News Navy ,....
Bernard: pro vidc an unriwilled
service for Royal Navy Oflicers
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Full detail:
BElll\'AIlllS lll'Ii\l’S Sll0l’S 40 Commercial Road. Portsmouth Trle/shone 26ll6 30 Royal Piirttde. Plymouth Telephone 66543 Anglia llousc. lliinvich. Essex Telephone 830 ‘
No. 53
p
The
Newspaper of the Royal Navy and The Royal Naval Association
OCTOBER, 1958
Royal Navy Ofiicers‘ Uniforms by Bernard: express perfection in craflsntartship Full pilot list
on
request
BERNAIIDS lll-IN’S Sll0l'S 40 Commercial Road. Portsmouth
Trlcpltone 26ll6 30 Royal Parade. Plymouth T¢'lrphonc'66543 Anglia House. llnrwlch. Essex Telephone 880
Published first Thursday of the month
Price
Fourpence
Navy saves tvgvoygflgblagzing tankers in Gulf of Oman..._..._..
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SALVAGE PRIZE £1m? Bulwark’s helicopters and frigates in another sea epic
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150-MILI-2 dash b_v ll.\l.S. Bulwark after receiving information that two tankers had collided, were blazing, and had been abandoned in the Gulf of Oman. was all that was required to make another naval epic of the sea. Bulwark, accompanied b_v at least four 1 frigatcs. arrived.at the scene of the disaster after having sent the; assistance of a Skyraider within an hour. The i\'av_v was successful in cxtiiiguisliiiig the llauics in both tankers and. despite the heavy seas. got both in tow and they were cvcntuallv nittde safe. l)urin'g the morning watch on September I3. H.M.S. llulwark (Capt. P. D. Gick. ().ll.l-3.. D.S.C.. Royal Navy). which was exercising with H.M.S. Loch Killisport in the Gulf of (lmntt. was informed that the Liberian tanker Meliltii
and the French tanker l-‘ct-nand Gilabert had been in collision and ablaze and abandoned some I50 miles from Bulwark.
H.M.S. Chichester fights fire in Costa Rican ship C
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YHEN the Costa Rictin Conchti
both
Within the hour. a Skyraidcr from Bulwark reached the scene of the collision and saw an unidentified tanker. well down by the hows. The frigatcs H.M.S. Puma and H.M.S. St. Bride's Bay were ordered to go to the scene of the collision. The Swedish tankers Ceres and Sira. and the British tankers Anglian Diligence and Border Hunter were searching for survivors. The Siru. which had picked up two bodies. continued her voyage. but the other three tankers had some survivors on board. some of whom were injured. These vessels steamed towards Bulwark, who sent hclicoptcrs with medical aid to them. The total crews of the two damaged vessels was 85. and of these the tankers picked up 62. The helicopters then conveyed the survivors to Bulwark. The lirst of the damaged ships sighted by Bulwark was the Fcrnand Gtlabcrt. and Cdr. R. H. H. Brunncr. Bulwark’s Executive Ofliccr. and a small lire-fighting party were flown by (Continttezl on page 3. column I)
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were
steamer
caught fire-oil" the Pont-
brokcshirc coast. H.M.S. Chichcstcr (Cdr. R. Butt. R.N.) was taking part in an exercise with the Radar Direction School. H.M.S. Harrier. not far
from the burning vcsscl. The tire was so intense that Chichcstcr's boarding party could not take their hoses and tire-lighting equipment near enough to the seat of the fire and after an explosion which shook the shi and increased her list by some three cct the tire party withdrew. Shortly tiftcrwttrtls titgs arrived from Pembroke and took the burning Conchzi in tow. but she foundcred before she could be towed into port. '
Broken Arrester ire Cost Pilot His Life SCIMITAR SWINGS OFF DECK OF H.M.S. VICTORIOUS INTO SEA
Royal Navy's most experienced pilots lost his life on September 25. Flying :1 Scimitar, the Navy's first swept-wing aircraft. Cdr. John D. Russell. Commanding Olliccr of 803 Naval Air Squadron. landed on H.M.S. Victorious and. according to an eye-witness. the landing was perfect. The trailing hook caught an arrcstcr NE of the
wire which suddcnl broke. The Scimitar shot over the side of the ship and remained afloat for about two l‘l‘lll‘l|llC$ during which time the pilot was seen. apparently. to pull back and close his
Hirings cut Plmiouth’ a.
cstutes Iiave gone
long
cockpit canopy. but he seemed unable to get out of his aircraft. A helicopter moved to the sinking plane with .1 rating on the end of a cable. but before at rcscuc could be effected the plane sank. Although a prolonged search was made. the missing olliccr was not
recovered.
Arrangements to salvage the aircraft
have been made and a board of mqtliry to investigate the cause of the mishap has been held. but the findings have not yet been announced.
A helicopter from Bulwark hover: over the bows of the .\lelilta
FR0lll
NElSON PLAQUE Vl(.'l'0llY lllATlilllAl.
the anniversary of the birth of Admiral Nelson. a plaque made from oak and copper of H.M.S. Victory was unveiled at the Rector)‘. Burnham Thorpe. Norfolk. The plaque. prepared in ILM. Dockyard. Portsmouth. was unveiled by Rear-Admiral Thurstield and dedicated by the Bishop of King's Lynn in the presence. among
contingent of boys from the Boys‘ Training Establishment at Shotley, H.M.S. Ganges. many
others. of
«as
rates on thc list and
way to re-
waiting time for for those who prefer this type of home
quarters is at present; chief petty and reduces the demand for quarters. tlucini: the waiting list for naval :otliccrs. eight months: petty otlicers. It does seem that the number of hirings personnel at Devonport nine months‘. and others. It] months. at present available represents almost The longer waiting time as compared the iuaximuni accommodation of this for married rules HF. new quarters with Portsmouth is considered to be type that Plymouth is able to provide. and furnished hiriugs_ in the rn:iiti|y due to the married quarters l’lymoulh's moving population are in Plymouth area are working quite building progrtininic being less ad- the main letting their houses to the smoothly. No "splitting" of the waiting vanced zit Pl"nouth. although it is Admirtilty. Occupants are reminded lists has been considered necessary be- also possible I at the operation of the that they accept liability for dilapidacause the considerable -number of Central Drafting Scheme may h:ivc tions during their tenancy. The nntiics on the Plymouth wztitiug lists resulted in the Plymouth urea contain- Admiralty is bound to see the scheme would not be unduly disturbed by the ing it higher proportion of ratings seek- does not run at a loss and it is necesinsertion of the comparatively few ing rutirricd quarters. sary to be fair but firm in recovering TOBACCO AT ITS additional tizuncs itivolvcd. There are The policy of permitting any eligible from outgoing tenants the amount of at the time of writing 87 chief petty .rn:in on the waiting list to select it the dilapidations. other than fair wear ollicers. lltl petty otliccrs anti 224 other jhiring is of great assistance in catering and tear. MADE AND PACKED T0 PERFECTION it
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