THE MOORINGS ISSUE 71
NOVEMBER 2018
Core Values: Unity, Loyalty, Patriotism & Comradeship - Once Navy, always Navy
RAYLEIGH REMEMBERS
Members of the 16th Battalion, the Kings Royal Rifle Corps (Church Lads Brigade) on parade in Rayleigh High Street during the early years of the Great War and ahead of their deployment to France.
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 email: RNArayleigh@outlook.com Bank Details: tweet: @RNArayleigh HSBC Rayleigh Royal Naval Association Rayleigh Branch
Account number & sort code from Hon. Treasurer.
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
Rayleigh Poppy Installation: Shipmate Iain Hendry and an army of volunteers have been busy assembling the thousands of handmade poppies to the supporting mesh which will form the base of the Poppy Installation at Holy Trinity Church at the top of Rayleigh’s High Street.
The planners of the tribute from the Holy Trinity Church and Rayleigh Town Council took their inspiration from the public art installation created in the moat of the Tower of London in 2014, in which the spectacle took on the form of the blood swept lands and seas commemorating the centenary of the outbreak of WW1. The blood-red veil has been lovingly crafted by supporters of the church, town council, WI and volunteer groups across the area and was to be in place for an unveiling and dedication service on Saturday 27 October at 4pm with the Rev. David Oxtoby and S/Ms Mark Francois MP & Jack Lawmon (Chairman of Rayleigh Town Council) taking centre stage. Photographs and a full report from the ‘big reveal’ will be included in the December issue of The Moorings. 3
4
Darts Match Victory: Friday 5 October 2018 Shipmate Dave Harding led the Rayleigh RNA darts team to win by the narrowest of margins (7-6) against the Rayleigh Royal British Legion team. The latest win puts the RNA name on the HMS Illustrious trophy for only the second time since the beginning of the twice yearly friendly (grudge) match in 2013. The trophy was (again) presented to the RNA by the RBL’s long sufferring replacement captain Gary (Pod) Woodruff. What made the victory especially sweet was that the RNA has now won two out of the three matches captained by our newest convert from the RBL team. Well done team and thank you to the new faces who joined us to make up the numbers on the evening.
5
Seafarers’ Advice & Information Line (S.A.I.L.) At the Rayleigh Branch meeting on Wednesday 17 October, the assembled shipmates were treated to an enlightening talk from Miles Cowley of the S.A.I.L. organisation.
Who and what are S.A.I.L.? SAIL is an advice service dedicated to all seafarers and their families across the UK. It is run by Greenwich Citizens Advice Bureau on behalf of the Seafarers Hospital Society and funded in partnership with Seafarers UK and Greenwich Hospital. In a nutshell, SAIL is the Citizens Advice Bureau for Ex-RN, RNR, RFA & RNXS and their widows or spouses. If you’ve got a problem, or simply need some advice on benefit payments, debt management, housing repairs, PPI, nuisance neighbours or rogue traders, give them a call or drop them a line at advice@sailine.org.uk, even if you’re unsure that you’d be eligible for support, they’d be happy to hear from you. 6
Rayleigh on parade: 1915
As part of the Battle’s Over national tribute and the 100 years of remembrance, we have received permission from Mike Davies, Curator of the Rayleigh Town Museum to reproduce some of their photos dating back to 1915 when the Kings Royal Rifles were based in Rayleigh as part of their training before going to war.
The senior officer taking the parade is Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Porcher William Kindersley
The Church Lads Brigade trained near Rayleigh between March and May 1915, before returning to Buckinghamshire to complete their training. They travelled to France in November 1915. In 1916 they were in action in the Battles of the Somme and took part in the Arras Offensive, the actions on the Hindenburg Line, the Operations on the Flanders coast and the third Battles of Ypres in 1917. In 1918 they saw action in the Battles of the Lys, the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the final advance in Picardy. 7
8
9
10
Newspaper Advertising: Keep an eye out for our advertising campaign in the Castle Point and Basildon editions of the Yellow Advertiser on the run up to Remembrance Sunday. Were hoping that the newspaper coverage in conjunction with our public noticeboard campaign will help to boost public awareness of the Royal Naval Association and hopefully produce a few enquiries and possibly a few new members too.
Free Wills: Do you have a Will? Was it last updated more than five years ago? Chances are it could do with a review! Shipmate Mike Sandbrook made a very infomative presentation on the nostrings Free Wills service offered by the Royal British Legion to its members. Give Mike a call if you’d like more information. 11
The Royal Naval Division of WW1: 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 ports - Chatham, 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 lightly12
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 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 Lee-Enfields issued to the army.
13
14
Diary Dates
No.5 Area Quarterly Meeting Saturday 3 November 2018 RBL Hall, 2 London Hill, Rayleigh. 2pm All branch members welcome
High Street Poppy Collection Wednesday 7 November 2018 High Street, Rayleigh. 9am - 4pm Volunteers to contact S/M Ray Fenn
TV Game Show Night Friday 9 November 2018 RBL London Hill, Rayleigh. 7:30pm Tickets from S/M Mike Sandbrook
Remembrance Parade Sunday 11 November 2018 Muster at Websters Way. 9:25am Remembrance Service at Holy Trinity Chruch
Battle’s Over A Nation’s Tribute Sunday 11 November 2018 Bellingham Lane. 6:30pm
Remembrance Service & Wreath Laying - Operation Sweet Pea Monday 12 November 2018 RN/RNA Memorial, Rettendon - 11am
Uckers Training Night Final practice before the tournament..! Wednesday 14 November 2018 Rayleigh Branch Meeting Night - 8pm 15
16