Home
About us Latest news The ship Crew Name Search Guestbook Photos & video Survivors Accounts Press & letters Newsletters Reunions Memorials Related ships Books Poems Links |
Dear member, This years annual reunion dinner, the 48th, will be on Saturday 15th, May in the Royal Sailors Home Club, Queens Street, Portsmouth. It will again be held in the Nuffield Lounge (on the right of the main foyer). Our Country membership number is 2170. As usual the time will be 1730 hours for 1800 hours. Accommodation may be available at the club. Prices for the Royal Sailors Club are at present £33.00 per person (Single) and £66.00 for a double room. This includes a full English breakfast and use of club facilities. The menu chosen for the dinner is as follows: Chilled Orange, Grapefruit and melon cocktail. Roast loin of pork served with apple sauce and savoury stuffing balls Roast and minted New Potatoes and two Seasonal vegetables Old English Sherry Trifle Coffee and Mints Cheese and biscuits may be available at additional cost Provision can be made for those who are vegetarian. Or who require a special menu. A glass of wine will be served during the dinner and further wines may be purchased from the waitresses. The dinner will be preceded by a minutes silence in memory of those who cannot be with us, this will be followed by a toast to H.M.S. BARHAM for which a tot of rum will be provided for each male diner and a glass of sherry for each lady. Thanks to Peter Yuiles gift, the dinner will again be free for survivors, previous crewmembers and one of their guests. For all other members and one guest the cost will be £7.50 and for others £24. If you wish to attend will you please complete the attached slip by the 24th,April and send it to Sidney Petherbridge. Late applications may be refused. We intend as usual to have a raffle of donated prizes all offers welcome. The dinner will be followed by our Annual General Meeting when there will be an opportunity to raise items o the management of your Association or volunteer to join the committee. On the following Sunday 16th May it is hoped that as many as possible will attend the morning service in St.Anns Church, in the dockyard at 1000.Hours. Our Remembrance and Wreath laying service in Westminster Abbey was held on the 22nd,November to which some 70 replied that they would attend. This included 4 survivors. We were directed to sit in the nave until called forward directly into the choir stalls for choral evensong. We listened to some excellent singing by the choir and enjoyed joining in the final hymn “Eternal Father Strong to save.” Canon Robert Wright conducted the Remembrance service and the Association standard was paraded by Mr Keith Miller. Our wreath was laid by the chairman, Michael Stratton–Brown. The service included a prayer for those of the Association who had died in the last year and ended with "Crossing the Bar" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. The wreath had again been beautifully prepared and donated by “Flowers by Patricia“ of Morden Surrey, to whom our deepest thanks are given. Also to Peter Kempton who each year fights the London traffic to deliver the wreath to Westminster Abbey, many thanks. The book of remembrance was open for inspection after the service. The September newsletter was a joint effort by Ray Oliver and Sara Wrigley, who at the time of print, Sara was on the other side of the world becoming a mother to Frederick. Congratulations Sara to you and your family and welcome to baby Frederick. Mark MacKensie is requesting the address of Trevor Earl who may be able to help with his search for photographs of H.M.S.Kimberley on which his father served. Jon Everett is requesting on his fathers behalf, if anyone can remember any details regarding his fathers, brother Leslie Everett a Royal Marine Corporal, who was lost during the sinking. Leslie had two brothers both of which are still alive and wish to become members of the Association. Since the last newsletter the Association has heard of the death of Gus Thaler. Gus joined the Australian Navy in 1935 and served on two of the “N” class destroyers in 1940 to 1945 and was on hand at the sinking of HMS Barham. Gus died on the 1st. May 2003. It has been reported that Mrs Grace Hockaday died on the 5th.November 2003. Grace was widowed at the sinking and was upset at not being able to attend the service in Westminster Abbey in her later years. Grace was 102 years old when she died. Prayers were said for Grace at the Westminster Abbey Service. Mrs Ella Thompson, wife of Ted Thompson, died on January 2nd 2004. Ted was a previous crew member. The association has received enquiries from persons wishing to become members. Details and newsletters have been forwarded and it hoped that we might meet some new members at the dinner on the 15th May. The association was very pleased to hear that William Taylor Wight (Blacksmith 5) was still going strong at aged 83, he was a survivor. Please welcome new members David Mason and his wife Evelyn, who with her sisters Caruana and Teresa were orphaned after their father PO Steward Anthony Mamara was lost in the sinking. Many thanks to all of you who have made donations including postage stamps and all those who write to keep me up to date with their affairs or sent me cards. I would like to end by thanking all those who have particularly as small contributions although welcome may have not received personal letter in reply. Yours sincerely Michael Stratton-Brown |
last updated: 13 July 2013 |
andrew gillespie