HMS GANGES
ASSOCIATION
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November 2005

Shipmates
A major new BBC documentary consisting of five one hour episodes called Shipmates will be screened on BBC1 at 9.00pm from 22nd November 2005. Shipmates is a contemporary look at the Royal Navy showing life at sea and ashore in Devonport Naval Base as seen by producer Chris Terrill, whose previous films have included 'The Cruise' and 'HMS BRILLIANT'. It largely features HMS CHATHAM, her 2004/5 deployment to the Gulf and her involvement in post-tsunami relief operations in January this year.

Crossed The Bar

It is with regret, that I inform the Membership of the Death this morning, of Wally Turner. Ganges 1947 Anson Div.
ex Yeoman of Signals. Chairman and staunch member of Merseyside. Our condolences go out to his wife Beryl and family.
Wally and Beryl were great organisers, and whatever Merseyside did They were in the front. Wally has been ill for some time, but even in adversity attended meetings. May he now Rest in Peace.
Brian Simpson <skowzbrian@hotmail.com> Merseyside.
17Nov05

Remembrance Sunday, 2005

composite photograph cenotaph 2005 - photograph by Lee Fleming

"HMS Ganges Association, led by the Chairman of the West London Division, Slinger Wood" ... a case of mistaken identity as Jim had been substituted for Slinger to overcome a slight security problem, Jim having forgotten to bring his ticket! He was therefore badged up with the column marker "E3" to convince security how important he was hence David Dimbleby's understandable error.

Apart from this hiccup, the day was chilly but dry and then the sun appeared just before we marched off. Fantastic. I felt so proud to be there among the thousands of marchers, including a contingent from the US Marines this year. We numbered about 70 including a few supernumeries from Uxbridge RNA being counted as our own. The crowd was the largest ever seen by some old salts and joined in with gusto in the singing of hymns, the saying of prayers and the general chit chat between assembled troops before the Parade proper.

It was a wonderful day. Des, leading from the front, tried to keep us in step even when he was out himself! Not an easy thing to do in soft-heeled shoes once out of earshot of the band. "We're a shower of B......s" tunefully rendered to the crowd just before Prince Charles took the salute on Horseguards Parade helped to bring everyone back on track. The applause all along the route was unexpected and quite uplifting.

The day was concluded with a reception laid on for the whole contingent, family and friends, by West London at their Uxbridge Headquarters where lamps were swung and songs were sung. Yes, a day to be remembered.

Field of Remembrance Wreath - Photograph by Lee Fleming

Photographs by Lee Fleming (1970)

Tony Thipthorpe <thipthorpe@btconnect.com>
Chairman
14Nov05

The day that I have been waiting for since our Association began finally arrived on Sunday when we marched past the Cenotaph as an HMS Ganges contingent, heads held high and arms swinging. Our old GI George Hare would have been proud of us. Well done to all the organisers only sorry I had to miss out on Uxbridge RNA afterwards
Mike Noonan <michael.noonan1@ntlworld.com>

"Message was a great success", for those that saw any of the News Coverage, 90% of the Signallers (Bunting Tossers) were "Ganges Boys" Trained between the 30's and 60's.. So HMS Ganges was represented twice, by those marching and those positioned along the Thames sending Semaphore....
The message was: "War Turns Us To Stone, In Remembrance We Shine And Rise To New Days" A book and Video will be released about "Message" later on in the Year.
Regards
Terry Revell <Terry.Revell@southernwater.co.uk>
16Nov05

Remembrance Sunday at Mylor

Yet again Cornwall Division had grafted during the week to make sure that the Ganges memorial and surrounding area was up to scratch.
This year the event was blessed with the National Standard presented by Tony Higgins in his usual immaculate style and the national wreath laid by Shipmate Norman West from Solent, whose own standard was also on parade along with ours from Devonport.
This was the first year for new Chairman Roger Pascoe who picked up the reigns from our dear shipmate Bob Harwood who crossed the bar just over a year ago, and the last year for Reverend James who has conducted the service for many years and is retiring this year and moving North.
At a Lunch at The Falmouth Beach Hotel following the service the Reverend James was presented with a pair of Ganges Crested Crystal Tot Glasses by Simon Thornewill, President of the Cornwall Division and another one by Mike Phillips Chairman of Devonport Division along with a small donation raised in raffle held on the coach during the journey from Plymouth for the benefit of his Church.
Basil Downing-Waite <bazval@btinternet.com>

15Nov05

Geoff Haisell lays a wreath at Orpington

Just to show myself in another format prior to laying the H.M.S. Ganges Wreath on Orpington War Memorial on Remembrance Day 2005.
Very honoured and proud being able to do this to honour all our shipmates who laid down their lives for us.
And also to honour my Father who not only was a Ganges Boy, but also an Instructor there in the late 1930s.
Its his medals I so proudly wear on the right side, (headed by his D.S.M.)
Yours Aye,
Geoff <GLHaisell@aol.com>

19Nov05

Crossed The Bar - Frank Albert Perkings

Following submitted by Derek Ernst <dernst@ozemail.com.au>
Our member Doug Firstbrook. became aware of Frank Albert Perkings in recent times. Apparently Frank was ex RN and Ganges, alas Frank who was 97 years old sadly passed away before Doug was able visit him.. Frank was probably unaware of our existence as was the South Australian Branch of his. The staff at the nursing home where he was being cared for described him "as a fine old gentleman". Doug is representing the Association at Franks funeral Friday 18th November at Taylor & Forgies Chapel, 15 Cowan St, Gawler at noon.
Any other member wishing to attend contact Doug.
13Nov05

Ronnie Johnston's 50th Year certificate Presentation

Geoff Haisell <GLHaisell@aol.com> and Bill Baxter <Wbaxterbill@aol.com> with their wives travelled north to Newcastle upon Tyne to present their class mate Ronnie Johnston with his 50th year since Ganges certificate and a ratings cap with HMS Ganges cap tally.

Crossed The Bar - Sam McKeown

It is with much regret that we advise that Sammy crossed the bar yesterday after a heart attack.
Bessie is bearing up well and their family is with her.
Sam joined "Ganges" in 1937 and was a survivor from the "Dorsetshire" in WW2. After leaving the RN he worked on the railways where he sadly lost a leg as a result of an accident. Sam and Bessie were early members of our association in Victoria and we shall miss Sam very much - always cheerful and very 'navy faced', he came from Belfast and retained that strong accent, always a supporter and ready to recount his early days at Shotley at the drop of a hat.
The date and time of his funeral has yet to be announced but I will keep you informed.
David <daverees@satlink.com.au>
05Nov05

Ray Lambert <Ray@lambert95.freeserve.co.uk>
02Nov05

Tommy Nicol

I have been trying to trace an uncle of mine and would welcome any information that I can get to help in this.
His name is Thomas McBride Nicol. He joined the Navy in about 1935/6 as a boy sailor and I think he signed on for 22 years. He trained at HMS Caledonia (Tommy is on the left in the photo).
I had a tin as a kid with some ribbons (possibly Battle of the Atlantic), a hat band of HMS Jupiter, and colour postcard - all long since lost. I also had a sleeveless sheepskin jacket with duffle type buttons that mum said he got when going to Murmansk. My mother received a Missing In Action letter after the Battle of the Java Sea but insisted that Tommy was still alive and later served on HMS Neptune and HMS Indomitable (at Iwo Jima). She said he had been picked up by HMAS Sydney - and when that was sunk - a Dutch tramp steamer - going to Australia. She seemed to have a lot of detail that appears to be correct. She said he was present at the Japanese air raids on Trincomalee, Ceylon - now Sri Lanka and Darwin and that HMS Jupiter should have been escorting HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales. The crew manifest of Jupiter does not appear to list him. She also said that HMS Indomitable had a steel deck and the U.S.N. wanted this as theirs were wooden. She also said that extra guns had been fitted and were manned by US marines - who she claimed were responsible for an injury to Tommy (broken ribs) after being trapped between moving pom poms. Tommy never returned to Glasgow and I have never met him. In the '50s (I would have been about 7/8) a friend of my mothers who had moved to Corby visited her. I remember part of this conversation well. I was present when she told my mother that she had met Tommy in Oxford St., London. He was looking well and was wearing what she described as an officers type of cap. (One with a peak - I believe she meant) He had said he was serving on HMS Ganges and was a CPO. I am trying to trace what happened to him - and what his real story was.
Martin Maguire <mmaguire@connect.ie>

18Nov05

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