The Moorings, Issue #57 (NOT PUBLISHED)

THE MOORINGS ISSUE 57

8 November 2017

Core Values: Unity, Loyalty, Patriotism & Comradeship - Once Navy, always Navy

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

On Sunday 12 November, the Royal British Legion will host the Act of Remembrance. There will also be a remembrance parade through Rayleigh High Street and a remembrance service at the Holy Trinity Church.

Incorporated by Royal Charter

Patron: HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN

ROYAL NAVAL ASSOCIATION 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

Poppy Appeal Collection: Throughout today (8 November), shipmate Ray Fenn and his team will be present in Rayleigh High Street collecting for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.

Please give generously. Thank you.

The History of the Royal Naval Division (see page 8).

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RNA Rayleigh Branch History Although much of Rayleigh Branch’s history now seems to be lost in time, I have managed to glean a few details from what few records remain accessible.

Much of my research rested with the few files which were passed to me since S/M Alan Booth crossed the bar in April of last year.

Knowing how meticulous the RN has always been with its record keeping, I had hoped that RNA-HQ would have kept some of the historic files relating to Rayleigh Branch. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case and I have had to scratch around in the dust to trace the origins of the Branch. I would however like to thank No.5 Area Hon. Secretary Paulette Rose for her assistance in supplying copies of branch records post 2012 and the mental recollection of some of the more senior shipmates in the branch for the really early stuff.

In the beginning… Shipmates Frank Paxton and George Mead from Basildon Branch advertised in the local press and held a meeting on 12 March 1986 to judge if there was sufficient interest to start a branch in Rayleigh. The inaugural meeting was held less than a week later on 17 March and was attended by Frank Paxton, Ken Cole, Eric Thacker, Les Watts, Reg Aiters, Frank Lee, George Mead, Ron Steadman, Alan Iles, Les Davis, Bill Gwyther, Harry Dudmish, Les Suffolk and John Newson.

The branch founder members (as stated on the Formation Application) were Frank Paxton (Chairman), George Mead (Hon. Secretary), Bob Goat (Vice-Chairman), Ron Steadman (Treasurer) and Ken Cole & John Newson (Committee Members). The Commissioning Ceremony was held on 27 June 1986 and was attended by Chas Claxton (No.5 Area DNCM) as Branch Commissioning Officer and Sir Bernard Brain MP. The Branch Sponsor Bert Hemming BEM (No.5 Area NCM) was unable to attend.

The Annual RNA Subscriptions at that time were £2.50, with an additional levy of £1 (per year) payable to the branch. Others who joined Rayleigh Branch in 1986 included Larry Kettley, Bill Greenshields, Bob Maizey, Anthony Paxton, Les Meek, Doug 4

Moss and Roy Swain, of which only Anthony Paxton and Roy Swain are still with us.

The first few branch meetings were well attended by 32 shipmates on 26 March, 38 on 9 April and 26 on 23 April. An amazing accomplishment for such a new branch and is only occasionally repeated with today’s membership numbers.

Frank Paxton’s success and our gratitude for forming the branch have been recognised and captured in a memorial bench at Operation Sweet Pea in Rettendon. However, George Mead was also undeniably an influence in Frank’s achievement.

George had been the Hon. Secretary of Basildon Branch prior to Rayleigh’s formation and later became No.5 Area’s vice– chairman. We don’t have any photographs of either Frank or George, but if anyone could provide, they would become a great part of our heritage to look back on in the future.

The 1982, 1983/4 & 1989/90 RNA Yearbooks. Some of the materials bought to support my branch history research campaign.

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RNA Membership Renewal A note to remind anyone that doesn’t currently pay their RNA subscriptions by Standing Order, that our Membership Secretary S/M Bill Vernon is now collecting your £14 renewal fee in time for the 2018 deadline.

If you wish to start paying by Standing Order, please complete the yellow sections in the form below and send to your Bank or Building Society.

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History of the Royal Naval Division The 63rd (Royal Naval) Division was a United Kingdom infantry division of the First World War. It was originally formed as the Royal Naval Division at the outbreak of the war, from Royal Navy and Royal Marine reservists and volunteers, who were not needed for service at sea. The division fought at Antwerp in 1914 and at Gallipoli in 1915. In 1916, following many losses among the original naval volunteers, the division was transferred to the British Army as the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division, re-using the number from the disbanded second-line 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division Territorial Force. As an Army formation, it fought on the Western Front for the remainder of the war.

Advanced Base Force When the war began, a Marine Brigade of four infantry battalions was formed from men of the Royal Marine Light Infantry and Royal Marine Artillery. The brigade was to be an Advanced Base Force, according to a pre-war plan to furnish the Admiralty with a means to take, fortify or defend temporary naval bases for fleet operations or the supply of army field forces. The recruits included regular marines and those mobilised from the Fleet Reserve; each battalion was drawn from one of the big naval depot portsChatham, Portsmouth, Plymouth & Deal and named accordingly.

Royal Naval Division On 16 August, Winston Churchill the First Lord of the Admiralty, decided to embody two more naval brigades with surplus men of the Naval Reserve, to join with the Marine Brigade to produce a composite Royal Naval Division. A few petty officers and ratings were transferred from the navy to provide a cadre and some officers were provided by the army but most of the recruits were reservists or men who had volunteered on the outbreak of war.

The eight battalions were named after naval commanders, Drake, Benbow, Hawke, Collingwood, Nelson, Howe, Hood and Anson, later being numbered from 1st to 8th. The division was not provided with medical, artillery or engineer units, consisting solely of lightly-equipped infantry. Many of the trained men were then reclaimed for fleet service and recruits were taken over at the request of the War Office, from oversubscribed north-country 8

T H G NI 7

E ER 2 C I CTOVEMB A R 8N L P DAY

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A NES N I F W ED

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Guess Who? Can anyone put a name to the modified face of this post WW2 Matelot?

As a clue, our mystery man joined the RNA after 33 years in the RN and served with both the Fleet Air Arm and submarine service.

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 Les Holyome.

Thank you to everyone who has participated in this section of The Moorings by providing photographs of your time in uniform. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Continued from page-8. regiments. Training was slow, except for the Marine Brigade which had its own infrastructure, because resources were needed for the rapid expansion of the Army and naval ratings were not issued with field equipment or khaki uniforms before being embarked for overseas service. On 26 August, the Marine Brigade was sent to Ostend to reinforce the Belgian garrison, after German cavalry had appeared in the area. The brigade returned on 1 September after the scare subsided and on 3 September the Admiralty decided to train the two Naval Reserve brigades as infantry, to form an infantry division with the Marine Brigade. Rifles were drawn from Royal Navy stocks and only arrived at the end of September; these were older charger-loading Lee–Enfields rather than the modern Short Magazine LeeEnfields issued to the army.

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Diary Dates.

HIGH STREET POPPY COLLECTION Wednesday 8 November 2017 S/M Ray Fenn and his team will be in Rayleigh High Street

Remembrance pre-meeting Saturday 11 November 2017 5:30pm Holy Trinity Church Briefing for marshals & wreath layers

Remembrance Parade & Service Sunday 12 November 2017 Muster: Websters Way car park by 09:15 Service: Holy Trinity Church 10:00-10:15 start

TURKEY & TINSEL 27 November - 1 December 2017 A festive Christmas break to the Isle of Wight.

Details from S/M Margaret Day.

RNA Rayleigh Christmas Social Wednesday 6 December 2017 Enjoy letting your hair down and spending the evening with StarStruck Disco.

UCKERS TOURNAMENT Saturday 16 December 2017 (10:30 - 16:30) £5.00 entry. Contact S/M Gary Daisley.

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