the boys kept asking her to do cartwheels because shes very good at them Mum said You should say No They only want to look at your knickers Emily said I know they do Thats why I hide them in my bag
AND MENhellip There are only two four letter words that are offensive to men dont and stop unless they are used together
ESSEX HURRICANE APPEAL A major hurricane (Hurricane Shazza) and earthquake measuring 58 on the Richter Scale hit Essex in the early hours of Sunday with its epicentre in Basildon Victims were seen wandering around aimlessly muttering Faaackinell The hurricane decimated the area causing approximately pound30 worth of damage Several priceless collections of mementos from Majorca and the Costa Del Sol were damaged beyond repair Three areas of historic burnt out cars were disturbed Many locals were woken well before their giros arrived Essex FM reported that hundreds of residents were confused and bewildered and were still trying to come to terms with the fact that something interesting had happened in Basildon One resident Tracy Sharon Smith a 15-year-old mother of 5 said It was such a shock my little Chardonnay-Mercedes came running into my bedroom crying My youngest two Tyler-Morgan and Victoria-Storm slept through it all I was still shaking when I was skinning up and watching Trisha the next morning Apparently looting muggings and car crime were unaffected and carried on as normal The British Red Cross has so far managed to ship 4000 crates of Sunny Delight to the area to help the stricken locals Rescue workers are still searching through the rubble and have found large quantities of personal belongings including benefit books jewellery from Elizabeth Duke at Argos and Bone China from Poundland How You Can Help This appeal is to raise money for food and clothing parcels for those unfortunate enough to be caught up in this disaster Clothing is most sought after - items most needed include designer or Burberry baseball caps tracksuit tops (his and hers Shell suits (female) White sport socks Rockport boots any other items usually sold in Primark Food parcels may be harder to come by but are needed all the same Required foodstuffs include Microwave meals Tins of baked beans Ice cream Cans of Colt 45 or Special Brew 22p buys a biro for filling in the compensation forms pound2 buys chips crisps and blue fizzy drinks for a family of 9 pound5 buys a packet of fags and a lighter to calm the nerves of those affected Breaking news Rescue workers found a girl in the rubble smothered in raspberry alco-pop Where are you bleeding from they asked Romford said the girl woss that gotta do wiv you THE THREE SISTERS Three sisters ages 92 94 and 96 live in a house together One night the 96 year old draws a bath She puts her foot in and pauses She yells to the other sisters Was I getting in or out of the bath The 94 year old yells back I dont know Ill come up and see She starts up the stairs and pauses Was I going up the stairs or down The 92 year old is sitting at the kitchen table having tea listening to her sisters She shakes her head and says I‟m glad I am not that forgetful touch woodrdquo she said knocking on the wooden table She then yells Ill come up and help both of you as soon as I see whos at the door SIGNS on a Plumbers truck bdquoWe repair what your husband fixed‟ and on another Plumbers truck bdquoDont sleep with a drip Call your plumber‟ And finally On a Septic Tank Truck Yesterdays Meals on Wheels
4
INDIAN ECONOMICS Indian Chief bdquoTwo Eagles‟ was asked by a white US Government official ldquoYou have observed the white man of 90 years You‟ve seen his wars and his technological advances You‟ve seen his progress and the damage he‟s done to the environmentrdquo The Chief nodded in agreement The official continued considering all these events in your opinion where did the white man go wrongrdquo The Chief stared at the government official then replied ldquoWhen the white man find land Indians running it No taxes no debt plenty buffalo plenty beaver clean water Women did all the work Medicine man free Indian man spend all day hunting and fishing all night having sexrdquo Then the chief leaned back and smiled ldquoOnly white man dumb enough to think he could improve system like thatrdquo
A LESSON IN GRAMMER An elderly couple who were both widowed had been going out with each other for a long time Urged on by their friends they decided it was finally time to get married Before the wedding they went out to dinner and had a long conversation regarding how their marriage might work They discussed finances living arrangements and so on Finally the old gentleman decided it was time to broach the subject of their physical relationship How do you feel about sex he asked rather tentatively I would like it infrequently she replied The old gentleman sat quietly for a moment adjusted his glasses leaned over towards her and whispered - Is that one word or two
FACTS OF LIFE IN THE COMPUTER AGE
A little boy goes to his father and asks Daddy how was I born The father answers Well son I guess one day you will need to find out anyway Your mum and I first got together in a chat room on Yahoo Then I set up a date via e-mail with your mum and we met at a cyber-cafe We sneaked into a secluded room and googled each other There your mother agreed to a download from my hard drive As soon as I was ready to upload we discovered that neither one of us had used a firewall and since it was too late to hit the delete button nine months later a little Pop-Up appeared that said You got Male
GETTING OLD OLD IS WHEN Your wife says Lets go upstairs and make love and you answer Pick one I cant do both OLD IS WHEN Your friends compliment you on your new alligator shoes and youre barefoot OLD IS WHEN A sexy babe or hunk catches your eye and your bdquopacemaker‟ opens the garage door OLD IS WHEN Going braless pulls all the wrinkles out of your face OLD IS WHEN You dont care where your spouse goes just as long as you dont have to go along OLD IS WHEN You are cautioned to slow down by the doctor instead of by the police OLD IS WHEN Getting lucky means you find your car in the car park OLD IS WHEN An all nighter means not getting up to go to the toilet AND OLD IS WHEN You are not sure these are jokes
Im so lazy Ive got a smoke alarm with a snooze button
ANTICIPATION An older white-haired man walked into a jewellery store one Friday evening with a beautiful young girl at his side He told the jeweller he was looking for a special ring for his new girlfriend The jeweller looked through his stock and brought out a pound5000 ring The old man said bdquoNo I‟d like to see something more special‟ At that statement the jeweller went to his special stock and brought another ring over bdquoHere‟s a stunning ring at only pound40000 the jeweller said The young lady‟s eyes sparkled and her whole body trembled with excitement The old man seeing this said bdquoWe‟ll take it‟ The jeweller asked how payment would be made and the old man stated bdquoby cheque I know you need to make sure my cheque is good so I‟ll write it now and you can call the bank Monday to verify the funds and I‟ll pick the ring up Monday afternoon‟ he said Monday morning the jeweller phoned the old man bdquoThere‟s no money in your account‟ bdquoI know‟ said the old man bdquoBut let me tell you about my weekend‟
SCOTCH WITH TWO DROPS OF WATER A lady goes to the bar on a cruise ship and orders a whiskey with two drops of water As the barman gives her the drink she says Im on this cruise to celebrate my 85th birthday and its today The barman says Well since its your birthday Ill buy you a drink As the woman finishes her drink the woman to her right says I would like to buy you a drink too The old woman says Thank you I would like a whiskey with two drops of water Coming up says the barman As she finishes that drink the man to her left says I would like to buy you one too The old woman says Thank you Barman I want another whiskey with two drops of water Coming right up the barman says As he gives her the drink he says Maam Im dying of curiosity Why the whiskey with only two drops of water The old woman replies Son when youre my age youve learned how to hold your spirits Holding your water however is a whole different issue
DEEPLY IN LOVE Paddy is passing by Micks hay shed one day when through a gap in the door he sees Mick doing a slow and sensual striptease in front of an old red Massey Ferguson Buttocks clenched he performs a slow pirouette and gently slides off first the right welly followed by the left He then hunches his shoulders forward and in a classic striptease move lets his braces fall down from his shoulders to dangle by his hips over his corduroy trousers Grabbing both sides of his checked shirt he rips it apart to reveal his tea stained vest underneath and with a final flourish he hurls his flat cap onto a pile of hay What the heck are you doing Mick says Paddy Jeez Paddy ye frightened the living bejasus out of me says an obviously embarrassed Mick but me and the missus been having some trouble lately in the bedroom department and the therapist suggested I do something sexy to a tractor
MY GRANDSON My small grandson got lost at Tesco so he approached a uniformed security guard and said Ive lost my granddad The guard asked Whats he like The little tyke hesitated for a moment and then replied Pusser‟s Rum amp anyone with a lumpy jumper
5
WELFARE NEWS
The MOD Medal Office has moved their new address is MOD Medal Office G36 Innsworth House Imjin Barracks Gloucester GL3 1HW
Support across the UK The SPVA Veterans Welfare Service has now completed the roll-out of the five new Welfare Centres providing advice and support across the UK The contact details for each office are
Norcross (based near Blackpool) Tel 01253 333494 Email SPVA-VWSNorcrossmoduk
Kidderminster (based Worcester) Tel 01562 825527 Email SPVAVWSKidderminster moduk
Centurion (based in Gosport) Tel 02392 702232 Email SPVAVWSCENTURIONSPVAmoduk
Imjin (based in Gloucester) Tel 01452 510825 Email VWS-innsworthspvamoduk
Glasgow Tel 0141 2242709 Email VWS-Glasgowspvamoduk
If you are supporting a veteran and need further advice it might be worth contacting our Welfare Service to see if we can help too To locate your nearest Veterans Welfare Centre call our freephone helpline 0800 169 2277
DEFENCE MEDAL Email to SA Membership Sec Hi Tex Just a note to let the Association know that the LibDems have voted in favour of the National Defence Medal for all ex service personnel at their annual conference Regards Archie Watt
HMSM TRUCULENT MEMORIAL JAN 2011 The Branch has received a kind invitation from Derek Grant the Truculent Organiser and Branch Secretary on behalf of the Medway Towns Branch of the SA cordially inviting our members to the forthcoming 61
st Memorial
Service of HM Submarine Truculent to be held in the St George‟s Centre Chatham on Saturday 15 January 2011 at 1045 The service will be conducted by their Branch Chaplain the Reverend David Corness RN On completion of the service a buffet luncheon and the obligatory Tot will be provided by the branch with an opportunity to meet a few ex-submariners and their families Standards are invited RSVP
DERBY amp DISTRICT EX SVC MEETING The unadopted minutes were distributed to all on line members on receipt They have been discussed at the October Branch Meeting so following the report in an earlier newsletter I have cancelled and filed The only bit of the minutes that was changed was the error in reporting the Rolls Royce Battle of Britain window had been moved and this was a error It is the Florence Nightingale window that has been moved to St Peters Church from DRI and the RR Battle of Britain window is still in store somewhere at Rolls Royce
Could it be that I do is the longest sentence
GUIDE PUBLIC SECTOR PENSION SCHEMES 6 October 2010 Ministry of Defence
The scheme is the fifth largest in the UKs public sector Which employees does the scheme cover All members of the armed forces How many sections are there There are two main pension schemes for members of the regular armed forces The first known as AFPS 75 started in April 1975 and closed to new joiners on 6 April 2005 The new one called Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (or AFPS 05) was brought in for new joiners in April 05 How many active deferred and retired members are there There are 198000 active members 406000 deferred members and 399000 pensioners or their dependents receiving a pension What are the principal benefits AFPS 75 is non-contributory and the full pension can be taken at age 55 The fund finances a compensation scheme for death and injury in service as well as a pension It is a final-salary scheme with the maximum pension and tax-free lump sum of three times annual pension available after 34 years as an officer and 37 years (other ranks) This will give a pension worth 485 of what is called representative pay plus the lump sum AFPS 05 is also non-contributory and can be taken at 55 After 35 years of service the pension is worth 50 of final pensionable pay There is also a tax-free lump sum of three times annual pension The pension accrues at a rate of 170th each year for up to 40 years There is also an early pension scheme known as the early departure payments (EDP) scheme which pays a lower level of pension and a lump sum It applies to those with at least 18 years service who are aged 40 or over The pension fund also pays for the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme which makes lump sum payments or continuing inflation proofed tax-free payments for injury illness or death caused by service What percentage of salary do the armed forces pay The MoD pays the equivalent of 37 of officers salaries and 21 of salaries for other ranks What are the funding costs of the scheme Across all members the contribution rate was 276 of salaries in 2009-10 forecast to rise to 295 this year and 34 in the following three years Is the scheme funded or unfunded Unfunded It is paid for out of general taxation not an underlying investment fund What is the value of the scheme assets if any and its liabilities Members of the schemes do not make any contributions from their pay The liabilities were put at pound121bn in the schemes resource accounts for 2009-2010 What is the average pension in payment pound8693 as of 31 March 2010 including lump sum payments Have there been any changes or reforms to the scheme in recent years The introduction of the new AFPS 05 in 2005 Are there any further changes in the pipeline From April 2011 pensions in payment will increase in line with the consumer prices index (CPI) not the retail prices index (RPI)
BUSINESS NEWS Japanese scientists have now created a digital camera with such a fast shutter speed that its now possible to take a photograph of a woman with her mouth shut
6
MICROWAVING WATER
Have you heated a cup of water in your microwave to make coffee or Tea This can be a serious risk and this article explains why A 26-year old man decided to have a cup of coffee He took a cup of water and put it in the microwave to heat it up (something that he had done numerous times before) I am not sure how long he set the timer for but he wanted to bring the water to a boil When the timer shut the oven off he removed the cup from the oven As he looked into the cup he noted that the water was not boiling but suddenly the water in the cup blew up into his face The cup remained intact until he threw it out of his hand but all the water had flown out into his face due to the build-up of energy His whole face is blistered and he has 1
st and 2
nd
degree burns to his face which may leave scarring He also may have lost partial sight in his left eye While at the hospital the doctor who was attending to him stated that this is a fairly common occurrence and water (alone) should never be heated in a microwave oven If water is heated in this manner something should be placed in the cup to diffuse the energy such as a wooden stir stick tea bag etc (nothing metal) General Electrics (GEC) Response Thanks for contacting us I will be happy to assist you The e-mail that you received is correct Microwaved water and other liquids do not always bubble when they reach the boiling point They can actually get superheated and not bubble at all The superheated liquid will bubble up out of the cup when it is moved or when something like a spoon or tea bag is put into it To prevent this from happening and causing injury do not heat any liquid for more than two minutes per cup After heating let the cup stand in the microwave for thirty seconds Before moving it or adding anything into it Here is what our local science teacher had to say on the matter Thanks for the microwave warning I have seen this happen before It is caused by a phenomenon known as super heating It can occur anytime water is heated and will particularly occur if the vessel that the water is heated in is new or when heating a small amount of water (less than half a cup) What happens is that the water heats faster than the vapour bubbles can form If the cup is very new then it is unlikely to have small surface scratches inside it that provide a place for the bubbles to form As the bubbles cannot form and release some of the heat has built up the liquid does not boil and the liquid continues to heat up well past its boiling point What then usually happens is that the liquid is bumped or jarred which is just enough of a shock to cause the bubbles to rapidly form and expel the hot liquid The rapid formation of bubbles is also why a carbonated beverage spews when opened after having been shaken I would also point out that microwaved hard boiled eggs can react in the same manner and they can explode and cause burns and injury even after they have been removed from the oven Just be aware
MICROWAVING PLASTIC MEAL CONTAINERS The question was posed in the Daily Mail in April 2009 of Why don‟t the black plastic dishes used for ready meals melt when microwaved The answer supplied by Carol Hill-Wood of Loughborough Leics was that Microwaves are electro-magnetic waves with wavelengths ranging from 1mm to 30cm or frequencies between 03Ghz and 300Ghz which like light waves or radio waves occupy a part of the electromagnetic spectrum They have several important practical applications such as relaying long distance telephone signals TV broadcasts and computer information across the Earth or to a satellite in space Microwave ovens contain a magnetron which generates microwaves at the right frequency to interact with the
molecules in food heating it directly All wave energy alternates polarity from positive to negative with each cycle of the wave and in microwaves these polarity changes happen millions of times a second For a microwave to interact with a
substance the substance too must consist of polar molecules a good example being water It‟s the polarity of water which gives it its live giving properties When microwaves of the right frequency bombard food they cause the polar molecules in the food to alternate at that frequency millions of times a second This agitation at molecular level creates friction which heats up the food Most forms of glass plastic or paper consist of uncharged molecules which do not interact directly with the microwave so only the food is heated So now you know
NATIONAL LAUNCH OF 2010 POPPY APPEAL
11 October 2010 Source Royal British Legion What The national launch of the 2010 Poppy Appeal Who Chart topping pop sensations The Saturdays and The Royal British Legion‟s extreme human flight display team at a concert and event for the families of 16 Air Assault Brigade WHERE The Physical Training and Recreation Centre Colchester Garrison When 1030hrs Thursday 28th October 2010 Why The 2010 Poppy Appeal is about helping the bdquoAfghan generation‟ of the Armed Forces and their families ndash today and for the rest of their lives The national launch of the 2010 Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal will take place at 1030hrs on Thursday 28th October 2010 with a spectacular private concert performed by chart topping pop sensations The Saturdays The concert exclusively for the families of 16 Air Assault Brigade currently on operations in Afghanistan will feature video messages from personnel stationed in Afghanistan for the families of those watching The launch will also feature a parachute display from the Legion‟s extreme human flight team bdquoJump4Heroes‟ who will land next to the site where the first new Personnel Recovery Centre will be built The Legion has committed pound25 million to the Personnel Recovery Centres (Poppies will be on sale at the November meeting)
7
DELAY TRIDENT REPLACEMENT Thursday September 16 2010
The pound20bn replacement of the UKs Trident nuclear deterrent could be put off until after 2015 according to reports The BBC said ministers were considering delaying the planned 2014 date in an effort to reduce short-term costs and head off a pre-general election political row The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said no decisions had yet been taken on the future of the submarine-based missile system which is currently the subject of a value-for-money review It has been formally excluded from the ongoing strategic defence and security review (SDSR) but the Treasury has made clear the under-pressure MoD budget will have to pay for it An influential committee of MPs yesterday warned that that decision would have very significant consequences for future defence spending The coalition agreement between the Tories and Lib Dems committed the government to renewing Trident but agreed that it should be scrutinised to ensure it offered value for money The deal allows the Lib Dems who went into the general election opposing a like-for-like replacement of the missile system to continue to make the case for alternatives
An MoD spokesman said The government remains committed to maintaining the UKs minimum and credible submarine-based nuclear deterrent based on the Trident missile system Within the framework of the strategic defence and security review a review is ongoing to ensure that the renewal of the deterrent provides value for money It will consider the programme timetable numbers of submarines missiles missile tubes and warheads infrastructure and other support costs and the industrial supply chain Once the review has concluded ministers will discuss and agree the optimum balance of capability and cost Labour leadership candidate Ed Balls said I believe the right approach is to include the decision about the replacement of Trident in the strategic defence review so that we can make an informed decision about how best to maintain the minimum nuclear deterrent that Britain requires I think its right that we seek to make savings where possible but this decision by the coalition looks worryingly like a government putting off the difficult political choices because they are too weak and too divided to take them rather that showing the leadership and strength to make tough choices in the long-term interests of our country
FLEET SHRUNK Friday 24 September 24 2010 The Sun Online
Defence bosses have drawn up shock plans to shrink the Royal Navys ship fleet by half The Sun newspaper has reported In a cuts blueprint seen by the newspaper the fleet will be slashed to just 12 frigates and destroyers It will make our surface armada once feared the world over smaller than that of every other major European nation except Portugal And 7500 sailors will be laid off more than a fifth of the Senior Services manpower of 35760 The plan would leave the service which won Trafalgar Jutland and the Falklands unrecognisable Last night the closest living relative of the Navys greatest hero Admiral Lord Nelson said the plan would have left him horrified And a naval source said It wont just be a disaster we are heading for a national humiliation
The drastic cuts are being considered because the Treasury has ordered the MoD budget to be slashed by 19 Losing 12 frigates and destroyers is the price the Navy will have to pay to keep two new 60000-ton aircraft carriers The troop landing ships Albion and Bulwark which came into service only seven years ago will also be sold off The Navy currently has 24 destroyerfrigates four Type 22 and 13 Type 23 frigates five Type 42 and two Type 45 destroyers At the time of the Falklands War in 1982 we boasted 53 frigates and 13 destroyers Cutting the fleet in half again would make ours smaller than those of historical foes France Germany Spain and Italy Even skint Greece boasts more ships and only Portugal with a population a sixth of Britains has the same number Admirals have been put under massive new pressure by Army boss General Sir David Richards winning the PM round to not sacking 20000 troops In a move that left Defence Secretary Liam Fox fuming David Cameron was persuaded that the Army cuts would risk victory in Afghanistan There are also growing concerns that the difficult defence review is being badly rushed to meet artificial Treasury deadlines A source said The money men have forgotten were an island nation with 90 per cent of our trade going by sea And we have the additional tasks now of chasing pirates and counter-terrorism The Navy has never been busier And 80-year-old Anna Tribe the great-great-great-granddaughter of Admiral Horatio Nelson said I think he would be horrified As a country we are terribly in debt and savings have to be made but not all the money was spent on sensible things It is very sad The RAF also faces bitter cuts with Tornado and Harrier jets Chinook and Puma choppers and the jobs of 6500 airmen under threat Our revelation comes as the row with Argentina over a hunt for oil in the Falklands is expected to be raised by the Argies in the UN in New York today Deputy PM Nick Clegg will also signal to the UN that the age of big Cold War-style fleets and armies is over as we face more fluid less visible threats Last night a Downing Street spokesman said no final decisions had been taken on defence cuts
THEFT FROM HOLLAND V Press Assn 2010
Thieves have targeted a nationally-important submarine wreck lying in the English Channel off East Sussex Divers stole the torpedo tube hatch of the Holland 5 the only surviving example on the seabed of this class of submarine in the world The theft was discovered during a licensed dive by the Nautical Archaeology Society in June and confirmed during a survey dive last month Experts said a group of people would have been behind the theft but that the hatch carried very little monetary value English Heritage and Sussex Police appealed for help to catch the perpetrators who are believed to have struck over the past two years Removing the hatch and accessing the site without a license is illegal under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 police warned The Holland class of submarine became obsolete in the early 20th Century and in 1912 the Holland 5 was destined for scrap It was being towed to Sheerness in Kent when it foundered and sunk six miles off the coast near Eastbourne One theory was that it took on water after the hatch that was stolen was left open
8
ATTRIBUTES OF CUCUMBERS 1 Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folic Acid Vitamin C Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium and Zinc
2 Feeling tired in the afternoon put down the caffeinated and pick up a cucumber Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours
3 Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing spa-like fragrance
4 Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminium to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area
5 Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free Cucumbers contain enough sugar B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost keeping everything in equilibrium avoiding both a hangover and headache
6 Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation
7 Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you dont have enough time to polish your shoes Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water
8 Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge and voila the squeak is gone
9 Stressed out and dont have time for massage facial or visit to the spa Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam creating a soothing relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams
10 Just finish a business lunch and realize you dont have gum or mints Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath
11 Looking for a green way to clean your sinks or stainless steel Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine but is wont leave streaks and wont harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean
13 Using a pen and made a mistake Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls
Just do not take your specimen cucumbers into the Joke and Acorn at Oakwood
BRITS LOSE SENSE OF HUMOUR AT 52 The age we all turn into Victor Meldrews
Theres not much to laugh about once you reach 52 as a new study finds this is the age we all start to lose our sense of humour A poll of 2000 Brits found that adults have less to laugh about as they age On average adults laugh out loud around four times a day researchers said but by the time we reach 50 this falls to just three times a day and a pathetic 25 times a day when 60 Dr Lesley Harbridge from the University of Glamorgan said The Lifetime of Laughter Scale shows that there really is a law of diminishing returns when it comes to laughter We laugh twice as much in our teens as we do in our fifties And our findings suggest that its all downhill from 52 The study also found that while an infant can laugh out loud as many as 300 times every day by the time we reach our twenties this figure has slumped to just four times a day Men were found to be more grumpier than women However according to the findings life gets a little happier when we are in our thirties as thirty something‟s manage on average to laugh around five time every day Perhaps children help us find our sense of humour again The survey carried out for TV channel Dave also found the Victor Meldrew Syndrome was firmly established by the time we hit 50 as this is the age we are most likely to complain Another finding hinted at what may contribute to our grumpiness as we age the survey revealed the average Brit knows only two Jokes Editor Well whoever wrote the above article had obviously never visited the lsquoJoke amp Acornrsquo where a certain member of the Derbyshire Branch certainly has above the average of two jokes in his repertoire and my experience with submariners is we certainly tend to laugh well above average as well Still I bet the professor or doctor is laughing well above average that some plonkers normally us the taxpayer is paying for them to investigate and write reports about this dribble that is no use to anyone
To prove the above point one of our members had a prolonged operation on his arm which was filmed and showed to him He was gleefully telling a table full of the butchery and intricate details of how a certain muscle was really tough Trying to be subtle as one does to a friend who has suffered a serious operation I asked politely if it was as tough as the steak on the meal I was trying to enjoy As quick as a flash he came back with bdquoSorry it was an armless story‟ However despite needing to wear a sling for at least two months it has proved that the operation has not dimished his sense of humour Get well soon Jim
OK so we‟ve taken off all our clothes and got on top of each other How long until we get
the Orgasm
I don‟t know But now I understand why mother gets a headache all the
time
9
DIESEL SUBMARINES 1948 ndash 1958 PART ONE OF SIX
The Diesel Submarines Of The Royal Navy Available To Engage In A Major War In The Period 1948 to 1958 Compiled by Peter D Hulme with additional notes
Acknowledgements for information and advice to John Eade Ian Buxton George Malcomson (RN Submarine Museum) and Roger Fry Submarines are mentioned in this article that were lost war and peace - we will remember them
By the 1980s surveillance of NATO naval units by Soviet submarines was taken for granted Electronic spy ships passed happily through our fleet formations whilst their maritime aircraft buzzed over them without hindrance But in the early fifties following hard on the heels of the Berlin airlift and at a time of explosive growth of Soviet sea power sterner attitudes prevailed I recall a confidential memorandum on the subject circulated to the Fleet at the time which reminded Escort Force Commanders that there were no prohibitions on firing depth charge patterns to test them at any time Exactly what similar orders had gone out to the Red Navy remained a matter of conjecture but no one fancied being the first to find out as Gary Powers did on his U2 flight over Mother Russia
Extract from SUBMARINER by Commander John Coote Royal Navy (deceased) former CO of the Totem foreword by Submarine Admiral IJ Galantin US Navy (Rtd) Norman Friedman US Naval author - Office of Naval Intelligence (US Navy) found the future bleak by 1951 it expected 356 Soviet submarines It later proved to be an over estimate ONI in 1954 credited the Soviets with 345 operational units including 83 obsolete submersibles
Preamble The data bases of British submarines while very
useful can be confusing when trying to estimate the actual fighting strength of the Submarine Service over any particular period in this case 1948-1958 This period as it will referred to throughout the list and commentary was chosen because in 1958 the first new operational submarine since the war Porpoise joined the fleet to be
followed by the rest of her class Other major changes were in the offing not the least the first British nuclear submarine but of more immediate influence new sonar and torpedoes were finally to become a reality 1948 was chosen as the start of the period of interest for historical reasons but there was also an important practical motive most of the disposal and scrapping of WWII vessels was complete Historically the 1948 Berlin Airlift symbolised the start of confrontation between the Western Powers and the Soviet Union the Cold War NATO came into being the next year and the submarine started to take its place as a key player in the conduct of this trial of resolve between East and West However while the story from about 1960 onward is well known as are the submarines involved the active units that made up the submarine fleet of the Royal Navy when the possibility of a Hot War was very real are not as well known and this list is intended to correct that with data and photographs The Royal Naval Submarine Museum archives has documents that already define the fleet but these are not readily available to me to use in a publication for this web site
Of great value have been the relevant pages of the official Particulars of War Vessels 1959 CB 04826 supplied to me by Ian Buxton These pages have provided a lot of the detail about each vessel at the close of the period and confirms what submarines were still in active service Including submarines temporarily in the dockyard or reserve in 1953 (the halfway point in the period) there were 50 apparently operational diesel electric submarines in the Royal Navy
15 A class 22 T class 11 S class and 2 U class According to PoWV 1959 all were armed with Mk 8 torpedoes of the type used in WW II with the option of mines but according to FOSM correspondence of 1948 the electric Mk 11 torpedo was also to be carried in the extended T class A Mk 20 (BIDDER) passive homing torpedo was in service in 1955 but does not appear to have been considered a successful weapon Neither the Mk 11 and the Mk 20 are mentioned in the PoV 1959 The Mk 8 though apparently old in design was quite a sophisticated but reliable piece of machinery but from todays point of view it was basically just an aim and fire weapon The running depth could be set before firing as could a gyro controlled angled course on leaving the tube It was propelled by a burner-cycle combustion engine fuelled by shale oil and compressed air and could run for 5000 yards at 455 knots 805 lb of Torpex explosive in the warhead Diameter 21 Weight 3452 lbs Overall Length 259 in A large weapon to store and manhandle in the confines of these submarines They were indeed submersible torpedo boats
Books such as Naval Weapons of World War Two by John Campbell give a more detailed description of this torpedo and figures for torpedo success briefly 5421 torpedoes fired 1040 certain hits The Alliance book by
Lambert and Hill has detailed drawings of the torpedo and the tube firing system but little text discussion It would have been interesting to know if there were sufficient torpedoes to fully load all the submarines and if there were sufficient again to reload Another useful logistical figure would have been the crew strength in the period But these vital figures have proved difficult to obtain It is known from reliable anecdotes that early in the period small designated groups of mainly S class were held in active reserve in different locations with one crew looking after each group
It has been suggested but not confirmed that at the same time some T class were held in the Dockyards No attempt has been made at this stage to take on the difficult task of determining the disposition year by year of each submarine It is well known that submarines were committed to Australia and Canada for training for long periods however they represented a relatively small percentage of the total fleet and in principle could return to the UK if crisis circumstances arose The Politics of British Defence Policy 1945-1962 by William P Snyder (1964) will tell the reader nothing about diesel submarines but this American military author does provide a picture of the defence politics of the period and confirms that a Soviet attack in Europe was then considered very likely (Page 19) The comment is made in the context of commitments to the Korean War
The List With Commentary The intention is to identify
each submarine and its condition as clearly as possible Submarines still around in the period but not sensibly available for active service are accounted for in separate sections ASDIC sets in Sections 1 to 4b were of the type used in WWII Refer to the extended T notes Section 4d for comment on the ASDIC and TCS of the latter part of the period of interest There is insufficient information available to offer comment on the radar sets Norman Friedman 1981 Naval Radar Naval Institute Press ISBN 0870219677 may prove helpful to interested readers PoWV 1959 refers to the official document - Particulars of
War Vessels 1959 CB 04826 relevant sub pages provided by Ian Buxton
10
The Submarines Section 1 Two U class submarines Section 2 The introduction of a snort system in the RN Section 3a The S class submarine Section 3b Eleven S class modernised submarines Section 3c 4 S class submarines to France 19511952 Section 3d Six S class submarines scrapped by 1950 Section 3e 4 S class streamlined un-armed ASW targets Section 4a 10 Grp III T class Submarines 1571 tons sm Section 4b Accounting for T class to early scraploan Section 4c 8 T class extended hull fast battery subs Section 4d Five - Streamlined T class submarines Section 5 Sixteen A class submarines Section 6 The Porpoise class Section 7 Experimental and Trials submarines Section 8 The HTP Propulsion Programme of the RN Section 9 Personal observations StreamliningGuns Appendix Pennant numbers For a broader historical view of the disposition of the Submarines of the Royal Navy at this time the following two sources are suggested Norman Friedman The Post War Naval Revolution Chapter 8 Submarines and Eric Grove Vanguard to Trident 1945-1985 Chapter 6 - Peroxide to Polaris Thanks to John Eade and Ian Buxton who checked and where required corrected the basic submarine data using their sources
Section 1 Two U Class Submarines
Two U Class Submarines 730 tons sm Mike Critchley British Warships Since 1945 has photographs of both of these submarines that played such an important role in WWII They are shown in 1957 flying the White Ensign Guns removed and a modern ASDIC domes No pennant number displayed Apparently the last of the large fleet of 51 small U submarines all built by Vickers Armstrong during WWII There were 22 war losses In addition Armstrong Vickers built 22 very similar V class HMS Upstart shown here post war without a gun Note modern ASDIC dome aft (Photo G Chalcraft)
These Submarines By Name And Number
Untiring P59 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Loaned to Greece as Xifias 1945 Returned to Royal Navy 1952 Expended as AS target off Start Point 25 July 1957
Upstart P65 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Became Greek Amfitrite 1945 Returned to RN 1952 Expended as AS target off Isle of Wight 19 July 1957 Section 2 Introduction Of A Snort System In The RN
The first successful snort system in the Royal Navy is reported as being fitted in Truant N68
The topic is introduced at this point to give some idea how soon after the war a snort system was available for fitting in all RN submarines She was a relatively old Group 1 T class Completed 1939 Vickers Armstrong Decommissioned 1945 Wrecked off Cherbourg en route to scrapping December 1946 HMS Truant a group one T class
completed in 1939 Seen here with snort mast raised The additional pipe to starboard indicates this was an experimental setup Decommissioned in 1945 and lost under tow to the scrap yard in 1946
these dates give some idea as to when the Royal Navy began snort experiments The T and S submarine classes were fitted with fold down combined exhaust and induction masts mast as were the initial installations on the A class This quickly changed on the A class with the exhaust fixed to the after standards and only the induction mast folding down on to the after casing Further detail in each section Section 3a The S Class Of Submarine Construction of
this substantial fleet of (990 tons sm) submarines was commenced with the laying down of the Sturgeon in 1931
However the submarines of interest in the period 1948-1958 came from the surviving 40 that were part of Group III construction 1941 to 1945 There were 9 war losses from this group There are obvious features introduced in WWII but not fitted to all the GIII submarines No doubt due to Dockyard opportunities etc One was the Oerlikon gun fitted on a raised railed Bandstand aft of the conning tower the example below shows the conning tower of Splendid P228 (Lost in 1943) HMS Splendid shown with a Bandstand amp Oerlikon gun The platform is supported by a column mounted on the hull (Photo G Chalcraft) The following image shows Sahib P212 without this feature (lost in 1943) Another feature was the single external torpedo seen clearly on this image of Sahib but not on all the class This was the only external tube fitted to the S class HMS Sahib note the absence of a Bandstand amp
Oerlikon gun
Deck gun can be seen as can the aft torpedo tube (Our President survived the sinking of Sahib in
1943 and was taken POW)
HMS Scotsman showing the shielded platform fitted to some S class (Photograph R Fry) The GIII S class were fitted with a 3 and later a 4 gun It was thought the latter would be more effective against small ships particularly in the Far East (The Design and Construction of British Warships 1939-1945) The 3 mounts seem to have all been simple unshielded deck guns again as shown on Sahib
but the 4 gun appears to have had a platform mount and shield as seen in Sea Devil in the post
war photograph above and a grainy but clear close-up of the gun and conning tower of the Scotsman P243 1946 on the right HMS Sea Devil in
1949 Note she still has the Bandstand but no snort No pennant number is displayed Post-war many of the S class were transferred to other navies or scrapped and it is history of the survivors that went on to serve in the critical 1948-1958 period before new submarines came into service that is of interest To be continued
This article will be serialised over the coming months and includes many submarines served on by Derbyshire Members I am at present preparing it in a newsletter format and cannot at the present time say how many parts it will be but obviously our more senior members are getting their boats mentioned first It is appreciated the article is available on the web but it is also acknowledged that most members who served on lsquoSrsquo Boats in the 1940rsquos and early 1950rsquos do not have access to a computer Feedback is always welcome so let me know what you think with pleasure
11
FINAL PART ldquoI‟M NO HERO BUT I DID MY BITrdquo An Understatement By An bdquoilson Lad FOUR of FOUR MY STORY OF THE WAR YEARS 1939-1945 by Joseph Simons Driver REME
1946 In 1946 demob and back to the UK back to Civvy Street it went on age and length of
service (I was group 47 demobbed September 1947) we had a hut where at night we could go play cards dominoes or have a chat If someone getting demobbed we put a bit of a party on for them and Bill Dabbs a London bus driver aged about forty known no other life for over five years being with and working with the lads and with his mates and what with the weak beer they served in the hut he had tears running down his face with emotion due to leaving men he had only known for five years and the fact he was going back into civvy life where you are on your own
Early summer I got a fourteen day leave and went up to the leave centre and got on the train with all the others going on leave Wooden seats and it took twenty four hours to get to Calais because the train kept breaking down The Royal Engineers had put a single railway track across the River Rhine and the train went dead slow over this wooden bridge and looking out of the window you could only see the river We got to Calais and we crossed the channel on a fishing trawler to Folkstone I enjoyed that leave with the girl I had met but soon it was all
over and back to our workshop camp Later that year through units were breaking up due to demobilisation and our own workshop was one the fitters and mechanics took all the trucks and went to another workshop to make it up to strength All the drivers went to Bad Oyenhasen a spar town Once a week we went to the baths a German civilian filled the wooden bath worn smooth by years of use and put a thermometer in the water to see if it was the right temperature A bath in a wooden bath is far superior
A posting came for me and I went to Dusseldorf to this little unit which controlled all the factories in the Ruhr It consisted of a Captain WO1 Sergeant Corporal and me with two civilian clerks My job was to go to a factory to see what they had produced and take it to another factory that needed it I went all around the Ruhr past the Krupps bombed out factory at Essen Solingen Dortmund Wuppertao one job I had to pick up about seven plate glass shop window size and take it to Achen about thirty miles away I thought the state of the roads it will be broken but it was all in one piece not broke when I got it to Achen
I was billeted in the centre Dusseldorf in a big building it must have been offices because it had many rooms it was opposite Steal House the headquarters of the steel industry of the Ruhr It was where we had our meals our office was about a mi le away The Captain and the Sergeant where German Jews and must have got out of Germany before the war had started The Captain disappeared at the weekend with German friends in the big houses or castle and went on the shooting parties in the forests He had got all mounted animal heads on the walls of his office The Sergeant as soon as you saw him he was a Jew They both had cars whether bought or commandeered and when the sergeant went out he must have scared the Germans to bits for what they did to the Jews The Corporal he was a real spiv selling things for a profit what the Germans could not get cigarettes was the currency you could buy anything with cigarettes
The winter of 1946-47 it was cold and we went skating on the lake in the park I enjoyed my job going to different factories that had started up taking and delivering things in my three ton truck and then that day when group 47 came up and it was on the train to Cuxhaven (North Germany) a night crossing on a troop ship to Hull and train to barracks at York to collect everything from a civvy suit pay that was due rail ticket to Derby bus warrant to Ilkeston and I was back in civvy street I am pleased I did and I would not sell my memories of those four years of army life not for a million pounds Joseph Simons Driver REME April 1943 to September 1947 Army Number 14424767
Editor It was a pleasure to undertake putting his story into book form for Joe‟s Grandchildren which includes many more photographs he took on his exploits than can be shown here Many of these photo‟s are personal to him but I am immensely pleased that he allowed me permission to produce some extra books and they have been placed in the Local History Section of Ilkeston Library and also in the Erewash Museum so the exploits of a local Ilkeston (ilson is the local slang) man have been recorded for the future I hope you have enjoyed the story I certainly felt very privileged that he shared his experiences
Bad
Oyenhasen
12
VANGUARD VISIT TO DERBY 30 Sept ndash 3 Oct It was absolutely wonderful to have a group of twenty Submariners visit Derby for an extended weekend with hopefully not too busy a programme though it was running tight on occasions The crew arrived in Derby spaced over six or so hours and booked in the European Hotel which was very accommodating and geared up and everyone agreed it was very good We had an early evening briefing on the programme and all sailors received a welcome to Derby pack with loads of paper advising what had been arranged and free entry tickets and other information A recce of Derby Night Life was organised and it was abundantly clear at breakfast at 8am that some lively night life had been found
Coffee Morning Friday dawn the weather was an absolute killer with rain as bad as any Singapore monsoon Ritchie the Vanguard coxswain and I arrived early at the Council House to open up and to unload my car which was full to the gunnels with kit in the pouring rain Our door team of Jim Hunt and John Hadfield had already arrived to man up the doors and with them were John‟s wife Maureen and her sister Francis who immediately proceeded to set up the coffee percolator and coffee boat Maureen and Francis were soon joined by Joyce who looked after the victuals and peculator ably assisted by Peter Johnson and Jean Slater ndash definitely an bdquoA‟ team The next hour was a flurry of activity setting up the various stalls with everyone helping each other John amp Rita Sayers did the main raffle Jenny Williamson the tombola Michelle Tyler and Julie Winstanley did the Submariners and Skimmer blackouts with Ron Slater and Ken Holtham doing the health and fitness straw draw as well as the Mug Sales stall so all helpers really dug out The Vanguard crew‟s input was tremendous helping us throughout the morning and as someone observed they were very fit and active I might add a lady made this comment ndash or was she Incidentally if I have missed mentioning anyone please accept my apologies but it was a rather hectic though successful morning The severe weather had a major impact on the ex service trade and of course the fact the bus stops outside the Council House have now been moved to the new bus station did not help either We would especially like to thank those ladies and gentleman who booked a day of work for this event and despite the weather turned out especially one young lady who came into Derby for the event by train and it‟s a long walk with weather like that Many hands make light work so everyone‟s efforts were appreciated The Mayor of Derby joined us at 1045 and our Chair Steve Tyler welcomed him and presented him with one of the special commissioned mugs to commemorate the Vanguard visit
Every crew member visiting received one and they bore the crests of Vanguard SA Derbyshire SM1 and with special permission from Rolls Royce their crest These were proudly above the wording bdquoFreedom of the City of Derby granted to HM Submarine Service with the White Ensign in the middle The WEO of Vanguard Lt Cdr Chris Bland thence presented the Mayor with a Vanguard Crest Getting on for 1120 we started the ball rolling with the raffle draw and this was followed by the Mayor opening the envelopes to declare the Blackout winners I might add the winning boats and targets were impartially picked by someone who knows absolutely nothing about the RN and the fact our Chair won the bottle of Pusser‟s with Courageous which he served on in 1982 was purely a coincidence Still the good news is the Skimmer prize of 1ltr of Lambs was donated back to the branch and will be redrawn either at the visit of Ambush or Christmas so you can have another opportunity of winning a large bottle of rum We then drew the Submariners unique free Coffee Morning Ticket entry raffle prize of a bottle of whiskey and then finally we auctioned the two remaining prizes from the straw health and fitness draw The fitness watch worth pound70 went for pound30 and the magnetic bracelet for pound10 further enhancing our funds Jenny‟s tombola was a successful sell out
Despite the low turn out of people we did exceptionally well and it is sad that with the closure of the Council House for two years renovation we will not be able to hold this event in its present location or form elsewhere at present I feel it has been an immense privilege we have enjoyed courtesy of the Mayor and the City Council over a number of years It has not been a right but a perk and I believe all ex Service Associations should be grateful at the generosity over the years and accept through no ones fault the council can no longer afford to provide accommodation now not the least because they have not got any spare accommodation during the renovation of the present Council House
On conclusion of the Coffee Morning members squared away the room whilst the Vanguard crew enjoyed a very good presentation undertaken by the Mayor and John the Mayors Chauffer in the Council Chamber The history of the unique Chain of Office which is priceless City Sword Orb and Rod were all explained to an interested audience As Ricki Rotimi one of Vanguards Chefs undertook the demonstrations with the Sword and other artefacts it was noticed that the Mayor kept the Chain of Office firmly in his grasp Ricki got quite excited that whilst kneeling he got Knighted with the sword but looked a bit glum when it was declared that his Knighthood was invalid as it needed the Monarchs approval On leaving the Council House we discovered the rain was as bad as it had been early in the morning thus wet on the outside we proceeded to the pub to get wet on the inside too
13
We collected our vehicles and made our way to the Oak amp Acorn for an arranged buffet Once the crew had been fed and watered (though there was not much water drunk) the branch members were invited to dine The worries on the change of management three days previously were unfounded and everyone was pleased with the choice of venue The Rolls Royce Representative Tony kindly joined us for a short time and he acted as escort for a special tour to Rolls Royce on Raynesway for all the crew members on which I understand was a very useful and interesting visit to Vanguard‟s crew I used the time after this to offload a lot of gear at my home as my car was so full it could not carry passengers I then set off for the Spot to complete setting up the room with the Raffle final place settings due to changes checking wine orders etc I normally set up a big A Board with laminated welcome posters but with the Spot having all the mod cons I was requested to supply A4 instead of twice the size A3 I was most impressed with the displays in lights as we entered I produced two posters one welcoming the Vanguard on their visit to Derby and one advertising the Branch and its 30th Anniversary To see them up in lights was far superior to the laminated posters I know it‟s just another toy but wow What a toy
Friday night rush hour is a nightmare and I got caught up in the car parking on the new Laura Croft way trying to get back to the European Hotel and in the end landed up with only having 30 minutes to get showered dressed in best bib and tucker and to get to the Spot to welcome everyone How we did it I do not really know And it was still chucking it down with rain In fact it was just like Faslane Friday Evening was a combination celebrations rolled into one We were celebrating our Branch 30
th
Anniversary and had brought forward our branch Trafalgar Dinner night as well We were also celebrating the 50
th year of RN British Submarines
and of course we welcomed the twenty crew of Vanguard to the only City in the United Kingdom that has granted the Freedom of the City to HM Submarine Service which proudly hangs on the stairwell of the Submarine Squadron Offices in Faslane The room had been superbly decorated on a Red White and Blue theme by the Spot and this was complimented by balloon‟s The branch had added our own personal touch with place mats individual seating markers with a reminder of what people had ordered and table markers and of course a unique programme to celebrate the occasion When items such as these are taken as souvenirs I always consider it a compliment and I had nothing to clear up at the end of the evening Everyone assembled in the middle room for early drinks and socialise with John amp Rita Sayers making everyone exceptionally welcome selling them Raffle Tickets
On time everyone was summoned to take their places for Dinner and at 7pm the Sea Cadets from TS Kenya piped the top table into Dinner The Diners slow hand clapped the top table in and I undertook Master of Ceremonies with a very short safety brief Thence the Senior Officer present Cdr Jerry Hall RN Rtd was called upon to read out the response to the Loyal Greetings sent to HM Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of our 30
th Anniversary Jerry proudly read
the message to all relayed from the Queen wishing us a successful evening Thence followed the Welcome by our President Mr Ken Holtham and grace by our Vice Chair Mr John Sayers It was thence time to dig in for the first course which was a choice of Soup Pate or Melon The main course was a Carvery but what a carvery We had the choice of Beef Pork amp Turkey and all vegetarians and special diets were well looked after The choice of vegetables was the largest anyone had seen with the only complaint being the plates were not big enough I consider as I was full there was ample but I agree it was impossible to get everything on There were one or two deep breaths before the puddings which was the Sweet Trolley of cream gateaux‟s Cheese board or ice cream followed by coffee which with cream and a mint biscuit rounded off a super meal We then eased springs for a break of fifteen minutes before the speeches
Cdr Jerry Hall Lt Cdr Chris Bland Terry Hall Michelle Tyler Desna amp Ian Tyson
The immortal Toast and a fine speech on Nelson was delivered by Lt Cdr Chris Bland the WEO as Senior Officer of Vanguard who bravely stepped into the position of Cdr Stuart Capes the Commanding Officer of Vanguard Port who was unable to attend due to operational reasons Chris was followed by the Loyal Toast to HM the Queen This very different and enjoyable toast was undertaken by Mr Ian Tyson MIM who is not only a personal friend of mine but was the ex Ceremonial Officer for the Submariners Assn and was a leading light in the London SA before its closure Ian treated us to a unique history lesson on the Battle of Trafalgar and his instruction on taking one‟s tot involved everyone and the experience was enjoyed by all It was as promised in our Loyal Greetings letter to HM toasted with gusto and from the heart Ian‟s speech and toast was summed up by our Chairman Steve Tyler who when he arose to toast the Submarine Service and the Submariner stated ldquoHow do I follow thatrdquo Follow it he did with a roaring toast to the senior part of the Senior Service
14
The presentations were extended slightly with two planned and one unplanned The branch made a presentation of a SA Derbyshire Plaque to the Senior Officer and thence a framed picture of a cartoon that had been in the National Press which had been suitably and artistically enhanced in colour by my daughter This was presented to Vanguard‟s Coxswain John Richie Richardson and small A5 copies distributed in a sealed envelope to each table so all could view the cartoon The Senior Officer thence presented the branch with a superb framed
picture of the Vanguard Crest with brass plaques engraved to commemorate the visit to Derby This splendid gift will be hung in our room at TS Kenya for both ourselves and the cadets to enjoy A presentation of a bouquet of flowers was made by ET Chris Whale to Elena Holtham the wife of our Branch President who was
celebrating her 85th
birthday I would also like to extend our branch‟s best wishes to Chris on his forthcoming course he is just embarking on at HMS Sultan we wish you the best of luck In keeping with the branch tradition we thence provided a decorated Rose Stem for all of the ladies attending and requested the crew members undertake the presentations - which were carried out admirably in true Naval Tradition Our youngest guest was a lovely young lady called Amy who had joined us due to a late cancellation She had joined us at our coffee morning and spent some time with our WWII veterans discussing their experience for her bdquoA‟ Levels and the branch has been able to help with books from our library and I have provided her with booksleaflets from various projects I have undertaken with my RBL hat on so not only was the RN covered but also the RAF with the bomber memorial and Joe Simons excellent story of his service from Normandy just after D-Day and into Germany You may be able to spot her in the picture above
The evening was thence concluded by a wonderful performance by Shep Woolley who I consider it a
great privilege that he commented to me how much he had enjoyed his observations of our special evening As per normal Shep gave a superb performance and it was much enjoyed by all and we thank him
for such a brilliant and entertaining programme as the Golden Carriages arrived for our guests
Saturday 2 December 2010 Talk about see-saw weather Thursday had been fine for the arrival and it was quite hot sat in the foyer of the hotel waiting to meet and greet the crew to Derby Friday was a total washout weather wise and the rain that bad I would liken it to a monsoon Saturday however dawned bright and sunny and stayed like that until the early evening However our plan was a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas where the Vanguard crew would lay a wreath at the Submariners Memorial Though booked into the NMA it was not until about two weeks before that I was advised of the Annual Bike to the Wall and was told they already had 23000 bikes booked in I spoke to the Coxswain and we decided it was worth a go and we are all very glad we did Only one of the twenty had visited the NMA before so it was a particularly poignant visit We convoyed down in three vehicles parking up in a field designated as the Park amp Ride Car Park with a free bus service to and from the NMA The rain the previous day saw the river swollen that runs through the site and it was a little damp to say the least The buses ran regularly and we arrived and our first duty was to replace the very tatty and dirty White Ensign on the Naval Review section We then went down to the submariner‟s memorial where we carried out a short poignant service including the laying of Vanguards Wreath The various parts of the service were shared out amongst crew members with me having the honour of piping the silence I had produced souvenir quality service sheets for each crew member and included a brief history of the NMA site I particularly liked the comment about bdquoIts good to see it was the conception of a Commander Royal Navy who made it happen‟ and that is something we can all be very proud of Unfortunately I had left my camera in the car but we enjoyed the spectacle of the bikers in their thousands The respect and salutes to the service members were a joy to behold The bikers raise a lot of money and the sights of them coming up the main A38 dual carriageway with lights blazing was a magnificent sight The car parks and main thoroughfares were chocker block with bikes of all shapes and sizes including some modified with rear ends of VW Beetles Indian rickshaws and Harleys by the hundreds Whatever the bike they had all come to pay their respects to our Armed Forces and were a credit to their respective chapters clubs or Legion bikers or as individuals BZ to all those who participated on the bdquoRide To The Wall‟ We returned to Derby in the afternoon and arranged to meet up down in the City at the Assembly Rooms where Shep Woolley was performing and the promoters had kindly offered greatly reduced tickets for the Vanguard Crew After the concert I was treated to a Chinese all you can eat on Babbington Lane With not frequenting Derby very often and certainly not at night it was an unknown venue to me but was most enjoyable I sincerely thank Coxn Richie Richardson and CPO Nick Alton for excellent company My first ever visit to Walkabouts was an eye opener and a half and it was only the excellent company that made the run so enjoyable Sunday was going home day and the Vanguards split off by car train to all points of the compass
15
HMS TIRELESS IN MULTINATIONAL EXERCISE Naval assets from the UK France Australia and the US have completed a major international anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Gulf of Oman This is a regular exercise directed by the United Kingdom Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) based in Bahrain It is designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability in warm water environments and promote interoperability between ships and aircraft from a variety of nations The centrepiece of the cat and mouse style exercise was Trafalgar Class submarine HMS Tireless playing the role of the mouse while the duties of the cat were shared between the Australian frigate HMAS Melbourne and the French frigate FS Dupleix Meanwhile Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron and US P-3 Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft acted as eyes in the sky HMS Tireless and HMAS Melbourne also exchanged key personnel during the exercise in order to share skills and experience A UKMCC spokesperson said The number of navies
building and operating submarines continues to grow It is therefore important that the Royal Navy retains its position at the forefront of anti-submarine warfare a skill easy to lose but difficult to regain The presence of
a large number of coalition navies in this region provides the ideal opportunity to train together Commodore Tim Fraser UK Maritime Component Commander said The large proportion of the Royal Navys work in this region is of an operational nature such as conducting anti-piracy patrols and strengthening relations with regional allies However it is important that we also run regular exercises such as this in order to maintain and further develop our skills across the full range of capabilities The UKMCC controls all Royal Navy warships aircraft and personnel in the Middle East maritime theatre which totals over thirteen hundred personnel and more than a dozen vessels These include frigates undertaking maritime security operations and anti-piracy patrols mine countermeasures vessels developing warm water mine hunting techniques and landing ships supporting the training and development of the fledgling Iraqi Navy and the protection of key Iraqi oil platforms
HMS ASTUTE IN COMMISSION The UKs most powerful attack submarine HMS Astute has been welcomed into the Royal Navy in a commissioning ceremony overseen by the boats patron the Duchess of Cornwall as well as Doug Clarke our Derbyshire Member who was kindly taken up to Faslane by his son and daughter for the prestigious event HMS Astute which has officially become Her Majestys Ship today 29 August 2010 She is almost fifty per cent bigger than any attack submarine in the Royal Navys current fleet As the base port of all the Royal Navys submarines from 2016 Faslane will be home to the whole Astute Class including Ambush Artful and Audacious which are already under construction Astute was built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness with hundreds of suppliers around the country contributing component parts including Rolls-Royce Derby (nuclear plant)
TS KENYA PRESENTATION NIGHT Friday 15 October 2010
What an absolutely awful evening weather wise which fortunately did not prevent a decent size audience for this Annual prestigious event which was a credit of organisation and planning The Cadets both Sailors and Royal Marines were as usual excellently turned out and disciplined The Chief guests were the High Sheriff of Derbyshire and the Mayor of Derby who both presented the various trophies to the Cadets As I helped with the raffle I can say with authority that all the prime guests and Senior Committee were exceptionally generous with donations and the total of just under pound90 was raised Whoever organised the prizes did a Herculean effort with Black amp Decker Sets Footbath bottles and really exceptionally good prizes
We submariners were thinner on the ground than in the past with myself Ken and Peter and Joyce but with more than half the branch either on holiday P7R or sick parade this was to be expected There was also three RMA amp Tom Smith BEM RNA Jerry Hall was wearing many hats including President of the TS Kenya Management Committee and President of the RNA for whom he presented a Bosun‟s Pipe to the best cadet Jerry is of course a Submariner member and thanked all four Naval Associations in Derby for their unstinting support of the unit
The presentations took the normal format of the badges and promotions for the Cadets followed by the awards The bdquoTommy Appleby‟ Memorial Shield was won by Cadet Ginette Doherty This Shield was presented to the Unit by Doris in memory of Tommy who was a submariner member The array of awards is impressive and the presentations were undertaken in rotation by the High Sheriff and the Mayor After the presentations the High Sheriff and the Mayor were presented with bouquets The High Sheriff is a nice lady but the Mayor had to accept on behalf of his wife who had been whisked away only moments before for another function I thought he took the presentation of flowers in good spirit The Mayor and High Sheriff both made speeches praising the work of the Cadets Staff and supporters of the Unit
Those who follow the progress of the Cadets through the newsletter or otherwise will be aware that the project to get the Cadets on the water is nearing fruition with the money required for a boat and a safety boat raised and both boats are in the process of being built An internal competition at TS Kenya had been undertaken to name the two boats and unfortunately the Commanding Officer Capt SCC Andy Fuller RMR would not divulge the ones he advised were outrageous suggestions However the decision had been to name the budding Fleet after ex Royal Navy vessels with one to be a submarine and one to be a target skimmer surface vessel The decision made was for HMS Sovereign for the safety boat and HMS Malaya for the pulling boat Sovereign was Derby‟s adopted boat for over thirty years and always ably supported the Sea Cadet unit in Derby Malaya was the name of the Unit until a few years ago when the name was changed to TS Kenya to reflect the long Ship Affiliation of HMS Kenya which was Derby‟s adopted ship before Sovereign with links to warship week in WWII
16
FEEDBACK 30th
ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND I have received much positive feedback and only one complaint of the 30
th Anniversary amp Trafalgar Dinner
The complaint was from Jim Hunt who stated the carvery plates were not big enough End of complaint Many branch members as well as guests have taken the time to say how much they enjoyed the event and in summary the following letter from HMS Vanguard by Louis Gardner the Operations Officer who I know definitely enjoyed his run ashore in Derby
Dear Terry May I take this opportunity to thank the Derbyshire Branch of the Submariners Association for inviting the Ship‟s Company of HMS Vanguard to participate in what was a hugely enjoyable visit Your organisation of such a varied programme including the visit to Rolls Royce was particularly well received Further thanks must go to all who ensured such a successful Trafalgar Night Dinner Excellent hosting was provided by all of your members which was enjoyed and appreciated by our sailors and officers It was a delight to toast both Nelson and your branch‟s 30
th
anniversary on the same occasion Special thanks must go to you for your Herculean efforts in ensuring our time in Derby ran so smoothly Everything from the welcome packs and presentation mugs to your organisation of the service at the National Arboretum was greatly appreciated Much fun was had by all during the visit and we look forward to the opportunity to reciprocate your invitation in the future
Well done all branch members I know many of you had an exceptionally busy Friday and also appreciate for many it was an expensive day with taxi‟s hotels and distances involved However your company was enjoyed by the Vanguard‟s Ship Company and the fact we had so many turn up to help at the Coffee Morning made the task so much easier especially for me It was a wonderful change to have the work load shared as it was by the branch bdquoA‟ team ndash That‟s all of you who were able to turn up and help BZ to all and for the first time I can remember it was a stress free Trafalgar Dinner with nearly everything going smoothly thanks to the excellent organisation at the Spot Now for next year has anyone any ideas
SA NATIONAL RAFFLE I have received the list of prize winners from the ex National Treasurer and can confirm that unfortunately there are no Derbyshire Member Winners Thanks to all in the branch who participated as the branch got one third of the takings
NATIONAL DIARIES I asked Steve Tyler that if there were any SA diaries available at Nottingham to get Ten these have all been sold We hoped for an opportunity to pick up at the Embankment Parade in London avoiding costly PampP However due to problems and cost of accommodation in London we will now unfortunately not be parading our Standard but will be attending the Derby Festival of Remembrance at Derby Cathedral on the same weekend Any further orders to the Treasurer please
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2011 If any members have any proposals for Conference 2011 you are reminded that the branch must submit them by 31 December 2010 thus they need to be presented at the next two meetings if your proposal is to be discussed and submitted
BRANCH AGM TS KENYA The Branch AGM will take place at 7pm on Wednesday 3 March 2011 when we revert from our Winter Routine of lunch time meetings at the Jubilee Club at 1215 Items for the Agenda should be submitted by the January meeting with any nominations for any office
BRANCH SUBSCRIPTIONS 2011 Branch Subscriptions were not discussed at our AGM in March thus by default they will remain the same at pound10 per person with pound5 National fee making a total of pound15 Annual Subscription This becomes due to the 31 December 2010 for the following year and it is requested that to enable the year end figures to be completed by 31 January 2011 that they are submitted to the Treasurer as soon into the new year or anytime before Those who will be effecting an electronic bank transfer to the branch accounts as per the memo posted out to all members are requested to ensure that your reference clearly states your surname and the word bdquosubs‟ Those who wish to continue to have a hard copy of In Depth are requested to make a further donation of pound5 to cover the copies for 2011 Newsletter Online If you need to refer to a back issue
(three copies only) please refer to wwwsubmarinersassociationcoukhtmlderbynewshtml
Views and comments of this newsletter do not always reflect the official policy or decisions of neither the
Derby Branch nor the Submariners Association
Terry Hall Newsletter Editor Submariners Association Derbyshire Branch 69 Station Road STANLEY VILLAGE
Derbyshire DE7 6FB
Ronamp Jean Slater
4 November 2010 Best Wishes from all the
Derbyshire Branch
2
DERBYSHIRE BRANCH DIARY
Winter Routine Meetings The branch elected to hold the November to February
meetings similar to last year This entailed a meeting at 1215hrs at the Jubilee Club on Morley Road at
Chaddesden Permission has now been granted and the branch is grateful to the Club for granting this
privilege to hold our winter meetings
Please Note the Maritime Hotel (Ex Royal Fleet Club Devonport closed its doors for the last time early June 2010 without notice Unless you are a Scientologist it
will not be accepting bookings again
SA DERBYSHIRE LUNCHEON CLUB At the September Luncheon Club at the Newdigate in West Hallam we as normal had excellent food and service We were very concerned that one couple didn‟t show and were unable to contact them either at home or on the mobile However all was well when we found out they were safe and well and were waiting for us to turn up at the October venue of The Park at Chaddesden a month early Thus this month is The Park at Chaddesden and November is the popular Punch Bowl Carvery at West Hallam with superb view of the wonderful West Hallam WWI Machine Gunner War Memorial and the recent addition of the local WWI Mapperley Coal Mine War Memorial Please phone Ron Slater and let him know if you intend to attend
15 January HMSM Truculent Service Chatham
21-23 January KI13 Memorial Weekend Faslane
12 March Ton Class Meeting Saturday
I intend travelling to Portsmouth for this event over the weekend 11-14 March 2011 If anyone would like to share travelling cost with me and have a weekend in Pompey the same weekend please let me know
19-21March SA National AGM Weekend Imperial
Hotel Blackpool Joint Weekend of AGM amp Full Members only
6 August Dieso Boat Reunion Saturday My car is already fully booked Anyone else interested let me know whether you want to do a two night stopover or three If you want to fill your car or just book and make your own way please let me know
16 September Submariners Association Mixed
Reunion Weekend at Adelphi Hotel Liverpool
AB ST Tom Smith CJX 542849
Tom‟s bdquolast patrol‟ was from Markeaton Crematorium where the cortege was met by seven Ex Association Standards 14 Branch Members which is over half our number and many other ex Servicemen and friends who had attended to salute a true Gentle - man and WWII submariner friend or neighbour The Standards dipped in salute to a bdquoshipmate‟ and thence all ex Service lined the entrance at least three deep whilst Tom was piped over the side to enter the chapel The principle Standards Submariners RNA and Ganges lined up facing the coffin with Tom Smith BEM RNA as Standards Marshall and me as Parade Marshall The other Standards stood down the side of the Chapel in a very smart line The service was undertaken by the Rev Simon White who is the Stanley as well as West Hallam Vicar where the family reside The Naval Hymn was sung and a very poignant poem from Tom‟s granddaughter in Australia At the Committal I piped the Still and the principle Standards dipped until the carry on We then departed the Chapel to the Royal Marine Band playing bdquoA Life on the Ocean Wave and Standards were then lined up to bid family and mourners farewell A collection was taken for SA to provide a fitting Memorial to Tom in his memory amp the total collected and the form of this memorial (trophy) will be advised when known We thence went to the White Hart at West Hallam for a drink or two and a superb buffet
2010
Maritime Club Portsmouth SA Ref 2075
75-80 Queen St Portsmouth PO1 3HS Telephone 023 92824231
29 Oct
WRNS Derbyshire Coffee Morning Derby
Can you help this fledgling branch in any way and assist with coffee door keeper etc Contact Nobby or John Sayers
04 Nov SA Branch Meeting bdquoWinter Routine Lunch Meet‟ Jubilee Club Chaddesden 1215 Start
07 Nov SA Embankment Rem Service London
11 Nov Armistice Day (Thurs) Soldiers Corner Svc
12 Nov Schools Remembrance Svc Chaddesden TBC
14 Nov Remembrance Sunday
24 Nov SA Luncheon Club The Punchbowl West Hallam
02 Dec
SA Branch Meeting bdquoWinter Routine Lunch Meet‟ Jubilee Club Chaddesden 1215 Start
08 Dec
Branch Christmas Lunch Oak amp Acorn Application Forms sent on line and hard copies with this newsletter Note closing date please
2011
3
THE UN-PC PAGES
THE LIFT A fifteen year old Amish boy and his father were in a shopping mall They were amazed by almost everything they saw but especially by two shiny silver walls that could move apart and then slide back together again The boy asked What is this Father The father (never having seen a lift) responded Son I have never seen anything like this in my life I dont know what it is While the boy and his father were watching with amazement a very fat old lady on a mobility scooter moved up to the moving walls and pressed a button The walls opened and the lady drove in between them into a small room The walls closed and the boy and his father watched the small numbers above the walls light up sequentially They continued to watch until it reached the last number and then the numbers began to light in the reverse order Finally the walls opened up again and a gorgeous 24-year-old blonde stepped out The father not taking his eyes off the young woman said quietly to his son Go get your Mother YOU MAY NOT OF KNOWN THIS A group of soldiers and sailors sitting around bragging about their different services One of the soldiers said You know though that the Army invented sex They all pondered this statement and then the Submariner responded he replied Yes but the Royal Navy introduced it to women THE CHARITABLE ADMIRAL One afternoon an Admiral was travelling in his Rolls Royce when he saw two men along the roadside eating grass Disturbed he ordered his driver to stop and he got out to investigate He asked one man Why are you eating grass We dont have any money for food the poor man replied We have to eat grass Well then you can come with me to my house and Ill feed you the Admiral said But sir I have a wife and two children with me They are over there under that tree Bring them along the Admiral replied Turning to the other poor man he stated You come with us also The second man in a pitiful voice then said But sir I also have a wife and six children with me Bring them all as well the Admiral answered They all entered the car which was no easy task even for a car as large as the Admirals Rolls Once underway one of the poor fellows turned to the lawyer and said Sir you are too kind Thank you for taking all of us with you The Admiral replied Glad to do it Youll really love my place My garden is several acres and the grass is almost a foot high LOGIC OF CHILDREN Little Emily went home from school and told her mum that the boys kept asking her to do cartwheels because shes very good at them Mum said You should say No They only want to look at your knickers Emily said I know they do Thats why I hide them in my bag
AND MENhellip There are only two four letter words that are offensive to men dont and stop unless they are used together
ESSEX HURRICANE APPEAL A major hurricane (Hurricane Shazza) and earthquake measuring 58 on the Richter Scale hit Essex in the early hours of Sunday with its epicentre in Basildon Victims were seen wandering around aimlessly muttering Faaackinell The hurricane decimated the area causing approximately pound30 worth of damage Several priceless collections of mementos from Majorca and the Costa Del Sol were damaged beyond repair Three areas of historic burnt out cars were disturbed Many locals were woken well before their giros arrived Essex FM reported that hundreds of residents were confused and bewildered and were still trying to come to terms with the fact that something interesting had happened in Basildon One resident Tracy Sharon Smith a 15-year-old mother of 5 said It was such a shock my little Chardonnay-Mercedes came running into my bedroom crying My youngest two Tyler-Morgan and Victoria-Storm slept through it all I was still shaking when I was skinning up and watching Trisha the next morning Apparently looting muggings and car crime were unaffected and carried on as normal The British Red Cross has so far managed to ship 4000 crates of Sunny Delight to the area to help the stricken locals Rescue workers are still searching through the rubble and have found large quantities of personal belongings including benefit books jewellery from Elizabeth Duke at Argos and Bone China from Poundland How You Can Help This appeal is to raise money for food and clothing parcels for those unfortunate enough to be caught up in this disaster Clothing is most sought after - items most needed include designer or Burberry baseball caps tracksuit tops (his and hers Shell suits (female) White sport socks Rockport boots any other items usually sold in Primark Food parcels may be harder to come by but are needed all the same Required foodstuffs include Microwave meals Tins of baked beans Ice cream Cans of Colt 45 or Special Brew 22p buys a biro for filling in the compensation forms pound2 buys chips crisps and blue fizzy drinks for a family of 9 pound5 buys a packet of fags and a lighter to calm the nerves of those affected Breaking news Rescue workers found a girl in the rubble smothered in raspberry alco-pop Where are you bleeding from they asked Romford said the girl woss that gotta do wiv you THE THREE SISTERS Three sisters ages 92 94 and 96 live in a house together One night the 96 year old draws a bath She puts her foot in and pauses She yells to the other sisters Was I getting in or out of the bath The 94 year old yells back I dont know Ill come up and see She starts up the stairs and pauses Was I going up the stairs or down The 92 year old is sitting at the kitchen table having tea listening to her sisters She shakes her head and says I‟m glad I am not that forgetful touch woodrdquo she said knocking on the wooden table She then yells Ill come up and help both of you as soon as I see whos at the door SIGNS on a Plumbers truck bdquoWe repair what your husband fixed‟ and on another Plumbers truck bdquoDont sleep with a drip Call your plumber‟ And finally On a Septic Tank Truck Yesterdays Meals on Wheels
4
INDIAN ECONOMICS Indian Chief bdquoTwo Eagles‟ was asked by a white US Government official ldquoYou have observed the white man of 90 years You‟ve seen his wars and his technological advances You‟ve seen his progress and the damage he‟s done to the environmentrdquo The Chief nodded in agreement The official continued considering all these events in your opinion where did the white man go wrongrdquo The Chief stared at the government official then replied ldquoWhen the white man find land Indians running it No taxes no debt plenty buffalo plenty beaver clean water Women did all the work Medicine man free Indian man spend all day hunting and fishing all night having sexrdquo Then the chief leaned back and smiled ldquoOnly white man dumb enough to think he could improve system like thatrdquo
A LESSON IN GRAMMER An elderly couple who were both widowed had been going out with each other for a long time Urged on by their friends they decided it was finally time to get married Before the wedding they went out to dinner and had a long conversation regarding how their marriage might work They discussed finances living arrangements and so on Finally the old gentleman decided it was time to broach the subject of their physical relationship How do you feel about sex he asked rather tentatively I would like it infrequently she replied The old gentleman sat quietly for a moment adjusted his glasses leaned over towards her and whispered - Is that one word or two
FACTS OF LIFE IN THE COMPUTER AGE
A little boy goes to his father and asks Daddy how was I born The father answers Well son I guess one day you will need to find out anyway Your mum and I first got together in a chat room on Yahoo Then I set up a date via e-mail with your mum and we met at a cyber-cafe We sneaked into a secluded room and googled each other There your mother agreed to a download from my hard drive As soon as I was ready to upload we discovered that neither one of us had used a firewall and since it was too late to hit the delete button nine months later a little Pop-Up appeared that said You got Male
GETTING OLD OLD IS WHEN Your wife says Lets go upstairs and make love and you answer Pick one I cant do both OLD IS WHEN Your friends compliment you on your new alligator shoes and youre barefoot OLD IS WHEN A sexy babe or hunk catches your eye and your bdquopacemaker‟ opens the garage door OLD IS WHEN Going braless pulls all the wrinkles out of your face OLD IS WHEN You dont care where your spouse goes just as long as you dont have to go along OLD IS WHEN You are cautioned to slow down by the doctor instead of by the police OLD IS WHEN Getting lucky means you find your car in the car park OLD IS WHEN An all nighter means not getting up to go to the toilet AND OLD IS WHEN You are not sure these are jokes
Im so lazy Ive got a smoke alarm with a snooze button
ANTICIPATION An older white-haired man walked into a jewellery store one Friday evening with a beautiful young girl at his side He told the jeweller he was looking for a special ring for his new girlfriend The jeweller looked through his stock and brought out a pound5000 ring The old man said bdquoNo I‟d like to see something more special‟ At that statement the jeweller went to his special stock and brought another ring over bdquoHere‟s a stunning ring at only pound40000 the jeweller said The young lady‟s eyes sparkled and her whole body trembled with excitement The old man seeing this said bdquoWe‟ll take it‟ The jeweller asked how payment would be made and the old man stated bdquoby cheque I know you need to make sure my cheque is good so I‟ll write it now and you can call the bank Monday to verify the funds and I‟ll pick the ring up Monday afternoon‟ he said Monday morning the jeweller phoned the old man bdquoThere‟s no money in your account‟ bdquoI know‟ said the old man bdquoBut let me tell you about my weekend‟
SCOTCH WITH TWO DROPS OF WATER A lady goes to the bar on a cruise ship and orders a whiskey with two drops of water As the barman gives her the drink she says Im on this cruise to celebrate my 85th birthday and its today The barman says Well since its your birthday Ill buy you a drink As the woman finishes her drink the woman to her right says I would like to buy you a drink too The old woman says Thank you I would like a whiskey with two drops of water Coming up says the barman As she finishes that drink the man to her left says I would like to buy you one too The old woman says Thank you Barman I want another whiskey with two drops of water Coming right up the barman says As he gives her the drink he says Maam Im dying of curiosity Why the whiskey with only two drops of water The old woman replies Son when youre my age youve learned how to hold your spirits Holding your water however is a whole different issue
DEEPLY IN LOVE Paddy is passing by Micks hay shed one day when through a gap in the door he sees Mick doing a slow and sensual striptease in front of an old red Massey Ferguson Buttocks clenched he performs a slow pirouette and gently slides off first the right welly followed by the left He then hunches his shoulders forward and in a classic striptease move lets his braces fall down from his shoulders to dangle by his hips over his corduroy trousers Grabbing both sides of his checked shirt he rips it apart to reveal his tea stained vest underneath and with a final flourish he hurls his flat cap onto a pile of hay What the heck are you doing Mick says Paddy Jeez Paddy ye frightened the living bejasus out of me says an obviously embarrassed Mick but me and the missus been having some trouble lately in the bedroom department and the therapist suggested I do something sexy to a tractor
MY GRANDSON My small grandson got lost at Tesco so he approached a uniformed security guard and said Ive lost my granddad The guard asked Whats he like The little tyke hesitated for a moment and then replied Pusser‟s Rum amp anyone with a lumpy jumper
5
WELFARE NEWS
The MOD Medal Office has moved their new address is MOD Medal Office G36 Innsworth House Imjin Barracks Gloucester GL3 1HW
Support across the UK The SPVA Veterans Welfare Service has now completed the roll-out of the five new Welfare Centres providing advice and support across the UK The contact details for each office are
Norcross (based near Blackpool) Tel 01253 333494 Email SPVA-VWSNorcrossmoduk
Kidderminster (based Worcester) Tel 01562 825527 Email SPVAVWSKidderminster moduk
Centurion (based in Gosport) Tel 02392 702232 Email SPVAVWSCENTURIONSPVAmoduk
Imjin (based in Gloucester) Tel 01452 510825 Email VWS-innsworthspvamoduk
Glasgow Tel 0141 2242709 Email VWS-Glasgowspvamoduk
If you are supporting a veteran and need further advice it might be worth contacting our Welfare Service to see if we can help too To locate your nearest Veterans Welfare Centre call our freephone helpline 0800 169 2277
DEFENCE MEDAL Email to SA Membership Sec Hi Tex Just a note to let the Association know that the LibDems have voted in favour of the National Defence Medal for all ex service personnel at their annual conference Regards Archie Watt
HMSM TRUCULENT MEMORIAL JAN 2011 The Branch has received a kind invitation from Derek Grant the Truculent Organiser and Branch Secretary on behalf of the Medway Towns Branch of the SA cordially inviting our members to the forthcoming 61
st Memorial
Service of HM Submarine Truculent to be held in the St George‟s Centre Chatham on Saturday 15 January 2011 at 1045 The service will be conducted by their Branch Chaplain the Reverend David Corness RN On completion of the service a buffet luncheon and the obligatory Tot will be provided by the branch with an opportunity to meet a few ex-submariners and their families Standards are invited RSVP
DERBY amp DISTRICT EX SVC MEETING The unadopted minutes were distributed to all on line members on receipt They have been discussed at the October Branch Meeting so following the report in an earlier newsletter I have cancelled and filed The only bit of the minutes that was changed was the error in reporting the Rolls Royce Battle of Britain window had been moved and this was a error It is the Florence Nightingale window that has been moved to St Peters Church from DRI and the RR Battle of Britain window is still in store somewhere at Rolls Royce
Could it be that I do is the longest sentence
GUIDE PUBLIC SECTOR PENSION SCHEMES 6 October 2010 Ministry of Defence
The scheme is the fifth largest in the UKs public sector Which employees does the scheme cover All members of the armed forces How many sections are there There are two main pension schemes for members of the regular armed forces The first known as AFPS 75 started in April 1975 and closed to new joiners on 6 April 2005 The new one called Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (or AFPS 05) was brought in for new joiners in April 05 How many active deferred and retired members are there There are 198000 active members 406000 deferred members and 399000 pensioners or their dependents receiving a pension What are the principal benefits AFPS 75 is non-contributory and the full pension can be taken at age 55 The fund finances a compensation scheme for death and injury in service as well as a pension It is a final-salary scheme with the maximum pension and tax-free lump sum of three times annual pension available after 34 years as an officer and 37 years (other ranks) This will give a pension worth 485 of what is called representative pay plus the lump sum AFPS 05 is also non-contributory and can be taken at 55 After 35 years of service the pension is worth 50 of final pensionable pay There is also a tax-free lump sum of three times annual pension The pension accrues at a rate of 170th each year for up to 40 years There is also an early pension scheme known as the early departure payments (EDP) scheme which pays a lower level of pension and a lump sum It applies to those with at least 18 years service who are aged 40 or over The pension fund also pays for the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme which makes lump sum payments or continuing inflation proofed tax-free payments for injury illness or death caused by service What percentage of salary do the armed forces pay The MoD pays the equivalent of 37 of officers salaries and 21 of salaries for other ranks What are the funding costs of the scheme Across all members the contribution rate was 276 of salaries in 2009-10 forecast to rise to 295 this year and 34 in the following three years Is the scheme funded or unfunded Unfunded It is paid for out of general taxation not an underlying investment fund What is the value of the scheme assets if any and its liabilities Members of the schemes do not make any contributions from their pay The liabilities were put at pound121bn in the schemes resource accounts for 2009-2010 What is the average pension in payment pound8693 as of 31 March 2010 including lump sum payments Have there been any changes or reforms to the scheme in recent years The introduction of the new AFPS 05 in 2005 Are there any further changes in the pipeline From April 2011 pensions in payment will increase in line with the consumer prices index (CPI) not the retail prices index (RPI)
BUSINESS NEWS Japanese scientists have now created a digital camera with such a fast shutter speed that its now possible to take a photograph of a woman with her mouth shut
6
MICROWAVING WATER
Have you heated a cup of water in your microwave to make coffee or Tea This can be a serious risk and this article explains why A 26-year old man decided to have a cup of coffee He took a cup of water and put it in the microwave to heat it up (something that he had done numerous times before) I am not sure how long he set the timer for but he wanted to bring the water to a boil When the timer shut the oven off he removed the cup from the oven As he looked into the cup he noted that the water was not boiling but suddenly the water in the cup blew up into his face The cup remained intact until he threw it out of his hand but all the water had flown out into his face due to the build-up of energy His whole face is blistered and he has 1
st and 2
nd
degree burns to his face which may leave scarring He also may have lost partial sight in his left eye While at the hospital the doctor who was attending to him stated that this is a fairly common occurrence and water (alone) should never be heated in a microwave oven If water is heated in this manner something should be placed in the cup to diffuse the energy such as a wooden stir stick tea bag etc (nothing metal) General Electrics (GEC) Response Thanks for contacting us I will be happy to assist you The e-mail that you received is correct Microwaved water and other liquids do not always bubble when they reach the boiling point They can actually get superheated and not bubble at all The superheated liquid will bubble up out of the cup when it is moved or when something like a spoon or tea bag is put into it To prevent this from happening and causing injury do not heat any liquid for more than two minutes per cup After heating let the cup stand in the microwave for thirty seconds Before moving it or adding anything into it Here is what our local science teacher had to say on the matter Thanks for the microwave warning I have seen this happen before It is caused by a phenomenon known as super heating It can occur anytime water is heated and will particularly occur if the vessel that the water is heated in is new or when heating a small amount of water (less than half a cup) What happens is that the water heats faster than the vapour bubbles can form If the cup is very new then it is unlikely to have small surface scratches inside it that provide a place for the bubbles to form As the bubbles cannot form and release some of the heat has built up the liquid does not boil and the liquid continues to heat up well past its boiling point What then usually happens is that the liquid is bumped or jarred which is just enough of a shock to cause the bubbles to rapidly form and expel the hot liquid The rapid formation of bubbles is also why a carbonated beverage spews when opened after having been shaken I would also point out that microwaved hard boiled eggs can react in the same manner and they can explode and cause burns and injury even after they have been removed from the oven Just be aware
MICROWAVING PLASTIC MEAL CONTAINERS The question was posed in the Daily Mail in April 2009 of Why don‟t the black plastic dishes used for ready meals melt when microwaved The answer supplied by Carol Hill-Wood of Loughborough Leics was that Microwaves are electro-magnetic waves with wavelengths ranging from 1mm to 30cm or frequencies between 03Ghz and 300Ghz which like light waves or radio waves occupy a part of the electromagnetic spectrum They have several important practical applications such as relaying long distance telephone signals TV broadcasts and computer information across the Earth or to a satellite in space Microwave ovens contain a magnetron which generates microwaves at the right frequency to interact with the
molecules in food heating it directly All wave energy alternates polarity from positive to negative with each cycle of the wave and in microwaves these polarity changes happen millions of times a second For a microwave to interact with a
substance the substance too must consist of polar molecules a good example being water It‟s the polarity of water which gives it its live giving properties When microwaves of the right frequency bombard food they cause the polar molecules in the food to alternate at that frequency millions of times a second This agitation at molecular level creates friction which heats up the food Most forms of glass plastic or paper consist of uncharged molecules which do not interact directly with the microwave so only the food is heated So now you know
NATIONAL LAUNCH OF 2010 POPPY APPEAL
11 October 2010 Source Royal British Legion What The national launch of the 2010 Poppy Appeal Who Chart topping pop sensations The Saturdays and The Royal British Legion‟s extreme human flight display team at a concert and event for the families of 16 Air Assault Brigade WHERE The Physical Training and Recreation Centre Colchester Garrison When 1030hrs Thursday 28th October 2010 Why The 2010 Poppy Appeal is about helping the bdquoAfghan generation‟ of the Armed Forces and their families ndash today and for the rest of their lives The national launch of the 2010 Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal will take place at 1030hrs on Thursday 28th October 2010 with a spectacular private concert performed by chart topping pop sensations The Saturdays The concert exclusively for the families of 16 Air Assault Brigade currently on operations in Afghanistan will feature video messages from personnel stationed in Afghanistan for the families of those watching The launch will also feature a parachute display from the Legion‟s extreme human flight team bdquoJump4Heroes‟ who will land next to the site where the first new Personnel Recovery Centre will be built The Legion has committed pound25 million to the Personnel Recovery Centres (Poppies will be on sale at the November meeting)
7
DELAY TRIDENT REPLACEMENT Thursday September 16 2010
The pound20bn replacement of the UKs Trident nuclear deterrent could be put off until after 2015 according to reports The BBC said ministers were considering delaying the planned 2014 date in an effort to reduce short-term costs and head off a pre-general election political row The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said no decisions had yet been taken on the future of the submarine-based missile system which is currently the subject of a value-for-money review It has been formally excluded from the ongoing strategic defence and security review (SDSR) but the Treasury has made clear the under-pressure MoD budget will have to pay for it An influential committee of MPs yesterday warned that that decision would have very significant consequences for future defence spending The coalition agreement between the Tories and Lib Dems committed the government to renewing Trident but agreed that it should be scrutinised to ensure it offered value for money The deal allows the Lib Dems who went into the general election opposing a like-for-like replacement of the missile system to continue to make the case for alternatives
An MoD spokesman said The government remains committed to maintaining the UKs minimum and credible submarine-based nuclear deterrent based on the Trident missile system Within the framework of the strategic defence and security review a review is ongoing to ensure that the renewal of the deterrent provides value for money It will consider the programme timetable numbers of submarines missiles missile tubes and warheads infrastructure and other support costs and the industrial supply chain Once the review has concluded ministers will discuss and agree the optimum balance of capability and cost Labour leadership candidate Ed Balls said I believe the right approach is to include the decision about the replacement of Trident in the strategic defence review so that we can make an informed decision about how best to maintain the minimum nuclear deterrent that Britain requires I think its right that we seek to make savings where possible but this decision by the coalition looks worryingly like a government putting off the difficult political choices because they are too weak and too divided to take them rather that showing the leadership and strength to make tough choices in the long-term interests of our country
FLEET SHRUNK Friday 24 September 24 2010 The Sun Online
Defence bosses have drawn up shock plans to shrink the Royal Navys ship fleet by half The Sun newspaper has reported In a cuts blueprint seen by the newspaper the fleet will be slashed to just 12 frigates and destroyers It will make our surface armada once feared the world over smaller than that of every other major European nation except Portugal And 7500 sailors will be laid off more than a fifth of the Senior Services manpower of 35760 The plan would leave the service which won Trafalgar Jutland and the Falklands unrecognisable Last night the closest living relative of the Navys greatest hero Admiral Lord Nelson said the plan would have left him horrified And a naval source said It wont just be a disaster we are heading for a national humiliation
The drastic cuts are being considered because the Treasury has ordered the MoD budget to be slashed by 19 Losing 12 frigates and destroyers is the price the Navy will have to pay to keep two new 60000-ton aircraft carriers The troop landing ships Albion and Bulwark which came into service only seven years ago will also be sold off The Navy currently has 24 destroyerfrigates four Type 22 and 13 Type 23 frigates five Type 42 and two Type 45 destroyers At the time of the Falklands War in 1982 we boasted 53 frigates and 13 destroyers Cutting the fleet in half again would make ours smaller than those of historical foes France Germany Spain and Italy Even skint Greece boasts more ships and only Portugal with a population a sixth of Britains has the same number Admirals have been put under massive new pressure by Army boss General Sir David Richards winning the PM round to not sacking 20000 troops In a move that left Defence Secretary Liam Fox fuming David Cameron was persuaded that the Army cuts would risk victory in Afghanistan There are also growing concerns that the difficult defence review is being badly rushed to meet artificial Treasury deadlines A source said The money men have forgotten were an island nation with 90 per cent of our trade going by sea And we have the additional tasks now of chasing pirates and counter-terrorism The Navy has never been busier And 80-year-old Anna Tribe the great-great-great-granddaughter of Admiral Horatio Nelson said I think he would be horrified As a country we are terribly in debt and savings have to be made but not all the money was spent on sensible things It is very sad The RAF also faces bitter cuts with Tornado and Harrier jets Chinook and Puma choppers and the jobs of 6500 airmen under threat Our revelation comes as the row with Argentina over a hunt for oil in the Falklands is expected to be raised by the Argies in the UN in New York today Deputy PM Nick Clegg will also signal to the UN that the age of big Cold War-style fleets and armies is over as we face more fluid less visible threats Last night a Downing Street spokesman said no final decisions had been taken on defence cuts
THEFT FROM HOLLAND V Press Assn 2010
Thieves have targeted a nationally-important submarine wreck lying in the English Channel off East Sussex Divers stole the torpedo tube hatch of the Holland 5 the only surviving example on the seabed of this class of submarine in the world The theft was discovered during a licensed dive by the Nautical Archaeology Society in June and confirmed during a survey dive last month Experts said a group of people would have been behind the theft but that the hatch carried very little monetary value English Heritage and Sussex Police appealed for help to catch the perpetrators who are believed to have struck over the past two years Removing the hatch and accessing the site without a license is illegal under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 police warned The Holland class of submarine became obsolete in the early 20th Century and in 1912 the Holland 5 was destined for scrap It was being towed to Sheerness in Kent when it foundered and sunk six miles off the coast near Eastbourne One theory was that it took on water after the hatch that was stolen was left open
8
ATTRIBUTES OF CUCUMBERS 1 Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folic Acid Vitamin C Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium and Zinc
2 Feeling tired in the afternoon put down the caffeinated and pick up a cucumber Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours
3 Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing spa-like fragrance
4 Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminium to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area
5 Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free Cucumbers contain enough sugar B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost keeping everything in equilibrium avoiding both a hangover and headache
6 Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation
7 Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you dont have enough time to polish your shoes Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water
8 Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge and voila the squeak is gone
9 Stressed out and dont have time for massage facial or visit to the spa Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam creating a soothing relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams
10 Just finish a business lunch and realize you dont have gum or mints Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath
11 Looking for a green way to clean your sinks or stainless steel Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine but is wont leave streaks and wont harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean
13 Using a pen and made a mistake Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls
Just do not take your specimen cucumbers into the Joke and Acorn at Oakwood
BRITS LOSE SENSE OF HUMOUR AT 52 The age we all turn into Victor Meldrews
Theres not much to laugh about once you reach 52 as a new study finds this is the age we all start to lose our sense of humour A poll of 2000 Brits found that adults have less to laugh about as they age On average adults laugh out loud around four times a day researchers said but by the time we reach 50 this falls to just three times a day and a pathetic 25 times a day when 60 Dr Lesley Harbridge from the University of Glamorgan said The Lifetime of Laughter Scale shows that there really is a law of diminishing returns when it comes to laughter We laugh twice as much in our teens as we do in our fifties And our findings suggest that its all downhill from 52 The study also found that while an infant can laugh out loud as many as 300 times every day by the time we reach our twenties this figure has slumped to just four times a day Men were found to be more grumpier than women However according to the findings life gets a little happier when we are in our thirties as thirty something‟s manage on average to laugh around five time every day Perhaps children help us find our sense of humour again The survey carried out for TV channel Dave also found the Victor Meldrew Syndrome was firmly established by the time we hit 50 as this is the age we are most likely to complain Another finding hinted at what may contribute to our grumpiness as we age the survey revealed the average Brit knows only two Jokes Editor Well whoever wrote the above article had obviously never visited the lsquoJoke amp Acornrsquo where a certain member of the Derbyshire Branch certainly has above the average of two jokes in his repertoire and my experience with submariners is we certainly tend to laugh well above average as well Still I bet the professor or doctor is laughing well above average that some plonkers normally us the taxpayer is paying for them to investigate and write reports about this dribble that is no use to anyone
To prove the above point one of our members had a prolonged operation on his arm which was filmed and showed to him He was gleefully telling a table full of the butchery and intricate details of how a certain muscle was really tough Trying to be subtle as one does to a friend who has suffered a serious operation I asked politely if it was as tough as the steak on the meal I was trying to enjoy As quick as a flash he came back with bdquoSorry it was an armless story‟ However despite needing to wear a sling for at least two months it has proved that the operation has not dimished his sense of humour Get well soon Jim
OK so we‟ve taken off all our clothes and got on top of each other How long until we get
the Orgasm
I don‟t know But now I understand why mother gets a headache all the
time
9
DIESEL SUBMARINES 1948 ndash 1958 PART ONE OF SIX
The Diesel Submarines Of The Royal Navy Available To Engage In A Major War In The Period 1948 to 1958 Compiled by Peter D Hulme with additional notes
Acknowledgements for information and advice to John Eade Ian Buxton George Malcomson (RN Submarine Museum) and Roger Fry Submarines are mentioned in this article that were lost war and peace - we will remember them
By the 1980s surveillance of NATO naval units by Soviet submarines was taken for granted Electronic spy ships passed happily through our fleet formations whilst their maritime aircraft buzzed over them without hindrance But in the early fifties following hard on the heels of the Berlin airlift and at a time of explosive growth of Soviet sea power sterner attitudes prevailed I recall a confidential memorandum on the subject circulated to the Fleet at the time which reminded Escort Force Commanders that there were no prohibitions on firing depth charge patterns to test them at any time Exactly what similar orders had gone out to the Red Navy remained a matter of conjecture but no one fancied being the first to find out as Gary Powers did on his U2 flight over Mother Russia
Extract from SUBMARINER by Commander John Coote Royal Navy (deceased) former CO of the Totem foreword by Submarine Admiral IJ Galantin US Navy (Rtd) Norman Friedman US Naval author - Office of Naval Intelligence (US Navy) found the future bleak by 1951 it expected 356 Soviet submarines It later proved to be an over estimate ONI in 1954 credited the Soviets with 345 operational units including 83 obsolete submersibles
Preamble The data bases of British submarines while very
useful can be confusing when trying to estimate the actual fighting strength of the Submarine Service over any particular period in this case 1948-1958 This period as it will referred to throughout the list and commentary was chosen because in 1958 the first new operational submarine since the war Porpoise joined the fleet to be
followed by the rest of her class Other major changes were in the offing not the least the first British nuclear submarine but of more immediate influence new sonar and torpedoes were finally to become a reality 1948 was chosen as the start of the period of interest for historical reasons but there was also an important practical motive most of the disposal and scrapping of WWII vessels was complete Historically the 1948 Berlin Airlift symbolised the start of confrontation between the Western Powers and the Soviet Union the Cold War NATO came into being the next year and the submarine started to take its place as a key player in the conduct of this trial of resolve between East and West However while the story from about 1960 onward is well known as are the submarines involved the active units that made up the submarine fleet of the Royal Navy when the possibility of a Hot War was very real are not as well known and this list is intended to correct that with data and photographs The Royal Naval Submarine Museum archives has documents that already define the fleet but these are not readily available to me to use in a publication for this web site
Of great value have been the relevant pages of the official Particulars of War Vessels 1959 CB 04826 supplied to me by Ian Buxton These pages have provided a lot of the detail about each vessel at the close of the period and confirms what submarines were still in active service Including submarines temporarily in the dockyard or reserve in 1953 (the halfway point in the period) there were 50 apparently operational diesel electric submarines in the Royal Navy
15 A class 22 T class 11 S class and 2 U class According to PoWV 1959 all were armed with Mk 8 torpedoes of the type used in WW II with the option of mines but according to FOSM correspondence of 1948 the electric Mk 11 torpedo was also to be carried in the extended T class A Mk 20 (BIDDER) passive homing torpedo was in service in 1955 but does not appear to have been considered a successful weapon Neither the Mk 11 and the Mk 20 are mentioned in the PoV 1959 The Mk 8 though apparently old in design was quite a sophisticated but reliable piece of machinery but from todays point of view it was basically just an aim and fire weapon The running depth could be set before firing as could a gyro controlled angled course on leaving the tube It was propelled by a burner-cycle combustion engine fuelled by shale oil and compressed air and could run for 5000 yards at 455 knots 805 lb of Torpex explosive in the warhead Diameter 21 Weight 3452 lbs Overall Length 259 in A large weapon to store and manhandle in the confines of these submarines They were indeed submersible torpedo boats
Books such as Naval Weapons of World War Two by John Campbell give a more detailed description of this torpedo and figures for torpedo success briefly 5421 torpedoes fired 1040 certain hits The Alliance book by
Lambert and Hill has detailed drawings of the torpedo and the tube firing system but little text discussion It would have been interesting to know if there were sufficient torpedoes to fully load all the submarines and if there were sufficient again to reload Another useful logistical figure would have been the crew strength in the period But these vital figures have proved difficult to obtain It is known from reliable anecdotes that early in the period small designated groups of mainly S class were held in active reserve in different locations with one crew looking after each group
It has been suggested but not confirmed that at the same time some T class were held in the Dockyards No attempt has been made at this stage to take on the difficult task of determining the disposition year by year of each submarine It is well known that submarines were committed to Australia and Canada for training for long periods however they represented a relatively small percentage of the total fleet and in principle could return to the UK if crisis circumstances arose The Politics of British Defence Policy 1945-1962 by William P Snyder (1964) will tell the reader nothing about diesel submarines but this American military author does provide a picture of the defence politics of the period and confirms that a Soviet attack in Europe was then considered very likely (Page 19) The comment is made in the context of commitments to the Korean War
The List With Commentary The intention is to identify
each submarine and its condition as clearly as possible Submarines still around in the period but not sensibly available for active service are accounted for in separate sections ASDIC sets in Sections 1 to 4b were of the type used in WWII Refer to the extended T notes Section 4d for comment on the ASDIC and TCS of the latter part of the period of interest There is insufficient information available to offer comment on the radar sets Norman Friedman 1981 Naval Radar Naval Institute Press ISBN 0870219677 may prove helpful to interested readers PoWV 1959 refers to the official document - Particulars of
War Vessels 1959 CB 04826 relevant sub pages provided by Ian Buxton
10
The Submarines Section 1 Two U class submarines Section 2 The introduction of a snort system in the RN Section 3a The S class submarine Section 3b Eleven S class modernised submarines Section 3c 4 S class submarines to France 19511952 Section 3d Six S class submarines scrapped by 1950 Section 3e 4 S class streamlined un-armed ASW targets Section 4a 10 Grp III T class Submarines 1571 tons sm Section 4b Accounting for T class to early scraploan Section 4c 8 T class extended hull fast battery subs Section 4d Five - Streamlined T class submarines Section 5 Sixteen A class submarines Section 6 The Porpoise class Section 7 Experimental and Trials submarines Section 8 The HTP Propulsion Programme of the RN Section 9 Personal observations StreamliningGuns Appendix Pennant numbers For a broader historical view of the disposition of the Submarines of the Royal Navy at this time the following two sources are suggested Norman Friedman The Post War Naval Revolution Chapter 8 Submarines and Eric Grove Vanguard to Trident 1945-1985 Chapter 6 - Peroxide to Polaris Thanks to John Eade and Ian Buxton who checked and where required corrected the basic submarine data using their sources
Section 1 Two U Class Submarines
Two U Class Submarines 730 tons sm Mike Critchley British Warships Since 1945 has photographs of both of these submarines that played such an important role in WWII They are shown in 1957 flying the White Ensign Guns removed and a modern ASDIC domes No pennant number displayed Apparently the last of the large fleet of 51 small U submarines all built by Vickers Armstrong during WWII There were 22 war losses In addition Armstrong Vickers built 22 very similar V class HMS Upstart shown here post war without a gun Note modern ASDIC dome aft (Photo G Chalcraft)
These Submarines By Name And Number
Untiring P59 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Loaned to Greece as Xifias 1945 Returned to Royal Navy 1952 Expended as AS target off Start Point 25 July 1957
Upstart P65 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Became Greek Amfitrite 1945 Returned to RN 1952 Expended as AS target off Isle of Wight 19 July 1957 Section 2 Introduction Of A Snort System In The RN
The first successful snort system in the Royal Navy is reported as being fitted in Truant N68
The topic is introduced at this point to give some idea how soon after the war a snort system was available for fitting in all RN submarines She was a relatively old Group 1 T class Completed 1939 Vickers Armstrong Decommissioned 1945 Wrecked off Cherbourg en route to scrapping December 1946 HMS Truant a group one T class
completed in 1939 Seen here with snort mast raised The additional pipe to starboard indicates this was an experimental setup Decommissioned in 1945 and lost under tow to the scrap yard in 1946
these dates give some idea as to when the Royal Navy began snort experiments The T and S submarine classes were fitted with fold down combined exhaust and induction masts mast as were the initial installations on the A class This quickly changed on the A class with the exhaust fixed to the after standards and only the induction mast folding down on to the after casing Further detail in each section Section 3a The S Class Of Submarine Construction of
this substantial fleet of (990 tons sm) submarines was commenced with the laying down of the Sturgeon in 1931
However the submarines of interest in the period 1948-1958 came from the surviving 40 that were part of Group III construction 1941 to 1945 There were 9 war losses from this group There are obvious features introduced in WWII but not fitted to all the GIII submarines No doubt due to Dockyard opportunities etc One was the Oerlikon gun fitted on a raised railed Bandstand aft of the conning tower the example below shows the conning tower of Splendid P228 (Lost in 1943) HMS Splendid shown with a Bandstand amp Oerlikon gun The platform is supported by a column mounted on the hull (Photo G Chalcraft) The following image shows Sahib P212 without this feature (lost in 1943) Another feature was the single external torpedo seen clearly on this image of Sahib but not on all the class This was the only external tube fitted to the S class HMS Sahib note the absence of a Bandstand amp
Oerlikon gun
Deck gun can be seen as can the aft torpedo tube (Our President survived the sinking of Sahib in
1943 and was taken POW)
HMS Scotsman showing the shielded platform fitted to some S class (Photograph R Fry) The GIII S class were fitted with a 3 and later a 4 gun It was thought the latter would be more effective against small ships particularly in the Far East (The Design and Construction of British Warships 1939-1945) The 3 mounts seem to have all been simple unshielded deck guns again as shown on Sahib
but the 4 gun appears to have had a platform mount and shield as seen in Sea Devil in the post
war photograph above and a grainy but clear close-up of the gun and conning tower of the Scotsman P243 1946 on the right HMS Sea Devil in
1949 Note she still has the Bandstand but no snort No pennant number is displayed Post-war many of the S class were transferred to other navies or scrapped and it is history of the survivors that went on to serve in the critical 1948-1958 period before new submarines came into service that is of interest To be continued
This article will be serialised over the coming months and includes many submarines served on by Derbyshire Members I am at present preparing it in a newsletter format and cannot at the present time say how many parts it will be but obviously our more senior members are getting their boats mentioned first It is appreciated the article is available on the web but it is also acknowledged that most members who served on lsquoSrsquo Boats in the 1940rsquos and early 1950rsquos do not have access to a computer Feedback is always welcome so let me know what you think with pleasure
11
FINAL PART ldquoI‟M NO HERO BUT I DID MY BITrdquo An Understatement By An bdquoilson Lad FOUR of FOUR MY STORY OF THE WAR YEARS 1939-1945 by Joseph Simons Driver REME
1946 In 1946 demob and back to the UK back to Civvy Street it went on age and length of
service (I was group 47 demobbed September 1947) we had a hut where at night we could go play cards dominoes or have a chat If someone getting demobbed we put a bit of a party on for them and Bill Dabbs a London bus driver aged about forty known no other life for over five years being with and working with the lads and with his mates and what with the weak beer they served in the hut he had tears running down his face with emotion due to leaving men he had only known for five years and the fact he was going back into civvy life where you are on your own
Early summer I got a fourteen day leave and went up to the leave centre and got on the train with all the others going on leave Wooden seats and it took twenty four hours to get to Calais because the train kept breaking down The Royal Engineers had put a single railway track across the River Rhine and the train went dead slow over this wooden bridge and looking out of the window you could only see the river We got to Calais and we crossed the channel on a fishing trawler to Folkstone I enjoyed that leave with the girl I had met but soon it was all
over and back to our workshop camp Later that year through units were breaking up due to demobilisation and our own workshop was one the fitters and mechanics took all the trucks and went to another workshop to make it up to strength All the drivers went to Bad Oyenhasen a spar town Once a week we went to the baths a German civilian filled the wooden bath worn smooth by years of use and put a thermometer in the water to see if it was the right temperature A bath in a wooden bath is far superior
A posting came for me and I went to Dusseldorf to this little unit which controlled all the factories in the Ruhr It consisted of a Captain WO1 Sergeant Corporal and me with two civilian clerks My job was to go to a factory to see what they had produced and take it to another factory that needed it I went all around the Ruhr past the Krupps bombed out factory at Essen Solingen Dortmund Wuppertao one job I had to pick up about seven plate glass shop window size and take it to Achen about thirty miles away I thought the state of the roads it will be broken but it was all in one piece not broke when I got it to Achen
I was billeted in the centre Dusseldorf in a big building it must have been offices because it had many rooms it was opposite Steal House the headquarters of the steel industry of the Ruhr It was where we had our meals our office was about a mi le away The Captain and the Sergeant where German Jews and must have got out of Germany before the war had started The Captain disappeared at the weekend with German friends in the big houses or castle and went on the shooting parties in the forests He had got all mounted animal heads on the walls of his office The Sergeant as soon as you saw him he was a Jew They both had cars whether bought or commandeered and when the sergeant went out he must have scared the Germans to bits for what they did to the Jews The Corporal he was a real spiv selling things for a profit what the Germans could not get cigarettes was the currency you could buy anything with cigarettes
The winter of 1946-47 it was cold and we went skating on the lake in the park I enjoyed my job going to different factories that had started up taking and delivering things in my three ton truck and then that day when group 47 came up and it was on the train to Cuxhaven (North Germany) a night crossing on a troop ship to Hull and train to barracks at York to collect everything from a civvy suit pay that was due rail ticket to Derby bus warrant to Ilkeston and I was back in civvy street I am pleased I did and I would not sell my memories of those four years of army life not for a million pounds Joseph Simons Driver REME April 1943 to September 1947 Army Number 14424767
Editor It was a pleasure to undertake putting his story into book form for Joe‟s Grandchildren which includes many more photographs he took on his exploits than can be shown here Many of these photo‟s are personal to him but I am immensely pleased that he allowed me permission to produce some extra books and they have been placed in the Local History Section of Ilkeston Library and also in the Erewash Museum so the exploits of a local Ilkeston (ilson is the local slang) man have been recorded for the future I hope you have enjoyed the story I certainly felt very privileged that he shared his experiences
Bad
Oyenhasen
12
VANGUARD VISIT TO DERBY 30 Sept ndash 3 Oct It was absolutely wonderful to have a group of twenty Submariners visit Derby for an extended weekend with hopefully not too busy a programme though it was running tight on occasions The crew arrived in Derby spaced over six or so hours and booked in the European Hotel which was very accommodating and geared up and everyone agreed it was very good We had an early evening briefing on the programme and all sailors received a welcome to Derby pack with loads of paper advising what had been arranged and free entry tickets and other information A recce of Derby Night Life was organised and it was abundantly clear at breakfast at 8am that some lively night life had been found
Coffee Morning Friday dawn the weather was an absolute killer with rain as bad as any Singapore monsoon Ritchie the Vanguard coxswain and I arrived early at the Council House to open up and to unload my car which was full to the gunnels with kit in the pouring rain Our door team of Jim Hunt and John Hadfield had already arrived to man up the doors and with them were John‟s wife Maureen and her sister Francis who immediately proceeded to set up the coffee percolator and coffee boat Maureen and Francis were soon joined by Joyce who looked after the victuals and peculator ably assisted by Peter Johnson and Jean Slater ndash definitely an bdquoA‟ team The next hour was a flurry of activity setting up the various stalls with everyone helping each other John amp Rita Sayers did the main raffle Jenny Williamson the tombola Michelle Tyler and Julie Winstanley did the Submariners and Skimmer blackouts with Ron Slater and Ken Holtham doing the health and fitness straw draw as well as the Mug Sales stall so all helpers really dug out The Vanguard crew‟s input was tremendous helping us throughout the morning and as someone observed they were very fit and active I might add a lady made this comment ndash or was she Incidentally if I have missed mentioning anyone please accept my apologies but it was a rather hectic though successful morning The severe weather had a major impact on the ex service trade and of course the fact the bus stops outside the Council House have now been moved to the new bus station did not help either We would especially like to thank those ladies and gentleman who booked a day of work for this event and despite the weather turned out especially one young lady who came into Derby for the event by train and it‟s a long walk with weather like that Many hands make light work so everyone‟s efforts were appreciated The Mayor of Derby joined us at 1045 and our Chair Steve Tyler welcomed him and presented him with one of the special commissioned mugs to commemorate the Vanguard visit
Every crew member visiting received one and they bore the crests of Vanguard SA Derbyshire SM1 and with special permission from Rolls Royce their crest These were proudly above the wording bdquoFreedom of the City of Derby granted to HM Submarine Service with the White Ensign in the middle The WEO of Vanguard Lt Cdr Chris Bland thence presented the Mayor with a Vanguard Crest Getting on for 1120 we started the ball rolling with the raffle draw and this was followed by the Mayor opening the envelopes to declare the Blackout winners I might add the winning boats and targets were impartially picked by someone who knows absolutely nothing about the RN and the fact our Chair won the bottle of Pusser‟s with Courageous which he served on in 1982 was purely a coincidence Still the good news is the Skimmer prize of 1ltr of Lambs was donated back to the branch and will be redrawn either at the visit of Ambush or Christmas so you can have another opportunity of winning a large bottle of rum We then drew the Submariners unique free Coffee Morning Ticket entry raffle prize of a bottle of whiskey and then finally we auctioned the two remaining prizes from the straw health and fitness draw The fitness watch worth pound70 went for pound30 and the magnetic bracelet for pound10 further enhancing our funds Jenny‟s tombola was a successful sell out
Despite the low turn out of people we did exceptionally well and it is sad that with the closure of the Council House for two years renovation we will not be able to hold this event in its present location or form elsewhere at present I feel it has been an immense privilege we have enjoyed courtesy of the Mayor and the City Council over a number of years It has not been a right but a perk and I believe all ex Service Associations should be grateful at the generosity over the years and accept through no ones fault the council can no longer afford to provide accommodation now not the least because they have not got any spare accommodation during the renovation of the present Council House
On conclusion of the Coffee Morning members squared away the room whilst the Vanguard crew enjoyed a very good presentation undertaken by the Mayor and John the Mayors Chauffer in the Council Chamber The history of the unique Chain of Office which is priceless City Sword Orb and Rod were all explained to an interested audience As Ricki Rotimi one of Vanguards Chefs undertook the demonstrations with the Sword and other artefacts it was noticed that the Mayor kept the Chain of Office firmly in his grasp Ricki got quite excited that whilst kneeling he got Knighted with the sword but looked a bit glum when it was declared that his Knighthood was invalid as it needed the Monarchs approval On leaving the Council House we discovered the rain was as bad as it had been early in the morning thus wet on the outside we proceeded to the pub to get wet on the inside too
13
We collected our vehicles and made our way to the Oak amp Acorn for an arranged buffet Once the crew had been fed and watered (though there was not much water drunk) the branch members were invited to dine The worries on the change of management three days previously were unfounded and everyone was pleased with the choice of venue The Rolls Royce Representative Tony kindly joined us for a short time and he acted as escort for a special tour to Rolls Royce on Raynesway for all the crew members on which I understand was a very useful and interesting visit to Vanguard‟s crew I used the time after this to offload a lot of gear at my home as my car was so full it could not carry passengers I then set off for the Spot to complete setting up the room with the Raffle final place settings due to changes checking wine orders etc I normally set up a big A Board with laminated welcome posters but with the Spot having all the mod cons I was requested to supply A4 instead of twice the size A3 I was most impressed with the displays in lights as we entered I produced two posters one welcoming the Vanguard on their visit to Derby and one advertising the Branch and its 30th Anniversary To see them up in lights was far superior to the laminated posters I know it‟s just another toy but wow What a toy
Friday night rush hour is a nightmare and I got caught up in the car parking on the new Laura Croft way trying to get back to the European Hotel and in the end landed up with only having 30 minutes to get showered dressed in best bib and tucker and to get to the Spot to welcome everyone How we did it I do not really know And it was still chucking it down with rain In fact it was just like Faslane Friday Evening was a combination celebrations rolled into one We were celebrating our Branch 30
th
Anniversary and had brought forward our branch Trafalgar Dinner night as well We were also celebrating the 50
th year of RN British Submarines
and of course we welcomed the twenty crew of Vanguard to the only City in the United Kingdom that has granted the Freedom of the City to HM Submarine Service which proudly hangs on the stairwell of the Submarine Squadron Offices in Faslane The room had been superbly decorated on a Red White and Blue theme by the Spot and this was complimented by balloon‟s The branch had added our own personal touch with place mats individual seating markers with a reminder of what people had ordered and table markers and of course a unique programme to celebrate the occasion When items such as these are taken as souvenirs I always consider it a compliment and I had nothing to clear up at the end of the evening Everyone assembled in the middle room for early drinks and socialise with John amp Rita Sayers making everyone exceptionally welcome selling them Raffle Tickets
On time everyone was summoned to take their places for Dinner and at 7pm the Sea Cadets from TS Kenya piped the top table into Dinner The Diners slow hand clapped the top table in and I undertook Master of Ceremonies with a very short safety brief Thence the Senior Officer present Cdr Jerry Hall RN Rtd was called upon to read out the response to the Loyal Greetings sent to HM Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of our 30
th Anniversary Jerry proudly read
the message to all relayed from the Queen wishing us a successful evening Thence followed the Welcome by our President Mr Ken Holtham and grace by our Vice Chair Mr John Sayers It was thence time to dig in for the first course which was a choice of Soup Pate or Melon The main course was a Carvery but what a carvery We had the choice of Beef Pork amp Turkey and all vegetarians and special diets were well looked after The choice of vegetables was the largest anyone had seen with the only complaint being the plates were not big enough I consider as I was full there was ample but I agree it was impossible to get everything on There were one or two deep breaths before the puddings which was the Sweet Trolley of cream gateaux‟s Cheese board or ice cream followed by coffee which with cream and a mint biscuit rounded off a super meal We then eased springs for a break of fifteen minutes before the speeches
Cdr Jerry Hall Lt Cdr Chris Bland Terry Hall Michelle Tyler Desna amp Ian Tyson
The immortal Toast and a fine speech on Nelson was delivered by Lt Cdr Chris Bland the WEO as Senior Officer of Vanguard who bravely stepped into the position of Cdr Stuart Capes the Commanding Officer of Vanguard Port who was unable to attend due to operational reasons Chris was followed by the Loyal Toast to HM the Queen This very different and enjoyable toast was undertaken by Mr Ian Tyson MIM who is not only a personal friend of mine but was the ex Ceremonial Officer for the Submariners Assn and was a leading light in the London SA before its closure Ian treated us to a unique history lesson on the Battle of Trafalgar and his instruction on taking one‟s tot involved everyone and the experience was enjoyed by all It was as promised in our Loyal Greetings letter to HM toasted with gusto and from the heart Ian‟s speech and toast was summed up by our Chairman Steve Tyler who when he arose to toast the Submarine Service and the Submariner stated ldquoHow do I follow thatrdquo Follow it he did with a roaring toast to the senior part of the Senior Service
14
The presentations were extended slightly with two planned and one unplanned The branch made a presentation of a SA Derbyshire Plaque to the Senior Officer and thence a framed picture of a cartoon that had been in the National Press which had been suitably and artistically enhanced in colour by my daughter This was presented to Vanguard‟s Coxswain John Richie Richardson and small A5 copies distributed in a sealed envelope to each table so all could view the cartoon The Senior Officer thence presented the branch with a superb framed
picture of the Vanguard Crest with brass plaques engraved to commemorate the visit to Derby This splendid gift will be hung in our room at TS Kenya for both ourselves and the cadets to enjoy A presentation of a bouquet of flowers was made by ET Chris Whale to Elena Holtham the wife of our Branch President who was
celebrating her 85th
birthday I would also like to extend our branch‟s best wishes to Chris on his forthcoming course he is just embarking on at HMS Sultan we wish you the best of luck In keeping with the branch tradition we thence provided a decorated Rose Stem for all of the ladies attending and requested the crew members undertake the presentations - which were carried out admirably in true Naval Tradition Our youngest guest was a lovely young lady called Amy who had joined us due to a late cancellation She had joined us at our coffee morning and spent some time with our WWII veterans discussing their experience for her bdquoA‟ Levels and the branch has been able to help with books from our library and I have provided her with booksleaflets from various projects I have undertaken with my RBL hat on so not only was the RN covered but also the RAF with the bomber memorial and Joe Simons excellent story of his service from Normandy just after D-Day and into Germany You may be able to spot her in the picture above
The evening was thence concluded by a wonderful performance by Shep Woolley who I consider it a
great privilege that he commented to me how much he had enjoyed his observations of our special evening As per normal Shep gave a superb performance and it was much enjoyed by all and we thank him
for such a brilliant and entertaining programme as the Golden Carriages arrived for our guests
Saturday 2 December 2010 Talk about see-saw weather Thursday had been fine for the arrival and it was quite hot sat in the foyer of the hotel waiting to meet and greet the crew to Derby Friday was a total washout weather wise and the rain that bad I would liken it to a monsoon Saturday however dawned bright and sunny and stayed like that until the early evening However our plan was a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas where the Vanguard crew would lay a wreath at the Submariners Memorial Though booked into the NMA it was not until about two weeks before that I was advised of the Annual Bike to the Wall and was told they already had 23000 bikes booked in I spoke to the Coxswain and we decided it was worth a go and we are all very glad we did Only one of the twenty had visited the NMA before so it was a particularly poignant visit We convoyed down in three vehicles parking up in a field designated as the Park amp Ride Car Park with a free bus service to and from the NMA The rain the previous day saw the river swollen that runs through the site and it was a little damp to say the least The buses ran regularly and we arrived and our first duty was to replace the very tatty and dirty White Ensign on the Naval Review section We then went down to the submariner‟s memorial where we carried out a short poignant service including the laying of Vanguards Wreath The various parts of the service were shared out amongst crew members with me having the honour of piping the silence I had produced souvenir quality service sheets for each crew member and included a brief history of the NMA site I particularly liked the comment about bdquoIts good to see it was the conception of a Commander Royal Navy who made it happen‟ and that is something we can all be very proud of Unfortunately I had left my camera in the car but we enjoyed the spectacle of the bikers in their thousands The respect and salutes to the service members were a joy to behold The bikers raise a lot of money and the sights of them coming up the main A38 dual carriageway with lights blazing was a magnificent sight The car parks and main thoroughfares were chocker block with bikes of all shapes and sizes including some modified with rear ends of VW Beetles Indian rickshaws and Harleys by the hundreds Whatever the bike they had all come to pay their respects to our Armed Forces and were a credit to their respective chapters clubs or Legion bikers or as individuals BZ to all those who participated on the bdquoRide To The Wall‟ We returned to Derby in the afternoon and arranged to meet up down in the City at the Assembly Rooms where Shep Woolley was performing and the promoters had kindly offered greatly reduced tickets for the Vanguard Crew After the concert I was treated to a Chinese all you can eat on Babbington Lane With not frequenting Derby very often and certainly not at night it was an unknown venue to me but was most enjoyable I sincerely thank Coxn Richie Richardson and CPO Nick Alton for excellent company My first ever visit to Walkabouts was an eye opener and a half and it was only the excellent company that made the run so enjoyable Sunday was going home day and the Vanguards split off by car train to all points of the compass
15
HMS TIRELESS IN MULTINATIONAL EXERCISE Naval assets from the UK France Australia and the US have completed a major international anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Gulf of Oman This is a regular exercise directed by the United Kingdom Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) based in Bahrain It is designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability in warm water environments and promote interoperability between ships and aircraft from a variety of nations The centrepiece of the cat and mouse style exercise was Trafalgar Class submarine HMS Tireless playing the role of the mouse while the duties of the cat were shared between the Australian frigate HMAS Melbourne and the French frigate FS Dupleix Meanwhile Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron and US P-3 Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft acted as eyes in the sky HMS Tireless and HMAS Melbourne also exchanged key personnel during the exercise in order to share skills and experience A UKMCC spokesperson said The number of navies
building and operating submarines continues to grow It is therefore important that the Royal Navy retains its position at the forefront of anti-submarine warfare a skill easy to lose but difficult to regain The presence of
a large number of coalition navies in this region provides the ideal opportunity to train together Commodore Tim Fraser UK Maritime Component Commander said The large proportion of the Royal Navys work in this region is of an operational nature such as conducting anti-piracy patrols and strengthening relations with regional allies However it is important that we also run regular exercises such as this in order to maintain and further develop our skills across the full range of capabilities The UKMCC controls all Royal Navy warships aircraft and personnel in the Middle East maritime theatre which totals over thirteen hundred personnel and more than a dozen vessels These include frigates undertaking maritime security operations and anti-piracy patrols mine countermeasures vessels developing warm water mine hunting techniques and landing ships supporting the training and development of the fledgling Iraqi Navy and the protection of key Iraqi oil platforms
HMS ASTUTE IN COMMISSION The UKs most powerful attack submarine HMS Astute has been welcomed into the Royal Navy in a commissioning ceremony overseen by the boats patron the Duchess of Cornwall as well as Doug Clarke our Derbyshire Member who was kindly taken up to Faslane by his son and daughter for the prestigious event HMS Astute which has officially become Her Majestys Ship today 29 August 2010 She is almost fifty per cent bigger than any attack submarine in the Royal Navys current fleet As the base port of all the Royal Navys submarines from 2016 Faslane will be home to the whole Astute Class including Ambush Artful and Audacious which are already under construction Astute was built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness with hundreds of suppliers around the country contributing component parts including Rolls-Royce Derby (nuclear plant)
TS KENYA PRESENTATION NIGHT Friday 15 October 2010
What an absolutely awful evening weather wise which fortunately did not prevent a decent size audience for this Annual prestigious event which was a credit of organisation and planning The Cadets both Sailors and Royal Marines were as usual excellently turned out and disciplined The Chief guests were the High Sheriff of Derbyshire and the Mayor of Derby who both presented the various trophies to the Cadets As I helped with the raffle I can say with authority that all the prime guests and Senior Committee were exceptionally generous with donations and the total of just under pound90 was raised Whoever organised the prizes did a Herculean effort with Black amp Decker Sets Footbath bottles and really exceptionally good prizes
We submariners were thinner on the ground than in the past with myself Ken and Peter and Joyce but with more than half the branch either on holiday P7R or sick parade this was to be expected There was also three RMA amp Tom Smith BEM RNA Jerry Hall was wearing many hats including President of the TS Kenya Management Committee and President of the RNA for whom he presented a Bosun‟s Pipe to the best cadet Jerry is of course a Submariner member and thanked all four Naval Associations in Derby for their unstinting support of the unit
The presentations took the normal format of the badges and promotions for the Cadets followed by the awards The bdquoTommy Appleby‟ Memorial Shield was won by Cadet Ginette Doherty This Shield was presented to the Unit by Doris in memory of Tommy who was a submariner member The array of awards is impressive and the presentations were undertaken in rotation by the High Sheriff and the Mayor After the presentations the High Sheriff and the Mayor were presented with bouquets The High Sheriff is a nice lady but the Mayor had to accept on behalf of his wife who had been whisked away only moments before for another function I thought he took the presentation of flowers in good spirit The Mayor and High Sheriff both made speeches praising the work of the Cadets Staff and supporters of the Unit
Those who follow the progress of the Cadets through the newsletter or otherwise will be aware that the project to get the Cadets on the water is nearing fruition with the money required for a boat and a safety boat raised and both boats are in the process of being built An internal competition at TS Kenya had been undertaken to name the two boats and unfortunately the Commanding Officer Capt SCC Andy Fuller RMR would not divulge the ones he advised were outrageous suggestions However the decision had been to name the budding Fleet after ex Royal Navy vessels with one to be a submarine and one to be a target skimmer surface vessel The decision made was for HMS Sovereign for the safety boat and HMS Malaya for the pulling boat Sovereign was Derby‟s adopted boat for over thirty years and always ably supported the Sea Cadet unit in Derby Malaya was the name of the Unit until a few years ago when the name was changed to TS Kenya to reflect the long Ship Affiliation of HMS Kenya which was Derby‟s adopted ship before Sovereign with links to warship week in WWII
16
FEEDBACK 30th
ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND I have received much positive feedback and only one complaint of the 30
th Anniversary amp Trafalgar Dinner
The complaint was from Jim Hunt who stated the carvery plates were not big enough End of complaint Many branch members as well as guests have taken the time to say how much they enjoyed the event and in summary the following letter from HMS Vanguard by Louis Gardner the Operations Officer who I know definitely enjoyed his run ashore in Derby
Dear Terry May I take this opportunity to thank the Derbyshire Branch of the Submariners Association for inviting the Ship‟s Company of HMS Vanguard to participate in what was a hugely enjoyable visit Your organisation of such a varied programme including the visit to Rolls Royce was particularly well received Further thanks must go to all who ensured such a successful Trafalgar Night Dinner Excellent hosting was provided by all of your members which was enjoyed and appreciated by our sailors and officers It was a delight to toast both Nelson and your branch‟s 30
th
anniversary on the same occasion Special thanks must go to you for your Herculean efforts in ensuring our time in Derby ran so smoothly Everything from the welcome packs and presentation mugs to your organisation of the service at the National Arboretum was greatly appreciated Much fun was had by all during the visit and we look forward to the opportunity to reciprocate your invitation in the future
Well done all branch members I know many of you had an exceptionally busy Friday and also appreciate for many it was an expensive day with taxi‟s hotels and distances involved However your company was enjoyed by the Vanguard‟s Ship Company and the fact we had so many turn up to help at the Coffee Morning made the task so much easier especially for me It was a wonderful change to have the work load shared as it was by the branch bdquoA‟ team ndash That‟s all of you who were able to turn up and help BZ to all and for the first time I can remember it was a stress free Trafalgar Dinner with nearly everything going smoothly thanks to the excellent organisation at the Spot Now for next year has anyone any ideas
SA NATIONAL RAFFLE I have received the list of prize winners from the ex National Treasurer and can confirm that unfortunately there are no Derbyshire Member Winners Thanks to all in the branch who participated as the branch got one third of the takings
NATIONAL DIARIES I asked Steve Tyler that if there were any SA diaries available at Nottingham to get Ten these have all been sold We hoped for an opportunity to pick up at the Embankment Parade in London avoiding costly PampP However due to problems and cost of accommodation in London we will now unfortunately not be parading our Standard but will be attending the Derby Festival of Remembrance at Derby Cathedral on the same weekend Any further orders to the Treasurer please
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2011 If any members have any proposals for Conference 2011 you are reminded that the branch must submit them by 31 December 2010 thus they need to be presented at the next two meetings if your proposal is to be discussed and submitted
BRANCH AGM TS KENYA The Branch AGM will take place at 7pm on Wednesday 3 March 2011 when we revert from our Winter Routine of lunch time meetings at the Jubilee Club at 1215 Items for the Agenda should be submitted by the January meeting with any nominations for any office
BRANCH SUBSCRIPTIONS 2011 Branch Subscriptions were not discussed at our AGM in March thus by default they will remain the same at pound10 per person with pound5 National fee making a total of pound15 Annual Subscription This becomes due to the 31 December 2010 for the following year and it is requested that to enable the year end figures to be completed by 31 January 2011 that they are submitted to the Treasurer as soon into the new year or anytime before Those who will be effecting an electronic bank transfer to the branch accounts as per the memo posted out to all members are requested to ensure that your reference clearly states your surname and the word bdquosubs‟ Those who wish to continue to have a hard copy of In Depth are requested to make a further donation of pound5 to cover the copies for 2011 Newsletter Online If you need to refer to a back issue
(three copies only) please refer to wwwsubmarinersassociationcoukhtmlderbynewshtml
Views and comments of this newsletter do not always reflect the official policy or decisions of neither the
Derby Branch nor the Submariners Association
Terry Hall Newsletter Editor Submariners Association Derbyshire Branch 69 Station Road STANLEY VILLAGE
Derbyshire DE7 6FB
Ronamp Jean Slater
4 November 2010 Best Wishes from all the
Derbyshire Branch
3
THE UN-PC PAGES
THE LIFT A fifteen year old Amish boy and his father were in a shopping mall They were amazed by almost everything they saw but especially by two shiny silver walls that could move apart and then slide back together again The boy asked What is this Father The father (never having seen a lift) responded Son I have never seen anything like this in my life I dont know what it is While the boy and his father were watching with amazement a very fat old lady on a mobility scooter moved up to the moving walls and pressed a button The walls opened and the lady drove in between them into a small room The walls closed and the boy and his father watched the small numbers above the walls light up sequentially They continued to watch until it reached the last number and then the numbers began to light in the reverse order Finally the walls opened up again and a gorgeous 24-year-old blonde stepped out The father not taking his eyes off the young woman said quietly to his son Go get your Mother YOU MAY NOT OF KNOWN THIS A group of soldiers and sailors sitting around bragging about their different services One of the soldiers said You know though that the Army invented sex They all pondered this statement and then the Submariner responded he replied Yes but the Royal Navy introduced it to women THE CHARITABLE ADMIRAL One afternoon an Admiral was travelling in his Rolls Royce when he saw two men along the roadside eating grass Disturbed he ordered his driver to stop and he got out to investigate He asked one man Why are you eating grass We dont have any money for food the poor man replied We have to eat grass Well then you can come with me to my house and Ill feed you the Admiral said But sir I have a wife and two children with me They are over there under that tree Bring them along the Admiral replied Turning to the other poor man he stated You come with us also The second man in a pitiful voice then said But sir I also have a wife and six children with me Bring them all as well the Admiral answered They all entered the car which was no easy task even for a car as large as the Admirals Rolls Once underway one of the poor fellows turned to the lawyer and said Sir you are too kind Thank you for taking all of us with you The Admiral replied Glad to do it Youll really love my place My garden is several acres and the grass is almost a foot high LOGIC OF CHILDREN Little Emily went home from school and told her mum that the boys kept asking her to do cartwheels because shes very good at them Mum said You should say No They only want to look at your knickers Emily said I know they do Thats why I hide them in my bag
AND MENhellip There are only two four letter words that are offensive to men dont and stop unless they are used together
ESSEX HURRICANE APPEAL A major hurricane (Hurricane Shazza) and earthquake measuring 58 on the Richter Scale hit Essex in the early hours of Sunday with its epicentre in Basildon Victims were seen wandering around aimlessly muttering Faaackinell The hurricane decimated the area causing approximately pound30 worth of damage Several priceless collections of mementos from Majorca and the Costa Del Sol were damaged beyond repair Three areas of historic burnt out cars were disturbed Many locals were woken well before their giros arrived Essex FM reported that hundreds of residents were confused and bewildered and were still trying to come to terms with the fact that something interesting had happened in Basildon One resident Tracy Sharon Smith a 15-year-old mother of 5 said It was such a shock my little Chardonnay-Mercedes came running into my bedroom crying My youngest two Tyler-Morgan and Victoria-Storm slept through it all I was still shaking when I was skinning up and watching Trisha the next morning Apparently looting muggings and car crime were unaffected and carried on as normal The British Red Cross has so far managed to ship 4000 crates of Sunny Delight to the area to help the stricken locals Rescue workers are still searching through the rubble and have found large quantities of personal belongings including benefit books jewellery from Elizabeth Duke at Argos and Bone China from Poundland How You Can Help This appeal is to raise money for food and clothing parcels for those unfortunate enough to be caught up in this disaster Clothing is most sought after - items most needed include designer or Burberry baseball caps tracksuit tops (his and hers Shell suits (female) White sport socks Rockport boots any other items usually sold in Primark Food parcels may be harder to come by but are needed all the same Required foodstuffs include Microwave meals Tins of baked beans Ice cream Cans of Colt 45 or Special Brew 22p buys a biro for filling in the compensation forms pound2 buys chips crisps and blue fizzy drinks for a family of 9 pound5 buys a packet of fags and a lighter to calm the nerves of those affected Breaking news Rescue workers found a girl in the rubble smothered in raspberry alco-pop Where are you bleeding from they asked Romford said the girl woss that gotta do wiv you THE THREE SISTERS Three sisters ages 92 94 and 96 live in a house together One night the 96 year old draws a bath She puts her foot in and pauses She yells to the other sisters Was I getting in or out of the bath The 94 year old yells back I dont know Ill come up and see She starts up the stairs and pauses Was I going up the stairs or down The 92 year old is sitting at the kitchen table having tea listening to her sisters She shakes her head and says I‟m glad I am not that forgetful touch woodrdquo she said knocking on the wooden table She then yells Ill come up and help both of you as soon as I see whos at the door SIGNS on a Plumbers truck bdquoWe repair what your husband fixed‟ and on another Plumbers truck bdquoDont sleep with a drip Call your plumber‟ And finally On a Septic Tank Truck Yesterdays Meals on Wheels
4
INDIAN ECONOMICS Indian Chief bdquoTwo Eagles‟ was asked by a white US Government official ldquoYou have observed the white man of 90 years You‟ve seen his wars and his technological advances You‟ve seen his progress and the damage he‟s done to the environmentrdquo The Chief nodded in agreement The official continued considering all these events in your opinion where did the white man go wrongrdquo The Chief stared at the government official then replied ldquoWhen the white man find land Indians running it No taxes no debt plenty buffalo plenty beaver clean water Women did all the work Medicine man free Indian man spend all day hunting and fishing all night having sexrdquo Then the chief leaned back and smiled ldquoOnly white man dumb enough to think he could improve system like thatrdquo
A LESSON IN GRAMMER An elderly couple who were both widowed had been going out with each other for a long time Urged on by their friends they decided it was finally time to get married Before the wedding they went out to dinner and had a long conversation regarding how their marriage might work They discussed finances living arrangements and so on Finally the old gentleman decided it was time to broach the subject of their physical relationship How do you feel about sex he asked rather tentatively I would like it infrequently she replied The old gentleman sat quietly for a moment adjusted his glasses leaned over towards her and whispered - Is that one word or two
FACTS OF LIFE IN THE COMPUTER AGE
A little boy goes to his father and asks Daddy how was I born The father answers Well son I guess one day you will need to find out anyway Your mum and I first got together in a chat room on Yahoo Then I set up a date via e-mail with your mum and we met at a cyber-cafe We sneaked into a secluded room and googled each other There your mother agreed to a download from my hard drive As soon as I was ready to upload we discovered that neither one of us had used a firewall and since it was too late to hit the delete button nine months later a little Pop-Up appeared that said You got Male
GETTING OLD OLD IS WHEN Your wife says Lets go upstairs and make love and you answer Pick one I cant do both OLD IS WHEN Your friends compliment you on your new alligator shoes and youre barefoot OLD IS WHEN A sexy babe or hunk catches your eye and your bdquopacemaker‟ opens the garage door OLD IS WHEN Going braless pulls all the wrinkles out of your face OLD IS WHEN You dont care where your spouse goes just as long as you dont have to go along OLD IS WHEN You are cautioned to slow down by the doctor instead of by the police OLD IS WHEN Getting lucky means you find your car in the car park OLD IS WHEN An all nighter means not getting up to go to the toilet AND OLD IS WHEN You are not sure these are jokes
Im so lazy Ive got a smoke alarm with a snooze button
ANTICIPATION An older white-haired man walked into a jewellery store one Friday evening with a beautiful young girl at his side He told the jeweller he was looking for a special ring for his new girlfriend The jeweller looked through his stock and brought out a pound5000 ring The old man said bdquoNo I‟d like to see something more special‟ At that statement the jeweller went to his special stock and brought another ring over bdquoHere‟s a stunning ring at only pound40000 the jeweller said The young lady‟s eyes sparkled and her whole body trembled with excitement The old man seeing this said bdquoWe‟ll take it‟ The jeweller asked how payment would be made and the old man stated bdquoby cheque I know you need to make sure my cheque is good so I‟ll write it now and you can call the bank Monday to verify the funds and I‟ll pick the ring up Monday afternoon‟ he said Monday morning the jeweller phoned the old man bdquoThere‟s no money in your account‟ bdquoI know‟ said the old man bdquoBut let me tell you about my weekend‟
SCOTCH WITH TWO DROPS OF WATER A lady goes to the bar on a cruise ship and orders a whiskey with two drops of water As the barman gives her the drink she says Im on this cruise to celebrate my 85th birthday and its today The barman says Well since its your birthday Ill buy you a drink As the woman finishes her drink the woman to her right says I would like to buy you a drink too The old woman says Thank you I would like a whiskey with two drops of water Coming up says the barman As she finishes that drink the man to her left says I would like to buy you one too The old woman says Thank you Barman I want another whiskey with two drops of water Coming right up the barman says As he gives her the drink he says Maam Im dying of curiosity Why the whiskey with only two drops of water The old woman replies Son when youre my age youve learned how to hold your spirits Holding your water however is a whole different issue
DEEPLY IN LOVE Paddy is passing by Micks hay shed one day when through a gap in the door he sees Mick doing a slow and sensual striptease in front of an old red Massey Ferguson Buttocks clenched he performs a slow pirouette and gently slides off first the right welly followed by the left He then hunches his shoulders forward and in a classic striptease move lets his braces fall down from his shoulders to dangle by his hips over his corduroy trousers Grabbing both sides of his checked shirt he rips it apart to reveal his tea stained vest underneath and with a final flourish he hurls his flat cap onto a pile of hay What the heck are you doing Mick says Paddy Jeez Paddy ye frightened the living bejasus out of me says an obviously embarrassed Mick but me and the missus been having some trouble lately in the bedroom department and the therapist suggested I do something sexy to a tractor
MY GRANDSON My small grandson got lost at Tesco so he approached a uniformed security guard and said Ive lost my granddad The guard asked Whats he like The little tyke hesitated for a moment and then replied Pusser‟s Rum amp anyone with a lumpy jumper
5
WELFARE NEWS
The MOD Medal Office has moved their new address is MOD Medal Office G36 Innsworth House Imjin Barracks Gloucester GL3 1HW
Support across the UK The SPVA Veterans Welfare Service has now completed the roll-out of the five new Welfare Centres providing advice and support across the UK The contact details for each office are
Norcross (based near Blackpool) Tel 01253 333494 Email SPVA-VWSNorcrossmoduk
Kidderminster (based Worcester) Tel 01562 825527 Email SPVAVWSKidderminster moduk
Centurion (based in Gosport) Tel 02392 702232 Email SPVAVWSCENTURIONSPVAmoduk
Imjin (based in Gloucester) Tel 01452 510825 Email VWS-innsworthspvamoduk
Glasgow Tel 0141 2242709 Email VWS-Glasgowspvamoduk
If you are supporting a veteran and need further advice it might be worth contacting our Welfare Service to see if we can help too To locate your nearest Veterans Welfare Centre call our freephone helpline 0800 169 2277
DEFENCE MEDAL Email to SA Membership Sec Hi Tex Just a note to let the Association know that the LibDems have voted in favour of the National Defence Medal for all ex service personnel at their annual conference Regards Archie Watt
HMSM TRUCULENT MEMORIAL JAN 2011 The Branch has received a kind invitation from Derek Grant the Truculent Organiser and Branch Secretary on behalf of the Medway Towns Branch of the SA cordially inviting our members to the forthcoming 61
st Memorial
Service of HM Submarine Truculent to be held in the St George‟s Centre Chatham on Saturday 15 January 2011 at 1045 The service will be conducted by their Branch Chaplain the Reverend David Corness RN On completion of the service a buffet luncheon and the obligatory Tot will be provided by the branch with an opportunity to meet a few ex-submariners and their families Standards are invited RSVP
DERBY amp DISTRICT EX SVC MEETING The unadopted minutes were distributed to all on line members on receipt They have been discussed at the October Branch Meeting so following the report in an earlier newsletter I have cancelled and filed The only bit of the minutes that was changed was the error in reporting the Rolls Royce Battle of Britain window had been moved and this was a error It is the Florence Nightingale window that has been moved to St Peters Church from DRI and the RR Battle of Britain window is still in store somewhere at Rolls Royce
Could it be that I do is the longest sentence
GUIDE PUBLIC SECTOR PENSION SCHEMES 6 October 2010 Ministry of Defence
The scheme is the fifth largest in the UKs public sector Which employees does the scheme cover All members of the armed forces How many sections are there There are two main pension schemes for members of the regular armed forces The first known as AFPS 75 started in April 1975 and closed to new joiners on 6 April 2005 The new one called Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (or AFPS 05) was brought in for new joiners in April 05 How many active deferred and retired members are there There are 198000 active members 406000 deferred members and 399000 pensioners or their dependents receiving a pension What are the principal benefits AFPS 75 is non-contributory and the full pension can be taken at age 55 The fund finances a compensation scheme for death and injury in service as well as a pension It is a final-salary scheme with the maximum pension and tax-free lump sum of three times annual pension available after 34 years as an officer and 37 years (other ranks) This will give a pension worth 485 of what is called representative pay plus the lump sum AFPS 05 is also non-contributory and can be taken at 55 After 35 years of service the pension is worth 50 of final pensionable pay There is also a tax-free lump sum of three times annual pension The pension accrues at a rate of 170th each year for up to 40 years There is also an early pension scheme known as the early departure payments (EDP) scheme which pays a lower level of pension and a lump sum It applies to those with at least 18 years service who are aged 40 or over The pension fund also pays for the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme which makes lump sum payments or continuing inflation proofed tax-free payments for injury illness or death caused by service What percentage of salary do the armed forces pay The MoD pays the equivalent of 37 of officers salaries and 21 of salaries for other ranks What are the funding costs of the scheme Across all members the contribution rate was 276 of salaries in 2009-10 forecast to rise to 295 this year and 34 in the following three years Is the scheme funded or unfunded Unfunded It is paid for out of general taxation not an underlying investment fund What is the value of the scheme assets if any and its liabilities Members of the schemes do not make any contributions from their pay The liabilities were put at pound121bn in the schemes resource accounts for 2009-2010 What is the average pension in payment pound8693 as of 31 March 2010 including lump sum payments Have there been any changes or reforms to the scheme in recent years The introduction of the new AFPS 05 in 2005 Are there any further changes in the pipeline From April 2011 pensions in payment will increase in line with the consumer prices index (CPI) not the retail prices index (RPI)
BUSINESS NEWS Japanese scientists have now created a digital camera with such a fast shutter speed that its now possible to take a photograph of a woman with her mouth shut
6
MICROWAVING WATER
Have you heated a cup of water in your microwave to make coffee or Tea This can be a serious risk and this article explains why A 26-year old man decided to have a cup of coffee He took a cup of water and put it in the microwave to heat it up (something that he had done numerous times before) I am not sure how long he set the timer for but he wanted to bring the water to a boil When the timer shut the oven off he removed the cup from the oven As he looked into the cup he noted that the water was not boiling but suddenly the water in the cup blew up into his face The cup remained intact until he threw it out of his hand but all the water had flown out into his face due to the build-up of energy His whole face is blistered and he has 1
st and 2
nd
degree burns to his face which may leave scarring He also may have lost partial sight in his left eye While at the hospital the doctor who was attending to him stated that this is a fairly common occurrence and water (alone) should never be heated in a microwave oven If water is heated in this manner something should be placed in the cup to diffuse the energy such as a wooden stir stick tea bag etc (nothing metal) General Electrics (GEC) Response Thanks for contacting us I will be happy to assist you The e-mail that you received is correct Microwaved water and other liquids do not always bubble when they reach the boiling point They can actually get superheated and not bubble at all The superheated liquid will bubble up out of the cup when it is moved or when something like a spoon or tea bag is put into it To prevent this from happening and causing injury do not heat any liquid for more than two minutes per cup After heating let the cup stand in the microwave for thirty seconds Before moving it or adding anything into it Here is what our local science teacher had to say on the matter Thanks for the microwave warning I have seen this happen before It is caused by a phenomenon known as super heating It can occur anytime water is heated and will particularly occur if the vessel that the water is heated in is new or when heating a small amount of water (less than half a cup) What happens is that the water heats faster than the vapour bubbles can form If the cup is very new then it is unlikely to have small surface scratches inside it that provide a place for the bubbles to form As the bubbles cannot form and release some of the heat has built up the liquid does not boil and the liquid continues to heat up well past its boiling point What then usually happens is that the liquid is bumped or jarred which is just enough of a shock to cause the bubbles to rapidly form and expel the hot liquid The rapid formation of bubbles is also why a carbonated beverage spews when opened after having been shaken I would also point out that microwaved hard boiled eggs can react in the same manner and they can explode and cause burns and injury even after they have been removed from the oven Just be aware
MICROWAVING PLASTIC MEAL CONTAINERS The question was posed in the Daily Mail in April 2009 of Why don‟t the black plastic dishes used for ready meals melt when microwaved The answer supplied by Carol Hill-Wood of Loughborough Leics was that Microwaves are electro-magnetic waves with wavelengths ranging from 1mm to 30cm or frequencies between 03Ghz and 300Ghz which like light waves or radio waves occupy a part of the electromagnetic spectrum They have several important practical applications such as relaying long distance telephone signals TV broadcasts and computer information across the Earth or to a satellite in space Microwave ovens contain a magnetron which generates microwaves at the right frequency to interact with the
molecules in food heating it directly All wave energy alternates polarity from positive to negative with each cycle of the wave and in microwaves these polarity changes happen millions of times a second For a microwave to interact with a
substance the substance too must consist of polar molecules a good example being water It‟s the polarity of water which gives it its live giving properties When microwaves of the right frequency bombard food they cause the polar molecules in the food to alternate at that frequency millions of times a second This agitation at molecular level creates friction which heats up the food Most forms of glass plastic or paper consist of uncharged molecules which do not interact directly with the microwave so only the food is heated So now you know
NATIONAL LAUNCH OF 2010 POPPY APPEAL
11 October 2010 Source Royal British Legion What The national launch of the 2010 Poppy Appeal Who Chart topping pop sensations The Saturdays and The Royal British Legion‟s extreme human flight display team at a concert and event for the families of 16 Air Assault Brigade WHERE The Physical Training and Recreation Centre Colchester Garrison When 1030hrs Thursday 28th October 2010 Why The 2010 Poppy Appeal is about helping the bdquoAfghan generation‟ of the Armed Forces and their families ndash today and for the rest of their lives The national launch of the 2010 Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal will take place at 1030hrs on Thursday 28th October 2010 with a spectacular private concert performed by chart topping pop sensations The Saturdays The concert exclusively for the families of 16 Air Assault Brigade currently on operations in Afghanistan will feature video messages from personnel stationed in Afghanistan for the families of those watching The launch will also feature a parachute display from the Legion‟s extreme human flight team bdquoJump4Heroes‟ who will land next to the site where the first new Personnel Recovery Centre will be built The Legion has committed pound25 million to the Personnel Recovery Centres (Poppies will be on sale at the November meeting)
7
DELAY TRIDENT REPLACEMENT Thursday September 16 2010
The pound20bn replacement of the UKs Trident nuclear deterrent could be put off until after 2015 according to reports The BBC said ministers were considering delaying the planned 2014 date in an effort to reduce short-term costs and head off a pre-general election political row The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said no decisions had yet been taken on the future of the submarine-based missile system which is currently the subject of a value-for-money review It has been formally excluded from the ongoing strategic defence and security review (SDSR) but the Treasury has made clear the under-pressure MoD budget will have to pay for it An influential committee of MPs yesterday warned that that decision would have very significant consequences for future defence spending The coalition agreement between the Tories and Lib Dems committed the government to renewing Trident but agreed that it should be scrutinised to ensure it offered value for money The deal allows the Lib Dems who went into the general election opposing a like-for-like replacement of the missile system to continue to make the case for alternatives
An MoD spokesman said The government remains committed to maintaining the UKs minimum and credible submarine-based nuclear deterrent based on the Trident missile system Within the framework of the strategic defence and security review a review is ongoing to ensure that the renewal of the deterrent provides value for money It will consider the programme timetable numbers of submarines missiles missile tubes and warheads infrastructure and other support costs and the industrial supply chain Once the review has concluded ministers will discuss and agree the optimum balance of capability and cost Labour leadership candidate Ed Balls said I believe the right approach is to include the decision about the replacement of Trident in the strategic defence review so that we can make an informed decision about how best to maintain the minimum nuclear deterrent that Britain requires I think its right that we seek to make savings where possible but this decision by the coalition looks worryingly like a government putting off the difficult political choices because they are too weak and too divided to take them rather that showing the leadership and strength to make tough choices in the long-term interests of our country
FLEET SHRUNK Friday 24 September 24 2010 The Sun Online
Defence bosses have drawn up shock plans to shrink the Royal Navys ship fleet by half The Sun newspaper has reported In a cuts blueprint seen by the newspaper the fleet will be slashed to just 12 frigates and destroyers It will make our surface armada once feared the world over smaller than that of every other major European nation except Portugal And 7500 sailors will be laid off more than a fifth of the Senior Services manpower of 35760 The plan would leave the service which won Trafalgar Jutland and the Falklands unrecognisable Last night the closest living relative of the Navys greatest hero Admiral Lord Nelson said the plan would have left him horrified And a naval source said It wont just be a disaster we are heading for a national humiliation
The drastic cuts are being considered because the Treasury has ordered the MoD budget to be slashed by 19 Losing 12 frigates and destroyers is the price the Navy will have to pay to keep two new 60000-ton aircraft carriers The troop landing ships Albion and Bulwark which came into service only seven years ago will also be sold off The Navy currently has 24 destroyerfrigates four Type 22 and 13 Type 23 frigates five Type 42 and two Type 45 destroyers At the time of the Falklands War in 1982 we boasted 53 frigates and 13 destroyers Cutting the fleet in half again would make ours smaller than those of historical foes France Germany Spain and Italy Even skint Greece boasts more ships and only Portugal with a population a sixth of Britains has the same number Admirals have been put under massive new pressure by Army boss General Sir David Richards winning the PM round to not sacking 20000 troops In a move that left Defence Secretary Liam Fox fuming David Cameron was persuaded that the Army cuts would risk victory in Afghanistan There are also growing concerns that the difficult defence review is being badly rushed to meet artificial Treasury deadlines A source said The money men have forgotten were an island nation with 90 per cent of our trade going by sea And we have the additional tasks now of chasing pirates and counter-terrorism The Navy has never been busier And 80-year-old Anna Tribe the great-great-great-granddaughter of Admiral Horatio Nelson said I think he would be horrified As a country we are terribly in debt and savings have to be made but not all the money was spent on sensible things It is very sad The RAF also faces bitter cuts with Tornado and Harrier jets Chinook and Puma choppers and the jobs of 6500 airmen under threat Our revelation comes as the row with Argentina over a hunt for oil in the Falklands is expected to be raised by the Argies in the UN in New York today Deputy PM Nick Clegg will also signal to the UN that the age of big Cold War-style fleets and armies is over as we face more fluid less visible threats Last night a Downing Street spokesman said no final decisions had been taken on defence cuts
THEFT FROM HOLLAND V Press Assn 2010
Thieves have targeted a nationally-important submarine wreck lying in the English Channel off East Sussex Divers stole the torpedo tube hatch of the Holland 5 the only surviving example on the seabed of this class of submarine in the world The theft was discovered during a licensed dive by the Nautical Archaeology Society in June and confirmed during a survey dive last month Experts said a group of people would have been behind the theft but that the hatch carried very little monetary value English Heritage and Sussex Police appealed for help to catch the perpetrators who are believed to have struck over the past two years Removing the hatch and accessing the site without a license is illegal under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 police warned The Holland class of submarine became obsolete in the early 20th Century and in 1912 the Holland 5 was destined for scrap It was being towed to Sheerness in Kent when it foundered and sunk six miles off the coast near Eastbourne One theory was that it took on water after the hatch that was stolen was left open
8
ATTRIBUTES OF CUCUMBERS 1 Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folic Acid Vitamin C Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium and Zinc
2 Feeling tired in the afternoon put down the caffeinated and pick up a cucumber Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours
3 Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing spa-like fragrance
4 Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminium to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area
5 Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free Cucumbers contain enough sugar B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost keeping everything in equilibrium avoiding both a hangover and headache
6 Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation
7 Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you dont have enough time to polish your shoes Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water
8 Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge and voila the squeak is gone
9 Stressed out and dont have time for massage facial or visit to the spa Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam creating a soothing relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams
10 Just finish a business lunch and realize you dont have gum or mints Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath
11 Looking for a green way to clean your sinks or stainless steel Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine but is wont leave streaks and wont harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean
13 Using a pen and made a mistake Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls
Just do not take your specimen cucumbers into the Joke and Acorn at Oakwood
BRITS LOSE SENSE OF HUMOUR AT 52 The age we all turn into Victor Meldrews
Theres not much to laugh about once you reach 52 as a new study finds this is the age we all start to lose our sense of humour A poll of 2000 Brits found that adults have less to laugh about as they age On average adults laugh out loud around four times a day researchers said but by the time we reach 50 this falls to just three times a day and a pathetic 25 times a day when 60 Dr Lesley Harbridge from the University of Glamorgan said The Lifetime of Laughter Scale shows that there really is a law of diminishing returns when it comes to laughter We laugh twice as much in our teens as we do in our fifties And our findings suggest that its all downhill from 52 The study also found that while an infant can laugh out loud as many as 300 times every day by the time we reach our twenties this figure has slumped to just four times a day Men were found to be more grumpier than women However according to the findings life gets a little happier when we are in our thirties as thirty something‟s manage on average to laugh around five time every day Perhaps children help us find our sense of humour again The survey carried out for TV channel Dave also found the Victor Meldrew Syndrome was firmly established by the time we hit 50 as this is the age we are most likely to complain Another finding hinted at what may contribute to our grumpiness as we age the survey revealed the average Brit knows only two Jokes Editor Well whoever wrote the above article had obviously never visited the lsquoJoke amp Acornrsquo where a certain member of the Derbyshire Branch certainly has above the average of two jokes in his repertoire and my experience with submariners is we certainly tend to laugh well above average as well Still I bet the professor or doctor is laughing well above average that some plonkers normally us the taxpayer is paying for them to investigate and write reports about this dribble that is no use to anyone
To prove the above point one of our members had a prolonged operation on his arm which was filmed and showed to him He was gleefully telling a table full of the butchery and intricate details of how a certain muscle was really tough Trying to be subtle as one does to a friend who has suffered a serious operation I asked politely if it was as tough as the steak on the meal I was trying to enjoy As quick as a flash he came back with bdquoSorry it was an armless story‟ However despite needing to wear a sling for at least two months it has proved that the operation has not dimished his sense of humour Get well soon Jim
OK so we‟ve taken off all our clothes and got on top of each other How long until we get
the Orgasm
I don‟t know But now I understand why mother gets a headache all the
time
9
DIESEL SUBMARINES 1948 ndash 1958 PART ONE OF SIX
The Diesel Submarines Of The Royal Navy Available To Engage In A Major War In The Period 1948 to 1958 Compiled by Peter D Hulme with additional notes
Acknowledgements for information and advice to John Eade Ian Buxton George Malcomson (RN Submarine Museum) and Roger Fry Submarines are mentioned in this article that were lost war and peace - we will remember them
By the 1980s surveillance of NATO naval units by Soviet submarines was taken for granted Electronic spy ships passed happily through our fleet formations whilst their maritime aircraft buzzed over them without hindrance But in the early fifties following hard on the heels of the Berlin airlift and at a time of explosive growth of Soviet sea power sterner attitudes prevailed I recall a confidential memorandum on the subject circulated to the Fleet at the time which reminded Escort Force Commanders that there were no prohibitions on firing depth charge patterns to test them at any time Exactly what similar orders had gone out to the Red Navy remained a matter of conjecture but no one fancied being the first to find out as Gary Powers did on his U2 flight over Mother Russia
Extract from SUBMARINER by Commander John Coote Royal Navy (deceased) former CO of the Totem foreword by Submarine Admiral IJ Galantin US Navy (Rtd) Norman Friedman US Naval author - Office of Naval Intelligence (US Navy) found the future bleak by 1951 it expected 356 Soviet submarines It later proved to be an over estimate ONI in 1954 credited the Soviets with 345 operational units including 83 obsolete submersibles
Preamble The data bases of British submarines while very
useful can be confusing when trying to estimate the actual fighting strength of the Submarine Service over any particular period in this case 1948-1958 This period as it will referred to throughout the list and commentary was chosen because in 1958 the first new operational submarine since the war Porpoise joined the fleet to be
followed by the rest of her class Other major changes were in the offing not the least the first British nuclear submarine but of more immediate influence new sonar and torpedoes were finally to become a reality 1948 was chosen as the start of the period of interest for historical reasons but there was also an important practical motive most of the disposal and scrapping of WWII vessels was complete Historically the 1948 Berlin Airlift symbolised the start of confrontation between the Western Powers and the Soviet Union the Cold War NATO came into being the next year and the submarine started to take its place as a key player in the conduct of this trial of resolve between East and West However while the story from about 1960 onward is well known as are the submarines involved the active units that made up the submarine fleet of the Royal Navy when the possibility of a Hot War was very real are not as well known and this list is intended to correct that with data and photographs The Royal Naval Submarine Museum archives has documents that already define the fleet but these are not readily available to me to use in a publication for this web site
Of great value have been the relevant pages of the official Particulars of War Vessels 1959 CB 04826 supplied to me by Ian Buxton These pages have provided a lot of the detail about each vessel at the close of the period and confirms what submarines were still in active service Including submarines temporarily in the dockyard or reserve in 1953 (the halfway point in the period) there were 50 apparently operational diesel electric submarines in the Royal Navy
15 A class 22 T class 11 S class and 2 U class According to PoWV 1959 all were armed with Mk 8 torpedoes of the type used in WW II with the option of mines but according to FOSM correspondence of 1948 the electric Mk 11 torpedo was also to be carried in the extended T class A Mk 20 (BIDDER) passive homing torpedo was in service in 1955 but does not appear to have been considered a successful weapon Neither the Mk 11 and the Mk 20 are mentioned in the PoV 1959 The Mk 8 though apparently old in design was quite a sophisticated but reliable piece of machinery but from todays point of view it was basically just an aim and fire weapon The running depth could be set before firing as could a gyro controlled angled course on leaving the tube It was propelled by a burner-cycle combustion engine fuelled by shale oil and compressed air and could run for 5000 yards at 455 knots 805 lb of Torpex explosive in the warhead Diameter 21 Weight 3452 lbs Overall Length 259 in A large weapon to store and manhandle in the confines of these submarines They were indeed submersible torpedo boats
Books such as Naval Weapons of World War Two by John Campbell give a more detailed description of this torpedo and figures for torpedo success briefly 5421 torpedoes fired 1040 certain hits The Alliance book by
Lambert and Hill has detailed drawings of the torpedo and the tube firing system but little text discussion It would have been interesting to know if there were sufficient torpedoes to fully load all the submarines and if there were sufficient again to reload Another useful logistical figure would have been the crew strength in the period But these vital figures have proved difficult to obtain It is known from reliable anecdotes that early in the period small designated groups of mainly S class were held in active reserve in different locations with one crew looking after each group
It has been suggested but not confirmed that at the same time some T class were held in the Dockyards No attempt has been made at this stage to take on the difficult task of determining the disposition year by year of each submarine It is well known that submarines were committed to Australia and Canada for training for long periods however they represented a relatively small percentage of the total fleet and in principle could return to the UK if crisis circumstances arose The Politics of British Defence Policy 1945-1962 by William P Snyder (1964) will tell the reader nothing about diesel submarines but this American military author does provide a picture of the defence politics of the period and confirms that a Soviet attack in Europe was then considered very likely (Page 19) The comment is made in the context of commitments to the Korean War
The List With Commentary The intention is to identify
each submarine and its condition as clearly as possible Submarines still around in the period but not sensibly available for active service are accounted for in separate sections ASDIC sets in Sections 1 to 4b were of the type used in WWII Refer to the extended T notes Section 4d for comment on the ASDIC and TCS of the latter part of the period of interest There is insufficient information available to offer comment on the radar sets Norman Friedman 1981 Naval Radar Naval Institute Press ISBN 0870219677 may prove helpful to interested readers PoWV 1959 refers to the official document - Particulars of
War Vessels 1959 CB 04826 relevant sub pages provided by Ian Buxton
10
The Submarines Section 1 Two U class submarines Section 2 The introduction of a snort system in the RN Section 3a The S class submarine Section 3b Eleven S class modernised submarines Section 3c 4 S class submarines to France 19511952 Section 3d Six S class submarines scrapped by 1950 Section 3e 4 S class streamlined un-armed ASW targets Section 4a 10 Grp III T class Submarines 1571 tons sm Section 4b Accounting for T class to early scraploan Section 4c 8 T class extended hull fast battery subs Section 4d Five - Streamlined T class submarines Section 5 Sixteen A class submarines Section 6 The Porpoise class Section 7 Experimental and Trials submarines Section 8 The HTP Propulsion Programme of the RN Section 9 Personal observations StreamliningGuns Appendix Pennant numbers For a broader historical view of the disposition of the Submarines of the Royal Navy at this time the following two sources are suggested Norman Friedman The Post War Naval Revolution Chapter 8 Submarines and Eric Grove Vanguard to Trident 1945-1985 Chapter 6 - Peroxide to Polaris Thanks to John Eade and Ian Buxton who checked and where required corrected the basic submarine data using their sources
Section 1 Two U Class Submarines
Two U Class Submarines 730 tons sm Mike Critchley British Warships Since 1945 has photographs of both of these submarines that played such an important role in WWII They are shown in 1957 flying the White Ensign Guns removed and a modern ASDIC domes No pennant number displayed Apparently the last of the large fleet of 51 small U submarines all built by Vickers Armstrong during WWII There were 22 war losses In addition Armstrong Vickers built 22 very similar V class HMS Upstart shown here post war without a gun Note modern ASDIC dome aft (Photo G Chalcraft)
These Submarines By Name And Number
Untiring P59 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Loaned to Greece as Xifias 1945 Returned to Royal Navy 1952 Expended as AS target off Start Point 25 July 1957
Upstart P65 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Became Greek Amfitrite 1945 Returned to RN 1952 Expended as AS target off Isle of Wight 19 July 1957 Section 2 Introduction Of A Snort System In The RN
The first successful snort system in the Royal Navy is reported as being fitted in Truant N68
The topic is introduced at this point to give some idea how soon after the war a snort system was available for fitting in all RN submarines She was a relatively old Group 1 T class Completed 1939 Vickers Armstrong Decommissioned 1945 Wrecked off Cherbourg en route to scrapping December 1946 HMS Truant a group one T class
completed in 1939 Seen here with snort mast raised The additional pipe to starboard indicates this was an experimental setup Decommissioned in 1945 and lost under tow to the scrap yard in 1946
these dates give some idea as to when the Royal Navy began snort experiments The T and S submarine classes were fitted with fold down combined exhaust and induction masts mast as were the initial installations on the A class This quickly changed on the A class with the exhaust fixed to the after standards and only the induction mast folding down on to the after casing Further detail in each section Section 3a The S Class Of Submarine Construction of
this substantial fleet of (990 tons sm) submarines was commenced with the laying down of the Sturgeon in 1931
However the submarines of interest in the period 1948-1958 came from the surviving 40 that were part of Group III construction 1941 to 1945 There were 9 war losses from this group There are obvious features introduced in WWII but not fitted to all the GIII submarines No doubt due to Dockyard opportunities etc One was the Oerlikon gun fitted on a raised railed Bandstand aft of the conning tower the example below shows the conning tower of Splendid P228 (Lost in 1943) HMS Splendid shown with a Bandstand amp Oerlikon gun The platform is supported by a column mounted on the hull (Photo G Chalcraft) The following image shows Sahib P212 without this feature (lost in 1943) Another feature was the single external torpedo seen clearly on this image of Sahib but not on all the class This was the only external tube fitted to the S class HMS Sahib note the absence of a Bandstand amp
Oerlikon gun
Deck gun can be seen as can the aft torpedo tube (Our President survived the sinking of Sahib in
1943 and was taken POW)
HMS Scotsman showing the shielded platform fitted to some S class (Photograph R Fry) The GIII S class were fitted with a 3 and later a 4 gun It was thought the latter would be more effective against small ships particularly in the Far East (The Design and Construction of British Warships 1939-1945) The 3 mounts seem to have all been simple unshielded deck guns again as shown on Sahib
but the 4 gun appears to have had a platform mount and shield as seen in Sea Devil in the post
war photograph above and a grainy but clear close-up of the gun and conning tower of the Scotsman P243 1946 on the right HMS Sea Devil in
1949 Note she still has the Bandstand but no snort No pennant number is displayed Post-war many of the S class were transferred to other navies or scrapped and it is history of the survivors that went on to serve in the critical 1948-1958 period before new submarines came into service that is of interest To be continued
This article will be serialised over the coming months and includes many submarines served on by Derbyshire Members I am at present preparing it in a newsletter format and cannot at the present time say how many parts it will be but obviously our more senior members are getting their boats mentioned first It is appreciated the article is available on the web but it is also acknowledged that most members who served on lsquoSrsquo Boats in the 1940rsquos and early 1950rsquos do not have access to a computer Feedback is always welcome so let me know what you think with pleasure
11
FINAL PART ldquoI‟M NO HERO BUT I DID MY BITrdquo An Understatement By An bdquoilson Lad FOUR of FOUR MY STORY OF THE WAR YEARS 1939-1945 by Joseph Simons Driver REME
1946 In 1946 demob and back to the UK back to Civvy Street it went on age and length of
service (I was group 47 demobbed September 1947) we had a hut where at night we could go play cards dominoes or have a chat If someone getting demobbed we put a bit of a party on for them and Bill Dabbs a London bus driver aged about forty known no other life for over five years being with and working with the lads and with his mates and what with the weak beer they served in the hut he had tears running down his face with emotion due to leaving men he had only known for five years and the fact he was going back into civvy life where you are on your own
Early summer I got a fourteen day leave and went up to the leave centre and got on the train with all the others going on leave Wooden seats and it took twenty four hours to get to Calais because the train kept breaking down The Royal Engineers had put a single railway track across the River Rhine and the train went dead slow over this wooden bridge and looking out of the window you could only see the river We got to Calais and we crossed the channel on a fishing trawler to Folkstone I enjoyed that leave with the girl I had met but soon it was all
over and back to our workshop camp Later that year through units were breaking up due to demobilisation and our own workshop was one the fitters and mechanics took all the trucks and went to another workshop to make it up to strength All the drivers went to Bad Oyenhasen a spar town Once a week we went to the baths a German civilian filled the wooden bath worn smooth by years of use and put a thermometer in the water to see if it was the right temperature A bath in a wooden bath is far superior
A posting came for me and I went to Dusseldorf to this little unit which controlled all the factories in the Ruhr It consisted of a Captain WO1 Sergeant Corporal and me with two civilian clerks My job was to go to a factory to see what they had produced and take it to another factory that needed it I went all around the Ruhr past the Krupps bombed out factory at Essen Solingen Dortmund Wuppertao one job I had to pick up about seven plate glass shop window size and take it to Achen about thirty miles away I thought the state of the roads it will be broken but it was all in one piece not broke when I got it to Achen
I was billeted in the centre Dusseldorf in a big building it must have been offices because it had many rooms it was opposite Steal House the headquarters of the steel industry of the Ruhr It was where we had our meals our office was about a mi le away The Captain and the Sergeant where German Jews and must have got out of Germany before the war had started The Captain disappeared at the weekend with German friends in the big houses or castle and went on the shooting parties in the forests He had got all mounted animal heads on the walls of his office The Sergeant as soon as you saw him he was a Jew They both had cars whether bought or commandeered and when the sergeant went out he must have scared the Germans to bits for what they did to the Jews The Corporal he was a real spiv selling things for a profit what the Germans could not get cigarettes was the currency you could buy anything with cigarettes
The winter of 1946-47 it was cold and we went skating on the lake in the park I enjoyed my job going to different factories that had started up taking and delivering things in my three ton truck and then that day when group 47 came up and it was on the train to Cuxhaven (North Germany) a night crossing on a troop ship to Hull and train to barracks at York to collect everything from a civvy suit pay that was due rail ticket to Derby bus warrant to Ilkeston and I was back in civvy street I am pleased I did and I would not sell my memories of those four years of army life not for a million pounds Joseph Simons Driver REME April 1943 to September 1947 Army Number 14424767
Editor It was a pleasure to undertake putting his story into book form for Joe‟s Grandchildren which includes many more photographs he took on his exploits than can be shown here Many of these photo‟s are personal to him but I am immensely pleased that he allowed me permission to produce some extra books and they have been placed in the Local History Section of Ilkeston Library and also in the Erewash Museum so the exploits of a local Ilkeston (ilson is the local slang) man have been recorded for the future I hope you have enjoyed the story I certainly felt very privileged that he shared his experiences
Bad
Oyenhasen
12
VANGUARD VISIT TO DERBY 30 Sept ndash 3 Oct It was absolutely wonderful to have a group of twenty Submariners visit Derby for an extended weekend with hopefully not too busy a programme though it was running tight on occasions The crew arrived in Derby spaced over six or so hours and booked in the European Hotel which was very accommodating and geared up and everyone agreed it was very good We had an early evening briefing on the programme and all sailors received a welcome to Derby pack with loads of paper advising what had been arranged and free entry tickets and other information A recce of Derby Night Life was organised and it was abundantly clear at breakfast at 8am that some lively night life had been found
Coffee Morning Friday dawn the weather was an absolute killer with rain as bad as any Singapore monsoon Ritchie the Vanguard coxswain and I arrived early at the Council House to open up and to unload my car which was full to the gunnels with kit in the pouring rain Our door team of Jim Hunt and John Hadfield had already arrived to man up the doors and with them were John‟s wife Maureen and her sister Francis who immediately proceeded to set up the coffee percolator and coffee boat Maureen and Francis were soon joined by Joyce who looked after the victuals and peculator ably assisted by Peter Johnson and Jean Slater ndash definitely an bdquoA‟ team The next hour was a flurry of activity setting up the various stalls with everyone helping each other John amp Rita Sayers did the main raffle Jenny Williamson the tombola Michelle Tyler and Julie Winstanley did the Submariners and Skimmer blackouts with Ron Slater and Ken Holtham doing the health and fitness straw draw as well as the Mug Sales stall so all helpers really dug out The Vanguard crew‟s input was tremendous helping us throughout the morning and as someone observed they were very fit and active I might add a lady made this comment ndash or was she Incidentally if I have missed mentioning anyone please accept my apologies but it was a rather hectic though successful morning The severe weather had a major impact on the ex service trade and of course the fact the bus stops outside the Council House have now been moved to the new bus station did not help either We would especially like to thank those ladies and gentleman who booked a day of work for this event and despite the weather turned out especially one young lady who came into Derby for the event by train and it‟s a long walk with weather like that Many hands make light work so everyone‟s efforts were appreciated The Mayor of Derby joined us at 1045 and our Chair Steve Tyler welcomed him and presented him with one of the special commissioned mugs to commemorate the Vanguard visit
Every crew member visiting received one and they bore the crests of Vanguard SA Derbyshire SM1 and with special permission from Rolls Royce their crest These were proudly above the wording bdquoFreedom of the City of Derby granted to HM Submarine Service with the White Ensign in the middle The WEO of Vanguard Lt Cdr Chris Bland thence presented the Mayor with a Vanguard Crest Getting on for 1120 we started the ball rolling with the raffle draw and this was followed by the Mayor opening the envelopes to declare the Blackout winners I might add the winning boats and targets were impartially picked by someone who knows absolutely nothing about the RN and the fact our Chair won the bottle of Pusser‟s with Courageous which he served on in 1982 was purely a coincidence Still the good news is the Skimmer prize of 1ltr of Lambs was donated back to the branch and will be redrawn either at the visit of Ambush or Christmas so you can have another opportunity of winning a large bottle of rum We then drew the Submariners unique free Coffee Morning Ticket entry raffle prize of a bottle of whiskey and then finally we auctioned the two remaining prizes from the straw health and fitness draw The fitness watch worth pound70 went for pound30 and the magnetic bracelet for pound10 further enhancing our funds Jenny‟s tombola was a successful sell out
Despite the low turn out of people we did exceptionally well and it is sad that with the closure of the Council House for two years renovation we will not be able to hold this event in its present location or form elsewhere at present I feel it has been an immense privilege we have enjoyed courtesy of the Mayor and the City Council over a number of years It has not been a right but a perk and I believe all ex Service Associations should be grateful at the generosity over the years and accept through no ones fault the council can no longer afford to provide accommodation now not the least because they have not got any spare accommodation during the renovation of the present Council House
On conclusion of the Coffee Morning members squared away the room whilst the Vanguard crew enjoyed a very good presentation undertaken by the Mayor and John the Mayors Chauffer in the Council Chamber The history of the unique Chain of Office which is priceless City Sword Orb and Rod were all explained to an interested audience As Ricki Rotimi one of Vanguards Chefs undertook the demonstrations with the Sword and other artefacts it was noticed that the Mayor kept the Chain of Office firmly in his grasp Ricki got quite excited that whilst kneeling he got Knighted with the sword but looked a bit glum when it was declared that his Knighthood was invalid as it needed the Monarchs approval On leaving the Council House we discovered the rain was as bad as it had been early in the morning thus wet on the outside we proceeded to the pub to get wet on the inside too
13
We collected our vehicles and made our way to the Oak amp Acorn for an arranged buffet Once the crew had been fed and watered (though there was not much water drunk) the branch members were invited to dine The worries on the change of management three days previously were unfounded and everyone was pleased with the choice of venue The Rolls Royce Representative Tony kindly joined us for a short time and he acted as escort for a special tour to Rolls Royce on Raynesway for all the crew members on which I understand was a very useful and interesting visit to Vanguard‟s crew I used the time after this to offload a lot of gear at my home as my car was so full it could not carry passengers I then set off for the Spot to complete setting up the room with the Raffle final place settings due to changes checking wine orders etc I normally set up a big A Board with laminated welcome posters but with the Spot having all the mod cons I was requested to supply A4 instead of twice the size A3 I was most impressed with the displays in lights as we entered I produced two posters one welcoming the Vanguard on their visit to Derby and one advertising the Branch and its 30th Anniversary To see them up in lights was far superior to the laminated posters I know it‟s just another toy but wow What a toy
Friday night rush hour is a nightmare and I got caught up in the car parking on the new Laura Croft way trying to get back to the European Hotel and in the end landed up with only having 30 minutes to get showered dressed in best bib and tucker and to get to the Spot to welcome everyone How we did it I do not really know And it was still chucking it down with rain In fact it was just like Faslane Friday Evening was a combination celebrations rolled into one We were celebrating our Branch 30
th
Anniversary and had brought forward our branch Trafalgar Dinner night as well We were also celebrating the 50
th year of RN British Submarines
and of course we welcomed the twenty crew of Vanguard to the only City in the United Kingdom that has granted the Freedom of the City to HM Submarine Service which proudly hangs on the stairwell of the Submarine Squadron Offices in Faslane The room had been superbly decorated on a Red White and Blue theme by the Spot and this was complimented by balloon‟s The branch had added our own personal touch with place mats individual seating markers with a reminder of what people had ordered and table markers and of course a unique programme to celebrate the occasion When items such as these are taken as souvenirs I always consider it a compliment and I had nothing to clear up at the end of the evening Everyone assembled in the middle room for early drinks and socialise with John amp Rita Sayers making everyone exceptionally welcome selling them Raffle Tickets
On time everyone was summoned to take their places for Dinner and at 7pm the Sea Cadets from TS Kenya piped the top table into Dinner The Diners slow hand clapped the top table in and I undertook Master of Ceremonies with a very short safety brief Thence the Senior Officer present Cdr Jerry Hall RN Rtd was called upon to read out the response to the Loyal Greetings sent to HM Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of our 30
th Anniversary Jerry proudly read
the message to all relayed from the Queen wishing us a successful evening Thence followed the Welcome by our President Mr Ken Holtham and grace by our Vice Chair Mr John Sayers It was thence time to dig in for the first course which was a choice of Soup Pate or Melon The main course was a Carvery but what a carvery We had the choice of Beef Pork amp Turkey and all vegetarians and special diets were well looked after The choice of vegetables was the largest anyone had seen with the only complaint being the plates were not big enough I consider as I was full there was ample but I agree it was impossible to get everything on There were one or two deep breaths before the puddings which was the Sweet Trolley of cream gateaux‟s Cheese board or ice cream followed by coffee which with cream and a mint biscuit rounded off a super meal We then eased springs for a break of fifteen minutes before the speeches
Cdr Jerry Hall Lt Cdr Chris Bland Terry Hall Michelle Tyler Desna amp Ian Tyson
The immortal Toast and a fine speech on Nelson was delivered by Lt Cdr Chris Bland the WEO as Senior Officer of Vanguard who bravely stepped into the position of Cdr Stuart Capes the Commanding Officer of Vanguard Port who was unable to attend due to operational reasons Chris was followed by the Loyal Toast to HM the Queen This very different and enjoyable toast was undertaken by Mr Ian Tyson MIM who is not only a personal friend of mine but was the ex Ceremonial Officer for the Submariners Assn and was a leading light in the London SA before its closure Ian treated us to a unique history lesson on the Battle of Trafalgar and his instruction on taking one‟s tot involved everyone and the experience was enjoyed by all It was as promised in our Loyal Greetings letter to HM toasted with gusto and from the heart Ian‟s speech and toast was summed up by our Chairman Steve Tyler who when he arose to toast the Submarine Service and the Submariner stated ldquoHow do I follow thatrdquo Follow it he did with a roaring toast to the senior part of the Senior Service
14
The presentations were extended slightly with two planned and one unplanned The branch made a presentation of a SA Derbyshire Plaque to the Senior Officer and thence a framed picture of a cartoon that had been in the National Press which had been suitably and artistically enhanced in colour by my daughter This was presented to Vanguard‟s Coxswain John Richie Richardson and small A5 copies distributed in a sealed envelope to each table so all could view the cartoon The Senior Officer thence presented the branch with a superb framed
picture of the Vanguard Crest with brass plaques engraved to commemorate the visit to Derby This splendid gift will be hung in our room at TS Kenya for both ourselves and the cadets to enjoy A presentation of a bouquet of flowers was made by ET Chris Whale to Elena Holtham the wife of our Branch President who was
celebrating her 85th
birthday I would also like to extend our branch‟s best wishes to Chris on his forthcoming course he is just embarking on at HMS Sultan we wish you the best of luck In keeping with the branch tradition we thence provided a decorated Rose Stem for all of the ladies attending and requested the crew members undertake the presentations - which were carried out admirably in true Naval Tradition Our youngest guest was a lovely young lady called Amy who had joined us due to a late cancellation She had joined us at our coffee morning and spent some time with our WWII veterans discussing their experience for her bdquoA‟ Levels and the branch has been able to help with books from our library and I have provided her with booksleaflets from various projects I have undertaken with my RBL hat on so not only was the RN covered but also the RAF with the bomber memorial and Joe Simons excellent story of his service from Normandy just after D-Day and into Germany You may be able to spot her in the picture above
The evening was thence concluded by a wonderful performance by Shep Woolley who I consider it a
great privilege that he commented to me how much he had enjoyed his observations of our special evening As per normal Shep gave a superb performance and it was much enjoyed by all and we thank him
for such a brilliant and entertaining programme as the Golden Carriages arrived for our guests
Saturday 2 December 2010 Talk about see-saw weather Thursday had been fine for the arrival and it was quite hot sat in the foyer of the hotel waiting to meet and greet the crew to Derby Friday was a total washout weather wise and the rain that bad I would liken it to a monsoon Saturday however dawned bright and sunny and stayed like that until the early evening However our plan was a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas where the Vanguard crew would lay a wreath at the Submariners Memorial Though booked into the NMA it was not until about two weeks before that I was advised of the Annual Bike to the Wall and was told they already had 23000 bikes booked in I spoke to the Coxswain and we decided it was worth a go and we are all very glad we did Only one of the twenty had visited the NMA before so it was a particularly poignant visit We convoyed down in three vehicles parking up in a field designated as the Park amp Ride Car Park with a free bus service to and from the NMA The rain the previous day saw the river swollen that runs through the site and it was a little damp to say the least The buses ran regularly and we arrived and our first duty was to replace the very tatty and dirty White Ensign on the Naval Review section We then went down to the submariner‟s memorial where we carried out a short poignant service including the laying of Vanguards Wreath The various parts of the service were shared out amongst crew members with me having the honour of piping the silence I had produced souvenir quality service sheets for each crew member and included a brief history of the NMA site I particularly liked the comment about bdquoIts good to see it was the conception of a Commander Royal Navy who made it happen‟ and that is something we can all be very proud of Unfortunately I had left my camera in the car but we enjoyed the spectacle of the bikers in their thousands The respect and salutes to the service members were a joy to behold The bikers raise a lot of money and the sights of them coming up the main A38 dual carriageway with lights blazing was a magnificent sight The car parks and main thoroughfares were chocker block with bikes of all shapes and sizes including some modified with rear ends of VW Beetles Indian rickshaws and Harleys by the hundreds Whatever the bike they had all come to pay their respects to our Armed Forces and were a credit to their respective chapters clubs or Legion bikers or as individuals BZ to all those who participated on the bdquoRide To The Wall‟ We returned to Derby in the afternoon and arranged to meet up down in the City at the Assembly Rooms where Shep Woolley was performing and the promoters had kindly offered greatly reduced tickets for the Vanguard Crew After the concert I was treated to a Chinese all you can eat on Babbington Lane With not frequenting Derby very often and certainly not at night it was an unknown venue to me but was most enjoyable I sincerely thank Coxn Richie Richardson and CPO Nick Alton for excellent company My first ever visit to Walkabouts was an eye opener and a half and it was only the excellent company that made the run so enjoyable Sunday was going home day and the Vanguards split off by car train to all points of the compass
15
HMS TIRELESS IN MULTINATIONAL EXERCISE Naval assets from the UK France Australia and the US have completed a major international anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Gulf of Oman This is a regular exercise directed by the United Kingdom Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) based in Bahrain It is designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability in warm water environments and promote interoperability between ships and aircraft from a variety of nations The centrepiece of the cat and mouse style exercise was Trafalgar Class submarine HMS Tireless playing the role of the mouse while the duties of the cat were shared between the Australian frigate HMAS Melbourne and the French frigate FS Dupleix Meanwhile Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron and US P-3 Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft acted as eyes in the sky HMS Tireless and HMAS Melbourne also exchanged key personnel during the exercise in order to share skills and experience A UKMCC spokesperson said The number of navies
building and operating submarines continues to grow It is therefore important that the Royal Navy retains its position at the forefront of anti-submarine warfare a skill easy to lose but difficult to regain The presence of
a large number of coalition navies in this region provides the ideal opportunity to train together Commodore Tim Fraser UK Maritime Component Commander said The large proportion of the Royal Navys work in this region is of an operational nature such as conducting anti-piracy patrols and strengthening relations with regional allies However it is important that we also run regular exercises such as this in order to maintain and further develop our skills across the full range of capabilities The UKMCC controls all Royal Navy warships aircraft and personnel in the Middle East maritime theatre which totals over thirteen hundred personnel and more than a dozen vessels These include frigates undertaking maritime security operations and anti-piracy patrols mine countermeasures vessels developing warm water mine hunting techniques and landing ships supporting the training and development of the fledgling Iraqi Navy and the protection of key Iraqi oil platforms
HMS ASTUTE IN COMMISSION The UKs most powerful attack submarine HMS Astute has been welcomed into the Royal Navy in a commissioning ceremony overseen by the boats patron the Duchess of Cornwall as well as Doug Clarke our Derbyshire Member who was kindly taken up to Faslane by his son and daughter for the prestigious event HMS Astute which has officially become Her Majestys Ship today 29 August 2010 She is almost fifty per cent bigger than any attack submarine in the Royal Navys current fleet As the base port of all the Royal Navys submarines from 2016 Faslane will be home to the whole Astute Class including Ambush Artful and Audacious which are already under construction Astute was built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness with hundreds of suppliers around the country contributing component parts including Rolls-Royce Derby (nuclear plant)
TS KENYA PRESENTATION NIGHT Friday 15 October 2010
What an absolutely awful evening weather wise which fortunately did not prevent a decent size audience for this Annual prestigious event which was a credit of organisation and planning The Cadets both Sailors and Royal Marines were as usual excellently turned out and disciplined The Chief guests were the High Sheriff of Derbyshire and the Mayor of Derby who both presented the various trophies to the Cadets As I helped with the raffle I can say with authority that all the prime guests and Senior Committee were exceptionally generous with donations and the total of just under pound90 was raised Whoever organised the prizes did a Herculean effort with Black amp Decker Sets Footbath bottles and really exceptionally good prizes
We submariners were thinner on the ground than in the past with myself Ken and Peter and Joyce but with more than half the branch either on holiday P7R or sick parade this was to be expected There was also three RMA amp Tom Smith BEM RNA Jerry Hall was wearing many hats including President of the TS Kenya Management Committee and President of the RNA for whom he presented a Bosun‟s Pipe to the best cadet Jerry is of course a Submariner member and thanked all four Naval Associations in Derby for their unstinting support of the unit
The presentations took the normal format of the badges and promotions for the Cadets followed by the awards The bdquoTommy Appleby‟ Memorial Shield was won by Cadet Ginette Doherty This Shield was presented to the Unit by Doris in memory of Tommy who was a submariner member The array of awards is impressive and the presentations were undertaken in rotation by the High Sheriff and the Mayor After the presentations the High Sheriff and the Mayor were presented with bouquets The High Sheriff is a nice lady but the Mayor had to accept on behalf of his wife who had been whisked away only moments before for another function I thought he took the presentation of flowers in good spirit The Mayor and High Sheriff both made speeches praising the work of the Cadets Staff and supporters of the Unit
Those who follow the progress of the Cadets through the newsletter or otherwise will be aware that the project to get the Cadets on the water is nearing fruition with the money required for a boat and a safety boat raised and both boats are in the process of being built An internal competition at TS Kenya had been undertaken to name the two boats and unfortunately the Commanding Officer Capt SCC Andy Fuller RMR would not divulge the ones he advised were outrageous suggestions However the decision had been to name the budding Fleet after ex Royal Navy vessels with one to be a submarine and one to be a target skimmer surface vessel The decision made was for HMS Sovereign for the safety boat and HMS Malaya for the pulling boat Sovereign was Derby‟s adopted boat for over thirty years and always ably supported the Sea Cadet unit in Derby Malaya was the name of the Unit until a few years ago when the name was changed to TS Kenya to reflect the long Ship Affiliation of HMS Kenya which was Derby‟s adopted ship before Sovereign with links to warship week in WWII
16
FEEDBACK 30th
ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND I have received much positive feedback and only one complaint of the 30
th Anniversary amp Trafalgar Dinner
The complaint was from Jim Hunt who stated the carvery plates were not big enough End of complaint Many branch members as well as guests have taken the time to say how much they enjoyed the event and in summary the following letter from HMS Vanguard by Louis Gardner the Operations Officer who I know definitely enjoyed his run ashore in Derby
Dear Terry May I take this opportunity to thank the Derbyshire Branch of the Submariners Association for inviting the Ship‟s Company of HMS Vanguard to participate in what was a hugely enjoyable visit Your organisation of such a varied programme including the visit to Rolls Royce was particularly well received Further thanks must go to all who ensured such a successful Trafalgar Night Dinner Excellent hosting was provided by all of your members which was enjoyed and appreciated by our sailors and officers It was a delight to toast both Nelson and your branch‟s 30
th
anniversary on the same occasion Special thanks must go to you for your Herculean efforts in ensuring our time in Derby ran so smoothly Everything from the welcome packs and presentation mugs to your organisation of the service at the National Arboretum was greatly appreciated Much fun was had by all during the visit and we look forward to the opportunity to reciprocate your invitation in the future
Well done all branch members I know many of you had an exceptionally busy Friday and also appreciate for many it was an expensive day with taxi‟s hotels and distances involved However your company was enjoyed by the Vanguard‟s Ship Company and the fact we had so many turn up to help at the Coffee Morning made the task so much easier especially for me It was a wonderful change to have the work load shared as it was by the branch bdquoA‟ team ndash That‟s all of you who were able to turn up and help BZ to all and for the first time I can remember it was a stress free Trafalgar Dinner with nearly everything going smoothly thanks to the excellent organisation at the Spot Now for next year has anyone any ideas
SA NATIONAL RAFFLE I have received the list of prize winners from the ex National Treasurer and can confirm that unfortunately there are no Derbyshire Member Winners Thanks to all in the branch who participated as the branch got one third of the takings
NATIONAL DIARIES I asked Steve Tyler that if there were any SA diaries available at Nottingham to get Ten these have all been sold We hoped for an opportunity to pick up at the Embankment Parade in London avoiding costly PampP However due to problems and cost of accommodation in London we will now unfortunately not be parading our Standard but will be attending the Derby Festival of Remembrance at Derby Cathedral on the same weekend Any further orders to the Treasurer please
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2011 If any members have any proposals for Conference 2011 you are reminded that the branch must submit them by 31 December 2010 thus they need to be presented at the next two meetings if your proposal is to be discussed and submitted
BRANCH AGM TS KENYA The Branch AGM will take place at 7pm on Wednesday 3 March 2011 when we revert from our Winter Routine of lunch time meetings at the Jubilee Club at 1215 Items for the Agenda should be submitted by the January meeting with any nominations for any office
BRANCH SUBSCRIPTIONS 2011 Branch Subscriptions were not discussed at our AGM in March thus by default they will remain the same at pound10 per person with pound5 National fee making a total of pound15 Annual Subscription This becomes due to the 31 December 2010 for the following year and it is requested that to enable the year end figures to be completed by 31 January 2011 that they are submitted to the Treasurer as soon into the new year or anytime before Those who will be effecting an electronic bank transfer to the branch accounts as per the memo posted out to all members are requested to ensure that your reference clearly states your surname and the word bdquosubs‟ Those who wish to continue to have a hard copy of In Depth are requested to make a further donation of pound5 to cover the copies for 2011 Newsletter Online If you need to refer to a back issue
(three copies only) please refer to wwwsubmarinersassociationcoukhtmlderbynewshtml
Views and comments of this newsletter do not always reflect the official policy or decisions of neither the
Derby Branch nor the Submariners Association
Terry Hall Newsletter Editor Submariners Association Derbyshire Branch 69 Station Road STANLEY VILLAGE
Derbyshire DE7 6FB
Ronamp Jean Slater
4 November 2010 Best Wishes from all the
Derbyshire Branch
4
INDIAN ECONOMICS Indian Chief bdquoTwo Eagles‟ was asked by a white US Government official ldquoYou have observed the white man of 90 years You‟ve seen his wars and his technological advances You‟ve seen his progress and the damage he‟s done to the environmentrdquo The Chief nodded in agreement The official continued considering all these events in your opinion where did the white man go wrongrdquo The Chief stared at the government official then replied ldquoWhen the white man find land Indians running it No taxes no debt plenty buffalo plenty beaver clean water Women did all the work Medicine man free Indian man spend all day hunting and fishing all night having sexrdquo Then the chief leaned back and smiled ldquoOnly white man dumb enough to think he could improve system like thatrdquo
A LESSON IN GRAMMER An elderly couple who were both widowed had been going out with each other for a long time Urged on by their friends they decided it was finally time to get married Before the wedding they went out to dinner and had a long conversation regarding how their marriage might work They discussed finances living arrangements and so on Finally the old gentleman decided it was time to broach the subject of their physical relationship How do you feel about sex he asked rather tentatively I would like it infrequently she replied The old gentleman sat quietly for a moment adjusted his glasses leaned over towards her and whispered - Is that one word or two
FACTS OF LIFE IN THE COMPUTER AGE
A little boy goes to his father and asks Daddy how was I born The father answers Well son I guess one day you will need to find out anyway Your mum and I first got together in a chat room on Yahoo Then I set up a date via e-mail with your mum and we met at a cyber-cafe We sneaked into a secluded room and googled each other There your mother agreed to a download from my hard drive As soon as I was ready to upload we discovered that neither one of us had used a firewall and since it was too late to hit the delete button nine months later a little Pop-Up appeared that said You got Male
GETTING OLD OLD IS WHEN Your wife says Lets go upstairs and make love and you answer Pick one I cant do both OLD IS WHEN Your friends compliment you on your new alligator shoes and youre barefoot OLD IS WHEN A sexy babe or hunk catches your eye and your bdquopacemaker‟ opens the garage door OLD IS WHEN Going braless pulls all the wrinkles out of your face OLD IS WHEN You dont care where your spouse goes just as long as you dont have to go along OLD IS WHEN You are cautioned to slow down by the doctor instead of by the police OLD IS WHEN Getting lucky means you find your car in the car park OLD IS WHEN An all nighter means not getting up to go to the toilet AND OLD IS WHEN You are not sure these are jokes
Im so lazy Ive got a smoke alarm with a snooze button
ANTICIPATION An older white-haired man walked into a jewellery store one Friday evening with a beautiful young girl at his side He told the jeweller he was looking for a special ring for his new girlfriend The jeweller looked through his stock and brought out a pound5000 ring The old man said bdquoNo I‟d like to see something more special‟ At that statement the jeweller went to his special stock and brought another ring over bdquoHere‟s a stunning ring at only pound40000 the jeweller said The young lady‟s eyes sparkled and her whole body trembled with excitement The old man seeing this said bdquoWe‟ll take it‟ The jeweller asked how payment would be made and the old man stated bdquoby cheque I know you need to make sure my cheque is good so I‟ll write it now and you can call the bank Monday to verify the funds and I‟ll pick the ring up Monday afternoon‟ he said Monday morning the jeweller phoned the old man bdquoThere‟s no money in your account‟ bdquoI know‟ said the old man bdquoBut let me tell you about my weekend‟
SCOTCH WITH TWO DROPS OF WATER A lady goes to the bar on a cruise ship and orders a whiskey with two drops of water As the barman gives her the drink she says Im on this cruise to celebrate my 85th birthday and its today The barman says Well since its your birthday Ill buy you a drink As the woman finishes her drink the woman to her right says I would like to buy you a drink too The old woman says Thank you I would like a whiskey with two drops of water Coming up says the barman As she finishes that drink the man to her left says I would like to buy you one too The old woman says Thank you Barman I want another whiskey with two drops of water Coming right up the barman says As he gives her the drink he says Maam Im dying of curiosity Why the whiskey with only two drops of water The old woman replies Son when youre my age youve learned how to hold your spirits Holding your water however is a whole different issue
DEEPLY IN LOVE Paddy is passing by Micks hay shed one day when through a gap in the door he sees Mick doing a slow and sensual striptease in front of an old red Massey Ferguson Buttocks clenched he performs a slow pirouette and gently slides off first the right welly followed by the left He then hunches his shoulders forward and in a classic striptease move lets his braces fall down from his shoulders to dangle by his hips over his corduroy trousers Grabbing both sides of his checked shirt he rips it apart to reveal his tea stained vest underneath and with a final flourish he hurls his flat cap onto a pile of hay What the heck are you doing Mick says Paddy Jeez Paddy ye frightened the living bejasus out of me says an obviously embarrassed Mick but me and the missus been having some trouble lately in the bedroom department and the therapist suggested I do something sexy to a tractor
MY GRANDSON My small grandson got lost at Tesco so he approached a uniformed security guard and said Ive lost my granddad The guard asked Whats he like The little tyke hesitated for a moment and then replied Pusser‟s Rum amp anyone with a lumpy jumper
5
WELFARE NEWS
The MOD Medal Office has moved their new address is MOD Medal Office G36 Innsworth House Imjin Barracks Gloucester GL3 1HW
Support across the UK The SPVA Veterans Welfare Service has now completed the roll-out of the five new Welfare Centres providing advice and support across the UK The contact details for each office are
Norcross (based near Blackpool) Tel 01253 333494 Email SPVA-VWSNorcrossmoduk
Kidderminster (based Worcester) Tel 01562 825527 Email SPVAVWSKidderminster moduk
Centurion (based in Gosport) Tel 02392 702232 Email SPVAVWSCENTURIONSPVAmoduk
Imjin (based in Gloucester) Tel 01452 510825 Email VWS-innsworthspvamoduk
Glasgow Tel 0141 2242709 Email VWS-Glasgowspvamoduk
If you are supporting a veteran and need further advice it might be worth contacting our Welfare Service to see if we can help too To locate your nearest Veterans Welfare Centre call our freephone helpline 0800 169 2277
DEFENCE MEDAL Email to SA Membership Sec Hi Tex Just a note to let the Association know that the LibDems have voted in favour of the National Defence Medal for all ex service personnel at their annual conference Regards Archie Watt
HMSM TRUCULENT MEMORIAL JAN 2011 The Branch has received a kind invitation from Derek Grant the Truculent Organiser and Branch Secretary on behalf of the Medway Towns Branch of the SA cordially inviting our members to the forthcoming 61
st Memorial
Service of HM Submarine Truculent to be held in the St George‟s Centre Chatham on Saturday 15 January 2011 at 1045 The service will be conducted by their Branch Chaplain the Reverend David Corness RN On completion of the service a buffet luncheon and the obligatory Tot will be provided by the branch with an opportunity to meet a few ex-submariners and their families Standards are invited RSVP
DERBY amp DISTRICT EX SVC MEETING The unadopted minutes were distributed to all on line members on receipt They have been discussed at the October Branch Meeting so following the report in an earlier newsletter I have cancelled and filed The only bit of the minutes that was changed was the error in reporting the Rolls Royce Battle of Britain window had been moved and this was a error It is the Florence Nightingale window that has been moved to St Peters Church from DRI and the RR Battle of Britain window is still in store somewhere at Rolls Royce
Could it be that I do is the longest sentence
GUIDE PUBLIC SECTOR PENSION SCHEMES 6 October 2010 Ministry of Defence
The scheme is the fifth largest in the UKs public sector Which employees does the scheme cover All members of the armed forces How many sections are there There are two main pension schemes for members of the regular armed forces The first known as AFPS 75 started in April 1975 and closed to new joiners on 6 April 2005 The new one called Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (or AFPS 05) was brought in for new joiners in April 05 How many active deferred and retired members are there There are 198000 active members 406000 deferred members and 399000 pensioners or their dependents receiving a pension What are the principal benefits AFPS 75 is non-contributory and the full pension can be taken at age 55 The fund finances a compensation scheme for death and injury in service as well as a pension It is a final-salary scheme with the maximum pension and tax-free lump sum of three times annual pension available after 34 years as an officer and 37 years (other ranks) This will give a pension worth 485 of what is called representative pay plus the lump sum AFPS 05 is also non-contributory and can be taken at 55 After 35 years of service the pension is worth 50 of final pensionable pay There is also a tax-free lump sum of three times annual pension The pension accrues at a rate of 170th each year for up to 40 years There is also an early pension scheme known as the early departure payments (EDP) scheme which pays a lower level of pension and a lump sum It applies to those with at least 18 years service who are aged 40 or over The pension fund also pays for the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme which makes lump sum payments or continuing inflation proofed tax-free payments for injury illness or death caused by service What percentage of salary do the armed forces pay The MoD pays the equivalent of 37 of officers salaries and 21 of salaries for other ranks What are the funding costs of the scheme Across all members the contribution rate was 276 of salaries in 2009-10 forecast to rise to 295 this year and 34 in the following three years Is the scheme funded or unfunded Unfunded It is paid for out of general taxation not an underlying investment fund What is the value of the scheme assets if any and its liabilities Members of the schemes do not make any contributions from their pay The liabilities were put at pound121bn in the schemes resource accounts for 2009-2010 What is the average pension in payment pound8693 as of 31 March 2010 including lump sum payments Have there been any changes or reforms to the scheme in recent years The introduction of the new AFPS 05 in 2005 Are there any further changes in the pipeline From April 2011 pensions in payment will increase in line with the consumer prices index (CPI) not the retail prices index (RPI)
BUSINESS NEWS Japanese scientists have now created a digital camera with such a fast shutter speed that its now possible to take a photograph of a woman with her mouth shut
6
MICROWAVING WATER
Have you heated a cup of water in your microwave to make coffee or Tea This can be a serious risk and this article explains why A 26-year old man decided to have a cup of coffee He took a cup of water and put it in the microwave to heat it up (something that he had done numerous times before) I am not sure how long he set the timer for but he wanted to bring the water to a boil When the timer shut the oven off he removed the cup from the oven As he looked into the cup he noted that the water was not boiling but suddenly the water in the cup blew up into his face The cup remained intact until he threw it out of his hand but all the water had flown out into his face due to the build-up of energy His whole face is blistered and he has 1
st and 2
nd
degree burns to his face which may leave scarring He also may have lost partial sight in his left eye While at the hospital the doctor who was attending to him stated that this is a fairly common occurrence and water (alone) should never be heated in a microwave oven If water is heated in this manner something should be placed in the cup to diffuse the energy such as a wooden stir stick tea bag etc (nothing metal) General Electrics (GEC) Response Thanks for contacting us I will be happy to assist you The e-mail that you received is correct Microwaved water and other liquids do not always bubble when they reach the boiling point They can actually get superheated and not bubble at all The superheated liquid will bubble up out of the cup when it is moved or when something like a spoon or tea bag is put into it To prevent this from happening and causing injury do not heat any liquid for more than two minutes per cup After heating let the cup stand in the microwave for thirty seconds Before moving it or adding anything into it Here is what our local science teacher had to say on the matter Thanks for the microwave warning I have seen this happen before It is caused by a phenomenon known as super heating It can occur anytime water is heated and will particularly occur if the vessel that the water is heated in is new or when heating a small amount of water (less than half a cup) What happens is that the water heats faster than the vapour bubbles can form If the cup is very new then it is unlikely to have small surface scratches inside it that provide a place for the bubbles to form As the bubbles cannot form and release some of the heat has built up the liquid does not boil and the liquid continues to heat up well past its boiling point What then usually happens is that the liquid is bumped or jarred which is just enough of a shock to cause the bubbles to rapidly form and expel the hot liquid The rapid formation of bubbles is also why a carbonated beverage spews when opened after having been shaken I would also point out that microwaved hard boiled eggs can react in the same manner and they can explode and cause burns and injury even after they have been removed from the oven Just be aware
MICROWAVING PLASTIC MEAL CONTAINERS The question was posed in the Daily Mail in April 2009 of Why don‟t the black plastic dishes used for ready meals melt when microwaved The answer supplied by Carol Hill-Wood of Loughborough Leics was that Microwaves are electro-magnetic waves with wavelengths ranging from 1mm to 30cm or frequencies between 03Ghz and 300Ghz which like light waves or radio waves occupy a part of the electromagnetic spectrum They have several important practical applications such as relaying long distance telephone signals TV broadcasts and computer information across the Earth or to a satellite in space Microwave ovens contain a magnetron which generates microwaves at the right frequency to interact with the
molecules in food heating it directly All wave energy alternates polarity from positive to negative with each cycle of the wave and in microwaves these polarity changes happen millions of times a second For a microwave to interact with a
substance the substance too must consist of polar molecules a good example being water It‟s the polarity of water which gives it its live giving properties When microwaves of the right frequency bombard food they cause the polar molecules in the food to alternate at that frequency millions of times a second This agitation at molecular level creates friction which heats up the food Most forms of glass plastic or paper consist of uncharged molecules which do not interact directly with the microwave so only the food is heated So now you know
NATIONAL LAUNCH OF 2010 POPPY APPEAL
11 October 2010 Source Royal British Legion What The national launch of the 2010 Poppy Appeal Who Chart topping pop sensations The Saturdays and The Royal British Legion‟s extreme human flight display team at a concert and event for the families of 16 Air Assault Brigade WHERE The Physical Training and Recreation Centre Colchester Garrison When 1030hrs Thursday 28th October 2010 Why The 2010 Poppy Appeal is about helping the bdquoAfghan generation‟ of the Armed Forces and their families ndash today and for the rest of their lives The national launch of the 2010 Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal will take place at 1030hrs on Thursday 28th October 2010 with a spectacular private concert performed by chart topping pop sensations The Saturdays The concert exclusively for the families of 16 Air Assault Brigade currently on operations in Afghanistan will feature video messages from personnel stationed in Afghanistan for the families of those watching The launch will also feature a parachute display from the Legion‟s extreme human flight team bdquoJump4Heroes‟ who will land next to the site where the first new Personnel Recovery Centre will be built The Legion has committed pound25 million to the Personnel Recovery Centres (Poppies will be on sale at the November meeting)
7
DELAY TRIDENT REPLACEMENT Thursday September 16 2010
The pound20bn replacement of the UKs Trident nuclear deterrent could be put off until after 2015 according to reports The BBC said ministers were considering delaying the planned 2014 date in an effort to reduce short-term costs and head off a pre-general election political row The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said no decisions had yet been taken on the future of the submarine-based missile system which is currently the subject of a value-for-money review It has been formally excluded from the ongoing strategic defence and security review (SDSR) but the Treasury has made clear the under-pressure MoD budget will have to pay for it An influential committee of MPs yesterday warned that that decision would have very significant consequences for future defence spending The coalition agreement between the Tories and Lib Dems committed the government to renewing Trident but agreed that it should be scrutinised to ensure it offered value for money The deal allows the Lib Dems who went into the general election opposing a like-for-like replacement of the missile system to continue to make the case for alternatives
An MoD spokesman said The government remains committed to maintaining the UKs minimum and credible submarine-based nuclear deterrent based on the Trident missile system Within the framework of the strategic defence and security review a review is ongoing to ensure that the renewal of the deterrent provides value for money It will consider the programme timetable numbers of submarines missiles missile tubes and warheads infrastructure and other support costs and the industrial supply chain Once the review has concluded ministers will discuss and agree the optimum balance of capability and cost Labour leadership candidate Ed Balls said I believe the right approach is to include the decision about the replacement of Trident in the strategic defence review so that we can make an informed decision about how best to maintain the minimum nuclear deterrent that Britain requires I think its right that we seek to make savings where possible but this decision by the coalition looks worryingly like a government putting off the difficult political choices because they are too weak and too divided to take them rather that showing the leadership and strength to make tough choices in the long-term interests of our country
FLEET SHRUNK Friday 24 September 24 2010 The Sun Online
Defence bosses have drawn up shock plans to shrink the Royal Navys ship fleet by half The Sun newspaper has reported In a cuts blueprint seen by the newspaper the fleet will be slashed to just 12 frigates and destroyers It will make our surface armada once feared the world over smaller than that of every other major European nation except Portugal And 7500 sailors will be laid off more than a fifth of the Senior Services manpower of 35760 The plan would leave the service which won Trafalgar Jutland and the Falklands unrecognisable Last night the closest living relative of the Navys greatest hero Admiral Lord Nelson said the plan would have left him horrified And a naval source said It wont just be a disaster we are heading for a national humiliation
The drastic cuts are being considered because the Treasury has ordered the MoD budget to be slashed by 19 Losing 12 frigates and destroyers is the price the Navy will have to pay to keep two new 60000-ton aircraft carriers The troop landing ships Albion and Bulwark which came into service only seven years ago will also be sold off The Navy currently has 24 destroyerfrigates four Type 22 and 13 Type 23 frigates five Type 42 and two Type 45 destroyers At the time of the Falklands War in 1982 we boasted 53 frigates and 13 destroyers Cutting the fleet in half again would make ours smaller than those of historical foes France Germany Spain and Italy Even skint Greece boasts more ships and only Portugal with a population a sixth of Britains has the same number Admirals have been put under massive new pressure by Army boss General Sir David Richards winning the PM round to not sacking 20000 troops In a move that left Defence Secretary Liam Fox fuming David Cameron was persuaded that the Army cuts would risk victory in Afghanistan There are also growing concerns that the difficult defence review is being badly rushed to meet artificial Treasury deadlines A source said The money men have forgotten were an island nation with 90 per cent of our trade going by sea And we have the additional tasks now of chasing pirates and counter-terrorism The Navy has never been busier And 80-year-old Anna Tribe the great-great-great-granddaughter of Admiral Horatio Nelson said I think he would be horrified As a country we are terribly in debt and savings have to be made but not all the money was spent on sensible things It is very sad The RAF also faces bitter cuts with Tornado and Harrier jets Chinook and Puma choppers and the jobs of 6500 airmen under threat Our revelation comes as the row with Argentina over a hunt for oil in the Falklands is expected to be raised by the Argies in the UN in New York today Deputy PM Nick Clegg will also signal to the UN that the age of big Cold War-style fleets and armies is over as we face more fluid less visible threats Last night a Downing Street spokesman said no final decisions had been taken on defence cuts
THEFT FROM HOLLAND V Press Assn 2010
Thieves have targeted a nationally-important submarine wreck lying in the English Channel off East Sussex Divers stole the torpedo tube hatch of the Holland 5 the only surviving example on the seabed of this class of submarine in the world The theft was discovered during a licensed dive by the Nautical Archaeology Society in June and confirmed during a survey dive last month Experts said a group of people would have been behind the theft but that the hatch carried very little monetary value English Heritage and Sussex Police appealed for help to catch the perpetrators who are believed to have struck over the past two years Removing the hatch and accessing the site without a license is illegal under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 police warned The Holland class of submarine became obsolete in the early 20th Century and in 1912 the Holland 5 was destined for scrap It was being towed to Sheerness in Kent when it foundered and sunk six miles off the coast near Eastbourne One theory was that it took on water after the hatch that was stolen was left open
8
ATTRIBUTES OF CUCUMBERS 1 Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folic Acid Vitamin C Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium and Zinc
2 Feeling tired in the afternoon put down the caffeinated and pick up a cucumber Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours
3 Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing spa-like fragrance
4 Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminium to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area
5 Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free Cucumbers contain enough sugar B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost keeping everything in equilibrium avoiding both a hangover and headache
6 Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation
7 Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you dont have enough time to polish your shoes Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water
8 Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge and voila the squeak is gone
9 Stressed out and dont have time for massage facial or visit to the spa Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam creating a soothing relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams
10 Just finish a business lunch and realize you dont have gum or mints Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath
11 Looking for a green way to clean your sinks or stainless steel Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine but is wont leave streaks and wont harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean
13 Using a pen and made a mistake Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls
Just do not take your specimen cucumbers into the Joke and Acorn at Oakwood
BRITS LOSE SENSE OF HUMOUR AT 52 The age we all turn into Victor Meldrews
Theres not much to laugh about once you reach 52 as a new study finds this is the age we all start to lose our sense of humour A poll of 2000 Brits found that adults have less to laugh about as they age On average adults laugh out loud around four times a day researchers said but by the time we reach 50 this falls to just three times a day and a pathetic 25 times a day when 60 Dr Lesley Harbridge from the University of Glamorgan said The Lifetime of Laughter Scale shows that there really is a law of diminishing returns when it comes to laughter We laugh twice as much in our teens as we do in our fifties And our findings suggest that its all downhill from 52 The study also found that while an infant can laugh out loud as many as 300 times every day by the time we reach our twenties this figure has slumped to just four times a day Men were found to be more grumpier than women However according to the findings life gets a little happier when we are in our thirties as thirty something‟s manage on average to laugh around five time every day Perhaps children help us find our sense of humour again The survey carried out for TV channel Dave also found the Victor Meldrew Syndrome was firmly established by the time we hit 50 as this is the age we are most likely to complain Another finding hinted at what may contribute to our grumpiness as we age the survey revealed the average Brit knows only two Jokes Editor Well whoever wrote the above article had obviously never visited the lsquoJoke amp Acornrsquo where a certain member of the Derbyshire Branch certainly has above the average of two jokes in his repertoire and my experience with submariners is we certainly tend to laugh well above average as well Still I bet the professor or doctor is laughing well above average that some plonkers normally us the taxpayer is paying for them to investigate and write reports about this dribble that is no use to anyone
To prove the above point one of our members had a prolonged operation on his arm which was filmed and showed to him He was gleefully telling a table full of the butchery and intricate details of how a certain muscle was really tough Trying to be subtle as one does to a friend who has suffered a serious operation I asked politely if it was as tough as the steak on the meal I was trying to enjoy As quick as a flash he came back with bdquoSorry it was an armless story‟ However despite needing to wear a sling for at least two months it has proved that the operation has not dimished his sense of humour Get well soon Jim
OK so we‟ve taken off all our clothes and got on top of each other How long until we get
the Orgasm
I don‟t know But now I understand why mother gets a headache all the
time
9
DIESEL SUBMARINES 1948 ndash 1958 PART ONE OF SIX
The Diesel Submarines Of The Royal Navy Available To Engage In A Major War In The Period 1948 to 1958 Compiled by Peter D Hulme with additional notes
Acknowledgements for information and advice to John Eade Ian Buxton George Malcomson (RN Submarine Museum) and Roger Fry Submarines are mentioned in this article that were lost war and peace - we will remember them
By the 1980s surveillance of NATO naval units by Soviet submarines was taken for granted Electronic spy ships passed happily through our fleet formations whilst their maritime aircraft buzzed over them without hindrance But in the early fifties following hard on the heels of the Berlin airlift and at a time of explosive growth of Soviet sea power sterner attitudes prevailed I recall a confidential memorandum on the subject circulated to the Fleet at the time which reminded Escort Force Commanders that there were no prohibitions on firing depth charge patterns to test them at any time Exactly what similar orders had gone out to the Red Navy remained a matter of conjecture but no one fancied being the first to find out as Gary Powers did on his U2 flight over Mother Russia
Extract from SUBMARINER by Commander John Coote Royal Navy (deceased) former CO of the Totem foreword by Submarine Admiral IJ Galantin US Navy (Rtd) Norman Friedman US Naval author - Office of Naval Intelligence (US Navy) found the future bleak by 1951 it expected 356 Soviet submarines It later proved to be an over estimate ONI in 1954 credited the Soviets with 345 operational units including 83 obsolete submersibles
Preamble The data bases of British submarines while very
useful can be confusing when trying to estimate the actual fighting strength of the Submarine Service over any particular period in this case 1948-1958 This period as it will referred to throughout the list and commentary was chosen because in 1958 the first new operational submarine since the war Porpoise joined the fleet to be
followed by the rest of her class Other major changes were in the offing not the least the first British nuclear submarine but of more immediate influence new sonar and torpedoes were finally to become a reality 1948 was chosen as the start of the period of interest for historical reasons but there was also an important practical motive most of the disposal and scrapping of WWII vessels was complete Historically the 1948 Berlin Airlift symbolised the start of confrontation between the Western Powers and the Soviet Union the Cold War NATO came into being the next year and the submarine started to take its place as a key player in the conduct of this trial of resolve between East and West However while the story from about 1960 onward is well known as are the submarines involved the active units that made up the submarine fleet of the Royal Navy when the possibility of a Hot War was very real are not as well known and this list is intended to correct that with data and photographs The Royal Naval Submarine Museum archives has documents that already define the fleet but these are not readily available to me to use in a publication for this web site
Of great value have been the relevant pages of the official Particulars of War Vessels 1959 CB 04826 supplied to me by Ian Buxton These pages have provided a lot of the detail about each vessel at the close of the period and confirms what submarines were still in active service Including submarines temporarily in the dockyard or reserve in 1953 (the halfway point in the period) there were 50 apparently operational diesel electric submarines in the Royal Navy
15 A class 22 T class 11 S class and 2 U class According to PoWV 1959 all were armed with Mk 8 torpedoes of the type used in WW II with the option of mines but according to FOSM correspondence of 1948 the electric Mk 11 torpedo was also to be carried in the extended T class A Mk 20 (BIDDER) passive homing torpedo was in service in 1955 but does not appear to have been considered a successful weapon Neither the Mk 11 and the Mk 20 are mentioned in the PoV 1959 The Mk 8 though apparently old in design was quite a sophisticated but reliable piece of machinery but from todays point of view it was basically just an aim and fire weapon The running depth could be set before firing as could a gyro controlled angled course on leaving the tube It was propelled by a burner-cycle combustion engine fuelled by shale oil and compressed air and could run for 5000 yards at 455 knots 805 lb of Torpex explosive in the warhead Diameter 21 Weight 3452 lbs Overall Length 259 in A large weapon to store and manhandle in the confines of these submarines They were indeed submersible torpedo boats
Books such as Naval Weapons of World War Two by John Campbell give a more detailed description of this torpedo and figures for torpedo success briefly 5421 torpedoes fired 1040 certain hits The Alliance book by
Lambert and Hill has detailed drawings of the torpedo and the tube firing system but little text discussion It would have been interesting to know if there were sufficient torpedoes to fully load all the submarines and if there were sufficient again to reload Another useful logistical figure would have been the crew strength in the period But these vital figures have proved difficult to obtain It is known from reliable anecdotes that early in the period small designated groups of mainly S class were held in active reserve in different locations with one crew looking after each group
It has been suggested but not confirmed that at the same time some T class were held in the Dockyards No attempt has been made at this stage to take on the difficult task of determining the disposition year by year of each submarine It is well known that submarines were committed to Australia and Canada for training for long periods however they represented a relatively small percentage of the total fleet and in principle could return to the UK if crisis circumstances arose The Politics of British Defence Policy 1945-1962 by William P Snyder (1964) will tell the reader nothing about diesel submarines but this American military author does provide a picture of the defence politics of the period and confirms that a Soviet attack in Europe was then considered very likely (Page 19) The comment is made in the context of commitments to the Korean War
The List With Commentary The intention is to identify
each submarine and its condition as clearly as possible Submarines still around in the period but not sensibly available for active service are accounted for in separate sections ASDIC sets in Sections 1 to 4b were of the type used in WWII Refer to the extended T notes Section 4d for comment on the ASDIC and TCS of the latter part of the period of interest There is insufficient information available to offer comment on the radar sets Norman Friedman 1981 Naval Radar Naval Institute Press ISBN 0870219677 may prove helpful to interested readers PoWV 1959 refers to the official document - Particulars of
War Vessels 1959 CB 04826 relevant sub pages provided by Ian Buxton
10
The Submarines Section 1 Two U class submarines Section 2 The introduction of a snort system in the RN Section 3a The S class submarine Section 3b Eleven S class modernised submarines Section 3c 4 S class submarines to France 19511952 Section 3d Six S class submarines scrapped by 1950 Section 3e 4 S class streamlined un-armed ASW targets Section 4a 10 Grp III T class Submarines 1571 tons sm Section 4b Accounting for T class to early scraploan Section 4c 8 T class extended hull fast battery subs Section 4d Five - Streamlined T class submarines Section 5 Sixteen A class submarines Section 6 The Porpoise class Section 7 Experimental and Trials submarines Section 8 The HTP Propulsion Programme of the RN Section 9 Personal observations StreamliningGuns Appendix Pennant numbers For a broader historical view of the disposition of the Submarines of the Royal Navy at this time the following two sources are suggested Norman Friedman The Post War Naval Revolution Chapter 8 Submarines and Eric Grove Vanguard to Trident 1945-1985 Chapter 6 - Peroxide to Polaris Thanks to John Eade and Ian Buxton who checked and where required corrected the basic submarine data using their sources
Section 1 Two U Class Submarines
Two U Class Submarines 730 tons sm Mike Critchley British Warships Since 1945 has photographs of both of these submarines that played such an important role in WWII They are shown in 1957 flying the White Ensign Guns removed and a modern ASDIC domes No pennant number displayed Apparently the last of the large fleet of 51 small U submarines all built by Vickers Armstrong during WWII There were 22 war losses In addition Armstrong Vickers built 22 very similar V class HMS Upstart shown here post war without a gun Note modern ASDIC dome aft (Photo G Chalcraft)
These Submarines By Name And Number
Untiring P59 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Loaned to Greece as Xifias 1945 Returned to Royal Navy 1952 Expended as AS target off Start Point 25 July 1957
Upstart P65 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Became Greek Amfitrite 1945 Returned to RN 1952 Expended as AS target off Isle of Wight 19 July 1957 Section 2 Introduction Of A Snort System In The RN
The first successful snort system in the Royal Navy is reported as being fitted in Truant N68
The topic is introduced at this point to give some idea how soon after the war a snort system was available for fitting in all RN submarines She was a relatively old Group 1 T class Completed 1939 Vickers Armstrong Decommissioned 1945 Wrecked off Cherbourg en route to scrapping December 1946 HMS Truant a group one T class
completed in 1939 Seen here with snort mast raised The additional pipe to starboard indicates this was an experimental setup Decommissioned in 1945 and lost under tow to the scrap yard in 1946
these dates give some idea as to when the Royal Navy began snort experiments The T and S submarine classes were fitted with fold down combined exhaust and induction masts mast as were the initial installations on the A class This quickly changed on the A class with the exhaust fixed to the after standards and only the induction mast folding down on to the after casing Further detail in each section Section 3a The S Class Of Submarine Construction of
this substantial fleet of (990 tons sm) submarines was commenced with the laying down of the Sturgeon in 1931
However the submarines of interest in the period 1948-1958 came from the surviving 40 that were part of Group III construction 1941 to 1945 There were 9 war losses from this group There are obvious features introduced in WWII but not fitted to all the GIII submarines No doubt due to Dockyard opportunities etc One was the Oerlikon gun fitted on a raised railed Bandstand aft of the conning tower the example below shows the conning tower of Splendid P228 (Lost in 1943) HMS Splendid shown with a Bandstand amp Oerlikon gun The platform is supported by a column mounted on the hull (Photo G Chalcraft) The following image shows Sahib P212 without this feature (lost in 1943) Another feature was the single external torpedo seen clearly on this image of Sahib but not on all the class This was the only external tube fitted to the S class HMS Sahib note the absence of a Bandstand amp
Oerlikon gun
Deck gun can be seen as can the aft torpedo tube (Our President survived the sinking of Sahib in
1943 and was taken POW)
HMS Scotsman showing the shielded platform fitted to some S class (Photograph R Fry) The GIII S class were fitted with a 3 and later a 4 gun It was thought the latter would be more effective against small ships particularly in the Far East (The Design and Construction of British Warships 1939-1945) The 3 mounts seem to have all been simple unshielded deck guns again as shown on Sahib
but the 4 gun appears to have had a platform mount and shield as seen in Sea Devil in the post
war photograph above and a grainy but clear close-up of the gun and conning tower of the Scotsman P243 1946 on the right HMS Sea Devil in
1949 Note she still has the Bandstand but no snort No pennant number is displayed Post-war many of the S class were transferred to other navies or scrapped and it is history of the survivors that went on to serve in the critical 1948-1958 period before new submarines came into service that is of interest To be continued
This article will be serialised over the coming months and includes many submarines served on by Derbyshire Members I am at present preparing it in a newsletter format and cannot at the present time say how many parts it will be but obviously our more senior members are getting their boats mentioned first It is appreciated the article is available on the web but it is also acknowledged that most members who served on lsquoSrsquo Boats in the 1940rsquos and early 1950rsquos do not have access to a computer Feedback is always welcome so let me know what you think with pleasure
11
FINAL PART ldquoI‟M NO HERO BUT I DID MY BITrdquo An Understatement By An bdquoilson Lad FOUR of FOUR MY STORY OF THE WAR YEARS 1939-1945 by Joseph Simons Driver REME
1946 In 1946 demob and back to the UK back to Civvy Street it went on age and length of
service (I was group 47 demobbed September 1947) we had a hut where at night we could go play cards dominoes or have a chat If someone getting demobbed we put a bit of a party on for them and Bill Dabbs a London bus driver aged about forty known no other life for over five years being with and working with the lads and with his mates and what with the weak beer they served in the hut he had tears running down his face with emotion due to leaving men he had only known for five years and the fact he was going back into civvy life where you are on your own
Early summer I got a fourteen day leave and went up to the leave centre and got on the train with all the others going on leave Wooden seats and it took twenty four hours to get to Calais because the train kept breaking down The Royal Engineers had put a single railway track across the River Rhine and the train went dead slow over this wooden bridge and looking out of the window you could only see the river We got to Calais and we crossed the channel on a fishing trawler to Folkstone I enjoyed that leave with the girl I had met but soon it was all
over and back to our workshop camp Later that year through units were breaking up due to demobilisation and our own workshop was one the fitters and mechanics took all the trucks and went to another workshop to make it up to strength All the drivers went to Bad Oyenhasen a spar town Once a week we went to the baths a German civilian filled the wooden bath worn smooth by years of use and put a thermometer in the water to see if it was the right temperature A bath in a wooden bath is far superior
A posting came for me and I went to Dusseldorf to this little unit which controlled all the factories in the Ruhr It consisted of a Captain WO1 Sergeant Corporal and me with two civilian clerks My job was to go to a factory to see what they had produced and take it to another factory that needed it I went all around the Ruhr past the Krupps bombed out factory at Essen Solingen Dortmund Wuppertao one job I had to pick up about seven plate glass shop window size and take it to Achen about thirty miles away I thought the state of the roads it will be broken but it was all in one piece not broke when I got it to Achen
I was billeted in the centre Dusseldorf in a big building it must have been offices because it had many rooms it was opposite Steal House the headquarters of the steel industry of the Ruhr It was where we had our meals our office was about a mi le away The Captain and the Sergeant where German Jews and must have got out of Germany before the war had started The Captain disappeared at the weekend with German friends in the big houses or castle and went on the shooting parties in the forests He had got all mounted animal heads on the walls of his office The Sergeant as soon as you saw him he was a Jew They both had cars whether bought or commandeered and when the sergeant went out he must have scared the Germans to bits for what they did to the Jews The Corporal he was a real spiv selling things for a profit what the Germans could not get cigarettes was the currency you could buy anything with cigarettes
The winter of 1946-47 it was cold and we went skating on the lake in the park I enjoyed my job going to different factories that had started up taking and delivering things in my three ton truck and then that day when group 47 came up and it was on the train to Cuxhaven (North Germany) a night crossing on a troop ship to Hull and train to barracks at York to collect everything from a civvy suit pay that was due rail ticket to Derby bus warrant to Ilkeston and I was back in civvy street I am pleased I did and I would not sell my memories of those four years of army life not for a million pounds Joseph Simons Driver REME April 1943 to September 1947 Army Number 14424767
Editor It was a pleasure to undertake putting his story into book form for Joe‟s Grandchildren which includes many more photographs he took on his exploits than can be shown here Many of these photo‟s are personal to him but I am immensely pleased that he allowed me permission to produce some extra books and they have been placed in the Local History Section of Ilkeston Library and also in the Erewash Museum so the exploits of a local Ilkeston (ilson is the local slang) man have been recorded for the future I hope you have enjoyed the story I certainly felt very privileged that he shared his experiences
Bad
Oyenhasen
12
VANGUARD VISIT TO DERBY 30 Sept ndash 3 Oct It was absolutely wonderful to have a group of twenty Submariners visit Derby for an extended weekend with hopefully not too busy a programme though it was running tight on occasions The crew arrived in Derby spaced over six or so hours and booked in the European Hotel which was very accommodating and geared up and everyone agreed it was very good We had an early evening briefing on the programme and all sailors received a welcome to Derby pack with loads of paper advising what had been arranged and free entry tickets and other information A recce of Derby Night Life was organised and it was abundantly clear at breakfast at 8am that some lively night life had been found
Coffee Morning Friday dawn the weather was an absolute killer with rain as bad as any Singapore monsoon Ritchie the Vanguard coxswain and I arrived early at the Council House to open up and to unload my car which was full to the gunnels with kit in the pouring rain Our door team of Jim Hunt and John Hadfield had already arrived to man up the doors and with them were John‟s wife Maureen and her sister Francis who immediately proceeded to set up the coffee percolator and coffee boat Maureen and Francis were soon joined by Joyce who looked after the victuals and peculator ably assisted by Peter Johnson and Jean Slater ndash definitely an bdquoA‟ team The next hour was a flurry of activity setting up the various stalls with everyone helping each other John amp Rita Sayers did the main raffle Jenny Williamson the tombola Michelle Tyler and Julie Winstanley did the Submariners and Skimmer blackouts with Ron Slater and Ken Holtham doing the health and fitness straw draw as well as the Mug Sales stall so all helpers really dug out The Vanguard crew‟s input was tremendous helping us throughout the morning and as someone observed they were very fit and active I might add a lady made this comment ndash or was she Incidentally if I have missed mentioning anyone please accept my apologies but it was a rather hectic though successful morning The severe weather had a major impact on the ex service trade and of course the fact the bus stops outside the Council House have now been moved to the new bus station did not help either We would especially like to thank those ladies and gentleman who booked a day of work for this event and despite the weather turned out especially one young lady who came into Derby for the event by train and it‟s a long walk with weather like that Many hands make light work so everyone‟s efforts were appreciated The Mayor of Derby joined us at 1045 and our Chair Steve Tyler welcomed him and presented him with one of the special commissioned mugs to commemorate the Vanguard visit
Every crew member visiting received one and they bore the crests of Vanguard SA Derbyshire SM1 and with special permission from Rolls Royce their crest These were proudly above the wording bdquoFreedom of the City of Derby granted to HM Submarine Service with the White Ensign in the middle The WEO of Vanguard Lt Cdr Chris Bland thence presented the Mayor with a Vanguard Crest Getting on for 1120 we started the ball rolling with the raffle draw and this was followed by the Mayor opening the envelopes to declare the Blackout winners I might add the winning boats and targets were impartially picked by someone who knows absolutely nothing about the RN and the fact our Chair won the bottle of Pusser‟s with Courageous which he served on in 1982 was purely a coincidence Still the good news is the Skimmer prize of 1ltr of Lambs was donated back to the branch and will be redrawn either at the visit of Ambush or Christmas so you can have another opportunity of winning a large bottle of rum We then drew the Submariners unique free Coffee Morning Ticket entry raffle prize of a bottle of whiskey and then finally we auctioned the two remaining prizes from the straw health and fitness draw The fitness watch worth pound70 went for pound30 and the magnetic bracelet for pound10 further enhancing our funds Jenny‟s tombola was a successful sell out
Despite the low turn out of people we did exceptionally well and it is sad that with the closure of the Council House for two years renovation we will not be able to hold this event in its present location or form elsewhere at present I feel it has been an immense privilege we have enjoyed courtesy of the Mayor and the City Council over a number of years It has not been a right but a perk and I believe all ex Service Associations should be grateful at the generosity over the years and accept through no ones fault the council can no longer afford to provide accommodation now not the least because they have not got any spare accommodation during the renovation of the present Council House
On conclusion of the Coffee Morning members squared away the room whilst the Vanguard crew enjoyed a very good presentation undertaken by the Mayor and John the Mayors Chauffer in the Council Chamber The history of the unique Chain of Office which is priceless City Sword Orb and Rod were all explained to an interested audience As Ricki Rotimi one of Vanguards Chefs undertook the demonstrations with the Sword and other artefacts it was noticed that the Mayor kept the Chain of Office firmly in his grasp Ricki got quite excited that whilst kneeling he got Knighted with the sword but looked a bit glum when it was declared that his Knighthood was invalid as it needed the Monarchs approval On leaving the Council House we discovered the rain was as bad as it had been early in the morning thus wet on the outside we proceeded to the pub to get wet on the inside too
13
We collected our vehicles and made our way to the Oak amp Acorn for an arranged buffet Once the crew had been fed and watered (though there was not much water drunk) the branch members were invited to dine The worries on the change of management three days previously were unfounded and everyone was pleased with the choice of venue The Rolls Royce Representative Tony kindly joined us for a short time and he acted as escort for a special tour to Rolls Royce on Raynesway for all the crew members on which I understand was a very useful and interesting visit to Vanguard‟s crew I used the time after this to offload a lot of gear at my home as my car was so full it could not carry passengers I then set off for the Spot to complete setting up the room with the Raffle final place settings due to changes checking wine orders etc I normally set up a big A Board with laminated welcome posters but with the Spot having all the mod cons I was requested to supply A4 instead of twice the size A3 I was most impressed with the displays in lights as we entered I produced two posters one welcoming the Vanguard on their visit to Derby and one advertising the Branch and its 30th Anniversary To see them up in lights was far superior to the laminated posters I know it‟s just another toy but wow What a toy
Friday night rush hour is a nightmare and I got caught up in the car parking on the new Laura Croft way trying to get back to the European Hotel and in the end landed up with only having 30 minutes to get showered dressed in best bib and tucker and to get to the Spot to welcome everyone How we did it I do not really know And it was still chucking it down with rain In fact it was just like Faslane Friday Evening was a combination celebrations rolled into one We were celebrating our Branch 30
th
Anniversary and had brought forward our branch Trafalgar Dinner night as well We were also celebrating the 50
th year of RN British Submarines
and of course we welcomed the twenty crew of Vanguard to the only City in the United Kingdom that has granted the Freedom of the City to HM Submarine Service which proudly hangs on the stairwell of the Submarine Squadron Offices in Faslane The room had been superbly decorated on a Red White and Blue theme by the Spot and this was complimented by balloon‟s The branch had added our own personal touch with place mats individual seating markers with a reminder of what people had ordered and table markers and of course a unique programme to celebrate the occasion When items such as these are taken as souvenirs I always consider it a compliment and I had nothing to clear up at the end of the evening Everyone assembled in the middle room for early drinks and socialise with John amp Rita Sayers making everyone exceptionally welcome selling them Raffle Tickets
On time everyone was summoned to take their places for Dinner and at 7pm the Sea Cadets from TS Kenya piped the top table into Dinner The Diners slow hand clapped the top table in and I undertook Master of Ceremonies with a very short safety brief Thence the Senior Officer present Cdr Jerry Hall RN Rtd was called upon to read out the response to the Loyal Greetings sent to HM Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of our 30
th Anniversary Jerry proudly read
the message to all relayed from the Queen wishing us a successful evening Thence followed the Welcome by our President Mr Ken Holtham and grace by our Vice Chair Mr John Sayers It was thence time to dig in for the first course which was a choice of Soup Pate or Melon The main course was a Carvery but what a carvery We had the choice of Beef Pork amp Turkey and all vegetarians and special diets were well looked after The choice of vegetables was the largest anyone had seen with the only complaint being the plates were not big enough I consider as I was full there was ample but I agree it was impossible to get everything on There were one or two deep breaths before the puddings which was the Sweet Trolley of cream gateaux‟s Cheese board or ice cream followed by coffee which with cream and a mint biscuit rounded off a super meal We then eased springs for a break of fifteen minutes before the speeches
Cdr Jerry Hall Lt Cdr Chris Bland Terry Hall Michelle Tyler Desna amp Ian Tyson
The immortal Toast and a fine speech on Nelson was delivered by Lt Cdr Chris Bland the WEO as Senior Officer of Vanguard who bravely stepped into the position of Cdr Stuart Capes the Commanding Officer of Vanguard Port who was unable to attend due to operational reasons Chris was followed by the Loyal Toast to HM the Queen This very different and enjoyable toast was undertaken by Mr Ian Tyson MIM who is not only a personal friend of mine but was the ex Ceremonial Officer for the Submariners Assn and was a leading light in the London SA before its closure Ian treated us to a unique history lesson on the Battle of Trafalgar and his instruction on taking one‟s tot involved everyone and the experience was enjoyed by all It was as promised in our Loyal Greetings letter to HM toasted with gusto and from the heart Ian‟s speech and toast was summed up by our Chairman Steve Tyler who when he arose to toast the Submarine Service and the Submariner stated ldquoHow do I follow thatrdquo Follow it he did with a roaring toast to the senior part of the Senior Service
14
The presentations were extended slightly with two planned and one unplanned The branch made a presentation of a SA Derbyshire Plaque to the Senior Officer and thence a framed picture of a cartoon that had been in the National Press which had been suitably and artistically enhanced in colour by my daughter This was presented to Vanguard‟s Coxswain John Richie Richardson and small A5 copies distributed in a sealed envelope to each table so all could view the cartoon The Senior Officer thence presented the branch with a superb framed
picture of the Vanguard Crest with brass plaques engraved to commemorate the visit to Derby This splendid gift will be hung in our room at TS Kenya for both ourselves and the cadets to enjoy A presentation of a bouquet of flowers was made by ET Chris Whale to Elena Holtham the wife of our Branch President who was
celebrating her 85th
birthday I would also like to extend our branch‟s best wishes to Chris on his forthcoming course he is just embarking on at HMS Sultan we wish you the best of luck In keeping with the branch tradition we thence provided a decorated Rose Stem for all of the ladies attending and requested the crew members undertake the presentations - which were carried out admirably in true Naval Tradition Our youngest guest was a lovely young lady called Amy who had joined us due to a late cancellation She had joined us at our coffee morning and spent some time with our WWII veterans discussing their experience for her bdquoA‟ Levels and the branch has been able to help with books from our library and I have provided her with booksleaflets from various projects I have undertaken with my RBL hat on so not only was the RN covered but also the RAF with the bomber memorial and Joe Simons excellent story of his service from Normandy just after D-Day and into Germany You may be able to spot her in the picture above
The evening was thence concluded by a wonderful performance by Shep Woolley who I consider it a
great privilege that he commented to me how much he had enjoyed his observations of our special evening As per normal Shep gave a superb performance and it was much enjoyed by all and we thank him
for such a brilliant and entertaining programme as the Golden Carriages arrived for our guests
Saturday 2 December 2010 Talk about see-saw weather Thursday had been fine for the arrival and it was quite hot sat in the foyer of the hotel waiting to meet and greet the crew to Derby Friday was a total washout weather wise and the rain that bad I would liken it to a monsoon Saturday however dawned bright and sunny and stayed like that until the early evening However our plan was a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas where the Vanguard crew would lay a wreath at the Submariners Memorial Though booked into the NMA it was not until about two weeks before that I was advised of the Annual Bike to the Wall and was told they already had 23000 bikes booked in I spoke to the Coxswain and we decided it was worth a go and we are all very glad we did Only one of the twenty had visited the NMA before so it was a particularly poignant visit We convoyed down in three vehicles parking up in a field designated as the Park amp Ride Car Park with a free bus service to and from the NMA The rain the previous day saw the river swollen that runs through the site and it was a little damp to say the least The buses ran regularly and we arrived and our first duty was to replace the very tatty and dirty White Ensign on the Naval Review section We then went down to the submariner‟s memorial where we carried out a short poignant service including the laying of Vanguards Wreath The various parts of the service were shared out amongst crew members with me having the honour of piping the silence I had produced souvenir quality service sheets for each crew member and included a brief history of the NMA site I particularly liked the comment about bdquoIts good to see it was the conception of a Commander Royal Navy who made it happen‟ and that is something we can all be very proud of Unfortunately I had left my camera in the car but we enjoyed the spectacle of the bikers in their thousands The respect and salutes to the service members were a joy to behold The bikers raise a lot of money and the sights of them coming up the main A38 dual carriageway with lights blazing was a magnificent sight The car parks and main thoroughfares were chocker block with bikes of all shapes and sizes including some modified with rear ends of VW Beetles Indian rickshaws and Harleys by the hundreds Whatever the bike they had all come to pay their respects to our Armed Forces and were a credit to their respective chapters clubs or Legion bikers or as individuals BZ to all those who participated on the bdquoRide To The Wall‟ We returned to Derby in the afternoon and arranged to meet up down in the City at the Assembly Rooms where Shep Woolley was performing and the promoters had kindly offered greatly reduced tickets for the Vanguard Crew After the concert I was treated to a Chinese all you can eat on Babbington Lane With not frequenting Derby very often and certainly not at night it was an unknown venue to me but was most enjoyable I sincerely thank Coxn Richie Richardson and CPO Nick Alton for excellent company My first ever visit to Walkabouts was an eye opener and a half and it was only the excellent company that made the run so enjoyable Sunday was going home day and the Vanguards split off by car train to all points of the compass
15
HMS TIRELESS IN MULTINATIONAL EXERCISE Naval assets from the UK France Australia and the US have completed a major international anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Gulf of Oman This is a regular exercise directed by the United Kingdom Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) based in Bahrain It is designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability in warm water environments and promote interoperability between ships and aircraft from a variety of nations The centrepiece of the cat and mouse style exercise was Trafalgar Class submarine HMS Tireless playing the role of the mouse while the duties of the cat were shared between the Australian frigate HMAS Melbourne and the French frigate FS Dupleix Meanwhile Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron and US P-3 Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft acted as eyes in the sky HMS Tireless and HMAS Melbourne also exchanged key personnel during the exercise in order to share skills and experience A UKMCC spokesperson said The number of navies
building and operating submarines continues to grow It is therefore important that the Royal Navy retains its position at the forefront of anti-submarine warfare a skill easy to lose but difficult to regain The presence of
a large number of coalition navies in this region provides the ideal opportunity to train together Commodore Tim Fraser UK Maritime Component Commander said The large proportion of the Royal Navys work in this region is of an operational nature such as conducting anti-piracy patrols and strengthening relations with regional allies However it is important that we also run regular exercises such as this in order to maintain and further develop our skills across the full range of capabilities The UKMCC controls all Royal Navy warships aircraft and personnel in the Middle East maritime theatre which totals over thirteen hundred personnel and more than a dozen vessels These include frigates undertaking maritime security operations and anti-piracy patrols mine countermeasures vessels developing warm water mine hunting techniques and landing ships supporting the training and development of the fledgling Iraqi Navy and the protection of key Iraqi oil platforms
HMS ASTUTE IN COMMISSION The UKs most powerful attack submarine HMS Astute has been welcomed into the Royal Navy in a commissioning ceremony overseen by the boats patron the Duchess of Cornwall as well as Doug Clarke our Derbyshire Member who was kindly taken up to Faslane by his son and daughter for the prestigious event HMS Astute which has officially become Her Majestys Ship today 29 August 2010 She is almost fifty per cent bigger than any attack submarine in the Royal Navys current fleet As the base port of all the Royal Navys submarines from 2016 Faslane will be home to the whole Astute Class including Ambush Artful and Audacious which are already under construction Astute was built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness with hundreds of suppliers around the country contributing component parts including Rolls-Royce Derby (nuclear plant)
TS KENYA PRESENTATION NIGHT Friday 15 October 2010
What an absolutely awful evening weather wise which fortunately did not prevent a decent size audience for this Annual prestigious event which was a credit of organisation and planning The Cadets both Sailors and Royal Marines were as usual excellently turned out and disciplined The Chief guests were the High Sheriff of Derbyshire and the Mayor of Derby who both presented the various trophies to the Cadets As I helped with the raffle I can say with authority that all the prime guests and Senior Committee were exceptionally generous with donations and the total of just under pound90 was raised Whoever organised the prizes did a Herculean effort with Black amp Decker Sets Footbath bottles and really exceptionally good prizes
We submariners were thinner on the ground than in the past with myself Ken and Peter and Joyce but with more than half the branch either on holiday P7R or sick parade this was to be expected There was also three RMA amp Tom Smith BEM RNA Jerry Hall was wearing many hats including President of the TS Kenya Management Committee and President of the RNA for whom he presented a Bosun‟s Pipe to the best cadet Jerry is of course a Submariner member and thanked all four Naval Associations in Derby for their unstinting support of the unit
The presentations took the normal format of the badges and promotions for the Cadets followed by the awards The bdquoTommy Appleby‟ Memorial Shield was won by Cadet Ginette Doherty This Shield was presented to the Unit by Doris in memory of Tommy who was a submariner member The array of awards is impressive and the presentations were undertaken in rotation by the High Sheriff and the Mayor After the presentations the High Sheriff and the Mayor were presented with bouquets The High Sheriff is a nice lady but the Mayor had to accept on behalf of his wife who had been whisked away only moments before for another function I thought he took the presentation of flowers in good spirit The Mayor and High Sheriff both made speeches praising the work of the Cadets Staff and supporters of the Unit
Those who follow the progress of the Cadets through the newsletter or otherwise will be aware that the project to get the Cadets on the water is nearing fruition with the money required for a boat and a safety boat raised and both boats are in the process of being built An internal competition at TS Kenya had been undertaken to name the two boats and unfortunately the Commanding Officer Capt SCC Andy Fuller RMR would not divulge the ones he advised were outrageous suggestions However the decision had been to name the budding Fleet after ex Royal Navy vessels with one to be a submarine and one to be a target skimmer surface vessel The decision made was for HMS Sovereign for the safety boat and HMS Malaya for the pulling boat Sovereign was Derby‟s adopted boat for over thirty years and always ably supported the Sea Cadet unit in Derby Malaya was the name of the Unit until a few years ago when the name was changed to TS Kenya to reflect the long Ship Affiliation of HMS Kenya which was Derby‟s adopted ship before Sovereign with links to warship week in WWII
16
FEEDBACK 30th
ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND I have received much positive feedback and only one complaint of the 30
th Anniversary amp Trafalgar Dinner
The complaint was from Jim Hunt who stated the carvery plates were not big enough End of complaint Many branch members as well as guests have taken the time to say how much they enjoyed the event and in summary the following letter from HMS Vanguard by Louis Gardner the Operations Officer who I know definitely enjoyed his run ashore in Derby
Dear Terry May I take this opportunity to thank the Derbyshire Branch of the Submariners Association for inviting the Ship‟s Company of HMS Vanguard to participate in what was a hugely enjoyable visit Your organisation of such a varied programme including the visit to Rolls Royce was particularly well received Further thanks must go to all who ensured such a successful Trafalgar Night Dinner Excellent hosting was provided by all of your members which was enjoyed and appreciated by our sailors and officers It was a delight to toast both Nelson and your branch‟s 30
th
anniversary on the same occasion Special thanks must go to you for your Herculean efforts in ensuring our time in Derby ran so smoothly Everything from the welcome packs and presentation mugs to your organisation of the service at the National Arboretum was greatly appreciated Much fun was had by all during the visit and we look forward to the opportunity to reciprocate your invitation in the future
Well done all branch members I know many of you had an exceptionally busy Friday and also appreciate for many it was an expensive day with taxi‟s hotels and distances involved However your company was enjoyed by the Vanguard‟s Ship Company and the fact we had so many turn up to help at the Coffee Morning made the task so much easier especially for me It was a wonderful change to have the work load shared as it was by the branch bdquoA‟ team ndash That‟s all of you who were able to turn up and help BZ to all and for the first time I can remember it was a stress free Trafalgar Dinner with nearly everything going smoothly thanks to the excellent organisation at the Spot Now for next year has anyone any ideas
SA NATIONAL RAFFLE I have received the list of prize winners from the ex National Treasurer and can confirm that unfortunately there are no Derbyshire Member Winners Thanks to all in the branch who participated as the branch got one third of the takings
NATIONAL DIARIES I asked Steve Tyler that if there were any SA diaries available at Nottingham to get Ten these have all been sold We hoped for an opportunity to pick up at the Embankment Parade in London avoiding costly PampP However due to problems and cost of accommodation in London we will now unfortunately not be parading our Standard but will be attending the Derby Festival of Remembrance at Derby Cathedral on the same weekend Any further orders to the Treasurer please
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2011 If any members have any proposals for Conference 2011 you are reminded that the branch must submit them by 31 December 2010 thus they need to be presented at the next two meetings if your proposal is to be discussed and submitted
BRANCH AGM TS KENYA The Branch AGM will take place at 7pm on Wednesday 3 March 2011 when we revert from our Winter Routine of lunch time meetings at the Jubilee Club at 1215 Items for the Agenda should be submitted by the January meeting with any nominations for any office
BRANCH SUBSCRIPTIONS 2011 Branch Subscriptions were not discussed at our AGM in March thus by default they will remain the same at pound10 per person with pound5 National fee making a total of pound15 Annual Subscription This becomes due to the 31 December 2010 for the following year and it is requested that to enable the year end figures to be completed by 31 January 2011 that they are submitted to the Treasurer as soon into the new year or anytime before Those who will be effecting an electronic bank transfer to the branch accounts as per the memo posted out to all members are requested to ensure that your reference clearly states your surname and the word bdquosubs‟ Those who wish to continue to have a hard copy of In Depth are requested to make a further donation of pound5 to cover the copies for 2011 Newsletter Online If you need to refer to a back issue
(three copies only) please refer to wwwsubmarinersassociationcoukhtmlderbynewshtml
Views and comments of this newsletter do not always reflect the official policy or decisions of neither the
Derby Branch nor the Submariners Association
Terry Hall Newsletter Editor Submariners Association Derbyshire Branch 69 Station Road STANLEY VILLAGE
Derbyshire DE7 6FB
Ronamp Jean Slater
4 November 2010 Best Wishes from all the
Derbyshire Branch
5
WELFARE NEWS
The MOD Medal Office has moved their new address is MOD Medal Office G36 Innsworth House Imjin Barracks Gloucester GL3 1HW
Support across the UK The SPVA Veterans Welfare Service has now completed the roll-out of the five new Welfare Centres providing advice and support across the UK The contact details for each office are
Norcross (based near Blackpool) Tel 01253 333494 Email SPVA-VWSNorcrossmoduk
Kidderminster (based Worcester) Tel 01562 825527 Email SPVAVWSKidderminster moduk
Centurion (based in Gosport) Tel 02392 702232 Email SPVAVWSCENTURIONSPVAmoduk
Imjin (based in Gloucester) Tel 01452 510825 Email VWS-innsworthspvamoduk
Glasgow Tel 0141 2242709 Email VWS-Glasgowspvamoduk
If you are supporting a veteran and need further advice it might be worth contacting our Welfare Service to see if we can help too To locate your nearest Veterans Welfare Centre call our freephone helpline 0800 169 2277
DEFENCE MEDAL Email to SA Membership Sec Hi Tex Just a note to let the Association know that the LibDems have voted in favour of the National Defence Medal for all ex service personnel at their annual conference Regards Archie Watt
HMSM TRUCULENT MEMORIAL JAN 2011 The Branch has received a kind invitation from Derek Grant the Truculent Organiser and Branch Secretary on behalf of the Medway Towns Branch of the SA cordially inviting our members to the forthcoming 61
st Memorial
Service of HM Submarine Truculent to be held in the St George‟s Centre Chatham on Saturday 15 January 2011 at 1045 The service will be conducted by their Branch Chaplain the Reverend David Corness RN On completion of the service a buffet luncheon and the obligatory Tot will be provided by the branch with an opportunity to meet a few ex-submariners and their families Standards are invited RSVP
DERBY amp DISTRICT EX SVC MEETING The unadopted minutes were distributed to all on line members on receipt They have been discussed at the October Branch Meeting so following the report in an earlier newsletter I have cancelled and filed The only bit of the minutes that was changed was the error in reporting the Rolls Royce Battle of Britain window had been moved and this was a error It is the Florence Nightingale window that has been moved to St Peters Church from DRI and the RR Battle of Britain window is still in store somewhere at Rolls Royce
Could it be that I do is the longest sentence
GUIDE PUBLIC SECTOR PENSION SCHEMES 6 October 2010 Ministry of Defence
The scheme is the fifth largest in the UKs public sector Which employees does the scheme cover All members of the armed forces How many sections are there There are two main pension schemes for members of the regular armed forces The first known as AFPS 75 started in April 1975 and closed to new joiners on 6 April 2005 The new one called Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005 (or AFPS 05) was brought in for new joiners in April 05 How many active deferred and retired members are there There are 198000 active members 406000 deferred members and 399000 pensioners or their dependents receiving a pension What are the principal benefits AFPS 75 is non-contributory and the full pension can be taken at age 55 The fund finances a compensation scheme for death and injury in service as well as a pension It is a final-salary scheme with the maximum pension and tax-free lump sum of three times annual pension available after 34 years as an officer and 37 years (other ranks) This will give a pension worth 485 of what is called representative pay plus the lump sum AFPS 05 is also non-contributory and can be taken at 55 After 35 years of service the pension is worth 50 of final pensionable pay There is also a tax-free lump sum of three times annual pension The pension accrues at a rate of 170th each year for up to 40 years There is also an early pension scheme known as the early departure payments (EDP) scheme which pays a lower level of pension and a lump sum It applies to those with at least 18 years service who are aged 40 or over The pension fund also pays for the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme which makes lump sum payments or continuing inflation proofed tax-free payments for injury illness or death caused by service What percentage of salary do the armed forces pay The MoD pays the equivalent of 37 of officers salaries and 21 of salaries for other ranks What are the funding costs of the scheme Across all members the contribution rate was 276 of salaries in 2009-10 forecast to rise to 295 this year and 34 in the following three years Is the scheme funded or unfunded Unfunded It is paid for out of general taxation not an underlying investment fund What is the value of the scheme assets if any and its liabilities Members of the schemes do not make any contributions from their pay The liabilities were put at pound121bn in the schemes resource accounts for 2009-2010 What is the average pension in payment pound8693 as of 31 March 2010 including lump sum payments Have there been any changes or reforms to the scheme in recent years The introduction of the new AFPS 05 in 2005 Are there any further changes in the pipeline From April 2011 pensions in payment will increase in line with the consumer prices index (CPI) not the retail prices index (RPI)
BUSINESS NEWS Japanese scientists have now created a digital camera with such a fast shutter speed that its now possible to take a photograph of a woman with her mouth shut
6
MICROWAVING WATER
Have you heated a cup of water in your microwave to make coffee or Tea This can be a serious risk and this article explains why A 26-year old man decided to have a cup of coffee He took a cup of water and put it in the microwave to heat it up (something that he had done numerous times before) I am not sure how long he set the timer for but he wanted to bring the water to a boil When the timer shut the oven off he removed the cup from the oven As he looked into the cup he noted that the water was not boiling but suddenly the water in the cup blew up into his face The cup remained intact until he threw it out of his hand but all the water had flown out into his face due to the build-up of energy His whole face is blistered and he has 1
st and 2
nd
degree burns to his face which may leave scarring He also may have lost partial sight in his left eye While at the hospital the doctor who was attending to him stated that this is a fairly common occurrence and water (alone) should never be heated in a microwave oven If water is heated in this manner something should be placed in the cup to diffuse the energy such as a wooden stir stick tea bag etc (nothing metal) General Electrics (GEC) Response Thanks for contacting us I will be happy to assist you The e-mail that you received is correct Microwaved water and other liquids do not always bubble when they reach the boiling point They can actually get superheated and not bubble at all The superheated liquid will bubble up out of the cup when it is moved or when something like a spoon or tea bag is put into it To prevent this from happening and causing injury do not heat any liquid for more than two minutes per cup After heating let the cup stand in the microwave for thirty seconds Before moving it or adding anything into it Here is what our local science teacher had to say on the matter Thanks for the microwave warning I have seen this happen before It is caused by a phenomenon known as super heating It can occur anytime water is heated and will particularly occur if the vessel that the water is heated in is new or when heating a small amount of water (less than half a cup) What happens is that the water heats faster than the vapour bubbles can form If the cup is very new then it is unlikely to have small surface scratches inside it that provide a place for the bubbles to form As the bubbles cannot form and release some of the heat has built up the liquid does not boil and the liquid continues to heat up well past its boiling point What then usually happens is that the liquid is bumped or jarred which is just enough of a shock to cause the bubbles to rapidly form and expel the hot liquid The rapid formation of bubbles is also why a carbonated beverage spews when opened after having been shaken I would also point out that microwaved hard boiled eggs can react in the same manner and they can explode and cause burns and injury even after they have been removed from the oven Just be aware
MICROWAVING PLASTIC MEAL CONTAINERS The question was posed in the Daily Mail in April 2009 of Why don‟t the black plastic dishes used for ready meals melt when microwaved The answer supplied by Carol Hill-Wood of Loughborough Leics was that Microwaves are electro-magnetic waves with wavelengths ranging from 1mm to 30cm or frequencies between 03Ghz and 300Ghz which like light waves or radio waves occupy a part of the electromagnetic spectrum They have several important practical applications such as relaying long distance telephone signals TV broadcasts and computer information across the Earth or to a satellite in space Microwave ovens contain a magnetron which generates microwaves at the right frequency to interact with the
molecules in food heating it directly All wave energy alternates polarity from positive to negative with each cycle of the wave and in microwaves these polarity changes happen millions of times a second For a microwave to interact with a
substance the substance too must consist of polar molecules a good example being water It‟s the polarity of water which gives it its live giving properties When microwaves of the right frequency bombard food they cause the polar molecules in the food to alternate at that frequency millions of times a second This agitation at molecular level creates friction which heats up the food Most forms of glass plastic or paper consist of uncharged molecules which do not interact directly with the microwave so only the food is heated So now you know
NATIONAL LAUNCH OF 2010 POPPY APPEAL
11 October 2010 Source Royal British Legion What The national launch of the 2010 Poppy Appeal Who Chart topping pop sensations The Saturdays and The Royal British Legion‟s extreme human flight display team at a concert and event for the families of 16 Air Assault Brigade WHERE The Physical Training and Recreation Centre Colchester Garrison When 1030hrs Thursday 28th October 2010 Why The 2010 Poppy Appeal is about helping the bdquoAfghan generation‟ of the Armed Forces and their families ndash today and for the rest of their lives The national launch of the 2010 Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal will take place at 1030hrs on Thursday 28th October 2010 with a spectacular private concert performed by chart topping pop sensations The Saturdays The concert exclusively for the families of 16 Air Assault Brigade currently on operations in Afghanistan will feature video messages from personnel stationed in Afghanistan for the families of those watching The launch will also feature a parachute display from the Legion‟s extreme human flight team bdquoJump4Heroes‟ who will land next to the site where the first new Personnel Recovery Centre will be built The Legion has committed pound25 million to the Personnel Recovery Centres (Poppies will be on sale at the November meeting)
7
DELAY TRIDENT REPLACEMENT Thursday September 16 2010
The pound20bn replacement of the UKs Trident nuclear deterrent could be put off until after 2015 according to reports The BBC said ministers were considering delaying the planned 2014 date in an effort to reduce short-term costs and head off a pre-general election political row The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said no decisions had yet been taken on the future of the submarine-based missile system which is currently the subject of a value-for-money review It has been formally excluded from the ongoing strategic defence and security review (SDSR) but the Treasury has made clear the under-pressure MoD budget will have to pay for it An influential committee of MPs yesterday warned that that decision would have very significant consequences for future defence spending The coalition agreement between the Tories and Lib Dems committed the government to renewing Trident but agreed that it should be scrutinised to ensure it offered value for money The deal allows the Lib Dems who went into the general election opposing a like-for-like replacement of the missile system to continue to make the case for alternatives
An MoD spokesman said The government remains committed to maintaining the UKs minimum and credible submarine-based nuclear deterrent based on the Trident missile system Within the framework of the strategic defence and security review a review is ongoing to ensure that the renewal of the deterrent provides value for money It will consider the programme timetable numbers of submarines missiles missile tubes and warheads infrastructure and other support costs and the industrial supply chain Once the review has concluded ministers will discuss and agree the optimum balance of capability and cost Labour leadership candidate Ed Balls said I believe the right approach is to include the decision about the replacement of Trident in the strategic defence review so that we can make an informed decision about how best to maintain the minimum nuclear deterrent that Britain requires I think its right that we seek to make savings where possible but this decision by the coalition looks worryingly like a government putting off the difficult political choices because they are too weak and too divided to take them rather that showing the leadership and strength to make tough choices in the long-term interests of our country
FLEET SHRUNK Friday 24 September 24 2010 The Sun Online
Defence bosses have drawn up shock plans to shrink the Royal Navys ship fleet by half The Sun newspaper has reported In a cuts blueprint seen by the newspaper the fleet will be slashed to just 12 frigates and destroyers It will make our surface armada once feared the world over smaller than that of every other major European nation except Portugal And 7500 sailors will be laid off more than a fifth of the Senior Services manpower of 35760 The plan would leave the service which won Trafalgar Jutland and the Falklands unrecognisable Last night the closest living relative of the Navys greatest hero Admiral Lord Nelson said the plan would have left him horrified And a naval source said It wont just be a disaster we are heading for a national humiliation
The drastic cuts are being considered because the Treasury has ordered the MoD budget to be slashed by 19 Losing 12 frigates and destroyers is the price the Navy will have to pay to keep two new 60000-ton aircraft carriers The troop landing ships Albion and Bulwark which came into service only seven years ago will also be sold off The Navy currently has 24 destroyerfrigates four Type 22 and 13 Type 23 frigates five Type 42 and two Type 45 destroyers At the time of the Falklands War in 1982 we boasted 53 frigates and 13 destroyers Cutting the fleet in half again would make ours smaller than those of historical foes France Germany Spain and Italy Even skint Greece boasts more ships and only Portugal with a population a sixth of Britains has the same number Admirals have been put under massive new pressure by Army boss General Sir David Richards winning the PM round to not sacking 20000 troops In a move that left Defence Secretary Liam Fox fuming David Cameron was persuaded that the Army cuts would risk victory in Afghanistan There are also growing concerns that the difficult defence review is being badly rushed to meet artificial Treasury deadlines A source said The money men have forgotten were an island nation with 90 per cent of our trade going by sea And we have the additional tasks now of chasing pirates and counter-terrorism The Navy has never been busier And 80-year-old Anna Tribe the great-great-great-granddaughter of Admiral Horatio Nelson said I think he would be horrified As a country we are terribly in debt and savings have to be made but not all the money was spent on sensible things It is very sad The RAF also faces bitter cuts with Tornado and Harrier jets Chinook and Puma choppers and the jobs of 6500 airmen under threat Our revelation comes as the row with Argentina over a hunt for oil in the Falklands is expected to be raised by the Argies in the UN in New York today Deputy PM Nick Clegg will also signal to the UN that the age of big Cold War-style fleets and armies is over as we face more fluid less visible threats Last night a Downing Street spokesman said no final decisions had been taken on defence cuts
THEFT FROM HOLLAND V Press Assn 2010
Thieves have targeted a nationally-important submarine wreck lying in the English Channel off East Sussex Divers stole the torpedo tube hatch of the Holland 5 the only surviving example on the seabed of this class of submarine in the world The theft was discovered during a licensed dive by the Nautical Archaeology Society in June and confirmed during a survey dive last month Experts said a group of people would have been behind the theft but that the hatch carried very little monetary value English Heritage and Sussex Police appealed for help to catch the perpetrators who are believed to have struck over the past two years Removing the hatch and accessing the site without a license is illegal under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 police warned The Holland class of submarine became obsolete in the early 20th Century and in 1912 the Holland 5 was destined for scrap It was being towed to Sheerness in Kent when it foundered and sunk six miles off the coast near Eastbourne One theory was that it took on water after the hatch that was stolen was left open
8
ATTRIBUTES OF CUCUMBERS 1 Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folic Acid Vitamin C Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium and Zinc
2 Feeling tired in the afternoon put down the caffeinated and pick up a cucumber Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours
3 Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing spa-like fragrance
4 Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminium to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area
5 Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free Cucumbers contain enough sugar B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost keeping everything in equilibrium avoiding both a hangover and headache
6 Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation
7 Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you dont have enough time to polish your shoes Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water
8 Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge and voila the squeak is gone
9 Stressed out and dont have time for massage facial or visit to the spa Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam creating a soothing relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams
10 Just finish a business lunch and realize you dont have gum or mints Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath
11 Looking for a green way to clean your sinks or stainless steel Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine but is wont leave streaks and wont harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean
13 Using a pen and made a mistake Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls
Just do not take your specimen cucumbers into the Joke and Acorn at Oakwood
BRITS LOSE SENSE OF HUMOUR AT 52 The age we all turn into Victor Meldrews
Theres not much to laugh about once you reach 52 as a new study finds this is the age we all start to lose our sense of humour A poll of 2000 Brits found that adults have less to laugh about as they age On average adults laugh out loud around four times a day researchers said but by the time we reach 50 this falls to just three times a day and a pathetic 25 times a day when 60 Dr Lesley Harbridge from the University of Glamorgan said The Lifetime of Laughter Scale shows that there really is a law of diminishing returns when it comes to laughter We laugh twice as much in our teens as we do in our fifties And our findings suggest that its all downhill from 52 The study also found that while an infant can laugh out loud as many as 300 times every day by the time we reach our twenties this figure has slumped to just four times a day Men were found to be more grumpier than women However according to the findings life gets a little happier when we are in our thirties as thirty something‟s manage on average to laugh around five time every day Perhaps children help us find our sense of humour again The survey carried out for TV channel Dave also found the Victor Meldrew Syndrome was firmly established by the time we hit 50 as this is the age we are most likely to complain Another finding hinted at what may contribute to our grumpiness as we age the survey revealed the average Brit knows only two Jokes Editor Well whoever wrote the above article had obviously never visited the lsquoJoke amp Acornrsquo where a certain member of the Derbyshire Branch certainly has above the average of two jokes in his repertoire and my experience with submariners is we certainly tend to laugh well above average as well Still I bet the professor or doctor is laughing well above average that some plonkers normally us the taxpayer is paying for them to investigate and write reports about this dribble that is no use to anyone
To prove the above point one of our members had a prolonged operation on his arm which was filmed and showed to him He was gleefully telling a table full of the butchery and intricate details of how a certain muscle was really tough Trying to be subtle as one does to a friend who has suffered a serious operation I asked politely if it was as tough as the steak on the meal I was trying to enjoy As quick as a flash he came back with bdquoSorry it was an armless story‟ However despite needing to wear a sling for at least two months it has proved that the operation has not dimished his sense of humour Get well soon Jim
OK so we‟ve taken off all our clothes and got on top of each other How long until we get
the Orgasm
I don‟t know But now I understand why mother gets a headache all the
time
9
DIESEL SUBMARINES 1948 ndash 1958 PART ONE OF SIX
The Diesel Submarines Of The Royal Navy Available To Engage In A Major War In The Period 1948 to 1958 Compiled by Peter D Hulme with additional notes
Acknowledgements for information and advice to John Eade Ian Buxton George Malcomson (RN Submarine Museum) and Roger Fry Submarines are mentioned in this article that were lost war and peace - we will remember them
By the 1980s surveillance of NATO naval units by Soviet submarines was taken for granted Electronic spy ships passed happily through our fleet formations whilst their maritime aircraft buzzed over them without hindrance But in the early fifties following hard on the heels of the Berlin airlift and at a time of explosive growth of Soviet sea power sterner attitudes prevailed I recall a confidential memorandum on the subject circulated to the Fleet at the time which reminded Escort Force Commanders that there were no prohibitions on firing depth charge patterns to test them at any time Exactly what similar orders had gone out to the Red Navy remained a matter of conjecture but no one fancied being the first to find out as Gary Powers did on his U2 flight over Mother Russia
Extract from SUBMARINER by Commander John Coote Royal Navy (deceased) former CO of the Totem foreword by Submarine Admiral IJ Galantin US Navy (Rtd) Norman Friedman US Naval author - Office of Naval Intelligence (US Navy) found the future bleak by 1951 it expected 356 Soviet submarines It later proved to be an over estimate ONI in 1954 credited the Soviets with 345 operational units including 83 obsolete submersibles
Preamble The data bases of British submarines while very
useful can be confusing when trying to estimate the actual fighting strength of the Submarine Service over any particular period in this case 1948-1958 This period as it will referred to throughout the list and commentary was chosen because in 1958 the first new operational submarine since the war Porpoise joined the fleet to be
followed by the rest of her class Other major changes were in the offing not the least the first British nuclear submarine but of more immediate influence new sonar and torpedoes were finally to become a reality 1948 was chosen as the start of the period of interest for historical reasons but there was also an important practical motive most of the disposal and scrapping of WWII vessels was complete Historically the 1948 Berlin Airlift symbolised the start of confrontation between the Western Powers and the Soviet Union the Cold War NATO came into being the next year and the submarine started to take its place as a key player in the conduct of this trial of resolve between East and West However while the story from about 1960 onward is well known as are the submarines involved the active units that made up the submarine fleet of the Royal Navy when the possibility of a Hot War was very real are not as well known and this list is intended to correct that with data and photographs The Royal Naval Submarine Museum archives has documents that already define the fleet but these are not readily available to me to use in a publication for this web site
Of great value have been the relevant pages of the official Particulars of War Vessels 1959 CB 04826 supplied to me by Ian Buxton These pages have provided a lot of the detail about each vessel at the close of the period and confirms what submarines were still in active service Including submarines temporarily in the dockyard or reserve in 1953 (the halfway point in the period) there were 50 apparently operational diesel electric submarines in the Royal Navy
15 A class 22 T class 11 S class and 2 U class According to PoWV 1959 all were armed with Mk 8 torpedoes of the type used in WW II with the option of mines but according to FOSM correspondence of 1948 the electric Mk 11 torpedo was also to be carried in the extended T class A Mk 20 (BIDDER) passive homing torpedo was in service in 1955 but does not appear to have been considered a successful weapon Neither the Mk 11 and the Mk 20 are mentioned in the PoV 1959 The Mk 8 though apparently old in design was quite a sophisticated but reliable piece of machinery but from todays point of view it was basically just an aim and fire weapon The running depth could be set before firing as could a gyro controlled angled course on leaving the tube It was propelled by a burner-cycle combustion engine fuelled by shale oil and compressed air and could run for 5000 yards at 455 knots 805 lb of Torpex explosive in the warhead Diameter 21 Weight 3452 lbs Overall Length 259 in A large weapon to store and manhandle in the confines of these submarines They were indeed submersible torpedo boats
Books such as Naval Weapons of World War Two by John Campbell give a more detailed description of this torpedo and figures for torpedo success briefly 5421 torpedoes fired 1040 certain hits The Alliance book by
Lambert and Hill has detailed drawings of the torpedo and the tube firing system but little text discussion It would have been interesting to know if there were sufficient torpedoes to fully load all the submarines and if there were sufficient again to reload Another useful logistical figure would have been the crew strength in the period But these vital figures have proved difficult to obtain It is known from reliable anecdotes that early in the period small designated groups of mainly S class were held in active reserve in different locations with one crew looking after each group
It has been suggested but not confirmed that at the same time some T class were held in the Dockyards No attempt has been made at this stage to take on the difficult task of determining the disposition year by year of each submarine It is well known that submarines were committed to Australia and Canada for training for long periods however they represented a relatively small percentage of the total fleet and in principle could return to the UK if crisis circumstances arose The Politics of British Defence Policy 1945-1962 by William P Snyder (1964) will tell the reader nothing about diesel submarines but this American military author does provide a picture of the defence politics of the period and confirms that a Soviet attack in Europe was then considered very likely (Page 19) The comment is made in the context of commitments to the Korean War
The List With Commentary The intention is to identify
each submarine and its condition as clearly as possible Submarines still around in the period but not sensibly available for active service are accounted for in separate sections ASDIC sets in Sections 1 to 4b were of the type used in WWII Refer to the extended T notes Section 4d for comment on the ASDIC and TCS of the latter part of the period of interest There is insufficient information available to offer comment on the radar sets Norman Friedman 1981 Naval Radar Naval Institute Press ISBN 0870219677 may prove helpful to interested readers PoWV 1959 refers to the official document - Particulars of
War Vessels 1959 CB 04826 relevant sub pages provided by Ian Buxton
10
The Submarines Section 1 Two U class submarines Section 2 The introduction of a snort system in the RN Section 3a The S class submarine Section 3b Eleven S class modernised submarines Section 3c 4 S class submarines to France 19511952 Section 3d Six S class submarines scrapped by 1950 Section 3e 4 S class streamlined un-armed ASW targets Section 4a 10 Grp III T class Submarines 1571 tons sm Section 4b Accounting for T class to early scraploan Section 4c 8 T class extended hull fast battery subs Section 4d Five - Streamlined T class submarines Section 5 Sixteen A class submarines Section 6 The Porpoise class Section 7 Experimental and Trials submarines Section 8 The HTP Propulsion Programme of the RN Section 9 Personal observations StreamliningGuns Appendix Pennant numbers For a broader historical view of the disposition of the Submarines of the Royal Navy at this time the following two sources are suggested Norman Friedman The Post War Naval Revolution Chapter 8 Submarines and Eric Grove Vanguard to Trident 1945-1985 Chapter 6 - Peroxide to Polaris Thanks to John Eade and Ian Buxton who checked and where required corrected the basic submarine data using their sources
Section 1 Two U Class Submarines
Two U Class Submarines 730 tons sm Mike Critchley British Warships Since 1945 has photographs of both of these submarines that played such an important role in WWII They are shown in 1957 flying the White Ensign Guns removed and a modern ASDIC domes No pennant number displayed Apparently the last of the large fleet of 51 small U submarines all built by Vickers Armstrong during WWII There were 22 war losses In addition Armstrong Vickers built 22 very similar V class HMS Upstart shown here post war without a gun Note modern ASDIC dome aft (Photo G Chalcraft)
These Submarines By Name And Number
Untiring P59 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Loaned to Greece as Xifias 1945 Returned to Royal Navy 1952 Expended as AS target off Start Point 25 July 1957
Upstart P65 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Became Greek Amfitrite 1945 Returned to RN 1952 Expended as AS target off Isle of Wight 19 July 1957 Section 2 Introduction Of A Snort System In The RN
The first successful snort system in the Royal Navy is reported as being fitted in Truant N68
The topic is introduced at this point to give some idea how soon after the war a snort system was available for fitting in all RN submarines She was a relatively old Group 1 T class Completed 1939 Vickers Armstrong Decommissioned 1945 Wrecked off Cherbourg en route to scrapping December 1946 HMS Truant a group one T class
completed in 1939 Seen here with snort mast raised The additional pipe to starboard indicates this was an experimental setup Decommissioned in 1945 and lost under tow to the scrap yard in 1946
these dates give some idea as to when the Royal Navy began snort experiments The T and S submarine classes were fitted with fold down combined exhaust and induction masts mast as were the initial installations on the A class This quickly changed on the A class with the exhaust fixed to the after standards and only the induction mast folding down on to the after casing Further detail in each section Section 3a The S Class Of Submarine Construction of
this substantial fleet of (990 tons sm) submarines was commenced with the laying down of the Sturgeon in 1931
However the submarines of interest in the period 1948-1958 came from the surviving 40 that were part of Group III construction 1941 to 1945 There were 9 war losses from this group There are obvious features introduced in WWII but not fitted to all the GIII submarines No doubt due to Dockyard opportunities etc One was the Oerlikon gun fitted on a raised railed Bandstand aft of the conning tower the example below shows the conning tower of Splendid P228 (Lost in 1943) HMS Splendid shown with a Bandstand amp Oerlikon gun The platform is supported by a column mounted on the hull (Photo G Chalcraft) The following image shows Sahib P212 without this feature (lost in 1943) Another feature was the single external torpedo seen clearly on this image of Sahib but not on all the class This was the only external tube fitted to the S class HMS Sahib note the absence of a Bandstand amp
Oerlikon gun
Deck gun can be seen as can the aft torpedo tube (Our President survived the sinking of Sahib in
1943 and was taken POW)
HMS Scotsman showing the shielded platform fitted to some S class (Photograph R Fry) The GIII S class were fitted with a 3 and later a 4 gun It was thought the latter would be more effective against small ships particularly in the Far East (The Design and Construction of British Warships 1939-1945) The 3 mounts seem to have all been simple unshielded deck guns again as shown on Sahib
but the 4 gun appears to have had a platform mount and shield as seen in Sea Devil in the post
war photograph above and a grainy but clear close-up of the gun and conning tower of the Scotsman P243 1946 on the right HMS Sea Devil in
1949 Note she still has the Bandstand but no snort No pennant number is displayed Post-war many of the S class were transferred to other navies or scrapped and it is history of the survivors that went on to serve in the critical 1948-1958 period before new submarines came into service that is of interest To be continued
This article will be serialised over the coming months and includes many submarines served on by Derbyshire Members I am at present preparing it in a newsletter format and cannot at the present time say how many parts it will be but obviously our more senior members are getting their boats mentioned first It is appreciated the article is available on the web but it is also acknowledged that most members who served on lsquoSrsquo Boats in the 1940rsquos and early 1950rsquos do not have access to a computer Feedback is always welcome so let me know what you think with pleasure
11
FINAL PART ldquoI‟M NO HERO BUT I DID MY BITrdquo An Understatement By An bdquoilson Lad FOUR of FOUR MY STORY OF THE WAR YEARS 1939-1945 by Joseph Simons Driver REME
1946 In 1946 demob and back to the UK back to Civvy Street it went on age and length of
service (I was group 47 demobbed September 1947) we had a hut where at night we could go play cards dominoes or have a chat If someone getting demobbed we put a bit of a party on for them and Bill Dabbs a London bus driver aged about forty known no other life for over five years being with and working with the lads and with his mates and what with the weak beer they served in the hut he had tears running down his face with emotion due to leaving men he had only known for five years and the fact he was going back into civvy life where you are on your own
Early summer I got a fourteen day leave and went up to the leave centre and got on the train with all the others going on leave Wooden seats and it took twenty four hours to get to Calais because the train kept breaking down The Royal Engineers had put a single railway track across the River Rhine and the train went dead slow over this wooden bridge and looking out of the window you could only see the river We got to Calais and we crossed the channel on a fishing trawler to Folkstone I enjoyed that leave with the girl I had met but soon it was all
over and back to our workshop camp Later that year through units were breaking up due to demobilisation and our own workshop was one the fitters and mechanics took all the trucks and went to another workshop to make it up to strength All the drivers went to Bad Oyenhasen a spar town Once a week we went to the baths a German civilian filled the wooden bath worn smooth by years of use and put a thermometer in the water to see if it was the right temperature A bath in a wooden bath is far superior
A posting came for me and I went to Dusseldorf to this little unit which controlled all the factories in the Ruhr It consisted of a Captain WO1 Sergeant Corporal and me with two civilian clerks My job was to go to a factory to see what they had produced and take it to another factory that needed it I went all around the Ruhr past the Krupps bombed out factory at Essen Solingen Dortmund Wuppertao one job I had to pick up about seven plate glass shop window size and take it to Achen about thirty miles away I thought the state of the roads it will be broken but it was all in one piece not broke when I got it to Achen
I was billeted in the centre Dusseldorf in a big building it must have been offices because it had many rooms it was opposite Steal House the headquarters of the steel industry of the Ruhr It was where we had our meals our office was about a mi le away The Captain and the Sergeant where German Jews and must have got out of Germany before the war had started The Captain disappeared at the weekend with German friends in the big houses or castle and went on the shooting parties in the forests He had got all mounted animal heads on the walls of his office The Sergeant as soon as you saw him he was a Jew They both had cars whether bought or commandeered and when the sergeant went out he must have scared the Germans to bits for what they did to the Jews The Corporal he was a real spiv selling things for a profit what the Germans could not get cigarettes was the currency you could buy anything with cigarettes
The winter of 1946-47 it was cold and we went skating on the lake in the park I enjoyed my job going to different factories that had started up taking and delivering things in my three ton truck and then that day when group 47 came up and it was on the train to Cuxhaven (North Germany) a night crossing on a troop ship to Hull and train to barracks at York to collect everything from a civvy suit pay that was due rail ticket to Derby bus warrant to Ilkeston and I was back in civvy street I am pleased I did and I would not sell my memories of those four years of army life not for a million pounds Joseph Simons Driver REME April 1943 to September 1947 Army Number 14424767
Editor It was a pleasure to undertake putting his story into book form for Joe‟s Grandchildren which includes many more photographs he took on his exploits than can be shown here Many of these photo‟s are personal to him but I am immensely pleased that he allowed me permission to produce some extra books and they have been placed in the Local History Section of Ilkeston Library and also in the Erewash Museum so the exploits of a local Ilkeston (ilson is the local slang) man have been recorded for the future I hope you have enjoyed the story I certainly felt very privileged that he shared his experiences
Bad
Oyenhasen
12
VANGUARD VISIT TO DERBY 30 Sept ndash 3 Oct It was absolutely wonderful to have a group of twenty Submariners visit Derby for an extended weekend with hopefully not too busy a programme though it was running tight on occasions The crew arrived in Derby spaced over six or so hours and booked in the European Hotel which was very accommodating and geared up and everyone agreed it was very good We had an early evening briefing on the programme and all sailors received a welcome to Derby pack with loads of paper advising what had been arranged and free entry tickets and other information A recce of Derby Night Life was organised and it was abundantly clear at breakfast at 8am that some lively night life had been found
Coffee Morning Friday dawn the weather was an absolute killer with rain as bad as any Singapore monsoon Ritchie the Vanguard coxswain and I arrived early at the Council House to open up and to unload my car which was full to the gunnels with kit in the pouring rain Our door team of Jim Hunt and John Hadfield had already arrived to man up the doors and with them were John‟s wife Maureen and her sister Francis who immediately proceeded to set up the coffee percolator and coffee boat Maureen and Francis were soon joined by Joyce who looked after the victuals and peculator ably assisted by Peter Johnson and Jean Slater ndash definitely an bdquoA‟ team The next hour was a flurry of activity setting up the various stalls with everyone helping each other John amp Rita Sayers did the main raffle Jenny Williamson the tombola Michelle Tyler and Julie Winstanley did the Submariners and Skimmer blackouts with Ron Slater and Ken Holtham doing the health and fitness straw draw as well as the Mug Sales stall so all helpers really dug out The Vanguard crew‟s input was tremendous helping us throughout the morning and as someone observed they were very fit and active I might add a lady made this comment ndash or was she Incidentally if I have missed mentioning anyone please accept my apologies but it was a rather hectic though successful morning The severe weather had a major impact on the ex service trade and of course the fact the bus stops outside the Council House have now been moved to the new bus station did not help either We would especially like to thank those ladies and gentleman who booked a day of work for this event and despite the weather turned out especially one young lady who came into Derby for the event by train and it‟s a long walk with weather like that Many hands make light work so everyone‟s efforts were appreciated The Mayor of Derby joined us at 1045 and our Chair Steve Tyler welcomed him and presented him with one of the special commissioned mugs to commemorate the Vanguard visit
Every crew member visiting received one and they bore the crests of Vanguard SA Derbyshire SM1 and with special permission from Rolls Royce their crest These were proudly above the wording bdquoFreedom of the City of Derby granted to HM Submarine Service with the White Ensign in the middle The WEO of Vanguard Lt Cdr Chris Bland thence presented the Mayor with a Vanguard Crest Getting on for 1120 we started the ball rolling with the raffle draw and this was followed by the Mayor opening the envelopes to declare the Blackout winners I might add the winning boats and targets were impartially picked by someone who knows absolutely nothing about the RN and the fact our Chair won the bottle of Pusser‟s with Courageous which he served on in 1982 was purely a coincidence Still the good news is the Skimmer prize of 1ltr of Lambs was donated back to the branch and will be redrawn either at the visit of Ambush or Christmas so you can have another opportunity of winning a large bottle of rum We then drew the Submariners unique free Coffee Morning Ticket entry raffle prize of a bottle of whiskey and then finally we auctioned the two remaining prizes from the straw health and fitness draw The fitness watch worth pound70 went for pound30 and the magnetic bracelet for pound10 further enhancing our funds Jenny‟s tombola was a successful sell out
Despite the low turn out of people we did exceptionally well and it is sad that with the closure of the Council House for two years renovation we will not be able to hold this event in its present location or form elsewhere at present I feel it has been an immense privilege we have enjoyed courtesy of the Mayor and the City Council over a number of years It has not been a right but a perk and I believe all ex Service Associations should be grateful at the generosity over the years and accept through no ones fault the council can no longer afford to provide accommodation now not the least because they have not got any spare accommodation during the renovation of the present Council House
On conclusion of the Coffee Morning members squared away the room whilst the Vanguard crew enjoyed a very good presentation undertaken by the Mayor and John the Mayors Chauffer in the Council Chamber The history of the unique Chain of Office which is priceless City Sword Orb and Rod were all explained to an interested audience As Ricki Rotimi one of Vanguards Chefs undertook the demonstrations with the Sword and other artefacts it was noticed that the Mayor kept the Chain of Office firmly in his grasp Ricki got quite excited that whilst kneeling he got Knighted with the sword but looked a bit glum when it was declared that his Knighthood was invalid as it needed the Monarchs approval On leaving the Council House we discovered the rain was as bad as it had been early in the morning thus wet on the outside we proceeded to the pub to get wet on the inside too
13
We collected our vehicles and made our way to the Oak amp Acorn for an arranged buffet Once the crew had been fed and watered (though there was not much water drunk) the branch members were invited to dine The worries on the change of management three days previously were unfounded and everyone was pleased with the choice of venue The Rolls Royce Representative Tony kindly joined us for a short time and he acted as escort for a special tour to Rolls Royce on Raynesway for all the crew members on which I understand was a very useful and interesting visit to Vanguard‟s crew I used the time after this to offload a lot of gear at my home as my car was so full it could not carry passengers I then set off for the Spot to complete setting up the room with the Raffle final place settings due to changes checking wine orders etc I normally set up a big A Board with laminated welcome posters but with the Spot having all the mod cons I was requested to supply A4 instead of twice the size A3 I was most impressed with the displays in lights as we entered I produced two posters one welcoming the Vanguard on their visit to Derby and one advertising the Branch and its 30th Anniversary To see them up in lights was far superior to the laminated posters I know it‟s just another toy but wow What a toy
Friday night rush hour is a nightmare and I got caught up in the car parking on the new Laura Croft way trying to get back to the European Hotel and in the end landed up with only having 30 minutes to get showered dressed in best bib and tucker and to get to the Spot to welcome everyone How we did it I do not really know And it was still chucking it down with rain In fact it was just like Faslane Friday Evening was a combination celebrations rolled into one We were celebrating our Branch 30
th
Anniversary and had brought forward our branch Trafalgar Dinner night as well We were also celebrating the 50
th year of RN British Submarines
and of course we welcomed the twenty crew of Vanguard to the only City in the United Kingdom that has granted the Freedom of the City to HM Submarine Service which proudly hangs on the stairwell of the Submarine Squadron Offices in Faslane The room had been superbly decorated on a Red White and Blue theme by the Spot and this was complimented by balloon‟s The branch had added our own personal touch with place mats individual seating markers with a reminder of what people had ordered and table markers and of course a unique programme to celebrate the occasion When items such as these are taken as souvenirs I always consider it a compliment and I had nothing to clear up at the end of the evening Everyone assembled in the middle room for early drinks and socialise with John amp Rita Sayers making everyone exceptionally welcome selling them Raffle Tickets
On time everyone was summoned to take their places for Dinner and at 7pm the Sea Cadets from TS Kenya piped the top table into Dinner The Diners slow hand clapped the top table in and I undertook Master of Ceremonies with a very short safety brief Thence the Senior Officer present Cdr Jerry Hall RN Rtd was called upon to read out the response to the Loyal Greetings sent to HM Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of our 30
th Anniversary Jerry proudly read
the message to all relayed from the Queen wishing us a successful evening Thence followed the Welcome by our President Mr Ken Holtham and grace by our Vice Chair Mr John Sayers It was thence time to dig in for the first course which was a choice of Soup Pate or Melon The main course was a Carvery but what a carvery We had the choice of Beef Pork amp Turkey and all vegetarians and special diets were well looked after The choice of vegetables was the largest anyone had seen with the only complaint being the plates were not big enough I consider as I was full there was ample but I agree it was impossible to get everything on There were one or two deep breaths before the puddings which was the Sweet Trolley of cream gateaux‟s Cheese board or ice cream followed by coffee which with cream and a mint biscuit rounded off a super meal We then eased springs for a break of fifteen minutes before the speeches
Cdr Jerry Hall Lt Cdr Chris Bland Terry Hall Michelle Tyler Desna amp Ian Tyson
The immortal Toast and a fine speech on Nelson was delivered by Lt Cdr Chris Bland the WEO as Senior Officer of Vanguard who bravely stepped into the position of Cdr Stuart Capes the Commanding Officer of Vanguard Port who was unable to attend due to operational reasons Chris was followed by the Loyal Toast to HM the Queen This very different and enjoyable toast was undertaken by Mr Ian Tyson MIM who is not only a personal friend of mine but was the ex Ceremonial Officer for the Submariners Assn and was a leading light in the London SA before its closure Ian treated us to a unique history lesson on the Battle of Trafalgar and his instruction on taking one‟s tot involved everyone and the experience was enjoyed by all It was as promised in our Loyal Greetings letter to HM toasted with gusto and from the heart Ian‟s speech and toast was summed up by our Chairman Steve Tyler who when he arose to toast the Submarine Service and the Submariner stated ldquoHow do I follow thatrdquo Follow it he did with a roaring toast to the senior part of the Senior Service
14
The presentations were extended slightly with two planned and one unplanned The branch made a presentation of a SA Derbyshire Plaque to the Senior Officer and thence a framed picture of a cartoon that had been in the National Press which had been suitably and artistically enhanced in colour by my daughter This was presented to Vanguard‟s Coxswain John Richie Richardson and small A5 copies distributed in a sealed envelope to each table so all could view the cartoon The Senior Officer thence presented the branch with a superb framed
picture of the Vanguard Crest with brass plaques engraved to commemorate the visit to Derby This splendid gift will be hung in our room at TS Kenya for both ourselves and the cadets to enjoy A presentation of a bouquet of flowers was made by ET Chris Whale to Elena Holtham the wife of our Branch President who was
celebrating her 85th
birthday I would also like to extend our branch‟s best wishes to Chris on his forthcoming course he is just embarking on at HMS Sultan we wish you the best of luck In keeping with the branch tradition we thence provided a decorated Rose Stem for all of the ladies attending and requested the crew members undertake the presentations - which were carried out admirably in true Naval Tradition Our youngest guest was a lovely young lady called Amy who had joined us due to a late cancellation She had joined us at our coffee morning and spent some time with our WWII veterans discussing their experience for her bdquoA‟ Levels and the branch has been able to help with books from our library and I have provided her with booksleaflets from various projects I have undertaken with my RBL hat on so not only was the RN covered but also the RAF with the bomber memorial and Joe Simons excellent story of his service from Normandy just after D-Day and into Germany You may be able to spot her in the picture above
The evening was thence concluded by a wonderful performance by Shep Woolley who I consider it a
great privilege that he commented to me how much he had enjoyed his observations of our special evening As per normal Shep gave a superb performance and it was much enjoyed by all and we thank him
for such a brilliant and entertaining programme as the Golden Carriages arrived for our guests
Saturday 2 December 2010 Talk about see-saw weather Thursday had been fine for the arrival and it was quite hot sat in the foyer of the hotel waiting to meet and greet the crew to Derby Friday was a total washout weather wise and the rain that bad I would liken it to a monsoon Saturday however dawned bright and sunny and stayed like that until the early evening However our plan was a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas where the Vanguard crew would lay a wreath at the Submariners Memorial Though booked into the NMA it was not until about two weeks before that I was advised of the Annual Bike to the Wall and was told they already had 23000 bikes booked in I spoke to the Coxswain and we decided it was worth a go and we are all very glad we did Only one of the twenty had visited the NMA before so it was a particularly poignant visit We convoyed down in three vehicles parking up in a field designated as the Park amp Ride Car Park with a free bus service to and from the NMA The rain the previous day saw the river swollen that runs through the site and it was a little damp to say the least The buses ran regularly and we arrived and our first duty was to replace the very tatty and dirty White Ensign on the Naval Review section We then went down to the submariner‟s memorial where we carried out a short poignant service including the laying of Vanguards Wreath The various parts of the service were shared out amongst crew members with me having the honour of piping the silence I had produced souvenir quality service sheets for each crew member and included a brief history of the NMA site I particularly liked the comment about bdquoIts good to see it was the conception of a Commander Royal Navy who made it happen‟ and that is something we can all be very proud of Unfortunately I had left my camera in the car but we enjoyed the spectacle of the bikers in their thousands The respect and salutes to the service members were a joy to behold The bikers raise a lot of money and the sights of them coming up the main A38 dual carriageway with lights blazing was a magnificent sight The car parks and main thoroughfares were chocker block with bikes of all shapes and sizes including some modified with rear ends of VW Beetles Indian rickshaws and Harleys by the hundreds Whatever the bike they had all come to pay their respects to our Armed Forces and were a credit to their respective chapters clubs or Legion bikers or as individuals BZ to all those who participated on the bdquoRide To The Wall‟ We returned to Derby in the afternoon and arranged to meet up down in the City at the Assembly Rooms where Shep Woolley was performing and the promoters had kindly offered greatly reduced tickets for the Vanguard Crew After the concert I was treated to a Chinese all you can eat on Babbington Lane With not frequenting Derby very often and certainly not at night it was an unknown venue to me but was most enjoyable I sincerely thank Coxn Richie Richardson and CPO Nick Alton for excellent company My first ever visit to Walkabouts was an eye opener and a half and it was only the excellent company that made the run so enjoyable Sunday was going home day and the Vanguards split off by car train to all points of the compass
15
HMS TIRELESS IN MULTINATIONAL EXERCISE Naval assets from the UK France Australia and the US have completed a major international anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Gulf of Oman This is a regular exercise directed by the United Kingdom Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) based in Bahrain It is designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability in warm water environments and promote interoperability between ships and aircraft from a variety of nations The centrepiece of the cat and mouse style exercise was Trafalgar Class submarine HMS Tireless playing the role of the mouse while the duties of the cat were shared between the Australian frigate HMAS Melbourne and the French frigate FS Dupleix Meanwhile Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron and US P-3 Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft acted as eyes in the sky HMS Tireless and HMAS Melbourne also exchanged key personnel during the exercise in order to share skills and experience A UKMCC spokesperson said The number of navies
building and operating submarines continues to grow It is therefore important that the Royal Navy retains its position at the forefront of anti-submarine warfare a skill easy to lose but difficult to regain The presence of
a large number of coalition navies in this region provides the ideal opportunity to train together Commodore Tim Fraser UK Maritime Component Commander said The large proportion of the Royal Navys work in this region is of an operational nature such as conducting anti-piracy patrols and strengthening relations with regional allies However it is important that we also run regular exercises such as this in order to maintain and further develop our skills across the full range of capabilities The UKMCC controls all Royal Navy warships aircraft and personnel in the Middle East maritime theatre which totals over thirteen hundred personnel and more than a dozen vessels These include frigates undertaking maritime security operations and anti-piracy patrols mine countermeasures vessels developing warm water mine hunting techniques and landing ships supporting the training and development of the fledgling Iraqi Navy and the protection of key Iraqi oil platforms
HMS ASTUTE IN COMMISSION The UKs most powerful attack submarine HMS Astute has been welcomed into the Royal Navy in a commissioning ceremony overseen by the boats patron the Duchess of Cornwall as well as Doug Clarke our Derbyshire Member who was kindly taken up to Faslane by his son and daughter for the prestigious event HMS Astute which has officially become Her Majestys Ship today 29 August 2010 She is almost fifty per cent bigger than any attack submarine in the Royal Navys current fleet As the base port of all the Royal Navys submarines from 2016 Faslane will be home to the whole Astute Class including Ambush Artful and Audacious which are already under construction Astute was built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness with hundreds of suppliers around the country contributing component parts including Rolls-Royce Derby (nuclear plant)
TS KENYA PRESENTATION NIGHT Friday 15 October 2010
What an absolutely awful evening weather wise which fortunately did not prevent a decent size audience for this Annual prestigious event which was a credit of organisation and planning The Cadets both Sailors and Royal Marines were as usual excellently turned out and disciplined The Chief guests were the High Sheriff of Derbyshire and the Mayor of Derby who both presented the various trophies to the Cadets As I helped with the raffle I can say with authority that all the prime guests and Senior Committee were exceptionally generous with donations and the total of just under pound90 was raised Whoever organised the prizes did a Herculean effort with Black amp Decker Sets Footbath bottles and really exceptionally good prizes
We submariners were thinner on the ground than in the past with myself Ken and Peter and Joyce but with more than half the branch either on holiday P7R or sick parade this was to be expected There was also three RMA amp Tom Smith BEM RNA Jerry Hall was wearing many hats including President of the TS Kenya Management Committee and President of the RNA for whom he presented a Bosun‟s Pipe to the best cadet Jerry is of course a Submariner member and thanked all four Naval Associations in Derby for their unstinting support of the unit
The presentations took the normal format of the badges and promotions for the Cadets followed by the awards The bdquoTommy Appleby‟ Memorial Shield was won by Cadet Ginette Doherty This Shield was presented to the Unit by Doris in memory of Tommy who was a submariner member The array of awards is impressive and the presentations were undertaken in rotation by the High Sheriff and the Mayor After the presentations the High Sheriff and the Mayor were presented with bouquets The High Sheriff is a nice lady but the Mayor had to accept on behalf of his wife who had been whisked away only moments before for another function I thought he took the presentation of flowers in good spirit The Mayor and High Sheriff both made speeches praising the work of the Cadets Staff and supporters of the Unit
Those who follow the progress of the Cadets through the newsletter or otherwise will be aware that the project to get the Cadets on the water is nearing fruition with the money required for a boat and a safety boat raised and both boats are in the process of being built An internal competition at TS Kenya had been undertaken to name the two boats and unfortunately the Commanding Officer Capt SCC Andy Fuller RMR would not divulge the ones he advised were outrageous suggestions However the decision had been to name the budding Fleet after ex Royal Navy vessels with one to be a submarine and one to be a target skimmer surface vessel The decision made was for HMS Sovereign for the safety boat and HMS Malaya for the pulling boat Sovereign was Derby‟s adopted boat for over thirty years and always ably supported the Sea Cadet unit in Derby Malaya was the name of the Unit until a few years ago when the name was changed to TS Kenya to reflect the long Ship Affiliation of HMS Kenya which was Derby‟s adopted ship before Sovereign with links to warship week in WWII
16
FEEDBACK 30th
ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND I have received much positive feedback and only one complaint of the 30
th Anniversary amp Trafalgar Dinner
The complaint was from Jim Hunt who stated the carvery plates were not big enough End of complaint Many branch members as well as guests have taken the time to say how much they enjoyed the event and in summary the following letter from HMS Vanguard by Louis Gardner the Operations Officer who I know definitely enjoyed his run ashore in Derby
Dear Terry May I take this opportunity to thank the Derbyshire Branch of the Submariners Association for inviting the Ship‟s Company of HMS Vanguard to participate in what was a hugely enjoyable visit Your organisation of such a varied programme including the visit to Rolls Royce was particularly well received Further thanks must go to all who ensured such a successful Trafalgar Night Dinner Excellent hosting was provided by all of your members which was enjoyed and appreciated by our sailors and officers It was a delight to toast both Nelson and your branch‟s 30
th
anniversary on the same occasion Special thanks must go to you for your Herculean efforts in ensuring our time in Derby ran so smoothly Everything from the welcome packs and presentation mugs to your organisation of the service at the National Arboretum was greatly appreciated Much fun was had by all during the visit and we look forward to the opportunity to reciprocate your invitation in the future
Well done all branch members I know many of you had an exceptionally busy Friday and also appreciate for many it was an expensive day with taxi‟s hotels and distances involved However your company was enjoyed by the Vanguard‟s Ship Company and the fact we had so many turn up to help at the Coffee Morning made the task so much easier especially for me It was a wonderful change to have the work load shared as it was by the branch bdquoA‟ team ndash That‟s all of you who were able to turn up and help BZ to all and for the first time I can remember it was a stress free Trafalgar Dinner with nearly everything going smoothly thanks to the excellent organisation at the Spot Now for next year has anyone any ideas
SA NATIONAL RAFFLE I have received the list of prize winners from the ex National Treasurer and can confirm that unfortunately there are no Derbyshire Member Winners Thanks to all in the branch who participated as the branch got one third of the takings
NATIONAL DIARIES I asked Steve Tyler that if there were any SA diaries available at Nottingham to get Ten these have all been sold We hoped for an opportunity to pick up at the Embankment Parade in London avoiding costly PampP However due to problems and cost of accommodation in London we will now unfortunately not be parading our Standard but will be attending the Derby Festival of Remembrance at Derby Cathedral on the same weekend Any further orders to the Treasurer please
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2011 If any members have any proposals for Conference 2011 you are reminded that the branch must submit them by 31 December 2010 thus they need to be presented at the next two meetings if your proposal is to be discussed and submitted
BRANCH AGM TS KENYA The Branch AGM will take place at 7pm on Wednesday 3 March 2011 when we revert from our Winter Routine of lunch time meetings at the Jubilee Club at 1215 Items for the Agenda should be submitted by the January meeting with any nominations for any office
BRANCH SUBSCRIPTIONS 2011 Branch Subscriptions were not discussed at our AGM in March thus by default they will remain the same at pound10 per person with pound5 National fee making a total of pound15 Annual Subscription This becomes due to the 31 December 2010 for the following year and it is requested that to enable the year end figures to be completed by 31 January 2011 that they are submitted to the Treasurer as soon into the new year or anytime before Those who will be effecting an electronic bank transfer to the branch accounts as per the memo posted out to all members are requested to ensure that your reference clearly states your surname and the word bdquosubs‟ Those who wish to continue to have a hard copy of In Depth are requested to make a further donation of pound5 to cover the copies for 2011 Newsletter Online If you need to refer to a back issue
(three copies only) please refer to wwwsubmarinersassociationcoukhtmlderbynewshtml
Views and comments of this newsletter do not always reflect the official policy or decisions of neither the
Derby Branch nor the Submariners Association
Terry Hall Newsletter Editor Submariners Association Derbyshire Branch 69 Station Road STANLEY VILLAGE
Derbyshire DE7 6FB
Ronamp Jean Slater
4 November 2010 Best Wishes from all the
Derbyshire Branch
6
MICROWAVING WATER
Have you heated a cup of water in your microwave to make coffee or Tea This can be a serious risk and this article explains why A 26-year old man decided to have a cup of coffee He took a cup of water and put it in the microwave to heat it up (something that he had done numerous times before) I am not sure how long he set the timer for but he wanted to bring the water to a boil When the timer shut the oven off he removed the cup from the oven As he looked into the cup he noted that the water was not boiling but suddenly the water in the cup blew up into his face The cup remained intact until he threw it out of his hand but all the water had flown out into his face due to the build-up of energy His whole face is blistered and he has 1
st and 2
nd
degree burns to his face which may leave scarring He also may have lost partial sight in his left eye While at the hospital the doctor who was attending to him stated that this is a fairly common occurrence and water (alone) should never be heated in a microwave oven If water is heated in this manner something should be placed in the cup to diffuse the energy such as a wooden stir stick tea bag etc (nothing metal) General Electrics (GEC) Response Thanks for contacting us I will be happy to assist you The e-mail that you received is correct Microwaved water and other liquids do not always bubble when they reach the boiling point They can actually get superheated and not bubble at all The superheated liquid will bubble up out of the cup when it is moved or when something like a spoon or tea bag is put into it To prevent this from happening and causing injury do not heat any liquid for more than two minutes per cup After heating let the cup stand in the microwave for thirty seconds Before moving it or adding anything into it Here is what our local science teacher had to say on the matter Thanks for the microwave warning I have seen this happen before It is caused by a phenomenon known as super heating It can occur anytime water is heated and will particularly occur if the vessel that the water is heated in is new or when heating a small amount of water (less than half a cup) What happens is that the water heats faster than the vapour bubbles can form If the cup is very new then it is unlikely to have small surface scratches inside it that provide a place for the bubbles to form As the bubbles cannot form and release some of the heat has built up the liquid does not boil and the liquid continues to heat up well past its boiling point What then usually happens is that the liquid is bumped or jarred which is just enough of a shock to cause the bubbles to rapidly form and expel the hot liquid The rapid formation of bubbles is also why a carbonated beverage spews when opened after having been shaken I would also point out that microwaved hard boiled eggs can react in the same manner and they can explode and cause burns and injury even after they have been removed from the oven Just be aware
MICROWAVING PLASTIC MEAL CONTAINERS The question was posed in the Daily Mail in April 2009 of Why don‟t the black plastic dishes used for ready meals melt when microwaved The answer supplied by Carol Hill-Wood of Loughborough Leics was that Microwaves are electro-magnetic waves with wavelengths ranging from 1mm to 30cm or frequencies between 03Ghz and 300Ghz which like light waves or radio waves occupy a part of the electromagnetic spectrum They have several important practical applications such as relaying long distance telephone signals TV broadcasts and computer information across the Earth or to a satellite in space Microwave ovens contain a magnetron which generates microwaves at the right frequency to interact with the
molecules in food heating it directly All wave energy alternates polarity from positive to negative with each cycle of the wave and in microwaves these polarity changes happen millions of times a second For a microwave to interact with a
substance the substance too must consist of polar molecules a good example being water It‟s the polarity of water which gives it its live giving properties When microwaves of the right frequency bombard food they cause the polar molecules in the food to alternate at that frequency millions of times a second This agitation at molecular level creates friction which heats up the food Most forms of glass plastic or paper consist of uncharged molecules which do not interact directly with the microwave so only the food is heated So now you know
NATIONAL LAUNCH OF 2010 POPPY APPEAL
11 October 2010 Source Royal British Legion What The national launch of the 2010 Poppy Appeal Who Chart topping pop sensations The Saturdays and The Royal British Legion‟s extreme human flight display team at a concert and event for the families of 16 Air Assault Brigade WHERE The Physical Training and Recreation Centre Colchester Garrison When 1030hrs Thursday 28th October 2010 Why The 2010 Poppy Appeal is about helping the bdquoAfghan generation‟ of the Armed Forces and their families ndash today and for the rest of their lives The national launch of the 2010 Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal will take place at 1030hrs on Thursday 28th October 2010 with a spectacular private concert performed by chart topping pop sensations The Saturdays The concert exclusively for the families of 16 Air Assault Brigade currently on operations in Afghanistan will feature video messages from personnel stationed in Afghanistan for the families of those watching The launch will also feature a parachute display from the Legion‟s extreme human flight team bdquoJump4Heroes‟ who will land next to the site where the first new Personnel Recovery Centre will be built The Legion has committed pound25 million to the Personnel Recovery Centres (Poppies will be on sale at the November meeting)
7
DELAY TRIDENT REPLACEMENT Thursday September 16 2010
The pound20bn replacement of the UKs Trident nuclear deterrent could be put off until after 2015 according to reports The BBC said ministers were considering delaying the planned 2014 date in an effort to reduce short-term costs and head off a pre-general election political row The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said no decisions had yet been taken on the future of the submarine-based missile system which is currently the subject of a value-for-money review It has been formally excluded from the ongoing strategic defence and security review (SDSR) but the Treasury has made clear the under-pressure MoD budget will have to pay for it An influential committee of MPs yesterday warned that that decision would have very significant consequences for future defence spending The coalition agreement between the Tories and Lib Dems committed the government to renewing Trident but agreed that it should be scrutinised to ensure it offered value for money The deal allows the Lib Dems who went into the general election opposing a like-for-like replacement of the missile system to continue to make the case for alternatives
An MoD spokesman said The government remains committed to maintaining the UKs minimum and credible submarine-based nuclear deterrent based on the Trident missile system Within the framework of the strategic defence and security review a review is ongoing to ensure that the renewal of the deterrent provides value for money It will consider the programme timetable numbers of submarines missiles missile tubes and warheads infrastructure and other support costs and the industrial supply chain Once the review has concluded ministers will discuss and agree the optimum balance of capability and cost Labour leadership candidate Ed Balls said I believe the right approach is to include the decision about the replacement of Trident in the strategic defence review so that we can make an informed decision about how best to maintain the minimum nuclear deterrent that Britain requires I think its right that we seek to make savings where possible but this decision by the coalition looks worryingly like a government putting off the difficult political choices because they are too weak and too divided to take them rather that showing the leadership and strength to make tough choices in the long-term interests of our country
FLEET SHRUNK Friday 24 September 24 2010 The Sun Online
Defence bosses have drawn up shock plans to shrink the Royal Navys ship fleet by half The Sun newspaper has reported In a cuts blueprint seen by the newspaper the fleet will be slashed to just 12 frigates and destroyers It will make our surface armada once feared the world over smaller than that of every other major European nation except Portugal And 7500 sailors will be laid off more than a fifth of the Senior Services manpower of 35760 The plan would leave the service which won Trafalgar Jutland and the Falklands unrecognisable Last night the closest living relative of the Navys greatest hero Admiral Lord Nelson said the plan would have left him horrified And a naval source said It wont just be a disaster we are heading for a national humiliation
The drastic cuts are being considered because the Treasury has ordered the MoD budget to be slashed by 19 Losing 12 frigates and destroyers is the price the Navy will have to pay to keep two new 60000-ton aircraft carriers The troop landing ships Albion and Bulwark which came into service only seven years ago will also be sold off The Navy currently has 24 destroyerfrigates four Type 22 and 13 Type 23 frigates five Type 42 and two Type 45 destroyers At the time of the Falklands War in 1982 we boasted 53 frigates and 13 destroyers Cutting the fleet in half again would make ours smaller than those of historical foes France Germany Spain and Italy Even skint Greece boasts more ships and only Portugal with a population a sixth of Britains has the same number Admirals have been put under massive new pressure by Army boss General Sir David Richards winning the PM round to not sacking 20000 troops In a move that left Defence Secretary Liam Fox fuming David Cameron was persuaded that the Army cuts would risk victory in Afghanistan There are also growing concerns that the difficult defence review is being badly rushed to meet artificial Treasury deadlines A source said The money men have forgotten were an island nation with 90 per cent of our trade going by sea And we have the additional tasks now of chasing pirates and counter-terrorism The Navy has never been busier And 80-year-old Anna Tribe the great-great-great-granddaughter of Admiral Horatio Nelson said I think he would be horrified As a country we are terribly in debt and savings have to be made but not all the money was spent on sensible things It is very sad The RAF also faces bitter cuts with Tornado and Harrier jets Chinook and Puma choppers and the jobs of 6500 airmen under threat Our revelation comes as the row with Argentina over a hunt for oil in the Falklands is expected to be raised by the Argies in the UN in New York today Deputy PM Nick Clegg will also signal to the UN that the age of big Cold War-style fleets and armies is over as we face more fluid less visible threats Last night a Downing Street spokesman said no final decisions had been taken on defence cuts
THEFT FROM HOLLAND V Press Assn 2010
Thieves have targeted a nationally-important submarine wreck lying in the English Channel off East Sussex Divers stole the torpedo tube hatch of the Holland 5 the only surviving example on the seabed of this class of submarine in the world The theft was discovered during a licensed dive by the Nautical Archaeology Society in June and confirmed during a survey dive last month Experts said a group of people would have been behind the theft but that the hatch carried very little monetary value English Heritage and Sussex Police appealed for help to catch the perpetrators who are believed to have struck over the past two years Removing the hatch and accessing the site without a license is illegal under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 police warned The Holland class of submarine became obsolete in the early 20th Century and in 1912 the Holland 5 was destined for scrap It was being towed to Sheerness in Kent when it foundered and sunk six miles off the coast near Eastbourne One theory was that it took on water after the hatch that was stolen was left open
8
ATTRIBUTES OF CUCUMBERS 1 Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folic Acid Vitamin C Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium and Zinc
2 Feeling tired in the afternoon put down the caffeinated and pick up a cucumber Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours
3 Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing spa-like fragrance
4 Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminium to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area
5 Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free Cucumbers contain enough sugar B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost keeping everything in equilibrium avoiding both a hangover and headache
6 Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation
7 Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you dont have enough time to polish your shoes Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water
8 Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge and voila the squeak is gone
9 Stressed out and dont have time for massage facial or visit to the spa Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam creating a soothing relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams
10 Just finish a business lunch and realize you dont have gum or mints Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath
11 Looking for a green way to clean your sinks or stainless steel Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine but is wont leave streaks and wont harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean
13 Using a pen and made a mistake Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls
Just do not take your specimen cucumbers into the Joke and Acorn at Oakwood
BRITS LOSE SENSE OF HUMOUR AT 52 The age we all turn into Victor Meldrews
Theres not much to laugh about once you reach 52 as a new study finds this is the age we all start to lose our sense of humour A poll of 2000 Brits found that adults have less to laugh about as they age On average adults laugh out loud around four times a day researchers said but by the time we reach 50 this falls to just three times a day and a pathetic 25 times a day when 60 Dr Lesley Harbridge from the University of Glamorgan said The Lifetime of Laughter Scale shows that there really is a law of diminishing returns when it comes to laughter We laugh twice as much in our teens as we do in our fifties And our findings suggest that its all downhill from 52 The study also found that while an infant can laugh out loud as many as 300 times every day by the time we reach our twenties this figure has slumped to just four times a day Men were found to be more grumpier than women However according to the findings life gets a little happier when we are in our thirties as thirty something‟s manage on average to laugh around five time every day Perhaps children help us find our sense of humour again The survey carried out for TV channel Dave also found the Victor Meldrew Syndrome was firmly established by the time we hit 50 as this is the age we are most likely to complain Another finding hinted at what may contribute to our grumpiness as we age the survey revealed the average Brit knows only two Jokes Editor Well whoever wrote the above article had obviously never visited the lsquoJoke amp Acornrsquo where a certain member of the Derbyshire Branch certainly has above the average of two jokes in his repertoire and my experience with submariners is we certainly tend to laugh well above average as well Still I bet the professor or doctor is laughing well above average that some plonkers normally us the taxpayer is paying for them to investigate and write reports about this dribble that is no use to anyone
To prove the above point one of our members had a prolonged operation on his arm which was filmed and showed to him He was gleefully telling a table full of the butchery and intricate details of how a certain muscle was really tough Trying to be subtle as one does to a friend who has suffered a serious operation I asked politely if it was as tough as the steak on the meal I was trying to enjoy As quick as a flash he came back with bdquoSorry it was an armless story‟ However despite needing to wear a sling for at least two months it has proved that the operation has not dimished his sense of humour Get well soon Jim
OK so we‟ve taken off all our clothes and got on top of each other How long until we get
the Orgasm
I don‟t know But now I understand why mother gets a headache all the
time
9
DIESEL SUBMARINES 1948 ndash 1958 PART ONE OF SIX
The Diesel Submarines Of The Royal Navy Available To Engage In A Major War In The Period 1948 to 1958 Compiled by Peter D Hulme with additional notes
Acknowledgements for information and advice to John Eade Ian Buxton George Malcomson (RN Submarine Museum) and Roger Fry Submarines are mentioned in this article that were lost war and peace - we will remember them
By the 1980s surveillance of NATO naval units by Soviet submarines was taken for granted Electronic spy ships passed happily through our fleet formations whilst their maritime aircraft buzzed over them without hindrance But in the early fifties following hard on the heels of the Berlin airlift and at a time of explosive growth of Soviet sea power sterner attitudes prevailed I recall a confidential memorandum on the subject circulated to the Fleet at the time which reminded Escort Force Commanders that there were no prohibitions on firing depth charge patterns to test them at any time Exactly what similar orders had gone out to the Red Navy remained a matter of conjecture but no one fancied being the first to find out as Gary Powers did on his U2 flight over Mother Russia
Extract from SUBMARINER by Commander John Coote Royal Navy (deceased) former CO of the Totem foreword by Submarine Admiral IJ Galantin US Navy (Rtd) Norman Friedman US Naval author - Office of Naval Intelligence (US Navy) found the future bleak by 1951 it expected 356 Soviet submarines It later proved to be an over estimate ONI in 1954 credited the Soviets with 345 operational units including 83 obsolete submersibles
Preamble The data bases of British submarines while very
useful can be confusing when trying to estimate the actual fighting strength of the Submarine Service over any particular period in this case 1948-1958 This period as it will referred to throughout the list and commentary was chosen because in 1958 the first new operational submarine since the war Porpoise joined the fleet to be
followed by the rest of her class Other major changes were in the offing not the least the first British nuclear submarine but of more immediate influence new sonar and torpedoes were finally to become a reality 1948 was chosen as the start of the period of interest for historical reasons but there was also an important practical motive most of the disposal and scrapping of WWII vessels was complete Historically the 1948 Berlin Airlift symbolised the start of confrontation between the Western Powers and the Soviet Union the Cold War NATO came into being the next year and the submarine started to take its place as a key player in the conduct of this trial of resolve between East and West However while the story from about 1960 onward is well known as are the submarines involved the active units that made up the submarine fleet of the Royal Navy when the possibility of a Hot War was very real are not as well known and this list is intended to correct that with data and photographs The Royal Naval Submarine Museum archives has documents that already define the fleet but these are not readily available to me to use in a publication for this web site
Of great value have been the relevant pages of the official Particulars of War Vessels 1959 CB 04826 supplied to me by Ian Buxton These pages have provided a lot of the detail about each vessel at the close of the period and confirms what submarines were still in active service Including submarines temporarily in the dockyard or reserve in 1953 (the halfway point in the period) there were 50 apparently operational diesel electric submarines in the Royal Navy
15 A class 22 T class 11 S class and 2 U class According to PoWV 1959 all were armed with Mk 8 torpedoes of the type used in WW II with the option of mines but according to FOSM correspondence of 1948 the electric Mk 11 torpedo was also to be carried in the extended T class A Mk 20 (BIDDER) passive homing torpedo was in service in 1955 but does not appear to have been considered a successful weapon Neither the Mk 11 and the Mk 20 are mentioned in the PoV 1959 The Mk 8 though apparently old in design was quite a sophisticated but reliable piece of machinery but from todays point of view it was basically just an aim and fire weapon The running depth could be set before firing as could a gyro controlled angled course on leaving the tube It was propelled by a burner-cycle combustion engine fuelled by shale oil and compressed air and could run for 5000 yards at 455 knots 805 lb of Torpex explosive in the warhead Diameter 21 Weight 3452 lbs Overall Length 259 in A large weapon to store and manhandle in the confines of these submarines They were indeed submersible torpedo boats
Books such as Naval Weapons of World War Two by John Campbell give a more detailed description of this torpedo and figures for torpedo success briefly 5421 torpedoes fired 1040 certain hits The Alliance book by
Lambert and Hill has detailed drawings of the torpedo and the tube firing system but little text discussion It would have been interesting to know if there were sufficient torpedoes to fully load all the submarines and if there were sufficient again to reload Another useful logistical figure would have been the crew strength in the period But these vital figures have proved difficult to obtain It is known from reliable anecdotes that early in the period small designated groups of mainly S class were held in active reserve in different locations with one crew looking after each group
It has been suggested but not confirmed that at the same time some T class were held in the Dockyards No attempt has been made at this stage to take on the difficult task of determining the disposition year by year of each submarine It is well known that submarines were committed to Australia and Canada for training for long periods however they represented a relatively small percentage of the total fleet and in principle could return to the UK if crisis circumstances arose The Politics of British Defence Policy 1945-1962 by William P Snyder (1964) will tell the reader nothing about diesel submarines but this American military author does provide a picture of the defence politics of the period and confirms that a Soviet attack in Europe was then considered very likely (Page 19) The comment is made in the context of commitments to the Korean War
The List With Commentary The intention is to identify
each submarine and its condition as clearly as possible Submarines still around in the period but not sensibly available for active service are accounted for in separate sections ASDIC sets in Sections 1 to 4b were of the type used in WWII Refer to the extended T notes Section 4d for comment on the ASDIC and TCS of the latter part of the period of interest There is insufficient information available to offer comment on the radar sets Norman Friedman 1981 Naval Radar Naval Institute Press ISBN 0870219677 may prove helpful to interested readers PoWV 1959 refers to the official document - Particulars of
War Vessels 1959 CB 04826 relevant sub pages provided by Ian Buxton
10
The Submarines Section 1 Two U class submarines Section 2 The introduction of a snort system in the RN Section 3a The S class submarine Section 3b Eleven S class modernised submarines Section 3c 4 S class submarines to France 19511952 Section 3d Six S class submarines scrapped by 1950 Section 3e 4 S class streamlined un-armed ASW targets Section 4a 10 Grp III T class Submarines 1571 tons sm Section 4b Accounting for T class to early scraploan Section 4c 8 T class extended hull fast battery subs Section 4d Five - Streamlined T class submarines Section 5 Sixteen A class submarines Section 6 The Porpoise class Section 7 Experimental and Trials submarines Section 8 The HTP Propulsion Programme of the RN Section 9 Personal observations StreamliningGuns Appendix Pennant numbers For a broader historical view of the disposition of the Submarines of the Royal Navy at this time the following two sources are suggested Norman Friedman The Post War Naval Revolution Chapter 8 Submarines and Eric Grove Vanguard to Trident 1945-1985 Chapter 6 - Peroxide to Polaris Thanks to John Eade and Ian Buxton who checked and where required corrected the basic submarine data using their sources
Section 1 Two U Class Submarines
Two U Class Submarines 730 tons sm Mike Critchley British Warships Since 1945 has photographs of both of these submarines that played such an important role in WWII They are shown in 1957 flying the White Ensign Guns removed and a modern ASDIC domes No pennant number displayed Apparently the last of the large fleet of 51 small U submarines all built by Vickers Armstrong during WWII There were 22 war losses In addition Armstrong Vickers built 22 very similar V class HMS Upstart shown here post war without a gun Note modern ASDIC dome aft (Photo G Chalcraft)
These Submarines By Name And Number
Untiring P59 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Loaned to Greece as Xifias 1945 Returned to Royal Navy 1952 Expended as AS target off Start Point 25 July 1957
Upstart P65 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Became Greek Amfitrite 1945 Returned to RN 1952 Expended as AS target off Isle of Wight 19 July 1957 Section 2 Introduction Of A Snort System In The RN
The first successful snort system in the Royal Navy is reported as being fitted in Truant N68
The topic is introduced at this point to give some idea how soon after the war a snort system was available for fitting in all RN submarines She was a relatively old Group 1 T class Completed 1939 Vickers Armstrong Decommissioned 1945 Wrecked off Cherbourg en route to scrapping December 1946 HMS Truant a group one T class
completed in 1939 Seen here with snort mast raised The additional pipe to starboard indicates this was an experimental setup Decommissioned in 1945 and lost under tow to the scrap yard in 1946
these dates give some idea as to when the Royal Navy began snort experiments The T and S submarine classes were fitted with fold down combined exhaust and induction masts mast as were the initial installations on the A class This quickly changed on the A class with the exhaust fixed to the after standards and only the induction mast folding down on to the after casing Further detail in each section Section 3a The S Class Of Submarine Construction of
this substantial fleet of (990 tons sm) submarines was commenced with the laying down of the Sturgeon in 1931
However the submarines of interest in the period 1948-1958 came from the surviving 40 that were part of Group III construction 1941 to 1945 There were 9 war losses from this group There are obvious features introduced in WWII but not fitted to all the GIII submarines No doubt due to Dockyard opportunities etc One was the Oerlikon gun fitted on a raised railed Bandstand aft of the conning tower the example below shows the conning tower of Splendid P228 (Lost in 1943) HMS Splendid shown with a Bandstand amp Oerlikon gun The platform is supported by a column mounted on the hull (Photo G Chalcraft) The following image shows Sahib P212 without this feature (lost in 1943) Another feature was the single external torpedo seen clearly on this image of Sahib but not on all the class This was the only external tube fitted to the S class HMS Sahib note the absence of a Bandstand amp
Oerlikon gun
Deck gun can be seen as can the aft torpedo tube (Our President survived the sinking of Sahib in
1943 and was taken POW)
HMS Scotsman showing the shielded platform fitted to some S class (Photograph R Fry) The GIII S class were fitted with a 3 and later a 4 gun It was thought the latter would be more effective against small ships particularly in the Far East (The Design and Construction of British Warships 1939-1945) The 3 mounts seem to have all been simple unshielded deck guns again as shown on Sahib
but the 4 gun appears to have had a platform mount and shield as seen in Sea Devil in the post
war photograph above and a grainy but clear close-up of the gun and conning tower of the Scotsman P243 1946 on the right HMS Sea Devil in
1949 Note she still has the Bandstand but no snort No pennant number is displayed Post-war many of the S class were transferred to other navies or scrapped and it is history of the survivors that went on to serve in the critical 1948-1958 period before new submarines came into service that is of interest To be continued
This article will be serialised over the coming months and includes many submarines served on by Derbyshire Members I am at present preparing it in a newsletter format and cannot at the present time say how many parts it will be but obviously our more senior members are getting their boats mentioned first It is appreciated the article is available on the web but it is also acknowledged that most members who served on lsquoSrsquo Boats in the 1940rsquos and early 1950rsquos do not have access to a computer Feedback is always welcome so let me know what you think with pleasure
11
FINAL PART ldquoI‟M NO HERO BUT I DID MY BITrdquo An Understatement By An bdquoilson Lad FOUR of FOUR MY STORY OF THE WAR YEARS 1939-1945 by Joseph Simons Driver REME
1946 In 1946 demob and back to the UK back to Civvy Street it went on age and length of
service (I was group 47 demobbed September 1947) we had a hut where at night we could go play cards dominoes or have a chat If someone getting demobbed we put a bit of a party on for them and Bill Dabbs a London bus driver aged about forty known no other life for over five years being with and working with the lads and with his mates and what with the weak beer they served in the hut he had tears running down his face with emotion due to leaving men he had only known for five years and the fact he was going back into civvy life where you are on your own
Early summer I got a fourteen day leave and went up to the leave centre and got on the train with all the others going on leave Wooden seats and it took twenty four hours to get to Calais because the train kept breaking down The Royal Engineers had put a single railway track across the River Rhine and the train went dead slow over this wooden bridge and looking out of the window you could only see the river We got to Calais and we crossed the channel on a fishing trawler to Folkstone I enjoyed that leave with the girl I had met but soon it was all
over and back to our workshop camp Later that year through units were breaking up due to demobilisation and our own workshop was one the fitters and mechanics took all the trucks and went to another workshop to make it up to strength All the drivers went to Bad Oyenhasen a spar town Once a week we went to the baths a German civilian filled the wooden bath worn smooth by years of use and put a thermometer in the water to see if it was the right temperature A bath in a wooden bath is far superior
A posting came for me and I went to Dusseldorf to this little unit which controlled all the factories in the Ruhr It consisted of a Captain WO1 Sergeant Corporal and me with two civilian clerks My job was to go to a factory to see what they had produced and take it to another factory that needed it I went all around the Ruhr past the Krupps bombed out factory at Essen Solingen Dortmund Wuppertao one job I had to pick up about seven plate glass shop window size and take it to Achen about thirty miles away I thought the state of the roads it will be broken but it was all in one piece not broke when I got it to Achen
I was billeted in the centre Dusseldorf in a big building it must have been offices because it had many rooms it was opposite Steal House the headquarters of the steel industry of the Ruhr It was where we had our meals our office was about a mi le away The Captain and the Sergeant where German Jews and must have got out of Germany before the war had started The Captain disappeared at the weekend with German friends in the big houses or castle and went on the shooting parties in the forests He had got all mounted animal heads on the walls of his office The Sergeant as soon as you saw him he was a Jew They both had cars whether bought or commandeered and when the sergeant went out he must have scared the Germans to bits for what they did to the Jews The Corporal he was a real spiv selling things for a profit what the Germans could not get cigarettes was the currency you could buy anything with cigarettes
The winter of 1946-47 it was cold and we went skating on the lake in the park I enjoyed my job going to different factories that had started up taking and delivering things in my three ton truck and then that day when group 47 came up and it was on the train to Cuxhaven (North Germany) a night crossing on a troop ship to Hull and train to barracks at York to collect everything from a civvy suit pay that was due rail ticket to Derby bus warrant to Ilkeston and I was back in civvy street I am pleased I did and I would not sell my memories of those four years of army life not for a million pounds Joseph Simons Driver REME April 1943 to September 1947 Army Number 14424767
Editor It was a pleasure to undertake putting his story into book form for Joe‟s Grandchildren which includes many more photographs he took on his exploits than can be shown here Many of these photo‟s are personal to him but I am immensely pleased that he allowed me permission to produce some extra books and they have been placed in the Local History Section of Ilkeston Library and also in the Erewash Museum so the exploits of a local Ilkeston (ilson is the local slang) man have been recorded for the future I hope you have enjoyed the story I certainly felt very privileged that he shared his experiences
Bad
Oyenhasen
12
VANGUARD VISIT TO DERBY 30 Sept ndash 3 Oct It was absolutely wonderful to have a group of twenty Submariners visit Derby for an extended weekend with hopefully not too busy a programme though it was running tight on occasions The crew arrived in Derby spaced over six or so hours and booked in the European Hotel which was very accommodating and geared up and everyone agreed it was very good We had an early evening briefing on the programme and all sailors received a welcome to Derby pack with loads of paper advising what had been arranged and free entry tickets and other information A recce of Derby Night Life was organised and it was abundantly clear at breakfast at 8am that some lively night life had been found
Coffee Morning Friday dawn the weather was an absolute killer with rain as bad as any Singapore monsoon Ritchie the Vanguard coxswain and I arrived early at the Council House to open up and to unload my car which was full to the gunnels with kit in the pouring rain Our door team of Jim Hunt and John Hadfield had already arrived to man up the doors and with them were John‟s wife Maureen and her sister Francis who immediately proceeded to set up the coffee percolator and coffee boat Maureen and Francis were soon joined by Joyce who looked after the victuals and peculator ably assisted by Peter Johnson and Jean Slater ndash definitely an bdquoA‟ team The next hour was a flurry of activity setting up the various stalls with everyone helping each other John amp Rita Sayers did the main raffle Jenny Williamson the tombola Michelle Tyler and Julie Winstanley did the Submariners and Skimmer blackouts with Ron Slater and Ken Holtham doing the health and fitness straw draw as well as the Mug Sales stall so all helpers really dug out The Vanguard crew‟s input was tremendous helping us throughout the morning and as someone observed they were very fit and active I might add a lady made this comment ndash or was she Incidentally if I have missed mentioning anyone please accept my apologies but it was a rather hectic though successful morning The severe weather had a major impact on the ex service trade and of course the fact the bus stops outside the Council House have now been moved to the new bus station did not help either We would especially like to thank those ladies and gentleman who booked a day of work for this event and despite the weather turned out especially one young lady who came into Derby for the event by train and it‟s a long walk with weather like that Many hands make light work so everyone‟s efforts were appreciated The Mayor of Derby joined us at 1045 and our Chair Steve Tyler welcomed him and presented him with one of the special commissioned mugs to commemorate the Vanguard visit
Every crew member visiting received one and they bore the crests of Vanguard SA Derbyshire SM1 and with special permission from Rolls Royce their crest These were proudly above the wording bdquoFreedom of the City of Derby granted to HM Submarine Service with the White Ensign in the middle The WEO of Vanguard Lt Cdr Chris Bland thence presented the Mayor with a Vanguard Crest Getting on for 1120 we started the ball rolling with the raffle draw and this was followed by the Mayor opening the envelopes to declare the Blackout winners I might add the winning boats and targets were impartially picked by someone who knows absolutely nothing about the RN and the fact our Chair won the bottle of Pusser‟s with Courageous which he served on in 1982 was purely a coincidence Still the good news is the Skimmer prize of 1ltr of Lambs was donated back to the branch and will be redrawn either at the visit of Ambush or Christmas so you can have another opportunity of winning a large bottle of rum We then drew the Submariners unique free Coffee Morning Ticket entry raffle prize of a bottle of whiskey and then finally we auctioned the two remaining prizes from the straw health and fitness draw The fitness watch worth pound70 went for pound30 and the magnetic bracelet for pound10 further enhancing our funds Jenny‟s tombola was a successful sell out
Despite the low turn out of people we did exceptionally well and it is sad that with the closure of the Council House for two years renovation we will not be able to hold this event in its present location or form elsewhere at present I feel it has been an immense privilege we have enjoyed courtesy of the Mayor and the City Council over a number of years It has not been a right but a perk and I believe all ex Service Associations should be grateful at the generosity over the years and accept through no ones fault the council can no longer afford to provide accommodation now not the least because they have not got any spare accommodation during the renovation of the present Council House
On conclusion of the Coffee Morning members squared away the room whilst the Vanguard crew enjoyed a very good presentation undertaken by the Mayor and John the Mayors Chauffer in the Council Chamber The history of the unique Chain of Office which is priceless City Sword Orb and Rod were all explained to an interested audience As Ricki Rotimi one of Vanguards Chefs undertook the demonstrations with the Sword and other artefacts it was noticed that the Mayor kept the Chain of Office firmly in his grasp Ricki got quite excited that whilst kneeling he got Knighted with the sword but looked a bit glum when it was declared that his Knighthood was invalid as it needed the Monarchs approval On leaving the Council House we discovered the rain was as bad as it had been early in the morning thus wet on the outside we proceeded to the pub to get wet on the inside too
13
We collected our vehicles and made our way to the Oak amp Acorn for an arranged buffet Once the crew had been fed and watered (though there was not much water drunk) the branch members were invited to dine The worries on the change of management three days previously were unfounded and everyone was pleased with the choice of venue The Rolls Royce Representative Tony kindly joined us for a short time and he acted as escort for a special tour to Rolls Royce on Raynesway for all the crew members on which I understand was a very useful and interesting visit to Vanguard‟s crew I used the time after this to offload a lot of gear at my home as my car was so full it could not carry passengers I then set off for the Spot to complete setting up the room with the Raffle final place settings due to changes checking wine orders etc I normally set up a big A Board with laminated welcome posters but with the Spot having all the mod cons I was requested to supply A4 instead of twice the size A3 I was most impressed with the displays in lights as we entered I produced two posters one welcoming the Vanguard on their visit to Derby and one advertising the Branch and its 30th Anniversary To see them up in lights was far superior to the laminated posters I know it‟s just another toy but wow What a toy
Friday night rush hour is a nightmare and I got caught up in the car parking on the new Laura Croft way trying to get back to the European Hotel and in the end landed up with only having 30 minutes to get showered dressed in best bib and tucker and to get to the Spot to welcome everyone How we did it I do not really know And it was still chucking it down with rain In fact it was just like Faslane Friday Evening was a combination celebrations rolled into one We were celebrating our Branch 30
th
Anniversary and had brought forward our branch Trafalgar Dinner night as well We were also celebrating the 50
th year of RN British Submarines
and of course we welcomed the twenty crew of Vanguard to the only City in the United Kingdom that has granted the Freedom of the City to HM Submarine Service which proudly hangs on the stairwell of the Submarine Squadron Offices in Faslane The room had been superbly decorated on a Red White and Blue theme by the Spot and this was complimented by balloon‟s The branch had added our own personal touch with place mats individual seating markers with a reminder of what people had ordered and table markers and of course a unique programme to celebrate the occasion When items such as these are taken as souvenirs I always consider it a compliment and I had nothing to clear up at the end of the evening Everyone assembled in the middle room for early drinks and socialise with John amp Rita Sayers making everyone exceptionally welcome selling them Raffle Tickets
On time everyone was summoned to take their places for Dinner and at 7pm the Sea Cadets from TS Kenya piped the top table into Dinner The Diners slow hand clapped the top table in and I undertook Master of Ceremonies with a very short safety brief Thence the Senior Officer present Cdr Jerry Hall RN Rtd was called upon to read out the response to the Loyal Greetings sent to HM Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of our 30
th Anniversary Jerry proudly read
the message to all relayed from the Queen wishing us a successful evening Thence followed the Welcome by our President Mr Ken Holtham and grace by our Vice Chair Mr John Sayers It was thence time to dig in for the first course which was a choice of Soup Pate or Melon The main course was a Carvery but what a carvery We had the choice of Beef Pork amp Turkey and all vegetarians and special diets were well looked after The choice of vegetables was the largest anyone had seen with the only complaint being the plates were not big enough I consider as I was full there was ample but I agree it was impossible to get everything on There were one or two deep breaths before the puddings which was the Sweet Trolley of cream gateaux‟s Cheese board or ice cream followed by coffee which with cream and a mint biscuit rounded off a super meal We then eased springs for a break of fifteen minutes before the speeches
Cdr Jerry Hall Lt Cdr Chris Bland Terry Hall Michelle Tyler Desna amp Ian Tyson
The immortal Toast and a fine speech on Nelson was delivered by Lt Cdr Chris Bland the WEO as Senior Officer of Vanguard who bravely stepped into the position of Cdr Stuart Capes the Commanding Officer of Vanguard Port who was unable to attend due to operational reasons Chris was followed by the Loyal Toast to HM the Queen This very different and enjoyable toast was undertaken by Mr Ian Tyson MIM who is not only a personal friend of mine but was the ex Ceremonial Officer for the Submariners Assn and was a leading light in the London SA before its closure Ian treated us to a unique history lesson on the Battle of Trafalgar and his instruction on taking one‟s tot involved everyone and the experience was enjoyed by all It was as promised in our Loyal Greetings letter to HM toasted with gusto and from the heart Ian‟s speech and toast was summed up by our Chairman Steve Tyler who when he arose to toast the Submarine Service and the Submariner stated ldquoHow do I follow thatrdquo Follow it he did with a roaring toast to the senior part of the Senior Service
14
The presentations were extended slightly with two planned and one unplanned The branch made a presentation of a SA Derbyshire Plaque to the Senior Officer and thence a framed picture of a cartoon that had been in the National Press which had been suitably and artistically enhanced in colour by my daughter This was presented to Vanguard‟s Coxswain John Richie Richardson and small A5 copies distributed in a sealed envelope to each table so all could view the cartoon The Senior Officer thence presented the branch with a superb framed
picture of the Vanguard Crest with brass plaques engraved to commemorate the visit to Derby This splendid gift will be hung in our room at TS Kenya for both ourselves and the cadets to enjoy A presentation of a bouquet of flowers was made by ET Chris Whale to Elena Holtham the wife of our Branch President who was
celebrating her 85th
birthday I would also like to extend our branch‟s best wishes to Chris on his forthcoming course he is just embarking on at HMS Sultan we wish you the best of luck In keeping with the branch tradition we thence provided a decorated Rose Stem for all of the ladies attending and requested the crew members undertake the presentations - which were carried out admirably in true Naval Tradition Our youngest guest was a lovely young lady called Amy who had joined us due to a late cancellation She had joined us at our coffee morning and spent some time with our WWII veterans discussing their experience for her bdquoA‟ Levels and the branch has been able to help with books from our library and I have provided her with booksleaflets from various projects I have undertaken with my RBL hat on so not only was the RN covered but also the RAF with the bomber memorial and Joe Simons excellent story of his service from Normandy just after D-Day and into Germany You may be able to spot her in the picture above
The evening was thence concluded by a wonderful performance by Shep Woolley who I consider it a
great privilege that he commented to me how much he had enjoyed his observations of our special evening As per normal Shep gave a superb performance and it was much enjoyed by all and we thank him
for such a brilliant and entertaining programme as the Golden Carriages arrived for our guests
Saturday 2 December 2010 Talk about see-saw weather Thursday had been fine for the arrival and it was quite hot sat in the foyer of the hotel waiting to meet and greet the crew to Derby Friday was a total washout weather wise and the rain that bad I would liken it to a monsoon Saturday however dawned bright and sunny and stayed like that until the early evening However our plan was a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas where the Vanguard crew would lay a wreath at the Submariners Memorial Though booked into the NMA it was not until about two weeks before that I was advised of the Annual Bike to the Wall and was told they already had 23000 bikes booked in I spoke to the Coxswain and we decided it was worth a go and we are all very glad we did Only one of the twenty had visited the NMA before so it was a particularly poignant visit We convoyed down in three vehicles parking up in a field designated as the Park amp Ride Car Park with a free bus service to and from the NMA The rain the previous day saw the river swollen that runs through the site and it was a little damp to say the least The buses ran regularly and we arrived and our first duty was to replace the very tatty and dirty White Ensign on the Naval Review section We then went down to the submariner‟s memorial where we carried out a short poignant service including the laying of Vanguards Wreath The various parts of the service were shared out amongst crew members with me having the honour of piping the silence I had produced souvenir quality service sheets for each crew member and included a brief history of the NMA site I particularly liked the comment about bdquoIts good to see it was the conception of a Commander Royal Navy who made it happen‟ and that is something we can all be very proud of Unfortunately I had left my camera in the car but we enjoyed the spectacle of the bikers in their thousands The respect and salutes to the service members were a joy to behold The bikers raise a lot of money and the sights of them coming up the main A38 dual carriageway with lights blazing was a magnificent sight The car parks and main thoroughfares were chocker block with bikes of all shapes and sizes including some modified with rear ends of VW Beetles Indian rickshaws and Harleys by the hundreds Whatever the bike they had all come to pay their respects to our Armed Forces and were a credit to their respective chapters clubs or Legion bikers or as individuals BZ to all those who participated on the bdquoRide To The Wall‟ We returned to Derby in the afternoon and arranged to meet up down in the City at the Assembly Rooms where Shep Woolley was performing and the promoters had kindly offered greatly reduced tickets for the Vanguard Crew After the concert I was treated to a Chinese all you can eat on Babbington Lane With not frequenting Derby very often and certainly not at night it was an unknown venue to me but was most enjoyable I sincerely thank Coxn Richie Richardson and CPO Nick Alton for excellent company My first ever visit to Walkabouts was an eye opener and a half and it was only the excellent company that made the run so enjoyable Sunday was going home day and the Vanguards split off by car train to all points of the compass
15
HMS TIRELESS IN MULTINATIONAL EXERCISE Naval assets from the UK France Australia and the US have completed a major international anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Gulf of Oman This is a regular exercise directed by the United Kingdom Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) based in Bahrain It is designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability in warm water environments and promote interoperability between ships and aircraft from a variety of nations The centrepiece of the cat and mouse style exercise was Trafalgar Class submarine HMS Tireless playing the role of the mouse while the duties of the cat were shared between the Australian frigate HMAS Melbourne and the French frigate FS Dupleix Meanwhile Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron and US P-3 Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft acted as eyes in the sky HMS Tireless and HMAS Melbourne also exchanged key personnel during the exercise in order to share skills and experience A UKMCC spokesperson said The number of navies
building and operating submarines continues to grow It is therefore important that the Royal Navy retains its position at the forefront of anti-submarine warfare a skill easy to lose but difficult to regain The presence of
a large number of coalition navies in this region provides the ideal opportunity to train together Commodore Tim Fraser UK Maritime Component Commander said The large proportion of the Royal Navys work in this region is of an operational nature such as conducting anti-piracy patrols and strengthening relations with regional allies However it is important that we also run regular exercises such as this in order to maintain and further develop our skills across the full range of capabilities The UKMCC controls all Royal Navy warships aircraft and personnel in the Middle East maritime theatre which totals over thirteen hundred personnel and more than a dozen vessels These include frigates undertaking maritime security operations and anti-piracy patrols mine countermeasures vessels developing warm water mine hunting techniques and landing ships supporting the training and development of the fledgling Iraqi Navy and the protection of key Iraqi oil platforms
HMS ASTUTE IN COMMISSION The UKs most powerful attack submarine HMS Astute has been welcomed into the Royal Navy in a commissioning ceremony overseen by the boats patron the Duchess of Cornwall as well as Doug Clarke our Derbyshire Member who was kindly taken up to Faslane by his son and daughter for the prestigious event HMS Astute which has officially become Her Majestys Ship today 29 August 2010 She is almost fifty per cent bigger than any attack submarine in the Royal Navys current fleet As the base port of all the Royal Navys submarines from 2016 Faslane will be home to the whole Astute Class including Ambush Artful and Audacious which are already under construction Astute was built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness with hundreds of suppliers around the country contributing component parts including Rolls-Royce Derby (nuclear plant)
TS KENYA PRESENTATION NIGHT Friday 15 October 2010
What an absolutely awful evening weather wise which fortunately did not prevent a decent size audience for this Annual prestigious event which was a credit of organisation and planning The Cadets both Sailors and Royal Marines were as usual excellently turned out and disciplined The Chief guests were the High Sheriff of Derbyshire and the Mayor of Derby who both presented the various trophies to the Cadets As I helped with the raffle I can say with authority that all the prime guests and Senior Committee were exceptionally generous with donations and the total of just under pound90 was raised Whoever organised the prizes did a Herculean effort with Black amp Decker Sets Footbath bottles and really exceptionally good prizes
We submariners were thinner on the ground than in the past with myself Ken and Peter and Joyce but with more than half the branch either on holiday P7R or sick parade this was to be expected There was also three RMA amp Tom Smith BEM RNA Jerry Hall was wearing many hats including President of the TS Kenya Management Committee and President of the RNA for whom he presented a Bosun‟s Pipe to the best cadet Jerry is of course a Submariner member and thanked all four Naval Associations in Derby for their unstinting support of the unit
The presentations took the normal format of the badges and promotions for the Cadets followed by the awards The bdquoTommy Appleby‟ Memorial Shield was won by Cadet Ginette Doherty This Shield was presented to the Unit by Doris in memory of Tommy who was a submariner member The array of awards is impressive and the presentations were undertaken in rotation by the High Sheriff and the Mayor After the presentations the High Sheriff and the Mayor were presented with bouquets The High Sheriff is a nice lady but the Mayor had to accept on behalf of his wife who had been whisked away only moments before for another function I thought he took the presentation of flowers in good spirit The Mayor and High Sheriff both made speeches praising the work of the Cadets Staff and supporters of the Unit
Those who follow the progress of the Cadets through the newsletter or otherwise will be aware that the project to get the Cadets on the water is nearing fruition with the money required for a boat and a safety boat raised and both boats are in the process of being built An internal competition at TS Kenya had been undertaken to name the two boats and unfortunately the Commanding Officer Capt SCC Andy Fuller RMR would not divulge the ones he advised were outrageous suggestions However the decision had been to name the budding Fleet after ex Royal Navy vessels with one to be a submarine and one to be a target skimmer surface vessel The decision made was for HMS Sovereign for the safety boat and HMS Malaya for the pulling boat Sovereign was Derby‟s adopted boat for over thirty years and always ably supported the Sea Cadet unit in Derby Malaya was the name of the Unit until a few years ago when the name was changed to TS Kenya to reflect the long Ship Affiliation of HMS Kenya which was Derby‟s adopted ship before Sovereign with links to warship week in WWII
16
FEEDBACK 30th
ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND I have received much positive feedback and only one complaint of the 30
th Anniversary amp Trafalgar Dinner
The complaint was from Jim Hunt who stated the carvery plates were not big enough End of complaint Many branch members as well as guests have taken the time to say how much they enjoyed the event and in summary the following letter from HMS Vanguard by Louis Gardner the Operations Officer who I know definitely enjoyed his run ashore in Derby
Dear Terry May I take this opportunity to thank the Derbyshire Branch of the Submariners Association for inviting the Ship‟s Company of HMS Vanguard to participate in what was a hugely enjoyable visit Your organisation of such a varied programme including the visit to Rolls Royce was particularly well received Further thanks must go to all who ensured such a successful Trafalgar Night Dinner Excellent hosting was provided by all of your members which was enjoyed and appreciated by our sailors and officers It was a delight to toast both Nelson and your branch‟s 30
th
anniversary on the same occasion Special thanks must go to you for your Herculean efforts in ensuring our time in Derby ran so smoothly Everything from the welcome packs and presentation mugs to your organisation of the service at the National Arboretum was greatly appreciated Much fun was had by all during the visit and we look forward to the opportunity to reciprocate your invitation in the future
Well done all branch members I know many of you had an exceptionally busy Friday and also appreciate for many it was an expensive day with taxi‟s hotels and distances involved However your company was enjoyed by the Vanguard‟s Ship Company and the fact we had so many turn up to help at the Coffee Morning made the task so much easier especially for me It was a wonderful change to have the work load shared as it was by the branch bdquoA‟ team ndash That‟s all of you who were able to turn up and help BZ to all and for the first time I can remember it was a stress free Trafalgar Dinner with nearly everything going smoothly thanks to the excellent organisation at the Spot Now for next year has anyone any ideas
SA NATIONAL RAFFLE I have received the list of prize winners from the ex National Treasurer and can confirm that unfortunately there are no Derbyshire Member Winners Thanks to all in the branch who participated as the branch got one third of the takings
NATIONAL DIARIES I asked Steve Tyler that if there were any SA diaries available at Nottingham to get Ten these have all been sold We hoped for an opportunity to pick up at the Embankment Parade in London avoiding costly PampP However due to problems and cost of accommodation in London we will now unfortunately not be parading our Standard but will be attending the Derby Festival of Remembrance at Derby Cathedral on the same weekend Any further orders to the Treasurer please
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2011 If any members have any proposals for Conference 2011 you are reminded that the branch must submit them by 31 December 2010 thus they need to be presented at the next two meetings if your proposal is to be discussed and submitted
BRANCH AGM TS KENYA The Branch AGM will take place at 7pm on Wednesday 3 March 2011 when we revert from our Winter Routine of lunch time meetings at the Jubilee Club at 1215 Items for the Agenda should be submitted by the January meeting with any nominations for any office
BRANCH SUBSCRIPTIONS 2011 Branch Subscriptions were not discussed at our AGM in March thus by default they will remain the same at pound10 per person with pound5 National fee making a total of pound15 Annual Subscription This becomes due to the 31 December 2010 for the following year and it is requested that to enable the year end figures to be completed by 31 January 2011 that they are submitted to the Treasurer as soon into the new year or anytime before Those who will be effecting an electronic bank transfer to the branch accounts as per the memo posted out to all members are requested to ensure that your reference clearly states your surname and the word bdquosubs‟ Those who wish to continue to have a hard copy of In Depth are requested to make a further donation of pound5 to cover the copies for 2011 Newsletter Online If you need to refer to a back issue
(three copies only) please refer to wwwsubmarinersassociationcoukhtmlderbynewshtml
Views and comments of this newsletter do not always reflect the official policy or decisions of neither the
Derby Branch nor the Submariners Association
Terry Hall Newsletter Editor Submariners Association Derbyshire Branch 69 Station Road STANLEY VILLAGE
Derbyshire DE7 6FB
Ronamp Jean Slater
4 November 2010 Best Wishes from all the
Derbyshire Branch
7
DELAY TRIDENT REPLACEMENT Thursday September 16 2010
The pound20bn replacement of the UKs Trident nuclear deterrent could be put off until after 2015 according to reports The BBC said ministers were considering delaying the planned 2014 date in an effort to reduce short-term costs and head off a pre-general election political row The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said no decisions had yet been taken on the future of the submarine-based missile system which is currently the subject of a value-for-money review It has been formally excluded from the ongoing strategic defence and security review (SDSR) but the Treasury has made clear the under-pressure MoD budget will have to pay for it An influential committee of MPs yesterday warned that that decision would have very significant consequences for future defence spending The coalition agreement between the Tories and Lib Dems committed the government to renewing Trident but agreed that it should be scrutinised to ensure it offered value for money The deal allows the Lib Dems who went into the general election opposing a like-for-like replacement of the missile system to continue to make the case for alternatives
An MoD spokesman said The government remains committed to maintaining the UKs minimum and credible submarine-based nuclear deterrent based on the Trident missile system Within the framework of the strategic defence and security review a review is ongoing to ensure that the renewal of the deterrent provides value for money It will consider the programme timetable numbers of submarines missiles missile tubes and warheads infrastructure and other support costs and the industrial supply chain Once the review has concluded ministers will discuss and agree the optimum balance of capability and cost Labour leadership candidate Ed Balls said I believe the right approach is to include the decision about the replacement of Trident in the strategic defence review so that we can make an informed decision about how best to maintain the minimum nuclear deterrent that Britain requires I think its right that we seek to make savings where possible but this decision by the coalition looks worryingly like a government putting off the difficult political choices because they are too weak and too divided to take them rather that showing the leadership and strength to make tough choices in the long-term interests of our country
FLEET SHRUNK Friday 24 September 24 2010 The Sun Online
Defence bosses have drawn up shock plans to shrink the Royal Navys ship fleet by half The Sun newspaper has reported In a cuts blueprint seen by the newspaper the fleet will be slashed to just 12 frigates and destroyers It will make our surface armada once feared the world over smaller than that of every other major European nation except Portugal And 7500 sailors will be laid off more than a fifth of the Senior Services manpower of 35760 The plan would leave the service which won Trafalgar Jutland and the Falklands unrecognisable Last night the closest living relative of the Navys greatest hero Admiral Lord Nelson said the plan would have left him horrified And a naval source said It wont just be a disaster we are heading for a national humiliation
The drastic cuts are being considered because the Treasury has ordered the MoD budget to be slashed by 19 Losing 12 frigates and destroyers is the price the Navy will have to pay to keep two new 60000-ton aircraft carriers The troop landing ships Albion and Bulwark which came into service only seven years ago will also be sold off The Navy currently has 24 destroyerfrigates four Type 22 and 13 Type 23 frigates five Type 42 and two Type 45 destroyers At the time of the Falklands War in 1982 we boasted 53 frigates and 13 destroyers Cutting the fleet in half again would make ours smaller than those of historical foes France Germany Spain and Italy Even skint Greece boasts more ships and only Portugal with a population a sixth of Britains has the same number Admirals have been put under massive new pressure by Army boss General Sir David Richards winning the PM round to not sacking 20000 troops In a move that left Defence Secretary Liam Fox fuming David Cameron was persuaded that the Army cuts would risk victory in Afghanistan There are also growing concerns that the difficult defence review is being badly rushed to meet artificial Treasury deadlines A source said The money men have forgotten were an island nation with 90 per cent of our trade going by sea And we have the additional tasks now of chasing pirates and counter-terrorism The Navy has never been busier And 80-year-old Anna Tribe the great-great-great-granddaughter of Admiral Horatio Nelson said I think he would be horrified As a country we are terribly in debt and savings have to be made but not all the money was spent on sensible things It is very sad The RAF also faces bitter cuts with Tornado and Harrier jets Chinook and Puma choppers and the jobs of 6500 airmen under threat Our revelation comes as the row with Argentina over a hunt for oil in the Falklands is expected to be raised by the Argies in the UN in New York today Deputy PM Nick Clegg will also signal to the UN that the age of big Cold War-style fleets and armies is over as we face more fluid less visible threats Last night a Downing Street spokesman said no final decisions had been taken on defence cuts
THEFT FROM HOLLAND V Press Assn 2010
Thieves have targeted a nationally-important submarine wreck lying in the English Channel off East Sussex Divers stole the torpedo tube hatch of the Holland 5 the only surviving example on the seabed of this class of submarine in the world The theft was discovered during a licensed dive by the Nautical Archaeology Society in June and confirmed during a survey dive last month Experts said a group of people would have been behind the theft but that the hatch carried very little monetary value English Heritage and Sussex Police appealed for help to catch the perpetrators who are believed to have struck over the past two years Removing the hatch and accessing the site without a license is illegal under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 police warned The Holland class of submarine became obsolete in the early 20th Century and in 1912 the Holland 5 was destined for scrap It was being towed to Sheerness in Kent when it foundered and sunk six miles off the coast near Eastbourne One theory was that it took on water after the hatch that was stolen was left open
8
ATTRIBUTES OF CUCUMBERS 1 Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folic Acid Vitamin C Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium and Zinc
2 Feeling tired in the afternoon put down the caffeinated and pick up a cucumber Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours
3 Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing spa-like fragrance
4 Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminium to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area
5 Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free Cucumbers contain enough sugar B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost keeping everything in equilibrium avoiding both a hangover and headache
6 Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation
7 Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you dont have enough time to polish your shoes Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water
8 Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge and voila the squeak is gone
9 Stressed out and dont have time for massage facial or visit to the spa Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam creating a soothing relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams
10 Just finish a business lunch and realize you dont have gum or mints Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath
11 Looking for a green way to clean your sinks or stainless steel Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine but is wont leave streaks and wont harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean
13 Using a pen and made a mistake Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls
Just do not take your specimen cucumbers into the Joke and Acorn at Oakwood
BRITS LOSE SENSE OF HUMOUR AT 52 The age we all turn into Victor Meldrews
Theres not much to laugh about once you reach 52 as a new study finds this is the age we all start to lose our sense of humour A poll of 2000 Brits found that adults have less to laugh about as they age On average adults laugh out loud around four times a day researchers said but by the time we reach 50 this falls to just three times a day and a pathetic 25 times a day when 60 Dr Lesley Harbridge from the University of Glamorgan said The Lifetime of Laughter Scale shows that there really is a law of diminishing returns when it comes to laughter We laugh twice as much in our teens as we do in our fifties And our findings suggest that its all downhill from 52 The study also found that while an infant can laugh out loud as many as 300 times every day by the time we reach our twenties this figure has slumped to just four times a day Men were found to be more grumpier than women However according to the findings life gets a little happier when we are in our thirties as thirty something‟s manage on average to laugh around five time every day Perhaps children help us find our sense of humour again The survey carried out for TV channel Dave also found the Victor Meldrew Syndrome was firmly established by the time we hit 50 as this is the age we are most likely to complain Another finding hinted at what may contribute to our grumpiness as we age the survey revealed the average Brit knows only two Jokes Editor Well whoever wrote the above article had obviously never visited the lsquoJoke amp Acornrsquo where a certain member of the Derbyshire Branch certainly has above the average of two jokes in his repertoire and my experience with submariners is we certainly tend to laugh well above average as well Still I bet the professor or doctor is laughing well above average that some plonkers normally us the taxpayer is paying for them to investigate and write reports about this dribble that is no use to anyone
To prove the above point one of our members had a prolonged operation on his arm which was filmed and showed to him He was gleefully telling a table full of the butchery and intricate details of how a certain muscle was really tough Trying to be subtle as one does to a friend who has suffered a serious operation I asked politely if it was as tough as the steak on the meal I was trying to enjoy As quick as a flash he came back with bdquoSorry it was an armless story‟ However despite needing to wear a sling for at least two months it has proved that the operation has not dimished his sense of humour Get well soon Jim
OK so we‟ve taken off all our clothes and got on top of each other How long until we get
the Orgasm
I don‟t know But now I understand why mother gets a headache all the
time
9
DIESEL SUBMARINES 1948 ndash 1958 PART ONE OF SIX
The Diesel Submarines Of The Royal Navy Available To Engage In A Major War In The Period 1948 to 1958 Compiled by Peter D Hulme with additional notes
Acknowledgements for information and advice to John Eade Ian Buxton George Malcomson (RN Submarine Museum) and Roger Fry Submarines are mentioned in this article that were lost war and peace - we will remember them
By the 1980s surveillance of NATO naval units by Soviet submarines was taken for granted Electronic spy ships passed happily through our fleet formations whilst their maritime aircraft buzzed over them without hindrance But in the early fifties following hard on the heels of the Berlin airlift and at a time of explosive growth of Soviet sea power sterner attitudes prevailed I recall a confidential memorandum on the subject circulated to the Fleet at the time which reminded Escort Force Commanders that there were no prohibitions on firing depth charge patterns to test them at any time Exactly what similar orders had gone out to the Red Navy remained a matter of conjecture but no one fancied being the first to find out as Gary Powers did on his U2 flight over Mother Russia
Extract from SUBMARINER by Commander John Coote Royal Navy (deceased) former CO of the Totem foreword by Submarine Admiral IJ Galantin US Navy (Rtd) Norman Friedman US Naval author - Office of Naval Intelligence (US Navy) found the future bleak by 1951 it expected 356 Soviet submarines It later proved to be an over estimate ONI in 1954 credited the Soviets with 345 operational units including 83 obsolete submersibles
Preamble The data bases of British submarines while very
useful can be confusing when trying to estimate the actual fighting strength of the Submarine Service over any particular period in this case 1948-1958 This period as it will referred to throughout the list and commentary was chosen because in 1958 the first new operational submarine since the war Porpoise joined the fleet to be
followed by the rest of her class Other major changes were in the offing not the least the first British nuclear submarine but of more immediate influence new sonar and torpedoes were finally to become a reality 1948 was chosen as the start of the period of interest for historical reasons but there was also an important practical motive most of the disposal and scrapping of WWII vessels was complete Historically the 1948 Berlin Airlift symbolised the start of confrontation between the Western Powers and the Soviet Union the Cold War NATO came into being the next year and the submarine started to take its place as a key player in the conduct of this trial of resolve between East and West However while the story from about 1960 onward is well known as are the submarines involved the active units that made up the submarine fleet of the Royal Navy when the possibility of a Hot War was very real are not as well known and this list is intended to correct that with data and photographs The Royal Naval Submarine Museum archives has documents that already define the fleet but these are not readily available to me to use in a publication for this web site
Of great value have been the relevant pages of the official Particulars of War Vessels 1959 CB 04826 supplied to me by Ian Buxton These pages have provided a lot of the detail about each vessel at the close of the period and confirms what submarines were still in active service Including submarines temporarily in the dockyard or reserve in 1953 (the halfway point in the period) there were 50 apparently operational diesel electric submarines in the Royal Navy
15 A class 22 T class 11 S class and 2 U class According to PoWV 1959 all were armed with Mk 8 torpedoes of the type used in WW II with the option of mines but according to FOSM correspondence of 1948 the electric Mk 11 torpedo was also to be carried in the extended T class A Mk 20 (BIDDER) passive homing torpedo was in service in 1955 but does not appear to have been considered a successful weapon Neither the Mk 11 and the Mk 20 are mentioned in the PoV 1959 The Mk 8 though apparently old in design was quite a sophisticated but reliable piece of machinery but from todays point of view it was basically just an aim and fire weapon The running depth could be set before firing as could a gyro controlled angled course on leaving the tube It was propelled by a burner-cycle combustion engine fuelled by shale oil and compressed air and could run for 5000 yards at 455 knots 805 lb of Torpex explosive in the warhead Diameter 21 Weight 3452 lbs Overall Length 259 in A large weapon to store and manhandle in the confines of these submarines They were indeed submersible torpedo boats
Books such as Naval Weapons of World War Two by John Campbell give a more detailed description of this torpedo and figures for torpedo success briefly 5421 torpedoes fired 1040 certain hits The Alliance book by
Lambert and Hill has detailed drawings of the torpedo and the tube firing system but little text discussion It would have been interesting to know if there were sufficient torpedoes to fully load all the submarines and if there were sufficient again to reload Another useful logistical figure would have been the crew strength in the period But these vital figures have proved difficult to obtain It is known from reliable anecdotes that early in the period small designated groups of mainly S class were held in active reserve in different locations with one crew looking after each group
It has been suggested but not confirmed that at the same time some T class were held in the Dockyards No attempt has been made at this stage to take on the difficult task of determining the disposition year by year of each submarine It is well known that submarines were committed to Australia and Canada for training for long periods however they represented a relatively small percentage of the total fleet and in principle could return to the UK if crisis circumstances arose The Politics of British Defence Policy 1945-1962 by William P Snyder (1964) will tell the reader nothing about diesel submarines but this American military author does provide a picture of the defence politics of the period and confirms that a Soviet attack in Europe was then considered very likely (Page 19) The comment is made in the context of commitments to the Korean War
The List With Commentary The intention is to identify
each submarine and its condition as clearly as possible Submarines still around in the period but not sensibly available for active service are accounted for in separate sections ASDIC sets in Sections 1 to 4b were of the type used in WWII Refer to the extended T notes Section 4d for comment on the ASDIC and TCS of the latter part of the period of interest There is insufficient information available to offer comment on the radar sets Norman Friedman 1981 Naval Radar Naval Institute Press ISBN 0870219677 may prove helpful to interested readers PoWV 1959 refers to the official document - Particulars of
War Vessels 1959 CB 04826 relevant sub pages provided by Ian Buxton
10
The Submarines Section 1 Two U class submarines Section 2 The introduction of a snort system in the RN Section 3a The S class submarine Section 3b Eleven S class modernised submarines Section 3c 4 S class submarines to France 19511952 Section 3d Six S class submarines scrapped by 1950 Section 3e 4 S class streamlined un-armed ASW targets Section 4a 10 Grp III T class Submarines 1571 tons sm Section 4b Accounting for T class to early scraploan Section 4c 8 T class extended hull fast battery subs Section 4d Five - Streamlined T class submarines Section 5 Sixteen A class submarines Section 6 The Porpoise class Section 7 Experimental and Trials submarines Section 8 The HTP Propulsion Programme of the RN Section 9 Personal observations StreamliningGuns Appendix Pennant numbers For a broader historical view of the disposition of the Submarines of the Royal Navy at this time the following two sources are suggested Norman Friedman The Post War Naval Revolution Chapter 8 Submarines and Eric Grove Vanguard to Trident 1945-1985 Chapter 6 - Peroxide to Polaris Thanks to John Eade and Ian Buxton who checked and where required corrected the basic submarine data using their sources
Section 1 Two U Class Submarines
Two U Class Submarines 730 tons sm Mike Critchley British Warships Since 1945 has photographs of both of these submarines that played such an important role in WWII They are shown in 1957 flying the White Ensign Guns removed and a modern ASDIC domes No pennant number displayed Apparently the last of the large fleet of 51 small U submarines all built by Vickers Armstrong during WWII There were 22 war losses In addition Armstrong Vickers built 22 very similar V class HMS Upstart shown here post war without a gun Note modern ASDIC dome aft (Photo G Chalcraft)
These Submarines By Name And Number
Untiring P59 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Loaned to Greece as Xifias 1945 Returned to Royal Navy 1952 Expended as AS target off Start Point 25 July 1957
Upstart P65 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Became Greek Amfitrite 1945 Returned to RN 1952 Expended as AS target off Isle of Wight 19 July 1957 Section 2 Introduction Of A Snort System In The RN
The first successful snort system in the Royal Navy is reported as being fitted in Truant N68
The topic is introduced at this point to give some idea how soon after the war a snort system was available for fitting in all RN submarines She was a relatively old Group 1 T class Completed 1939 Vickers Armstrong Decommissioned 1945 Wrecked off Cherbourg en route to scrapping December 1946 HMS Truant a group one T class
completed in 1939 Seen here with snort mast raised The additional pipe to starboard indicates this was an experimental setup Decommissioned in 1945 and lost under tow to the scrap yard in 1946
these dates give some idea as to when the Royal Navy began snort experiments The T and S submarine classes were fitted with fold down combined exhaust and induction masts mast as were the initial installations on the A class This quickly changed on the A class with the exhaust fixed to the after standards and only the induction mast folding down on to the after casing Further detail in each section Section 3a The S Class Of Submarine Construction of
this substantial fleet of (990 tons sm) submarines was commenced with the laying down of the Sturgeon in 1931
However the submarines of interest in the period 1948-1958 came from the surviving 40 that were part of Group III construction 1941 to 1945 There were 9 war losses from this group There are obvious features introduced in WWII but not fitted to all the GIII submarines No doubt due to Dockyard opportunities etc One was the Oerlikon gun fitted on a raised railed Bandstand aft of the conning tower the example below shows the conning tower of Splendid P228 (Lost in 1943) HMS Splendid shown with a Bandstand amp Oerlikon gun The platform is supported by a column mounted on the hull (Photo G Chalcraft) The following image shows Sahib P212 without this feature (lost in 1943) Another feature was the single external torpedo seen clearly on this image of Sahib but not on all the class This was the only external tube fitted to the S class HMS Sahib note the absence of a Bandstand amp
Oerlikon gun
Deck gun can be seen as can the aft torpedo tube (Our President survived the sinking of Sahib in
1943 and was taken POW)
HMS Scotsman showing the shielded platform fitted to some S class (Photograph R Fry) The GIII S class were fitted with a 3 and later a 4 gun It was thought the latter would be more effective against small ships particularly in the Far East (The Design and Construction of British Warships 1939-1945) The 3 mounts seem to have all been simple unshielded deck guns again as shown on Sahib
but the 4 gun appears to have had a platform mount and shield as seen in Sea Devil in the post
war photograph above and a grainy but clear close-up of the gun and conning tower of the Scotsman P243 1946 on the right HMS Sea Devil in
1949 Note she still has the Bandstand but no snort No pennant number is displayed Post-war many of the S class were transferred to other navies or scrapped and it is history of the survivors that went on to serve in the critical 1948-1958 period before new submarines came into service that is of interest To be continued
This article will be serialised over the coming months and includes many submarines served on by Derbyshire Members I am at present preparing it in a newsletter format and cannot at the present time say how many parts it will be but obviously our more senior members are getting their boats mentioned first It is appreciated the article is available on the web but it is also acknowledged that most members who served on lsquoSrsquo Boats in the 1940rsquos and early 1950rsquos do not have access to a computer Feedback is always welcome so let me know what you think with pleasure
11
FINAL PART ldquoI‟M NO HERO BUT I DID MY BITrdquo An Understatement By An bdquoilson Lad FOUR of FOUR MY STORY OF THE WAR YEARS 1939-1945 by Joseph Simons Driver REME
1946 In 1946 demob and back to the UK back to Civvy Street it went on age and length of
service (I was group 47 demobbed September 1947) we had a hut where at night we could go play cards dominoes or have a chat If someone getting demobbed we put a bit of a party on for them and Bill Dabbs a London bus driver aged about forty known no other life for over five years being with and working with the lads and with his mates and what with the weak beer they served in the hut he had tears running down his face with emotion due to leaving men he had only known for five years and the fact he was going back into civvy life where you are on your own
Early summer I got a fourteen day leave and went up to the leave centre and got on the train with all the others going on leave Wooden seats and it took twenty four hours to get to Calais because the train kept breaking down The Royal Engineers had put a single railway track across the River Rhine and the train went dead slow over this wooden bridge and looking out of the window you could only see the river We got to Calais and we crossed the channel on a fishing trawler to Folkstone I enjoyed that leave with the girl I had met but soon it was all
over and back to our workshop camp Later that year through units were breaking up due to demobilisation and our own workshop was one the fitters and mechanics took all the trucks and went to another workshop to make it up to strength All the drivers went to Bad Oyenhasen a spar town Once a week we went to the baths a German civilian filled the wooden bath worn smooth by years of use and put a thermometer in the water to see if it was the right temperature A bath in a wooden bath is far superior
A posting came for me and I went to Dusseldorf to this little unit which controlled all the factories in the Ruhr It consisted of a Captain WO1 Sergeant Corporal and me with two civilian clerks My job was to go to a factory to see what they had produced and take it to another factory that needed it I went all around the Ruhr past the Krupps bombed out factory at Essen Solingen Dortmund Wuppertao one job I had to pick up about seven plate glass shop window size and take it to Achen about thirty miles away I thought the state of the roads it will be broken but it was all in one piece not broke when I got it to Achen
I was billeted in the centre Dusseldorf in a big building it must have been offices because it had many rooms it was opposite Steal House the headquarters of the steel industry of the Ruhr It was where we had our meals our office was about a mi le away The Captain and the Sergeant where German Jews and must have got out of Germany before the war had started The Captain disappeared at the weekend with German friends in the big houses or castle and went on the shooting parties in the forests He had got all mounted animal heads on the walls of his office The Sergeant as soon as you saw him he was a Jew They both had cars whether bought or commandeered and when the sergeant went out he must have scared the Germans to bits for what they did to the Jews The Corporal he was a real spiv selling things for a profit what the Germans could not get cigarettes was the currency you could buy anything with cigarettes
The winter of 1946-47 it was cold and we went skating on the lake in the park I enjoyed my job going to different factories that had started up taking and delivering things in my three ton truck and then that day when group 47 came up and it was on the train to Cuxhaven (North Germany) a night crossing on a troop ship to Hull and train to barracks at York to collect everything from a civvy suit pay that was due rail ticket to Derby bus warrant to Ilkeston and I was back in civvy street I am pleased I did and I would not sell my memories of those four years of army life not for a million pounds Joseph Simons Driver REME April 1943 to September 1947 Army Number 14424767
Editor It was a pleasure to undertake putting his story into book form for Joe‟s Grandchildren which includes many more photographs he took on his exploits than can be shown here Many of these photo‟s are personal to him but I am immensely pleased that he allowed me permission to produce some extra books and they have been placed in the Local History Section of Ilkeston Library and also in the Erewash Museum so the exploits of a local Ilkeston (ilson is the local slang) man have been recorded for the future I hope you have enjoyed the story I certainly felt very privileged that he shared his experiences
Bad
Oyenhasen
12
VANGUARD VISIT TO DERBY 30 Sept ndash 3 Oct It was absolutely wonderful to have a group of twenty Submariners visit Derby for an extended weekend with hopefully not too busy a programme though it was running tight on occasions The crew arrived in Derby spaced over six or so hours and booked in the European Hotel which was very accommodating and geared up and everyone agreed it was very good We had an early evening briefing on the programme and all sailors received a welcome to Derby pack with loads of paper advising what had been arranged and free entry tickets and other information A recce of Derby Night Life was organised and it was abundantly clear at breakfast at 8am that some lively night life had been found
Coffee Morning Friday dawn the weather was an absolute killer with rain as bad as any Singapore monsoon Ritchie the Vanguard coxswain and I arrived early at the Council House to open up and to unload my car which was full to the gunnels with kit in the pouring rain Our door team of Jim Hunt and John Hadfield had already arrived to man up the doors and with them were John‟s wife Maureen and her sister Francis who immediately proceeded to set up the coffee percolator and coffee boat Maureen and Francis were soon joined by Joyce who looked after the victuals and peculator ably assisted by Peter Johnson and Jean Slater ndash definitely an bdquoA‟ team The next hour was a flurry of activity setting up the various stalls with everyone helping each other John amp Rita Sayers did the main raffle Jenny Williamson the tombola Michelle Tyler and Julie Winstanley did the Submariners and Skimmer blackouts with Ron Slater and Ken Holtham doing the health and fitness straw draw as well as the Mug Sales stall so all helpers really dug out The Vanguard crew‟s input was tremendous helping us throughout the morning and as someone observed they were very fit and active I might add a lady made this comment ndash or was she Incidentally if I have missed mentioning anyone please accept my apologies but it was a rather hectic though successful morning The severe weather had a major impact on the ex service trade and of course the fact the bus stops outside the Council House have now been moved to the new bus station did not help either We would especially like to thank those ladies and gentleman who booked a day of work for this event and despite the weather turned out especially one young lady who came into Derby for the event by train and it‟s a long walk with weather like that Many hands make light work so everyone‟s efforts were appreciated The Mayor of Derby joined us at 1045 and our Chair Steve Tyler welcomed him and presented him with one of the special commissioned mugs to commemorate the Vanguard visit
Every crew member visiting received one and they bore the crests of Vanguard SA Derbyshire SM1 and with special permission from Rolls Royce their crest These were proudly above the wording bdquoFreedom of the City of Derby granted to HM Submarine Service with the White Ensign in the middle The WEO of Vanguard Lt Cdr Chris Bland thence presented the Mayor with a Vanguard Crest Getting on for 1120 we started the ball rolling with the raffle draw and this was followed by the Mayor opening the envelopes to declare the Blackout winners I might add the winning boats and targets were impartially picked by someone who knows absolutely nothing about the RN and the fact our Chair won the bottle of Pusser‟s with Courageous which he served on in 1982 was purely a coincidence Still the good news is the Skimmer prize of 1ltr of Lambs was donated back to the branch and will be redrawn either at the visit of Ambush or Christmas so you can have another opportunity of winning a large bottle of rum We then drew the Submariners unique free Coffee Morning Ticket entry raffle prize of a bottle of whiskey and then finally we auctioned the two remaining prizes from the straw health and fitness draw The fitness watch worth pound70 went for pound30 and the magnetic bracelet for pound10 further enhancing our funds Jenny‟s tombola was a successful sell out
Despite the low turn out of people we did exceptionally well and it is sad that with the closure of the Council House for two years renovation we will not be able to hold this event in its present location or form elsewhere at present I feel it has been an immense privilege we have enjoyed courtesy of the Mayor and the City Council over a number of years It has not been a right but a perk and I believe all ex Service Associations should be grateful at the generosity over the years and accept through no ones fault the council can no longer afford to provide accommodation now not the least because they have not got any spare accommodation during the renovation of the present Council House
On conclusion of the Coffee Morning members squared away the room whilst the Vanguard crew enjoyed a very good presentation undertaken by the Mayor and John the Mayors Chauffer in the Council Chamber The history of the unique Chain of Office which is priceless City Sword Orb and Rod were all explained to an interested audience As Ricki Rotimi one of Vanguards Chefs undertook the demonstrations with the Sword and other artefacts it was noticed that the Mayor kept the Chain of Office firmly in his grasp Ricki got quite excited that whilst kneeling he got Knighted with the sword but looked a bit glum when it was declared that his Knighthood was invalid as it needed the Monarchs approval On leaving the Council House we discovered the rain was as bad as it had been early in the morning thus wet on the outside we proceeded to the pub to get wet on the inside too
13
We collected our vehicles and made our way to the Oak amp Acorn for an arranged buffet Once the crew had been fed and watered (though there was not much water drunk) the branch members were invited to dine The worries on the change of management three days previously were unfounded and everyone was pleased with the choice of venue The Rolls Royce Representative Tony kindly joined us for a short time and he acted as escort for a special tour to Rolls Royce on Raynesway for all the crew members on which I understand was a very useful and interesting visit to Vanguard‟s crew I used the time after this to offload a lot of gear at my home as my car was so full it could not carry passengers I then set off for the Spot to complete setting up the room with the Raffle final place settings due to changes checking wine orders etc I normally set up a big A Board with laminated welcome posters but with the Spot having all the mod cons I was requested to supply A4 instead of twice the size A3 I was most impressed with the displays in lights as we entered I produced two posters one welcoming the Vanguard on their visit to Derby and one advertising the Branch and its 30th Anniversary To see them up in lights was far superior to the laminated posters I know it‟s just another toy but wow What a toy
Friday night rush hour is a nightmare and I got caught up in the car parking on the new Laura Croft way trying to get back to the European Hotel and in the end landed up with only having 30 minutes to get showered dressed in best bib and tucker and to get to the Spot to welcome everyone How we did it I do not really know And it was still chucking it down with rain In fact it was just like Faslane Friday Evening was a combination celebrations rolled into one We were celebrating our Branch 30
th
Anniversary and had brought forward our branch Trafalgar Dinner night as well We were also celebrating the 50
th year of RN British Submarines
and of course we welcomed the twenty crew of Vanguard to the only City in the United Kingdom that has granted the Freedom of the City to HM Submarine Service which proudly hangs on the stairwell of the Submarine Squadron Offices in Faslane The room had been superbly decorated on a Red White and Blue theme by the Spot and this was complimented by balloon‟s The branch had added our own personal touch with place mats individual seating markers with a reminder of what people had ordered and table markers and of course a unique programme to celebrate the occasion When items such as these are taken as souvenirs I always consider it a compliment and I had nothing to clear up at the end of the evening Everyone assembled in the middle room for early drinks and socialise with John amp Rita Sayers making everyone exceptionally welcome selling them Raffle Tickets
On time everyone was summoned to take their places for Dinner and at 7pm the Sea Cadets from TS Kenya piped the top table into Dinner The Diners slow hand clapped the top table in and I undertook Master of Ceremonies with a very short safety brief Thence the Senior Officer present Cdr Jerry Hall RN Rtd was called upon to read out the response to the Loyal Greetings sent to HM Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of our 30
th Anniversary Jerry proudly read
the message to all relayed from the Queen wishing us a successful evening Thence followed the Welcome by our President Mr Ken Holtham and grace by our Vice Chair Mr John Sayers It was thence time to dig in for the first course which was a choice of Soup Pate or Melon The main course was a Carvery but what a carvery We had the choice of Beef Pork amp Turkey and all vegetarians and special diets were well looked after The choice of vegetables was the largest anyone had seen with the only complaint being the plates were not big enough I consider as I was full there was ample but I agree it was impossible to get everything on There were one or two deep breaths before the puddings which was the Sweet Trolley of cream gateaux‟s Cheese board or ice cream followed by coffee which with cream and a mint biscuit rounded off a super meal We then eased springs for a break of fifteen minutes before the speeches
Cdr Jerry Hall Lt Cdr Chris Bland Terry Hall Michelle Tyler Desna amp Ian Tyson
The immortal Toast and a fine speech on Nelson was delivered by Lt Cdr Chris Bland the WEO as Senior Officer of Vanguard who bravely stepped into the position of Cdr Stuart Capes the Commanding Officer of Vanguard Port who was unable to attend due to operational reasons Chris was followed by the Loyal Toast to HM the Queen This very different and enjoyable toast was undertaken by Mr Ian Tyson MIM who is not only a personal friend of mine but was the ex Ceremonial Officer for the Submariners Assn and was a leading light in the London SA before its closure Ian treated us to a unique history lesson on the Battle of Trafalgar and his instruction on taking one‟s tot involved everyone and the experience was enjoyed by all It was as promised in our Loyal Greetings letter to HM toasted with gusto and from the heart Ian‟s speech and toast was summed up by our Chairman Steve Tyler who when he arose to toast the Submarine Service and the Submariner stated ldquoHow do I follow thatrdquo Follow it he did with a roaring toast to the senior part of the Senior Service
14
The presentations were extended slightly with two planned and one unplanned The branch made a presentation of a SA Derbyshire Plaque to the Senior Officer and thence a framed picture of a cartoon that had been in the National Press which had been suitably and artistically enhanced in colour by my daughter This was presented to Vanguard‟s Coxswain John Richie Richardson and small A5 copies distributed in a sealed envelope to each table so all could view the cartoon The Senior Officer thence presented the branch with a superb framed
picture of the Vanguard Crest with brass plaques engraved to commemorate the visit to Derby This splendid gift will be hung in our room at TS Kenya for both ourselves and the cadets to enjoy A presentation of a bouquet of flowers was made by ET Chris Whale to Elena Holtham the wife of our Branch President who was
celebrating her 85th
birthday I would also like to extend our branch‟s best wishes to Chris on his forthcoming course he is just embarking on at HMS Sultan we wish you the best of luck In keeping with the branch tradition we thence provided a decorated Rose Stem for all of the ladies attending and requested the crew members undertake the presentations - which were carried out admirably in true Naval Tradition Our youngest guest was a lovely young lady called Amy who had joined us due to a late cancellation She had joined us at our coffee morning and spent some time with our WWII veterans discussing their experience for her bdquoA‟ Levels and the branch has been able to help with books from our library and I have provided her with booksleaflets from various projects I have undertaken with my RBL hat on so not only was the RN covered but also the RAF with the bomber memorial and Joe Simons excellent story of his service from Normandy just after D-Day and into Germany You may be able to spot her in the picture above
The evening was thence concluded by a wonderful performance by Shep Woolley who I consider it a
great privilege that he commented to me how much he had enjoyed his observations of our special evening As per normal Shep gave a superb performance and it was much enjoyed by all and we thank him
for such a brilliant and entertaining programme as the Golden Carriages arrived for our guests
Saturday 2 December 2010 Talk about see-saw weather Thursday had been fine for the arrival and it was quite hot sat in the foyer of the hotel waiting to meet and greet the crew to Derby Friday was a total washout weather wise and the rain that bad I would liken it to a monsoon Saturday however dawned bright and sunny and stayed like that until the early evening However our plan was a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas where the Vanguard crew would lay a wreath at the Submariners Memorial Though booked into the NMA it was not until about two weeks before that I was advised of the Annual Bike to the Wall and was told they already had 23000 bikes booked in I spoke to the Coxswain and we decided it was worth a go and we are all very glad we did Only one of the twenty had visited the NMA before so it was a particularly poignant visit We convoyed down in three vehicles parking up in a field designated as the Park amp Ride Car Park with a free bus service to and from the NMA The rain the previous day saw the river swollen that runs through the site and it was a little damp to say the least The buses ran regularly and we arrived and our first duty was to replace the very tatty and dirty White Ensign on the Naval Review section We then went down to the submariner‟s memorial where we carried out a short poignant service including the laying of Vanguards Wreath The various parts of the service were shared out amongst crew members with me having the honour of piping the silence I had produced souvenir quality service sheets for each crew member and included a brief history of the NMA site I particularly liked the comment about bdquoIts good to see it was the conception of a Commander Royal Navy who made it happen‟ and that is something we can all be very proud of Unfortunately I had left my camera in the car but we enjoyed the spectacle of the bikers in their thousands The respect and salutes to the service members were a joy to behold The bikers raise a lot of money and the sights of them coming up the main A38 dual carriageway with lights blazing was a magnificent sight The car parks and main thoroughfares were chocker block with bikes of all shapes and sizes including some modified with rear ends of VW Beetles Indian rickshaws and Harleys by the hundreds Whatever the bike they had all come to pay their respects to our Armed Forces and were a credit to their respective chapters clubs or Legion bikers or as individuals BZ to all those who participated on the bdquoRide To The Wall‟ We returned to Derby in the afternoon and arranged to meet up down in the City at the Assembly Rooms where Shep Woolley was performing and the promoters had kindly offered greatly reduced tickets for the Vanguard Crew After the concert I was treated to a Chinese all you can eat on Babbington Lane With not frequenting Derby very often and certainly not at night it was an unknown venue to me but was most enjoyable I sincerely thank Coxn Richie Richardson and CPO Nick Alton for excellent company My first ever visit to Walkabouts was an eye opener and a half and it was only the excellent company that made the run so enjoyable Sunday was going home day and the Vanguards split off by car train to all points of the compass
15
HMS TIRELESS IN MULTINATIONAL EXERCISE Naval assets from the UK France Australia and the US have completed a major international anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Gulf of Oman This is a regular exercise directed by the United Kingdom Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) based in Bahrain It is designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability in warm water environments and promote interoperability between ships and aircraft from a variety of nations The centrepiece of the cat and mouse style exercise was Trafalgar Class submarine HMS Tireless playing the role of the mouse while the duties of the cat were shared between the Australian frigate HMAS Melbourne and the French frigate FS Dupleix Meanwhile Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron and US P-3 Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft acted as eyes in the sky HMS Tireless and HMAS Melbourne also exchanged key personnel during the exercise in order to share skills and experience A UKMCC spokesperson said The number of navies
building and operating submarines continues to grow It is therefore important that the Royal Navy retains its position at the forefront of anti-submarine warfare a skill easy to lose but difficult to regain The presence of
a large number of coalition navies in this region provides the ideal opportunity to train together Commodore Tim Fraser UK Maritime Component Commander said The large proportion of the Royal Navys work in this region is of an operational nature such as conducting anti-piracy patrols and strengthening relations with regional allies However it is important that we also run regular exercises such as this in order to maintain and further develop our skills across the full range of capabilities The UKMCC controls all Royal Navy warships aircraft and personnel in the Middle East maritime theatre which totals over thirteen hundred personnel and more than a dozen vessels These include frigates undertaking maritime security operations and anti-piracy patrols mine countermeasures vessels developing warm water mine hunting techniques and landing ships supporting the training and development of the fledgling Iraqi Navy and the protection of key Iraqi oil platforms
HMS ASTUTE IN COMMISSION The UKs most powerful attack submarine HMS Astute has been welcomed into the Royal Navy in a commissioning ceremony overseen by the boats patron the Duchess of Cornwall as well as Doug Clarke our Derbyshire Member who was kindly taken up to Faslane by his son and daughter for the prestigious event HMS Astute which has officially become Her Majestys Ship today 29 August 2010 She is almost fifty per cent bigger than any attack submarine in the Royal Navys current fleet As the base port of all the Royal Navys submarines from 2016 Faslane will be home to the whole Astute Class including Ambush Artful and Audacious which are already under construction Astute was built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness with hundreds of suppliers around the country contributing component parts including Rolls-Royce Derby (nuclear plant)
TS KENYA PRESENTATION NIGHT Friday 15 October 2010
What an absolutely awful evening weather wise which fortunately did not prevent a decent size audience for this Annual prestigious event which was a credit of organisation and planning The Cadets both Sailors and Royal Marines were as usual excellently turned out and disciplined The Chief guests were the High Sheriff of Derbyshire and the Mayor of Derby who both presented the various trophies to the Cadets As I helped with the raffle I can say with authority that all the prime guests and Senior Committee were exceptionally generous with donations and the total of just under pound90 was raised Whoever organised the prizes did a Herculean effort with Black amp Decker Sets Footbath bottles and really exceptionally good prizes
We submariners were thinner on the ground than in the past with myself Ken and Peter and Joyce but with more than half the branch either on holiday P7R or sick parade this was to be expected There was also three RMA amp Tom Smith BEM RNA Jerry Hall was wearing many hats including President of the TS Kenya Management Committee and President of the RNA for whom he presented a Bosun‟s Pipe to the best cadet Jerry is of course a Submariner member and thanked all four Naval Associations in Derby for their unstinting support of the unit
The presentations took the normal format of the badges and promotions for the Cadets followed by the awards The bdquoTommy Appleby‟ Memorial Shield was won by Cadet Ginette Doherty This Shield was presented to the Unit by Doris in memory of Tommy who was a submariner member The array of awards is impressive and the presentations were undertaken in rotation by the High Sheriff and the Mayor After the presentations the High Sheriff and the Mayor were presented with bouquets The High Sheriff is a nice lady but the Mayor had to accept on behalf of his wife who had been whisked away only moments before for another function I thought he took the presentation of flowers in good spirit The Mayor and High Sheriff both made speeches praising the work of the Cadets Staff and supporters of the Unit
Those who follow the progress of the Cadets through the newsletter or otherwise will be aware that the project to get the Cadets on the water is nearing fruition with the money required for a boat and a safety boat raised and both boats are in the process of being built An internal competition at TS Kenya had been undertaken to name the two boats and unfortunately the Commanding Officer Capt SCC Andy Fuller RMR would not divulge the ones he advised were outrageous suggestions However the decision had been to name the budding Fleet after ex Royal Navy vessels with one to be a submarine and one to be a target skimmer surface vessel The decision made was for HMS Sovereign for the safety boat and HMS Malaya for the pulling boat Sovereign was Derby‟s adopted boat for over thirty years and always ably supported the Sea Cadet unit in Derby Malaya was the name of the Unit until a few years ago when the name was changed to TS Kenya to reflect the long Ship Affiliation of HMS Kenya which was Derby‟s adopted ship before Sovereign with links to warship week in WWII
16
FEEDBACK 30th
ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND I have received much positive feedback and only one complaint of the 30
th Anniversary amp Trafalgar Dinner
The complaint was from Jim Hunt who stated the carvery plates were not big enough End of complaint Many branch members as well as guests have taken the time to say how much they enjoyed the event and in summary the following letter from HMS Vanguard by Louis Gardner the Operations Officer who I know definitely enjoyed his run ashore in Derby
Dear Terry May I take this opportunity to thank the Derbyshire Branch of the Submariners Association for inviting the Ship‟s Company of HMS Vanguard to participate in what was a hugely enjoyable visit Your organisation of such a varied programme including the visit to Rolls Royce was particularly well received Further thanks must go to all who ensured such a successful Trafalgar Night Dinner Excellent hosting was provided by all of your members which was enjoyed and appreciated by our sailors and officers It was a delight to toast both Nelson and your branch‟s 30
th
anniversary on the same occasion Special thanks must go to you for your Herculean efforts in ensuring our time in Derby ran so smoothly Everything from the welcome packs and presentation mugs to your organisation of the service at the National Arboretum was greatly appreciated Much fun was had by all during the visit and we look forward to the opportunity to reciprocate your invitation in the future
Well done all branch members I know many of you had an exceptionally busy Friday and also appreciate for many it was an expensive day with taxi‟s hotels and distances involved However your company was enjoyed by the Vanguard‟s Ship Company and the fact we had so many turn up to help at the Coffee Morning made the task so much easier especially for me It was a wonderful change to have the work load shared as it was by the branch bdquoA‟ team ndash That‟s all of you who were able to turn up and help BZ to all and for the first time I can remember it was a stress free Trafalgar Dinner with nearly everything going smoothly thanks to the excellent organisation at the Spot Now for next year has anyone any ideas
SA NATIONAL RAFFLE I have received the list of prize winners from the ex National Treasurer and can confirm that unfortunately there are no Derbyshire Member Winners Thanks to all in the branch who participated as the branch got one third of the takings
NATIONAL DIARIES I asked Steve Tyler that if there were any SA diaries available at Nottingham to get Ten these have all been sold We hoped for an opportunity to pick up at the Embankment Parade in London avoiding costly PampP However due to problems and cost of accommodation in London we will now unfortunately not be parading our Standard but will be attending the Derby Festival of Remembrance at Derby Cathedral on the same weekend Any further orders to the Treasurer please
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2011 If any members have any proposals for Conference 2011 you are reminded that the branch must submit them by 31 December 2010 thus they need to be presented at the next two meetings if your proposal is to be discussed and submitted
BRANCH AGM TS KENYA The Branch AGM will take place at 7pm on Wednesday 3 March 2011 when we revert from our Winter Routine of lunch time meetings at the Jubilee Club at 1215 Items for the Agenda should be submitted by the January meeting with any nominations for any office
BRANCH SUBSCRIPTIONS 2011 Branch Subscriptions were not discussed at our AGM in March thus by default they will remain the same at pound10 per person with pound5 National fee making a total of pound15 Annual Subscription This becomes due to the 31 December 2010 for the following year and it is requested that to enable the year end figures to be completed by 31 January 2011 that they are submitted to the Treasurer as soon into the new year or anytime before Those who will be effecting an electronic bank transfer to the branch accounts as per the memo posted out to all members are requested to ensure that your reference clearly states your surname and the word bdquosubs‟ Those who wish to continue to have a hard copy of In Depth are requested to make a further donation of pound5 to cover the copies for 2011 Newsletter Online If you need to refer to a back issue
(three copies only) please refer to wwwsubmarinersassociationcoukhtmlderbynewshtml
Views and comments of this newsletter do not always reflect the official policy or decisions of neither the
Derby Branch nor the Submariners Association
Terry Hall Newsletter Editor Submariners Association Derbyshire Branch 69 Station Road STANLEY VILLAGE
Derbyshire DE7 6FB
Ronamp Jean Slater
4 November 2010 Best Wishes from all the
Derbyshire Branch
8
ATTRIBUTES OF CUCUMBERS 1 Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folic Acid Vitamin C Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium and Zinc
2 Feeling tired in the afternoon put down the caffeinated and pick up a cucumber Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours
3 Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing spa-like fragrance
4 Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminium to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area
5 Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free Cucumbers contain enough sugar B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost keeping everything in equilibrium avoiding both a hangover and headache
6 Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation
7 Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you dont have enough time to polish your shoes Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water
8 Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge and voila the squeak is gone
9 Stressed out and dont have time for massage facial or visit to the spa Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam creating a soothing relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams
10 Just finish a business lunch and realize you dont have gum or mints Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath
11 Looking for a green way to clean your sinks or stainless steel Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine but is wont leave streaks and wont harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean
13 Using a pen and made a mistake Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls
Just do not take your specimen cucumbers into the Joke and Acorn at Oakwood
BRITS LOSE SENSE OF HUMOUR AT 52 The age we all turn into Victor Meldrews
Theres not much to laugh about once you reach 52 as a new study finds this is the age we all start to lose our sense of humour A poll of 2000 Brits found that adults have less to laugh about as they age On average adults laugh out loud around four times a day researchers said but by the time we reach 50 this falls to just three times a day and a pathetic 25 times a day when 60 Dr Lesley Harbridge from the University of Glamorgan said The Lifetime of Laughter Scale shows that there really is a law of diminishing returns when it comes to laughter We laugh twice as much in our teens as we do in our fifties And our findings suggest that its all downhill from 52 The study also found that while an infant can laugh out loud as many as 300 times every day by the time we reach our twenties this figure has slumped to just four times a day Men were found to be more grumpier than women However according to the findings life gets a little happier when we are in our thirties as thirty something‟s manage on average to laugh around five time every day Perhaps children help us find our sense of humour again The survey carried out for TV channel Dave also found the Victor Meldrew Syndrome was firmly established by the time we hit 50 as this is the age we are most likely to complain Another finding hinted at what may contribute to our grumpiness as we age the survey revealed the average Brit knows only two Jokes Editor Well whoever wrote the above article had obviously never visited the lsquoJoke amp Acornrsquo where a certain member of the Derbyshire Branch certainly has above the average of two jokes in his repertoire and my experience with submariners is we certainly tend to laugh well above average as well Still I bet the professor or doctor is laughing well above average that some plonkers normally us the taxpayer is paying for them to investigate and write reports about this dribble that is no use to anyone
To prove the above point one of our members had a prolonged operation on his arm which was filmed and showed to him He was gleefully telling a table full of the butchery and intricate details of how a certain muscle was really tough Trying to be subtle as one does to a friend who has suffered a serious operation I asked politely if it was as tough as the steak on the meal I was trying to enjoy As quick as a flash he came back with bdquoSorry it was an armless story‟ However despite needing to wear a sling for at least two months it has proved that the operation has not dimished his sense of humour Get well soon Jim
OK so we‟ve taken off all our clothes and got on top of each other How long until we get
the Orgasm
I don‟t know But now I understand why mother gets a headache all the
time
9
DIESEL SUBMARINES 1948 ndash 1958 PART ONE OF SIX
The Diesel Submarines Of The Royal Navy Available To Engage In A Major War In The Period 1948 to 1958 Compiled by Peter D Hulme with additional notes
Acknowledgements for information and advice to John Eade Ian Buxton George Malcomson (RN Submarine Museum) and Roger Fry Submarines are mentioned in this article that were lost war and peace - we will remember them
By the 1980s surveillance of NATO naval units by Soviet submarines was taken for granted Electronic spy ships passed happily through our fleet formations whilst their maritime aircraft buzzed over them without hindrance But in the early fifties following hard on the heels of the Berlin airlift and at a time of explosive growth of Soviet sea power sterner attitudes prevailed I recall a confidential memorandum on the subject circulated to the Fleet at the time which reminded Escort Force Commanders that there were no prohibitions on firing depth charge patterns to test them at any time Exactly what similar orders had gone out to the Red Navy remained a matter of conjecture but no one fancied being the first to find out as Gary Powers did on his U2 flight over Mother Russia
Extract from SUBMARINER by Commander John Coote Royal Navy (deceased) former CO of the Totem foreword by Submarine Admiral IJ Galantin US Navy (Rtd) Norman Friedman US Naval author - Office of Naval Intelligence (US Navy) found the future bleak by 1951 it expected 356 Soviet submarines It later proved to be an over estimate ONI in 1954 credited the Soviets with 345 operational units including 83 obsolete submersibles
Preamble The data bases of British submarines while very
useful can be confusing when trying to estimate the actual fighting strength of the Submarine Service over any particular period in this case 1948-1958 This period as it will referred to throughout the list and commentary was chosen because in 1958 the first new operational submarine since the war Porpoise joined the fleet to be
followed by the rest of her class Other major changes were in the offing not the least the first British nuclear submarine but of more immediate influence new sonar and torpedoes were finally to become a reality 1948 was chosen as the start of the period of interest for historical reasons but there was also an important practical motive most of the disposal and scrapping of WWII vessels was complete Historically the 1948 Berlin Airlift symbolised the start of confrontation between the Western Powers and the Soviet Union the Cold War NATO came into being the next year and the submarine started to take its place as a key player in the conduct of this trial of resolve between East and West However while the story from about 1960 onward is well known as are the submarines involved the active units that made up the submarine fleet of the Royal Navy when the possibility of a Hot War was very real are not as well known and this list is intended to correct that with data and photographs The Royal Naval Submarine Museum archives has documents that already define the fleet but these are not readily available to me to use in a publication for this web site
Of great value have been the relevant pages of the official Particulars of War Vessels 1959 CB 04826 supplied to me by Ian Buxton These pages have provided a lot of the detail about each vessel at the close of the period and confirms what submarines were still in active service Including submarines temporarily in the dockyard or reserve in 1953 (the halfway point in the period) there were 50 apparently operational diesel electric submarines in the Royal Navy
15 A class 22 T class 11 S class and 2 U class According to PoWV 1959 all were armed with Mk 8 torpedoes of the type used in WW II with the option of mines but according to FOSM correspondence of 1948 the electric Mk 11 torpedo was also to be carried in the extended T class A Mk 20 (BIDDER) passive homing torpedo was in service in 1955 but does not appear to have been considered a successful weapon Neither the Mk 11 and the Mk 20 are mentioned in the PoV 1959 The Mk 8 though apparently old in design was quite a sophisticated but reliable piece of machinery but from todays point of view it was basically just an aim and fire weapon The running depth could be set before firing as could a gyro controlled angled course on leaving the tube It was propelled by a burner-cycle combustion engine fuelled by shale oil and compressed air and could run for 5000 yards at 455 knots 805 lb of Torpex explosive in the warhead Diameter 21 Weight 3452 lbs Overall Length 259 in A large weapon to store and manhandle in the confines of these submarines They were indeed submersible torpedo boats
Books such as Naval Weapons of World War Two by John Campbell give a more detailed description of this torpedo and figures for torpedo success briefly 5421 torpedoes fired 1040 certain hits The Alliance book by
Lambert and Hill has detailed drawings of the torpedo and the tube firing system but little text discussion It would have been interesting to know if there were sufficient torpedoes to fully load all the submarines and if there were sufficient again to reload Another useful logistical figure would have been the crew strength in the period But these vital figures have proved difficult to obtain It is known from reliable anecdotes that early in the period small designated groups of mainly S class were held in active reserve in different locations with one crew looking after each group
It has been suggested but not confirmed that at the same time some T class were held in the Dockyards No attempt has been made at this stage to take on the difficult task of determining the disposition year by year of each submarine It is well known that submarines were committed to Australia and Canada for training for long periods however they represented a relatively small percentage of the total fleet and in principle could return to the UK if crisis circumstances arose The Politics of British Defence Policy 1945-1962 by William P Snyder (1964) will tell the reader nothing about diesel submarines but this American military author does provide a picture of the defence politics of the period and confirms that a Soviet attack in Europe was then considered very likely (Page 19) The comment is made in the context of commitments to the Korean War
The List With Commentary The intention is to identify
each submarine and its condition as clearly as possible Submarines still around in the period but not sensibly available for active service are accounted for in separate sections ASDIC sets in Sections 1 to 4b were of the type used in WWII Refer to the extended T notes Section 4d for comment on the ASDIC and TCS of the latter part of the period of interest There is insufficient information available to offer comment on the radar sets Norman Friedman 1981 Naval Radar Naval Institute Press ISBN 0870219677 may prove helpful to interested readers PoWV 1959 refers to the official document - Particulars of
War Vessels 1959 CB 04826 relevant sub pages provided by Ian Buxton
10
The Submarines Section 1 Two U class submarines Section 2 The introduction of a snort system in the RN Section 3a The S class submarine Section 3b Eleven S class modernised submarines Section 3c 4 S class submarines to France 19511952 Section 3d Six S class submarines scrapped by 1950 Section 3e 4 S class streamlined un-armed ASW targets Section 4a 10 Grp III T class Submarines 1571 tons sm Section 4b Accounting for T class to early scraploan Section 4c 8 T class extended hull fast battery subs Section 4d Five - Streamlined T class submarines Section 5 Sixteen A class submarines Section 6 The Porpoise class Section 7 Experimental and Trials submarines Section 8 The HTP Propulsion Programme of the RN Section 9 Personal observations StreamliningGuns Appendix Pennant numbers For a broader historical view of the disposition of the Submarines of the Royal Navy at this time the following two sources are suggested Norman Friedman The Post War Naval Revolution Chapter 8 Submarines and Eric Grove Vanguard to Trident 1945-1985 Chapter 6 - Peroxide to Polaris Thanks to John Eade and Ian Buxton who checked and where required corrected the basic submarine data using their sources
Section 1 Two U Class Submarines
Two U Class Submarines 730 tons sm Mike Critchley British Warships Since 1945 has photographs of both of these submarines that played such an important role in WWII They are shown in 1957 flying the White Ensign Guns removed and a modern ASDIC domes No pennant number displayed Apparently the last of the large fleet of 51 small U submarines all built by Vickers Armstrong during WWII There were 22 war losses In addition Armstrong Vickers built 22 very similar V class HMS Upstart shown here post war without a gun Note modern ASDIC dome aft (Photo G Chalcraft)
These Submarines By Name And Number
Untiring P59 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Loaned to Greece as Xifias 1945 Returned to Royal Navy 1952 Expended as AS target off Start Point 25 July 1957
Upstart P65 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Became Greek Amfitrite 1945 Returned to RN 1952 Expended as AS target off Isle of Wight 19 July 1957 Section 2 Introduction Of A Snort System In The RN
The first successful snort system in the Royal Navy is reported as being fitted in Truant N68
The topic is introduced at this point to give some idea how soon after the war a snort system was available for fitting in all RN submarines She was a relatively old Group 1 T class Completed 1939 Vickers Armstrong Decommissioned 1945 Wrecked off Cherbourg en route to scrapping December 1946 HMS Truant a group one T class
completed in 1939 Seen here with snort mast raised The additional pipe to starboard indicates this was an experimental setup Decommissioned in 1945 and lost under tow to the scrap yard in 1946
these dates give some idea as to when the Royal Navy began snort experiments The T and S submarine classes were fitted with fold down combined exhaust and induction masts mast as were the initial installations on the A class This quickly changed on the A class with the exhaust fixed to the after standards and only the induction mast folding down on to the after casing Further detail in each section Section 3a The S Class Of Submarine Construction of
this substantial fleet of (990 tons sm) submarines was commenced with the laying down of the Sturgeon in 1931
However the submarines of interest in the period 1948-1958 came from the surviving 40 that were part of Group III construction 1941 to 1945 There were 9 war losses from this group There are obvious features introduced in WWII but not fitted to all the GIII submarines No doubt due to Dockyard opportunities etc One was the Oerlikon gun fitted on a raised railed Bandstand aft of the conning tower the example below shows the conning tower of Splendid P228 (Lost in 1943) HMS Splendid shown with a Bandstand amp Oerlikon gun The platform is supported by a column mounted on the hull (Photo G Chalcraft) The following image shows Sahib P212 without this feature (lost in 1943) Another feature was the single external torpedo seen clearly on this image of Sahib but not on all the class This was the only external tube fitted to the S class HMS Sahib note the absence of a Bandstand amp
Oerlikon gun
Deck gun can be seen as can the aft torpedo tube (Our President survived the sinking of Sahib in
1943 and was taken POW)
HMS Scotsman showing the shielded platform fitted to some S class (Photograph R Fry) The GIII S class were fitted with a 3 and later a 4 gun It was thought the latter would be more effective against small ships particularly in the Far East (The Design and Construction of British Warships 1939-1945) The 3 mounts seem to have all been simple unshielded deck guns again as shown on Sahib
but the 4 gun appears to have had a platform mount and shield as seen in Sea Devil in the post
war photograph above and a grainy but clear close-up of the gun and conning tower of the Scotsman P243 1946 on the right HMS Sea Devil in
1949 Note she still has the Bandstand but no snort No pennant number is displayed Post-war many of the S class were transferred to other navies or scrapped and it is history of the survivors that went on to serve in the critical 1948-1958 period before new submarines came into service that is of interest To be continued
This article will be serialised over the coming months and includes many submarines served on by Derbyshire Members I am at present preparing it in a newsletter format and cannot at the present time say how many parts it will be but obviously our more senior members are getting their boats mentioned first It is appreciated the article is available on the web but it is also acknowledged that most members who served on lsquoSrsquo Boats in the 1940rsquos and early 1950rsquos do not have access to a computer Feedback is always welcome so let me know what you think with pleasure
11
FINAL PART ldquoI‟M NO HERO BUT I DID MY BITrdquo An Understatement By An bdquoilson Lad FOUR of FOUR MY STORY OF THE WAR YEARS 1939-1945 by Joseph Simons Driver REME
1946 In 1946 demob and back to the UK back to Civvy Street it went on age and length of
service (I was group 47 demobbed September 1947) we had a hut where at night we could go play cards dominoes or have a chat If someone getting demobbed we put a bit of a party on for them and Bill Dabbs a London bus driver aged about forty known no other life for over five years being with and working with the lads and with his mates and what with the weak beer they served in the hut he had tears running down his face with emotion due to leaving men he had only known for five years and the fact he was going back into civvy life where you are on your own
Early summer I got a fourteen day leave and went up to the leave centre and got on the train with all the others going on leave Wooden seats and it took twenty four hours to get to Calais because the train kept breaking down The Royal Engineers had put a single railway track across the River Rhine and the train went dead slow over this wooden bridge and looking out of the window you could only see the river We got to Calais and we crossed the channel on a fishing trawler to Folkstone I enjoyed that leave with the girl I had met but soon it was all
over and back to our workshop camp Later that year through units were breaking up due to demobilisation and our own workshop was one the fitters and mechanics took all the trucks and went to another workshop to make it up to strength All the drivers went to Bad Oyenhasen a spar town Once a week we went to the baths a German civilian filled the wooden bath worn smooth by years of use and put a thermometer in the water to see if it was the right temperature A bath in a wooden bath is far superior
A posting came for me and I went to Dusseldorf to this little unit which controlled all the factories in the Ruhr It consisted of a Captain WO1 Sergeant Corporal and me with two civilian clerks My job was to go to a factory to see what they had produced and take it to another factory that needed it I went all around the Ruhr past the Krupps bombed out factory at Essen Solingen Dortmund Wuppertao one job I had to pick up about seven plate glass shop window size and take it to Achen about thirty miles away I thought the state of the roads it will be broken but it was all in one piece not broke when I got it to Achen
I was billeted in the centre Dusseldorf in a big building it must have been offices because it had many rooms it was opposite Steal House the headquarters of the steel industry of the Ruhr It was where we had our meals our office was about a mi le away The Captain and the Sergeant where German Jews and must have got out of Germany before the war had started The Captain disappeared at the weekend with German friends in the big houses or castle and went on the shooting parties in the forests He had got all mounted animal heads on the walls of his office The Sergeant as soon as you saw him he was a Jew They both had cars whether bought or commandeered and when the sergeant went out he must have scared the Germans to bits for what they did to the Jews The Corporal he was a real spiv selling things for a profit what the Germans could not get cigarettes was the currency you could buy anything with cigarettes
The winter of 1946-47 it was cold and we went skating on the lake in the park I enjoyed my job going to different factories that had started up taking and delivering things in my three ton truck and then that day when group 47 came up and it was on the train to Cuxhaven (North Germany) a night crossing on a troop ship to Hull and train to barracks at York to collect everything from a civvy suit pay that was due rail ticket to Derby bus warrant to Ilkeston and I was back in civvy street I am pleased I did and I would not sell my memories of those four years of army life not for a million pounds Joseph Simons Driver REME April 1943 to September 1947 Army Number 14424767
Editor It was a pleasure to undertake putting his story into book form for Joe‟s Grandchildren which includes many more photographs he took on his exploits than can be shown here Many of these photo‟s are personal to him but I am immensely pleased that he allowed me permission to produce some extra books and they have been placed in the Local History Section of Ilkeston Library and also in the Erewash Museum so the exploits of a local Ilkeston (ilson is the local slang) man have been recorded for the future I hope you have enjoyed the story I certainly felt very privileged that he shared his experiences
Bad
Oyenhasen
12
VANGUARD VISIT TO DERBY 30 Sept ndash 3 Oct It was absolutely wonderful to have a group of twenty Submariners visit Derby for an extended weekend with hopefully not too busy a programme though it was running tight on occasions The crew arrived in Derby spaced over six or so hours and booked in the European Hotel which was very accommodating and geared up and everyone agreed it was very good We had an early evening briefing on the programme and all sailors received a welcome to Derby pack with loads of paper advising what had been arranged and free entry tickets and other information A recce of Derby Night Life was organised and it was abundantly clear at breakfast at 8am that some lively night life had been found
Coffee Morning Friday dawn the weather was an absolute killer with rain as bad as any Singapore monsoon Ritchie the Vanguard coxswain and I arrived early at the Council House to open up and to unload my car which was full to the gunnels with kit in the pouring rain Our door team of Jim Hunt and John Hadfield had already arrived to man up the doors and with them were John‟s wife Maureen and her sister Francis who immediately proceeded to set up the coffee percolator and coffee boat Maureen and Francis were soon joined by Joyce who looked after the victuals and peculator ably assisted by Peter Johnson and Jean Slater ndash definitely an bdquoA‟ team The next hour was a flurry of activity setting up the various stalls with everyone helping each other John amp Rita Sayers did the main raffle Jenny Williamson the tombola Michelle Tyler and Julie Winstanley did the Submariners and Skimmer blackouts with Ron Slater and Ken Holtham doing the health and fitness straw draw as well as the Mug Sales stall so all helpers really dug out The Vanguard crew‟s input was tremendous helping us throughout the morning and as someone observed they were very fit and active I might add a lady made this comment ndash or was she Incidentally if I have missed mentioning anyone please accept my apologies but it was a rather hectic though successful morning The severe weather had a major impact on the ex service trade and of course the fact the bus stops outside the Council House have now been moved to the new bus station did not help either We would especially like to thank those ladies and gentleman who booked a day of work for this event and despite the weather turned out especially one young lady who came into Derby for the event by train and it‟s a long walk with weather like that Many hands make light work so everyone‟s efforts were appreciated The Mayor of Derby joined us at 1045 and our Chair Steve Tyler welcomed him and presented him with one of the special commissioned mugs to commemorate the Vanguard visit
Every crew member visiting received one and they bore the crests of Vanguard SA Derbyshire SM1 and with special permission from Rolls Royce their crest These were proudly above the wording bdquoFreedom of the City of Derby granted to HM Submarine Service with the White Ensign in the middle The WEO of Vanguard Lt Cdr Chris Bland thence presented the Mayor with a Vanguard Crest Getting on for 1120 we started the ball rolling with the raffle draw and this was followed by the Mayor opening the envelopes to declare the Blackout winners I might add the winning boats and targets were impartially picked by someone who knows absolutely nothing about the RN and the fact our Chair won the bottle of Pusser‟s with Courageous which he served on in 1982 was purely a coincidence Still the good news is the Skimmer prize of 1ltr of Lambs was donated back to the branch and will be redrawn either at the visit of Ambush or Christmas so you can have another opportunity of winning a large bottle of rum We then drew the Submariners unique free Coffee Morning Ticket entry raffle prize of a bottle of whiskey and then finally we auctioned the two remaining prizes from the straw health and fitness draw The fitness watch worth pound70 went for pound30 and the magnetic bracelet for pound10 further enhancing our funds Jenny‟s tombola was a successful sell out
Despite the low turn out of people we did exceptionally well and it is sad that with the closure of the Council House for two years renovation we will not be able to hold this event in its present location or form elsewhere at present I feel it has been an immense privilege we have enjoyed courtesy of the Mayor and the City Council over a number of years It has not been a right but a perk and I believe all ex Service Associations should be grateful at the generosity over the years and accept through no ones fault the council can no longer afford to provide accommodation now not the least because they have not got any spare accommodation during the renovation of the present Council House
On conclusion of the Coffee Morning members squared away the room whilst the Vanguard crew enjoyed a very good presentation undertaken by the Mayor and John the Mayors Chauffer in the Council Chamber The history of the unique Chain of Office which is priceless City Sword Orb and Rod were all explained to an interested audience As Ricki Rotimi one of Vanguards Chefs undertook the demonstrations with the Sword and other artefacts it was noticed that the Mayor kept the Chain of Office firmly in his grasp Ricki got quite excited that whilst kneeling he got Knighted with the sword but looked a bit glum when it was declared that his Knighthood was invalid as it needed the Monarchs approval On leaving the Council House we discovered the rain was as bad as it had been early in the morning thus wet on the outside we proceeded to the pub to get wet on the inside too
13
We collected our vehicles and made our way to the Oak amp Acorn for an arranged buffet Once the crew had been fed and watered (though there was not much water drunk) the branch members were invited to dine The worries on the change of management three days previously were unfounded and everyone was pleased with the choice of venue The Rolls Royce Representative Tony kindly joined us for a short time and he acted as escort for a special tour to Rolls Royce on Raynesway for all the crew members on which I understand was a very useful and interesting visit to Vanguard‟s crew I used the time after this to offload a lot of gear at my home as my car was so full it could not carry passengers I then set off for the Spot to complete setting up the room with the Raffle final place settings due to changes checking wine orders etc I normally set up a big A Board with laminated welcome posters but with the Spot having all the mod cons I was requested to supply A4 instead of twice the size A3 I was most impressed with the displays in lights as we entered I produced two posters one welcoming the Vanguard on their visit to Derby and one advertising the Branch and its 30th Anniversary To see them up in lights was far superior to the laminated posters I know it‟s just another toy but wow What a toy
Friday night rush hour is a nightmare and I got caught up in the car parking on the new Laura Croft way trying to get back to the European Hotel and in the end landed up with only having 30 minutes to get showered dressed in best bib and tucker and to get to the Spot to welcome everyone How we did it I do not really know And it was still chucking it down with rain In fact it was just like Faslane Friday Evening was a combination celebrations rolled into one We were celebrating our Branch 30
th
Anniversary and had brought forward our branch Trafalgar Dinner night as well We were also celebrating the 50
th year of RN British Submarines
and of course we welcomed the twenty crew of Vanguard to the only City in the United Kingdom that has granted the Freedom of the City to HM Submarine Service which proudly hangs on the stairwell of the Submarine Squadron Offices in Faslane The room had been superbly decorated on a Red White and Blue theme by the Spot and this was complimented by balloon‟s The branch had added our own personal touch with place mats individual seating markers with a reminder of what people had ordered and table markers and of course a unique programme to celebrate the occasion When items such as these are taken as souvenirs I always consider it a compliment and I had nothing to clear up at the end of the evening Everyone assembled in the middle room for early drinks and socialise with John amp Rita Sayers making everyone exceptionally welcome selling them Raffle Tickets
On time everyone was summoned to take their places for Dinner and at 7pm the Sea Cadets from TS Kenya piped the top table into Dinner The Diners slow hand clapped the top table in and I undertook Master of Ceremonies with a very short safety brief Thence the Senior Officer present Cdr Jerry Hall RN Rtd was called upon to read out the response to the Loyal Greetings sent to HM Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of our 30
th Anniversary Jerry proudly read
the message to all relayed from the Queen wishing us a successful evening Thence followed the Welcome by our President Mr Ken Holtham and grace by our Vice Chair Mr John Sayers It was thence time to dig in for the first course which was a choice of Soup Pate or Melon The main course was a Carvery but what a carvery We had the choice of Beef Pork amp Turkey and all vegetarians and special diets were well looked after The choice of vegetables was the largest anyone had seen with the only complaint being the plates were not big enough I consider as I was full there was ample but I agree it was impossible to get everything on There were one or two deep breaths before the puddings which was the Sweet Trolley of cream gateaux‟s Cheese board or ice cream followed by coffee which with cream and a mint biscuit rounded off a super meal We then eased springs for a break of fifteen minutes before the speeches
Cdr Jerry Hall Lt Cdr Chris Bland Terry Hall Michelle Tyler Desna amp Ian Tyson
The immortal Toast and a fine speech on Nelson was delivered by Lt Cdr Chris Bland the WEO as Senior Officer of Vanguard who bravely stepped into the position of Cdr Stuart Capes the Commanding Officer of Vanguard Port who was unable to attend due to operational reasons Chris was followed by the Loyal Toast to HM the Queen This very different and enjoyable toast was undertaken by Mr Ian Tyson MIM who is not only a personal friend of mine but was the ex Ceremonial Officer for the Submariners Assn and was a leading light in the London SA before its closure Ian treated us to a unique history lesson on the Battle of Trafalgar and his instruction on taking one‟s tot involved everyone and the experience was enjoyed by all It was as promised in our Loyal Greetings letter to HM toasted with gusto and from the heart Ian‟s speech and toast was summed up by our Chairman Steve Tyler who when he arose to toast the Submarine Service and the Submariner stated ldquoHow do I follow thatrdquo Follow it he did with a roaring toast to the senior part of the Senior Service
14
The presentations were extended slightly with two planned and one unplanned The branch made a presentation of a SA Derbyshire Plaque to the Senior Officer and thence a framed picture of a cartoon that had been in the National Press which had been suitably and artistically enhanced in colour by my daughter This was presented to Vanguard‟s Coxswain John Richie Richardson and small A5 copies distributed in a sealed envelope to each table so all could view the cartoon The Senior Officer thence presented the branch with a superb framed
picture of the Vanguard Crest with brass plaques engraved to commemorate the visit to Derby This splendid gift will be hung in our room at TS Kenya for both ourselves and the cadets to enjoy A presentation of a bouquet of flowers was made by ET Chris Whale to Elena Holtham the wife of our Branch President who was
celebrating her 85th
birthday I would also like to extend our branch‟s best wishes to Chris on his forthcoming course he is just embarking on at HMS Sultan we wish you the best of luck In keeping with the branch tradition we thence provided a decorated Rose Stem for all of the ladies attending and requested the crew members undertake the presentations - which were carried out admirably in true Naval Tradition Our youngest guest was a lovely young lady called Amy who had joined us due to a late cancellation She had joined us at our coffee morning and spent some time with our WWII veterans discussing their experience for her bdquoA‟ Levels and the branch has been able to help with books from our library and I have provided her with booksleaflets from various projects I have undertaken with my RBL hat on so not only was the RN covered but also the RAF with the bomber memorial and Joe Simons excellent story of his service from Normandy just after D-Day and into Germany You may be able to spot her in the picture above
The evening was thence concluded by a wonderful performance by Shep Woolley who I consider it a
great privilege that he commented to me how much he had enjoyed his observations of our special evening As per normal Shep gave a superb performance and it was much enjoyed by all and we thank him
for such a brilliant and entertaining programme as the Golden Carriages arrived for our guests
Saturday 2 December 2010 Talk about see-saw weather Thursday had been fine for the arrival and it was quite hot sat in the foyer of the hotel waiting to meet and greet the crew to Derby Friday was a total washout weather wise and the rain that bad I would liken it to a monsoon Saturday however dawned bright and sunny and stayed like that until the early evening However our plan was a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas where the Vanguard crew would lay a wreath at the Submariners Memorial Though booked into the NMA it was not until about two weeks before that I was advised of the Annual Bike to the Wall and was told they already had 23000 bikes booked in I spoke to the Coxswain and we decided it was worth a go and we are all very glad we did Only one of the twenty had visited the NMA before so it was a particularly poignant visit We convoyed down in three vehicles parking up in a field designated as the Park amp Ride Car Park with a free bus service to and from the NMA The rain the previous day saw the river swollen that runs through the site and it was a little damp to say the least The buses ran regularly and we arrived and our first duty was to replace the very tatty and dirty White Ensign on the Naval Review section We then went down to the submariner‟s memorial where we carried out a short poignant service including the laying of Vanguards Wreath The various parts of the service were shared out amongst crew members with me having the honour of piping the silence I had produced souvenir quality service sheets for each crew member and included a brief history of the NMA site I particularly liked the comment about bdquoIts good to see it was the conception of a Commander Royal Navy who made it happen‟ and that is something we can all be very proud of Unfortunately I had left my camera in the car but we enjoyed the spectacle of the bikers in their thousands The respect and salutes to the service members were a joy to behold The bikers raise a lot of money and the sights of them coming up the main A38 dual carriageway with lights blazing was a magnificent sight The car parks and main thoroughfares were chocker block with bikes of all shapes and sizes including some modified with rear ends of VW Beetles Indian rickshaws and Harleys by the hundreds Whatever the bike they had all come to pay their respects to our Armed Forces and were a credit to their respective chapters clubs or Legion bikers or as individuals BZ to all those who participated on the bdquoRide To The Wall‟ We returned to Derby in the afternoon and arranged to meet up down in the City at the Assembly Rooms where Shep Woolley was performing and the promoters had kindly offered greatly reduced tickets for the Vanguard Crew After the concert I was treated to a Chinese all you can eat on Babbington Lane With not frequenting Derby very often and certainly not at night it was an unknown venue to me but was most enjoyable I sincerely thank Coxn Richie Richardson and CPO Nick Alton for excellent company My first ever visit to Walkabouts was an eye opener and a half and it was only the excellent company that made the run so enjoyable Sunday was going home day and the Vanguards split off by car train to all points of the compass
15
HMS TIRELESS IN MULTINATIONAL EXERCISE Naval assets from the UK France Australia and the US have completed a major international anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Gulf of Oman This is a regular exercise directed by the United Kingdom Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) based in Bahrain It is designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability in warm water environments and promote interoperability between ships and aircraft from a variety of nations The centrepiece of the cat and mouse style exercise was Trafalgar Class submarine HMS Tireless playing the role of the mouse while the duties of the cat were shared between the Australian frigate HMAS Melbourne and the French frigate FS Dupleix Meanwhile Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron and US P-3 Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft acted as eyes in the sky HMS Tireless and HMAS Melbourne also exchanged key personnel during the exercise in order to share skills and experience A UKMCC spokesperson said The number of navies
building and operating submarines continues to grow It is therefore important that the Royal Navy retains its position at the forefront of anti-submarine warfare a skill easy to lose but difficult to regain The presence of
a large number of coalition navies in this region provides the ideal opportunity to train together Commodore Tim Fraser UK Maritime Component Commander said The large proportion of the Royal Navys work in this region is of an operational nature such as conducting anti-piracy patrols and strengthening relations with regional allies However it is important that we also run regular exercises such as this in order to maintain and further develop our skills across the full range of capabilities The UKMCC controls all Royal Navy warships aircraft and personnel in the Middle East maritime theatre which totals over thirteen hundred personnel and more than a dozen vessels These include frigates undertaking maritime security operations and anti-piracy patrols mine countermeasures vessels developing warm water mine hunting techniques and landing ships supporting the training and development of the fledgling Iraqi Navy and the protection of key Iraqi oil platforms
HMS ASTUTE IN COMMISSION The UKs most powerful attack submarine HMS Astute has been welcomed into the Royal Navy in a commissioning ceremony overseen by the boats patron the Duchess of Cornwall as well as Doug Clarke our Derbyshire Member who was kindly taken up to Faslane by his son and daughter for the prestigious event HMS Astute which has officially become Her Majestys Ship today 29 August 2010 She is almost fifty per cent bigger than any attack submarine in the Royal Navys current fleet As the base port of all the Royal Navys submarines from 2016 Faslane will be home to the whole Astute Class including Ambush Artful and Audacious which are already under construction Astute was built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness with hundreds of suppliers around the country contributing component parts including Rolls-Royce Derby (nuclear plant)
TS KENYA PRESENTATION NIGHT Friday 15 October 2010
What an absolutely awful evening weather wise which fortunately did not prevent a decent size audience for this Annual prestigious event which was a credit of organisation and planning The Cadets both Sailors and Royal Marines were as usual excellently turned out and disciplined The Chief guests were the High Sheriff of Derbyshire and the Mayor of Derby who both presented the various trophies to the Cadets As I helped with the raffle I can say with authority that all the prime guests and Senior Committee were exceptionally generous with donations and the total of just under pound90 was raised Whoever organised the prizes did a Herculean effort with Black amp Decker Sets Footbath bottles and really exceptionally good prizes
We submariners were thinner on the ground than in the past with myself Ken and Peter and Joyce but with more than half the branch either on holiday P7R or sick parade this was to be expected There was also three RMA amp Tom Smith BEM RNA Jerry Hall was wearing many hats including President of the TS Kenya Management Committee and President of the RNA for whom he presented a Bosun‟s Pipe to the best cadet Jerry is of course a Submariner member and thanked all four Naval Associations in Derby for their unstinting support of the unit
The presentations took the normal format of the badges and promotions for the Cadets followed by the awards The bdquoTommy Appleby‟ Memorial Shield was won by Cadet Ginette Doherty This Shield was presented to the Unit by Doris in memory of Tommy who was a submariner member The array of awards is impressive and the presentations were undertaken in rotation by the High Sheriff and the Mayor After the presentations the High Sheriff and the Mayor were presented with bouquets The High Sheriff is a nice lady but the Mayor had to accept on behalf of his wife who had been whisked away only moments before for another function I thought he took the presentation of flowers in good spirit The Mayor and High Sheriff both made speeches praising the work of the Cadets Staff and supporters of the Unit
Those who follow the progress of the Cadets through the newsletter or otherwise will be aware that the project to get the Cadets on the water is nearing fruition with the money required for a boat and a safety boat raised and both boats are in the process of being built An internal competition at TS Kenya had been undertaken to name the two boats and unfortunately the Commanding Officer Capt SCC Andy Fuller RMR would not divulge the ones he advised were outrageous suggestions However the decision had been to name the budding Fleet after ex Royal Navy vessels with one to be a submarine and one to be a target skimmer surface vessel The decision made was for HMS Sovereign for the safety boat and HMS Malaya for the pulling boat Sovereign was Derby‟s adopted boat for over thirty years and always ably supported the Sea Cadet unit in Derby Malaya was the name of the Unit until a few years ago when the name was changed to TS Kenya to reflect the long Ship Affiliation of HMS Kenya which was Derby‟s adopted ship before Sovereign with links to warship week in WWII
16
FEEDBACK 30th
ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND I have received much positive feedback and only one complaint of the 30
th Anniversary amp Trafalgar Dinner
The complaint was from Jim Hunt who stated the carvery plates were not big enough End of complaint Many branch members as well as guests have taken the time to say how much they enjoyed the event and in summary the following letter from HMS Vanguard by Louis Gardner the Operations Officer who I know definitely enjoyed his run ashore in Derby
Dear Terry May I take this opportunity to thank the Derbyshire Branch of the Submariners Association for inviting the Ship‟s Company of HMS Vanguard to participate in what was a hugely enjoyable visit Your organisation of such a varied programme including the visit to Rolls Royce was particularly well received Further thanks must go to all who ensured such a successful Trafalgar Night Dinner Excellent hosting was provided by all of your members which was enjoyed and appreciated by our sailors and officers It was a delight to toast both Nelson and your branch‟s 30
th
anniversary on the same occasion Special thanks must go to you for your Herculean efforts in ensuring our time in Derby ran so smoothly Everything from the welcome packs and presentation mugs to your organisation of the service at the National Arboretum was greatly appreciated Much fun was had by all during the visit and we look forward to the opportunity to reciprocate your invitation in the future
Well done all branch members I know many of you had an exceptionally busy Friday and also appreciate for many it was an expensive day with taxi‟s hotels and distances involved However your company was enjoyed by the Vanguard‟s Ship Company and the fact we had so many turn up to help at the Coffee Morning made the task so much easier especially for me It was a wonderful change to have the work load shared as it was by the branch bdquoA‟ team ndash That‟s all of you who were able to turn up and help BZ to all and for the first time I can remember it was a stress free Trafalgar Dinner with nearly everything going smoothly thanks to the excellent organisation at the Spot Now for next year has anyone any ideas
SA NATIONAL RAFFLE I have received the list of prize winners from the ex National Treasurer and can confirm that unfortunately there are no Derbyshire Member Winners Thanks to all in the branch who participated as the branch got one third of the takings
NATIONAL DIARIES I asked Steve Tyler that if there were any SA diaries available at Nottingham to get Ten these have all been sold We hoped for an opportunity to pick up at the Embankment Parade in London avoiding costly PampP However due to problems and cost of accommodation in London we will now unfortunately not be parading our Standard but will be attending the Derby Festival of Remembrance at Derby Cathedral on the same weekend Any further orders to the Treasurer please
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2011 If any members have any proposals for Conference 2011 you are reminded that the branch must submit them by 31 December 2010 thus they need to be presented at the next two meetings if your proposal is to be discussed and submitted
BRANCH AGM TS KENYA The Branch AGM will take place at 7pm on Wednesday 3 March 2011 when we revert from our Winter Routine of lunch time meetings at the Jubilee Club at 1215 Items for the Agenda should be submitted by the January meeting with any nominations for any office
BRANCH SUBSCRIPTIONS 2011 Branch Subscriptions were not discussed at our AGM in March thus by default they will remain the same at pound10 per person with pound5 National fee making a total of pound15 Annual Subscription This becomes due to the 31 December 2010 for the following year and it is requested that to enable the year end figures to be completed by 31 January 2011 that they are submitted to the Treasurer as soon into the new year or anytime before Those who will be effecting an electronic bank transfer to the branch accounts as per the memo posted out to all members are requested to ensure that your reference clearly states your surname and the word bdquosubs‟ Those who wish to continue to have a hard copy of In Depth are requested to make a further donation of pound5 to cover the copies for 2011 Newsletter Online If you need to refer to a back issue
(three copies only) please refer to wwwsubmarinersassociationcoukhtmlderbynewshtml
Views and comments of this newsletter do not always reflect the official policy or decisions of neither the
Derby Branch nor the Submariners Association
Terry Hall Newsletter Editor Submariners Association Derbyshire Branch 69 Station Road STANLEY VILLAGE
Derbyshire DE7 6FB
Ronamp Jean Slater
4 November 2010 Best Wishes from all the
Derbyshire Branch
9
DIESEL SUBMARINES 1948 ndash 1958 PART ONE OF SIX
The Diesel Submarines Of The Royal Navy Available To Engage In A Major War In The Period 1948 to 1958 Compiled by Peter D Hulme with additional notes
Acknowledgements for information and advice to John Eade Ian Buxton George Malcomson (RN Submarine Museum) and Roger Fry Submarines are mentioned in this article that were lost war and peace - we will remember them
By the 1980s surveillance of NATO naval units by Soviet submarines was taken for granted Electronic spy ships passed happily through our fleet formations whilst their maritime aircraft buzzed over them without hindrance But in the early fifties following hard on the heels of the Berlin airlift and at a time of explosive growth of Soviet sea power sterner attitudes prevailed I recall a confidential memorandum on the subject circulated to the Fleet at the time which reminded Escort Force Commanders that there were no prohibitions on firing depth charge patterns to test them at any time Exactly what similar orders had gone out to the Red Navy remained a matter of conjecture but no one fancied being the first to find out as Gary Powers did on his U2 flight over Mother Russia
Extract from SUBMARINER by Commander John Coote Royal Navy (deceased) former CO of the Totem foreword by Submarine Admiral IJ Galantin US Navy (Rtd) Norman Friedman US Naval author - Office of Naval Intelligence (US Navy) found the future bleak by 1951 it expected 356 Soviet submarines It later proved to be an over estimate ONI in 1954 credited the Soviets with 345 operational units including 83 obsolete submersibles
Preamble The data bases of British submarines while very
useful can be confusing when trying to estimate the actual fighting strength of the Submarine Service over any particular period in this case 1948-1958 This period as it will referred to throughout the list and commentary was chosen because in 1958 the first new operational submarine since the war Porpoise joined the fleet to be
followed by the rest of her class Other major changes were in the offing not the least the first British nuclear submarine but of more immediate influence new sonar and torpedoes were finally to become a reality 1948 was chosen as the start of the period of interest for historical reasons but there was also an important practical motive most of the disposal and scrapping of WWII vessels was complete Historically the 1948 Berlin Airlift symbolised the start of confrontation between the Western Powers and the Soviet Union the Cold War NATO came into being the next year and the submarine started to take its place as a key player in the conduct of this trial of resolve between East and West However while the story from about 1960 onward is well known as are the submarines involved the active units that made up the submarine fleet of the Royal Navy when the possibility of a Hot War was very real are not as well known and this list is intended to correct that with data and photographs The Royal Naval Submarine Museum archives has documents that already define the fleet but these are not readily available to me to use in a publication for this web site
Of great value have been the relevant pages of the official Particulars of War Vessels 1959 CB 04826 supplied to me by Ian Buxton These pages have provided a lot of the detail about each vessel at the close of the period and confirms what submarines were still in active service Including submarines temporarily in the dockyard or reserve in 1953 (the halfway point in the period) there were 50 apparently operational diesel electric submarines in the Royal Navy
15 A class 22 T class 11 S class and 2 U class According to PoWV 1959 all were armed with Mk 8 torpedoes of the type used in WW II with the option of mines but according to FOSM correspondence of 1948 the electric Mk 11 torpedo was also to be carried in the extended T class A Mk 20 (BIDDER) passive homing torpedo was in service in 1955 but does not appear to have been considered a successful weapon Neither the Mk 11 and the Mk 20 are mentioned in the PoV 1959 The Mk 8 though apparently old in design was quite a sophisticated but reliable piece of machinery but from todays point of view it was basically just an aim and fire weapon The running depth could be set before firing as could a gyro controlled angled course on leaving the tube It was propelled by a burner-cycle combustion engine fuelled by shale oil and compressed air and could run for 5000 yards at 455 knots 805 lb of Torpex explosive in the warhead Diameter 21 Weight 3452 lbs Overall Length 259 in A large weapon to store and manhandle in the confines of these submarines They were indeed submersible torpedo boats
Books such as Naval Weapons of World War Two by John Campbell give a more detailed description of this torpedo and figures for torpedo success briefly 5421 torpedoes fired 1040 certain hits The Alliance book by
Lambert and Hill has detailed drawings of the torpedo and the tube firing system but little text discussion It would have been interesting to know if there were sufficient torpedoes to fully load all the submarines and if there were sufficient again to reload Another useful logistical figure would have been the crew strength in the period But these vital figures have proved difficult to obtain It is known from reliable anecdotes that early in the period small designated groups of mainly S class were held in active reserve in different locations with one crew looking after each group
It has been suggested but not confirmed that at the same time some T class were held in the Dockyards No attempt has been made at this stage to take on the difficult task of determining the disposition year by year of each submarine It is well known that submarines were committed to Australia and Canada for training for long periods however they represented a relatively small percentage of the total fleet and in principle could return to the UK if crisis circumstances arose The Politics of British Defence Policy 1945-1962 by William P Snyder (1964) will tell the reader nothing about diesel submarines but this American military author does provide a picture of the defence politics of the period and confirms that a Soviet attack in Europe was then considered very likely (Page 19) The comment is made in the context of commitments to the Korean War
The List With Commentary The intention is to identify
each submarine and its condition as clearly as possible Submarines still around in the period but not sensibly available for active service are accounted for in separate sections ASDIC sets in Sections 1 to 4b were of the type used in WWII Refer to the extended T notes Section 4d for comment on the ASDIC and TCS of the latter part of the period of interest There is insufficient information available to offer comment on the radar sets Norman Friedman 1981 Naval Radar Naval Institute Press ISBN 0870219677 may prove helpful to interested readers PoWV 1959 refers to the official document - Particulars of
War Vessels 1959 CB 04826 relevant sub pages provided by Ian Buxton
10
The Submarines Section 1 Two U class submarines Section 2 The introduction of a snort system in the RN Section 3a The S class submarine Section 3b Eleven S class modernised submarines Section 3c 4 S class submarines to France 19511952 Section 3d Six S class submarines scrapped by 1950 Section 3e 4 S class streamlined un-armed ASW targets Section 4a 10 Grp III T class Submarines 1571 tons sm Section 4b Accounting for T class to early scraploan Section 4c 8 T class extended hull fast battery subs Section 4d Five - Streamlined T class submarines Section 5 Sixteen A class submarines Section 6 The Porpoise class Section 7 Experimental and Trials submarines Section 8 The HTP Propulsion Programme of the RN Section 9 Personal observations StreamliningGuns Appendix Pennant numbers For a broader historical view of the disposition of the Submarines of the Royal Navy at this time the following two sources are suggested Norman Friedman The Post War Naval Revolution Chapter 8 Submarines and Eric Grove Vanguard to Trident 1945-1985 Chapter 6 - Peroxide to Polaris Thanks to John Eade and Ian Buxton who checked and where required corrected the basic submarine data using their sources
Section 1 Two U Class Submarines
Two U Class Submarines 730 tons sm Mike Critchley British Warships Since 1945 has photographs of both of these submarines that played such an important role in WWII They are shown in 1957 flying the White Ensign Guns removed and a modern ASDIC domes No pennant number displayed Apparently the last of the large fleet of 51 small U submarines all built by Vickers Armstrong during WWII There were 22 war losses In addition Armstrong Vickers built 22 very similar V class HMS Upstart shown here post war without a gun Note modern ASDIC dome aft (Photo G Chalcraft)
These Submarines By Name And Number
Untiring P59 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Loaned to Greece as Xifias 1945 Returned to Royal Navy 1952 Expended as AS target off Start Point 25 July 1957
Upstart P65 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Became Greek Amfitrite 1945 Returned to RN 1952 Expended as AS target off Isle of Wight 19 July 1957 Section 2 Introduction Of A Snort System In The RN
The first successful snort system in the Royal Navy is reported as being fitted in Truant N68
The topic is introduced at this point to give some idea how soon after the war a snort system was available for fitting in all RN submarines She was a relatively old Group 1 T class Completed 1939 Vickers Armstrong Decommissioned 1945 Wrecked off Cherbourg en route to scrapping December 1946 HMS Truant a group one T class
completed in 1939 Seen here with snort mast raised The additional pipe to starboard indicates this was an experimental setup Decommissioned in 1945 and lost under tow to the scrap yard in 1946
these dates give some idea as to when the Royal Navy began snort experiments The T and S submarine classes were fitted with fold down combined exhaust and induction masts mast as were the initial installations on the A class This quickly changed on the A class with the exhaust fixed to the after standards and only the induction mast folding down on to the after casing Further detail in each section Section 3a The S Class Of Submarine Construction of
this substantial fleet of (990 tons sm) submarines was commenced with the laying down of the Sturgeon in 1931
However the submarines of interest in the period 1948-1958 came from the surviving 40 that were part of Group III construction 1941 to 1945 There were 9 war losses from this group There are obvious features introduced in WWII but not fitted to all the GIII submarines No doubt due to Dockyard opportunities etc One was the Oerlikon gun fitted on a raised railed Bandstand aft of the conning tower the example below shows the conning tower of Splendid P228 (Lost in 1943) HMS Splendid shown with a Bandstand amp Oerlikon gun The platform is supported by a column mounted on the hull (Photo G Chalcraft) The following image shows Sahib P212 without this feature (lost in 1943) Another feature was the single external torpedo seen clearly on this image of Sahib but not on all the class This was the only external tube fitted to the S class HMS Sahib note the absence of a Bandstand amp
Oerlikon gun
Deck gun can be seen as can the aft torpedo tube (Our President survived the sinking of Sahib in
1943 and was taken POW)
HMS Scotsman showing the shielded platform fitted to some S class (Photograph R Fry) The GIII S class were fitted with a 3 and later a 4 gun It was thought the latter would be more effective against small ships particularly in the Far East (The Design and Construction of British Warships 1939-1945) The 3 mounts seem to have all been simple unshielded deck guns again as shown on Sahib
but the 4 gun appears to have had a platform mount and shield as seen in Sea Devil in the post
war photograph above and a grainy but clear close-up of the gun and conning tower of the Scotsman P243 1946 on the right HMS Sea Devil in
1949 Note she still has the Bandstand but no snort No pennant number is displayed Post-war many of the S class were transferred to other navies or scrapped and it is history of the survivors that went on to serve in the critical 1948-1958 period before new submarines came into service that is of interest To be continued
This article will be serialised over the coming months and includes many submarines served on by Derbyshire Members I am at present preparing it in a newsletter format and cannot at the present time say how many parts it will be but obviously our more senior members are getting their boats mentioned first It is appreciated the article is available on the web but it is also acknowledged that most members who served on lsquoSrsquo Boats in the 1940rsquos and early 1950rsquos do not have access to a computer Feedback is always welcome so let me know what you think with pleasure
11
FINAL PART ldquoI‟M NO HERO BUT I DID MY BITrdquo An Understatement By An bdquoilson Lad FOUR of FOUR MY STORY OF THE WAR YEARS 1939-1945 by Joseph Simons Driver REME
1946 In 1946 demob and back to the UK back to Civvy Street it went on age and length of
service (I was group 47 demobbed September 1947) we had a hut where at night we could go play cards dominoes or have a chat If someone getting demobbed we put a bit of a party on for them and Bill Dabbs a London bus driver aged about forty known no other life for over five years being with and working with the lads and with his mates and what with the weak beer they served in the hut he had tears running down his face with emotion due to leaving men he had only known for five years and the fact he was going back into civvy life where you are on your own
Early summer I got a fourteen day leave and went up to the leave centre and got on the train with all the others going on leave Wooden seats and it took twenty four hours to get to Calais because the train kept breaking down The Royal Engineers had put a single railway track across the River Rhine and the train went dead slow over this wooden bridge and looking out of the window you could only see the river We got to Calais and we crossed the channel on a fishing trawler to Folkstone I enjoyed that leave with the girl I had met but soon it was all
over and back to our workshop camp Later that year through units were breaking up due to demobilisation and our own workshop was one the fitters and mechanics took all the trucks and went to another workshop to make it up to strength All the drivers went to Bad Oyenhasen a spar town Once a week we went to the baths a German civilian filled the wooden bath worn smooth by years of use and put a thermometer in the water to see if it was the right temperature A bath in a wooden bath is far superior
A posting came for me and I went to Dusseldorf to this little unit which controlled all the factories in the Ruhr It consisted of a Captain WO1 Sergeant Corporal and me with two civilian clerks My job was to go to a factory to see what they had produced and take it to another factory that needed it I went all around the Ruhr past the Krupps bombed out factory at Essen Solingen Dortmund Wuppertao one job I had to pick up about seven plate glass shop window size and take it to Achen about thirty miles away I thought the state of the roads it will be broken but it was all in one piece not broke when I got it to Achen
I was billeted in the centre Dusseldorf in a big building it must have been offices because it had many rooms it was opposite Steal House the headquarters of the steel industry of the Ruhr It was where we had our meals our office was about a mi le away The Captain and the Sergeant where German Jews and must have got out of Germany before the war had started The Captain disappeared at the weekend with German friends in the big houses or castle and went on the shooting parties in the forests He had got all mounted animal heads on the walls of his office The Sergeant as soon as you saw him he was a Jew They both had cars whether bought or commandeered and when the sergeant went out he must have scared the Germans to bits for what they did to the Jews The Corporal he was a real spiv selling things for a profit what the Germans could not get cigarettes was the currency you could buy anything with cigarettes
The winter of 1946-47 it was cold and we went skating on the lake in the park I enjoyed my job going to different factories that had started up taking and delivering things in my three ton truck and then that day when group 47 came up and it was on the train to Cuxhaven (North Germany) a night crossing on a troop ship to Hull and train to barracks at York to collect everything from a civvy suit pay that was due rail ticket to Derby bus warrant to Ilkeston and I was back in civvy street I am pleased I did and I would not sell my memories of those four years of army life not for a million pounds Joseph Simons Driver REME April 1943 to September 1947 Army Number 14424767
Editor It was a pleasure to undertake putting his story into book form for Joe‟s Grandchildren which includes many more photographs he took on his exploits than can be shown here Many of these photo‟s are personal to him but I am immensely pleased that he allowed me permission to produce some extra books and they have been placed in the Local History Section of Ilkeston Library and also in the Erewash Museum so the exploits of a local Ilkeston (ilson is the local slang) man have been recorded for the future I hope you have enjoyed the story I certainly felt very privileged that he shared his experiences
Bad
Oyenhasen
12
VANGUARD VISIT TO DERBY 30 Sept ndash 3 Oct It was absolutely wonderful to have a group of twenty Submariners visit Derby for an extended weekend with hopefully not too busy a programme though it was running tight on occasions The crew arrived in Derby spaced over six or so hours and booked in the European Hotel which was very accommodating and geared up and everyone agreed it was very good We had an early evening briefing on the programme and all sailors received a welcome to Derby pack with loads of paper advising what had been arranged and free entry tickets and other information A recce of Derby Night Life was organised and it was abundantly clear at breakfast at 8am that some lively night life had been found
Coffee Morning Friday dawn the weather was an absolute killer with rain as bad as any Singapore monsoon Ritchie the Vanguard coxswain and I arrived early at the Council House to open up and to unload my car which was full to the gunnels with kit in the pouring rain Our door team of Jim Hunt and John Hadfield had already arrived to man up the doors and with them were John‟s wife Maureen and her sister Francis who immediately proceeded to set up the coffee percolator and coffee boat Maureen and Francis were soon joined by Joyce who looked after the victuals and peculator ably assisted by Peter Johnson and Jean Slater ndash definitely an bdquoA‟ team The next hour was a flurry of activity setting up the various stalls with everyone helping each other John amp Rita Sayers did the main raffle Jenny Williamson the tombola Michelle Tyler and Julie Winstanley did the Submariners and Skimmer blackouts with Ron Slater and Ken Holtham doing the health and fitness straw draw as well as the Mug Sales stall so all helpers really dug out The Vanguard crew‟s input was tremendous helping us throughout the morning and as someone observed they were very fit and active I might add a lady made this comment ndash or was she Incidentally if I have missed mentioning anyone please accept my apologies but it was a rather hectic though successful morning The severe weather had a major impact on the ex service trade and of course the fact the bus stops outside the Council House have now been moved to the new bus station did not help either We would especially like to thank those ladies and gentleman who booked a day of work for this event and despite the weather turned out especially one young lady who came into Derby for the event by train and it‟s a long walk with weather like that Many hands make light work so everyone‟s efforts were appreciated The Mayor of Derby joined us at 1045 and our Chair Steve Tyler welcomed him and presented him with one of the special commissioned mugs to commemorate the Vanguard visit
Every crew member visiting received one and they bore the crests of Vanguard SA Derbyshire SM1 and with special permission from Rolls Royce their crest These were proudly above the wording bdquoFreedom of the City of Derby granted to HM Submarine Service with the White Ensign in the middle The WEO of Vanguard Lt Cdr Chris Bland thence presented the Mayor with a Vanguard Crest Getting on for 1120 we started the ball rolling with the raffle draw and this was followed by the Mayor opening the envelopes to declare the Blackout winners I might add the winning boats and targets were impartially picked by someone who knows absolutely nothing about the RN and the fact our Chair won the bottle of Pusser‟s with Courageous which he served on in 1982 was purely a coincidence Still the good news is the Skimmer prize of 1ltr of Lambs was donated back to the branch and will be redrawn either at the visit of Ambush or Christmas so you can have another opportunity of winning a large bottle of rum We then drew the Submariners unique free Coffee Morning Ticket entry raffle prize of a bottle of whiskey and then finally we auctioned the two remaining prizes from the straw health and fitness draw The fitness watch worth pound70 went for pound30 and the magnetic bracelet for pound10 further enhancing our funds Jenny‟s tombola was a successful sell out
Despite the low turn out of people we did exceptionally well and it is sad that with the closure of the Council House for two years renovation we will not be able to hold this event in its present location or form elsewhere at present I feel it has been an immense privilege we have enjoyed courtesy of the Mayor and the City Council over a number of years It has not been a right but a perk and I believe all ex Service Associations should be grateful at the generosity over the years and accept through no ones fault the council can no longer afford to provide accommodation now not the least because they have not got any spare accommodation during the renovation of the present Council House
On conclusion of the Coffee Morning members squared away the room whilst the Vanguard crew enjoyed a very good presentation undertaken by the Mayor and John the Mayors Chauffer in the Council Chamber The history of the unique Chain of Office which is priceless City Sword Orb and Rod were all explained to an interested audience As Ricki Rotimi one of Vanguards Chefs undertook the demonstrations with the Sword and other artefacts it was noticed that the Mayor kept the Chain of Office firmly in his grasp Ricki got quite excited that whilst kneeling he got Knighted with the sword but looked a bit glum when it was declared that his Knighthood was invalid as it needed the Monarchs approval On leaving the Council House we discovered the rain was as bad as it had been early in the morning thus wet on the outside we proceeded to the pub to get wet on the inside too
13
We collected our vehicles and made our way to the Oak amp Acorn for an arranged buffet Once the crew had been fed and watered (though there was not much water drunk) the branch members were invited to dine The worries on the change of management three days previously were unfounded and everyone was pleased with the choice of venue The Rolls Royce Representative Tony kindly joined us for a short time and he acted as escort for a special tour to Rolls Royce on Raynesway for all the crew members on which I understand was a very useful and interesting visit to Vanguard‟s crew I used the time after this to offload a lot of gear at my home as my car was so full it could not carry passengers I then set off for the Spot to complete setting up the room with the Raffle final place settings due to changes checking wine orders etc I normally set up a big A Board with laminated welcome posters but with the Spot having all the mod cons I was requested to supply A4 instead of twice the size A3 I was most impressed with the displays in lights as we entered I produced two posters one welcoming the Vanguard on their visit to Derby and one advertising the Branch and its 30th Anniversary To see them up in lights was far superior to the laminated posters I know it‟s just another toy but wow What a toy
Friday night rush hour is a nightmare and I got caught up in the car parking on the new Laura Croft way trying to get back to the European Hotel and in the end landed up with only having 30 minutes to get showered dressed in best bib and tucker and to get to the Spot to welcome everyone How we did it I do not really know And it was still chucking it down with rain In fact it was just like Faslane Friday Evening was a combination celebrations rolled into one We were celebrating our Branch 30
th
Anniversary and had brought forward our branch Trafalgar Dinner night as well We were also celebrating the 50
th year of RN British Submarines
and of course we welcomed the twenty crew of Vanguard to the only City in the United Kingdom that has granted the Freedom of the City to HM Submarine Service which proudly hangs on the stairwell of the Submarine Squadron Offices in Faslane The room had been superbly decorated on a Red White and Blue theme by the Spot and this was complimented by balloon‟s The branch had added our own personal touch with place mats individual seating markers with a reminder of what people had ordered and table markers and of course a unique programme to celebrate the occasion When items such as these are taken as souvenirs I always consider it a compliment and I had nothing to clear up at the end of the evening Everyone assembled in the middle room for early drinks and socialise with John amp Rita Sayers making everyone exceptionally welcome selling them Raffle Tickets
On time everyone was summoned to take their places for Dinner and at 7pm the Sea Cadets from TS Kenya piped the top table into Dinner The Diners slow hand clapped the top table in and I undertook Master of Ceremonies with a very short safety brief Thence the Senior Officer present Cdr Jerry Hall RN Rtd was called upon to read out the response to the Loyal Greetings sent to HM Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of our 30
th Anniversary Jerry proudly read
the message to all relayed from the Queen wishing us a successful evening Thence followed the Welcome by our President Mr Ken Holtham and grace by our Vice Chair Mr John Sayers It was thence time to dig in for the first course which was a choice of Soup Pate or Melon The main course was a Carvery but what a carvery We had the choice of Beef Pork amp Turkey and all vegetarians and special diets were well looked after The choice of vegetables was the largest anyone had seen with the only complaint being the plates were not big enough I consider as I was full there was ample but I agree it was impossible to get everything on There were one or two deep breaths before the puddings which was the Sweet Trolley of cream gateaux‟s Cheese board or ice cream followed by coffee which with cream and a mint biscuit rounded off a super meal We then eased springs for a break of fifteen minutes before the speeches
Cdr Jerry Hall Lt Cdr Chris Bland Terry Hall Michelle Tyler Desna amp Ian Tyson
The immortal Toast and a fine speech on Nelson was delivered by Lt Cdr Chris Bland the WEO as Senior Officer of Vanguard who bravely stepped into the position of Cdr Stuart Capes the Commanding Officer of Vanguard Port who was unable to attend due to operational reasons Chris was followed by the Loyal Toast to HM the Queen This very different and enjoyable toast was undertaken by Mr Ian Tyson MIM who is not only a personal friend of mine but was the ex Ceremonial Officer for the Submariners Assn and was a leading light in the London SA before its closure Ian treated us to a unique history lesson on the Battle of Trafalgar and his instruction on taking one‟s tot involved everyone and the experience was enjoyed by all It was as promised in our Loyal Greetings letter to HM toasted with gusto and from the heart Ian‟s speech and toast was summed up by our Chairman Steve Tyler who when he arose to toast the Submarine Service and the Submariner stated ldquoHow do I follow thatrdquo Follow it he did with a roaring toast to the senior part of the Senior Service
14
The presentations were extended slightly with two planned and one unplanned The branch made a presentation of a SA Derbyshire Plaque to the Senior Officer and thence a framed picture of a cartoon that had been in the National Press which had been suitably and artistically enhanced in colour by my daughter This was presented to Vanguard‟s Coxswain John Richie Richardson and small A5 copies distributed in a sealed envelope to each table so all could view the cartoon The Senior Officer thence presented the branch with a superb framed
picture of the Vanguard Crest with brass plaques engraved to commemorate the visit to Derby This splendid gift will be hung in our room at TS Kenya for both ourselves and the cadets to enjoy A presentation of a bouquet of flowers was made by ET Chris Whale to Elena Holtham the wife of our Branch President who was
celebrating her 85th
birthday I would also like to extend our branch‟s best wishes to Chris on his forthcoming course he is just embarking on at HMS Sultan we wish you the best of luck In keeping with the branch tradition we thence provided a decorated Rose Stem for all of the ladies attending and requested the crew members undertake the presentations - which were carried out admirably in true Naval Tradition Our youngest guest was a lovely young lady called Amy who had joined us due to a late cancellation She had joined us at our coffee morning and spent some time with our WWII veterans discussing their experience for her bdquoA‟ Levels and the branch has been able to help with books from our library and I have provided her with booksleaflets from various projects I have undertaken with my RBL hat on so not only was the RN covered but also the RAF with the bomber memorial and Joe Simons excellent story of his service from Normandy just after D-Day and into Germany You may be able to spot her in the picture above
The evening was thence concluded by a wonderful performance by Shep Woolley who I consider it a
great privilege that he commented to me how much he had enjoyed his observations of our special evening As per normal Shep gave a superb performance and it was much enjoyed by all and we thank him
for such a brilliant and entertaining programme as the Golden Carriages arrived for our guests
Saturday 2 December 2010 Talk about see-saw weather Thursday had been fine for the arrival and it was quite hot sat in the foyer of the hotel waiting to meet and greet the crew to Derby Friday was a total washout weather wise and the rain that bad I would liken it to a monsoon Saturday however dawned bright and sunny and stayed like that until the early evening However our plan was a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas where the Vanguard crew would lay a wreath at the Submariners Memorial Though booked into the NMA it was not until about two weeks before that I was advised of the Annual Bike to the Wall and was told they already had 23000 bikes booked in I spoke to the Coxswain and we decided it was worth a go and we are all very glad we did Only one of the twenty had visited the NMA before so it was a particularly poignant visit We convoyed down in three vehicles parking up in a field designated as the Park amp Ride Car Park with a free bus service to and from the NMA The rain the previous day saw the river swollen that runs through the site and it was a little damp to say the least The buses ran regularly and we arrived and our first duty was to replace the very tatty and dirty White Ensign on the Naval Review section We then went down to the submariner‟s memorial where we carried out a short poignant service including the laying of Vanguards Wreath The various parts of the service were shared out amongst crew members with me having the honour of piping the silence I had produced souvenir quality service sheets for each crew member and included a brief history of the NMA site I particularly liked the comment about bdquoIts good to see it was the conception of a Commander Royal Navy who made it happen‟ and that is something we can all be very proud of Unfortunately I had left my camera in the car but we enjoyed the spectacle of the bikers in their thousands The respect and salutes to the service members were a joy to behold The bikers raise a lot of money and the sights of them coming up the main A38 dual carriageway with lights blazing was a magnificent sight The car parks and main thoroughfares were chocker block with bikes of all shapes and sizes including some modified with rear ends of VW Beetles Indian rickshaws and Harleys by the hundreds Whatever the bike they had all come to pay their respects to our Armed Forces and were a credit to their respective chapters clubs or Legion bikers or as individuals BZ to all those who participated on the bdquoRide To The Wall‟ We returned to Derby in the afternoon and arranged to meet up down in the City at the Assembly Rooms where Shep Woolley was performing and the promoters had kindly offered greatly reduced tickets for the Vanguard Crew After the concert I was treated to a Chinese all you can eat on Babbington Lane With not frequenting Derby very often and certainly not at night it was an unknown venue to me but was most enjoyable I sincerely thank Coxn Richie Richardson and CPO Nick Alton for excellent company My first ever visit to Walkabouts was an eye opener and a half and it was only the excellent company that made the run so enjoyable Sunday was going home day and the Vanguards split off by car train to all points of the compass
15
HMS TIRELESS IN MULTINATIONAL EXERCISE Naval assets from the UK France Australia and the US have completed a major international anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Gulf of Oman This is a regular exercise directed by the United Kingdom Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) based in Bahrain It is designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability in warm water environments and promote interoperability between ships and aircraft from a variety of nations The centrepiece of the cat and mouse style exercise was Trafalgar Class submarine HMS Tireless playing the role of the mouse while the duties of the cat were shared between the Australian frigate HMAS Melbourne and the French frigate FS Dupleix Meanwhile Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron and US P-3 Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft acted as eyes in the sky HMS Tireless and HMAS Melbourne also exchanged key personnel during the exercise in order to share skills and experience A UKMCC spokesperson said The number of navies
building and operating submarines continues to grow It is therefore important that the Royal Navy retains its position at the forefront of anti-submarine warfare a skill easy to lose but difficult to regain The presence of
a large number of coalition navies in this region provides the ideal opportunity to train together Commodore Tim Fraser UK Maritime Component Commander said The large proportion of the Royal Navys work in this region is of an operational nature such as conducting anti-piracy patrols and strengthening relations with regional allies However it is important that we also run regular exercises such as this in order to maintain and further develop our skills across the full range of capabilities The UKMCC controls all Royal Navy warships aircraft and personnel in the Middle East maritime theatre which totals over thirteen hundred personnel and more than a dozen vessels These include frigates undertaking maritime security operations and anti-piracy patrols mine countermeasures vessels developing warm water mine hunting techniques and landing ships supporting the training and development of the fledgling Iraqi Navy and the protection of key Iraqi oil platforms
HMS ASTUTE IN COMMISSION The UKs most powerful attack submarine HMS Astute has been welcomed into the Royal Navy in a commissioning ceremony overseen by the boats patron the Duchess of Cornwall as well as Doug Clarke our Derbyshire Member who was kindly taken up to Faslane by his son and daughter for the prestigious event HMS Astute which has officially become Her Majestys Ship today 29 August 2010 She is almost fifty per cent bigger than any attack submarine in the Royal Navys current fleet As the base port of all the Royal Navys submarines from 2016 Faslane will be home to the whole Astute Class including Ambush Artful and Audacious which are already under construction Astute was built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness with hundreds of suppliers around the country contributing component parts including Rolls-Royce Derby (nuclear plant)
TS KENYA PRESENTATION NIGHT Friday 15 October 2010
What an absolutely awful evening weather wise which fortunately did not prevent a decent size audience for this Annual prestigious event which was a credit of organisation and planning The Cadets both Sailors and Royal Marines were as usual excellently turned out and disciplined The Chief guests were the High Sheriff of Derbyshire and the Mayor of Derby who both presented the various trophies to the Cadets As I helped with the raffle I can say with authority that all the prime guests and Senior Committee were exceptionally generous with donations and the total of just under pound90 was raised Whoever organised the prizes did a Herculean effort with Black amp Decker Sets Footbath bottles and really exceptionally good prizes
We submariners were thinner on the ground than in the past with myself Ken and Peter and Joyce but with more than half the branch either on holiday P7R or sick parade this was to be expected There was also three RMA amp Tom Smith BEM RNA Jerry Hall was wearing many hats including President of the TS Kenya Management Committee and President of the RNA for whom he presented a Bosun‟s Pipe to the best cadet Jerry is of course a Submariner member and thanked all four Naval Associations in Derby for their unstinting support of the unit
The presentations took the normal format of the badges and promotions for the Cadets followed by the awards The bdquoTommy Appleby‟ Memorial Shield was won by Cadet Ginette Doherty This Shield was presented to the Unit by Doris in memory of Tommy who was a submariner member The array of awards is impressive and the presentations were undertaken in rotation by the High Sheriff and the Mayor After the presentations the High Sheriff and the Mayor were presented with bouquets The High Sheriff is a nice lady but the Mayor had to accept on behalf of his wife who had been whisked away only moments before for another function I thought he took the presentation of flowers in good spirit The Mayor and High Sheriff both made speeches praising the work of the Cadets Staff and supporters of the Unit
Those who follow the progress of the Cadets through the newsletter or otherwise will be aware that the project to get the Cadets on the water is nearing fruition with the money required for a boat and a safety boat raised and both boats are in the process of being built An internal competition at TS Kenya had been undertaken to name the two boats and unfortunately the Commanding Officer Capt SCC Andy Fuller RMR would not divulge the ones he advised were outrageous suggestions However the decision had been to name the budding Fleet after ex Royal Navy vessels with one to be a submarine and one to be a target skimmer surface vessel The decision made was for HMS Sovereign for the safety boat and HMS Malaya for the pulling boat Sovereign was Derby‟s adopted boat for over thirty years and always ably supported the Sea Cadet unit in Derby Malaya was the name of the Unit until a few years ago when the name was changed to TS Kenya to reflect the long Ship Affiliation of HMS Kenya which was Derby‟s adopted ship before Sovereign with links to warship week in WWII
16
FEEDBACK 30th
ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND I have received much positive feedback and only one complaint of the 30
th Anniversary amp Trafalgar Dinner
The complaint was from Jim Hunt who stated the carvery plates were not big enough End of complaint Many branch members as well as guests have taken the time to say how much they enjoyed the event and in summary the following letter from HMS Vanguard by Louis Gardner the Operations Officer who I know definitely enjoyed his run ashore in Derby
Dear Terry May I take this opportunity to thank the Derbyshire Branch of the Submariners Association for inviting the Ship‟s Company of HMS Vanguard to participate in what was a hugely enjoyable visit Your organisation of such a varied programme including the visit to Rolls Royce was particularly well received Further thanks must go to all who ensured such a successful Trafalgar Night Dinner Excellent hosting was provided by all of your members which was enjoyed and appreciated by our sailors and officers It was a delight to toast both Nelson and your branch‟s 30
th
anniversary on the same occasion Special thanks must go to you for your Herculean efforts in ensuring our time in Derby ran so smoothly Everything from the welcome packs and presentation mugs to your organisation of the service at the National Arboretum was greatly appreciated Much fun was had by all during the visit and we look forward to the opportunity to reciprocate your invitation in the future
Well done all branch members I know many of you had an exceptionally busy Friday and also appreciate for many it was an expensive day with taxi‟s hotels and distances involved However your company was enjoyed by the Vanguard‟s Ship Company and the fact we had so many turn up to help at the Coffee Morning made the task so much easier especially for me It was a wonderful change to have the work load shared as it was by the branch bdquoA‟ team ndash That‟s all of you who were able to turn up and help BZ to all and for the first time I can remember it was a stress free Trafalgar Dinner with nearly everything going smoothly thanks to the excellent organisation at the Spot Now for next year has anyone any ideas
SA NATIONAL RAFFLE I have received the list of prize winners from the ex National Treasurer and can confirm that unfortunately there are no Derbyshire Member Winners Thanks to all in the branch who participated as the branch got one third of the takings
NATIONAL DIARIES I asked Steve Tyler that if there were any SA diaries available at Nottingham to get Ten these have all been sold We hoped for an opportunity to pick up at the Embankment Parade in London avoiding costly PampP However due to problems and cost of accommodation in London we will now unfortunately not be parading our Standard but will be attending the Derby Festival of Remembrance at Derby Cathedral on the same weekend Any further orders to the Treasurer please
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2011 If any members have any proposals for Conference 2011 you are reminded that the branch must submit them by 31 December 2010 thus they need to be presented at the next two meetings if your proposal is to be discussed and submitted
BRANCH AGM TS KENYA The Branch AGM will take place at 7pm on Wednesday 3 March 2011 when we revert from our Winter Routine of lunch time meetings at the Jubilee Club at 1215 Items for the Agenda should be submitted by the January meeting with any nominations for any office
BRANCH SUBSCRIPTIONS 2011 Branch Subscriptions were not discussed at our AGM in March thus by default they will remain the same at pound10 per person with pound5 National fee making a total of pound15 Annual Subscription This becomes due to the 31 December 2010 for the following year and it is requested that to enable the year end figures to be completed by 31 January 2011 that they are submitted to the Treasurer as soon into the new year or anytime before Those who will be effecting an electronic bank transfer to the branch accounts as per the memo posted out to all members are requested to ensure that your reference clearly states your surname and the word bdquosubs‟ Those who wish to continue to have a hard copy of In Depth are requested to make a further donation of pound5 to cover the copies for 2011 Newsletter Online If you need to refer to a back issue
(three copies only) please refer to wwwsubmarinersassociationcoukhtmlderbynewshtml
Views and comments of this newsletter do not always reflect the official policy or decisions of neither the
Derby Branch nor the Submariners Association
Terry Hall Newsletter Editor Submariners Association Derbyshire Branch 69 Station Road STANLEY VILLAGE
Derbyshire DE7 6FB
Ronamp Jean Slater
4 November 2010 Best Wishes from all the
Derbyshire Branch
10
The Submarines Section 1 Two U class submarines Section 2 The introduction of a snort system in the RN Section 3a The S class submarine Section 3b Eleven S class modernised submarines Section 3c 4 S class submarines to France 19511952 Section 3d Six S class submarines scrapped by 1950 Section 3e 4 S class streamlined un-armed ASW targets Section 4a 10 Grp III T class Submarines 1571 tons sm Section 4b Accounting for T class to early scraploan Section 4c 8 T class extended hull fast battery subs Section 4d Five - Streamlined T class submarines Section 5 Sixteen A class submarines Section 6 The Porpoise class Section 7 Experimental and Trials submarines Section 8 The HTP Propulsion Programme of the RN Section 9 Personal observations StreamliningGuns Appendix Pennant numbers For a broader historical view of the disposition of the Submarines of the Royal Navy at this time the following two sources are suggested Norman Friedman The Post War Naval Revolution Chapter 8 Submarines and Eric Grove Vanguard to Trident 1945-1985 Chapter 6 - Peroxide to Polaris Thanks to John Eade and Ian Buxton who checked and where required corrected the basic submarine data using their sources
Section 1 Two U Class Submarines
Two U Class Submarines 730 tons sm Mike Critchley British Warships Since 1945 has photographs of both of these submarines that played such an important role in WWII They are shown in 1957 flying the White Ensign Guns removed and a modern ASDIC domes No pennant number displayed Apparently the last of the large fleet of 51 small U submarines all built by Vickers Armstrong during WWII There were 22 war losses In addition Armstrong Vickers built 22 very similar V class HMS Upstart shown here post war without a gun Note modern ASDIC dome aft (Photo G Chalcraft)
These Submarines By Name And Number
Untiring P59 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Loaned to Greece as Xifias 1945 Returned to Royal Navy 1952 Expended as AS target off Start Point 25 July 1957
Upstart P65 Completed 1943 Vickers Armstrong
Became Greek Amfitrite 1945 Returned to RN 1952 Expended as AS target off Isle of Wight 19 July 1957 Section 2 Introduction Of A Snort System In The RN
The first successful snort system in the Royal Navy is reported as being fitted in Truant N68
The topic is introduced at this point to give some idea how soon after the war a snort system was available for fitting in all RN submarines She was a relatively old Group 1 T class Completed 1939 Vickers Armstrong Decommissioned 1945 Wrecked off Cherbourg en route to scrapping December 1946 HMS Truant a group one T class
completed in 1939 Seen here with snort mast raised The additional pipe to starboard indicates this was an experimental setup Decommissioned in 1945 and lost under tow to the scrap yard in 1946
these dates give some idea as to when the Royal Navy began snort experiments The T and S submarine classes were fitted with fold down combined exhaust and induction masts mast as were the initial installations on the A class This quickly changed on the A class with the exhaust fixed to the after standards and only the induction mast folding down on to the after casing Further detail in each section Section 3a The S Class Of Submarine Construction of
this substantial fleet of (990 tons sm) submarines was commenced with the laying down of the Sturgeon in 1931
However the submarines of interest in the period 1948-1958 came from the surviving 40 that were part of Group III construction 1941 to 1945 There were 9 war losses from this group There are obvious features introduced in WWII but not fitted to all the GIII submarines No doubt due to Dockyard opportunities etc One was the Oerlikon gun fitted on a raised railed Bandstand aft of the conning tower the example below shows the conning tower of Splendid P228 (Lost in 1943) HMS Splendid shown with a Bandstand amp Oerlikon gun The platform is supported by a column mounted on the hull (Photo G Chalcraft) The following image shows Sahib P212 without this feature (lost in 1943) Another feature was the single external torpedo seen clearly on this image of Sahib but not on all the class This was the only external tube fitted to the S class HMS Sahib note the absence of a Bandstand amp
Oerlikon gun
Deck gun can be seen as can the aft torpedo tube (Our President survived the sinking of Sahib in
1943 and was taken POW)
HMS Scotsman showing the shielded platform fitted to some S class (Photograph R Fry) The GIII S class were fitted with a 3 and later a 4 gun It was thought the latter would be more effective against small ships particularly in the Far East (The Design and Construction of British Warships 1939-1945) The 3 mounts seem to have all been simple unshielded deck guns again as shown on Sahib
but the 4 gun appears to have had a platform mount and shield as seen in Sea Devil in the post
war photograph above and a grainy but clear close-up of the gun and conning tower of the Scotsman P243 1946 on the right HMS Sea Devil in
1949 Note she still has the Bandstand but no snort No pennant number is displayed Post-war many of the S class were transferred to other navies or scrapped and it is history of the survivors that went on to serve in the critical 1948-1958 period before new submarines came into service that is of interest To be continued
This article will be serialised over the coming months and includes many submarines served on by Derbyshire Members I am at present preparing it in a newsletter format and cannot at the present time say how many parts it will be but obviously our more senior members are getting their boats mentioned first It is appreciated the article is available on the web but it is also acknowledged that most members who served on lsquoSrsquo Boats in the 1940rsquos and early 1950rsquos do not have access to a computer Feedback is always welcome so let me know what you think with pleasure
11
FINAL PART ldquoI‟M NO HERO BUT I DID MY BITrdquo An Understatement By An bdquoilson Lad FOUR of FOUR MY STORY OF THE WAR YEARS 1939-1945 by Joseph Simons Driver REME
1946 In 1946 demob and back to the UK back to Civvy Street it went on age and length of
service (I was group 47 demobbed September 1947) we had a hut where at night we could go play cards dominoes or have a chat If someone getting demobbed we put a bit of a party on for them and Bill Dabbs a London bus driver aged about forty known no other life for over five years being with and working with the lads and with his mates and what with the weak beer they served in the hut he had tears running down his face with emotion due to leaving men he had only known for five years and the fact he was going back into civvy life where you are on your own
Early summer I got a fourteen day leave and went up to the leave centre and got on the train with all the others going on leave Wooden seats and it took twenty four hours to get to Calais because the train kept breaking down The Royal Engineers had put a single railway track across the River Rhine and the train went dead slow over this wooden bridge and looking out of the window you could only see the river We got to Calais and we crossed the channel on a fishing trawler to Folkstone I enjoyed that leave with the girl I had met but soon it was all
over and back to our workshop camp Later that year through units were breaking up due to demobilisation and our own workshop was one the fitters and mechanics took all the trucks and went to another workshop to make it up to strength All the drivers went to Bad Oyenhasen a spar town Once a week we went to the baths a German civilian filled the wooden bath worn smooth by years of use and put a thermometer in the water to see if it was the right temperature A bath in a wooden bath is far superior
A posting came for me and I went to Dusseldorf to this little unit which controlled all the factories in the Ruhr It consisted of a Captain WO1 Sergeant Corporal and me with two civilian clerks My job was to go to a factory to see what they had produced and take it to another factory that needed it I went all around the Ruhr past the Krupps bombed out factory at Essen Solingen Dortmund Wuppertao one job I had to pick up about seven plate glass shop window size and take it to Achen about thirty miles away I thought the state of the roads it will be broken but it was all in one piece not broke when I got it to Achen
I was billeted in the centre Dusseldorf in a big building it must have been offices because it had many rooms it was opposite Steal House the headquarters of the steel industry of the Ruhr It was where we had our meals our office was about a mi le away The Captain and the Sergeant where German Jews and must have got out of Germany before the war had started The Captain disappeared at the weekend with German friends in the big houses or castle and went on the shooting parties in the forests He had got all mounted animal heads on the walls of his office The Sergeant as soon as you saw him he was a Jew They both had cars whether bought or commandeered and when the sergeant went out he must have scared the Germans to bits for what they did to the Jews The Corporal he was a real spiv selling things for a profit what the Germans could not get cigarettes was the currency you could buy anything with cigarettes
The winter of 1946-47 it was cold and we went skating on the lake in the park I enjoyed my job going to different factories that had started up taking and delivering things in my three ton truck and then that day when group 47 came up and it was on the train to Cuxhaven (North Germany) a night crossing on a troop ship to Hull and train to barracks at York to collect everything from a civvy suit pay that was due rail ticket to Derby bus warrant to Ilkeston and I was back in civvy street I am pleased I did and I would not sell my memories of those four years of army life not for a million pounds Joseph Simons Driver REME April 1943 to September 1947 Army Number 14424767
Editor It was a pleasure to undertake putting his story into book form for Joe‟s Grandchildren which includes many more photographs he took on his exploits than can be shown here Many of these photo‟s are personal to him but I am immensely pleased that he allowed me permission to produce some extra books and they have been placed in the Local History Section of Ilkeston Library and also in the Erewash Museum so the exploits of a local Ilkeston (ilson is the local slang) man have been recorded for the future I hope you have enjoyed the story I certainly felt very privileged that he shared his experiences
Bad
Oyenhasen
12
VANGUARD VISIT TO DERBY 30 Sept ndash 3 Oct It was absolutely wonderful to have a group of twenty Submariners visit Derby for an extended weekend with hopefully not too busy a programme though it was running tight on occasions The crew arrived in Derby spaced over six or so hours and booked in the European Hotel which was very accommodating and geared up and everyone agreed it was very good We had an early evening briefing on the programme and all sailors received a welcome to Derby pack with loads of paper advising what had been arranged and free entry tickets and other information A recce of Derby Night Life was organised and it was abundantly clear at breakfast at 8am that some lively night life had been found
Coffee Morning Friday dawn the weather was an absolute killer with rain as bad as any Singapore monsoon Ritchie the Vanguard coxswain and I arrived early at the Council House to open up and to unload my car which was full to the gunnels with kit in the pouring rain Our door team of Jim Hunt and John Hadfield had already arrived to man up the doors and with them were John‟s wife Maureen and her sister Francis who immediately proceeded to set up the coffee percolator and coffee boat Maureen and Francis were soon joined by Joyce who looked after the victuals and peculator ably assisted by Peter Johnson and Jean Slater ndash definitely an bdquoA‟ team The next hour was a flurry of activity setting up the various stalls with everyone helping each other John amp Rita Sayers did the main raffle Jenny Williamson the tombola Michelle Tyler and Julie Winstanley did the Submariners and Skimmer blackouts with Ron Slater and Ken Holtham doing the health and fitness straw draw as well as the Mug Sales stall so all helpers really dug out The Vanguard crew‟s input was tremendous helping us throughout the morning and as someone observed they were very fit and active I might add a lady made this comment ndash or was she Incidentally if I have missed mentioning anyone please accept my apologies but it was a rather hectic though successful morning The severe weather had a major impact on the ex service trade and of course the fact the bus stops outside the Council House have now been moved to the new bus station did not help either We would especially like to thank those ladies and gentleman who booked a day of work for this event and despite the weather turned out especially one young lady who came into Derby for the event by train and it‟s a long walk with weather like that Many hands make light work so everyone‟s efforts were appreciated The Mayor of Derby joined us at 1045 and our Chair Steve Tyler welcomed him and presented him with one of the special commissioned mugs to commemorate the Vanguard visit
Every crew member visiting received one and they bore the crests of Vanguard SA Derbyshire SM1 and with special permission from Rolls Royce their crest These were proudly above the wording bdquoFreedom of the City of Derby granted to HM Submarine Service with the White Ensign in the middle The WEO of Vanguard Lt Cdr Chris Bland thence presented the Mayor with a Vanguard Crest Getting on for 1120 we started the ball rolling with the raffle draw and this was followed by the Mayor opening the envelopes to declare the Blackout winners I might add the winning boats and targets were impartially picked by someone who knows absolutely nothing about the RN and the fact our Chair won the bottle of Pusser‟s with Courageous which he served on in 1982 was purely a coincidence Still the good news is the Skimmer prize of 1ltr of Lambs was donated back to the branch and will be redrawn either at the visit of Ambush or Christmas so you can have another opportunity of winning a large bottle of rum We then drew the Submariners unique free Coffee Morning Ticket entry raffle prize of a bottle of whiskey and then finally we auctioned the two remaining prizes from the straw health and fitness draw The fitness watch worth pound70 went for pound30 and the magnetic bracelet for pound10 further enhancing our funds Jenny‟s tombola was a successful sell out
Despite the low turn out of people we did exceptionally well and it is sad that with the closure of the Council House for two years renovation we will not be able to hold this event in its present location or form elsewhere at present I feel it has been an immense privilege we have enjoyed courtesy of the Mayor and the City Council over a number of years It has not been a right but a perk and I believe all ex Service Associations should be grateful at the generosity over the years and accept through no ones fault the council can no longer afford to provide accommodation now not the least because they have not got any spare accommodation during the renovation of the present Council House
On conclusion of the Coffee Morning members squared away the room whilst the Vanguard crew enjoyed a very good presentation undertaken by the Mayor and John the Mayors Chauffer in the Council Chamber The history of the unique Chain of Office which is priceless City Sword Orb and Rod were all explained to an interested audience As Ricki Rotimi one of Vanguards Chefs undertook the demonstrations with the Sword and other artefacts it was noticed that the Mayor kept the Chain of Office firmly in his grasp Ricki got quite excited that whilst kneeling he got Knighted with the sword but looked a bit glum when it was declared that his Knighthood was invalid as it needed the Monarchs approval On leaving the Council House we discovered the rain was as bad as it had been early in the morning thus wet on the outside we proceeded to the pub to get wet on the inside too
13
We collected our vehicles and made our way to the Oak amp Acorn for an arranged buffet Once the crew had been fed and watered (though there was not much water drunk) the branch members were invited to dine The worries on the change of management three days previously were unfounded and everyone was pleased with the choice of venue The Rolls Royce Representative Tony kindly joined us for a short time and he acted as escort for a special tour to Rolls Royce on Raynesway for all the crew members on which I understand was a very useful and interesting visit to Vanguard‟s crew I used the time after this to offload a lot of gear at my home as my car was so full it could not carry passengers I then set off for the Spot to complete setting up the room with the Raffle final place settings due to changes checking wine orders etc I normally set up a big A Board with laminated welcome posters but with the Spot having all the mod cons I was requested to supply A4 instead of twice the size A3 I was most impressed with the displays in lights as we entered I produced two posters one welcoming the Vanguard on their visit to Derby and one advertising the Branch and its 30th Anniversary To see them up in lights was far superior to the laminated posters I know it‟s just another toy but wow What a toy
Friday night rush hour is a nightmare and I got caught up in the car parking on the new Laura Croft way trying to get back to the European Hotel and in the end landed up with only having 30 minutes to get showered dressed in best bib and tucker and to get to the Spot to welcome everyone How we did it I do not really know And it was still chucking it down with rain In fact it was just like Faslane Friday Evening was a combination celebrations rolled into one We were celebrating our Branch 30
th
Anniversary and had brought forward our branch Trafalgar Dinner night as well We were also celebrating the 50
th year of RN British Submarines
and of course we welcomed the twenty crew of Vanguard to the only City in the United Kingdom that has granted the Freedom of the City to HM Submarine Service which proudly hangs on the stairwell of the Submarine Squadron Offices in Faslane The room had been superbly decorated on a Red White and Blue theme by the Spot and this was complimented by balloon‟s The branch had added our own personal touch with place mats individual seating markers with a reminder of what people had ordered and table markers and of course a unique programme to celebrate the occasion When items such as these are taken as souvenirs I always consider it a compliment and I had nothing to clear up at the end of the evening Everyone assembled in the middle room for early drinks and socialise with John amp Rita Sayers making everyone exceptionally welcome selling them Raffle Tickets
On time everyone was summoned to take their places for Dinner and at 7pm the Sea Cadets from TS Kenya piped the top table into Dinner The Diners slow hand clapped the top table in and I undertook Master of Ceremonies with a very short safety brief Thence the Senior Officer present Cdr Jerry Hall RN Rtd was called upon to read out the response to the Loyal Greetings sent to HM Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of our 30
th Anniversary Jerry proudly read
the message to all relayed from the Queen wishing us a successful evening Thence followed the Welcome by our President Mr Ken Holtham and grace by our Vice Chair Mr John Sayers It was thence time to dig in for the first course which was a choice of Soup Pate or Melon The main course was a Carvery but what a carvery We had the choice of Beef Pork amp Turkey and all vegetarians and special diets were well looked after The choice of vegetables was the largest anyone had seen with the only complaint being the plates were not big enough I consider as I was full there was ample but I agree it was impossible to get everything on There were one or two deep breaths before the puddings which was the Sweet Trolley of cream gateaux‟s Cheese board or ice cream followed by coffee which with cream and a mint biscuit rounded off a super meal We then eased springs for a break of fifteen minutes before the speeches
Cdr Jerry Hall Lt Cdr Chris Bland Terry Hall Michelle Tyler Desna amp Ian Tyson
The immortal Toast and a fine speech on Nelson was delivered by Lt Cdr Chris Bland the WEO as Senior Officer of Vanguard who bravely stepped into the position of Cdr Stuart Capes the Commanding Officer of Vanguard Port who was unable to attend due to operational reasons Chris was followed by the Loyal Toast to HM the Queen This very different and enjoyable toast was undertaken by Mr Ian Tyson MIM who is not only a personal friend of mine but was the ex Ceremonial Officer for the Submariners Assn and was a leading light in the London SA before its closure Ian treated us to a unique history lesson on the Battle of Trafalgar and his instruction on taking one‟s tot involved everyone and the experience was enjoyed by all It was as promised in our Loyal Greetings letter to HM toasted with gusto and from the heart Ian‟s speech and toast was summed up by our Chairman Steve Tyler who when he arose to toast the Submarine Service and the Submariner stated ldquoHow do I follow thatrdquo Follow it he did with a roaring toast to the senior part of the Senior Service
14
The presentations were extended slightly with two planned and one unplanned The branch made a presentation of a SA Derbyshire Plaque to the Senior Officer and thence a framed picture of a cartoon that had been in the National Press which had been suitably and artistically enhanced in colour by my daughter This was presented to Vanguard‟s Coxswain John Richie Richardson and small A5 copies distributed in a sealed envelope to each table so all could view the cartoon The Senior Officer thence presented the branch with a superb framed
picture of the Vanguard Crest with brass plaques engraved to commemorate the visit to Derby This splendid gift will be hung in our room at TS Kenya for both ourselves and the cadets to enjoy A presentation of a bouquet of flowers was made by ET Chris Whale to Elena Holtham the wife of our Branch President who was
celebrating her 85th
birthday I would also like to extend our branch‟s best wishes to Chris on his forthcoming course he is just embarking on at HMS Sultan we wish you the best of luck In keeping with the branch tradition we thence provided a decorated Rose Stem for all of the ladies attending and requested the crew members undertake the presentations - which were carried out admirably in true Naval Tradition Our youngest guest was a lovely young lady called Amy who had joined us due to a late cancellation She had joined us at our coffee morning and spent some time with our WWII veterans discussing their experience for her bdquoA‟ Levels and the branch has been able to help with books from our library and I have provided her with booksleaflets from various projects I have undertaken with my RBL hat on so not only was the RN covered but also the RAF with the bomber memorial and Joe Simons excellent story of his service from Normandy just after D-Day and into Germany You may be able to spot her in the picture above
The evening was thence concluded by a wonderful performance by Shep Woolley who I consider it a
great privilege that he commented to me how much he had enjoyed his observations of our special evening As per normal Shep gave a superb performance and it was much enjoyed by all and we thank him
for such a brilliant and entertaining programme as the Golden Carriages arrived for our guests
Saturday 2 December 2010 Talk about see-saw weather Thursday had been fine for the arrival and it was quite hot sat in the foyer of the hotel waiting to meet and greet the crew to Derby Friday was a total washout weather wise and the rain that bad I would liken it to a monsoon Saturday however dawned bright and sunny and stayed like that until the early evening However our plan was a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas where the Vanguard crew would lay a wreath at the Submariners Memorial Though booked into the NMA it was not until about two weeks before that I was advised of the Annual Bike to the Wall and was told they already had 23000 bikes booked in I spoke to the Coxswain and we decided it was worth a go and we are all very glad we did Only one of the twenty had visited the NMA before so it was a particularly poignant visit We convoyed down in three vehicles parking up in a field designated as the Park amp Ride Car Park with a free bus service to and from the NMA The rain the previous day saw the river swollen that runs through the site and it was a little damp to say the least The buses ran regularly and we arrived and our first duty was to replace the very tatty and dirty White Ensign on the Naval Review section We then went down to the submariner‟s memorial where we carried out a short poignant service including the laying of Vanguards Wreath The various parts of the service were shared out amongst crew members with me having the honour of piping the silence I had produced souvenir quality service sheets for each crew member and included a brief history of the NMA site I particularly liked the comment about bdquoIts good to see it was the conception of a Commander Royal Navy who made it happen‟ and that is something we can all be very proud of Unfortunately I had left my camera in the car but we enjoyed the spectacle of the bikers in their thousands The respect and salutes to the service members were a joy to behold The bikers raise a lot of money and the sights of them coming up the main A38 dual carriageway with lights blazing was a magnificent sight The car parks and main thoroughfares were chocker block with bikes of all shapes and sizes including some modified with rear ends of VW Beetles Indian rickshaws and Harleys by the hundreds Whatever the bike they had all come to pay their respects to our Armed Forces and were a credit to their respective chapters clubs or Legion bikers or as individuals BZ to all those who participated on the bdquoRide To The Wall‟ We returned to Derby in the afternoon and arranged to meet up down in the City at the Assembly Rooms where Shep Woolley was performing and the promoters had kindly offered greatly reduced tickets for the Vanguard Crew After the concert I was treated to a Chinese all you can eat on Babbington Lane With not frequenting Derby very often and certainly not at night it was an unknown venue to me but was most enjoyable I sincerely thank Coxn Richie Richardson and CPO Nick Alton for excellent company My first ever visit to Walkabouts was an eye opener and a half and it was only the excellent company that made the run so enjoyable Sunday was going home day and the Vanguards split off by car train to all points of the compass
15
HMS TIRELESS IN MULTINATIONAL EXERCISE Naval assets from the UK France Australia and the US have completed a major international anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Gulf of Oman This is a regular exercise directed by the United Kingdom Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) based in Bahrain It is designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability in warm water environments and promote interoperability between ships and aircraft from a variety of nations The centrepiece of the cat and mouse style exercise was Trafalgar Class submarine HMS Tireless playing the role of the mouse while the duties of the cat were shared between the Australian frigate HMAS Melbourne and the French frigate FS Dupleix Meanwhile Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron and US P-3 Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft acted as eyes in the sky HMS Tireless and HMAS Melbourne also exchanged key personnel during the exercise in order to share skills and experience A UKMCC spokesperson said The number of navies
building and operating submarines continues to grow It is therefore important that the Royal Navy retains its position at the forefront of anti-submarine warfare a skill easy to lose but difficult to regain The presence of
a large number of coalition navies in this region provides the ideal opportunity to train together Commodore Tim Fraser UK Maritime Component Commander said The large proportion of the Royal Navys work in this region is of an operational nature such as conducting anti-piracy patrols and strengthening relations with regional allies However it is important that we also run regular exercises such as this in order to maintain and further develop our skills across the full range of capabilities The UKMCC controls all Royal Navy warships aircraft and personnel in the Middle East maritime theatre which totals over thirteen hundred personnel and more than a dozen vessels These include frigates undertaking maritime security operations and anti-piracy patrols mine countermeasures vessels developing warm water mine hunting techniques and landing ships supporting the training and development of the fledgling Iraqi Navy and the protection of key Iraqi oil platforms
HMS ASTUTE IN COMMISSION The UKs most powerful attack submarine HMS Astute has been welcomed into the Royal Navy in a commissioning ceremony overseen by the boats patron the Duchess of Cornwall as well as Doug Clarke our Derbyshire Member who was kindly taken up to Faslane by his son and daughter for the prestigious event HMS Astute which has officially become Her Majestys Ship today 29 August 2010 She is almost fifty per cent bigger than any attack submarine in the Royal Navys current fleet As the base port of all the Royal Navys submarines from 2016 Faslane will be home to the whole Astute Class including Ambush Artful and Audacious which are already under construction Astute was built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness with hundreds of suppliers around the country contributing component parts including Rolls-Royce Derby (nuclear plant)
TS KENYA PRESENTATION NIGHT Friday 15 October 2010
What an absolutely awful evening weather wise which fortunately did not prevent a decent size audience for this Annual prestigious event which was a credit of organisation and planning The Cadets both Sailors and Royal Marines were as usual excellently turned out and disciplined The Chief guests were the High Sheriff of Derbyshire and the Mayor of Derby who both presented the various trophies to the Cadets As I helped with the raffle I can say with authority that all the prime guests and Senior Committee were exceptionally generous with donations and the total of just under pound90 was raised Whoever organised the prizes did a Herculean effort with Black amp Decker Sets Footbath bottles and really exceptionally good prizes
We submariners were thinner on the ground than in the past with myself Ken and Peter and Joyce but with more than half the branch either on holiday P7R or sick parade this was to be expected There was also three RMA amp Tom Smith BEM RNA Jerry Hall was wearing many hats including President of the TS Kenya Management Committee and President of the RNA for whom he presented a Bosun‟s Pipe to the best cadet Jerry is of course a Submariner member and thanked all four Naval Associations in Derby for their unstinting support of the unit
The presentations took the normal format of the badges and promotions for the Cadets followed by the awards The bdquoTommy Appleby‟ Memorial Shield was won by Cadet Ginette Doherty This Shield was presented to the Unit by Doris in memory of Tommy who was a submariner member The array of awards is impressive and the presentations were undertaken in rotation by the High Sheriff and the Mayor After the presentations the High Sheriff and the Mayor were presented with bouquets The High Sheriff is a nice lady but the Mayor had to accept on behalf of his wife who had been whisked away only moments before for another function I thought he took the presentation of flowers in good spirit The Mayor and High Sheriff both made speeches praising the work of the Cadets Staff and supporters of the Unit
Those who follow the progress of the Cadets through the newsletter or otherwise will be aware that the project to get the Cadets on the water is nearing fruition with the money required for a boat and a safety boat raised and both boats are in the process of being built An internal competition at TS Kenya had been undertaken to name the two boats and unfortunately the Commanding Officer Capt SCC Andy Fuller RMR would not divulge the ones he advised were outrageous suggestions However the decision had been to name the budding Fleet after ex Royal Navy vessels with one to be a submarine and one to be a target skimmer surface vessel The decision made was for HMS Sovereign for the safety boat and HMS Malaya for the pulling boat Sovereign was Derby‟s adopted boat for over thirty years and always ably supported the Sea Cadet unit in Derby Malaya was the name of the Unit until a few years ago when the name was changed to TS Kenya to reflect the long Ship Affiliation of HMS Kenya which was Derby‟s adopted ship before Sovereign with links to warship week in WWII
16
FEEDBACK 30th
ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND I have received much positive feedback and only one complaint of the 30
th Anniversary amp Trafalgar Dinner
The complaint was from Jim Hunt who stated the carvery plates were not big enough End of complaint Many branch members as well as guests have taken the time to say how much they enjoyed the event and in summary the following letter from HMS Vanguard by Louis Gardner the Operations Officer who I know definitely enjoyed his run ashore in Derby
Dear Terry May I take this opportunity to thank the Derbyshire Branch of the Submariners Association for inviting the Ship‟s Company of HMS Vanguard to participate in what was a hugely enjoyable visit Your organisation of such a varied programme including the visit to Rolls Royce was particularly well received Further thanks must go to all who ensured such a successful Trafalgar Night Dinner Excellent hosting was provided by all of your members which was enjoyed and appreciated by our sailors and officers It was a delight to toast both Nelson and your branch‟s 30
th
anniversary on the same occasion Special thanks must go to you for your Herculean efforts in ensuring our time in Derby ran so smoothly Everything from the welcome packs and presentation mugs to your organisation of the service at the National Arboretum was greatly appreciated Much fun was had by all during the visit and we look forward to the opportunity to reciprocate your invitation in the future
Well done all branch members I know many of you had an exceptionally busy Friday and also appreciate for many it was an expensive day with taxi‟s hotels and distances involved However your company was enjoyed by the Vanguard‟s Ship Company and the fact we had so many turn up to help at the Coffee Morning made the task so much easier especially for me It was a wonderful change to have the work load shared as it was by the branch bdquoA‟ team ndash That‟s all of you who were able to turn up and help BZ to all and for the first time I can remember it was a stress free Trafalgar Dinner with nearly everything going smoothly thanks to the excellent organisation at the Spot Now for next year has anyone any ideas
SA NATIONAL RAFFLE I have received the list of prize winners from the ex National Treasurer and can confirm that unfortunately there are no Derbyshire Member Winners Thanks to all in the branch who participated as the branch got one third of the takings
NATIONAL DIARIES I asked Steve Tyler that if there were any SA diaries available at Nottingham to get Ten these have all been sold We hoped for an opportunity to pick up at the Embankment Parade in London avoiding costly PampP However due to problems and cost of accommodation in London we will now unfortunately not be parading our Standard but will be attending the Derby Festival of Remembrance at Derby Cathedral on the same weekend Any further orders to the Treasurer please
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2011 If any members have any proposals for Conference 2011 you are reminded that the branch must submit them by 31 December 2010 thus they need to be presented at the next two meetings if your proposal is to be discussed and submitted
BRANCH AGM TS KENYA The Branch AGM will take place at 7pm on Wednesday 3 March 2011 when we revert from our Winter Routine of lunch time meetings at the Jubilee Club at 1215 Items for the Agenda should be submitted by the January meeting with any nominations for any office
BRANCH SUBSCRIPTIONS 2011 Branch Subscriptions were not discussed at our AGM in March thus by default they will remain the same at pound10 per person with pound5 National fee making a total of pound15 Annual Subscription This becomes due to the 31 December 2010 for the following year and it is requested that to enable the year end figures to be completed by 31 January 2011 that they are submitted to the Treasurer as soon into the new year or anytime before Those who will be effecting an electronic bank transfer to the branch accounts as per the memo posted out to all members are requested to ensure that your reference clearly states your surname and the word bdquosubs‟ Those who wish to continue to have a hard copy of In Depth are requested to make a further donation of pound5 to cover the copies for 2011 Newsletter Online If you need to refer to a back issue
(three copies only) please refer to wwwsubmarinersassociationcoukhtmlderbynewshtml
Views and comments of this newsletter do not always reflect the official policy or decisions of neither the
Derby Branch nor the Submariners Association
Terry Hall Newsletter Editor Submariners Association Derbyshire Branch 69 Station Road STANLEY VILLAGE
Derbyshire DE7 6FB
Ronamp Jean Slater
4 November 2010 Best Wishes from all the
Derbyshire Branch
11
FINAL PART ldquoI‟M NO HERO BUT I DID MY BITrdquo An Understatement By An bdquoilson Lad FOUR of FOUR MY STORY OF THE WAR YEARS 1939-1945 by Joseph Simons Driver REME
1946 In 1946 demob and back to the UK back to Civvy Street it went on age and length of
service (I was group 47 demobbed September 1947) we had a hut where at night we could go play cards dominoes or have a chat If someone getting demobbed we put a bit of a party on for them and Bill Dabbs a London bus driver aged about forty known no other life for over five years being with and working with the lads and with his mates and what with the weak beer they served in the hut he had tears running down his face with emotion due to leaving men he had only known for five years and the fact he was going back into civvy life where you are on your own
Early summer I got a fourteen day leave and went up to the leave centre and got on the train with all the others going on leave Wooden seats and it took twenty four hours to get to Calais because the train kept breaking down The Royal Engineers had put a single railway track across the River Rhine and the train went dead slow over this wooden bridge and looking out of the window you could only see the river We got to Calais and we crossed the channel on a fishing trawler to Folkstone I enjoyed that leave with the girl I had met but soon it was all
over and back to our workshop camp Later that year through units were breaking up due to demobilisation and our own workshop was one the fitters and mechanics took all the trucks and went to another workshop to make it up to strength All the drivers went to Bad Oyenhasen a spar town Once a week we went to the baths a German civilian filled the wooden bath worn smooth by years of use and put a thermometer in the water to see if it was the right temperature A bath in a wooden bath is far superior
A posting came for me and I went to Dusseldorf to this little unit which controlled all the factories in the Ruhr It consisted of a Captain WO1 Sergeant Corporal and me with two civilian clerks My job was to go to a factory to see what they had produced and take it to another factory that needed it I went all around the Ruhr past the Krupps bombed out factory at Essen Solingen Dortmund Wuppertao one job I had to pick up about seven plate glass shop window size and take it to Achen about thirty miles away I thought the state of the roads it will be broken but it was all in one piece not broke when I got it to Achen
I was billeted in the centre Dusseldorf in a big building it must have been offices because it had many rooms it was opposite Steal House the headquarters of the steel industry of the Ruhr It was where we had our meals our office was about a mi le away The Captain and the Sergeant where German Jews and must have got out of Germany before the war had started The Captain disappeared at the weekend with German friends in the big houses or castle and went on the shooting parties in the forests He had got all mounted animal heads on the walls of his office The Sergeant as soon as you saw him he was a Jew They both had cars whether bought or commandeered and when the sergeant went out he must have scared the Germans to bits for what they did to the Jews The Corporal he was a real spiv selling things for a profit what the Germans could not get cigarettes was the currency you could buy anything with cigarettes
The winter of 1946-47 it was cold and we went skating on the lake in the park I enjoyed my job going to different factories that had started up taking and delivering things in my three ton truck and then that day when group 47 came up and it was on the train to Cuxhaven (North Germany) a night crossing on a troop ship to Hull and train to barracks at York to collect everything from a civvy suit pay that was due rail ticket to Derby bus warrant to Ilkeston and I was back in civvy street I am pleased I did and I would not sell my memories of those four years of army life not for a million pounds Joseph Simons Driver REME April 1943 to September 1947 Army Number 14424767
Editor It was a pleasure to undertake putting his story into book form for Joe‟s Grandchildren which includes many more photographs he took on his exploits than can be shown here Many of these photo‟s are personal to him but I am immensely pleased that he allowed me permission to produce some extra books and they have been placed in the Local History Section of Ilkeston Library and also in the Erewash Museum so the exploits of a local Ilkeston (ilson is the local slang) man have been recorded for the future I hope you have enjoyed the story I certainly felt very privileged that he shared his experiences
Bad
Oyenhasen
12
VANGUARD VISIT TO DERBY 30 Sept ndash 3 Oct It was absolutely wonderful to have a group of twenty Submariners visit Derby for an extended weekend with hopefully not too busy a programme though it was running tight on occasions The crew arrived in Derby spaced over six or so hours and booked in the European Hotel which was very accommodating and geared up and everyone agreed it was very good We had an early evening briefing on the programme and all sailors received a welcome to Derby pack with loads of paper advising what had been arranged and free entry tickets and other information A recce of Derby Night Life was organised and it was abundantly clear at breakfast at 8am that some lively night life had been found
Coffee Morning Friday dawn the weather was an absolute killer with rain as bad as any Singapore monsoon Ritchie the Vanguard coxswain and I arrived early at the Council House to open up and to unload my car which was full to the gunnels with kit in the pouring rain Our door team of Jim Hunt and John Hadfield had already arrived to man up the doors and with them were John‟s wife Maureen and her sister Francis who immediately proceeded to set up the coffee percolator and coffee boat Maureen and Francis were soon joined by Joyce who looked after the victuals and peculator ably assisted by Peter Johnson and Jean Slater ndash definitely an bdquoA‟ team The next hour was a flurry of activity setting up the various stalls with everyone helping each other John amp Rita Sayers did the main raffle Jenny Williamson the tombola Michelle Tyler and Julie Winstanley did the Submariners and Skimmer blackouts with Ron Slater and Ken Holtham doing the health and fitness straw draw as well as the Mug Sales stall so all helpers really dug out The Vanguard crew‟s input was tremendous helping us throughout the morning and as someone observed they were very fit and active I might add a lady made this comment ndash or was she Incidentally if I have missed mentioning anyone please accept my apologies but it was a rather hectic though successful morning The severe weather had a major impact on the ex service trade and of course the fact the bus stops outside the Council House have now been moved to the new bus station did not help either We would especially like to thank those ladies and gentleman who booked a day of work for this event and despite the weather turned out especially one young lady who came into Derby for the event by train and it‟s a long walk with weather like that Many hands make light work so everyone‟s efforts were appreciated The Mayor of Derby joined us at 1045 and our Chair Steve Tyler welcomed him and presented him with one of the special commissioned mugs to commemorate the Vanguard visit
Every crew member visiting received one and they bore the crests of Vanguard SA Derbyshire SM1 and with special permission from Rolls Royce their crest These were proudly above the wording bdquoFreedom of the City of Derby granted to HM Submarine Service with the White Ensign in the middle The WEO of Vanguard Lt Cdr Chris Bland thence presented the Mayor with a Vanguard Crest Getting on for 1120 we started the ball rolling with the raffle draw and this was followed by the Mayor opening the envelopes to declare the Blackout winners I might add the winning boats and targets were impartially picked by someone who knows absolutely nothing about the RN and the fact our Chair won the bottle of Pusser‟s with Courageous which he served on in 1982 was purely a coincidence Still the good news is the Skimmer prize of 1ltr of Lambs was donated back to the branch and will be redrawn either at the visit of Ambush or Christmas so you can have another opportunity of winning a large bottle of rum We then drew the Submariners unique free Coffee Morning Ticket entry raffle prize of a bottle of whiskey and then finally we auctioned the two remaining prizes from the straw health and fitness draw The fitness watch worth pound70 went for pound30 and the magnetic bracelet for pound10 further enhancing our funds Jenny‟s tombola was a successful sell out
Despite the low turn out of people we did exceptionally well and it is sad that with the closure of the Council House for two years renovation we will not be able to hold this event in its present location or form elsewhere at present I feel it has been an immense privilege we have enjoyed courtesy of the Mayor and the City Council over a number of years It has not been a right but a perk and I believe all ex Service Associations should be grateful at the generosity over the years and accept through no ones fault the council can no longer afford to provide accommodation now not the least because they have not got any spare accommodation during the renovation of the present Council House
On conclusion of the Coffee Morning members squared away the room whilst the Vanguard crew enjoyed a very good presentation undertaken by the Mayor and John the Mayors Chauffer in the Council Chamber The history of the unique Chain of Office which is priceless City Sword Orb and Rod were all explained to an interested audience As Ricki Rotimi one of Vanguards Chefs undertook the demonstrations with the Sword and other artefacts it was noticed that the Mayor kept the Chain of Office firmly in his grasp Ricki got quite excited that whilst kneeling he got Knighted with the sword but looked a bit glum when it was declared that his Knighthood was invalid as it needed the Monarchs approval On leaving the Council House we discovered the rain was as bad as it had been early in the morning thus wet on the outside we proceeded to the pub to get wet on the inside too
13
We collected our vehicles and made our way to the Oak amp Acorn for an arranged buffet Once the crew had been fed and watered (though there was not much water drunk) the branch members were invited to dine The worries on the change of management three days previously were unfounded and everyone was pleased with the choice of venue The Rolls Royce Representative Tony kindly joined us for a short time and he acted as escort for a special tour to Rolls Royce on Raynesway for all the crew members on which I understand was a very useful and interesting visit to Vanguard‟s crew I used the time after this to offload a lot of gear at my home as my car was so full it could not carry passengers I then set off for the Spot to complete setting up the room with the Raffle final place settings due to changes checking wine orders etc I normally set up a big A Board with laminated welcome posters but with the Spot having all the mod cons I was requested to supply A4 instead of twice the size A3 I was most impressed with the displays in lights as we entered I produced two posters one welcoming the Vanguard on their visit to Derby and one advertising the Branch and its 30th Anniversary To see them up in lights was far superior to the laminated posters I know it‟s just another toy but wow What a toy
Friday night rush hour is a nightmare and I got caught up in the car parking on the new Laura Croft way trying to get back to the European Hotel and in the end landed up with only having 30 minutes to get showered dressed in best bib and tucker and to get to the Spot to welcome everyone How we did it I do not really know And it was still chucking it down with rain In fact it was just like Faslane Friday Evening was a combination celebrations rolled into one We were celebrating our Branch 30
th
Anniversary and had brought forward our branch Trafalgar Dinner night as well We were also celebrating the 50
th year of RN British Submarines
and of course we welcomed the twenty crew of Vanguard to the only City in the United Kingdom that has granted the Freedom of the City to HM Submarine Service which proudly hangs on the stairwell of the Submarine Squadron Offices in Faslane The room had been superbly decorated on a Red White and Blue theme by the Spot and this was complimented by balloon‟s The branch had added our own personal touch with place mats individual seating markers with a reminder of what people had ordered and table markers and of course a unique programme to celebrate the occasion When items such as these are taken as souvenirs I always consider it a compliment and I had nothing to clear up at the end of the evening Everyone assembled in the middle room for early drinks and socialise with John amp Rita Sayers making everyone exceptionally welcome selling them Raffle Tickets
On time everyone was summoned to take their places for Dinner and at 7pm the Sea Cadets from TS Kenya piped the top table into Dinner The Diners slow hand clapped the top table in and I undertook Master of Ceremonies with a very short safety brief Thence the Senior Officer present Cdr Jerry Hall RN Rtd was called upon to read out the response to the Loyal Greetings sent to HM Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of our 30
th Anniversary Jerry proudly read
the message to all relayed from the Queen wishing us a successful evening Thence followed the Welcome by our President Mr Ken Holtham and grace by our Vice Chair Mr John Sayers It was thence time to dig in for the first course which was a choice of Soup Pate or Melon The main course was a Carvery but what a carvery We had the choice of Beef Pork amp Turkey and all vegetarians and special diets were well looked after The choice of vegetables was the largest anyone had seen with the only complaint being the plates were not big enough I consider as I was full there was ample but I agree it was impossible to get everything on There were one or two deep breaths before the puddings which was the Sweet Trolley of cream gateaux‟s Cheese board or ice cream followed by coffee which with cream and a mint biscuit rounded off a super meal We then eased springs for a break of fifteen minutes before the speeches
Cdr Jerry Hall Lt Cdr Chris Bland Terry Hall Michelle Tyler Desna amp Ian Tyson
The immortal Toast and a fine speech on Nelson was delivered by Lt Cdr Chris Bland the WEO as Senior Officer of Vanguard who bravely stepped into the position of Cdr Stuart Capes the Commanding Officer of Vanguard Port who was unable to attend due to operational reasons Chris was followed by the Loyal Toast to HM the Queen This very different and enjoyable toast was undertaken by Mr Ian Tyson MIM who is not only a personal friend of mine but was the ex Ceremonial Officer for the Submariners Assn and was a leading light in the London SA before its closure Ian treated us to a unique history lesson on the Battle of Trafalgar and his instruction on taking one‟s tot involved everyone and the experience was enjoyed by all It was as promised in our Loyal Greetings letter to HM toasted with gusto and from the heart Ian‟s speech and toast was summed up by our Chairman Steve Tyler who when he arose to toast the Submarine Service and the Submariner stated ldquoHow do I follow thatrdquo Follow it he did with a roaring toast to the senior part of the Senior Service
14
The presentations were extended slightly with two planned and one unplanned The branch made a presentation of a SA Derbyshire Plaque to the Senior Officer and thence a framed picture of a cartoon that had been in the National Press which had been suitably and artistically enhanced in colour by my daughter This was presented to Vanguard‟s Coxswain John Richie Richardson and small A5 copies distributed in a sealed envelope to each table so all could view the cartoon The Senior Officer thence presented the branch with a superb framed
picture of the Vanguard Crest with brass plaques engraved to commemorate the visit to Derby This splendid gift will be hung in our room at TS Kenya for both ourselves and the cadets to enjoy A presentation of a bouquet of flowers was made by ET Chris Whale to Elena Holtham the wife of our Branch President who was
celebrating her 85th
birthday I would also like to extend our branch‟s best wishes to Chris on his forthcoming course he is just embarking on at HMS Sultan we wish you the best of luck In keeping with the branch tradition we thence provided a decorated Rose Stem for all of the ladies attending and requested the crew members undertake the presentations - which were carried out admirably in true Naval Tradition Our youngest guest was a lovely young lady called Amy who had joined us due to a late cancellation She had joined us at our coffee morning and spent some time with our WWII veterans discussing their experience for her bdquoA‟ Levels and the branch has been able to help with books from our library and I have provided her with booksleaflets from various projects I have undertaken with my RBL hat on so not only was the RN covered but also the RAF with the bomber memorial and Joe Simons excellent story of his service from Normandy just after D-Day and into Germany You may be able to spot her in the picture above
The evening was thence concluded by a wonderful performance by Shep Woolley who I consider it a
great privilege that he commented to me how much he had enjoyed his observations of our special evening As per normal Shep gave a superb performance and it was much enjoyed by all and we thank him
for such a brilliant and entertaining programme as the Golden Carriages arrived for our guests
Saturday 2 December 2010 Talk about see-saw weather Thursday had been fine for the arrival and it was quite hot sat in the foyer of the hotel waiting to meet and greet the crew to Derby Friday was a total washout weather wise and the rain that bad I would liken it to a monsoon Saturday however dawned bright and sunny and stayed like that until the early evening However our plan was a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas where the Vanguard crew would lay a wreath at the Submariners Memorial Though booked into the NMA it was not until about two weeks before that I was advised of the Annual Bike to the Wall and was told they already had 23000 bikes booked in I spoke to the Coxswain and we decided it was worth a go and we are all very glad we did Only one of the twenty had visited the NMA before so it was a particularly poignant visit We convoyed down in three vehicles parking up in a field designated as the Park amp Ride Car Park with a free bus service to and from the NMA The rain the previous day saw the river swollen that runs through the site and it was a little damp to say the least The buses ran regularly and we arrived and our first duty was to replace the very tatty and dirty White Ensign on the Naval Review section We then went down to the submariner‟s memorial where we carried out a short poignant service including the laying of Vanguards Wreath The various parts of the service were shared out amongst crew members with me having the honour of piping the silence I had produced souvenir quality service sheets for each crew member and included a brief history of the NMA site I particularly liked the comment about bdquoIts good to see it was the conception of a Commander Royal Navy who made it happen‟ and that is something we can all be very proud of Unfortunately I had left my camera in the car but we enjoyed the spectacle of the bikers in their thousands The respect and salutes to the service members were a joy to behold The bikers raise a lot of money and the sights of them coming up the main A38 dual carriageway with lights blazing was a magnificent sight The car parks and main thoroughfares were chocker block with bikes of all shapes and sizes including some modified with rear ends of VW Beetles Indian rickshaws and Harleys by the hundreds Whatever the bike they had all come to pay their respects to our Armed Forces and were a credit to their respective chapters clubs or Legion bikers or as individuals BZ to all those who participated on the bdquoRide To The Wall‟ We returned to Derby in the afternoon and arranged to meet up down in the City at the Assembly Rooms where Shep Woolley was performing and the promoters had kindly offered greatly reduced tickets for the Vanguard Crew After the concert I was treated to a Chinese all you can eat on Babbington Lane With not frequenting Derby very often and certainly not at night it was an unknown venue to me but was most enjoyable I sincerely thank Coxn Richie Richardson and CPO Nick Alton for excellent company My first ever visit to Walkabouts was an eye opener and a half and it was only the excellent company that made the run so enjoyable Sunday was going home day and the Vanguards split off by car train to all points of the compass
15
HMS TIRELESS IN MULTINATIONAL EXERCISE Naval assets from the UK France Australia and the US have completed a major international anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Gulf of Oman This is a regular exercise directed by the United Kingdom Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) based in Bahrain It is designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability in warm water environments and promote interoperability between ships and aircraft from a variety of nations The centrepiece of the cat and mouse style exercise was Trafalgar Class submarine HMS Tireless playing the role of the mouse while the duties of the cat were shared between the Australian frigate HMAS Melbourne and the French frigate FS Dupleix Meanwhile Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron and US P-3 Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft acted as eyes in the sky HMS Tireless and HMAS Melbourne also exchanged key personnel during the exercise in order to share skills and experience A UKMCC spokesperson said The number of navies
building and operating submarines continues to grow It is therefore important that the Royal Navy retains its position at the forefront of anti-submarine warfare a skill easy to lose but difficult to regain The presence of
a large number of coalition navies in this region provides the ideal opportunity to train together Commodore Tim Fraser UK Maritime Component Commander said The large proportion of the Royal Navys work in this region is of an operational nature such as conducting anti-piracy patrols and strengthening relations with regional allies However it is important that we also run regular exercises such as this in order to maintain and further develop our skills across the full range of capabilities The UKMCC controls all Royal Navy warships aircraft and personnel in the Middle East maritime theatre which totals over thirteen hundred personnel and more than a dozen vessels These include frigates undertaking maritime security operations and anti-piracy patrols mine countermeasures vessels developing warm water mine hunting techniques and landing ships supporting the training and development of the fledgling Iraqi Navy and the protection of key Iraqi oil platforms
HMS ASTUTE IN COMMISSION The UKs most powerful attack submarine HMS Astute has been welcomed into the Royal Navy in a commissioning ceremony overseen by the boats patron the Duchess of Cornwall as well as Doug Clarke our Derbyshire Member who was kindly taken up to Faslane by his son and daughter for the prestigious event HMS Astute which has officially become Her Majestys Ship today 29 August 2010 She is almost fifty per cent bigger than any attack submarine in the Royal Navys current fleet As the base port of all the Royal Navys submarines from 2016 Faslane will be home to the whole Astute Class including Ambush Artful and Audacious which are already under construction Astute was built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness with hundreds of suppliers around the country contributing component parts including Rolls-Royce Derby (nuclear plant)
TS KENYA PRESENTATION NIGHT Friday 15 October 2010
What an absolutely awful evening weather wise which fortunately did not prevent a decent size audience for this Annual prestigious event which was a credit of organisation and planning The Cadets both Sailors and Royal Marines were as usual excellently turned out and disciplined The Chief guests were the High Sheriff of Derbyshire and the Mayor of Derby who both presented the various trophies to the Cadets As I helped with the raffle I can say with authority that all the prime guests and Senior Committee were exceptionally generous with donations and the total of just under pound90 was raised Whoever organised the prizes did a Herculean effort with Black amp Decker Sets Footbath bottles and really exceptionally good prizes
We submariners were thinner on the ground than in the past with myself Ken and Peter and Joyce but with more than half the branch either on holiday P7R or sick parade this was to be expected There was also three RMA amp Tom Smith BEM RNA Jerry Hall was wearing many hats including President of the TS Kenya Management Committee and President of the RNA for whom he presented a Bosun‟s Pipe to the best cadet Jerry is of course a Submariner member and thanked all four Naval Associations in Derby for their unstinting support of the unit
The presentations took the normal format of the badges and promotions for the Cadets followed by the awards The bdquoTommy Appleby‟ Memorial Shield was won by Cadet Ginette Doherty This Shield was presented to the Unit by Doris in memory of Tommy who was a submariner member The array of awards is impressive and the presentations were undertaken in rotation by the High Sheriff and the Mayor After the presentations the High Sheriff and the Mayor were presented with bouquets The High Sheriff is a nice lady but the Mayor had to accept on behalf of his wife who had been whisked away only moments before for another function I thought he took the presentation of flowers in good spirit The Mayor and High Sheriff both made speeches praising the work of the Cadets Staff and supporters of the Unit
Those who follow the progress of the Cadets through the newsletter or otherwise will be aware that the project to get the Cadets on the water is nearing fruition with the money required for a boat and a safety boat raised and both boats are in the process of being built An internal competition at TS Kenya had been undertaken to name the two boats and unfortunately the Commanding Officer Capt SCC Andy Fuller RMR would not divulge the ones he advised were outrageous suggestions However the decision had been to name the budding Fleet after ex Royal Navy vessels with one to be a submarine and one to be a target skimmer surface vessel The decision made was for HMS Sovereign for the safety boat and HMS Malaya for the pulling boat Sovereign was Derby‟s adopted boat for over thirty years and always ably supported the Sea Cadet unit in Derby Malaya was the name of the Unit until a few years ago when the name was changed to TS Kenya to reflect the long Ship Affiliation of HMS Kenya which was Derby‟s adopted ship before Sovereign with links to warship week in WWII
16
FEEDBACK 30th
ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND I have received much positive feedback and only one complaint of the 30
th Anniversary amp Trafalgar Dinner
The complaint was from Jim Hunt who stated the carvery plates were not big enough End of complaint Many branch members as well as guests have taken the time to say how much they enjoyed the event and in summary the following letter from HMS Vanguard by Louis Gardner the Operations Officer who I know definitely enjoyed his run ashore in Derby
Dear Terry May I take this opportunity to thank the Derbyshire Branch of the Submariners Association for inviting the Ship‟s Company of HMS Vanguard to participate in what was a hugely enjoyable visit Your organisation of such a varied programme including the visit to Rolls Royce was particularly well received Further thanks must go to all who ensured such a successful Trafalgar Night Dinner Excellent hosting was provided by all of your members which was enjoyed and appreciated by our sailors and officers It was a delight to toast both Nelson and your branch‟s 30
th
anniversary on the same occasion Special thanks must go to you for your Herculean efforts in ensuring our time in Derby ran so smoothly Everything from the welcome packs and presentation mugs to your organisation of the service at the National Arboretum was greatly appreciated Much fun was had by all during the visit and we look forward to the opportunity to reciprocate your invitation in the future
Well done all branch members I know many of you had an exceptionally busy Friday and also appreciate for many it was an expensive day with taxi‟s hotels and distances involved However your company was enjoyed by the Vanguard‟s Ship Company and the fact we had so many turn up to help at the Coffee Morning made the task so much easier especially for me It was a wonderful change to have the work load shared as it was by the branch bdquoA‟ team ndash That‟s all of you who were able to turn up and help BZ to all and for the first time I can remember it was a stress free Trafalgar Dinner with nearly everything going smoothly thanks to the excellent organisation at the Spot Now for next year has anyone any ideas
SA NATIONAL RAFFLE I have received the list of prize winners from the ex National Treasurer and can confirm that unfortunately there are no Derbyshire Member Winners Thanks to all in the branch who participated as the branch got one third of the takings
NATIONAL DIARIES I asked Steve Tyler that if there were any SA diaries available at Nottingham to get Ten these have all been sold We hoped for an opportunity to pick up at the Embankment Parade in London avoiding costly PampP However due to problems and cost of accommodation in London we will now unfortunately not be parading our Standard but will be attending the Derby Festival of Remembrance at Derby Cathedral on the same weekend Any further orders to the Treasurer please
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2011 If any members have any proposals for Conference 2011 you are reminded that the branch must submit them by 31 December 2010 thus they need to be presented at the next two meetings if your proposal is to be discussed and submitted
BRANCH AGM TS KENYA The Branch AGM will take place at 7pm on Wednesday 3 March 2011 when we revert from our Winter Routine of lunch time meetings at the Jubilee Club at 1215 Items for the Agenda should be submitted by the January meeting with any nominations for any office
BRANCH SUBSCRIPTIONS 2011 Branch Subscriptions were not discussed at our AGM in March thus by default they will remain the same at pound10 per person with pound5 National fee making a total of pound15 Annual Subscription This becomes due to the 31 December 2010 for the following year and it is requested that to enable the year end figures to be completed by 31 January 2011 that they are submitted to the Treasurer as soon into the new year or anytime before Those who will be effecting an electronic bank transfer to the branch accounts as per the memo posted out to all members are requested to ensure that your reference clearly states your surname and the word bdquosubs‟ Those who wish to continue to have a hard copy of In Depth are requested to make a further donation of pound5 to cover the copies for 2011 Newsletter Online If you need to refer to a back issue
(three copies only) please refer to wwwsubmarinersassociationcoukhtmlderbynewshtml
Views and comments of this newsletter do not always reflect the official policy or decisions of neither the
Derby Branch nor the Submariners Association
Terry Hall Newsletter Editor Submariners Association Derbyshire Branch 69 Station Road STANLEY VILLAGE
Derbyshire DE7 6FB
Ronamp Jean Slater
4 November 2010 Best Wishes from all the
Derbyshire Branch
12
VANGUARD VISIT TO DERBY 30 Sept ndash 3 Oct It was absolutely wonderful to have a group of twenty Submariners visit Derby for an extended weekend with hopefully not too busy a programme though it was running tight on occasions The crew arrived in Derby spaced over six or so hours and booked in the European Hotel which was very accommodating and geared up and everyone agreed it was very good We had an early evening briefing on the programme and all sailors received a welcome to Derby pack with loads of paper advising what had been arranged and free entry tickets and other information A recce of Derby Night Life was organised and it was abundantly clear at breakfast at 8am that some lively night life had been found
Coffee Morning Friday dawn the weather was an absolute killer with rain as bad as any Singapore monsoon Ritchie the Vanguard coxswain and I arrived early at the Council House to open up and to unload my car which was full to the gunnels with kit in the pouring rain Our door team of Jim Hunt and John Hadfield had already arrived to man up the doors and with them were John‟s wife Maureen and her sister Francis who immediately proceeded to set up the coffee percolator and coffee boat Maureen and Francis were soon joined by Joyce who looked after the victuals and peculator ably assisted by Peter Johnson and Jean Slater ndash definitely an bdquoA‟ team The next hour was a flurry of activity setting up the various stalls with everyone helping each other John amp Rita Sayers did the main raffle Jenny Williamson the tombola Michelle Tyler and Julie Winstanley did the Submariners and Skimmer blackouts with Ron Slater and Ken Holtham doing the health and fitness straw draw as well as the Mug Sales stall so all helpers really dug out The Vanguard crew‟s input was tremendous helping us throughout the morning and as someone observed they were very fit and active I might add a lady made this comment ndash or was she Incidentally if I have missed mentioning anyone please accept my apologies but it was a rather hectic though successful morning The severe weather had a major impact on the ex service trade and of course the fact the bus stops outside the Council House have now been moved to the new bus station did not help either We would especially like to thank those ladies and gentleman who booked a day of work for this event and despite the weather turned out especially one young lady who came into Derby for the event by train and it‟s a long walk with weather like that Many hands make light work so everyone‟s efforts were appreciated The Mayor of Derby joined us at 1045 and our Chair Steve Tyler welcomed him and presented him with one of the special commissioned mugs to commemorate the Vanguard visit
Every crew member visiting received one and they bore the crests of Vanguard SA Derbyshire SM1 and with special permission from Rolls Royce their crest These were proudly above the wording bdquoFreedom of the City of Derby granted to HM Submarine Service with the White Ensign in the middle The WEO of Vanguard Lt Cdr Chris Bland thence presented the Mayor with a Vanguard Crest Getting on for 1120 we started the ball rolling with the raffle draw and this was followed by the Mayor opening the envelopes to declare the Blackout winners I might add the winning boats and targets were impartially picked by someone who knows absolutely nothing about the RN and the fact our Chair won the bottle of Pusser‟s with Courageous which he served on in 1982 was purely a coincidence Still the good news is the Skimmer prize of 1ltr of Lambs was donated back to the branch and will be redrawn either at the visit of Ambush or Christmas so you can have another opportunity of winning a large bottle of rum We then drew the Submariners unique free Coffee Morning Ticket entry raffle prize of a bottle of whiskey and then finally we auctioned the two remaining prizes from the straw health and fitness draw The fitness watch worth pound70 went for pound30 and the magnetic bracelet for pound10 further enhancing our funds Jenny‟s tombola was a successful sell out
Despite the low turn out of people we did exceptionally well and it is sad that with the closure of the Council House for two years renovation we will not be able to hold this event in its present location or form elsewhere at present I feel it has been an immense privilege we have enjoyed courtesy of the Mayor and the City Council over a number of years It has not been a right but a perk and I believe all ex Service Associations should be grateful at the generosity over the years and accept through no ones fault the council can no longer afford to provide accommodation now not the least because they have not got any spare accommodation during the renovation of the present Council House
On conclusion of the Coffee Morning members squared away the room whilst the Vanguard crew enjoyed a very good presentation undertaken by the Mayor and John the Mayors Chauffer in the Council Chamber The history of the unique Chain of Office which is priceless City Sword Orb and Rod were all explained to an interested audience As Ricki Rotimi one of Vanguards Chefs undertook the demonstrations with the Sword and other artefacts it was noticed that the Mayor kept the Chain of Office firmly in his grasp Ricki got quite excited that whilst kneeling he got Knighted with the sword but looked a bit glum when it was declared that his Knighthood was invalid as it needed the Monarchs approval On leaving the Council House we discovered the rain was as bad as it had been early in the morning thus wet on the outside we proceeded to the pub to get wet on the inside too
13
We collected our vehicles and made our way to the Oak amp Acorn for an arranged buffet Once the crew had been fed and watered (though there was not much water drunk) the branch members were invited to dine The worries on the change of management three days previously were unfounded and everyone was pleased with the choice of venue The Rolls Royce Representative Tony kindly joined us for a short time and he acted as escort for a special tour to Rolls Royce on Raynesway for all the crew members on which I understand was a very useful and interesting visit to Vanguard‟s crew I used the time after this to offload a lot of gear at my home as my car was so full it could not carry passengers I then set off for the Spot to complete setting up the room with the Raffle final place settings due to changes checking wine orders etc I normally set up a big A Board with laminated welcome posters but with the Spot having all the mod cons I was requested to supply A4 instead of twice the size A3 I was most impressed with the displays in lights as we entered I produced two posters one welcoming the Vanguard on their visit to Derby and one advertising the Branch and its 30th Anniversary To see them up in lights was far superior to the laminated posters I know it‟s just another toy but wow What a toy
Friday night rush hour is a nightmare and I got caught up in the car parking on the new Laura Croft way trying to get back to the European Hotel and in the end landed up with only having 30 minutes to get showered dressed in best bib and tucker and to get to the Spot to welcome everyone How we did it I do not really know And it was still chucking it down with rain In fact it was just like Faslane Friday Evening was a combination celebrations rolled into one We were celebrating our Branch 30
th
Anniversary and had brought forward our branch Trafalgar Dinner night as well We were also celebrating the 50
th year of RN British Submarines
and of course we welcomed the twenty crew of Vanguard to the only City in the United Kingdom that has granted the Freedom of the City to HM Submarine Service which proudly hangs on the stairwell of the Submarine Squadron Offices in Faslane The room had been superbly decorated on a Red White and Blue theme by the Spot and this was complimented by balloon‟s The branch had added our own personal touch with place mats individual seating markers with a reminder of what people had ordered and table markers and of course a unique programme to celebrate the occasion When items such as these are taken as souvenirs I always consider it a compliment and I had nothing to clear up at the end of the evening Everyone assembled in the middle room for early drinks and socialise with John amp Rita Sayers making everyone exceptionally welcome selling them Raffle Tickets
On time everyone was summoned to take their places for Dinner and at 7pm the Sea Cadets from TS Kenya piped the top table into Dinner The Diners slow hand clapped the top table in and I undertook Master of Ceremonies with a very short safety brief Thence the Senior Officer present Cdr Jerry Hall RN Rtd was called upon to read out the response to the Loyal Greetings sent to HM Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of our 30
th Anniversary Jerry proudly read
the message to all relayed from the Queen wishing us a successful evening Thence followed the Welcome by our President Mr Ken Holtham and grace by our Vice Chair Mr John Sayers It was thence time to dig in for the first course which was a choice of Soup Pate or Melon The main course was a Carvery but what a carvery We had the choice of Beef Pork amp Turkey and all vegetarians and special diets were well looked after The choice of vegetables was the largest anyone had seen with the only complaint being the plates were not big enough I consider as I was full there was ample but I agree it was impossible to get everything on There were one or two deep breaths before the puddings which was the Sweet Trolley of cream gateaux‟s Cheese board or ice cream followed by coffee which with cream and a mint biscuit rounded off a super meal We then eased springs for a break of fifteen minutes before the speeches
Cdr Jerry Hall Lt Cdr Chris Bland Terry Hall Michelle Tyler Desna amp Ian Tyson
The immortal Toast and a fine speech on Nelson was delivered by Lt Cdr Chris Bland the WEO as Senior Officer of Vanguard who bravely stepped into the position of Cdr Stuart Capes the Commanding Officer of Vanguard Port who was unable to attend due to operational reasons Chris was followed by the Loyal Toast to HM the Queen This very different and enjoyable toast was undertaken by Mr Ian Tyson MIM who is not only a personal friend of mine but was the ex Ceremonial Officer for the Submariners Assn and was a leading light in the London SA before its closure Ian treated us to a unique history lesson on the Battle of Trafalgar and his instruction on taking one‟s tot involved everyone and the experience was enjoyed by all It was as promised in our Loyal Greetings letter to HM toasted with gusto and from the heart Ian‟s speech and toast was summed up by our Chairman Steve Tyler who when he arose to toast the Submarine Service and the Submariner stated ldquoHow do I follow thatrdquo Follow it he did with a roaring toast to the senior part of the Senior Service
14
The presentations were extended slightly with two planned and one unplanned The branch made a presentation of a SA Derbyshire Plaque to the Senior Officer and thence a framed picture of a cartoon that had been in the National Press which had been suitably and artistically enhanced in colour by my daughter This was presented to Vanguard‟s Coxswain John Richie Richardson and small A5 copies distributed in a sealed envelope to each table so all could view the cartoon The Senior Officer thence presented the branch with a superb framed
picture of the Vanguard Crest with brass plaques engraved to commemorate the visit to Derby This splendid gift will be hung in our room at TS Kenya for both ourselves and the cadets to enjoy A presentation of a bouquet of flowers was made by ET Chris Whale to Elena Holtham the wife of our Branch President who was
celebrating her 85th
birthday I would also like to extend our branch‟s best wishes to Chris on his forthcoming course he is just embarking on at HMS Sultan we wish you the best of luck In keeping with the branch tradition we thence provided a decorated Rose Stem for all of the ladies attending and requested the crew members undertake the presentations - which were carried out admirably in true Naval Tradition Our youngest guest was a lovely young lady called Amy who had joined us due to a late cancellation She had joined us at our coffee morning and spent some time with our WWII veterans discussing their experience for her bdquoA‟ Levels and the branch has been able to help with books from our library and I have provided her with booksleaflets from various projects I have undertaken with my RBL hat on so not only was the RN covered but also the RAF with the bomber memorial and Joe Simons excellent story of his service from Normandy just after D-Day and into Germany You may be able to spot her in the picture above
The evening was thence concluded by a wonderful performance by Shep Woolley who I consider it a
great privilege that he commented to me how much he had enjoyed his observations of our special evening As per normal Shep gave a superb performance and it was much enjoyed by all and we thank him
for such a brilliant and entertaining programme as the Golden Carriages arrived for our guests
Saturday 2 December 2010 Talk about see-saw weather Thursday had been fine for the arrival and it was quite hot sat in the foyer of the hotel waiting to meet and greet the crew to Derby Friday was a total washout weather wise and the rain that bad I would liken it to a monsoon Saturday however dawned bright and sunny and stayed like that until the early evening However our plan was a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas where the Vanguard crew would lay a wreath at the Submariners Memorial Though booked into the NMA it was not until about two weeks before that I was advised of the Annual Bike to the Wall and was told they already had 23000 bikes booked in I spoke to the Coxswain and we decided it was worth a go and we are all very glad we did Only one of the twenty had visited the NMA before so it was a particularly poignant visit We convoyed down in three vehicles parking up in a field designated as the Park amp Ride Car Park with a free bus service to and from the NMA The rain the previous day saw the river swollen that runs through the site and it was a little damp to say the least The buses ran regularly and we arrived and our first duty was to replace the very tatty and dirty White Ensign on the Naval Review section We then went down to the submariner‟s memorial where we carried out a short poignant service including the laying of Vanguards Wreath The various parts of the service were shared out amongst crew members with me having the honour of piping the silence I had produced souvenir quality service sheets for each crew member and included a brief history of the NMA site I particularly liked the comment about bdquoIts good to see it was the conception of a Commander Royal Navy who made it happen‟ and that is something we can all be very proud of Unfortunately I had left my camera in the car but we enjoyed the spectacle of the bikers in their thousands The respect and salutes to the service members were a joy to behold The bikers raise a lot of money and the sights of them coming up the main A38 dual carriageway with lights blazing was a magnificent sight The car parks and main thoroughfares were chocker block with bikes of all shapes and sizes including some modified with rear ends of VW Beetles Indian rickshaws and Harleys by the hundreds Whatever the bike they had all come to pay their respects to our Armed Forces and were a credit to their respective chapters clubs or Legion bikers or as individuals BZ to all those who participated on the bdquoRide To The Wall‟ We returned to Derby in the afternoon and arranged to meet up down in the City at the Assembly Rooms where Shep Woolley was performing and the promoters had kindly offered greatly reduced tickets for the Vanguard Crew After the concert I was treated to a Chinese all you can eat on Babbington Lane With not frequenting Derby very often and certainly not at night it was an unknown venue to me but was most enjoyable I sincerely thank Coxn Richie Richardson and CPO Nick Alton for excellent company My first ever visit to Walkabouts was an eye opener and a half and it was only the excellent company that made the run so enjoyable Sunday was going home day and the Vanguards split off by car train to all points of the compass
15
HMS TIRELESS IN MULTINATIONAL EXERCISE Naval assets from the UK France Australia and the US have completed a major international anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Gulf of Oman This is a regular exercise directed by the United Kingdom Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) based in Bahrain It is designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability in warm water environments and promote interoperability between ships and aircraft from a variety of nations The centrepiece of the cat and mouse style exercise was Trafalgar Class submarine HMS Tireless playing the role of the mouse while the duties of the cat were shared between the Australian frigate HMAS Melbourne and the French frigate FS Dupleix Meanwhile Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron and US P-3 Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft acted as eyes in the sky HMS Tireless and HMAS Melbourne also exchanged key personnel during the exercise in order to share skills and experience A UKMCC spokesperson said The number of navies
building and operating submarines continues to grow It is therefore important that the Royal Navy retains its position at the forefront of anti-submarine warfare a skill easy to lose but difficult to regain The presence of
a large number of coalition navies in this region provides the ideal opportunity to train together Commodore Tim Fraser UK Maritime Component Commander said The large proportion of the Royal Navys work in this region is of an operational nature such as conducting anti-piracy patrols and strengthening relations with regional allies However it is important that we also run regular exercises such as this in order to maintain and further develop our skills across the full range of capabilities The UKMCC controls all Royal Navy warships aircraft and personnel in the Middle East maritime theatre which totals over thirteen hundred personnel and more than a dozen vessels These include frigates undertaking maritime security operations and anti-piracy patrols mine countermeasures vessels developing warm water mine hunting techniques and landing ships supporting the training and development of the fledgling Iraqi Navy and the protection of key Iraqi oil platforms
HMS ASTUTE IN COMMISSION The UKs most powerful attack submarine HMS Astute has been welcomed into the Royal Navy in a commissioning ceremony overseen by the boats patron the Duchess of Cornwall as well as Doug Clarke our Derbyshire Member who was kindly taken up to Faslane by his son and daughter for the prestigious event HMS Astute which has officially become Her Majestys Ship today 29 August 2010 She is almost fifty per cent bigger than any attack submarine in the Royal Navys current fleet As the base port of all the Royal Navys submarines from 2016 Faslane will be home to the whole Astute Class including Ambush Artful and Audacious which are already under construction Astute was built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness with hundreds of suppliers around the country contributing component parts including Rolls-Royce Derby (nuclear plant)
TS KENYA PRESENTATION NIGHT Friday 15 October 2010
What an absolutely awful evening weather wise which fortunately did not prevent a decent size audience for this Annual prestigious event which was a credit of organisation and planning The Cadets both Sailors and Royal Marines were as usual excellently turned out and disciplined The Chief guests were the High Sheriff of Derbyshire and the Mayor of Derby who both presented the various trophies to the Cadets As I helped with the raffle I can say with authority that all the prime guests and Senior Committee were exceptionally generous with donations and the total of just under pound90 was raised Whoever organised the prizes did a Herculean effort with Black amp Decker Sets Footbath bottles and really exceptionally good prizes
We submariners were thinner on the ground than in the past with myself Ken and Peter and Joyce but with more than half the branch either on holiday P7R or sick parade this was to be expected There was also three RMA amp Tom Smith BEM RNA Jerry Hall was wearing many hats including President of the TS Kenya Management Committee and President of the RNA for whom he presented a Bosun‟s Pipe to the best cadet Jerry is of course a Submariner member and thanked all four Naval Associations in Derby for their unstinting support of the unit
The presentations took the normal format of the badges and promotions for the Cadets followed by the awards The bdquoTommy Appleby‟ Memorial Shield was won by Cadet Ginette Doherty This Shield was presented to the Unit by Doris in memory of Tommy who was a submariner member The array of awards is impressive and the presentations were undertaken in rotation by the High Sheriff and the Mayor After the presentations the High Sheriff and the Mayor were presented with bouquets The High Sheriff is a nice lady but the Mayor had to accept on behalf of his wife who had been whisked away only moments before for another function I thought he took the presentation of flowers in good spirit The Mayor and High Sheriff both made speeches praising the work of the Cadets Staff and supporters of the Unit
Those who follow the progress of the Cadets through the newsletter or otherwise will be aware that the project to get the Cadets on the water is nearing fruition with the money required for a boat and a safety boat raised and both boats are in the process of being built An internal competition at TS Kenya had been undertaken to name the two boats and unfortunately the Commanding Officer Capt SCC Andy Fuller RMR would not divulge the ones he advised were outrageous suggestions However the decision had been to name the budding Fleet after ex Royal Navy vessels with one to be a submarine and one to be a target skimmer surface vessel The decision made was for HMS Sovereign for the safety boat and HMS Malaya for the pulling boat Sovereign was Derby‟s adopted boat for over thirty years and always ably supported the Sea Cadet unit in Derby Malaya was the name of the Unit until a few years ago when the name was changed to TS Kenya to reflect the long Ship Affiliation of HMS Kenya which was Derby‟s adopted ship before Sovereign with links to warship week in WWII
16
FEEDBACK 30th
ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND I have received much positive feedback and only one complaint of the 30
th Anniversary amp Trafalgar Dinner
The complaint was from Jim Hunt who stated the carvery plates were not big enough End of complaint Many branch members as well as guests have taken the time to say how much they enjoyed the event and in summary the following letter from HMS Vanguard by Louis Gardner the Operations Officer who I know definitely enjoyed his run ashore in Derby
Dear Terry May I take this opportunity to thank the Derbyshire Branch of the Submariners Association for inviting the Ship‟s Company of HMS Vanguard to participate in what was a hugely enjoyable visit Your organisation of such a varied programme including the visit to Rolls Royce was particularly well received Further thanks must go to all who ensured such a successful Trafalgar Night Dinner Excellent hosting was provided by all of your members which was enjoyed and appreciated by our sailors and officers It was a delight to toast both Nelson and your branch‟s 30
th
anniversary on the same occasion Special thanks must go to you for your Herculean efforts in ensuring our time in Derby ran so smoothly Everything from the welcome packs and presentation mugs to your organisation of the service at the National Arboretum was greatly appreciated Much fun was had by all during the visit and we look forward to the opportunity to reciprocate your invitation in the future
Well done all branch members I know many of you had an exceptionally busy Friday and also appreciate for many it was an expensive day with taxi‟s hotels and distances involved However your company was enjoyed by the Vanguard‟s Ship Company and the fact we had so many turn up to help at the Coffee Morning made the task so much easier especially for me It was a wonderful change to have the work load shared as it was by the branch bdquoA‟ team ndash That‟s all of you who were able to turn up and help BZ to all and for the first time I can remember it was a stress free Trafalgar Dinner with nearly everything going smoothly thanks to the excellent organisation at the Spot Now for next year has anyone any ideas
SA NATIONAL RAFFLE I have received the list of prize winners from the ex National Treasurer and can confirm that unfortunately there are no Derbyshire Member Winners Thanks to all in the branch who participated as the branch got one third of the takings
NATIONAL DIARIES I asked Steve Tyler that if there were any SA diaries available at Nottingham to get Ten these have all been sold We hoped for an opportunity to pick up at the Embankment Parade in London avoiding costly PampP However due to problems and cost of accommodation in London we will now unfortunately not be parading our Standard but will be attending the Derby Festival of Remembrance at Derby Cathedral on the same weekend Any further orders to the Treasurer please
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2011 If any members have any proposals for Conference 2011 you are reminded that the branch must submit them by 31 December 2010 thus they need to be presented at the next two meetings if your proposal is to be discussed and submitted
BRANCH AGM TS KENYA The Branch AGM will take place at 7pm on Wednesday 3 March 2011 when we revert from our Winter Routine of lunch time meetings at the Jubilee Club at 1215 Items for the Agenda should be submitted by the January meeting with any nominations for any office
BRANCH SUBSCRIPTIONS 2011 Branch Subscriptions were not discussed at our AGM in March thus by default they will remain the same at pound10 per person with pound5 National fee making a total of pound15 Annual Subscription This becomes due to the 31 December 2010 for the following year and it is requested that to enable the year end figures to be completed by 31 January 2011 that they are submitted to the Treasurer as soon into the new year or anytime before Those who will be effecting an electronic bank transfer to the branch accounts as per the memo posted out to all members are requested to ensure that your reference clearly states your surname and the word bdquosubs‟ Those who wish to continue to have a hard copy of In Depth are requested to make a further donation of pound5 to cover the copies for 2011 Newsletter Online If you need to refer to a back issue
(three copies only) please refer to wwwsubmarinersassociationcoukhtmlderbynewshtml
Views and comments of this newsletter do not always reflect the official policy or decisions of neither the
Derby Branch nor the Submariners Association
Terry Hall Newsletter Editor Submariners Association Derbyshire Branch 69 Station Road STANLEY VILLAGE
Derbyshire DE7 6FB
Ronamp Jean Slater
4 November 2010 Best Wishes from all the
Derbyshire Branch
13
We collected our vehicles and made our way to the Oak amp Acorn for an arranged buffet Once the crew had been fed and watered (though there was not much water drunk) the branch members were invited to dine The worries on the change of management three days previously were unfounded and everyone was pleased with the choice of venue The Rolls Royce Representative Tony kindly joined us for a short time and he acted as escort for a special tour to Rolls Royce on Raynesway for all the crew members on which I understand was a very useful and interesting visit to Vanguard‟s crew I used the time after this to offload a lot of gear at my home as my car was so full it could not carry passengers I then set off for the Spot to complete setting up the room with the Raffle final place settings due to changes checking wine orders etc I normally set up a big A Board with laminated welcome posters but with the Spot having all the mod cons I was requested to supply A4 instead of twice the size A3 I was most impressed with the displays in lights as we entered I produced two posters one welcoming the Vanguard on their visit to Derby and one advertising the Branch and its 30th Anniversary To see them up in lights was far superior to the laminated posters I know it‟s just another toy but wow What a toy
Friday night rush hour is a nightmare and I got caught up in the car parking on the new Laura Croft way trying to get back to the European Hotel and in the end landed up with only having 30 minutes to get showered dressed in best bib and tucker and to get to the Spot to welcome everyone How we did it I do not really know And it was still chucking it down with rain In fact it was just like Faslane Friday Evening was a combination celebrations rolled into one We were celebrating our Branch 30
th
Anniversary and had brought forward our branch Trafalgar Dinner night as well We were also celebrating the 50
th year of RN British Submarines
and of course we welcomed the twenty crew of Vanguard to the only City in the United Kingdom that has granted the Freedom of the City to HM Submarine Service which proudly hangs on the stairwell of the Submarine Squadron Offices in Faslane The room had been superbly decorated on a Red White and Blue theme by the Spot and this was complimented by balloon‟s The branch had added our own personal touch with place mats individual seating markers with a reminder of what people had ordered and table markers and of course a unique programme to celebrate the occasion When items such as these are taken as souvenirs I always consider it a compliment and I had nothing to clear up at the end of the evening Everyone assembled in the middle room for early drinks and socialise with John amp Rita Sayers making everyone exceptionally welcome selling them Raffle Tickets
On time everyone was summoned to take their places for Dinner and at 7pm the Sea Cadets from TS Kenya piped the top table into Dinner The Diners slow hand clapped the top table in and I undertook Master of Ceremonies with a very short safety brief Thence the Senior Officer present Cdr Jerry Hall RN Rtd was called upon to read out the response to the Loyal Greetings sent to HM Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of our 30
th Anniversary Jerry proudly read
the message to all relayed from the Queen wishing us a successful evening Thence followed the Welcome by our President Mr Ken Holtham and grace by our Vice Chair Mr John Sayers It was thence time to dig in for the first course which was a choice of Soup Pate or Melon The main course was a Carvery but what a carvery We had the choice of Beef Pork amp Turkey and all vegetarians and special diets were well looked after The choice of vegetables was the largest anyone had seen with the only complaint being the plates were not big enough I consider as I was full there was ample but I agree it was impossible to get everything on There were one or two deep breaths before the puddings which was the Sweet Trolley of cream gateaux‟s Cheese board or ice cream followed by coffee which with cream and a mint biscuit rounded off a super meal We then eased springs for a break of fifteen minutes before the speeches
Cdr Jerry Hall Lt Cdr Chris Bland Terry Hall Michelle Tyler Desna amp Ian Tyson
The immortal Toast and a fine speech on Nelson was delivered by Lt Cdr Chris Bland the WEO as Senior Officer of Vanguard who bravely stepped into the position of Cdr Stuart Capes the Commanding Officer of Vanguard Port who was unable to attend due to operational reasons Chris was followed by the Loyal Toast to HM the Queen This very different and enjoyable toast was undertaken by Mr Ian Tyson MIM who is not only a personal friend of mine but was the ex Ceremonial Officer for the Submariners Assn and was a leading light in the London SA before its closure Ian treated us to a unique history lesson on the Battle of Trafalgar and his instruction on taking one‟s tot involved everyone and the experience was enjoyed by all It was as promised in our Loyal Greetings letter to HM toasted with gusto and from the heart Ian‟s speech and toast was summed up by our Chairman Steve Tyler who when he arose to toast the Submarine Service and the Submariner stated ldquoHow do I follow thatrdquo Follow it he did with a roaring toast to the senior part of the Senior Service
14
The presentations were extended slightly with two planned and one unplanned The branch made a presentation of a SA Derbyshire Plaque to the Senior Officer and thence a framed picture of a cartoon that had been in the National Press which had been suitably and artistically enhanced in colour by my daughter This was presented to Vanguard‟s Coxswain John Richie Richardson and small A5 copies distributed in a sealed envelope to each table so all could view the cartoon The Senior Officer thence presented the branch with a superb framed
picture of the Vanguard Crest with brass plaques engraved to commemorate the visit to Derby This splendid gift will be hung in our room at TS Kenya for both ourselves and the cadets to enjoy A presentation of a bouquet of flowers was made by ET Chris Whale to Elena Holtham the wife of our Branch President who was
celebrating her 85th
birthday I would also like to extend our branch‟s best wishes to Chris on his forthcoming course he is just embarking on at HMS Sultan we wish you the best of luck In keeping with the branch tradition we thence provided a decorated Rose Stem for all of the ladies attending and requested the crew members undertake the presentations - which were carried out admirably in true Naval Tradition Our youngest guest was a lovely young lady called Amy who had joined us due to a late cancellation She had joined us at our coffee morning and spent some time with our WWII veterans discussing their experience for her bdquoA‟ Levels and the branch has been able to help with books from our library and I have provided her with booksleaflets from various projects I have undertaken with my RBL hat on so not only was the RN covered but also the RAF with the bomber memorial and Joe Simons excellent story of his service from Normandy just after D-Day and into Germany You may be able to spot her in the picture above
The evening was thence concluded by a wonderful performance by Shep Woolley who I consider it a
great privilege that he commented to me how much he had enjoyed his observations of our special evening As per normal Shep gave a superb performance and it was much enjoyed by all and we thank him
for such a brilliant and entertaining programme as the Golden Carriages arrived for our guests
Saturday 2 December 2010 Talk about see-saw weather Thursday had been fine for the arrival and it was quite hot sat in the foyer of the hotel waiting to meet and greet the crew to Derby Friday was a total washout weather wise and the rain that bad I would liken it to a monsoon Saturday however dawned bright and sunny and stayed like that until the early evening However our plan was a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas where the Vanguard crew would lay a wreath at the Submariners Memorial Though booked into the NMA it was not until about two weeks before that I was advised of the Annual Bike to the Wall and was told they already had 23000 bikes booked in I spoke to the Coxswain and we decided it was worth a go and we are all very glad we did Only one of the twenty had visited the NMA before so it was a particularly poignant visit We convoyed down in three vehicles parking up in a field designated as the Park amp Ride Car Park with a free bus service to and from the NMA The rain the previous day saw the river swollen that runs through the site and it was a little damp to say the least The buses ran regularly and we arrived and our first duty was to replace the very tatty and dirty White Ensign on the Naval Review section We then went down to the submariner‟s memorial where we carried out a short poignant service including the laying of Vanguards Wreath The various parts of the service were shared out amongst crew members with me having the honour of piping the silence I had produced souvenir quality service sheets for each crew member and included a brief history of the NMA site I particularly liked the comment about bdquoIts good to see it was the conception of a Commander Royal Navy who made it happen‟ and that is something we can all be very proud of Unfortunately I had left my camera in the car but we enjoyed the spectacle of the bikers in their thousands The respect and salutes to the service members were a joy to behold The bikers raise a lot of money and the sights of them coming up the main A38 dual carriageway with lights blazing was a magnificent sight The car parks and main thoroughfares were chocker block with bikes of all shapes and sizes including some modified with rear ends of VW Beetles Indian rickshaws and Harleys by the hundreds Whatever the bike they had all come to pay their respects to our Armed Forces and were a credit to their respective chapters clubs or Legion bikers or as individuals BZ to all those who participated on the bdquoRide To The Wall‟ We returned to Derby in the afternoon and arranged to meet up down in the City at the Assembly Rooms where Shep Woolley was performing and the promoters had kindly offered greatly reduced tickets for the Vanguard Crew After the concert I was treated to a Chinese all you can eat on Babbington Lane With not frequenting Derby very often and certainly not at night it was an unknown venue to me but was most enjoyable I sincerely thank Coxn Richie Richardson and CPO Nick Alton for excellent company My first ever visit to Walkabouts was an eye opener and a half and it was only the excellent company that made the run so enjoyable Sunday was going home day and the Vanguards split off by car train to all points of the compass
15
HMS TIRELESS IN MULTINATIONAL EXERCISE Naval assets from the UK France Australia and the US have completed a major international anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Gulf of Oman This is a regular exercise directed by the United Kingdom Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) based in Bahrain It is designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability in warm water environments and promote interoperability between ships and aircraft from a variety of nations The centrepiece of the cat and mouse style exercise was Trafalgar Class submarine HMS Tireless playing the role of the mouse while the duties of the cat were shared between the Australian frigate HMAS Melbourne and the French frigate FS Dupleix Meanwhile Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron and US P-3 Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft acted as eyes in the sky HMS Tireless and HMAS Melbourne also exchanged key personnel during the exercise in order to share skills and experience A UKMCC spokesperson said The number of navies
building and operating submarines continues to grow It is therefore important that the Royal Navy retains its position at the forefront of anti-submarine warfare a skill easy to lose but difficult to regain The presence of
a large number of coalition navies in this region provides the ideal opportunity to train together Commodore Tim Fraser UK Maritime Component Commander said The large proportion of the Royal Navys work in this region is of an operational nature such as conducting anti-piracy patrols and strengthening relations with regional allies However it is important that we also run regular exercises such as this in order to maintain and further develop our skills across the full range of capabilities The UKMCC controls all Royal Navy warships aircraft and personnel in the Middle East maritime theatre which totals over thirteen hundred personnel and more than a dozen vessels These include frigates undertaking maritime security operations and anti-piracy patrols mine countermeasures vessels developing warm water mine hunting techniques and landing ships supporting the training and development of the fledgling Iraqi Navy and the protection of key Iraqi oil platforms
HMS ASTUTE IN COMMISSION The UKs most powerful attack submarine HMS Astute has been welcomed into the Royal Navy in a commissioning ceremony overseen by the boats patron the Duchess of Cornwall as well as Doug Clarke our Derbyshire Member who was kindly taken up to Faslane by his son and daughter for the prestigious event HMS Astute which has officially become Her Majestys Ship today 29 August 2010 She is almost fifty per cent bigger than any attack submarine in the Royal Navys current fleet As the base port of all the Royal Navys submarines from 2016 Faslane will be home to the whole Astute Class including Ambush Artful and Audacious which are already under construction Astute was built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness with hundreds of suppliers around the country contributing component parts including Rolls-Royce Derby (nuclear plant)
TS KENYA PRESENTATION NIGHT Friday 15 October 2010
What an absolutely awful evening weather wise which fortunately did not prevent a decent size audience for this Annual prestigious event which was a credit of organisation and planning The Cadets both Sailors and Royal Marines were as usual excellently turned out and disciplined The Chief guests were the High Sheriff of Derbyshire and the Mayor of Derby who both presented the various trophies to the Cadets As I helped with the raffle I can say with authority that all the prime guests and Senior Committee were exceptionally generous with donations and the total of just under pound90 was raised Whoever organised the prizes did a Herculean effort with Black amp Decker Sets Footbath bottles and really exceptionally good prizes
We submariners were thinner on the ground than in the past with myself Ken and Peter and Joyce but with more than half the branch either on holiday P7R or sick parade this was to be expected There was also three RMA amp Tom Smith BEM RNA Jerry Hall was wearing many hats including President of the TS Kenya Management Committee and President of the RNA for whom he presented a Bosun‟s Pipe to the best cadet Jerry is of course a Submariner member and thanked all four Naval Associations in Derby for their unstinting support of the unit
The presentations took the normal format of the badges and promotions for the Cadets followed by the awards The bdquoTommy Appleby‟ Memorial Shield was won by Cadet Ginette Doherty This Shield was presented to the Unit by Doris in memory of Tommy who was a submariner member The array of awards is impressive and the presentations were undertaken in rotation by the High Sheriff and the Mayor After the presentations the High Sheriff and the Mayor were presented with bouquets The High Sheriff is a nice lady but the Mayor had to accept on behalf of his wife who had been whisked away only moments before for another function I thought he took the presentation of flowers in good spirit The Mayor and High Sheriff both made speeches praising the work of the Cadets Staff and supporters of the Unit
Those who follow the progress of the Cadets through the newsletter or otherwise will be aware that the project to get the Cadets on the water is nearing fruition with the money required for a boat and a safety boat raised and both boats are in the process of being built An internal competition at TS Kenya had been undertaken to name the two boats and unfortunately the Commanding Officer Capt SCC Andy Fuller RMR would not divulge the ones he advised were outrageous suggestions However the decision had been to name the budding Fleet after ex Royal Navy vessels with one to be a submarine and one to be a target skimmer surface vessel The decision made was for HMS Sovereign for the safety boat and HMS Malaya for the pulling boat Sovereign was Derby‟s adopted boat for over thirty years and always ably supported the Sea Cadet unit in Derby Malaya was the name of the Unit until a few years ago when the name was changed to TS Kenya to reflect the long Ship Affiliation of HMS Kenya which was Derby‟s adopted ship before Sovereign with links to warship week in WWII
16
FEEDBACK 30th
ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND I have received much positive feedback and only one complaint of the 30
th Anniversary amp Trafalgar Dinner
The complaint was from Jim Hunt who stated the carvery plates were not big enough End of complaint Many branch members as well as guests have taken the time to say how much they enjoyed the event and in summary the following letter from HMS Vanguard by Louis Gardner the Operations Officer who I know definitely enjoyed his run ashore in Derby
Dear Terry May I take this opportunity to thank the Derbyshire Branch of the Submariners Association for inviting the Ship‟s Company of HMS Vanguard to participate in what was a hugely enjoyable visit Your organisation of such a varied programme including the visit to Rolls Royce was particularly well received Further thanks must go to all who ensured such a successful Trafalgar Night Dinner Excellent hosting was provided by all of your members which was enjoyed and appreciated by our sailors and officers It was a delight to toast both Nelson and your branch‟s 30
th
anniversary on the same occasion Special thanks must go to you for your Herculean efforts in ensuring our time in Derby ran so smoothly Everything from the welcome packs and presentation mugs to your organisation of the service at the National Arboretum was greatly appreciated Much fun was had by all during the visit and we look forward to the opportunity to reciprocate your invitation in the future
Well done all branch members I know many of you had an exceptionally busy Friday and also appreciate for many it was an expensive day with taxi‟s hotels and distances involved However your company was enjoyed by the Vanguard‟s Ship Company and the fact we had so many turn up to help at the Coffee Morning made the task so much easier especially for me It was a wonderful change to have the work load shared as it was by the branch bdquoA‟ team ndash That‟s all of you who were able to turn up and help BZ to all and for the first time I can remember it was a stress free Trafalgar Dinner with nearly everything going smoothly thanks to the excellent organisation at the Spot Now for next year has anyone any ideas
SA NATIONAL RAFFLE I have received the list of prize winners from the ex National Treasurer and can confirm that unfortunately there are no Derbyshire Member Winners Thanks to all in the branch who participated as the branch got one third of the takings
NATIONAL DIARIES I asked Steve Tyler that if there were any SA diaries available at Nottingham to get Ten these have all been sold We hoped for an opportunity to pick up at the Embankment Parade in London avoiding costly PampP However due to problems and cost of accommodation in London we will now unfortunately not be parading our Standard but will be attending the Derby Festival of Remembrance at Derby Cathedral on the same weekend Any further orders to the Treasurer please
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2011 If any members have any proposals for Conference 2011 you are reminded that the branch must submit them by 31 December 2010 thus they need to be presented at the next two meetings if your proposal is to be discussed and submitted
BRANCH AGM TS KENYA The Branch AGM will take place at 7pm on Wednesday 3 March 2011 when we revert from our Winter Routine of lunch time meetings at the Jubilee Club at 1215 Items for the Agenda should be submitted by the January meeting with any nominations for any office
BRANCH SUBSCRIPTIONS 2011 Branch Subscriptions were not discussed at our AGM in March thus by default they will remain the same at pound10 per person with pound5 National fee making a total of pound15 Annual Subscription This becomes due to the 31 December 2010 for the following year and it is requested that to enable the year end figures to be completed by 31 January 2011 that they are submitted to the Treasurer as soon into the new year or anytime before Those who will be effecting an electronic bank transfer to the branch accounts as per the memo posted out to all members are requested to ensure that your reference clearly states your surname and the word bdquosubs‟ Those who wish to continue to have a hard copy of In Depth are requested to make a further donation of pound5 to cover the copies for 2011 Newsletter Online If you need to refer to a back issue
(three copies only) please refer to wwwsubmarinersassociationcoukhtmlderbynewshtml
Views and comments of this newsletter do not always reflect the official policy or decisions of neither the
Derby Branch nor the Submariners Association
Terry Hall Newsletter Editor Submariners Association Derbyshire Branch 69 Station Road STANLEY VILLAGE
Derbyshire DE7 6FB
Ronamp Jean Slater
4 November 2010 Best Wishes from all the
Derbyshire Branch
14
The presentations were extended slightly with two planned and one unplanned The branch made a presentation of a SA Derbyshire Plaque to the Senior Officer and thence a framed picture of a cartoon that had been in the National Press which had been suitably and artistically enhanced in colour by my daughter This was presented to Vanguard‟s Coxswain John Richie Richardson and small A5 copies distributed in a sealed envelope to each table so all could view the cartoon The Senior Officer thence presented the branch with a superb framed
picture of the Vanguard Crest with brass plaques engraved to commemorate the visit to Derby This splendid gift will be hung in our room at TS Kenya for both ourselves and the cadets to enjoy A presentation of a bouquet of flowers was made by ET Chris Whale to Elena Holtham the wife of our Branch President who was
celebrating her 85th
birthday I would also like to extend our branch‟s best wishes to Chris on his forthcoming course he is just embarking on at HMS Sultan we wish you the best of luck In keeping with the branch tradition we thence provided a decorated Rose Stem for all of the ladies attending and requested the crew members undertake the presentations - which were carried out admirably in true Naval Tradition Our youngest guest was a lovely young lady called Amy who had joined us due to a late cancellation She had joined us at our coffee morning and spent some time with our WWII veterans discussing their experience for her bdquoA‟ Levels and the branch has been able to help with books from our library and I have provided her with booksleaflets from various projects I have undertaken with my RBL hat on so not only was the RN covered but also the RAF with the bomber memorial and Joe Simons excellent story of his service from Normandy just after D-Day and into Germany You may be able to spot her in the picture above
The evening was thence concluded by a wonderful performance by Shep Woolley who I consider it a
great privilege that he commented to me how much he had enjoyed his observations of our special evening As per normal Shep gave a superb performance and it was much enjoyed by all and we thank him
for such a brilliant and entertaining programme as the Golden Carriages arrived for our guests
Saturday 2 December 2010 Talk about see-saw weather Thursday had been fine for the arrival and it was quite hot sat in the foyer of the hotel waiting to meet and greet the crew to Derby Friday was a total washout weather wise and the rain that bad I would liken it to a monsoon Saturday however dawned bright and sunny and stayed like that until the early evening However our plan was a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas where the Vanguard crew would lay a wreath at the Submariners Memorial Though booked into the NMA it was not until about two weeks before that I was advised of the Annual Bike to the Wall and was told they already had 23000 bikes booked in I spoke to the Coxswain and we decided it was worth a go and we are all very glad we did Only one of the twenty had visited the NMA before so it was a particularly poignant visit We convoyed down in three vehicles parking up in a field designated as the Park amp Ride Car Park with a free bus service to and from the NMA The rain the previous day saw the river swollen that runs through the site and it was a little damp to say the least The buses ran regularly and we arrived and our first duty was to replace the very tatty and dirty White Ensign on the Naval Review section We then went down to the submariner‟s memorial where we carried out a short poignant service including the laying of Vanguards Wreath The various parts of the service were shared out amongst crew members with me having the honour of piping the silence I had produced souvenir quality service sheets for each crew member and included a brief history of the NMA site I particularly liked the comment about bdquoIts good to see it was the conception of a Commander Royal Navy who made it happen‟ and that is something we can all be very proud of Unfortunately I had left my camera in the car but we enjoyed the spectacle of the bikers in their thousands The respect and salutes to the service members were a joy to behold The bikers raise a lot of money and the sights of them coming up the main A38 dual carriageway with lights blazing was a magnificent sight The car parks and main thoroughfares were chocker block with bikes of all shapes and sizes including some modified with rear ends of VW Beetles Indian rickshaws and Harleys by the hundreds Whatever the bike they had all come to pay their respects to our Armed Forces and were a credit to their respective chapters clubs or Legion bikers or as individuals BZ to all those who participated on the bdquoRide To The Wall‟ We returned to Derby in the afternoon and arranged to meet up down in the City at the Assembly Rooms where Shep Woolley was performing and the promoters had kindly offered greatly reduced tickets for the Vanguard Crew After the concert I was treated to a Chinese all you can eat on Babbington Lane With not frequenting Derby very often and certainly not at night it was an unknown venue to me but was most enjoyable I sincerely thank Coxn Richie Richardson and CPO Nick Alton for excellent company My first ever visit to Walkabouts was an eye opener and a half and it was only the excellent company that made the run so enjoyable Sunday was going home day and the Vanguards split off by car train to all points of the compass
15
HMS TIRELESS IN MULTINATIONAL EXERCISE Naval assets from the UK France Australia and the US have completed a major international anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Gulf of Oman This is a regular exercise directed by the United Kingdom Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) based in Bahrain It is designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability in warm water environments and promote interoperability between ships and aircraft from a variety of nations The centrepiece of the cat and mouse style exercise was Trafalgar Class submarine HMS Tireless playing the role of the mouse while the duties of the cat were shared between the Australian frigate HMAS Melbourne and the French frigate FS Dupleix Meanwhile Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron and US P-3 Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft acted as eyes in the sky HMS Tireless and HMAS Melbourne also exchanged key personnel during the exercise in order to share skills and experience A UKMCC spokesperson said The number of navies
building and operating submarines continues to grow It is therefore important that the Royal Navy retains its position at the forefront of anti-submarine warfare a skill easy to lose but difficult to regain The presence of
a large number of coalition navies in this region provides the ideal opportunity to train together Commodore Tim Fraser UK Maritime Component Commander said The large proportion of the Royal Navys work in this region is of an operational nature such as conducting anti-piracy patrols and strengthening relations with regional allies However it is important that we also run regular exercises such as this in order to maintain and further develop our skills across the full range of capabilities The UKMCC controls all Royal Navy warships aircraft and personnel in the Middle East maritime theatre which totals over thirteen hundred personnel and more than a dozen vessels These include frigates undertaking maritime security operations and anti-piracy patrols mine countermeasures vessels developing warm water mine hunting techniques and landing ships supporting the training and development of the fledgling Iraqi Navy and the protection of key Iraqi oil platforms
HMS ASTUTE IN COMMISSION The UKs most powerful attack submarine HMS Astute has been welcomed into the Royal Navy in a commissioning ceremony overseen by the boats patron the Duchess of Cornwall as well as Doug Clarke our Derbyshire Member who was kindly taken up to Faslane by his son and daughter for the prestigious event HMS Astute which has officially become Her Majestys Ship today 29 August 2010 She is almost fifty per cent bigger than any attack submarine in the Royal Navys current fleet As the base port of all the Royal Navys submarines from 2016 Faslane will be home to the whole Astute Class including Ambush Artful and Audacious which are already under construction Astute was built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness with hundreds of suppliers around the country contributing component parts including Rolls-Royce Derby (nuclear plant)
TS KENYA PRESENTATION NIGHT Friday 15 October 2010
What an absolutely awful evening weather wise which fortunately did not prevent a decent size audience for this Annual prestigious event which was a credit of organisation and planning The Cadets both Sailors and Royal Marines were as usual excellently turned out and disciplined The Chief guests were the High Sheriff of Derbyshire and the Mayor of Derby who both presented the various trophies to the Cadets As I helped with the raffle I can say with authority that all the prime guests and Senior Committee were exceptionally generous with donations and the total of just under pound90 was raised Whoever organised the prizes did a Herculean effort with Black amp Decker Sets Footbath bottles and really exceptionally good prizes
We submariners were thinner on the ground than in the past with myself Ken and Peter and Joyce but with more than half the branch either on holiday P7R or sick parade this was to be expected There was also three RMA amp Tom Smith BEM RNA Jerry Hall was wearing many hats including President of the TS Kenya Management Committee and President of the RNA for whom he presented a Bosun‟s Pipe to the best cadet Jerry is of course a Submariner member and thanked all four Naval Associations in Derby for their unstinting support of the unit
The presentations took the normal format of the badges and promotions for the Cadets followed by the awards The bdquoTommy Appleby‟ Memorial Shield was won by Cadet Ginette Doherty This Shield was presented to the Unit by Doris in memory of Tommy who was a submariner member The array of awards is impressive and the presentations were undertaken in rotation by the High Sheriff and the Mayor After the presentations the High Sheriff and the Mayor were presented with bouquets The High Sheriff is a nice lady but the Mayor had to accept on behalf of his wife who had been whisked away only moments before for another function I thought he took the presentation of flowers in good spirit The Mayor and High Sheriff both made speeches praising the work of the Cadets Staff and supporters of the Unit
Those who follow the progress of the Cadets through the newsletter or otherwise will be aware that the project to get the Cadets on the water is nearing fruition with the money required for a boat and a safety boat raised and both boats are in the process of being built An internal competition at TS Kenya had been undertaken to name the two boats and unfortunately the Commanding Officer Capt SCC Andy Fuller RMR would not divulge the ones he advised were outrageous suggestions However the decision had been to name the budding Fleet after ex Royal Navy vessels with one to be a submarine and one to be a target skimmer surface vessel The decision made was for HMS Sovereign for the safety boat and HMS Malaya for the pulling boat Sovereign was Derby‟s adopted boat for over thirty years and always ably supported the Sea Cadet unit in Derby Malaya was the name of the Unit until a few years ago when the name was changed to TS Kenya to reflect the long Ship Affiliation of HMS Kenya which was Derby‟s adopted ship before Sovereign with links to warship week in WWII
16
FEEDBACK 30th
ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND I have received much positive feedback and only one complaint of the 30
th Anniversary amp Trafalgar Dinner
The complaint was from Jim Hunt who stated the carvery plates were not big enough End of complaint Many branch members as well as guests have taken the time to say how much they enjoyed the event and in summary the following letter from HMS Vanguard by Louis Gardner the Operations Officer who I know definitely enjoyed his run ashore in Derby
Dear Terry May I take this opportunity to thank the Derbyshire Branch of the Submariners Association for inviting the Ship‟s Company of HMS Vanguard to participate in what was a hugely enjoyable visit Your organisation of such a varied programme including the visit to Rolls Royce was particularly well received Further thanks must go to all who ensured such a successful Trafalgar Night Dinner Excellent hosting was provided by all of your members which was enjoyed and appreciated by our sailors and officers It was a delight to toast both Nelson and your branch‟s 30
th
anniversary on the same occasion Special thanks must go to you for your Herculean efforts in ensuring our time in Derby ran so smoothly Everything from the welcome packs and presentation mugs to your organisation of the service at the National Arboretum was greatly appreciated Much fun was had by all during the visit and we look forward to the opportunity to reciprocate your invitation in the future
Well done all branch members I know many of you had an exceptionally busy Friday and also appreciate for many it was an expensive day with taxi‟s hotels and distances involved However your company was enjoyed by the Vanguard‟s Ship Company and the fact we had so many turn up to help at the Coffee Morning made the task so much easier especially for me It was a wonderful change to have the work load shared as it was by the branch bdquoA‟ team ndash That‟s all of you who were able to turn up and help BZ to all and for the first time I can remember it was a stress free Trafalgar Dinner with nearly everything going smoothly thanks to the excellent organisation at the Spot Now for next year has anyone any ideas
SA NATIONAL RAFFLE I have received the list of prize winners from the ex National Treasurer and can confirm that unfortunately there are no Derbyshire Member Winners Thanks to all in the branch who participated as the branch got one third of the takings
NATIONAL DIARIES I asked Steve Tyler that if there were any SA diaries available at Nottingham to get Ten these have all been sold We hoped for an opportunity to pick up at the Embankment Parade in London avoiding costly PampP However due to problems and cost of accommodation in London we will now unfortunately not be parading our Standard but will be attending the Derby Festival of Remembrance at Derby Cathedral on the same weekend Any further orders to the Treasurer please
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2011 If any members have any proposals for Conference 2011 you are reminded that the branch must submit them by 31 December 2010 thus they need to be presented at the next two meetings if your proposal is to be discussed and submitted
BRANCH AGM TS KENYA The Branch AGM will take place at 7pm on Wednesday 3 March 2011 when we revert from our Winter Routine of lunch time meetings at the Jubilee Club at 1215 Items for the Agenda should be submitted by the January meeting with any nominations for any office
BRANCH SUBSCRIPTIONS 2011 Branch Subscriptions were not discussed at our AGM in March thus by default they will remain the same at pound10 per person with pound5 National fee making a total of pound15 Annual Subscription This becomes due to the 31 December 2010 for the following year and it is requested that to enable the year end figures to be completed by 31 January 2011 that they are submitted to the Treasurer as soon into the new year or anytime before Those who will be effecting an electronic bank transfer to the branch accounts as per the memo posted out to all members are requested to ensure that your reference clearly states your surname and the word bdquosubs‟ Those who wish to continue to have a hard copy of In Depth are requested to make a further donation of pound5 to cover the copies for 2011 Newsletter Online If you need to refer to a back issue
(three copies only) please refer to wwwsubmarinersassociationcoukhtmlderbynewshtml
Views and comments of this newsletter do not always reflect the official policy or decisions of neither the
Derby Branch nor the Submariners Association
Terry Hall Newsletter Editor Submariners Association Derbyshire Branch 69 Station Road STANLEY VILLAGE
Derbyshire DE7 6FB
Ronamp Jean Slater
4 November 2010 Best Wishes from all the
Derbyshire Branch
15
HMS TIRELESS IN MULTINATIONAL EXERCISE Naval assets from the UK France Australia and the US have completed a major international anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Gulf of Oman This is a regular exercise directed by the United Kingdom Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) based in Bahrain It is designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability in warm water environments and promote interoperability between ships and aircraft from a variety of nations The centrepiece of the cat and mouse style exercise was Trafalgar Class submarine HMS Tireless playing the role of the mouse while the duties of the cat were shared between the Australian frigate HMAS Melbourne and the French frigate FS Dupleix Meanwhile Merlin helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron and US P-3 Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft acted as eyes in the sky HMS Tireless and HMAS Melbourne also exchanged key personnel during the exercise in order to share skills and experience A UKMCC spokesperson said The number of navies
building and operating submarines continues to grow It is therefore important that the Royal Navy retains its position at the forefront of anti-submarine warfare a skill easy to lose but difficult to regain The presence of
a large number of coalition navies in this region provides the ideal opportunity to train together Commodore Tim Fraser UK Maritime Component Commander said The large proportion of the Royal Navys work in this region is of an operational nature such as conducting anti-piracy patrols and strengthening relations with regional allies However it is important that we also run regular exercises such as this in order to maintain and further develop our skills across the full range of capabilities The UKMCC controls all Royal Navy warships aircraft and personnel in the Middle East maritime theatre which totals over thirteen hundred personnel and more than a dozen vessels These include frigates undertaking maritime security operations and anti-piracy patrols mine countermeasures vessels developing warm water mine hunting techniques and landing ships supporting the training and development of the fledgling Iraqi Navy and the protection of key Iraqi oil platforms
HMS ASTUTE IN COMMISSION The UKs most powerful attack submarine HMS Astute has been welcomed into the Royal Navy in a commissioning ceremony overseen by the boats patron the Duchess of Cornwall as well as Doug Clarke our Derbyshire Member who was kindly taken up to Faslane by his son and daughter for the prestigious event HMS Astute which has officially become Her Majestys Ship today 29 August 2010 She is almost fifty per cent bigger than any attack submarine in the Royal Navys current fleet As the base port of all the Royal Navys submarines from 2016 Faslane will be home to the whole Astute Class including Ambush Artful and Audacious which are already under construction Astute was built by BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness with hundreds of suppliers around the country contributing component parts including Rolls-Royce Derby (nuclear plant)
TS KENYA PRESENTATION NIGHT Friday 15 October 2010
What an absolutely awful evening weather wise which fortunately did not prevent a decent size audience for this Annual prestigious event which was a credit of organisation and planning The Cadets both Sailors and Royal Marines were as usual excellently turned out and disciplined The Chief guests were the High Sheriff of Derbyshire and the Mayor of Derby who both presented the various trophies to the Cadets As I helped with the raffle I can say with authority that all the prime guests and Senior Committee were exceptionally generous with donations and the total of just under pound90 was raised Whoever organised the prizes did a Herculean effort with Black amp Decker Sets Footbath bottles and really exceptionally good prizes
We submariners were thinner on the ground than in the past with myself Ken and Peter and Joyce but with more than half the branch either on holiday P7R or sick parade this was to be expected There was also three RMA amp Tom Smith BEM RNA Jerry Hall was wearing many hats including President of the TS Kenya Management Committee and President of the RNA for whom he presented a Bosun‟s Pipe to the best cadet Jerry is of course a Submariner member and thanked all four Naval Associations in Derby for their unstinting support of the unit
The presentations took the normal format of the badges and promotions for the Cadets followed by the awards The bdquoTommy Appleby‟ Memorial Shield was won by Cadet Ginette Doherty This Shield was presented to the Unit by Doris in memory of Tommy who was a submariner member The array of awards is impressive and the presentations were undertaken in rotation by the High Sheriff and the Mayor After the presentations the High Sheriff and the Mayor were presented with bouquets The High Sheriff is a nice lady but the Mayor had to accept on behalf of his wife who had been whisked away only moments before for another function I thought he took the presentation of flowers in good spirit The Mayor and High Sheriff both made speeches praising the work of the Cadets Staff and supporters of the Unit
Those who follow the progress of the Cadets through the newsletter or otherwise will be aware that the project to get the Cadets on the water is nearing fruition with the money required for a boat and a safety boat raised and both boats are in the process of being built An internal competition at TS Kenya had been undertaken to name the two boats and unfortunately the Commanding Officer Capt SCC Andy Fuller RMR would not divulge the ones he advised were outrageous suggestions However the decision had been to name the budding Fleet after ex Royal Navy vessels with one to be a submarine and one to be a target skimmer surface vessel The decision made was for HMS Sovereign for the safety boat and HMS Malaya for the pulling boat Sovereign was Derby‟s adopted boat for over thirty years and always ably supported the Sea Cadet unit in Derby Malaya was the name of the Unit until a few years ago when the name was changed to TS Kenya to reflect the long Ship Affiliation of HMS Kenya which was Derby‟s adopted ship before Sovereign with links to warship week in WWII
16
FEEDBACK 30th
ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND I have received much positive feedback and only one complaint of the 30
th Anniversary amp Trafalgar Dinner
The complaint was from Jim Hunt who stated the carvery plates were not big enough End of complaint Many branch members as well as guests have taken the time to say how much they enjoyed the event and in summary the following letter from HMS Vanguard by Louis Gardner the Operations Officer who I know definitely enjoyed his run ashore in Derby
Dear Terry May I take this opportunity to thank the Derbyshire Branch of the Submariners Association for inviting the Ship‟s Company of HMS Vanguard to participate in what was a hugely enjoyable visit Your organisation of such a varied programme including the visit to Rolls Royce was particularly well received Further thanks must go to all who ensured such a successful Trafalgar Night Dinner Excellent hosting was provided by all of your members which was enjoyed and appreciated by our sailors and officers It was a delight to toast both Nelson and your branch‟s 30
th
anniversary on the same occasion Special thanks must go to you for your Herculean efforts in ensuring our time in Derby ran so smoothly Everything from the welcome packs and presentation mugs to your organisation of the service at the National Arboretum was greatly appreciated Much fun was had by all during the visit and we look forward to the opportunity to reciprocate your invitation in the future
Well done all branch members I know many of you had an exceptionally busy Friday and also appreciate for many it was an expensive day with taxi‟s hotels and distances involved However your company was enjoyed by the Vanguard‟s Ship Company and the fact we had so many turn up to help at the Coffee Morning made the task so much easier especially for me It was a wonderful change to have the work load shared as it was by the branch bdquoA‟ team ndash That‟s all of you who were able to turn up and help BZ to all and for the first time I can remember it was a stress free Trafalgar Dinner with nearly everything going smoothly thanks to the excellent organisation at the Spot Now for next year has anyone any ideas
SA NATIONAL RAFFLE I have received the list of prize winners from the ex National Treasurer and can confirm that unfortunately there are no Derbyshire Member Winners Thanks to all in the branch who participated as the branch got one third of the takings
NATIONAL DIARIES I asked Steve Tyler that if there were any SA diaries available at Nottingham to get Ten these have all been sold We hoped for an opportunity to pick up at the Embankment Parade in London avoiding costly PampP However due to problems and cost of accommodation in London we will now unfortunately not be parading our Standard but will be attending the Derby Festival of Remembrance at Derby Cathedral on the same weekend Any further orders to the Treasurer please
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2011 If any members have any proposals for Conference 2011 you are reminded that the branch must submit them by 31 December 2010 thus they need to be presented at the next two meetings if your proposal is to be discussed and submitted
BRANCH AGM TS KENYA The Branch AGM will take place at 7pm on Wednesday 3 March 2011 when we revert from our Winter Routine of lunch time meetings at the Jubilee Club at 1215 Items for the Agenda should be submitted by the January meeting with any nominations for any office
BRANCH SUBSCRIPTIONS 2011 Branch Subscriptions were not discussed at our AGM in March thus by default they will remain the same at pound10 per person with pound5 National fee making a total of pound15 Annual Subscription This becomes due to the 31 December 2010 for the following year and it is requested that to enable the year end figures to be completed by 31 January 2011 that they are submitted to the Treasurer as soon into the new year or anytime before Those who will be effecting an electronic bank transfer to the branch accounts as per the memo posted out to all members are requested to ensure that your reference clearly states your surname and the word bdquosubs‟ Those who wish to continue to have a hard copy of In Depth are requested to make a further donation of pound5 to cover the copies for 2011 Newsletter Online If you need to refer to a back issue
(three copies only) please refer to wwwsubmarinersassociationcoukhtmlderbynewshtml
Views and comments of this newsletter do not always reflect the official policy or decisions of neither the
Derby Branch nor the Submariners Association
Terry Hall Newsletter Editor Submariners Association Derbyshire Branch 69 Station Road STANLEY VILLAGE
Derbyshire DE7 6FB
Ronamp Jean Slater
4 November 2010 Best Wishes from all the
Derbyshire Branch
16
FEEDBACK 30th
ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND I have received much positive feedback and only one complaint of the 30
th Anniversary amp Trafalgar Dinner
The complaint was from Jim Hunt who stated the carvery plates were not big enough End of complaint Many branch members as well as guests have taken the time to say how much they enjoyed the event and in summary the following letter from HMS Vanguard by Louis Gardner the Operations Officer who I know definitely enjoyed his run ashore in Derby
Dear Terry May I take this opportunity to thank the Derbyshire Branch of the Submariners Association for inviting the Ship‟s Company of HMS Vanguard to participate in what was a hugely enjoyable visit Your organisation of such a varied programme including the visit to Rolls Royce was particularly well received Further thanks must go to all who ensured such a successful Trafalgar Night Dinner Excellent hosting was provided by all of your members which was enjoyed and appreciated by our sailors and officers It was a delight to toast both Nelson and your branch‟s 30
th
anniversary on the same occasion Special thanks must go to you for your Herculean efforts in ensuring our time in Derby ran so smoothly Everything from the welcome packs and presentation mugs to your organisation of the service at the National Arboretum was greatly appreciated Much fun was had by all during the visit and we look forward to the opportunity to reciprocate your invitation in the future
Well done all branch members I know many of you had an exceptionally busy Friday and also appreciate for many it was an expensive day with taxi‟s hotels and distances involved However your company was enjoyed by the Vanguard‟s Ship Company and the fact we had so many turn up to help at the Coffee Morning made the task so much easier especially for me It was a wonderful change to have the work load shared as it was by the branch bdquoA‟ team ndash That‟s all of you who were able to turn up and help BZ to all and for the first time I can remember it was a stress free Trafalgar Dinner with nearly everything going smoothly thanks to the excellent organisation at the Spot Now for next year has anyone any ideas
SA NATIONAL RAFFLE I have received the list of prize winners from the ex National Treasurer and can confirm that unfortunately there are no Derbyshire Member Winners Thanks to all in the branch who participated as the branch got one third of the takings
NATIONAL DIARIES I asked Steve Tyler that if there were any SA diaries available at Nottingham to get Ten these have all been sold We hoped for an opportunity to pick up at the Embankment Parade in London avoiding costly PampP However due to problems and cost of accommodation in London we will now unfortunately not be parading our Standard but will be attending the Derby Festival of Remembrance at Derby Cathedral on the same weekend Any further orders to the Treasurer please
NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2011 If any members have any proposals for Conference 2011 you are reminded that the branch must submit them by 31 December 2010 thus they need to be presented at the next two meetings if your proposal is to be discussed and submitted
BRANCH AGM TS KENYA The Branch AGM will take place at 7pm on Wednesday 3 March 2011 when we revert from our Winter Routine of lunch time meetings at the Jubilee Club at 1215 Items for the Agenda should be submitted by the January meeting with any nominations for any office
BRANCH SUBSCRIPTIONS 2011 Branch Subscriptions were not discussed at our AGM in March thus by default they will remain the same at pound10 per person with pound5 National fee making a total of pound15 Annual Subscription This becomes due to the 31 December 2010 for the following year and it is requested that to enable the year end figures to be completed by 31 January 2011 that they are submitted to the Treasurer as soon into the new year or anytime before Those who will be effecting an electronic bank transfer to the branch accounts as per the memo posted out to all members are requested to ensure that your reference clearly states your surname and the word bdquosubs‟ Those who wish to continue to have a hard copy of In Depth are requested to make a further donation of pound5 to cover the copies for 2011 Newsletter Online If you need to refer to a back issue
(three copies only) please refer to wwwsubmarinersassociationcoukhtmlderbynewshtml
Views and comments of this newsletter do not always reflect the official policy or decisions of neither the
Derby Branch nor the Submariners Association
Terry Hall Newsletter Editor Submariners Association Derbyshire Branch 69 Station Road STANLEY VILLAGE
Derbyshire DE7 6FB
Ronamp Jean Slater
4 November 2010 Best Wishes from all the
Derbyshire Branch
