i s s ue17
s ummer2 0 1 1
Celebrating
175 years of heritage P&O Cruises have been perfecting the art of sea travel for many decades and are delighted that today, more British passengers choose to travel with us than any other cruise line. Our genuine love of sea travel, maritime knowledge and signature standards of service, fine dining, accommodation and entertainment have earned us the title of Britain’s favourite cruise line for four years running. Join us for a Grand EvEnt For the first time ever the seven ships of the P&O Cruises fleet will be together in Southampton on 3rd July 2012 in celebration of a very special milestone – the 175th anniversary of the formation of the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company.
UR
ROOTS BAC
K
ANNIVERSAR Y GRAND EVENT
837
175
th TH
1 TO
T R AC I N G
O
Find out more at www.pocruises.co.uk/175
THE P U E FIR YER! FR LVED
VO GET IN E FISH & TH WITH P FEAST CHI 4 p1
issue 17 | summer 2011
features 22
18 Leaving a lasting legacy Help Seafarers UK by remembering us in your Will
20
26
The human cost of piracy
Seafarers still at grave risk in the Indian Ocean
That was the week that was Challenging sea blindness for Seafarers Awareness Week
Charity focus: Looking back at 172 years of the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society
inside news
Community news.............................. 4 London Marathon............................. 6 New President announced at HMS Victory event.......................... 8 Scottish news................................. 10 Order your Christmas cards............ 11 Corporate news.............................. 12 Annual Meeting & awards............... 15
regulars
Flagship review. ............................. 34
From the bridge. .............................. 2 Letters. ............................................ 3
The latest books and a selection of useful websites for working seafarers
Jackchat......................................... 31 Crossword. ..................................... 31
Times past...................................... 42
Writes of passage........................... 32
Claude Choules: the last veteran of World War I
Horse tales from Sri Lanka
Meet the committee. ...................... 44
the latest news and updates: www.seafarers-uk.org Flagship magazine is published by
Editor
Editorial inquiries/submissions flagship@seafarers-uk.org
Patron
Associate Editor
Change of address notification kirsty.aldis@seafarers-uk.org
President
Kirsty Aldis Craig Ryan
Art Director
James Sparling
8 Hatherley Street, London, SW1P 2QT T: 020 7932 0000; F: 020 7932 0095 www.seafarers-uk.org
Design, production & editorial www.lexographic.co.uk
Seafarers UK (King George’s Fund for Sailors) Printers ads cmtpw 30x185 16:38 Page 1 is30960 a Registered Charity in England & Wales,13/12/07 Warners UK, Lincolnshire No. 226446, incorporated under Royal Charter. Registered in Scotland SC038191.
MARINE DISTRESS SIGNALS
Advertising
SDB Marketing, Brighton Tel: 01273 594455 simon@sdbmarketing.co.uk
Her Majesty The Queen His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex, KG, GCVO
Chairman
Vice Admiral Peter Wilkinson, CB, CVO
Director General
Commodore Barry Bryant, CVO, RN
www.painswessex.com SUMMER 2011
FL AGSH I P
1
EDITORIAL
From the bridge
Commodore Barry Bryant CVO RN Director General Seafarers UK
While the traditional “From the bridge” has perhaps been, not surprisingly, directed seawards, from where so many of our beneficiaries have earned both their living and their distress, I want to turn this view towards what some have called ‘Middle England’ (or Middle Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland!). In other words, those millions of people who have perhaps forgotten that we live on an island, surrounded by sea, and that so many of our essential supplies come by ships manned, of course, by seafarers. I really hope that all our readers were aware of Seafarers Awareness Week, which ran from 6 to 12 June and tried to bring all aspects of the nation’s seafaring life to the greater attention of the public. As Director General of Seafarers UK, it has always been a great sadness to me that the state of ’sea blindness’ seems to be endemic in our schools, our media and in the general sense of maritime apathy apparent in so many everyday lives. This was the inspiration for the video The Vanished, which we commissioned to portray in three short minutes the chaos that would swiftly follow the disappearance of the world’s shipping. As Flagship goes to press, The Vanished has already had more than 6,000 viewings on YouTube. We also had the opportunity to film a Web TV show to explain more fully what Seafarers Awareness Week was about, and both remain available on our www.noships.com website. We took part in 18 interviews broadcast on regional radio shows, BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio Wales, plus a Sky News Radio item on more than 100 local stations across the UK. As a charity supporting the welfare of seafarers, we are not allowed to stray into the overtly political arena – but this doesn’t stop us lobbying politicians of all persuasions to recognise the special needs of our seafarers and
2
F L AG S H I P
S U MM E R 2011
“We all learned a great deal about how to promote the maritime message and plans are already afoot for next year – not least for squeezing Seafarers Awareness Week in between the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the London Olympics!”
to support our efforts where possible. This was the first time that we had tried to coordinate the efforts of other nautical charity organisations into a single week, and I’m particularly grateful to all those who gave their support by arranging events or publicity. The breadth of the UK maritime sector was displayed by the Royal Navy’s publicity on websites and in Navy News, and an event in HMS Victory; by the Merchant Navy with publicity in the Nautilus Telegraph and a very moving ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum, where the Sea Cadets also featured very strongly; and by the fishing fleets with the presence of the trawler Lunar Bow alongside HMS Belfast in London. I believe the week was a considerable success – not least in the interest shown by various senior figures who admitted that they were guilty of sea blindness! We all learned a great deal about how to promote the maritime message and plans are already afoot for next year – not least for squeezing Seafarers Awareness Week in between the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the London Olympics! The above-mentioned event in Victory gave us a great opportunity to make a formal announcement concerning the Presidency of
LETTERS
Letters Seafarers UK. We have benefited greatly for more than 30 years from the wisdom and guidance of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh as our President, but he decided that the occasion of his 90th birthday on 10 June would mark his retirement from the great majority of his over 800 formal positions within charities, organisations and associations, to allow an orderly transition to the next generation. We were consequently delighted to use the Victory event not only to pronounce our loyal birthday greetings to Prince Philip, but also to announce that HRH Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex, had agreed to succeed to the Presidency as from that date. As Commodorein-Chief of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Prince Edward is in an ideal position to look across the Royal and Merchant Navies and add his own direction and assistance to our mission, and we much look forward to his leadership. Specifically, our President’s Appeal, launched at Buckingham Palace in March, which will continue throughout the year under The Duke of Edinburgh’s name, has been warmly endorsed by Prince Edward. Meanwhile, the pace of everyday life doesn’t slacken. The summer events season is under way, recent Trustee additions to the General Council are working hard to promote our cause, and new senior staff members are formulating strategies for fundraising and publicity. We were sorry to say farewell recently to Elma Glasgow, our Corporate Fundraising Manager, who has done much to promote our cause in the business world – we look forward to welcoming her successor in the near future. Campaigning is a new string to our bow which should alert new supporters and perhaps reawaken former friends. What does not change is the wide spectrum of need in our seafaring communities, our determination to explore every avenue to improve quality of life wherever we can, and our sincere thanks to all of you who make our efforts possible.
Do you have something to say about what you’ve read in Flagship or something you’d like to see included? Or perhaps you just want to get something off your chest? Please write (maximum 400 words) to the editor at Flagship, Seafarers UK, 8 Hatherley Street, London, SW1P 2QT or email to flagship@seafarers-uk.org, marking letters ‘for publication’. The editor reserves the right to condense letters. The christening podium with guests of honour at the launch of the 10,000-ton cargo ship, the SS Fort Esperance, built by United Shipyards in Canada.
Very well Fort-ified I refer to the letter by Richard Shaw of Dunstable (Letters, Flagship, Spring 2011), concerning Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships or ‘DEMS’. It reminded me of when I joined my first ship as a Navigating Cadet in Middlesborough in the Autumn of 1945 at the age of 16. It was a Canadian built ‘Fort’ ship of 10,000 tons called Fort Esperance. I recall standing on the quay looking up at an enormous vessel, painted all over in battleship grey and armed to the teeth. As far as I can recall the armament was as follows: one 12-pound gun on the Fo’csle head; twin Browning machine guns either side on the ‘monkey island’ bridge wings; , two rockets on the Mid Boatdeck
which, when fired, trailed a wire between them supposedly to bring down enemy planes; twin Oelikons on raised platforms on the Aft Boatdeck and another pair either side of the Masthouse; and last but not least a four-inch gun on the Poopdeck. My gaze travelled from bow to stern several times and I remember saying to myself: “They must have sent me to the wrong Navy!” A complement of DEMS gunners were carried to operate this armament. Captain KB Singer, FNI Dundee
SUMMER 2011
FL AGSH I P
3
community news The Royal Marines Band Service Alexandra Sard MBE Community Support Manager, Seafarers UK
There are five Royal Marines Bands, each led by a Director of Music in the rank of Major or Captain RM, assisted by a Warrant Officer Bandmaster. The Principal Director of Music, Royal Marines Band Service, is based at the Band headquarters in Portsmouth and holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel Royal Marines. The five Royal Marines Bands are Plymouth Band (HMS Raleigh), Commando Training Centre Band (CTCRM Lympstone), Portsmouth Band (HMS Nelson), HMS Collingwood Band (HMS Collingwood) and Scotland Band (HMS Caledonia). The Royal Marines Band Service and the Royal Naval School of Music were founded in 1903 to provide bands for the Royal Navy. The school was formed by the Royal Marines and the Band Service became an integral part of the Corps. Today the Bands provide every imaginable musical ensemble from full orchestras to dance bands. Most musicians, except solo specialists, are required to attain an acceptable standard on both a string and a wind instrument. As a result of this special amalgam of expertise, Royal Marines musicians are regarded as among the most versatile in the military musical world. The Corps of Drums receive an equally thorough training and pride themselves on maintaining the highest standards of drill, bugling and drumming.
Now firmly established at HMS Nelson in Portsmouth, the Royal Marines School of Music is where the exacting process of producing military musicians and buglers worthy of the Royal Marines begins. The School is degree accredited through a very productive link with Portsmouth University and trainees can study for a Bachelor of Music Honours Degree. Male and female students, aged between 18 and 28, are trained in all aspects of military music and taught by professors of the highest calibre. This is where the future of the Band Service is forged and from here the young instrumentalists leave to take their places in one of the five Royal Marine Bands. Musicians and buglers return to the School for further training to qualify for higher rank. This culminates in a place on the Student Bandmasters’ Course, widely recognised as one of the most demanding courses of its type. Students study all the main music disciplines, including the orchestral and contemporary wind band repertoire, and work with renowned figures from the music world. The Band Service also has a key military role during hostilities. While not commando trained, the Bands undertake a variety of military roles on land and sea. Today musicians from CTCRM Band are currently on a six-month deployment in Afghanistan as medical personnel and drivers.
Band delights Winter Garden’s crowd Seafarers UK’s annual Eastbourne Royal Marines Band charity concert took place at the delightful Winter Garden Theatre on 19 May. This Victorian building was once an ice rink and a dance hall, and even today holds regular ‘tea dances’. The audience and members of the Royal Marines Band delight in the intimate and almost cosy atmosphere. This year the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines, HMS Collingwood provided the music under the direction of Major Andy Thornhill RM. As ever, Nigel and Jackie Whiteley, and the Eastbourne Sea Cadets, were on hand to assist. The local team of Naval Standard Bearers, parading through the auditorium with the Corps of Drums, completed a colourful and entertaining evening. There was a moment of confusion, however, when theatre manager Alexandra Burrough introduced front of house manager Alexandra Elliott to Seafarers UK’s Alexandra Sard. Three Alexes in one place – now that is pretty rare! 4
F L AG S H I P
S U MM E R 2011
Eastbourne Sea Cadets
COMMUNITY NEWS
Let them eat more cake!
The Dartmouth Committee’s Annual Coffee Morning was once again held at the Britannia Royal Naval College. The event was as successful as ever and the hard work of Chairman Janet Bootherstone and her committee was rewarded by a healthy profit of £1,500. Members of the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines, Plymouth, provided musical entertainment and attendees (both civilian and naval) munched their way through £275 worth of cake, a record indeed and double last year’s cake takings. Well done to everyone on the Dartmouth Committee!
Fight loneliness with Seafarers Link Mrs Chris Rankin MBE is a member of the Seafarers UK Plymouth Committee. But raising funds for Seafarers UK is only one of the many activities in which this multi-tasking volunteer is involved. She has now found a new way to support seafarers, getting involved with a project called Seafarers Link.
Seafarers Link is an award-winning telephone support and befriending project set up to combat feelings of loneliness and isolation among retired seafarers. In 2010, it was named joint winner in The Helpline Association’s Helpline Awards, sponsored by BT. The project received praise for its innovative use of technology to deliver a helpline service. This telephone discussion link operates by organising groups of people in fortnightly
teleconferencing sessions, enabling them to chat about their past and present lives for an hour. A group organiser is available to offer guidance where necessary. If you would like to find out more about Seafarers Link, visit www.community-network.org or contact Chris on 0845 619 9992 or email chris@ community-network.org.
OBITUARY
Commodore Ian Pemberton OBE RD** DL RNR On 17 May 2011, the church of Saint Mary Redcliffe in Bristol was filled to capacity for a thanksgiving service for the life of Ian Pemberton, who died in March after many months fighting cancer with great courage and fortitude. Ian retired in 2009 as Chairman of Seafarers UK Bristol Committee and was immediately appointed Vice President. Thanks to his encouragement, professionalism, constructive criticism and positive contribution as Chairman over 12 years, Bristol Committee organised a multitude of successful fundraising events. Ian was always approachable and willing to help members of the committee with projects to raise money for Seafarers UK.
Ian also had many other voluntary commitments, including being churchwarden at his local church in Butcombe. Other posts he held included those of Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Bristol, past Chairman of the Naval Club, Vice Chairman of ARNO and Chairman of Wessex Reserve Forces and Cadets Association. He retired as Commodore RNR in 1995, having served for over 40 years. Ian’s generous efforts and contribution to furthering the work of those helping in the voluntary sector will be his legacy. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him and our thoughts are very much with his wife Jane, and his son Richard and family in Australia. SUMMER 2011
FL AGSH I P
5
NEWS SPECIAL
Team Seafarers UK rises to Marathon challenge
Catherine Johnson passing Mile 24
On Sunday 17 April, 22 dedicated runners took on one of the most challenging events in aid of Seafarers UK – the Virgin London Marathon. This is one of the most popular marathons in the world, with 36,000 people choosing to run, and approximately half a million turning out to support the entrants and add to the party atmosphere on the day. Seafarers UK staff as well as friends and family were present to cheer on our runners, and were delighted to see that all finished the race. In our squad was a Royal Marine set on breaking a world record, and a father and daughter team taking on the challenge together. Special mention also goes to Ian George, a marine insurance broker from Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, who was our fastest runner with an impressive time of 3hrs 01m 21s. Since the race, our runners have been working hard to gather in the funds raised – sometimes as much of a 6
F L AG S H I P S U M ME R 2011
James Pearson enjoying the challenge
challenge as covering the 26.2 miles! Our Gold Bond runners pledge to raise at least £1,300 to support Seafarers UK, and many have smashed that target. Our top fundraisers this year were Carl Creasey, Fiona Scorer and Ian George. Overall the event is expected to raise £30,000 for Seafarers UK.
Record-breaking success for Royal Marine Royal Marine Sergeant Carl Creasey set a new world record at this year’s London Marathon. Running 26.2 miles on crowded roads would be hard enough, but Carl upped the stakes and carried a 60lb pack! He beat the current world record, coming in with a fantastic time of 4hr 50m 56s, raising over £2,500 for Seafarers UK. Carl explained: ‘I chose to run the London Marathon for Seafarers UK as the charity offers growing support to
Fiona Scorer nearing the finish
injured Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel in Afghanistan. It is important to remember those charities that have stood the test of time, and that continue to adapt in their efforts to offer support to those in need. I have always participated in running events, and have never been afraid of endurance challenges, but the London Marathon was by far my toughest challenge yet. ‘I have been really grateful for all the support received from my friends and family, especially my trainer Ben Law who ran the route with me and helped to keep me going. I’ve been very fortunate in receiving support from some companies too. Karrimor provided some great equipment for the run. Vermont and MSC have also been generous with their support.’ Commodore Barry Bryant, Director General of Seafarers UK said: ‘Seafarers UK staff members were out on Sunday to witness Carl’s amazing world record attempt. Sergeant Creasey is only too
NEWS SPECIAL
Two runners from Fish ’n’ Chick’n – Paul Smith, running for a fantastic fifth time for Seafarers UK and Ian Pearson, a new recruit to the team
World record breaker Sergeant Carl Creasey RM and his family
aware of the large number of seafarers in key operational roles. We are very pleased that he has chosen to show his support for them and all service personnel in this way, and we could not be more pleased with his fantastic effort.’
On your marks for the 2012 Marathon Seafarers UK is now looking for runners for the 2012 London Marathon. If you are
Andy and Jacqueline Masson celebrate their success
interested in joining Team Seafarers UK in this fantastic race then there are two options for taking part:
Gold Bond places
Seafarers UK has a number of Gold Bond charity places for the race. Runners in these places pledge to raise at least £1,300 to support our work. To sign up for one of these visit www.crunch.org.uk/seafarers. When filling in your application form please mention that you have come direct from Seafarers UK.
The Public Ballot
Those who have been successful in the London Marathon public ballot can also run in aid of Seafarers UK. Please contact us for more information. We provide every member of Team Seafarers UK with everything they need to make the whole experience as enjoyable as possible. If you would like further information please contact the Seafarers UK Events Team by phone 020 7932 5961 or email events@seafarers-uk.org.
SUMMER 2011
FL AGSH I P
7
NEWS SPECIAL
New President unveiled at 90th birthday celebration onboard HMS Victory
Seafarers UK Director General, Commodore Barry Bryant and Chairman, Vice Admiral Peter Wilkinson, compare notes.
Admiral The Lord Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory was a magnificent and appropriate setting for supporters of Seafarers UK to celebrate the 90th birthday of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on 10 June. Thanks to the very kind permission of Vice Admiral Charles Montgomery, Second Sea Lord, 70 of our loyal Hampshire supporters were able to attend a coffee morning on the Lower Gun Deck and raise a celebratory cup to His Royal Highness on his special day. Despite the unseasonably gloomy weather, there was plenty of lively conversation and laughter. We were delighted to be joined by the newly installed Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor Cheryl Buggy, Ms Caroline Dinenage, MP for Gosport, Vice Admiral George Zambellas DSC, and Commodore of the Portsmouth Naval Base, Commodore Rob Thompson. 8
F L AG S H I P S U M ME R 2011
Having delivered our heartiest greetings to The Duke of Edinburgh, Commodore Barry Bryant, Director General, made a major announcement about the future direction of Seafarers UK. As was generally known, His Royal Highness had decided to stand down from most of his several hundred charitable patronages and presidencies, including that of Seafarers UK, during 2011. Commodore Bryant paid tribute to the interest, support and wise counsel that he has given to us for over 30 years, and thanked The Duke for his
unfailing championship of the maritime community. Commodore Bryant followed with an announcement that Seafarers UK is honoured and delighted that His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex, Commodore in Chief Royal Fleet Auxiliary, has consented to become our President. Guests were delighted to hear this news, and we look forward to a successful era under his Presidency. The next edition of Flagship will include a piece about the Earl and his interest in our work.
Birthday Greetings The following message of greetings was sent to His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh on 10 June: “The Chairman, General Council and staff of Seafarers UK send their greetings and warmest good wishes to Admiral of The Fleet His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,
KG, KT, on the occasion of his 90th Birthday. We wish His Royal Highness a very happy day.” We were honoured to receive a response from The Duke, in which he told us: “Your message of good wishes for my birthday is very much appreciated.”
Cdre Rob Thompson and Vice Admiral Zambellas DSC pictured with ladies from the Portsmouth War Widows
Cdr Richard Tarr (right) and Major Andy Henderson of the Southern Area Sea Cadets
Captain Paul Lemkes, Cdre Rob Thompson, Lord Mayor of Portsmouth Cheryl Buggy, Seafarers UK Chairman and Director General, and Caroline Dinenage MP
Members of the Solent Branch of the Merchant Navy Association and the Southampton Royal Navy Officers Association
Mr & Mrs Poulter from the RNA Chichester Branch SUMMER 2011
FL AG S H I P
9
NEWS IN BRIEF SCOTLAND
S C O T L A N D
Captain Nick Davies Scottish Charity No: SC is the Seafarers UK Regional Representative for Scotland. Nick can be contacted on 07885 555760 or at nick.davies@ seafarers-uk.org
Ceremonial first steel cut for HMS Prince of Wales
RNPS memorial unveiled at Anstruther
The Rev Gordon Craig, Mr Coull Deas MBE, formerly of the RNPS, and Capt Nick Davies at the unveiling of the RNPS memorial plaque.
There is a memorial to the men of the Royal Naval Patrol Service (RNPS) at Lowestoft, the wartime HQ of the RNPS, but until now there has been nothing to mark the contribution of the RNPS on Scotland’s east coast. The RNPS was a branch of the Royal Navy active during World War Two. At its height, the RNPS employed 70,000 men and 6,000 vessels including trawlers, whalers, drifters, motor fishing vessels, motor launches and, later, motor minesweepers. Because it used outdated and generally poorly armed vessels, many of which had been requisitioned from civilian use, the RNPS became known as ‘Churchill’s Pirates’ and ‘Harry Tate’s Navy’ (derived from a World War One music hall act and used as slang for anything amateurish). The men of the RNPS were anything but amateurish however. Fighting in all theatres of war, but most particularly working to keeping the British coast clear of mines, their contribution was pivotal to the war effort. One RNPS member, Lieutenant Richard Stannard, won the Victoria Cross while in command of the Hull trawler ‘Arab’ in the Norwegian campaign of 1940. Some 14,000 RNPS men lost their lives, including many engaged in the unglamorous, dangerous, but essential operations to clear the minefields left at the end of the war. It was therefore fitting that RNPS veteran Coull Deas MBE, holder of the prestigious Minesweeping Medal, unveiled a memorial plaque to the RNPS at the Anstruther Fisheries Museum.The commemorative plaque notes the RNPS contribution during the war, and those that lost their lives, and includes an engraving of the exclusive silver RNPS badge supported by the evocative words of the naval prayer. 10
F L AG S H I P S ummer 2011
The giant Goliath crane used for building the new aircraft carriers arrives on the Clyde.
Nick Davies, Seafarers UK Regional Representative for Scotland, attended the first steel being ceremonially cut by the Secretary of State for Defence at Govan on the River Clyde on 26 May, to mark the beginning of construction of HMS Prince of Wales, the second ‘Queen Elizabeth’ class 65,000 tonne aircraft carrier. Nick was greatly impressed with the scale and complexity of the project which has generated 8,000 jobs across the country in six separate shipyards. The aircraft carrier programme is well advanced, with sections of the ships being built at various locations around the UK and moved by sea to be assembled in a massive dry-dock at Rosyth on the Firth of Forth. HMS Queen Elizabeth is scheduled to enter service in 2016, followed by
HMS Prince of Wales in 2018. These versatile and powerful ships (see artist’s impression below) will be impressive additions to UK capability for many years and it was sobering to be told at the steel cut that ‘the last Captain of the new HMS Prince of Wales has not yet been born.’ For more on this story, visit the Seafarers UK website: www.seafarers-uk.org
Trio of Birds
ONLY £3.50 per pack All profits go to Seafarers UK
Moonlit Bethlehem
Christmas Cards 2011 Profits from our Christmas cards go to Seafarers UK to help with our work for those in need which is particularly relevant at Christmas and in the winter months.
ORDER FORM
The cards come in packs of ten and cost £3.50 per pack. Cost of postage is £2.50 per order and for any order of six packs or more the postage is free. To place your order for cards
Send your completed order to: Seafarers UK, 8 Hatherley Street, LONDON, SW1P 2QT
Bethlehem __ packs @ £3.50 per pack of 10 Trio of Birds __ packs @ £3.50 per pack of 10 postage & packing (UK ONLY) 1-6 packs over 6 packs Total
£_____.___ £_____.___ £2.50 FREE £_____.___
I enclose a cheque Cheques to be made payable to ‘Seafarers UK’. Please charge my credit/debit card (We don’t accept American Express or Diners Club, sorry)
/ / issue number
start date
please visit www.seafarers-uk.org or complete the form below and send it to our Head Office, or telephone 020 7932 0000.
expiry date
security number (last 3 digits on reverse)
Name __________________________________ Address _____________________________ ______________________________________ _______________________________________ Postcode ____________________ Tel ____________________ Email __________________________________ _______________________________________ Signature (for credit/debit card purchases) Seafarers UK (King George’s Fund for Sailors) is a Registered Charity in England and Wales, No. 226446, incorporated under Royal Charter. Registered in Scotland SC038191. The Registered Office is 8 Hatherley Street, London, SW1P 2QT.
DATA PROTECTION We really value your support and would like to keep you up-to-date with our future campaigns by post or telephone. If you do NOT want us to contact you, please tick here Seafarers UK will not pass on your details to non-associated companies but we may provide your data to associated organisations such as Seaservers – our merchandising arm – who provide related services that might be of interest to you. If you do not wish these organisations to contact you, please tick here Seafarers UK complies with the Data Protection Act 1998. Information on the use of personal data by Seafarers UK is available from 8 Hatherley Street, London, SW1P 2QT. summer 2011
FL AGSH I P
11
EVENTS/NEWS SEAFARERS UK Events Diary monday 10 – Sunday 16 October 2011
The Seafarers UK Fish & Chip Feast, UK-wide A chance to support our fishermen and other seafarers while enjoying a classic British supper.
Sunday 30 October 2011
The Great South Run, Portsmouth Seafarers UK is looking for supporters to take part in the Great South Run – a fantastic 10-mile race along the seafront and past many maritime landmarks. To find out more, email events@ seafarers-uk.org or phone 020 7932 5961. Sunday 23 April 2012
Virgin London Marathon If you’re thinking about joining Team Seafarers UK, it’s not too early to register your interest. Please go to www.seafarers-uk.org SPRING 2012
40-mile Fundraising Cycle Ride, London See right and check Seafarers UK website for more details in the Autumn: www.seafarers-uk.org
Corporate focus
Corporate Donations
Fuller, Smith & Turner has donated almost £15,000 from the sales of Seafarers Ale over last winter. This partnership continues to grow very nicely and we look forward to working with Fuller’s on more exciting ventures in the second half of 2011 and beyond! Don’t forget to help raise more money by going along to your nearest pub for a pint! Go to www. fullers.co.uk to find out which pubs are selling Seafarers Ale. Also, if you have an event coming up and would like to serve the beer from a keg, then please contact Nigel Shattock, Director of Fundraising and Communications for more information: nigel.shattock@ seafarers-uk.org or call 020 7932 0000. If you’re going along to Cowes Week in August on the Isle of Wight, look out for the Seafarers Ale yacht and enjoy a refreshing pint of beer at the Fuller’s bar at the Yacht Haven or visit one of the local Fuller’s pubs. Rolls Royce continues to give generously with a recent donation of £10,000. This long term partnership stretches back to 1984 and so far the company has kindly given over £70,000. Seafarers UK is one of the Armed Forces charities which they support with corporate donations, and we are extremely grateful for this sustained and essential funding.
As part of the 2011 President’s Appeal some generous donations have recently been made by companies, including £5,000 from Bibby Line Group Ltd and £1,000 from KPMG. A donation of £100 was also made by Delta Marine Personnel Services in Chelmsford. All of these donations will help us to continue giving grants to the maritime community.
Dates for your diary The Seafarers UK Fish & Chip Feast is a fundraising campaign to support all our seafarers, but in particular those from the fishing fleets on which we rely for Britain’s favourite meal of fish and chips.This year’s feast takes place from 10 to 16 October. So we are calling on all our corporate supporters and employees to get involved in this great fundraising campaign by having fish and chips in the office and asking colleagues to donate to Seafarers UK. More information can be found at www.fishandchipfeast.org. We are also working on plans for a 40-mile fundraising cycle ride Spring time next year, along some of London’s most famous waterways and canals. It will be a fun day out for all cycling enthusiasts and will appeal to both competitive types as well as those who like to take a more leisurely approach. So spread the word to your colleagues, friends and family, and keep an eye out for more details on our website in the Autumn.
Pennies make pounds A new collection box is available for Seafarers UK supporters to raise funds from loose change. The flat-packed cardboard box is a low-cost alternative to the charity’s durable plastic ‘tin’. It is designed to be used anywhere cash can be collected to support seafarers in need, from your own home to local clubs, shops, pubs and take-aways. Simply empty the box when full and write a cheque payable to Seafarers UK for the amount raised. The box can then be re-used. Illustrated with photographs of seafarers from the Royal Navy, Merchant Navy and fishing fleets, the new box is available on request. Please email fundraising@seafarers-uk.org, telephone 020 7932 0000 or write to Fundraising (Boxes), Seafarers UK, 8 Hatherley Street, LONDON, SW1P 2QT.
12
F L AG S H I P S U M ME R 2011
NEWS
Fish & t s a e F p i Ch 2011
How you can get invo lved
This year’s Seafarers UK Fish & Chip Feast is taking place from Monday 10 October to Sunday 16 October.
We are asking fish and chip shops, as well as restaurants serving seafood and fish dishes, to get behind this ‘delicious’ campaign and raise money for our seafarers - including our hard-working fishing fleets. Businesses can choose to raise money in any way that suits them, including: ◗ Asking customers to make a donation in our collection boxes ◗ Donating a percentage of income from food sales ◗ Encouraging customers to add a voluntary donation to their bill ◗ Making a corporate donation. Many hospitality businesses rely heavily on fishermen to provide their customers with Britain’s favourite meal of fish and chips. Yet deep-sea fishing is the UK’s most dangerous civilian job, and the hard work of these seafarers often goes unrecognised. Seafarers UK is unable to meet the funding needs of our country’s fishing fleet charities. In 2010 there was a shortfall of £250,000 between grant requests from the fishing community and the money Seafarers UK was able to give out. By
14
F L AG S H I P S U M ME R 2011
supporting the Fish & Chip Feast, businesses, staff and customers will be helping to raise the extra money needed, helping fishermen and other seafarers in times of need. Pledges of support for this year’s Feast have already been made by Harry Ramsden’s, Fish ‘n’ Chick’n, Fishy Fishy Seafood Brasserie, RockFish Devon, George’s Tradition and Colmans of South Shields. Long-term partners of Seafarers UK, Fish ‘n’ Chick’n, are already making plans. Director James Lipscombe said: ‘This is our partnership’s third year and we hope it will be the most successful. It is important that we give something back to the hard working seafarers who make our business what it is. We’ve fundraised by doing anything from a sponsored skydive to curry sauce baths! We’re proud to support Seafarers UK and look forward to the challenge of beating last year’s fundraising total.’ Importantly, supporters, donors and volunteers can also get involved by holding their very own Fish & Chip Feast with friends, family, colleagues or in their local community, or by asking their local fish and chip shop to take part. You can fundraise for as long as you like, or just have a big Feast on one day! Go to www.fishandchipfeast.org for more information and to download our Fundraising Handbook, which you can use with your individual fundraising efforts or in helping takeaways and restaurants to get their fundraising up and running. Contact the Fundraising Team on fundraising@seafarers-uk.org and 020 7932 5961. Find us on Facebook (SeafarersUK) and Twitter (@FishChipFeast).
NEWS
Seafarers UK supporters honoured at Annual Meeting
Photo from left to right: Commander Bruce Nicolls OBE Royal Navy, Mr Brian Evans, Mrs Dora Richards, Vice Admiral Charles Montgomery CBE Second Sea Lord, Mrs Shirley Quinton and Mr Paul Smith.
The Seafarers UK Annual Meeting and presentation of awards was held on 27 May in the Mansion House by courtesy of the Lord Mayor of London Michael Bear. The Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Charles Montgomery CBE kindly
presented the President’s Awards this year. Commander Bruce Nicolls received his award for his personal contribution to Seafarers UK in travelling the country giving lectures on maritime subjects. Mr
Evans, Mrs Richards and Mrs Quinton are all committee members who work hard raising funds for Seafarers UK, and Mr Paul Smith has run five London Marathons for the charity.
Princess Royal opens first dementia care centre for seafarers On 14 July The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society (RASS) welcomed HRH The Princess Royal to open its new dedicated dementia facility, the first in the UK to provide specialist care to former seafarers suffering from the condition. The ‘Princess Royal Annexe’ provides accommodation and care at the Weston Acres sheltered housing and residential centre in Surrey and caters for up to 36 residents. The new annexe offers specialised dementia support from trained staff, meaning residents do not have to travel off-site to access care at hospital. Other facilities include a sensory garden which acts as a safe haven for residents to access fresh air as well as hand massage and reflexology, proven to aid relaxation in dementia patients. Memory boxes have been installed by each resident’s room, including items such as photographs, medals and trinkets to aid recognition and independence. Commander Brian Boxall-Hunt OBE, Chief Executive of RASS, said: ‘We are proud to be welcoming HRH The Princess Royal to our new dementia facility. Recent research has shown the number of people living with dementia is increasing, in fact by 2021 a million people are likely to be suffering from the condition. By combining specialist care for our residents with peer support from fellow mariners we can make the lives of
those suffering from dementia as comfortable and fulfilling as possible.’ HRH The Princess Royal said: ‘It is a pleasure to return to see the new annexe. What you have achieved is extraordinary and it has been really well done. It says a lot for the long term planning and care that you give and I hope I have the opportunity to come back to see you all enjoying it. It shows real atmosphere and long term vision and you can have confidence that it will be here for as long as you need it.’ Seafarers UK gave a grant of £95,000 to support the building of the new dementia care facility at Weston Acres, plus £30,000 revenue support. The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society is one of the maritime charities that Seafarers UK grant-aids annually, and has done for many years. For more information on the RASS dementia facility at Weston Acres phone 01737 360106 or visit their website at www.royalalfredseafarers.com. SUMMER 2011
FL AGSH I P
15
Wonderful Wiltshire Retirement Village!
• Located in beautiful Westbury • 1 or 2 bed apartments • Independent lodges • 2 bed penthouse suites
• Real independence • Real choices • Really high standards • Great alternative to a care home
Whilst low interest rates are hurting your savings we are offering a half price service charge for 3 years! (selected properties)
To find out how we can help, please call 0800 0147 552 or email: sales@carevillagegroup.com (Quoting Ref CC021101) www.cvgchantrycourt.com A beautiful place to retire with care
We also have villages in Gloucestershire and Bristol, for details visit www.carevillagegroup.co.uk
*Terms and conditions apply, please call for more details.
THE ROYAL HOMES (A Branch of SSAFA Forces Help)
Self-contained apartments become available periodically at Queen Alexandra’s Court for widows, divorcees or single daughters of Officers or Warrant Officers, or women who are retired Officers or Warrant Officers of the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force.
FREEPHONE
0800 121 4765
A free confidential referral service for serving and former UK seafarers (Royal Navy, Merchant Navy and fishing fleets) and their families in times of need
The Royal Homes are listed Grade II and set in delightful grounds. Applicants will not normally be admitted for residence before the age of 60 and must be able to care for themselves and their flats. There is a resident Manager, Assistant Manager (Maintenance) and Assistant Manager (Residence). For further information write to:
The Manager Queen Alexandra’s Court St Mary’s Road Wimbledon SW19 7DE or visit our website at: www.theroyalhomeswimbledon.org 16
F L AG S H I P S U M ME R 2011
www.seafarersupport.org
Leaving a lasting legacy
Legacy giving – its importance to Seafarers UK and how you can help The issue of legacy giving is sensitive, implying as it does our mortality, and touching on two great taboos – death and money. Nonetheless, Seafarers UK relies heavily on bequests to be able to maintain its support for beneficiary charities and the people they help. We are very grateful to those who remember and acknowledge us in this way. In 2010, our legacy income amounted to £878,000 from nearly 50 individuals. This represents one quarter of the grants we awarded. Legacies help Seafarers UK to plan and maintain services in a consistent way. A bequest may not be available to us for some considerable time, but it will provide a vital source of income for the years ahead, helping us to withstand future recessionary times. Leaving a legacy is a very simple form of giving, and can be expressed in one of several forms: a pecuniary bequest of a specific sum of money, all or a share of the residue of your estate, or even an item of furniture or jewellery, or a piece of property. Once a Will has been drawn up, it is by no means an unchangeable commitment; it can be modified, amended and updated as you wish, in order to take account of changing circumstances. It cannot be over-stressed how important it is that everyone should make 18
FL AG S HIP
S U M ME R 2011
a Will. It can be easy to disregard in the busy pace of everyday life, especially when you’re fit and well, but this is precisely the time when you need to address the issue. It is estimated that two-thirds of adults in the UK have not yet made a Will; and every year, 13% of deaths are recorded as intestate. If you do not make a Will, no-one will know your precise wishes as to the dispersal of your personal possessions and financial assets. The ensuing legal process can then cause anguish and financial insecurity for your family and relatives. Your estate may also attract a large amount of Inheritance Tax. It is just as important that,
prior to making a Will, you should seek qualified professional advice, in order to ensure that your estate is distributed in the way you intend it to be, without any risk of legal complications. Your loved ones are obviously your first concern, but after you have taken care of your family and friends, you may then wish to give financial help to good causes, just as you have done during your life. However large or small your bequest, it really does help the seafaring community. It’s the everyday gifts that are left in Wills that keep charities running, and help them to plan their future activity. Here are just some examples of how you can assist our work: £500 could provide a CCTV security system for a pre-school facility in a Royal Naval establishment £700 could help fund dementia care for a former seafarer for one week £5,000 can supply talking books and newspapers for retired seafarers for a year £15,000 could pay for a car for Port Welfare Chaplains to carry out their pastoral care duties on board ships, and to transport seafarers to Port Welfare Centres. At a practical level, there are also considerable tax advantages to both the estate of the deceased, and to the
beneficiary charity. The Government recently announced that the estates of individuals who die on or after 6 April 2012, and leave charitable legacies amounting to 10% or more of their ‘net’ estate, will benefit from a reduced rate of Inheritance Tax at 36% – instead of the usual 40%. (The net estate is what is left after all tax exemptions and reliefs.) The detriment to the family will therefore be reduced, with the main loss being suffered by the tax man. The legacy, or portion of the estate, passing to the charity remains completely free of Inheritance Tax. The gift of a legacy is one that will continue to make a huge difference to the lives of our seafarers and their dependants when you are gone. All legacies received are inscribed in a Book of Remembrance (pictured), which can be inspected at our Head Office, and which is on display at our Annual Meeting. Whilst Seafarers UK is unable to offer advice or guidance on the procedure for making a Will, you are very welcome to call us at any time for further information about ways in which a legacy bequest can help support our maritime community. However, a qualified solicitor should always be consulted in order to ensure that no complications or undue expenses to your estate arise in the future. For further information, call or email Robina Whitehorn, 020 7932 5981 or robina.whitehorn@seafarers-uk.org
IN MEMORIAM We thank most sincerely the families and friends of those recently deceased, who have chosen to support Seafarers UK in their memory. Mrs M W Ballantyne Mr Bryan Bradley Rear Admiral Peter Branson CBE Mr Robert Clague Mrs Margaret Easton MBE Mr Lesley Elliott Mr Sydney Ford Commander Lloyd Foster RN Mr James Moray Graham Mr Victor Gregory Mr David Hickling Mr David James Mr Anthony Leeson Commander Anthony Lyle RN Mr Keith New Mrs Mary Ogilvie Hall Commander R E Onslow Mrs V M C Parsons Mrs Susan May Roberts Captain Peter Smith OBE RM Mrs Betty Stokes Mr David Walton Lieutenant Commander Ian Wilks
Individual supporters
Julie Behan (right) introduces the Seafarers UK team members who look after donations from individual supporters. Welcome to the first of what we hope will become a regular feature in Flagship. Robina Whitehorn (pictured left) and I are keen to ensure all our individual supporters know how much they are valued. Working together we intend to acknowledge all gifts, unless otherwise advised, and also keep our supporters up to date with our activities and plans. Robina and I are both former Wrens and feel great empathy with the cause here at Seafarers UK. We are therefore passionate about the work that Seafarers UK does to improve the lives of all seafarers and their families when in need. We are very conscious though that, without the generous donations that we receive, many of our seafarers and their dependants would suffer. I’d like to shout ‘Gift Aid’! Anyone who is a taxpayer and makes a donation can easily apply for Gift Aid by making a simple tick in an additional box that should appear on all of our donation forms. We are then able to reclaim 25% of your gift from HM Revenue and Customs, which means that for every £10 you donate we are able to claim an additional £2.50 at no cost to you. If you are already a regular donor and you would like to increase your donation by applying for Gift Aid please write, email or phone us as soon as possible. Robina takes care of our Major Donors and Trusts and manages our key relationships – the range of wonderful individuals who support us in a variety of ways, such as acting as our ambassadors through public speaking engagements within their
local community, or ‘special occasion’ donations. She is also responsible for ensuring that donations given in lieu of flowers at funerals or memorial services are properly recorded and acknowledged. Many people are choosing this form of charitable giving in order to remember a loved one, or to pay their respects to a valued individual. We are always touched that in the midst of their sadness, families and friends remember Seafarers UK, and are honoured that in your letters you share some remarkable personal life stories. They are a great inspiration to us in the work that we do. Robina is hoping that the President’s Appeal will encourage our supporters still further in the range of ways in which they demonstrate their commitment to Seafarers UK. Perhaps you’re looking forward to a big birthday, or a special wedding anniversary, this year? It’s becoming noticeable that a lot of people are now choosing to forgo presents and to mark an occasion by spending quality time with family and friends, perhaps with a meal at a good restaurant, or theatre treat. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge set the tone with their request for charitable donations rather than wedding presents – even Royalty can have too many toast racks! If anyone has any questions or would just like to have a chat about the work we do please do not hesitate to contact either myself or Robina. Email julie.behan@seafarers-uk.org Phone 07711 926823 Email robina.whitehorn@seafarers-uk.org Phone 020 7932 5981 SUMMER 2011
FL AGSH I P
19
The human cost of piracy Kirsty Aldis finds little progress in combating the menace of the Somali pirates.
W
hen Flagship last looked at the piracy crisis in the Gulf of Aden two years ago, we wrote about how naval forces across the world were finally beginning to take positive action to combat the problem. You would be forgiven for assuming that this article would look at how the situation has been positively tackled and the improvements made in those two years. However, with 800 reported hostages being held right now, the situation has in fact worsened and there are no obvious signs of improvement in the short term. Much of the press coverage of piracy is focused on the financial costs, and often there is little mention of the terror which seafarers experience during a hijacking. Many people assume that these attacks are disorganised and are carried out by desperate amateurs, but this could not be further from the truth. Modern pirates are extremely professional and equipped with heavy weaponry such as rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47 rifles. Pirates have often attacked at night, using grappling hooks and irons, and 20
FL AG S HIP
S ummer 2011
been known to fire at ships to frighten them into stopping. The pirates then sail the hijacked ship to their base, often the town of Eyl. There, pirates usually take the hostages ashore where they are kept until a ransom is paid. The longest period a ship has been held so far is 18 months and some ships have been found abandoned with the crew dead. As in any hostage situation, the longer seafarers are held the more danger they are in. Several new organisations have been set up to tackle the worsening situation in different ways. SOS (Save our Seafarers) was created and launched in March this year by eight leading maritime organisations to raise public awareness of the piracy problem. The aim was not only to raise awareness of the damaging effects of piracy, but also to put pressure on politicians to either enforce current laws more stringently or introduce new legislation which more accurately reflects the gravity of the current situation. Since the launch, shipping companies have joined the cause and the campaign has steadily grown. SOS recently released a report stating that in the last four years, 62 merchant sailors have lost their lives to piracy through torture, execution, suicide or malnutrition. ‘During this same period, over 3,500
seafarers have been kidnapped and held hostage by pirate gangs, who subject them to inhuman treatment such as being used as human shields, being forced to operate their ships under pirate control, and to extreme mental as well as physical anguish,’ says Giles Heimann, Chairman of the Save Our Seafarers campaign. Hundreds of these seafarers have been subjected to horrific torture including being hung by the ankles over the side of the ship, being shut in the ship’s freezer room, having cable ties tightened round the genitals, being beaten, punched and kicked. Many of these seafarers remain traumatised and unable to return to their seafaring careers long after the hijack is over, if at all.’ Dipendra Rathore, a 22 year-old Indian deck cadet, was held hostage for eight months on board the Merida Marguerite. He is just one of the pirates’ victims. ‘At my age you can still bear pain but watching people twice my age being tortured, crying and begging for help is what really measured me. I felt so bad for them but I could do nothing about it, except for praying and then came the time when I lost faith and stopped praying too.’ Dipendra has found his faith again, and he is one of those who refuses to let these
piracy
pirates win and is determined to go back to sea. Others may never recover from the psychological damage and will lose their livelihood rather than go back to sea. Heimann continues: ‘It is terrible, and completely unacceptable, that ordinary people going about their everyday work should have to encounter such horrors. There are more than 100,000 seafarers at any one time either preparing to go through this area – training and effecting the so-called ‘hardening’ of the ship with physical defences – or actually transiting these waters. Taking their families’ feelings into account, you have up to half a million people every day gripped by fear due to piracy.’ As Flagship was going to press it was announced that six Indian sailors who were among the 22-member crew of MV Suez held captive by Somali pirates for nearly ten months, had finally been released. Back home, the rescued sailors have spoken about the horrific ordeal they endured. ‘We were beaten when they were drunk and they would use anything they could get their hands on to beat us. We were sure they would kill us. There were moments when I wished they would just kill us so that we could escape the torture,’ N.K. Sharma, a rescued sailor, told the Indian press. Torture apart, food was scarce for the sailors who starved for many days. ‘Some days we just got water. We used to get boiled rice, spaghetti and potato once a week,’ Sharma recalled. Adding to the ordeal, their vessel ran out of fuel and faced the danger of capsizing, said Sharma. ‘Besides the physical torture, we faced the danger of capsizing as our fuel had run out and we were drifting. One way or the other, we were sure our end was near,’ he said. The rescued sailors and their families have spoken about their gratitude to the Indian and Pakistani media for their support throughout their ordeal, but have so far refused to comment on the Indian Government’s role in their release. The shipping industry continues to recognise and appreciate the constructive and supportive role played by the naval forces in this area. But their effectiveness is impeded by a lack of political will in many governments to authorise the arrest and prosecution
of detained pirates caught red-handed. This in turn restricts naval and other military operations to no more than a ‘catch and release’ exercise that deters and disrupts the pirates only to a limited extent. The vast majority of pirates caught are released in this way; as a result many shipping companies are now looking to protect themselves using their own security measures. Steven Jones from the Security Association for the Juan Alfonso Rey Echeverry (bottom), captain of Mozambican-flagged fishing Maritime Industry vessel VEGA 5, guarded by suspected masked pirates after his vessel and 24 (SAMI) spoke to crew were seized in the Indian Ocean in December 2010. Photo: REUTERS Seafarers UK about of seafarers and ships, and of the the changes that have taken place since foundations many start-up firms are the crisis began. SAMI was created to built upon.’ regulate the security teams that ship He goes on to add: ‘SAMI has been owners are using to protect their vessels. brought into existence with the support Some 30 companies offering security of the maritime industry to recognise protection onboard ships currently come the best quality security providers, under the SAMI banner. The aim is to those who have been in this domain, provide a robust and reliable regulatory successfully, and with a proven track system to check that the people record. Our engagement process and protecting ships are the well-trained the due-diligence standards we are experts they claim to be, have essential developing mean that all can be sure of seaborne experience, the correct licenses the quality they can expect from a SAMI to carry arms, and the insurance and member company.’ legal cover necessary to protect clients So far there have been no reported and employees in the event of something successful hijackings of ships operating going wrong. under secured protection, and the extra ‘After the 9/11 attacks, America caution being taken appears to be having assessed security across the board the desired effect, but the additional and it was then that security at sea costs of these security measures will became an issue. They put pressure on impact an industry already suffering the IMO to look at the way ships were as a result of the worldwide recession. protected. SOLAS was created, but their regulations were never made to factor in The continued threat of attacks and the horrific tales told by released seafarers, acts of piracy. It wasn’t until the Somali pirates became more of a threat that this may well deter younger people from entering a maritime career all together. was looked at again.’ SAMI founder Peter Cook agrees that Seafarers UK is dedicated to helping to there are issues with the quality of some raise awareness of this problem and the of the security providers: ‘It is fair to say continued effect it is having on seafarers that the current business opportunity is throughout the world. attracting companies that have gained For further information visit: experience ashore rather than at sea. www.saveourseafarers.com; www.seasecurity.org This does have implications for the www.eunavfor.eu quality of service, the understanding Summer 2011
FL AGSH I P
21
Horatio who?
Some surprising survey results emphasise the need for Seafarers Awareness Week. Nick Harvey reports.
Forget Admiral Lord Nelson; 25% of children aged 7 to 14 surveyed before this year’s Seafarers Awareness Week think Captain Jack Sparrow is Britain’s most famous seaman! That was just one of the surprising results of Seafarers UK’s investigation into the extent of ‘sea blindness’ suffered by the UK population. The survey also found that 19% of children think a quail is a fish, while 42% don’t know that a halibut is. Adults didn’t fare much better: alarmingly, 20% believe Calais to be a port in the UK!
On a serious note, our research prior to this year’s Seafarers Awareness Week (6-12 June) revealed on astonishing level of ignorance among landlubbers about our dependence on shipping and seafarers for our everyday existence. As 95% of UK imports come by sea, it is thanks to seafarers we have food on our tables; fuel in our power stations, heating boilers and cars; and many of the consumer goods that we take for granted. That’s only half the story; ships also carry 75% of UK exports. Without merchant ships – protected by our Royal Navy – and their seafarers, the UK would be up a creek without a paddle! That’s the message we wanted to drive home to the public during Seafarers Awareness Week. And did we! Embracing the ever-growing popularity of social media, we created
22
FL AG S HIP
S U M ME R 2011
a new Facebook page, increased our ‘tweeting’ on Twitter, and refreshed our YouTube channel content. Seafarers UK commissioned a new video, entitled ‘The Vanished’, which painted a picture of an island nation without access to shipping (see stills from the video below). Intentionally, it is aimed to shock viewers into thinking about the UK’s dependence on ships and seafarers, and what would happen if they disappeared. Heavily promoted throughout Seafarers Awareness Week, ‘The Vanished’ has already been seen by
The Royal Navy & Royal Marines Children’s Fund SAW Art Competition attracted more than 100 entries. Director Monique Bateman (right) and Caseworker Laurene Smith show one of the winning pictures.
more than 6,000 people and it is available to view on our www.noships.com website. Please encourage your family and friends to watch it. ‘The Vanished’ video was launched on 1 June at the London Royal Naval Reserve base, HMS President, where Commodore Tim Hennessey, Naval Regional Commander for Eastern
England, welcomed Seafarers UK staff and guests from the media. Journalists enjoyed a short sail on the River Thames in HMS Puncher, a P2000 class training ship crewed by students from the University of London Royal Naval Unit, under the command of Lieutenant Lee Vessey. A highlight of the trip was seeing the arrival of Amity II, the ship featured in the popular TV series ‘Trawlermen’, captained by Jimmy Buchan who was visiting London to launch his new book, promote Scottish langoustines and raise awareness of The Fishermen’s Mission. Another ship made the 450 mile journey to London from the UK’s busiest fishing port, Peterhead: Lunar Bow, an impressive 69m long pelagic trawler, was berthed for six days alongside HMS Belfast, where skipper Alex Buchan welcomed on board media guests, supermarket fish buyers and visiting parties of local school children. Dr Eilidh Whiteford, MP for Banff and Buchan, hosted a reception in the House of Commons at which Captain Don Conley from the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen spoke about the importance of the UK fishing fleet. At the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire a moving service was held to dedicate the anchor from RFA ‘Sir Percivale’ in the Merchant Navy Convoy (see Flagship issue 16), and a plaque was unveiled by The Right Honourable The Lord West of Spithead GCB DSC PC, dedicated to sea cadets who lost their lives in the service of their country. These two events were coordinated by the Merchant Navy Welfare Board and the Marine Society & Sea Cadets. By encouraging those and other beneficiary
Marking the launch of Seafarers Awareness Week 2011: Seafarers UK staff and guests from the media, with the crew of HMS Puncher on the River Thames
Lunar Bow arrives in London
charities to get involved in Seafarers Awareness Week, Seafarers UK showed how, by working together, the nautical welfare sector can create an environment in which it is easier to raise public awareness of seafarers’ unique needs. We believe that for people to understand the trials and tribulations faced by seafarers, they must first understand our dependence on the Merchant Navy, the Royal Navy and our fishing fleets. It is clear that most people these days have little understanding of our relationship with the sea. Even folk who live in the UK’s major port cities appear to have largely lost connection with their local maritime communities. Seafarers Awareness Week successfully brought these issues to the fore. On Monday 6 June Seafarers UK’s Director General Barry Bryant and Head of Grants
Dedication of RFA Sir Percivale’s Anchor
Dennis Treleaven were interviewed by 18 local radio stations, plus BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio Wales. Add an interview syndicated by Sky News Radio, and our key messages reached an estimated 156 radio stations across the UK with an audience reach of nearly 32 million. A 24-minute Web TV Show went out that afternoon on The Independent newspaper website and eight other websites with a combined audience reach of 19 million, while many other websites have added links to the show. You can view the recording at www.noships.com. To complete our media relations campaign we issued a news release to the Press Association, all national daily newspapers, 300 regional dailies and 100 popular magazines. Coverage was also generated in targeted specialist publications including Navy News, Lloyd’s List, IHS Fairplay, Nau-
tilus Telegraph and Fishing News. Those waves of positive publicity were followed by the international Day of the Seafarer on 25 June, designated by the International Maritime Organisation, the United Nations agency based in London. The IMO used social media to encourage people around the world to say ‘thank you’ to seafarers. Their Facebook page (www. facebook.com/SeafarerDay) was ‘liked’ by more than 2,000 visitors, including many working or retired seafarers. Planning has already started for next year’s Seafarers Awareness Week, which will be moved to 25 June-1 July to embrace the 2012 Day of the Seafarer. To get involved please follow developments at www.seafarersawarenessweek.org, email week@seafarers-uk.org or phone Seafarers UK head office on 020 7932 0000.
SUMMER 2011
FL AGSH I P
23
Pole Star get into the nautical spirit, with sharks, jellyfish and a sea horse (geddit?)
Jon Dytor shows off his origami boat skills
On 10 June, Nautical Friday provided a perfect opportunity for corporate supporters to raise funds for Seafarers UK. Highlights included Maersk’s fancy dress competition for employees in their Birmingham, Felixstowe,
Maersk’s Terry Loader as Peggy Pirate and Tony Greener as Capt Jack Sparrow
Glasgow, Liverpool, London and Newcastle offices – plus a specially arranged football match – which raised a total of £1,595. This was in addition to a £5,000 donation from Maersk toward the core costs of Seafarers Awareness Week. At North’s ‘Nauti Ball’ for the maritime community in north east England, 250 guests followed the ‘nautical or naughty’ dress code! In Newcastle’s Old Assembly Rooms, comedian Eric the Submariner provided the entertainment and a live band dressed as pirates encouraged guests to dance the night away
Thanks to our Nautical Friday Corporate Supporters
The good ship Nauti Ball
24
FL AG S HIP
S U M ME R 2011
BAE Systems Insyte, Portsmouth Drink Shop Do, London DP World, Southampton Hill Dickinson LLP, London Maersk, UK
Nautilus International, Wallasey North, Newcastle-upon-Tyne Pole Star Global, London & Hong Kong Svitzer Marine Ltd, Teesside The ABar Bistro, Portsmouth
www.seafarers-uk.org
THE
NAUTI BALL
FRIDAY 10TH JUNE 20II OLD ASSEMBLY ROOMS
Fenkle Street, Newcastle upon Tyne,
19.00 TIL LATE
NE1 5XU
Dress Code: Nautical or Naughty Ticket Price: £20
Its time to get nautical with the first
‘Nauti’ Ball
in aid of Seafarers It will be a great evening with a live band, entertainment and lots of great raffle prizes including a DFDS Mini Cruise to Amsterdam, Port of Tyne tour of the Tyne, a night at the Malmaison (including dinner and wine), quad biking and a case of whisky! Plus, prizes for the best fancy dress!
Maersk’s Amy Rossiter
The Nauti Ball 2011 sponsored by:
Printed by Potts Printers. For more information, please contact: Seafarers UK (King George’s Fund
and raise £1,500. Thanks to North’s employees and the sponsors and contributors who helped to make the event such a success: Campbell Johnston Clark, Cutty Sark Whisky, DFDS Seaways, Mills & Co Solicitors, OSG, Port of Tyne, The Roundhouse, and Weightmans. Pole Star Global employees in London and Hong Kong wore fancy dress, had a cake and ‘nibbles’ sale, played battleships and tied knots – all to raise £836 on this their first Nautical Friday. ‘Pole Star is proud to support the work of Seafarers UK, and this event is a timely reminder of the sacrifices and hard work of seafarers on vessels all over the world,’ said Simon Henson, Director of Finance. ‘Our employees were keen to become involved with raising funds for this excellent cause, and they have all worked hard to raise as much as possible.’ In Portsmouth’s popular ABar Bistro, owners Karen and Dave Moore
for Sailors) is a registered charity in
England and Wales: 226446 and Scotland:
SCO38191
Pole Star employees present a cheque to Nigel Shattock, Director of Fundraising, Seafarers UK
donated prizes for a raffle and placed collection boxes on every table. All members of staff were dressed in Seafarers UK’s distinctive teal coloured T-shirts and by the end of the evening over £400 had been raised. Retro London bar ‘Drink Shop Do’ ran a whole week of fun activities
including nautical knot tying, boat origami and a themed party night on Nautical Friday, when customers were treated to a specially-created ‘Sea Shanty’ cocktail based on Cutty Sark scotch whisky donated by the distillery.
SUMMER 2011
FL AGSH I P
25
UK.
Mary Sinclair, one of the Society’s beneficiaries, with Colin Mackay, the Society’s Honorary Agent in Scrabster on the north coast of Scotland
Helping fishermen and mariners for 172 years The Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society is one of the UK’s oldest nautical charities. Flagship finds out about the help they give to seafarers in need and their dependants.
T
he ‘Shipwrecked Mariners’ might sound like a reputable ale house, but it is in fact a 172-year-old Benevolent Society. The title is a metaphor for the incapacitated or retired merchant seafarers and fishermen supported by the charity. Some 45% of the Society’s beneficiaries are from the fishing fleets and 38% are ex-Merchant Navy. The Society was formed after an incident on Sunday 28 October 1838. A total of 26 men onboard 12 fishing vessels left Clovelly harbour for the fishing grounds. After a ferocious storm, 26
FL AG S HIP
S ummer 2011
only one vessel and its crew returned. Hearing of this, Charles Gee Jones, a former Bristol pilot and landlord of the Pulteney Arms in Bath (which is still in business) suggested to John Rye, a retired ‘medical man’ in the town, that something should be done to assist the widows, orphans and parents of fishermen and mariners who lost their lives at sea. The result was that in February 1839 the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society was founded in London. Incorporated by Act of Parliament in 1850, Queen Victoria became the first Patron and that Royal connection has continued ever since: HRH The Princess Royal is the present Patron.
From 1851, the Society operated lifeboats at Lytham, Rhyl, Porthmadog, Tenby, Llanelly, Teignmouth, Hornsea and Newhaven. But it was subsequently agreed that it would be wiser if one organisation concentrated on rescuing lives at sea while the other helped the survivors or their bereaved families. So in 1854 the Society transferred its lifeboats to the RNLI. On Friday 14 October 1881, ‘The Great Storm’ claimed 189 lives from the fishermen of Burnmouth, Coldingham, Cove, Eyemouth, Fisherrow and Newhaven. In what is known as the ‘Eyemouth Disaster’, 129 men were lost from that town alone, creating 73 widows and
CHARITY FOCUS
Rescuing lives wrecked by the sea Two cases that typify the assistance provided by the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society thanks to the support of Seafarers UK. A 66-year-old fisherman from Grimsby had an accident 36 years ago when a heavy load fell on him in a rough sea and his spine was crushed. He had specialist jackets made for him but was warned that, as he aged, things would get worse and he would end up in a wheelchair. He is now experiencing increasing back problems and spends a lot of his time in bed, the only place where he can be comfortable. He has also suffered a stroke and is partially paralysed. ‘Shipwrecked Mariners’ was asked if it could help with an adjustable bed to make life easier and more comfortable for him. With no savings he could not afford the £939 cost and the Society was able to assist. An 82-year-old fisherman’s widow had several falls getting
in and out of the bath and became so worried about falling again she would only have a strip wash or a shower if she visited her children. An Honorary Agent was advised by the Local Authority that there was an 18 month waiting list for Occupational Therapist (OT) reports and referred the case to the Society. ‘Shipwrecked Mariners’ commissioned a private OT report which confirmed the need for a shower. With only her state pension and meagre savings the cost of replacing the bath with a suitable shower – £2,277 – was quite simply unaffordable. The Society split the cost between itself and two other maritime charities.
Nesta Straw
263 orphans. This was not untypical of the impact of storms on fishing communities in the nineteenth century. During World War I, between 1914 and 1919, the Society assisted nearly 51,000 sailors and fishermen and a further 8,500 parents, orphans and widows, disbursing a total of £126,000, equivalent today to about £4 million. The figures deliberately go to 1919 - sea mines were no respecters of peace. Fastforward to 1968, when in the space of three weeks three trawlers from Hull - the St Romanus, the Kingston Peridot and the Ross Cleveland - were lost in appalling weather conditions in the waters off Iceland. All bar one of the 58 hands were lost. Today, fishing remains the country’s most dangerous occupation. The Society’s purpose is enduring: to provide financial help to merchant seafarers, fishermen and their dependants who are in need. An immediate grant is paid to the widow of a serving seafarer who dies, whether death occurs at sea or ashore. Regular grants are paid to retired or permanently disabled seafarers and widows, the majority of whom are on the basic state pension and have little or no savings. Special grants are made for crises and to meet specific needs, from essential household electrical goods and clothes to mobility aids. The Society is fortunate that it has a wealth of fantastic volunteers supporting it – still known as ‘Honorary Agents’ to this day. There are over 200, some raising funds, others doing casework. These include the Superintendents of
The Fishermen’s Mission who provide immediate practical and on-going pastoral support to families who have lost a loved one. Two thousand regular beneficiaries are supported with a grant of £624 per year, equivalent to £12 a week – not much, but when you are on the minimum state pension with no savings then it is a significant increase in income. In 2010 ‘Shipwrecked Mariners’ gave over £200,000 in one-off or crisis grants in 454 cases, for items ranging from cookers, washing machines, carpets and beds, to stair lifts, household repairs and bankruptcy fees (you need money even to go bankrupt). The Society’s income comes from donations, investments, grants – principally from Seafarers UK and Trinity House – legacies, and the sale of
Christmas, birthday and correspondence cards. You may have seen their large red collecting mines on the seafront, which were given to the Society by the Admiralty in recognition of its work during the two World Wars. Since 1851 ‘Shipwrecked Mariners’ has made annual awards for acts of skill and gallantry at sea (see below). This continues to the present day with the Edward and Maisie Lewis Award for an outstanding air/sea rescue, the Emile Robin award for an outstanding sea rescue and the Lady Swaythling award for seamanship. The Society is run from Chichester in West Sussex with a staff of seven (two of whom are part-time). Grants totalling more than £1.5 million were made last year, and 87% of the Society’s expenditure goes on charitable activity.
The crew of ‘Rescue 193’ from RNAS Culdrose receive the Society’s ‘Edward and Maisie Lewis Award’ in 2010 for an outstanding air/sea rescue, from the Society’s President, Admiral Sir Peter Abbott Summer 2011
FL AGSH I P
27
RMC General Ad 1/2 A4:Layout 1
30/11/09
15:02
Page 1
Excellence
and tradition...
The Royal Maritime Club is the perfect venue for get-togethers, overnight stays, first class holiday breaks, social occasions and business meetings. The Club is also licensed for the marriage ceremony. Set in the heart of British naval tradition and synonymous with naval excellence, The Royal Maritime Club offers club members and guests:
• our popular restaurant serves a set price dinner choice from a 2 or 3 course menu • traditional buffet style English breakfast
• a welcoming ambience • over 100 comfortable rooms to suit all needs • special rates for seafarers and other military personnel • enjoyment of indoor leisure facilities including swimming pool with steam room and spa, gym, snooker and pool tables and double skittles alley
Horatio’s RESTAURANT
T: 023 9282 4289 28
F L AG S H I P S U M ME R 2011
All this at the centre of Portsmouth’s unique naval heritage – HMS Victory, the Mary Rose and HMS Warrior are all very close by. So too are rail and ferry links, the harbourside Gunwharf Quays shopping complex and the breathtaking Spinnaker Tower. Contact us for details of former Military and Associate Membership.
T: 023 9282 4231 Advanced Bookings: 023 9283 7681
F: 023 9229 3496 E: info@royalmaritimeclub.co.uk www.royalmaritimeclub.co.uk Queen Street, Portsmouth, Hants. PO1 3HS
Proud Supporters of Seafarers UK Trinity House provides nearly 600 Aids to Navigation from lighthouses, buoys and beacons to the latest satellite navigation technology in England, Wales & the Channel Islands. We provide commercial services to the maritime industry, offer voyages on our flagship THV PATRICIA and have converted a number of keepers’ cottages to holiday accommodation. Trinity House is also the UK’s largest fully endowed maritime charity. It provides major grants to maritime organisations engaged in welfare provision, education and training, and the promotion of safety at sea, and spends over £3million each year on its charitable objects.
www.trinityhouse.co.uk
seafarers_advert.indd 1
23/11/09 09:51:27
SUMMER 2011
FL AGSH I P
29
THE BANDS OF NEW SEASON 2011/12
30
Plymouth Pavilions
Wednesday 28 September 2011
Perth Concert Hall
Tuesday 4 October 2011
Guildford G-Live
Wednesday 5 October 2011
IOW Medina Theatre
Thursday 3 November 2011
Tunbridge Wells Assembly Hall
Saturday 19 November 2011
Edinburgh Usher Hall
Wednesday 23 November 2011
Truro Hall for Cornwall
Sunday 27 November 2011
Carlisle Sands Centre
Saturday 3 December 2011
Southampton Guildhall
Thursday 8 December 2011
Folkestone Leas Cliff Hall
Tuesday 13 December 2011
Aberdeen Music Hall
Tuesday 21 February 2012
Cardiff St David’s Hall
Sunday 18 March 2012
Glasgow
Wednesday 2 May 2012
For tickets contact the venues direct. For further information contact Alexandra Sard on 023 9273 6101/020 7932 0000, or alexandra.sard@seafarers-uk.org. For Aberdeen, Carlisle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Oban and Perth contact F L AG S H I P S U M ME R 2011 Nick Davies on 07885 555760.
JACK CHAT the CUTTY SARK PRIZE crossword
Go The clues in italics feature in a popular board game.
JackChat
cartoons by Paul Thomas
There will be a bottle of Cutty Sark whisky for the first correct entry pulled out of Flagship’s bicorn hat after the closing date of 1 October. Post your entries to: Flagship Prize Crossword attn Kirsty Aldis, Seafarers UK, 8 Hatherley Street, London, SW1P 2QT.
expression comes from the custom for a junior officer to give way to a more senior one onboard ship, or seek approval to pass ahead, so avoiding the possibility of collision which could result from ‘crossing their bow’.
Scribes
© GAP productions 2011
Filibuster
ACROSS 1 Poached with real cream (11,4) 9 Someone who really counts (9) 10 Small pool but large wave (5) 11 See 7 down 12 Bartleby, for example (9) 15 Conferring with orders (9) 16 All together, now! (5) 17 Jack reportedly found in church (5) 19 “Spanish” in Hebrew, or the other way round (9) 22 Pitch Craig and Andrew together (22) 23 Brave washing powder (4) 26 Magistrate concerned with first lady (5) 27 Inside which one can find a sanctuary (5,4) 28 Light and firm(8,7)
Last issue’s crossword prize was won by J R Wells of Lee-on-Solent, Hants.
DOWN 1 Heavy tears? (5,5) 2 Where you might find a sailboat’s motor (7) 3 First Lady of Song ...(4) 4 ... brings music into your home (7) 5 See 24 down 6 Where a queen may do her business (6,4) 7, 11ac Took red land away (3,4,4) 8 Jude likes sandwich in here (4) 13 I never test changes (4,6) 14 Told to select an excellent person (10) 18 a competitor in the running (7) 19 Saharan resident (7) 20 In this body, the members are often at cross purposes (7) 21 Realistic tableau (7) 24, 5d Reef-knot on standard piece (4,7) 25 Prepare the sails – cut a bit off? (4)
The original term for a pirate or buccaneer. The term came into English from the French flibustier, originally meaning ‘freebooter’, which in turn comes from the original Dutch word vrybuiter. It means literally for someone who gets their plunder or booty free. In French, the word is still sometimes used for a swindler or crook. In the 19th century, filibusters were bands of American raiders who sought to seize power in some Central American countries. From this sense, the term came to be applied to the use of obstructive political tactics, first in the US Congress, and then by extension in parliaments throughout the world.
Cross his (or her) bow To cross someone’s bow (that’s ‘bow’ rhyming with ‘sow’ not ‘sew’) means to annoy or insult someone more senior, usually unintentionally. The
Standard nickname for a ship’s ‘writer’ – a rating (in both Merchant and Royal) employed mainly on clerical duties. A scribe in action gear is said to be ‘crossdressing’.
Yardarm
The outer portion of the horizontal spar attached to a mast. Signal flags are hung from the yardarm and, in the days of capital punishment at sea, condemned men were hung from it. When the sun passes ‘over the yardarm’ around noon, it is traditionally considered acceptable to have the first alcoholic drink of the day.
You can order a signed copy of Jackspeak: a guide to British Naval Slang and Usage, by Dr Rick Jolly OBE, for just £10 including p&p, a saving of £2.50. Send cheque or postal order for £10 to Palamanando Publishing, PO Box 42, Torpoint, Cornwall, PL11 2YR, marking your order “Flagship Offer”. The author will personalise copies being bought as gifts on request.
SUMMER 2011
FL AGSH I P
31
Writes of Passage
ThebyFirst Day of Peace Lieutenant Commander Raymond Coleman On VJ Day, 15 August 1945, I rode in uniform on a white horse along the main street of Colombo in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka. I had intended this ride to be like those on other days, in the rural outskirts of Colombo, near the police horse stables where I had made friends. But on a whim, and exuberant at the news of peace, I turned Sam’s nose towards town. I cannot remember his Singhalese name but I affectionately think of my splendid horse as Sam. 32
F L AG S H I P S U M ME R 2011
FRIN FCMI RNR
He willingly cantered over Galle Face Green, which overlooks the Indian Ocean, and into the main street. There I was greeted by city folk with smiles and cheery waves, which I acknowledged with a sort of nautical-salute-cum-royal-wave and rode on to the naval shore establishment HMS Lanka. The bewildered sentry, astonished to see the Navy on horseback, studied my ID more closely than usual before waving me on. Again I nudged Sam into a canter, this time across the lawns of St Joseph’s College, which the Navy now occupied. Soon we were surrounded by admiring sailors, Wrens and Royal Marines, all wanting to stroke and pet this fine creature. Sam revelled in the unaccustomed nautical attention and we indulged in a display of horsemanship and dressage, worthy, I hoped, of my equestrian naval predecessors. On VJ Day there was no euphoria in HMS
WRITES OF PASSAGE
“The bewildered sentry, astonished to see the Navy on horseback, studied my ID more closely than usual before waving me on. Again I nudged Sam into a canter, this time across the lawns of St Joseph’s College, which the Navy now occupied.”
Lanka, the fighting was still too close in our minds, but we experienced a totally changed atmosphere, as quiet tension gave way to a relaxed calm. I had recently come ashore from my ship HMS Phoebe. We had returned to Trincomalee, on the east side of the island, after making landings with Gurkha troops and Royal Marines on the Arakan coast of Burma. We had followed these up with further expeditions up the River Irrawaddy seeking out the last remaining pockets of Japanese troops and engaging in an amphibious assault, re-taking Rangoon. On our return we had a few days relaxing at anchor in Trincomalee harbour. Peace had not yet been declared but most of us thought the fighting was over. One afternoon, when most of the ship’s company were having a well-earned rest below, I was on the upper deck in a deckchair fashioned out of my camp bed, reading Love in the Sun by Leo Walmsley – a peaceful story of high enterprise, love and the sea on the Cornish coast. Suddenly I heard a violent explosion; a lone Japanese war plane had quietly flown in and dropped a bomb aimed at a large hospital ship anchored nearby, thankfully missing its target and the wounded on board. The Japanese pilot then flew towards my ship and as I sprang for the port side to my action station, he machine-gunned me. As I was alone on the exposed part of deck, I was an obvious target. Presumably not having another bomb, he raked the port side of the ship with gunfire. In a split second I altered course and ran along the starboard side to my station. Having survived Arctic Convoys, Burma and tracer bullets in the Irrawaddy, I wasn’t about to go down within a few days of peace. Phoebe’s light armament was swiftly in action but the plane was later, I believe, shot down by other gunfire. Being a long way from base with little hope of enough fuel to return, it was almost certainly flown by a kamikaze pilot. I am sad to think of him and his family in Japan but we, the hospital ship and its patients were saved. In this same thought I remember with pride and gratitude
those who, like my best friend, courageous Fleet Air Arm pilot William Pritchard, a Lieutenant Commander in the Pacific at 24, paid the supreme price of peace. The official ending of war was an overwhelming occasion. My mother and father, with all civilians at home, had suffered severe deprivation, damage from ferocious air raids and fear for their loved ones in the forces. As one person, we breathed a sigh of relief and set about rebuilding Britain and most importantly of all, our personal lives. The sun shone on a freed but critically wounded Europe, Japan and countries of the Far East. But the sun shone bright, lighting new horizons, inspiring new hope, energy and renewed endeavour. Lt-Commander Raymond Coleman was Deputy General Secretary and Appeal Secretary of KGFS, now Seafarers UK, and editor of KGFS Sailors News from 1967 to 1971.
SERVICES WRENDERED Established in 2004 with Wren’s Association members in mind. We supply top quality fleeces, polo shirts, cotton shirts, V-neck jumpers, body warmers, shower proof wind cheaters and other clothing items, all embroidered with the Wren’s crest. Branch names can be added to all items if required at a small additional cost.Pens, hip flasks, and many other items engraved with WRNS crest are also available. For a brochure and price list contact Rita at 1 The Rocks, Tansley, Matlocks, DE4 5ES, tel 01629 584111 or email jorisavers@tiscali.co.uk
SUMMER 2011
FL AGSH I P
33
REVIEWS
Flagship review Recommended READ:
The Great Sea: a Human History of the Mediterranean by David Abulafia The dramatic events of the Arab Spring have returned the Mediterranean Sea to the centre of world affairs after several decades in which it came to be seen by many as little more than a tourist destination. But the sea whose name literally means ‘centre of the world’ has always been in the thick of things. As Doctor Johnson once observed, ‘all our religion, almost all our law, almost all that sets us above savages, has come to us from the shores of the Mediterranean’. David Abulafia, a Cambridge history professor, calls his magnificent book ‘a human history’. This is not a work of oceanography or geography – there is very little of that – but a book that teems with human life, showing how the sea can bring people – and peoples – together, as well as divide them. This is a story about trade, cultural exchange and, inevitably, war. And the absolute centrality of the sea to human civilisation itself. Over the last 20,000 years, the Mediterranean has become ‘probably the most vigorous place of interaction between different societies on the face on the planet’, according to Abulafia. The development of shipping in the second millennia before Christ created around the Med a huge international network of trade, and turned the sea into a political and economic entity which existed almost
PICK OF THE CLICKS: A small selection of web resources for working seafarers
gCaptain Styling itself as ‘the leading website for maritime professionals’ might be going too bit far, but gCaptain is one of the best general news sites around, with around 200,000 unique users each month. gCaptain aims to ‘build an interactive community of maritime professionals’ through using social media like Twitter and Facebook. News and gossip on all aspects of professional seafaring are presented in a ‘rolling’ blog format and there is also an active discussion forum, a jobs noticeboard and lots of online tools like weather charts, ship tracking maps and events calendars. US based, but determinedly international in focus. www.gCaptain.com
34
F L AG S H I P S U M ME R 2011
Would you like to review for Flagship? To
join our list of reviewers, contact Kirsty Aldis on 020 7932 5986 or email kirsty.aldis@ seafarers-uk.org
independently of the kingdoms and empires that nominally controlled its shores. Only in the last 200 years or so have the peoples of the Mediterranean been corralled (almost reluctantly one feels) into nation states, as if the Sea were a state in its own right, or a ‘liquid continent’ as some historians have called it. The sea lanes of the Mediterranean even developed their own language, the so-called ‘Frankish speech’, a nautical argot mixing elements of Greek, Italian, Spanish, Arabic and Turkish. From the cave-dwelling shellfish eaters of Gibraltar in prehistoric times to the Abba-inspired feel-good movie Mamma Mia in 2008, its all here: the alphabet-bringing Phoenicians, the Romans who first organised the Med into a single economic and political entity (Abulafia’s succinct account of the brutal wars between Rome and Carthage is as good as you’ll read anywhere), the Jews who brought trade and the spread of intellectual ideas, the Turks, Austrians, French and British fighting for control of the sea lanes. At the centre of the book, as with the sea itself, are the chain of islands off the toe of Italy, and above all Sicily, an island whose position was so vital it became the most valuable piece of land in the world. Along the way, Abulafia spices up his story with fascinating digressions on such things as the spread of chewing gum, the origins of pesto and the Cross of St George, the Arab influence on Italy and the etymology of the title ‘Admiral’ (it’s from the Arabic ‘Amir’, meaning ‘general’, apparently, and was first given to a former pirate by the rather brutal King Roger II of Sicily). There’s a neat personal touch too: Abulafia, himself from an ancient family of Mediterranean Jews, offers several accounts of other Abulafias who have plied their trades – as rabbis, merchants and mystics – along the shores of what we can all rightly call ‘Our Sea’. reviewed by Craig Ryan Allen Lane, 783pp, £30
Maritime Connector With professional websites, jobs are where the money is, and there’s no shortage of sites for working seafarers looking for new horizons on the job front. Maritime Connector is one the biggest, with dozens of shipping and offshore jobs being added every day from all over the world. As well as trawling through hundreds of adverts for jobs as diverse as Tanker Captain and Sous-Chef on a cruise ship, seafarers can upload their CVs so companies can look for suitable staff. The service is free to individual seafarers. Switch to view the pages in Croatian, if you want to make your eyes go funny. www.maritime-connector.com
ShipTalk An online magazine with news and discussion on all aspects of professional seafaring, as
well as details of events and access to a lot of information on training and distance learning. You can also subscribe to the monthly newsletter which now has over 30,000 readers. Sister websites ShipTalk Jobs at Sea and ShipTalk Jobs Ashore offer job vacancies on a similar basis to Maritime Connector: there are fewer jobs but a much stronger UK focus. There’s a lot of information here, but the busy layout might make you feel queasy if viewed in rough seas. www.shiptalk.com
Shipping Podcasts A real find. The site is simply a collection (in blog form) of maritime-related podcasts (audio broadcasts you download from the internet) from around the world, with updates posted regularly. The content is business-focused and covers such issues as piracy, insurance, shipping law, safety, regulations and technical
REVIEWS
SEAFARER BOOKS Storytellers of the sea
Drink Up and Be a Man: Memoirs of a Steward and Engine-room Hand by John J Mahon Sadly, alcoholism has often been an occupational hazard for seafarers and, as the title suggests, John Joe Mahon’s memoirs recount in oftenpainful detail his battle with the demon drink during and after his career as a merchant seaman. But it is much more than that: it is also an account of the decline of a once-great industry. One of the things you learn is that ‘sea blindness’ afflicts the Irish every bit as much as the British. Mahon was born in 1942 in County Wicklow in the Irish Republic. Despite being only four-feet-nine-inches tall, he was passed fit to join the Merchant Navy and began his career working as a steward on some of the last great liners – among others for P&O, the Royal Mail and the New Zealand Shipping Company. Alcohol was always part of the scene onboard ship and for Mahon it became ‘a support, a crutch, a relaxation and a problem’, though one he thankfully overcame. Later he served in less prestigious ships, including a tramp freighter and bulk carriers – often decrepit vessels sailing under flags of convenience. Mahon sees this as symptomatic of the decline of the industry, and how Irish politicians, more interested in property and financial speculation, have turned their backs on the seas that surround the Emerald Isle. Mahon was eventually able to give up the drink (partly with the help of the Queen Victoria Seamen’s Rest, a charity supported by Seafarers UK) and has been ‘clean’ for 28 years. This is a tough but moving story of one man’s battle against many of the problems that affect seafarers all over the world. reviewed by by Norman McKenzie
Drink Up and Be a Man Memoirs of a steward and engine-room hand JOHN J MAHON Born in Ireland in 1942, John J Mahon stands only four feet nine and a half inches tall. He went to sea as a steward on passenger liners at the age of seventeen, and later served in the engine room on a variety of merchant ships. During twenty years at sea, he overcame his sense of inferiority but not the lure of alcohol – until he came ashore. This is the true story of one man’s triumph against the odds, a vivid portrayal of life in Ireland, in London, and at sea.
‘A wholly authentic tale of a way of life that has almost totally disappeared’ – John Johnson-Allen Illustrated. £9.95 + £2.05 p&p 102 Redwald Road • Rendlesham • Suffolk IP12 2TE � 01394 420789 fax 01394 461314 www.seafarerbooks.com • info@seafarerbooks.com
Seafarer Books, 392pp, £9.95
developments. There are also interviews with leading figures from the maritime world. If you have an iPod or similar device, you can stock up with the podcasts that interest you and listen to them later
when you’re out of reach of the internet. Leave space for something else though; this is fairly heavy fuel. www.shippingpodcasts.com
MARITIME BOOKS GREAT RANGE OF BRITISH AND AUSTRALIAN PUBLICATIONS, PLUS MANY OTHER TITLES.
MAILORDER AND ONLINE SALES. MERCHANT SHIPPING, PASSENGER & NAVAL.
www.vibexbooks.com.au.
Contact us at PO Box 1303 Geelong. Victoria, 3220,Australia. Ph/Fax 61 3 52786895. Mob 0413 707 753. email vibex@optusnet.com.au.
SUMMER 2011
FL AGSH I P
35
SHS.qxp
12/02/2007
12:15
Page 1
Patron: The Duke Dukeof ofYork YorkKG KG KCVO GCVO ADC ADC Patron: HRH HRH The
SEAMEN’S HOSPITAL SOCIETY Supporting Seafarers since 1821
The Society assists merchant seafarers, fishermen and their dependants in need by making grants to qualifying individuals, as well as to selected organisations. Applications for individual assistance may be made at anytime. For further information please view our website or contact us directly at the Society’s office.
29 King William Walk, Greenwich, London SE10 9HX Tel: 020 8858 3696 Fax: 020 8293 9630 Email: admin@seahospital.org.uk Website: www.seahospital.org.uk Registered Charity No: 231724
The man who lost his life in Iraq, now lives in Birmingham. Wars such as Iraq have resulted in many victims. For some their battle scars are invisible psychological illnesses. They carry the mental scars around with them, affecting their employment, family and friends. Many become tragic victims of alcohol, drug abuse, homelessness, some become suicidal. If you are reading this as an ex-Service man or woman and you think, ‘this
sounds like me’ or you know someone ex-Service who is suffering, please contact us on:
01372 841 680 or email us:
contactus@combatstress.org.uk
www.combatstress.org.uk
Charity Number England: 200602, Scotland SCO38828
36
F L AG S H I P S U M ME R 2011
COM008_131x95_v1.indd 1
16/7/08 10:50:59
Supporting independent living for our ex-Service community
Supporting Our Heroes Poppyscotland provides year-round support to veterans and their families across Scotland We rely wholly on public donations so we can provide financial assistance directly to those in urgent need. Your donations also help to fund specialist services such as long term care, housing and employment for veterans of all ages. Poppyscotland reaches more veterans living in Scotland than any other charity providing for their immediate and future wellbeing. Please don’t leave it until November to give your support. To find out more about us or to make a donation, visit our website: www.poppyscotland.org.uk Poppyscotland, New Haig House, Logie Green Road, Edinburgh EH7 4HR 0131 557 2782 enquiries@poppyscotland.org.uk Poppyscotland is a trading name of The Earl Haig Fund Scotland. Scottish Charity No SC014096. A Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in Scotland No 194893 at the above address.
“I don’t have to worry about being lonely”
Rosendael Comfortable Affordable Friendly Independent living with support when you need it. Worried about loneliness, security or paying the bills? Rosendael in Broughty Ferry, Dundee offers first class residential accommodation for veterans of all ages. If you or your spouse served in the armed forces (including reserves) or merchant marine, call today and find out more.
Don’t hesitate, call today. Call Max or Carole on 01382 477078 or visit www.svronline.org Registered Charity No. SC 015260 SUMMER 2011
FL AGSH I P
37
FLG17
Š
Men and women in the Royal Marines and Royal Navy serve their country, often at times of danger: the RNBT serves them and their families, at times of need, throughout their lives. Your donations and legacies help us to help them.
The Royal Naval Benevolent Trust Castaway House, 311 Twyford Avenue, Portsmouth PO2 8RN t 023 9269 0112 f 023 9266 0852 e rnbt@rnbt.org.uk w www.rnbt.org.uk
38
F L AG S H I P S U M ME R 2011
RM Charity Ad W87xH116
2/4/09
11:24
Page 1
ROYAL MARINES CHARITABLE FUNDS
The Royal Marines maintain two principal charitable funds to support and enable welfare, morale and esprit de corps. Income to these funds is heavily reliant on the generosity of donors. Whilst the Corps would welcome donations to either of the two funds below, Corps Funds Trustees are particularly keen to encourage donations to the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund.
THE REGULAR FORCES EMPLOYMENT ASSOCIATION (RFEA)
•
The Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund (RMCTF) The RM Charitable Trust Fund exists to maintain the efficiency and esprit de corps of the Royal Marines and also to provide benevolence support to those in need. In addition to benevolence work, there are many other calls upon Corps funds. These range from providing wreaths at Remembrance services through support to veterans’ reunions and the RM Museum to the construction and maintenance of war memorials. The RM Charitable Trust Fund is a Registered Charity, No 248733.
•
The Royal Marines Benevolent Fund (RMBF) The RMBF provides monetary grants to serving and former Royal Marines, their wives and dependants who are in need or distress whether due to death, injury, illness or any other unforeseen circumstances. The RMBF is a Registered Charity, No 1069059. RM Corps Secretary, Building 32, HMS EXCELLENT Whale Island, PORTSMOUTH, PO2 8ER Tel: 023 9265 1304 Email: admin@royalmarinesregimental.co.uk www.royalmarinesregimental.co.uk. Thank you for your generosity.
•
Our core activity is to provide life-long job finding advice, information and support to service leaders. Additionally, we provide this service as part of the Career Transition Partnership, using the amalgamated resources of the RFEA and the Officers’ Association, through a network of 24 reginal offices and specific overseas and executive appointment consultants. We offer employers access to thousands of quality candidates through our no cost recruitment service.
If you are a service leaver looking for support, or an employer looking to recruit, log on to our website www.rfea.org.uk or call our central employment team on 0121 236 0058 for details of your nearest RFEA office.
dem Sp op enti ecial eni a c ist ng are in Ju anne ly 2 xe 011
The Royal Alfred Seafarers’Society
www.royalalfredseafarers.com
Providing quality residential, nursing, dementia and respite care primarily for seafarers and their dependants. The nation owes a great deal to its seafarers and our home provides them with a safe haven in old age and adversity. If you know of someone that needs our help please contact us. We offer modern en suite rooms and sheltered flats set in 14 acres of lovely Surrey countryside on the edge of Banstead. Donations and legacies are vital to us and help ensure that our residents continue to receive the best possible care. For further information about the services we provide, or for advice on tax efficient giving, please contact the Chief Executive, Commander Brian Boxall-Hunt OBE, at Head Office, Weston Acres, Woodmansterne Lane, Banstead, Surrey SM7 3HA.
01737 353763 Fax: 01737 362678
Phone: Reg Charity No 209776 Est 1865
SUMMER 2011
FL AGSH I P
39
40
F L AG S H I P S U M ME R 2011
SAILp2
4/9/2008
4:27 pm
Page 1
The Seafarers' Advice and Information Line is a telephone, email and letter advice service operated, on behalf of the Seamen’s Hospital Society, by the Greenwich Citizens Advice Bureaux, to provide advice and casework to merchant seafarers, fishermen and their families. The line is open 10.00am to 4.00pm Monday to Friday.
Seafarers' Advice & Information Line PO Box 45234, Greenwich, London SE10 9WR Tel: 08457 413 318 Fax: 020 8269 0794 Email: admin@sailine.org.uk
Greenwich Citizens Advice Bureaux Ltd. Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered number: 3346379 Registered Charity number 1064404 Designed by Riverside Design Associates www.riversidew6.co.uk 09/08
SC 87x130mm advert _Layout 1 29/04/2010 12:15 Page 1
InspIre the next generatIon of saIlors – support sea Cadets We are working with the Royal and Merchant Navies to keep our maritime legacy alive.
Join us – Leave a legacy and help us keep Britain shipshape. Call: 020 7654 7000 or visit: sea-cadets.org/legacies A charity registered in England and Wales 313013 and in Scotland SC037808
SUMMER 2011
FL AGSH I P
41
TIMES past
Claude Choules
A long life on the ocean wave Chief Petty Officer Claude Choules, who died on 5 May at the age of 110, was the last surviving combat veteran of World War One and the last man to have served in both world wars. Craig Ryan delves into his long and remarkable life. Although Claude Choules’s life was steeped in seafaring – he served in two Royal Navies and the Merchant Navy, and also worked as a fisherman – it might well have followed a completely different course. Born in the village of Pershore in Worcestershire in 1901, Claude was originally keen to follow his two older brothers, who were serving in Egypt and Turkey during the First World War, into the Army. ‘Their occasional letters home were very exciting and I couldn’t wait until I was 14 so I could leave school and join up,’ he wrote in his memoirs. In 1915, he tried to join the Army as a bugler boy, but the local recruiting officer knew his family and told Claude he was under-age. ‘Come back and see me in a year’s time,’ he said. But young Claude didn’t want to wait. His father pulled some strings to get him into the Navy Training School, run at that time by the famous international cricketer and footballer C B Fry. In April 1915 Claude joined TS Mercury, moored on the Hamble river near Southampton, to begin two years of training. In October 1917, Claude joined the new 40,000-ton battleship HMS Revenge, flagship of the First Battle Squadron, 42
F L AG S H I P S U M ME R 2011
as a boy seaman, first class, and saw his first action on the North Sea that autumn. On that ship he went on to witness two of the momentous events in naval history: the surrender of the German High Sea Fleet in the Firth of Forth in November 1918 and its subsequent scuttling at Scapa Flow the following year. Claude remembered the rejoicing when the 11 November armistice was announced, when Admiral Beatty, commander of the British Grand Fleet, gave his famous signal, ‘Splice the mainbrace’, meaning an extra ration of rum was to be served in celebration. On 21 November, HMS Revenge and the rest of the British fleet sailed to accept the surrender of the German fleet and escort it into internment. As the huge convoy prepared to depart at dawn, the buglers sounded ‘Action Stations’. ‘The Germans has been ordered to sail without ammunition and with reduced crews, but we could not be sure they would not attempt some last minute
treachery,’ Claude wrote. ‘When I looked astern from the Revenge, there were warships as far as the eye could see, and much further. What an inspiring sight! Overhead there were a couple of British airships to add to the spectacle.’ The German fleet was taken to Aberlady Bay near Edinburgh, where an inspection was carried out to ensure the terms of the Armistice had been complied with. The following day, Admiral Beatty came aboard the Revenge and addressed the ship’s company. He told them they had been assigned to escort the German fleet to Scapa Flow and to look after them until their fate had been decided. Looking after the 74 remaining German ships was no easy task. ‘There was much unrest among the German crews, with mutinous sailors and bitter officers angry at their treatment by both the Germans and the British,’ Claude reported. Political instability in post-war Germany was reflected in the German Navy, with many groups of men forming revolutionary cells aboard their ships. Asked to describe his
TIMES past crews, the German commander Captain Oldekop, said: ‘Toothache, grippe [flu], dirt and rebellion. Their quarters are filthy. They refuse all authority.’ This grim captivity lasted a little over six months, during which time the crews were being gradually repatriated to Germany. Then on the morning of 21 June 1919, the remaining German crews, acting on a secret signal from Admiral von Reuter, opened all the seacocks, portholes, hatches and submerged torpedo tubes. ‘We arrived back at Scapa Flow at 2pm to a most amazing sight,’ Claude records. ‘Most of the German capital ships had already sunk and, in all directions, others were sinking. The Flow was filled with German ships all flying the white flag and carrying the internment crews. It was a disturbing sight: a whole fleet had almost disappeared.’ Desperate attempts were made to save some of the valuable ships, but not everyone was sorry to see the end of the High Seas Fleet. ‘When the lads saw what had happened, an involuntary cheer went up and they said: “Thank God, now we’ll be able to go south and receive our service leave”,’ wrote Claude.
After the war, Claude became a leading torpedoman and served in HMS Eagle, Britain’s first purpose-built aircraft carrier. In 1925 he joined the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and during the passage down under he met and fell in love with a Scottish girl, Ethel Wildgoose, from Lossiemouth. They were married in Melbourne and the marriage lasted 76 years until Ethel’s death in 2002 at the age of 98. After a brief spell in the Merchant Navy, Claude was recalled to the RAN in 1932 as a Chief Petty Officer torpedo instructor. During World War Two, he became the chief demolition officer for the west coast of Australia, stationed at Fremantle, near Perth. In 1942, with a Japanese invasion of Australia thought to be imminent, it was Claude’s job to place all the charges necessary to blow up the port facilities at Fremantle together with all the remaining merchant shipping and the oil storage tanks. ‘The naval officer in charge had warned me: “If you ever have to carry out these orders, you will probably be the last man to leave Fremantle.” A cheerful prospect. But, thank God, it wasn’t necessary. ‘Like everyone else I was relieved and pleased when the war finally came to an
Have you seen the old man outside the seamen’s mission? Memory fading with the medal ribbons that he wears And in our winter city the rain cries a little pity For one more forgotten hero and a world that doesn’t care
end,’ wrote Claude. ‘As I used to tell my children, war was very tedious punctuated with moments of extreme danger. I never particularly celebrated the armistice after the First World War or the end of the Second. I don’t like to glorify war.’ In 1950, Claude transferred to the Naval Dockyard Police where he served five years before finally retiring from the Navy. But this was far from the end of his seafaring days. He bought a 20ft-wooden boat, the Madeline, and spent ten happy and successful years as a crayfisherman in the coastal waters around Fremantle. In the 1980s, he took writing lessons from the Australian author Elizabeth Jolley and wrote his memoirs, originally for the benefit of 36 children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They were published as his autobiography, The Last of the Last, in 2009. That same year, as he became the last surviving veteran of the Great War, Claude Choules was, somewhat belatedly, awarded the Australian Defence Medal. In one of his last interviews to the BBC, he said: ‘I’m lucky, aren’t I, to be surviving all that time? If I had my time over again, I wouldn’t change a bit of it.’
Don’t Forget The Seamen’s Rest! Queen Victoria Seamen’s Rest is the Seamen’s Mission of the Methodist Church. Queen Victoria Seamen’s Rest has been serving seafarers in the East End of London since 1843. We accommodate 170 men and we see our work as offering these men a home. Our work is motivated by the love of Christ. In the words from Ralph McTell many of these men are ‘forgotten heroes’ many have fought for their King/Queen and country and now find themselves trying to survive in a world that ‘doesn’t seem to care’. Thanks be to God for places like the ‘Seamen’s Mission’ a place where God willing ‘old men’ can stand outside for many years to come. To support our work and/or request a copy of our Annual Review Contact: Alexander Campbell alexcampbell@qvsr.org.uk 121-131 East India Dock Road London, E14 6DF Tel: 02079874622 Registered Charity Number 1106126 SUMMER 2011
FL AGSH I P
43
MEET the COMMITTEE
Seafarers UK
Felixstowe Committee Chairman Captain Derek Peters MNI talks about the fundraising activities of this longestablished and successful committee.
How many members are on your committee? There are five committee members at the moment and we are in the process of recruiting a new member. The age range tends to be anything from 30 to over 70 and most members have had, or still have, a connection with the sea at some time in their lives. As a major port, the population of Felixstowe is mainly comprised of people who work in the maritime industry in some way or another.
How often do you meet?
About five times a year. Meetings last around an hour and a half and the subject matter usually focuses on whatever events are in the pipeline. There is no strict formality but brief minutes are usually taken and circulated.
What events have you particularly enjoyed running?
We enjoy planning and running all our events, which are quite diverse really. We do try to offer our supporters something which will appeal to everyone. Felixstowe 44
F L AG S H I P
S U MM E R 2011
event is our Autumn Fish and Chip and Quiz Night. This event always sells out and we could probably sell twice as many tickets if we had a bigger venue! It is great fun and everyone looks forward to it.
Why do you think people should join a committee? Committee members are very loyal and work extremely hard at achieving success in what we do – it is most enjoyable to work as a team and we get on well.
What events do you run and what have you got planned for the rest of this year?
We organise regular coffee mornings and street collections throughout the year with the assistance of the local Sea Cadets. One of our major events is a Summer Music and Strawberries Evening by the river, which takes place in June, and this year raised £1,500. We also have at least one lecture annually given by a speaker who is willing to talk on something maritime, but probably our most popular and well-known
As an island nation we have strong links with the sea and must consider carefully how we would survive if it were not for our merchantmen and fishing fleets. This affects everyone in the United Kingdom, not merely those who live by the sea. We should be thankful too that we have a highly trained Royal Navy and Royal Marines force ready to defend us when the need arises. Felixstowe Committee members not only work together to raise funds for Seafarers UK but also enjoy a wonderful social experience of camaraderie and teamwork.
If you are interested in joining a committee please contact Alexandra Sard MBE on 023 9273 6101 or alexandra.sard@seafarers-uk.org
5,000
YEARS OF HISTORY...
Combine the comfort of small-ship cruising with the very best of cultural travel. From the elegance of ancient Greece to the splendour of the Byzantine Empire, Voyages to Antiquity offers a unique opportunity to explore the origins and genius of Western civilisation aboard Aegean Odyssey.
...21 exciting voyages for 2012 FROM JUST £1,695*
2012 BROCHURE OUT NOW
VOYAGES TO ANTIQUITY INCLUDE: • SHORE EXCURSIONS • EXPERT GUEST SPEAKERS • WINE WITH DINNER AND GRATUITIES INCLUDED ON BOARD • RETURN BA FLIGHTS AND TRANSFERS ABROAD
BOOK BY 31 AUGUST 2011 FOR GREAT VALUE EARLY BOOKING OFFERS CALL
0845 437 9737
www.voyagestoantiquity.com
10093
VOYAGES TO ANTIQUITY
ABTA No.Y2206
* Price is per person and based on two people sharing a category N cabin.