The Moorings, Issue #64

THE MOORINGS ISSUE 64

April 2018

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

THE BEAST FROM THE EAST

The view from RNA Central Office as the ‘Beast from the East’ hits Portsmouth. In the background you can see HMS Queen Elizabeth, testing her evacuation slides (similar to aircraft slides – but with added liferafts!

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:

Joan Crick

01268 741303

Membership Secretary:

Bill Vernon

01268 772775

Standard Bearer:

Dave Bishop

01268 770521

Welfare Officer:

Dave Mead

01702 307922

Social Secretary:

Mike Sandbrook

01702 801103

Padre:

Rev. David Oxtoby

01268 971814

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

Auction Night: Shipmates Terry Barker and Dave Bishop hosted our annual Auction Night on Wednesday 7 March. The special fund raiser proved to be very successful this year, raising a record breaking ÂŁ352.30 for the Annual Mess Dinner fund. Well done gents and thank you to everyone who supported the event.

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Extract from the Semaphore Circular April 2018 Dear Shipmates, Welcome to the April Circular, I hope you have survived the Beast from the East and that you are enjoying some warmer weather. There’s lots going on in your modern go-ahead RNA. Firstly, next week the National President, National Chairman and their deputies are interviewing for my relief. They will be seeing four candidates, so hopefully some good news soon. The candidates will also have a ‘Fireside chat’ with CO staff and four Shipmates – S/M Rita Lock (NWA), S/M David Wright (10 Area), S/M Soapy Watson (3 Area) and S/M Arthur Gutteridge (4 Area) – to check the quality of dit spinning!

Hopefully the new GS will be at the Dublin Conference if one of the candidates is appointed. All the more reason to come to Dublin!

The number of delegates is improving, so fill in your delegate form. Don’t forget that your branch can now be represented by someone from another branch and therefore take advantage of the £100 (or more) subsidy. Our Guest of Honour at the Conference and Gala Dinner is the Chief of the Irish Defence Forces. So we need to have a good turn out, so as not to let the RNA down.

I’ll be sending a hardcopy posting to all branches in the next week or two. It will contain the Annual Trustee Report, Accounts for FY17 and the Conference Agenda. So please may I ask that branches review the Trustee Report and Accounts any questions please raise with me and I’ll endeavour to answer them. I’d rather you had a proper answer and not a ‘off the top of the head’ job at Conference. So ask away, no subject off the card.

The Agenda contains the proposed motions for Conference, on which the branch may want to take a view. We try hard to get the 4

hard copy to you, so you have two meetings to chat them over. If you are not sending a delegate, then you won’t have a voice.

Only comments made at Conference count! There is no point sending an email saying you don’t like an outcome.

I’ve had complaints about Central Office staging a Conference in Dublin, when we only organise it with the Area/Branch.

Conference decides where Conference meets (not the National Council or Central Office).

The envelope will also contain raffle tickets for the Annual Central Charities Fund, so please support this very worthy cause. The RNA is great at raising money, send some to your own fund!

You will see that the National Council are looking to support an advisor for Branch recruiting. We have many vibrant and successful branches and it would be great to spread good practice and enthuse branches who struggle to find new members. If you are interested – this could be a great role to make a big difference to the RNA – particularly if you have been successful. Expenses covered and the BRRA will have their own budget – and a big voice in how the RNA markets itself. Simple email application please.

You will be delighted to hear that the LIBOR buses are now busy with the first overseas deployment to WW1 battlefields planned for the summer. A BZ to Warren Belfitt in No.4 Area for organising the West Bus, which is doing great business.

Some gentle reminders and business please: • Encourage members to come along to the novice standard bearers’ competition. Help with travel and some good training.

We hope to do a training video at the comp.

• End of Year reports should be coming in along with 2018 membership subscriptions.

• Our Open Days are filling fast with only places on the October date now available.

• Do try and come to the Welfare Seminar, we have an excellent programme of speakers – and it’s a cheap weekend rate close to the National Memorial Arboretum. Over 50 5

delegates so a good social as well. I’ll be there on Friday night for a chest-poking opportunity!

It was great to welcome Runcorn Branch for their own open Day and visit to the Historic Dockyard. A fun branch who had a great few days. Bravo Zulu for the ever-energetic Dave Wright for organising the trip.

Finally, we hope the Semaphore Tower lift will be working again by the end of April (only two years to repair/replace). We’re going to have a lift party.

Best from the Central Office team,

Paul Quinn General Secretary

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Cutty Sark, Greenwich Market & National Maritime Museum visit: Thursday 22 February 2018

Our visit to the Cutty Sark, Greenwich Market and National Maritime Museum was once again a very enjoyable visit for all those who attended. Our Advance minibus driver Faren was once again very helpful and managed to drop us off and pick us up near to the visit site.

On being dropped off we had to complete a Practical Leadership Test (PLT) in the form of preparing the RNA wheelchair for use.

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This was not as easy as it sounds as despite various efforts from the group it would not open. Finally, S/M Mike Sandbrook resolved the issue in true Naval fashion of ‘Winging It’ by sticking his bum in the seat and forcing the chair to open. Job done, problem solved literally by the seat of his pants.

Our first stop was the Cutty Sark which has been fully restored to her former glory days. As usual we started off with a brew in the café which is actually situated under the ship with a fantastic view of her keel. The group thoroughly enjoyed the experience especially the narrative from the Cutty Sark Avatar who just happened to be a pretty young Scottish girl who seemed to captivate our group (especially the men for some unknown reason). Alan White, I will take your comments to my grave.

We then took a short walk to Greenwich Market. On Thursday’s the Market has collectors and vintage stalls where many interesting items could be found, including an RNA badge.

Surprisingly the group stumbled across a pub to have a meal and a pint before moving on to the National Maritime Museum.

The Maritime Museum had many interesting displays from the birth of the Royal Navy to Nelson and Trafalgar, to Jutland and beyond.

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Unfortunately, our return journey was subject to major delays on the A13 due to accidents on both sides. Fortunately, our group were in good spirits and kept themselves amused with dits of Hawaiian beauties in grass skirts, places everyone had been to and numerous games of I Spy, something beginning with C. I must admit I lost count of the times S/M Lily Irons asked “Where are we now?.�

Overall, it was a very successful day and a good start to our visit programme for 2018.

S/M Mike Sandbrook Social Secretary

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Rayleigh Branch Membership Annual Report: Branch membership numbers have remained pretty constant over the last few years, but the ratios between Full and Associate members have almost completely turned on their head since the early days.

Our best years for membership, recording the highest number was in the late 80’s and early 90’s, with membership figures reaching over the 100 mark.

In 1998, almost three quarters of the branch were Full members, with one quarter Associate members listed.

1998

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By 2012 though, the ratios were starting to move away from the 75:25 to almost 50:50.

2012

The trend continued through 2016 and 2017.

2016

2017

2018

This year, we can see that the transformation is almost complete, with more than two thirds of members now Associates and only one third listed as Full members.

This year’s drive for recruitment will focus to increase both Full and Associate membership numbers. The Committee is currently working to develop an effective strategy to market the RNA and its branches locally. We already have a presence on Social Media, but we will need a higher profile both in the local press and by providing a physical presence at public events and even waving the flag outside the local supermarket if necessary!

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Annual Mess Dinner: Saturday 28th July Preparations for our Annual Mess Dinner are going very well and we are very close to our maximum of 100 people attending. As previously briefed we are organising a taxi service for those who cannot get to the venue. All names collected will be given to the taxi company to organise pick-ups. This will ensure that all will get the cheapest fare to and from the venue. Please do not leave this until the last minute as once the taxi service has been booked it cannot be changed and as such you will then need to make your own arrangements. If you require this service give your name to one of the Mess Dinner Working Group (S/M’s Jim Hammond, Mike Sandbrook, Cherry Ablitt and Joan Crick).

Uckers Night: The next Uckers Night is scheduled for Wednesday 16 May 2018.

Invitations have been sent to all RNA branches within No.5 Area.

Thus far, they’ve all been too scared to take us up on our offer (they’ve heard about S/M Mike Sandbrook’s victory at last year’s championship competition)!

Did you know..?

In the second battle of Narvik in 1940, the Royal Navy took a huge risk by sending the battleship HMS Warspite deep into a Norwegian fjord to seek out the enemy. However, the gambol paid off and the RN Battle Group finished off the last of the ten German destroyers left from the first battle!

Navy News (March 2013).

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A hearty thank you

The branch AGM in early February saw both Audrey Blomfield (left) and Margaret Day step down from their respective committee positions of Social Secretary and Hon Treasurer.

Audrey had been awarded the Shipmate of the Year trophy in the year 2000 for services to the branch and had been Membership Secretary before taking on the Social Secretary position in 2009.

Margaret was jointly awarded the Shipmate of the Year trophy with S/M Bert Mitchell in 2005, taking on the position of Hon Treasurer also in 2009.

The Branch Committee would like to express their sincere thanks to both lady shipmates for their service and dedication over the years and for the energy and enthusiasm that they have both brought to their roles.

The Chairman would also like to express his personal gratitude to Audrey and Margaret for their professionalism and devotion to duty during their time on the Committee.

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WRNS in action

During times of war, when telecommunications were limited and insecure, dispatch riders (military messengers on motorcycles) were used by the armed forces to deliver urgent orders and messages between headquarters and military units. Women excelled as dispatch riders and were often seen taking their motorcycles, in the name of duty through perilous conditions.

Photos courtesy of the IWM

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Diary Dates

St. George’s Day Dance Saturday 21 April 2018 Basildon RNA - S/M Mike Sandbrook

RNA v RBL Darts Match Friday 4 May 2018 S/Ms Dave Bishop & Dave Harding

Rayleigh Trinity Fair Sunday 10 June 2018 High Street, Rayleigh

Castle Point Council Flag Raising - Monday 25 June 2018 Council Offices, Kiln Road, Benfleet Muster at 10:30

Canvey Island Armed Forces Day - Saturday 30 June 2018 Castle View School, Canvey Island Muster at 10:00

Mess Deck Supper Friday 13 July 2018 (8pm) S/M Mike Sandbrook.

Annual Mess Dinner Saturday 28 July 2018 The Saxon Hall, Aviation Way Rochford, SS2 6UN. Tickets £40.

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