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Dear
We
had a successful Reunion dinner with 14 survivors present
and a total attendance of 68. Our President, the Earl of Gainsborough.
was unable to come but we were honoured to have Lady Rosemary
Griffin with us. Before the dinner started we and the HMS
Hood Association were entertained in rotunda by a choir of
14 German sailors from the Bonn Marine Kamerad Shaft, their
equivalent to our RNA. It was much enjoyed and at the conclusion
plaques were presented to the chairmen of both associations.
The
occasion was videoed and copies are available from Personal
Video Productions, 81 Brompton road, Southsea, Hants, P04
9AJ (tel 01705 735211) for £ 12.50. Our Annual General Meeting
was held during the dinner and the first item was to thank
Peter Yuile again for his generous donation. Many thanks are
also due to all those others who have very kindly made donations
when returning their attendance chits.
The secretary reported that he had had 28, now 29 replies
all approving the revised constitution and I therefore signed
it as our agreed constitution. The treasurer reported that
we were solvent and that finds remained at a similar level
to last year. It was proposed and carried en bloc that the
committee should be re-elected for another year. Members may
wish to know that the HMS Queen Elizabeth Association is holding
its reunion on 2 October and that they have invited our members
to attend. The cost is £16.50.
The
Dean of Westminster Abbey, The Very Rev'd Dr. Wesley Can has
kindly agreed to our next remembrance and wreath laying service
being held on Saturday 27 November 1999. As usual those attending
the service should arrive at the West door and gather in the
waiting area of the north aisle of the nave between 2.30 and
2.40 pm.
To enable staff to identify members of the Association, medals
should be worn and those having badges should wear them. Abbey
staff will then direct members to the choir or the transepts
for evensong. This will be followed by our remembrance service
around the nave altar. If you would like to lay the wreath
please let me know. The book of remembrance will be open after
the service. Abbey staff wish to have some idea of the numbers
attending please would you complete and return the attached
slip.
We shall again ask the Union Jack Club if we can meet there
after the service. For security purposes they need a nominal
list so please print the names of all your guests on the slip.
I am purchasing a few more lapel badges and will bring them
to the service for anybody who would like one. Jimmy Annandale's
speech machine packed up sometime ago and we have been trying
to get it replaced through the British Legion who control
the fund set up by Mrs Cooke for the dependants of those who
died.
It is hoped that he will soon be assessed to identify a suitable
machine. Dorothy Wynne has written saying that she has passed
the last newsletter on to a friend of John's a Hugh Jones
who was a signalman in HMS Barham pre-war. He became a POW
from HMS Prince of Wales and now lives at Conah's Quay in
North Wales. There are still eight Barham trophies one of
which is a silver "Eastbourne" cup in the Wardroom of HMS
Collingwood.
It was presented by the County Borough of Eastbourne for the
highest aggregate points in the field sports during the visit
of the first battle squadron in June 1923. HMS Barham and
FIMS Valiant tied first with 18 points each so a duplicate
cup was made for HMS Valiant. HMS Barham's was subsequently
presented to the winners of the interpart marathon: 1925 Foretop,
1926 Torpedo, 1929 and 1934 Fo'c's'le, 1935-7 Royal Marines,
1938 Officers.
It is with sadness that I have to list those that have died
since the last newsletter. At the dinner I reported three
deaths. Two survivors, John Symons who lived at Brandon,,
Manitoba in Canada, he was a Boy Signalman at the time of
the sinking, and David Ritchie who lived in Devon and was
a Royal Marine. Also Captain Goeffery A Cooke a nephew of
the ship's Captain died this year. We have also heard that
Bill Taylor died in November 98. He was a cousin of Marine
Robert Wood who was lost in the sinking. John Keane has written
asking to join the Association. His uncle Jerry Connolly was
a Stoker who went down with the ship. I would like to thank
Lady Rosemary and Jim Samuels for their kind offer of newsletter
back numbers. Except for November 1982 1 believe we now have
a complete set from 1980. The earliest is March 1966 with
a number in the mid 1970's. I am still interested in collecting
any of the earlier ones if possible. Next year's Reunion dinner
will be held on the Saturday 13 May in the Royal Sailors Home
Club, Queen street, Portsmouth. Yours sincerely
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