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NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER 2002
Dear
This November will be the 61th anniversary of the sinking
of HN4S BARHAM and the Dean of Westminster Abbey, The
Very Rev'd Dr. Wesley Carr, has kindly agreed to our remembrance
and wreath laying service being held on Saturday 23 November
2002.
As usual those attending the service should arrive at the
West door and gather in the seated waiting area 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. I will bring a few badges to the
service for anybody else who would like one. Abbey staff will
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. As the Abbey staff wish to have some idea of the
numbers attending please would you complete and return the
slip sent out with this newsletter. (not supplied on the internet
- please drop me a line instead if you have not received the
newsletter and it's accompanying slip by post)
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. We had a successful Reunion dinner with 8 survivors
present and a total attendance of 62. We were honoured to
have both our President, the Earl of Gainsborough and Lady
Gainsborough with us and were very glad that Lady Rosemary
Griffin was also able to attend.
We
also welcomed a newcomer to the dinner: John Nealon a
survivor who was a Royal Marine at the time. He returned to
this country in the Spring having lived in Zimbabwe for many
years and has just joined the Association having heard of
us through the internet. Also Paul Skinner and his wife who
had come from Ontario. Paul lost his father Stoker P0 George
Skinner in the sinking. Many thanks are also due to all those
others who have very kindly made donations when returning
their attendance chits.
George stated at our last annual general meeting his health
was declining and in particular his sight was failing but
his request for a volunteer to take over as chairman had not
been answered. However the popularity of the dinner and remembrance
service is such that he believed you would wish the Association
to continue.
To enable it to do so would require our constitution be amended
and so before the dinner an Extraordinary General Meeting
of Survivors was held to consider proposals. Six survivors
had given written replies. Our President and secretary were
also in attendance. At the meeting it was agreed that the
membership of the Association should be widened to include
any member or the family of any member of the Royal Navy,
Royal Marines or NAAFT who served in HMS Barham and associate
membership should be open to all others who take an interest
in the objects of the Association. As a consequence the
name of the Association should be changed to the HMS Barham
Association.
Amended copies of the constitution are available from the
secretary. Our Annual General Meeting was held during the
dinner. The Chairman thanked everyone for the support he had
received over the years. Our President then thanked George
for keeping the Association going so well. He proposed that
I be elected chairman, which was carried.
Sidney
who will carry on as treasurer said the funds were healthy.
Ray Oliver has agreed to become secretary and George Elliott,
Bob Woodgate and Cecil (Nobbie) Hall will remain on the committee.
The result of both meetings has since been broadcast on our
web page.
What are the objects of the Association?
They are: 1. to perpetuate the name of HMS BARHAM;
2. to perpetuate the memory of all members of the Royal Navy,
Royal Marines and NAAFI staff who lost their lives while serving
in HMS BARHAM
3. to preserve the HMS BARHAM memorial candlesticks arid book
of memorial presently located in Westminster Abbey, London;
4. to counsel members, associate members and their dependants
on matters affecting their welfare;
5.
to liaise with the Royal British Legion on the application
of funds arising frorn the legacy of Mrs Cooke. -
There are now 45 survivors in the Association of whom a quarter
live abroad. There are also 14 members who served in HMS Barham
before the sinking. Following the new constitution there will
be 196 members and 25 associates. Reading through the website
guestbook I have spotted four survivors who have not been
recorded as members for the last ten years. Jack Franklin
was a gunner and lives in Leeds. Henry Mitchell who was an
Ordinary Seaman at the time. Dennis Kitchen who was a Stoker
1 at the time lives in Leamington Spa. Percy Knott who was
an AB at the time lives in Fish Hoek, Cape Town.
Congratulations
to Chief Petty Officer Bob Woodgate who has recently been
awarded the third clasp to his Cadet Forces medal for meritorious
and long service and the Queen's Jubilee medal. He joined
the Wembley branch of the Sea Cadets known as TS Barham in
1964 and has been a uniformed instructor since 1968 making
a total of 38 years in the Sea Cadet Corps. In 1988 the Wembley
branch was amalgamated with the Harrow branch which has retained
its old title of TS Dundas. However much memorabilia from
the days of TS Barham remains. Bob has been attending Association
functions regularly since the 25th anniversary of the sinking
in 1966.
It
is with sadness that I have to list those that have died since
the last newsletter. Four deaths were reported at the dinner..
William Caston died in February, he was a survivor and was
an AB at the time. Eric Field died on 6 April, he served on
board from 1938 to Mar 1941 and left as an AB.
Another
survivor Eric Mundy who lived at Pietermaritzburg, Natal died
on 23 April, he was an LSA at the time. And more recently
Herbie Rawlings died at the end of April, yet another survivor,
he was an Acting Stoker P0 at the time. Since the dinner two
more survivors have died. Roy Penny in April, he was an ERA4
at the time and at the end of August Albert Smith who was
a Royal Marine musician at the time.
He and his widow have regularly attended our dinners and remembrance
services. I have just heard from John Dodds that Ernie Swinhoe
has died. Both survived the sinking of HMS Duchess after a
collision with HMS Barham.. and John is now the only one known
to be living of the 24 original survivors from a crew of 146.
Next year's Reunion dinner will be held on the Saturday 17
May in the Royal Sailors Home Club, Queen street, Portsmouth.
Many thanks for all your letters and contributions. Yours
sincerely Michael K Stratton-Brown 
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