FLAT TOP - HMS Victorious Association

FLAT TOP
Journal of the H.M.S. Victorious Association
Per Coelum et Aequorem Victrix
Conquer Through Sky & Sea
JUNE 20015
NUMBER
Its All Over Lets have a Party 8 May 1945
http:/www.hmsvictoriousassociation.com
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Contents
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Contents
Committee Members
In memory of Shipmates who have
Crossed the Bar
Chairman’s Thoughts on 2015
Sec, Membership Sec, PRO, Reports
Flat Editor
National Arboretum St Georges Day
A Short History of the Air craft Carrier
HMS Trincomalee, Leander Class
Those were the Days
You have to Smile
Victorious Goodbye
HMS Victorious Association Constitution
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Patron
Vice Admiral Sir Adrian Johns. KCB. CBE
President
Mathew Ball
Chairman
Stanley McLellan
3, Lynnwood Gardens, Pudsey. Leeds ,LS28 8BZ
Phone
E-mail
Vice Chairman
0113 2555562
stanley675@btinternet.com
**
Donald Marr
The Old School House, Sea View Terrace
Johnshaven
Montrose. DD10 0HF
E-mail
Donald.marr2963@btinternet.com
**
Stuart, “Topsey”, Turner
Sect./ Membership Sect.
& editor “Vic News” E-mail vic38s29pro@yahoo.co.uk
Phone
01785 245226
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Welfare Officer
Peter Barnes
Phone
Flat Top Editor
E-mail
Phone
Slops Officer
15, Elm Tree Avenue, Upper Poppleton
York Y025 6HI
01904 795249
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Bryan Owen
93, Pytchley Rd, Rugby, CV22 5NG
bryanlewisowen@gmail.com
01788570457
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Edgar Jenkinson
144, Moseley Rd, Coundon. Coventry, CV6 1HT
Phone
E-mail
Treasurer
02476594244
jenkinsonedgar@hotmail.com
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John Haigh
77, Harold Rd, Stubbington, Fareham, Hants.
Phone
Padre
01329 665532
**
Reverend John Mills
35, Hendrie Road Holt, Norfolk, NR25 6AR
Pastor.johnmills@btopenworld.com
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Secretary's Report
There is not much to report that doesn't go in the monthly “Vic News” . Can I make a
plea to all you members out there that do not have an e-mail account, if there is someone
close to you, e.g. son daughter, grand child, or a member has a wife with an e-mail account.
Can you ask them if it is alright for me to add them on the list and YOU TOO can be included
in the monthly newsletter. It would be much too costly to mail it to everyone, but it is easy to
download from an e-mail, print it off and there you have it. Ask them or even close friends if
they would do it for you.
For the record as secretary I have written several letters to various Royal Naval people
inviting them to various gatherings and functions I have had responses from the Royal Naval
Association who gave us a most excellent talk on the ,“Naval Service Memorial”, at the National Arboretum Alrewas on Saint George’s day. But as yet no one else has bothered to reply
to me.
Membership Secretary’s Report
Between John Haigh, our hard working treasurer and myself we have contacted several
members who we thought had been lost in the woodwork due to banking errors on standing
orders however we have now sorted it out and they are now back in the flock. Can I just (very
gently) remind everyone that subs are due in January each year, they have remained at £10
now for several years , the biggest bulk of which goes on the production of Flat Top and it’s
postage to you, so, you get a good deal for your money. We do not enjoy chasing shipmates,
and I'm just as sure that you don’t want to be chased.
PRO’s Report
Doubling up a bit really on the Secretary’s report but as PRO I have
sent quite a lot of stuff to the “Navy News's”, some bits have been published, but not a lot, I shall still send off anything I deem interesting.
Allan (Buster) Brown, John Haigh and myself are quite actively dropping
invitations on the Victorious face Book site, for people to join us, but so
far have had no takers
From all 3of us. ( Membership Secretary , Sec, & PRO)
Can I thank everyone for the kind comments I get, the excellent support I get, and I hope to
see you all in Coventry
***
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Flat Top Editor
Well here we are again, thank goodness, summer is at last beginning to make it self apparent, and every one becomes a gardening expert, me I prefer a nice comfortable chair and
a glass of beer and a good book.
As our associations constitution reminds us, “To promote and facilitate the liaison of former shipmates and other personnel that have served aboard H.M.S Victorious”, but ! , what
about our experiences in shore side establishments. Recently whilst digging around in various
cupboards I came across a photo of my class, and another taken at our passing out parade at
H.M.S. Raleigh I cannot remember the number of our class, faces of some men I recognise
but names no chance, the only one I do remember Lt Carpenter our class officer standing
very smartly sword in hand at the front of this happy band of newly formed matelots, I do
have other tales for another day, like my draft to Whale Island the gunnery school, yep a
stoker at the naval gunnery school. So please shipmates if you have tales which bring back
memories to yourself, lets have them, I bet they will also bring back similar memories to others, have a couple of tots first though, I find that it much improves the memory !
The run to the National Arboretum went very well, although there were some familiar
faces missing. The padre was unable to attend this year, so the prayers and remembrance
service were carried out by our versatile chairman “Stoker Stan” and our Secretary Topsey no
haloes though, after which the all important issue of the tot, or in some cases, tots! The talk
organised by Topsey, and given by Captain Peter Quin General Secretary Of the Royal Naval
Association on the thoughts and creation behind the “The Naval Service Memorial” at the
Arboretum was very interesting
I have been told, that the printers of our magazine “Flat Top” made no charge for the
printing of the last publication “Flat Top” as their contribution to the Veterans Appeal may I
thank the printers on behalf of the HMS Victorious Association members for this fine gesture.
Reading Stan’s piece, reminded me of my war time experiences as a 4-5 year old sprog I
lived in Folkestone Kent in an tiny old farm cottage with my mother, father was in the navy I
used to sleep in the front bedroom with my mother, the Germans used to unload their
bombs on Folkestone instead of going all the way to London, any way late one night after a
few gerries had unloaded their bombs around us, a rattle on the window looking out Mum
said its your Dad he had been on Russian Convoys for about 18 months to cut a long story
short I was put into the back bedroom I never stopped moaning why should I have to go into
the back room. (Well alright I was only a sprog!) See you all in October.
Bryan.
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National Memorial Arboretum Airewas St Georges Day 2015
HMS Victorious Association
Remembers shipmates who Have Crossed the Bar
Here at the Arboretum the weather was very kind to us warm enough for us
to sit outside and drink our tea and cakes. I think our numbers were slightly
down on previous years, some faces from last year were missing, shall look forward to seeing you in October at Coventry though. Our Padre Reverend John
Mills due to other commitments was unable to attend, the prayers were said by
our Chairman Stoker Stan, and Secretary Topsey between them. Topsey had arranged after the service of remembrance for a talk to been given at the Naval
Service Memorial by Captain Paul Quinn OBE the General Secretary of the Royal
Naval Association and a most interesting talk it was, on behalf of our association I
would like to thank Paul for his time, as he was also busy organising contractors
in the repairs to one of the glass panels that had developed a crack
Remembering Shipmates
Who have crossed the Bar
Tea is Served
&
A thumbs up from the treasurer !
Coffers must be OK
Continued ****
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Creation By Stoker Stan Ding Dong
Now Do you all Under stand
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Arboretum 2015
Arthur Hoult
Served on HMS Victorious
WWI I
Arboretum 2015
Tot Time
Enjoy
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A Short History of the Modern Day Aircraft Carrier
I suspect that many of us as members of the HMS Victorious Association have at some
time stood on the Goofing Deck watching various types of aircraft landing on or being catapulted of the flight deck. One can understand in this day and age the need for the modern
day aircraft carrier , as it allows a strong combat unit to move quite quickly any where in the
world. But where did this all begin
It was only six and a half years after the first ever powered flight by the American
Wright Brothers that the idea of operating an aircraft off of a warship was thought of. The
man to do this formidable task was American Eugene. B. Ely who after receiving an engineering degree in1904 from the State University of Iowa began work in the automobile industry
as a salesman, racing driver, and a mechanic. In 1910 he taught himself to fly and from there
on he never looked back . It was on the 19 November 1910 that Eugene took off flying a Curtiss Model Pusher biplane from a temporary 83 feet high platform built on the foredeck of
the light cruiser USS Birmingham anchored at Hampton Roads, the momentum plus the
height of the aircraft above the water only just prevented the aircraft from crashing into the
sea, as it was the wheels did touch the water, before a very brave Eugene landed on a nearby
beach.
On January 18 1911, Ely also be came the first man to land an aircraft on to a warship
when he successfully landed on the stern of the armoured cruiser USS Pennsylvania, and it
was also the first time on landing that a aircraft used a hook and arrester gear to bring the
Curtiss pusher plane to a safe halt .
Eugene Ely at the
Eugene Ely at the controls of a Curtiss Model
D Pusher biplane.
Eugene Ely taking off from USS Birmingham 14-11-1910 , Hampton
Roads Virginia
Looking over the stern of the USS Pennsylvania anchored in San
Francisco Bay. This head-on view shows pilot Eugene Ely guiding his
Curtiss Model D biplane for a landing onto a platform constructed on
the stern of the ship, January 18 1911, This was the very first time
that an aircraft had landed on a warship note the sandbags on port
and starboard side of the platform.
Con …..
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Eugene Ely led a very exciting life if not a short one. On October 19th, 1911 whilst flying in an
exhibition at Macon Georgia his plane was late in pulling out of a dive and crashed, Eugene
did jump out of the plane but he suffered a broken neck and died some time later. In “1933
Congress awarded Eugene Ely The Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously for his extraordinary achievements as a civilian pioneer, and his contribution to the development of aviation .
In the USA
II
Wreckage of Eugene Burton Ely’s
plane after his fatal crash at
Macon Georgia on the 19th October 1911
Britain during about the same time as Eugene Ely began landing and taking off aircraft
from ships in the U.S.A. in Britain the Royal Navy embraced these relatively new flying machines more so than our army, mainly because during this period of time the admiralty could
see the great advantage that aircraft had in so much that they had the ability to watch over a
fleet during operations. The Royal Navy began the development of the modern day aircraft
carrier. in 1911 a period when RN officers begun flying training. One such officer was Charles
Rumney Samson who after only 71 minuets of flying training gained the Royal Aero Club certificate. Commander Samson was the officer commanding the naval air station at Eastchurch
and so became involved in many of the early experiments with aircraft. Commander Samson
was the first British pilot to fly a Short S 27 launched from a ramp mounted on the fore deck
of H.M.S . Africa anchored in the River Medway, then on May 19th 1912 he was launched
from a battleship H.M.S. Hibernia that was underway during that years Naval Review in Weymouth Bay although it is thought that the Admiral’s did not fully appreciate that this brave
flying experiment was the birth of the operational air craft carriers that we see today.
As the aeroplane developed during 1911 there appeared on the scene an aeroplane
that was capable of landing on water the seaplane
con …….
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Commander Charles Rumney lifting off in a Short S.27 from H.M.S. Hibernia
when the ship was steaming at 15 knots on May 9th 1912and by doing so
made history by being the first man to take off from a ship underway.
The French were the first to see
the advantage that an aeroplane
with the ability to land on water
and with the assistance of a support ship a seaplane carrier
would greatly increase the
range of the aircraft. In July 1912
trials were successfully carried
out during exercises in the Mediterranean ,that also led also to
the development of the Nieuport aircraft that had the ability
to fold their wings .
In 1913, Britain began trials related to the seaplane carrier when H.H.S. Hermes was selected for conversion and became the “Highflyer” class. The conversion consisted of canvas
shelters on the forecastle and quarterdeck these provided cover for one Cauldron G.3 amphibian aircraft foreword and a single Short Folder hydroplane aircraft aft, the operation of
HMS Hermes enabled a more purpose ship to be built this ship was HMS Ark Royal. Completed late in1913 and so was not ready by the outcome of the first world war, properly her
greatest fault was her lack of speed just 11 knots at this speed she was unable to keep up
with the battle fleet where her aircraft would be most needed, this resulted after the outbreak of the first world war the Admiralty to requisition a number of merchant ships and convert them to seaplane carriers HMS Empress, Engadin, and Riviera. The trio then took part
in the first sea and air attack on the German airship
H.M.S. Vindictive
sheds at Norholz
The last ship to be commissioned by the Royal
Navy during the first world war as an aircraft carrier
was HMS Vindictive, originally built by Harland &
Wolf in July 1916 as an heavy cruiser of the Hawkins
-class the short forward flying-off deck can just be
seen here a Fairy IIID is being hoisted off taken some
time in1919, however even though the ship had a
good turn of speed and was armed the concept of
the aircraft carrier was to develop further As an aircraft carrier Vindictive did see action in the Baltic but
ran aground, at a cost of some £200,000 to repair it was converted back to a cruiser
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December 1919 Vindictive and entered service being converted for the right role but in the
wrong configuration back in service as a cruiser she remained with the Royal Navy in a variety of roles until she was scrapped in 1946.
Today we hear and read about the past history of the Royal Navies two largest carriers
HMS Ark Royal, HMS Eagle and very little about other naval carriers. So I close my little piece
by referring to the Colossus Class, Light Fleet carriers HMS Glory, Ocean, and Theseus all of
which saw action in the Korean conflict. Between 1951 and 1953 HMS Glory carried out
more war patrols off the Korean Peninsula than any other British carrier, on the 5th of May
1953 she equalled a total of 123 sorties in one day that had been previously achieved by
HMS Ocean, this was a record for a light fleet carrier that involved all the squadron pilots flying four sorties each day, even Commander Air, and the flight Deck Officer flew two sorties .
The targets included bridges gun in placements and ox carts.
Typhoon Weather,
On route to the
Island of Okinawa
the Island
All ready to Fly
November2nd 1952
HMS Glory
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Hartlepool & HMS Trincomalee a Leda Class Frigate
Hartlepool, an old North Sea port with a long maritime history and is now helping to
bring to the town a share of the tourist pound. One of it’s major attractions is
HMS Trincomalee a old sailing warship that is actually still afloat and is not in a dry dock as is
the Cutty Sark and HMS Victory. HMS Trincomalee was laid down in 1816 and launched in
Bombay 1817 having been designed by Jamsetjee Bomanjee, arriving in Britain at the end of
the Napoleonic war, she was immediately placed in reserve, as we know it, “up the cut”!
Having been refitted and commissioned she went back into service in 1847, serving on
the North American and West Indian Station where she assisted in quelling riots in Haiti, and
a threatened invasion of Cuba although her main duties were on the anti– slavery patrol ,
she was then despatched to Newfoundland & Labrador Her active service in the fleet
ceased in October 1856 when she was ordered home and her active service ceased .
After being towed to Sunderland the HMS Trincomalee became the tender to the training ship HMS Castor then in 1877 she was moved to Southampton as a drill ship and in 1897
she was sold for breaking up.
Continued *****
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However she was bought by Mr Wheatley Cobb as a replacement for HMS Foundroyant
and Trincomalee was renamed HMS Foudroyant and became a youth training ship at
Falmouth. On the death of Mr Cobb the ship was presented
to the Society for Nautical Research towed to Portsmouth
where she became the accommodation ship for
HMS Implacable . During World War two she was used as a
store ship after which she was demobilised and continued as
a youth training ship under the control of the Froudroyant
Trust . In 1986 she was closed as a training ship and the trust
decided to return her to her original condition and to give her
back the original name HMS Trincomalee with that title and
completion of the restoration she was placed on show in the
Jackson Dock Hartlepool, as HMS Trincomalee, she is the
oldest floating British frigate, and the second oldest floating ship in the world.
This fine dare we say old ship certainly has had a wonderful world wide career.
Dead Ahead HMS Trincomalee
A point made by Admiral Lord Nelson. “Were I to die
at this moment, want of frigates would be stamped on
my heart” . This was said him in 1798 when he thought
he was mortally wounded at the Battle of the Nile.
*****
HMS Trincomalee in all her Glory
Hartlepool Historic Dock
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Those were the Days
!
HMS Raleigh Passing Out Parade
May 1959
Found this down the back of a cupboard, yep the left hand group is my class I think our class
number was 309 have not got a clue who were the other class, our class officer was a
Lt Carpenter . I was award the “Silver Wheel Spanner”, made from a steel bar
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You have to smile ———-
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The Victorious
A Goodbye
Most of us at sometime in our naval
service have been in one of our
dockyards under going a refit The Vic had
entered Portsmouth Harbour to a
great welcome home from wives and
relatives on June 1967, after which
she began her refit yet was commissioned
again on August of the same year.
Many of the ships company had been living on HMS Centaur but some of us had moved back
on to the Vic. It all began to happen during the morning watch, on Saturday 11 November
1967 Vic was still in dry dock, and so began that final episode that was to lead
HMS Victorious in Dry Dock after the fire.
Photo Sent in by Jack Dusty Barry Locker
HMS Victorious to her early end. The final chapter began whilst the Quarter master was doing his morning watch rounds, looking at his watch 0515, and all was well and he began to
return to the Quarter deck when he thought that he could smell burning rubber but after investigating 13 Mess he found nothing, it was 0600 that smoke was seen to be coming from
the vent above 13 Mess door the alarm
Continued *****
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Ships crew & Dockyard Firemen Fight the Fire
Ships Crew Hoisting a Fire Pump
Chief Petty Officer who had been asleep in the adjacent mess discovered the fire and set off
the alarm, after a few minutes the ships duty fire party were fighting the fire and were backed
by the dockyard Fire Brigade be cause the ship was in dry dock her fireman was not available
and water had to supplied from shore side hydrants , the fire was finally brought under control at 1115 and extinguished by 1230 but tragically during the action a member of the ships
company lost his life.
The Board of Inquiry found that the cause of the fire was due to a water heater that had
become empty and overheated and caught creating a fire which rapidly spread due to the
combustible material used in the decoration of the mess bar. After this episode work continued preparing the ship for sea and moral was at a high pitch, but as usual the press had other
news about the future of the Victorious even before the captain who of course could not confirm or deny it. On the 23rd November 1967 the lower deck was cleared and the captain informed the ships company that the Victorious would not re-commission. It was nearly a year
later on the 11th of July that the mighty Vic began that sad sad journey to the Shipbreaking
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Industries Yard at Faslane on the Gare Loch, as the fine lady was towed out of Portsmouth
harbour the Flag Officer Naval Air Command Vice Admiral Sir Richard Janvrin. KCB.DSC, paid
his own farewell tribute, as he flew in the last flying Swordfish aircraft to salute the Royal
Navy’s oldest carrier, the ship that he had commanded in1959 and 1960.
I flew out to Singapore to join HMS Victorious half way through her last commission and
was on her when she arrived in Portsmouth and was told that I would be doing the next commission on her for which I was quite pleased. During the refit when the Vic was in dry dock
my job was as watch keeper on the shore side donkey boiler quite a nice little number until
we heard there would be no next commission, my next draft was the Ark Royal I say no more.
Scimitar Landing on
Sea Vixen missed the wire going round for
another go
In conclusion thanks to Dusty Barry Lockyer for the photos , yes the Vic is still a good memory, and the hard bitter lessons gained from fifty years of naval aviation will be lost , I personally will believe in the new carriers only when I see planes fly off them.
B L Owen
*****
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HMS Victorious Association
Constitution
To encourage, promote and facilitate the liaison of former shipmates and other personnel
who have served aboard H.M.S. Victorious.
To provide a central point of contact for members seeking contact with old shipmates.
To do things and carry out all acts which shall, at the discretion of the Committee be
deemed necessary to benefit and perpetuate the objectives of the Association.
Membership
Full Membership : of the Association shall be open to persons who have served in H.M.S.
Victorious at any time, rank, or branch. On joining the Association every member shall receive a copy of the rules at no charge. Full members have voting rights.
Associate Members : will be accepted from relatives of shipmates who would be eligible for
full membership. May attend meetings. May sit on the committee at the discretion of the
Committee.
Life Membership : will be awarded to members who have given a long and honourable service to the Association at the discretion of the Committee. Life members have voting rights,
and do not pay annual dues.
Honorary Membership : may be given to any person, who in the opinion of the Committee
deserves recognition for services rendered to the Association. Honorary members do not
have voting rights, may only attend meetings as observers, and may not sit on the Committee