NEWSLETTER No. 2/2004 – JUNE

OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION

President Admiral Sir James Eberle, GCBVice President Mr. A. Edinborough

32 Warborough Avenue, Tilehurst, Reading, Berks. RG31 5LA (0118 9429425)

Chairman Shipmate G.W. Toomey29 Sunningdale Drive, Chapel St. Leonards,

Skegness, Lincs. PE24 5TJ (01754 872116)Secretary Shipmate E.P. Harrison, (Membership Records 31 Wood Lane, Fleet, Hants GU51 3EAAccounts & Newsletter) (01252 613052)Slops Organisers Shipmate L. & Mrs J. Taylor

3 Willow Avenue, Swanley, Kent BR8 8AS(01322 663661)

Archivist Lt.Cdr. K. Batchelor (SCC) RNR10 Beacon Road, Ware, Herts. SG12 7HY

Bosun Shipmate P. MarchantParade Marshal Shipmate A. QuartermaineDeputy Parade Marshal Shipmate K. SatterthwaiteWeb Master Shipmate F. W. BartholomewStandard Bearers Shipmate B. Hibbert

Shipmate C.M. AllwoodEastbourne Co-ordinator Mrs J.M. GristAustralian Co-ordinator Mrs. J. Hennell____________________________________________________________________

First, an apology. It had been hoped to get this newsletter out in May but, as you can see it is now well into June. After a great reunion I was told, by she who must be obeyed, that it was time I got down to the list of things that needed doing around the house! As always happens, other things became emergencies and the list got longer. At the same time, my computer, which had been causing some concern in the run up to the reunion, decided to give up the ghost completely. I had been gradually moving all the membership records, accounts, etc. to a new box when it happened. The last complete back-up I’d taken was on 19th March but it still has meant an awful lot of work to get it all back together. Please therefore forgive me for being late.

You will have gathered from the last couple of newsletters that our Chairman, George, was determined that we should have paid attendants on the car park at the reunion. This was, of course, because of his experiences which made him unwell at Reunion 2003. Whilst down at Eastbourne previously he had made enquiries at several agencies but basically they would just pull people in off the street - if they could get them. Subsequent enquiries were made of the local Sea Cadet Corps and the Police Cadets by Janet Grist. Again, no joy. Christopher Dean, the Manager of the Burlington Hotel, then thought that he might be able to persuade an off duty member of staff to do the job. Chairman George was determined to be on hand first

thing on the Friday morning to give whoever his instructions for the layout he wanted, etc.

So, bright and early on the Thursday morning he set of for Eastbourne in his “trusty” Rover Metro. Some 40 miles down the road his engine became a cause for concern and he stopped at the roadside to call the AA. Some time later the AA man arrived and took his carburettor apart. He succeeded in getting it going again and once more the intrepid Chairman turned his car towards Eastbourne. 20 miles further on the same problem occurred again. Out phone and on to the AA again. Another AA man arrived, and then the original one who was passing also stopped to help. Eventually the car was towed to a garage where a blocked filter was determined as the cause of the problem and fixed. By this time, George and Pat were exhausted and of course there was still a long way to go. They therefore decided to call it a day, go home and start off again next morning.

Almost home George stopped at a road junction but the young lady driving a Ford Escort behind didn’t. Exchanging insurance details and with the boot lid bashed in George and Pat arrived back home about 5 o’clock, eight hours to go roughly 60 miles to nowhere.

Next morning they were on the road again. This time it was a breeze - well at least until they turned off the M25 onto the A22 to take them to Eastbourne, when his clutch went. Stopped in a dangerous position on a roundabout, George and Pat had to push the car into a safer position. No mean feat for a lady of more mature years. On the phone again for the AA. Whilst they were waiting Les and Jean Taylor passed by and, recognising George and Pat in distress, turned back at the next roundabout to try to help. The AA arrived and it was agreed that Les & Jean would take George and Pat on down to the Burlington and the AA would follow carrying the car down. Les & Jean said that it was quite unusual for them to go that way to Eastbourne so it was quite fortuitous for them to see G & P.

Arriving in the Burlington Hotel George’s first words were “What a mess in the car park. Who’s been looking after the parking?” Somehow, I don’t think that he’ll find it easy to find someone to look after the parking next year!

From our Chairman

Shipmates and other members,Well, another wonderful reunion over and, once again your effort in our

support was outstanding, not only in the attendance numbers which mean so much, but also the total support in the raffles run by Jean and Les and my raffle on the Sunday. These raffles brought in the money so that the Association can purchase some state of the art display boards that fold up into carry cases. This will make it a lot easier for Keith Batchelor, our Archivist, and also help to take better care of our historic collection of photographs. In the days when Reg Doring looked after the archives we had tried to get him to have some of these boards but he, and then Keith, always felt that it was difficult to justify the cost. However, the deterioration of the old boards made it imperative that something should be done. Your donations and the raffle takings made it easier. Well done.

The highlight of the reunion was the attendance of Mr. Henry Allingham at our reunion dinner. Aged 107 at that time, his 108th birthday was on D-Day 6th June, he made a supreme effort to raise himself from his wheelchair to stand for the loyal toast. Perhaps we can persuade him to attend again next year.

My thanks go to all the members in our organising group who do wonders in making our reunion run so well. So, well done to you all.

George

OBITUARIES

S/M W.L (Bill) Armstrong, OBE

It was only as a result of a solicitor’s letter that we knew of the passing of Bill Armstrong. That resulted from our February newsletter having been passed to them. Whether he had any surviving relatives we don’t know but it is a very sad way to hear of the loss of one of our shipmates.

Bill, who died on 2nd February 2004, was one of the survivors picked up by HMS Legion when Cossack was torpedoed on 23rd October 1941. At that time he was an Ordinary Seaman on the midships secondary armament. He later served in the Jackdaw and the Vestal.

Invalided out of the RN just before the end of WWII he returned to his native Glasgow where he studied law. He became Secretary of the Scottish Engineers Association and was awarded the OBE in 1983.

S/M A.S. (Stan) Edgell

To his fellow messmates on the after mess deck he was a very modest and well liked mess mate. He was a Gunnery rating and during his time in Cossack was Y Gun Sweeper. His Far East service was partly in Cossack. from 1949 to 1951, and then in the Belfast from 1951 to 1952.

At his last reunion at Eastbourne Stan told Alan Quartermaine about being billeted aboard the USS Dixie, the HQ ship in Sasebo, from where sea operations on the East and West coasts of Korea were controlled. He and several others were waiting for the Belfast having just left other ships. Stan said that they lived like Lords while aboard the Dixie, with chicken and steaks on the menu and proper laundry facilities. This came to an end of course when they joined their next ship. Just before leaving though he heard two USN ratings say “these Limeys live like Pirates”. They were two crew of the US landing craft on loan to Cossack for harbour duties.

He was very proud to have been selected for the Ceremonial Guard outside Buckingham Palace during the Queen’s Coronation. He also served in Pembroke and in the Diamond. Continued

Continued

After his RN service Stan worked for Marley Tiles and was, ably assisted by his wife Barbara, a keen organiser of tours in both the UK and Germany for his fellow employees.

Stan Edgell passed away at the William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, Kent on 29th March 2004 from a heart attack and stroke, following a long and painful illness. The funeral took place at Charing in Kent on 5th April and S/Ms Ernie Watts and Peter Harrison were honoured to represent the Association at the ceremony.

His widow Barbara, who is now an Associate member of the Association, said that SSAFA had been absolutely marvellous in the help and support they had given during Stan’s long illness.

MAY OUR DEPARTED SHIPMATES REST IN PEACE_____________________________________________________________________

On behalf of the members, our sympathies and condolences were sent to S/M Austin Tarbard (D57 1951-54) for the loss of his partner Juanita who passed away after a long fight against cancer.

The late S/M Eddie Dove

The last newsletter included a report on the funeral of our departed shipmate. We were unaware that Peter Dove and his sister, Eddie’s children, had asked that, instead of flowers, mourners might like to donate to the HMS Cossack Association. They attended the reunion in April and, just before leaving on the Sunday morning, handed over cheques to a total of £300. The Association’s thanks were given at the time and later in writing but we will now try to think of a suitable tangible way of commemorating S/M Dove._____________________________________________________________________

OTHER MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

New Members

Although we have sadly lost two members since our last newsletter went out in February, we have gained eleven new members to whom a warm welcome is given. They are:S/M N.C. Drake A.B.(AA3) L03 1941S/M D. Millard Shipwright D57 1952-54S/M J. Stannard Boy D57 1955-56S/M J. Brines Able Seaman D57 1945-46Mr. A. Ferguson Associate Member Grandson of Able Seaman

A.E. Connell L03 1938-40Mr. A. Featherstone Associate Member Nephew of L/Sea A.

Marshall, DSM who died in L03 23 Oct 41

Mr. J.W. Dixon Associate Member Relative of Boy J. Hannah who died in L03 23 Oct 41

Mr. J.G. Hunter Associate Member Nephew of Able Seaman A. Hunter who died in L03 23 Oct 41

Mr. T.S. Grimes Associate Member Grandson of the late Petty Officer H. Gilham (D57)

Mrs. B. Edgell Associate Member Widow of the late S/M A.S. Edgell (D57)

CPO S. Williams, USN Associate Member Son-in-law of S/M M. Davidson (D57)

Our total membership now stands at 292 and is made up as follows:

166 D57 members [47] 24 L03 members 96 Associate members [31] 6 Honorary members

You may wonder what the figures are in brackets. Despite the warning in the last newsletter that the subscription for 2004/05 would become due on 1st May, those figures are the number of each category who have not yet paid. A form will be attached to the front of your newsletter if you are one of those. If so, please pay up or this will be your last newsletter. We don’t want to lose you but ………_____________________________________________________________________

Reunion 2005

In the last newsletter the dates for Reunion 2005 were given as 8th-10th April 2005. Despite having made the arrangements with the Burlington Hotel in February our Chairman found in his discussions with the Manager after Reunion 2004 that, although he had written a provisional booking in the diary, one of the under managers had booked another association reunion for the same dates. Since we were in first I feel that the other one should have been made to change. However, our Chairman accepted the situation and the dates for our reunion are now for the following weekend, the dates being 15th, 16th and 17th April 2005.

Sorry about that. Please remember to change the dates in your diary.____________________________________________________________________

Reunion 2004 - Report

As you will have gathered from George’s problems in getting to Eastbourne he did not arrive until late Friday afternoon. However, the well drilled machine had gone into action and the business of settings things up was well underway by that time. Peter Marchant, Alan Edinborough, Brian Hibbert and Eddie Gilham had got the flags up, etc. and got the archive room ready for Keith Batchelor to move in. The weather couldn’t have been better and many took the opportunity to walk along the prom and see some of Eastbourne’s amenities.

With the usual evening musical entertainment provided by the hotel, members and their guests took their time to settle in and renew old acquaintances. Despite a special beer promotions price the bar staff reported that takings were down this year. Whilst not encouraging people to drink too much, it should be pointed out that we are able to negotiate low prices for rooms, etc. on the basis of a number of things, including bar takings.

Saturday morning dawned with bright sunshine and many were out early taking advantage. There was a good turnout for the AGM which commenced at 11.00.

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AGM

The meeting opened with remembrance of those who had passed over the bar with the names of those who had died since the last reunion being read out during the two minute silence. These were

Ernie Williams (D57 1946-47)Peggy Miller (Associate member)Charles Scott (L03 1938-40)Vic Hiscock (L03 1940-41)Fred Andrews (D57 1945-46)Eddie Dove (L03 1938-40)George Casey (D57 1947-49)Warner Dennis (D57 1947-49)Bill Armstrong (L03 1941)Geoffrey Craven (L03 1939-41)Stan Edgell (D57 1949-51)

After the silence, the exhortation was spoken by the Chairman.

Next came the introductions. Following our usual routine each member present stood up in turn and gave his Name, Ship (D57 or L03), the years he served in the ship and his rank/rating at the time. This routine is popular because it allows new members to be seen and to perhaps recognise others with whom they may have served. Each new member present was given an enthusiastic cheer.

The Secretary gave a short report on the financial situation. He referred to the report which had been distributed showing the situation as at 31st March 2004 and said that there had been little change since then. He pointed out that there were disposable funds of almost £3000. He said that, with the generosity of members, particularly at reunions, there was no need to increase the annual subscription and this would remain at £5.00.

He asked for retrospective approval for a donation of £100.00, which was given to T.S. COSSACK, the Barry unit of the Sea Cadet Corps. An invitation had been received to attend the unit’s annual inspection and having canvassed those members who lived near Barry, he and S/M Dai Rees (D57 1958-60) attended. It had been agreed with the Chairman beforehand that we should make a donation but, of course, it is impossible to get agreement of all members prior to such events. He gave a brief

report on the visit (see the later article in this newsletter). Approval was given by a unanimous show of hands.

The Chairman said that before asking whether there was any other business he wanted to make a presentation to Peter Harrison for all the hard work that he did throughout the year and particularly for the reunion. He then presented Peter Harrison with a power washer! Peter Harrison thanked the Chairman but said that he was trying to figure out the significance!

The Chairman also proposed that authority be given for the Secretary to purchase a new computer from our funds. His current one was on its last legs with a recurring hard disk problem and since this was the third one, which is almost exclusively used for Association work, he had purchased himself since taking over as Secretary, the Chairman thought it only fair that he should be given some financial help. This was seconded by the Vice President, Alan Edinborough and carried unanimously.

On calling for any other business, Keith Batchelor, the Archivist, asked for the Association to purchase some display stands to replace the wooden boards and easels made by Reg Doring years ago. The Chairman said that this had been suggested a number of years ago but had gone no further. Keith Batchelor said that he thought that it might cost up to £600. Seconded by Peter Harrison, the proposal was carried unanimously.

There being no other ordinary business, the meeting was adjourned for a presentation to be given by Warrant Officer Gary Smith from HMS RALEIGH about the transfer and continued operation of the Cossack Building (the Board and Search School) from HMS CAMBRIDGE. A copy of his presentation has been promised but had not been received as we go to press. It will be included in a later newsletter when received.

The Chairman thanked W.O.Smith for such an enjoyable and interesting talk and was presented by W.O. Smith with an HMS RALEIGH plaque.

The AGM was re-opened temporarily in order to close it and pipe Up Spirits.____________________

The “free” afternoon sped by and it was soon time for members and their guests to assemble in the lounge/bar area for pre-dinner drinks and to await the arrival of our special guest. Arriving in style in the Mayor of Eastbourne’s limousine, Henry Allingham was met outside and helped into the wheelchair by Christopher Dean, the Hotel General Manager, and then pushed in to a right royal salute. He was piped aboard by S/Ms Jack Price and Geoff Lane and it looked as though he very much appreciated it. Mr. Allingham was wearing the Croix de Guerre, presented to him a couple of years ago and was, he said, the only medal he had since his First World War ones were lost during the blitz in WWII. Inside he was greeted by our President, Admiral Sir James Eberle, the Chairman, S/M George Toomey and others and sat patiently while a photographer took photographs of various groups.

One of the photographs, and several others from the reunion, are reproduced on the centre page of this newsletter. The others will be on display at the next reunion.

Whilst more photographs were being taken, Admiral Eberle was asked to pin on some medals to two of our members. The son of one of our more recent members, Norman Parker (L03 1938-41) got in touch about an article he had read in the Navy News. This was about a man who had worked in the Plymouth Naval Base for some years and during his time in the Navy during WWII had been involved in escorting convoys for the relief of Malta. The Government of Malta had issued a medal marking the 50th anniversary of the award of the George Cross to the island and all those who were involved in the defence of Malta were entitled to apply. Due to the poor publicity few of those entitled did actually apply. In due course the Maltese Government gave approval to Award Productions Ltd. to supply a reproduction of the medal to those who could prove eligibility. This chap’s workmates got together and got the medal for him, and this was the subject of the Navy News article. Norman’s son asked whether we could arrange for medals for eligible L03 members who had served on Malta convoys.

Some already had the medal, and of those who didn’t but were eligible only four wished to purchase them. Two were not attending the reunion but two were and it was arranged that for these two, Norman Parker and Ken Robinson, to have their medals pinned on by Admiral Eberle.

Ceremonies over, it was time for members and guests to take their places for dinner before the President, Mr. Allingham, the Mayor of Eastbourne and the Chairman and his lady processed into the dining room. The Grace was said by S/M Peter Hampstead and all took their seats for an enjoyable dinner.

After coffee had been served the Chairman asked members to stand for the Loyal Toast. It had not been expected that Mr. Allingham would stand but he made a determined effort and did so - a fantastic show of loyalty to his Queen. The kitchen and dining room staff then lined up and the Chairman thanked them for all their efforts. He also thanked all the members and their guests for their attendance to make it another evening to remember. He then handed over to the President, Admiral Eberle.

Admiral Eberle reminded everyone of Henry Allingham’s past and of how honoured we were to have him as our very special guest. He went on to talk about how important it was that associations such as ours existed to remind people of the past sacrifices made by our forces and of the current work that British forces are doing in the various hot spots around the world.

The Secretary, S/M Peter Harrison, then asked the President to present Henry Allingham with an engraved tankard as a reminder of his evening with us. Further presentations were made of an engraved vase to Miss Olive Woodall the Mayor of Eastbourne, an engraved tankard to Mr. Ron Cussins, the retiring Director of Tourism & Leisure for Eastbourne, and a ship’s badge wall plaque to Janet Grist, our Eastbourne Co-ordinator. Finally the President was asked to draw a ticket for the door prize. The winner was S/M Jack Price who got a bottle of malt whisky and two engraved whisky glasses.

Led by those at the top table, members and guests then retired to the lounges for and evening of relaxation, with music and entertainment by Jack Hazledene. During the

evening the draws took place for the dozens of items donated very generously by members and few seemed to go away empty-handed. The draw was also made for the Cash Raffle. Because the number of tickets sold was so good it was decided to increase the number of prizes by adding two more at £25. The winners were:

Ticket No.£100 R.P. Dearing 143£50 B. De Lara * 556£25 P.A.C. Day 109

M.S. Cook * 254D.G. Rees 259K. Batchelor 642K. Batchelor 644A. Edinborough 330

All were present except those 2 marked with and asterisk above and received their cheques there and then. The other 2 had theirs sent by post.

Henry Allingham had stayed on for about half an hour after the dinner finished but, although he said that he had enjoyed himself, he was starting to feel very tired and was taken home. Whether it is because we are all getting that bit older or what, there were no night owls holding up the bar and it closed about 11.30. On the other hand, perhaps everyone had gone over to the nightclub on the pier (I saw a few wistful eyes following the young, skimpily clad young girls as they walked in front of the hotel on their way)!

Next morning, Sunday, once again that weekend found the sun shining for us. Quite a difference from the previous year when, although it had been dry , was quite cold. With a hearty breakfast inside, those of us attending church set off for Holy Trinity, with a coach provided for those unable to make the walk. As usual there was a very good turnout, with Cossack’s filling at least a third of the church, and a large contingent of standards providing an impressive line up at the entrance. Holy Trinity always give us a good welcome and tailor their service with nautical themes. The service was also attended by the Deputy Mayor of Eastbourne and the lesson was read by Admiral Eberle.

On completion of the service, those taking part in the parade made their way to the Lifeboat Museum at the western end of the promenade whilst the coach dropped the standard bearers there before returning to the hotel with those unable to walk.

You may remember that we had a little bit of a fiasco last year when the parade marched off early and the saluting base was not ready. To save this happening again we had purchased a pair of two-way radios, so this time we were in touch at either end. Led as usual by the Eastbourne Scottish Pipe Band, behind which came the Association’s Standards and a mass of other Standards from local ex-service organisations, the platoon of Cossacks and a small contingent from the local Sea Cadet Corps. On arrival at the saluting base the salute was taken by Admiral Sir James Eberle, supported by the Deputy Mayor of Eastbourne.

Admiral Eberle had taken much of his time whilst waiting for the parade to arrive in talking the many of the visitors to Eastbourne who thronged the promenade to watch the parade. He never misses the opportunity to talk to people about the importance of the services, especially to the younger ones.

The parade halted just before reaching the pier and was inspected by the Admiral. The parade then marched across the pelican crossing under the watchful eye of two police cadets. Returning to the hotel most were soon taking advantage of the open bar and the buffet lunch which soon followed.

The Chairman took advantage of the crowd to get tickets sold for his Sunday raffle, getting a total of £143.00 in ticket sales. Incidentally, the profits made on the other raffles will be shown in separate report.

All too soon it was time to say goodbye to the many friends who were leaving that afternoon, although a good number were staying on for the extra night. For those of us who are involved in organising the weekend, the extra night gives us time to enjoy a rest after the hustle and bustle. However, that was quickly over and we were making our farewells to the rest. All except George and Pat (see the report on the “aftermath” which follows this).

The weekend seemed to go very well and the many letters of thanks we have received seems to confirm that. Our thanks though go to you all because it is you who make it a great weekend._____________________________________________________________________

Reunion 2004 - The Aftermath

George and Pat’s catastrophe with their car did not of course end with the arrival of their car, courtesy of the AA, in the car park behind the hotel. The car had to be dealt with before they could leave for home. George and Pat stayed on at the hotel and he had arranged for it to be seen by a garage on the Tuesday morning. This gave him some time to talk to the Manager about this year’s reunion and discuss prices for the next. One result of this was the change of dates for the 2005 reunion, reported on earlier. George reports as follows:

I had been told by the Bar Manager that the takings were considerably down on what were expected on the Friday evening but after dinner on Saturday I noticed that most of the seating closest to the bar area was nearly empty. This mystified me as the very good deal I had done with the hotel on beer prices would not have been touched by outside pubs. I spoke to a number of shipmates about this and some said that because there were “No Smoking” signs at the bar they thought the whole lounge area was a no smoking area. That wasn’t so of course, it was only AT the bar where smoking was not allowed.

The bar staff also reported that they had seen a number of the guests drinking their own drinks, ie not purchased from the bar. I hope that wasn’t so. Each year we have a battle to do a good deal so that it will be an affordable weekend for as many members as possible. This includes getting a much reduced beer price. If sales are

low there is no incentive for the hotel to keep the price down below that of outside pubs. So members, it’s in your hands.

My sojourn at the hotel lasted for 8 days, until the end of the next week. My car was a write-off and I had to buy another. We arrived home the following Sunday with another car and empty pockets.

By the way shipmates, when you use your car that car you are driving has all the paperwork like Log book, certificate of insurance, MOT and is taxed. If not you may not get paid out by your insurer. These were the first questions I was asked. I was OK but make sure you are too. I would also like to draw your attention to changes being made by the AA. I understand that they are going to limit Relay call out and roadside assistance, so make sure you read your renewal terms carefully if you are an AA member. They say that this is due to a small number who call them out many times in one year. I said that this had always happened since the AA was formed but of course the AA is now part of a profit making company named CENTRICA. Incidentally, now that the AA no longer issue their handbooks, they are becoming collectors’ items. So keep your old ones safe.

My thanks go to Les and Jean Taylor for picking up Pat and me on the way down.

George____________________________________________________________________Can you help?

1.Our Chairman, George Toomey, is on the scrounge. In the run up to the reunion it wasn’t until very late on that we realised that Mr. Allingham, our 107 year old guest for dinner, would need a wheel chair. I suppose we had thought that the hotel would have had one for the occasional use of needy guests. However, that proved not to be the case. Ever resourceful, Janet Grist our Eastbourne Co-ordinator, tracked one down at the local Red Cross that we could use in return for a donation.

In addition, a lady needed help when she found walking very painful. George spotted a wheel chair by the hotel front door and, thinking that it belonged to the hotel, arranged for it to be sent up to her room. She appeared back downstairs in the chair, much to her husband’s relief, and was taken into dinner. However, he then found that the chair was the property of another guest who had left it inside the front door for use on returning to the hotel, and had returned to find it gone! Fortunately the lady’s painful feet had eased and the chair was returned to the owner, with George’s profuse apologies.

George feels that we should have one available at the hotel for our reunions and, before spending money unnecessarily, has asked whether any member has a wheelchair which is no longer required to get in touch with him on 01754-872116.

The second thing he is after is a record player, which will play the old 78 rpm records. We have a copy of “The Navy’s Here” record which was issued after the Altmark Incident. We also have a tape which purports to be a copy of what’s on the record but is very short and George wants to check that we have the whole thing. If not he

wants to re-record it. If you’ve got such a record player, please phone George on 01754-872116.

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2.Does any one remember Stoker Mechanic John Henshaw? He was in Cossack on the 1949-51 commission. We are trying to persuade him to join the Association and it would help if we could point to someone who knew him who is already a member. Please let the Secretary (see page 1) know if you knew him. ____________________________________________________________________

The Quest Went On

George, fired by the results of his quest to find more details of the first Cossack, found himself intrigued by the information produced by the website about the Rose. Their site put HMS in inverted commas because, they said, at the time the original Rose was built ships were not known as His Majesty’s Ships. George’s new quest therefore was to find out just when this usage began. The Naval Historical Branch could not help, nor the Imperial War Museum. So he turned to the Daily Mail.

His question was “Which Royal Navy warship was the first to be given the title ‘HMS’? The following reply was published in the Daily Mail of 21st May.

‘HMS’ and other ship prefixes are not actually part of the ship’s name, but are like ‘Mr’ or ‘Mrs’ - an identifying title used in formal circumstances. Like many things, the practice developed over time rather than being laid down by rule.

Historically the Royal Navy referred to its ships by name - ‘Captain Nelson of Agamemnon’ is typical (rather than ‘of the Agamemnon’).

Nelson and his contemporaries normally wrote ‘ His Majesty’s ship Agamemnon’, often shortened to ‘His Maties’ Ship’ or sometimes ‘HM ship’ (the S being either upper or lower case) - though he himself did occasionally use ‘HMS’.

HMS began to be used regularly only in about 1790 (the first recorded reference being to HMS Phoenix, in 1789), but it only became widespread practice by around 1820.

As a principle, the use of HMS for ships up to that time is best avoided as a general anachronism; before 1790 it is wrong, except where one has to use it for clarity.

A related and common modern mistake is to call all Royal Navy sailing vessels HMS. Captain Cook’s vessels were, for example, ‘His Majesty’s bark Endeavour’ and ‘His Majesty’s sloops Resolution, Adventure and Discovery’. Even the 1789 example HMS Phoenix, a 36-gun fifth rate, was as likely to be called ‘His Majesty’s frigate’.

Pieter van der MerweNational Maritime MuseumGreenwich, London

George now reckons that the Trincomalee was also a sister ship to the first Cossack.

He was a bit miffed to find that after all his hard work, someone in the HMS Bulawayo Association had done it all before. This chap collects cap tallies and for each one he gets, and he’s now got about 1000, he researches into the ships history.

By the way, the Chairman of the Bulawayo Association got in touch with George to make a tie up between the associations. The Bulawayo was originally the Nordmark, a sister ship to the Altmark and did a similar job in the North Atlantic as Altmark did in the South. But more of that when we get more information.____________________________________________________________________

Lieut. Commander Bradwell Turner

In the December 2003 newsletter we reported back on our attempt to find the number of the house in Maltravers Road, Littlehampton where Lt. Cdr. Bradwell Turner of Altmark fame had lived. The house had been demolished and an alternative site for the blue plaque was being investigated. It turned out that the house had been in St. Winefride’s Road and agreement was reached for the plaque to be affixed to No. 27.

We were invited to attend the unveiling ceremony and L03 members were contacted to see if they would attend. Not surprisingly, most were unable to travel, but at 11.00 am on 24th June S/M Lt. Cdr. Peter Day and his wife Betty, plus S/M’s Alan Edinborough, Marchant and Harrison with their wives gathered at the site for the unveiling.

The Chairman of Arun District Council, Mrs. Sue Kelly welcomed everyone present and then introduced Mr. Ronald Proyer who made a short speech about his involvement. He had interviewed Lt. Cdr. Turner many years ago and had been very impressed by the story told to him about the Altmark incident and, over the last 4 years had worked hard to get the plaque erected to commemorate this gallant officer.

The Chairman next introduced Commander T.J. Gulley, the Commander Specialist Training and Recruit School at HMS Raleigh. Commander Gulley explained that because the boarding of the Altmark had always been regarded as a textbook example that when a Board and Search School was being set up at HMS Cambridge, the building in which it was housed was named the Cossack Building. It had been opened by the, then, First Sea Lord Admiral Jock Slater and some members of the Cossack Association were also present at that opening. In 2003 HMS Cambridge had closed and the School had been transferred to HMS Raleigh and under his aegis. Warrant Officer Gary Smith who runs the B & S School would normally have attended this ceremony but, since he was involved in the training of people about to go to Iraq, he had delegated it upwards!

Keith Batchelor, our Archivist, then made a short speech about the Association, and remarked on how appropriate it was that there were now commemoratives both here in the UK and at Joessingfjord in Norway.

This was followed by another short speech, this time by Mrs. Fiona Hartley, Lt. Cdr. Turner’s eldest daughter. She spoke about her time living in the house which used to stand there and her memories of her father.

Mrs. Kelly then asked Commander Gulley to pull the cord and unveil the plaque. As he did so a Royal Marine bugler played the Last Post.

After the ceremony all were invited back to the Arun Civic Centre for a reception and refreshments. This gave everyone chance to meet. Keith Batchelor quickly erected a small display of some of our Association’s photographs, etc. around which a crowd soon assembled. The Council had put on a very nice selection of small eats and drinks.

Alan Edinborough just happened to have with him the video about the Altmark Incident, which had been produced several years ago by our Norwegian friends from Sokndal. As it happened too there was a television set and video recorder in the room and it wasn’t long before everyone was engrossed. As well as Mrs Fiona Hartley, the two other daughters of Lt. Cdr. Turner were also present and were particularly interested in hearing more about the action.

The BBC had cameras covering the ceremony at St. Winefride’s Road and that evening it was shown on South Today. Another camera team covered both the ceremony there and the reception at the Civic Centre and we hope to be able to get a copy of that one.

Mrs. Hartley told us that she had got a scrap book which contained quite a lot about her father and HMS Cossack and we are hoping to borrow it so that we can take a copy of some of it.____________________________________________________________________

60th Anniversary of the end of World War Two

We have been given warning that there are to be some ceremonial happenings next year, in July, to mark this anniversary. Contact with ex-Service organisations such as ours is being made with a view to gauging ticket requirements and allocations.

There will be a big ticket only commemoration at the Mall in London and some will be invited to a lunch. It is unlikely that our Association will be allocated more than for 10 couples and probably 5 double tickets will be nearer the mark.

Only those who served during WW2 will be eligible to attend. Many of you who served in D57 after the war ended may well have served earlier on other ships and will be eligible that way.

Picture of Blue PlaqueSee ‘REUNIONS’ Web page

We shall be asked to give our requirements sometime next month, ie July 2004, so anyone who wishes to bid for tickets, please contact the Secretary as soon as possible.____________________________________________________________________

A PART OF A LIFE1935 - 1947

by Victor John Bunyan Durey

PART V(The conclusion)

Much to my mortification I had been approached by the President of our Mess that because I was the senior rate he would be handing over the chain of office. I asked him to forget it and carry on. There would be no complaints from me. I met my new boss within twenty-four hours. He turned out to be a two ring R.N. bloke - the 1 st

Lieutenant. I had been appointed Chief of the Messdecks. (I was only one step backwards away from Captain of the Heads!) During our first wander around the ship, Jimmy the One said to me, "I'm giving you a b....ing or putting you in the rattle, but I am unimpressed by the general of your command." He was rather surprised to learn that I had time to change my shift and shorts only once since I came aboard. He had arrived a few hours after me on the same day! A new Jimmy and Chief thus tightened up the routine below decks, though I must admit it had its difficulties when dealing with "greasers, donkeymen and scullions." It was the fust time I had served on a boat carrying T.14X or whatever. (I like to think that they received the message eventually: the Scranbag was busy.) The messing was "yankee" - tin trays with all grub swilling together and all bods sitting wherever to eat same. Quite a few of the crew had nasty blackish boils, mainly on the arms, and I wondered whether this was due to the lack of tablecloths, so I applied for the good old American cloth to be supplied and the tarpots then thought I was a missionary or summat! The ship was fitted with a laundry and a hairdressers, plus a most ornate "goffer" shop. The NAAFI existed of course.

We spent days working up for the big-un which was due to commence soon - a landing in Malaya. During the days at sea around Sumatra and other spots, our aircraft, mostly Brewster Buffaloes as I recall, took off and sometimes landed back okay. They often did not, preferring to prang on landing and finish upside down! It was all new to me.

My action station was i/c of a "Chicago Piano" (a multi-barrel pom-pom) and as I remember we fired it a couple of times in anger, but not, I am pleased to say, against the Kamikaze geezers! We as a fleet seemed adequate at the moment The Allies were on the attack generally on all fronts. I shared a nice caboosh with one of my new messmates and Bert was often invited to help us yaffle a chicken or so in our holiday home on a warship. Many an evening under the southern skies full of stars, we brothers strolled the flight deck and yarned of many things. They will always remain a memory. Once as we thrashed through a stormy Sundra Straits the loudspeakers chanted, "Man Overboard" and my ticker missed a beat as I wondered whether it was non-swimmer Bert who had missed his footing and took to the 'oggin. It wasn't of course.

I had, despite being a Pompey rating, been accepted and the days continued to pass. The day came when the Armada that had been built up set sail for Malaya. We were to assist in the landings at Port Swettenham. Not only were our aircraft to do their bit but some of us were required to land after the brown jobs had scared away the Japs - I hoped. The powers had decided that VJBD would be i/c of Shore Latrines. (At last I was to be Captain of the Heads!!) I received my typed orders containing the names of my assistants - around about ten blokes, mostly stokers, and it was required of me that I was to train my crew in the amusing art of stripping down a Lewis gun, putting it together again, hopefully in the right way, and jolly well firing it if necessary. This routine had to be understood by all of my party before the day of reckoning. We had also been allowed two short Lee Enfield rifles and there was one pistol for the chief "bottle washer". Thus was I armed and ready to take on Tojo! A couple of days before the landing date we received the news that a bomb had been dropped, only thesize of a tennis ball (true that) on Japan and a city had disappeared! A couple of days later they lobbed another one and Tojo gave up the game. So I guess I can say the atom bomb was the cause of me never reaching Captain of the Heads status!

Following a few days back in Trinco, where we celebrated the real end of the second world war in September, we steamed into Singapore as victors at long last. We had returned or, at least, I had. It was for was for me a poignant time to land again in the city of the Golden World and other well known drinking places - Old World, New World etc. All had changed of course. We helped to form Mountbatten's Guard of Honour when he accepted the surrender and one day put our ship's "glee party" ashore to entertain the ex-POWs and any other bods who needed a taste of lower deck humour. The KHEDIVE was assigned to take the released South African POWs from Changi back to their native soil, and so we sailed to Durban. Here, I again was to visit one of my favourite ports and I was pleased to do so. It seemed that a complete new life was beginning - steaming with all lights visible at night and portholes open instead of being deadlight locked. It was difficult to realize that the conflict had ended. A great relief. The POWs were a pitiful looking bunch of blokes when first released from Changi. However, after a couple of weeks they were beginning to look much better. I like to think that we on the KHEDIVE gave them agood time. Durban turned out in force to welcome them and us. The "lady in black", an opera singer of quality, stood on the harbour wall and sang in her powerful voice her welcoming arias. Many a time in the days of the EMERALD I had listened to her. Our shore runs were as per Durban a delight. A marvellous place for Jolly Jack. Bert and I had a few nice runs I can tell you. We also had a few days leave granted which, if memory serves me correctly, were to cover four days each watch. The hotel, the Dew Drop Inn, looked after us well and the very well used bar where one could look up and see the stars was a delight. The name escapes me for the moment. They were heady days. We returned to Ceylon to await our orders. It was obvious that the KHEDIVE would eventually arrive back in the USA. These escort carriers would form no part of our peacetime fleet that was for sure. Quite a few of the crew were drafted ashore, mostly regulars, and there was a spell when I wondered whether they would put me on the list. (Later I will give my version of why I was not drafted at the time.) I remained a KHEDIVE bloke and so sailed back to the UK. During our journey homewards we disposed of quite a few aircraft. These were ditched by using the catapult. Pieces of the planes were kept as souvenirs and perspex was also removed to be used to make items of jewellery or some such. We never had to use the long route home around the Cape. It was all speed to the Red Sea and the lakes

before sliding through the Suez Canal. Once again I was to renew acquaintance with Port Said. Shades of the BARHAM! This had meant that the KHEDIVE had negotiated both the main canals of the world - Panama and Suez. Bert had indeed seen the world plus Malta and Gib.

We docked back in Newcastle, unloaded our passengers and the ship prepared to make the trip back across the Atlantic. I had a few words with the Jaunty who, as Master at Arms, had never really crossed swords with me due, I believe sincerely, to the fact that I had trained at the GANGES with his elder brother, Ron Holroyd, who was also with me on the BARHAM. A good oppo of mine, Ron, from Redcar. The suggestion from me was, "Jaunts, I am a Pompey rating and you don't want me hanging around in Guzz if I make the steaming trip back to the USA. 'Owsabout me taking a puff puff back to Whale Island?" The idea was mooted by Young Holroyd to the powers that be and they concurred. I thus travelled down to Euston and journeyed across the Big Smoke to Waterloo, not to take the train to Portsmouth, but the one to Blackheath. We had worked out near enough when the steaming crew would be back so I nicked a couple of weeks unofficial leave. Leaving the main part of my kit, hammock and bag at the Forces Left Luggage place at Waterloo, I nipped home to Dornberg! The outcome of this piece of skullduggery was that when I returned for my kit there was no trace of it! I rollocked the RTO who said that the rules stated twenty-four hours storage only. I then played "nutty as a fruitcake" and pleaded with him to find my missing gear and send it down to Whale Island. It all arrived eventually. I renewed old friendships at the Island and sampled again the delights of Hammerton's Nut Brown during the dinner breaks in the lovely canteen, which was part of the Mess. I had officially left the KHEDIVE on the 4th of January, 1946 and for the few weeks until the 25th of February I instructed a class of AA3s at Eastney. They were not really interested; they were mainly all waiting to demob. I used to commute to Blackheath nearly every evening and catch the 4.15 back at Blackheath the following morning! I had to walk across the heath, of course, but it was worth every blister! Providing I made the Portsmouth connection I was okay. We appeared to be living in a fairyland, that is the whole of the UK. Nobody fully realized that the scrapping was allover. It was the birth of cloud cuckoo routine - enjoy it while you can. The days of real hardship were to come, believe me.

I received a draft chit - emergency - one afternoon and only just managed to contact Trix by phone. (I was due home that night!) "Report to FORMIDABLE" in Pompey dockyard. "Relieve a GI who had a broken leg (climbing out of someone else's bed, Iguess). " FORMIDABLE seemed to cast off at the next tide. We were bound for Sydney! Ah well, let's have a looksee at Aussie land! It was a bind, but could not be helped. The ship was to be used as a trooper. Bunks were rigged in the now plane free hangars and we were working the ship with a greatly reduced crew on the way out. Homeward journeys we worked the matelots who were being brought back home. Several trips were taken in the FORMIDABLE. We picked up all types of service people, including women, from Australia, Singapore, Colombo and even Aden. Once again I was to wander my feet thro' Singapore and Colombo streets. Xmas '46 I spent at Trincomalee. My duties were quite easy: just make a lot of noise now and again and to make sure that the Gunners' Party kept all the weaponry in Al condition. I became so tanned that I could easily be mistaken for a Dhobi Wallah! We used to rig up a .22 rifle range on the forepart of the flight deck and I used to take classes of WRNS, ATS and WAAF firing the pop guns at targets set up almost at the end of the

ship. It helped to pass the long sunny days covering the passage across the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. The trooping duties were duly completed and we were sent to Rosyth to be mothballed. Here the FORMID was to swing at a buoy with just sufficient of we bods to keep the fans working. Four of us wee officers carried out OOW duties, basically 24 on, 24 off. We were under the command of a three ringer who was assisted by a few two ringers. The Forth Bridge became our only point of interest, seeking out the painters who are always sloshing colour over the poor old ironwork.

CAFOs were issued as usual and one of them was to state the magic words, "As from such and such C/S Chiefs and Petty Officers can purchase their ticket". I was ashore to the Main Office like a shot, grabbed the Paymaster Lieutenant before he took lunch and a dram and asked him to set the wheels in motion. I wished to give up the Dabtoe Lark and become a Master Builder! What aplomb! It was to cost me 24 pounds! I travelled south to the VICTORY and was duly set free. The day was the 10th June 1947. There had been plenty of water flowing under various bridges since the 27th May 1935 and I had almost walked on some!

EPILOGUE

1. Researching my "History Sheets" (RN) I was again to note that for a period I was shown as being drafted to PEMBROKE (Chatham) for an Upper Yardsman's Course. This was 1940. I never left the Emerald during the years of her commission. I wonder often what my fate would have been had I left her and attempted the course. Upper Yardsmen were "subbies" from the Lower Deck, commonly known as mates. Could I have organised a Brass Hat eventually? The mind boggles. We can but guess why I was not to take the training. It was to be years later that all fell into place.

2. During brother Bert's almost three year stint in KHEDIVE he was only once put in the rattle and that was by me for appearing on the Right Deck answering the call "Clear Lower Deck" improperly dressed, to wit minus a cap. He was one of a cotchell that had offended the power that was and it fell to me to smack them in the Commander's report. Needless to say he defended himself against the charge very cleverly and the poor old Commander was the one we all felt sorry for. In getting himself cleared of janker punishment he also caused two other geezers to have their charges dismissed. (I never did get him to double round the flight deck carrying a .303" !)

3. The FORMIDABLE's trooping days to Sydney were to be used for shopping expeditions. Materials and suchlike that were unobtainable in the UK were readily purchased by us. On one trip we called in at Colombo and among a number of passengers picked up, there was the ex-Drafting Commander East Indies. It was Nat Gould! He had been relieved. One evening when taking a stroll on the flight deck, he watched us play deck hockey and as I came off the pitch he ambled across and after remarking about my cackhandedness with the hockey stick asked me if we managed to get deck hockey organised on the trip back to the UK aboard KHEDIVE in '46. We never did. Later on the passage as we were due to visit Malta for a day or so, we met once more and he then said. "You spent enough time in the Far East." (Bert was very pleased to visit the "Gyppo Queen" and other well known habitats of

entertainment on the GC Island. I even showed him the Cairo in Sliema.) I am also pretty sure he fiddled my chitty back to UK.

THE END____________________________________________________________________

T.S. COSSACK(Barry Unit Sea Cadet Corps)

In 2002 S/M’s Frank Spendelow, Dai Rees and Mike Kruck, all of whom live within reasonable travelling distance of the Barry Sea Cadet Headquarters attended the annual inspection and presented the unit with some photographs and other memorabilia. When an invitation was received by the Secretary this year he naturally turned to these again. However, Frank is not now able to get around so well and Mike’s wife couldn’t be left. Dai Rees (D57 1958-60) came up trumps though and Peter Harrison also decided to make the trip too to show some solidarity and support for the unit which bears our ships’ name.

The snag as far as P.H. was concerned was that it was due to start at 19.15 hrs and Barry is 140 miles from Fleet. However, he made it on time and met up with Dai and his wife in the hall of the South Wales RNVR headquarters close by the Sea Cadets’ HQ. There were a number of parents there too, eagerly awaiting the performances of their sons, or daughters. As it happened, the C.O. arrived about 15 minutes late which, considering the unit’s staff and instructors have to work first and then fit all this in afterwards, is easily understood.

The Area Commander, who was carrying out the inspection, explained that this evening was the final part in a series of inspections by others on his staff who had been monitoring performance during the year. The cadets marched in and gave a number of demonstrations of their expertise, including one on knots and splices. These over, the cadets were formed up into their divisions and were inspected by the Area Commander.

In these days when there are so many temptations for the youngsters, it was a pleasure to see them so enthusiastic in performing the tasks given them by the inspection team.

At the end of the evening, the Peter Harrison made a short speech thanking them for inviting us and, in particular, thanking all those who gave up their time to run the unit and instruct the cadets. He then presented the Association’s cheque for £100 to the Commanding Officer. Below are two photographs of some of the cadets taken during the inspection.

See ‘REUNIONS’ Web page See ‘REUNIONS’ Web page

I couldn’t help wondering whether I was quite as small as some of these cadets when I joined the Sea Cadets many years ago. It’s like this thing about policemen looking younger as we get older!

NB: S/M Peter Taylor has expressed an interest in attending any future visits to the unit. If anyone else would be interested too, please let the Secretary know.____________________________________________________________________

MEMORIAL TO THE BATTLES OF NARVIK

Thanks to Anne Smith, Associate Member, we have now got a photograph of the new Narvik memorial which was unveiled last year, Anne’s late father, C.P.O. David Grant DSM, provided us with a graphic account of the 2nd Battle of Narvik and subsequently got in touch with the Norwegian boys who came down to Cossack whilst she was aground. As a result Anne has a very extensive archive about those times.

S/M Larry Hazell was going over to Norway in May to attend the commemoration ceremonies there. He took advantage of the Heroes Return Scheme. This scheme can provide funding for such visits and details can be obtained from the Veterans Agency on 0800 169 2277. _____________________________________________________________________

THE MILITARY TATTOO - Behind the lines

Many people complain that everything happens in the South but here’s an event which proves that it ain’t necessarily so. The Military Tattoo will be held at the Manchester Evening News Arena, Victoria Station, Manchester on Saturday 17th July and this year’s event is dedicated to those who have served, and still serve, behind the lines - the Airborne Forces, Special Forces and members of the Special Operations Executive. There will be a matinee performance at 2,00 pm and an evening performance at 7.30 pm.

Tickets are £12.50 each, with concessions at £10.00 (presumably including pensioners). Tickets can be booked online at www.men-arena.com or by telephone to the box office 0870 190 8000 or to the Military Tattoo organisers on 0161 682 5695 or 0161 483 9395.____________________________________________________________________

Picture of Narvik Memorial

S/M VIC HISCOCK

Vic passed over the bar on 23rd October 2003 and, at the funeral service, a letter to him from one of his many friends was read out. We thought that you might like to read it too.

A Goodbye letter to Vic from Vern

Dear Vic,

I heard this morning that you left this world last night.My sympathy must go to those who helped you with your fight.You earned your place in history,When Britain went to war,By serving in the Navy like lots of blokes before.That quaint old war was differentFrom the wars we fight today.We had no mobile phones you seeTo tell Mum we’re OK.A million kids that’s all we were, just thrown into the fray,A lot of us were volunteers who came to rue the dayBut there was a job to do, to finish the bloody Hun.You and me and a few others too soon had him on the run.The way was hard but so were weAnd the rest of Britain too,Resilience was our second nameAnd resilience saw us through.So goodnight Vic and all the best from a mate who knew you wellYou paid your dues to this funny old lifeAnd you really rang your bell.

Our thanks to Betty for passing that on._____________________________________________________________________

WE ARE THE SURVIVORS!!!

For all those born before 1940, we celebrate - because we are here!

Consider the things we have witnessed ….

We were born before Polio shots, plastics, contact lenses, frisbees and transplants, and a Package Tour meant biking with a tent and you lunch in a brown paper bag. We were before deep freezers, air conditioners, split atoms, laser beams, and before man walked on the moon.

In OUR time, closets were for clothes, not for “coming out of”. Bunnies were small rabbits, and dishes were for washing, not for receiving programmes from outer space.Designer Jeans were scheming girls, and having a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins!

We thought fast food was what you ate during Lent and Cold Turkey was what you ate on Boxing Day. We were before househusbands, gay rights, computer dating, dual careers and computer marriages. Divorce was something that happened to film stars. We were before day-care centres, group therapy and community homes. We played with Dinky Toys, wore Liberty bodices, flannel shirts, and took daily doses of Cod Liver Oil and Malt and, under certain circumstances, SENNA PODS!

We drank Ovaltine, ate porridge, and listened to Dick Barton, the Goon Show, Workers’ Playtime and Housewives Choice. We had never heard of Radio One or Top of the Pops, tape decks, electronic typewriters, artificial hearts, (a by-pass was a main road around a town or village), and we had never heard of word processors or yoghurt.

For us, hardware meant a shop where you bought hammers and nails, network was what fishermen busied themselves with, or was the country’s rail system. Before 1940, “Made in Japan” meant poor quality, and toys made out of old Tate & Lyle treacle tins! (Koreans and Taiwanese hadn’t even started production.)

A Game Boy was a brave or plucky lad, a Lap-top was where you sat a baby or your pet cat, digital meant using your fingers, a Monitor was a star pupil, a ram was a male sheep, file-sharing meant lending a tool to your mate and a hacker was one who kicked your shins during a game of football!!

We were born when everything in Woolworths cost sixpence (2½ new pence). For the same cost you could take a tram ride, go to the cinema AND buy an ice-cream during the interval!

We were certainly NOT before the difference between the sexes was discovered but we were surely before the sex change. We made do with what we had and we were the last generation to think that you needed to have a husband to have a baby. A partner was somebody who joined you in business, or who you danced with!

We typed our letter on manual typewriters, did computations by hand or in our heads, and used carbon paper to make copies. We used telephones without buttons or LCD displays, and FAX was something you looked up in an encyclopaedia.

We did business with handshakes and trust and, somehow, it all worked out and …..

WE SURVIVED!!!!!

The above was sent in by George Toomey. ____________________________________________________________________

If Teflon is non-stick, how do they fix it to the pan?

Why is abbreviation a long word?____________________________________________________________________

We haven’t heard a lot from John Batty in Australia recently where he has been rather unwell of late. Our best wishes to him for a speedy recovery and our thanks for the following:

A lawyer was trying to console a weeping and distraught widow whose husband had died unexpectedly without leaving a will.

Did the deceased have any last words before he passed away?You mean right at the moment before he died?Yes, they might be helpful it it is not too painful for you to recall.Well, she responded, he said, “Don’t you try to scare me, you couldn’t hit the side of a barn with that gun!!”

____________________

The staff of a local charity realised that it had never received a donation from the town’s most successful and richest lawyer. The manager approached him and asked for a donation. The lawyer mulled over this for a moment and replied, “Did your research show that my mother is dying after a long illness, and had medical bills several times her annual income?” Embarrassed, the charity worker mumbled, “er, um, no …”

“Or”, the lawyer continued, “that my brother, a disabled veteran, is blind and confined to a wheelchair?” The charity manager began to stammer out an apology but was interrupted when the lawyer added, “Or that my sister’s husband died in a traffic accident leaving her penniless with three children to support?”

The humiliated manager, full of remorse, whispered, “I had no idea” but the lawyer cut him off again, “So, if I don’t give any money to them, why should I give any to you?”_____________________________________________________________________

Admiralty Instructions for dealing with the storage of torpedoes

It is necessary for technical reasons that these warheads should be stored with the top at the bottom and the bottom at the top. In order that there may be no doubt as to which is the top and which is the bottom, for storage purposes, it will be seen that the bottom of each head has been labelled with the word TOP.

____________________

HAVE YOU NOTICED

Everything is further away than it used to be, it is even twice as far to the corner and they added a hill.

I have given up running for the bus, it leaves earlier than it used to and it seems as though they are making the stair steeper than in the old days, also have you noticed the smaller print that they use in the newspapers?

There’s no sense in asking anyone to have a conversation with you because everyone speaks so quietly that I can hardly hear them.

The material in dresses is so skimpy now, especially around the hips and waist that it is almost impossible to reach one’s shoelaces and the sizes don’t run the way they used to. The 12’s and 14’s are so much smaller. Even people are changing, they are so much younger than they used to be when I was their age. On the other hand, people my own age are so much older than I am. I ran into an old classmate the other day and she had aged so much that she didn’t recognise me. I got to thinking about the poor dear whilst I was combing my hair this morning and in doing so I happened to glance at my own reflection. Really now, they don’t even have good mirrors like they used to.

Wife of Anon____________________________________________________________________

Why can’t they make aeroplanes out of the stuff that the black box is made of?

Why is there only one monopolies commission?

Time heals all things except a dripping tap.

Did you hear about the new recruit who thought that a port allocation was a free drink?

Mrs “B” has had no clothes for a year and has been regularly visited by the social services._____________________________________________________________________

CATS AT SEA

Dusty Rhodes, one of our shipmates from Canada, attended the reunion in April and had seen the story of Oscar the cat which is a permanent feature of the “Archive Room” in the Burlington Hotel and asked if he could have a copy. We were pleased to oblige.

At about the same time George Toomey had found a copy of a book about pets in the services and sent on several pieces from the book about cats, which were pets aboard HM Ships. Two of them concerned cats which were aboard Cossack. One is a slightly different version of our Oscar story (L03) and the other about Buster Stumpy (D57) and are reproduced below. The piece about Buster Stumpy doesn’t say which commission he served on. The 1951-54 commission had a dog, Sheena, but no cat. Anyone remember Buster Stumpy?

Any other stories about Cossack’s pets would be appreciated for future newsletters and should be sent to the Secretary.

____________________

Oskar (alias Oscar) of the Bismarck

Oskar, a strange black cat with tabby markings, was one year old when recruited to the German battleship Bismarck. He rapidly developed an uncanny bond with the crew, who regarded him as a manifestation of the ship's indomitable spirit and that of her awesome namesake, Germany's "Iron Chancellor". With the distinguished Admiral Gunther Lutjens as commander, it seemed Oscar's future was assured for all of his nine lives.

Admiral Lutjens, sometimes referred to as "the Black Devil", had a strong sense of destiny and it was no secret that he felt that Bismarck's career would end in tragedy and that he himself would not survivor His fatalistic attitude was unnerving at a time of war, and it is no wonder that the crew latched on to the ship's cat as a symbol of fortitude.

On May 24, 1941, Oscar was aboard when the Bismarck dramatically sank the British battleship HMS Hood in the Atlantic, with the loss of over 1,400 lives. British ships went into action and relentlessly pursued the German ship. On May 26 a torpedo from a Swordfish aircraft, which had taken off from HMS Ark Royal, hit the German battleship, jamming the rudder and rendering her unmanoeuverable. Now an easy target, next day the crippled vessel was attacked again by the British, and sunk. Out of a crew of 2,090 there were only 110 survivors.

Admiral Lutjens courageously went down with his ship but the same fate did not befall Oskar. Because of the cat's strong bond with the crew, it's said that he took on a mystic mission to avenge the victims of the Bismarck. As the ship keeled over, Oskar gambled on one of his nine lives and took to the water. According to Janusz Piekalkiewicz, the Polish war historian, he was picked up by the British destroyer, HMS Cossack. The Cossack had earlier been withdrawn from the scene of conflict and was crossing the same waters on her way home when one of the crew spotted the bedraggled black cat clinging to a piece of wood floating amongst the debris and dead bodies of the Bismarck crew.

The half drowned black cat was hauled aboard and revived. In its pitiful state, it seemed harmless. The few Bismarck survivors, finding some solace in his escape, identified him as their mystic mascot Oskar. The Cossack crew made a huge fuss of him and adopted him on the assumption that any creature fortunate to have survived such a dramatic sea battle was bound to bring them luck. He was renamed Oscar. At a later stage he was also occasionally referred to as "Unsinkable Sam". But this dauntless feline survivor's good luck was not to last. Five months later the Cossack itself was sunk. Oscar fearlessly jumped into the ocean and again managed to swim to a piece of wood and was apparently calmly cleaning himself as he bobbed up and down on the waves when one of the crew of the aircraft carrier, HMS Ark Royal, spotted him and hauled him aboard. Another of his lives used up!

But it was becoming painfully obvious that Oscar was a serious jinx. Instead of bringing luck to the Ark Royal, the ill-fated ship was torpedoed by a U-boat in November 1941. By then Oscar knew exactly what to do. It was almost a matter of routine to jump into the water and swim to the nearest piece of floating debris. Deciding not to wait for orders to abandon ship, crewman Tom Blundell also jumped

into the ocean from the stricken vessel and, on surfacing, was amazed to find he was swimming alongside the invincible Oscar. HMS Legion rescued the 1,487 officers and men - and Oscar. Another of his nine lives forfeited!

It could be argued that he did bring some good fortune to the ship for only one rating died in that disaster. But HMS Legion, hearing of the cat's previous poor record as a lucky mascot, wisely resisted the temptation to recruit him. He was compulsorily retired. Official records state that as a precaution he was taken ashore at Gibraltar as a "suspected jinx" and handed over to the harbour master and from there was duly posted to an Old Sailors' Home in Belfast.

But this precaution proved futile for HMS Legion who did not escape Oscar's mysterious powers of vengeance. She was also sunk on 26 March 1943, when she was attacked from the air in Malta. Perhaps Oscar's sixth sense had warned him to seek a permanent base on dry land before his own luck ran out. After all, he only had four lives left.

British psychic animal portrait artist, Georgina Baker Shaw, believed she had a powerful spiritual relationship with Oscar. She hadn't heard of him before he made spiritual contact with her and apparently he passed on to her information about his mystic mission. In 1960 she did a pastel portrait of him, which is now at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

Turkish parapsychologist, Aziz Evliyaoglu, describes Oscar as a "deathless" spirit who took on all the negative energy of Bismarck's tragic end, which he subsequently discharged towards the British ships that unwittingly adopted him as their mascot. "Perhaps he was a substance, like the ancient Egyptians' Ankh, designed to bring bad luck to the Bismarck's foes."

Deathless or not, Oscar found life as a landlubber much to his liking, for he died peacefully at the Old Sailors' Home in Belfast, in 1955, at the grand old age of 15 years. He certainly earned his reputation for being one of the luckiest ships' cats of all time, or the unluckiest according to how one looks at it. And there are some who believe he lives on, as a feline spirit with uncanny powers.

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Ratcatcher Off Watch on HMS Cossack

Buster Stumpy (D57), like all good sailors, slept in his own hammock, slung up in the Forward Mess Deck. And, like all good ships' cats, when he wasn't prowling around hunting mice, he spent most of his time sleeping instead of entertaining the crew.

Once when the Captain was carrying out his early rounds, he came across Buster Stumpy curled up asleep. A note was pinned to his hammock: "Stumpy, Ratcatcher Off Watch. Do not Disturb". Members of the crew who have the Middle Watch (0000-0400) are entitled to "Guard and Steerage", meaning they are permitted to stay in for an extra half hour in the morning when the rest of the Crew have to get up. The crew felt that it was necessary for Buster Stumpy's lazy habits to be drawn to the attention of the Captain.____________________________________________________________________

STOP PRESS

Can you help II? A last minute request by e-mail has been received from a Joyce Taylor. Her brother, Gilbert Jowett, was adopted before she was born and, after many years looking for him, finally traced him and his family just after he had died. She therefore never met him and is keen to get any memories of him.

She knows that Gilbert, known as Joe, joined the Navy in 1948 and served in Cossack during the Korean War. Can anyone help Joyce out? Do any of you D57 members remember “Joe” Jowett? If you do, please get in touch with the Secretary, Peter Harrison.____________________________________________________________________

Funeral Costs

A few weeks ago I attended the cremation service of a family friend and saw for the first time one of the eco-friendly cardboard coffins. To be honest, it didn’t look all that wonderful and, in a way, disrespectful. Thinking about it afterwards though it would have been quite OK covered with a White Ensign and would be a considerable saving of cost. It’s worth thinking about.____________________________________________________________________

Members’ E-Mail Addresses

One of the many downsides of a computer failure in which data is lost is the loss of things like addresses. My biggest loss was probably the e-mails I had received between 20th March and mid April. I subsequently recovered my e-mail address book as at 19th March but were their any changes sent to me in that lost period? The list of addresses on the back page may, or may not, be up to date so I would be grateful if those members who use e-mail would check to see that theirs is included and is correct.

As you can see from that page, the number of our members using e-mail is increasing and soon one page won’t be enough. Not that I’m complaining! If all our members had e-mail addresses it would be easier to get answers to queries such as that about Gilbert Jowett above.

MEMBERS E-MAIL ADDRESSES

Admiral Sir James Eberle AdmiralJim@lineone.netMargaret Atherton MAAthert@aol.comBill Bartholomew bill@hmscossack.freeserve.co.ukFred Barton fred@fbarton90.freeserve.co.ukKeith Batchelor keith@beaconroad.freeserve.co.ukMike Bath soapy@mickbath.freeserve.co.ukJohn Batty cossack@flatrate.net.auJohn Bishop jbishop.cossack@onetel.net.ukTony Brown tony@beaufort83.fsnet.comTom Brown t.mbrown@bmts.comCdr. K.P. Bruce-Gardyne patrick@b-gardyne.fsnet.co.ukPhilip Bryant philip.bryant@ukonline.co.ukGeorge Bye g_bye@talk21.comRussell Campling russellcampling@hotmail.comJack Caswell Jack1cas@aol.comMike Cook MikeStensonCook@aol.comFred Cook fredcookhome@aol.comFred Cooper frederick.cooper@ntlworld.comFred Craddock eigthds@aol.comBrian Eames brian@beames.freeserve.co.ukStan Edgell edgellas@aol.comAlan Edinborough aedinborough@tiscali.co.ukGeoff Embley naughtycal@ns.sympatico.caDave Fenton dfenton@rogers.comLiz Foster-Hall liz@foster-hall.freeserve.co.ukPat Gaffney valerie.gaffney@btopenworld.comBetty Gilham egilham@bushinternet.co.ukAlastair Gordon alfaye.gordon@tiscali.co.ukJanet Grist mrsjan@pebbles-nursery.co.ukJohn Gritten aagg@btinternet.comGeirr Haarr ghaa@statoil.comPeter Hampstead peter hampstead@ntlworld.comStan Hannaford stanhannaford@hotmail.comPeter Harrison (Secretary) cossack.assn@tiscali.co.ukDave Hawkes patanda@btinternet.comDavid Helyar Davehelyar@aol.comJan Hennell jjhennell@bigpond.comDavid Higgins dhiggin8@ford.comPeter Jackson pjaxon@ntlworld.comTom Kay tom@kaybn13.freeserve.co.ukAlec Kellaway e.kellaway@tiscali.co.ukGraham Keyes Gkeyes@btinternet.comBrian Lambie bds.classics@ntlworld.comGeoff Lane Geofflane@tesco.netStan Leadbetter alanesewell@hotmail.comNigel Lester n.lester@amserve.comBrian Luter b17luter@ntlworld.comBob McLean bisnad@aol.comPeter Marchant peter.bosun@virgin.netTerry Matthews matthewsllb@tinyworld.co.ukDusty Miller GEMSPEC@FSBDial.co.ukFinn Nesvold f-nesvo@online.noDoug Parkinson dparkinson@onetel.net.uk

Brian Patterson bhp.ports@virgin.netJack Price Ppamelajack@aol.comJack Race racebe@aol.comPhilip Remnant bees@premnant.fsnet.co.ukHarry Ripp hripp@hotkey.net.auDon Rush donval.rush@virgin.netKen Satterthwaite kensatt@tinyonline.co.ukGeoff Scarlett gscarl@aol.comDr. Neil Shand nshand@zip.com.auAnne Smith annepsmith@talk21.comFrank Spendelow frank.spendelow@tesco.netCarol Taylor carol@snookerdebts.co.ukLes & Jean Taylor taylor3@evemail.netF.M. Thomas f.m.thomas@ntlworld.comColin Trigg colin@northgate99.freeserve.co.ukMike Tunks miketunks@hotmail.comFrank Weedon frank.sheila@fweedon.freeserve.co.ukDon Whittick dewhit@mail.pacificcoast.netJohn Williams john@josylanja.freeserve.co.uk

Please report any corrections or changes to the Secretary