THE MOORINGS ISSUE 51
16 August 2017
Core Values: Unity, Loyalty, Patriotism & Comradeship - Once Navy, always Navy
OPERATION SWEET PEA
The dedication and unveiling of the new RN & RNA Memorial benches at White House Farm in Rettendon on 8 August 2017. Full report in next issue.
Incorporated by Royal Charter
Patron: HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN
RAYLEIGH BRANCH (No.5 Area)
BRANCH CONTACTS RNArayleigh@outlook.com President:
Bob Hill
01268 780449
Chairman:
Jim Hammond
01268 414616
Vice Chairman:
Terry Barker
01268 456165
Hon. Secretary:
Gary Daisley
01268 555570
Hon. Treasurer:
Margaret Day
01702 524561
Membership Secretary:
Bill Vernon
01268 772775
Standard Bearer:
Dave Bishop
01268 770521
Welfare Officer:
Dave Mead
01702 307922
Social Secretary:
Audrey Blomfield
01268 781116
Gangway:
Mike Sandbrook
01702 801103
Padre:
Revd. Canon Mike Lodge
01268 742151
PR Officer:
Vacant
BRANCH DETAILS Bank Details: email: RNArayleigh@outlook.com HSBC Rayleigh Royal Naval Association Rayleigh Branch. A/C: 81065955 Sort Code: 40-38-24. Meeting Venue: Royal British Legion 2 London Hill, Rayleigh SS6 7HP Tel: 01268 776503 Meeting Dates: Fortnightly (see back cover). Registered Charity: Registration Number 1069148 2
Operation Sweet Pea feature article Due to limited availability of editorial space in this issue, the planned feature article on the dedication and unveiling of the Royal Navy and Royal Naval Association Memorial Benches at the Living Memorial in Rettendon is to be held over to issue #52 of The Moorings (due for publication 30 August). Meanwhile, please keep sending your photographs and reports to the usual address; RNArayleigh@outlook.com Thank you.
Out and about Dagenham Branch Shipmates (Hon.Secretary) Steve Gaish and (Chairman) Les Rudd taking time out during Stand Easy to read The Moorings at their Branch meeting on Sunday 6 August.
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PRESENTS
OUR NAVAL RACE NIGHT Where the horses represent some of the Navy’s greatest warships and Jockeys represent Ships Captains
Join in the excitement of owning and racing your own racehorse! Bet on the winner! Horse purchase (favourite warship) ÂŁ2. Prize for winning horse owner. 50p per bet. Have as many goes as you wish. The more you bet the greater your chance of winning. Pay-out is 50% of race betting total split between race winners. Enclosure opens 7.30pm. First race 8.00pm 4
Extract from the Semaphore Circular August 2017. Dear Shipmates, Welcome to our August Semaphore Circular – I hope you are enjoying the sunny days interrupted by rain storms (except Faslane where the rain is never interrupted). The super-carrier USS George Bush has just anchored at Spithead and we have hundreds of American sailors streaming ashore to enjoy the delights of Portsmouth – and a trip up to London. We haven’t heard about the arrival date of our own Super Carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, but time and tide might mean an unexpectedly early arrival at Portsmouth. We will let those who have notified us as soon as we have news. The main news is regarding the Biennial Parade and is so important that I have written to all Branches in hard copy. Due to changes in the advice and direction of the Metropolitan Police we will now muster for the Parade at King Charles Street, which is down near the Cenotaph. The parade will march the few metres to the Cenotaph for the Service and there is a short parade review after the service of about 400 metres back to King Charles Street. Coaches, cars and minibuses can be parked on Horse Guards Road, those with mobility issues on King Charles Street. I have enclosed a Car Pass for both areas with the hard copy of the Parade Order. Drinks and sandwiches/chips as usual at the Civil Service Club afterwards. Standard bearers can leave their stuff at the Civil Service Club should they wish. Drivers must remain with coaches and have responsibility for the security of their vehicle. We are looking for some DNCM nominations in 5 Area, due to the resignation of NCM S/M Dave Ambrose. S/M Jim Hammond has stepped up for the remaining 1 year of the term. We did not get nominations for 6 or 8 Area in the lead to Conference and are 5
seeking nominations for all 3 Areas by 15 September 17. Please give this important duty your attention. Form at the back of the Circ. I bring your notice to the call for Cenotaph names for Remembrance Sunday – don’t delay we have to get the names in very early and better to put forward if you aren’t sure rather than leave it later, when you won’t get on to the access list. Finally, as the National Chairman says in his chat, we have all been greatly saddened by S/M Paul Harries and S/M Dick Ascott crossing the bar. Paul was a doughty champion of his Area on the National Council with a deep understanding of clubs and how they worked. A real character who would take vast amounts of snuff during our meetings, he was good fun in the bar afterwards and always up for a dit-spinning session. Dick Ascott was an old fashioned gentleman who was tireless behind the scenes in his area, encouraging smaller branches and struggling clubs. Always the voice of common-sense and reasonableness he provided a rich seam of wisdom in our deliberations. I shall miss both Shipmates more than I’d care to admit – great Shipmates, great advocates for their Areas and most of all, great people who put others first (like so many in the RNA). Kindest regards from the Central Office team, Paul Quinn General Secretary
From the archives: Trawling through the Yellow Advertiser’s online archives from way back in 2011, I stumbled across this picture of Shipmates Alan Booth and Dave Bishop inspecting a finely detailed scratch-built model MTB (BT132). 6
RNA and Naval Associations Biennial Parade 10 September 2017 For this year’s parade we are to muster between the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the HM Revenue & Customs Office in King Charles Street (nearest underground station is Westminster). In previous years we have mustered in Gt Scotland Yard outside the Civil Service Club (nearest underground stations are Charing Cross, or Embankment). IMPORTANT: Please advise your Branch Secretary if you wish to attend this year. If your name’s not on the list, you won’t get through the security cordon! You will also need to take your RNA membership card and an additional photo ID (Driving Licence or Passport). Routine as follows: The RNA / Naval Associations Biennial Parade will be held at Whitehall on Sunday 10 September 2017. The Second Sea Lord, Vice Admiral Jonathon Woodcock OBE is confirmed as the Guest of Honour and the VIP party will include the Minister for the Armed Forces, Rt Hon Mark Lancaster MP, Mrs Flick Drummond, Captain Andy Jordan ADC Royal Navy, Commanding Officer HMS Collingwood, Captain Peter Towell Commanding Officer HMS Sultan and Mrs Gillian Molyneux and her daughter Bethany, Mrs Molyneux is the widow of Lt Cdr Ian Molyneux who was killed whilst serving in HMS Astute. CPO Kate Nesbitt and possibly WO1 Matthew Tomlinson. It is envisaged that that over 500 personnel both Veterans and Serving will be on parade. As well as representatives from the many naval associations, including from Belgium and the 7
Republic of Ireland. Trainees from HMS Sultan and HMS Collingwood will parade, as will members of the Sea Cadet Corps. Music will be provided by the Portsmouth Volunteer Band Association (80 musicians strong!). The programme for the day is as follows; 09:00 RNA Central Office staff on site, meet with Met senior officer. 09:00 Civil Service Club opens for coffee and toilets (Great Scotland Yard). 09:15 Parking for coaches and minibuses in Horse Guard Road (pass required from Central Office) (For those with mobility issues, minibus and Cars may be parked in King Charles Street). 09:30 All vehicles to be parked. 09:50 King Charles Street closes. 10:10 Standard bearers brief by NCA. 10:25 Parade musters and is briefed by Parade Commander. 10:25 Band marches onto Whitehall. 10:35 Parade steps off from King Charles Street. 10:55 2SL, Min (AF), Mrs and Miss Molyneux, Flick Drummond, Capt.Jordan, Capt.Towell, Capt.Cox, Capt.Russell and VIPs join the parade. 11:00 Service at the Cenotaph led by the Chaplain. 11:40 Parade steps off, review by 2SL. 11:55 Parade dismissed in King Charles street and addressed by NP/2SL. 11:56 Issue of Standard Bearers ‘Tots’. 12:00 Bar opens in Civil Service Club – 2SL and VIPs meets Shipmates. 12:00 Sandwiches and chips served at no cost to participants. 14:00 Parking restrictions restored in Horse Guards Road. Dress will be 1b uniform for those serving and for RNA / Associations rig with medals or equivalent for everyone else, polished shoes, berets for Standard Bearers and optional for marchers. Standards should wear the NSM pennant (if entitled). A high standard of turnout is required. 8
Mess Deck Supper: 14 July 2017 The Mess Deck Supper in July was brilliantly supported by visiting members from Rayleigh, Basildon, Romford and Dagenham RNA branches, making it one of the best attended Mess Deck Suppers in recent history. Special thanks to Stan Moore from Dagenham Branch for the photos.
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Guess Who? Can anyone put a name to this overladen trooper? As the last ‘Guess Who’ was too easy, we thought we would make it more challenging for this issue. As a clue, our mystery man was a member of Southend RNA before joining Rayleigh Branch. There aren’t any prizes for guessing correctly, it’s just for fun! The answer will be published in the next issue of The Moorings. Last issue’s Guess Who was Shipmate Tony Reekie.
What’s in a name? RNA Rayleigh is pleased to announce that RNA name badges are now ready to order for production. They are priced at just £4.50 each (plus £1 p&p). These bespoke and unique ‘laser engraved’ pin-on badges are produced in top quality satin-finished laminated plastic and sized at 75mm x 25mm (3”x1”). RNA name badges are available in blue with up to three lines of white text (any branch, any name and any position). Please contact Rayleigh Branch Secretary S/M Gary Daisley with your order and details. Delivery is approx one week from order. 10
Diary Date:
Rayleigh Branch RNA Formal Mess Dinner Saturday 19 August 2017 The Saxon Hall, Aviation Way Rochford, SS2 6UN. Tickets £40. Diary Date:
RACE NIGHT!!! Friday 8 September 2017 (7:30pm) £5.00 tickets from S/M Dave Smith. Diary Date:
2017 Biennial Parade Sunday 10 September 2017 The Cenotaph, Horse Guards Parade, London SW1A 2AX Diary Date:
IWM DUXFORD Tuesday 12 September 2017 £32 tickets from S/M Mike Sandbrook. Diary Date:
RNA vs RBL Darts Match Friday 6 October 2017 First arrows at 8pm - free admission Royal British Legion, London Hill, Rayleigh. Diary Date:
Mess Deck Supper Friday 13 October 2017 (8pm) Tickets on sale from Audrey Blomfield. 11
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