Have a Great Christmas & Prosperous New Year
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Volume 5, Issue 5 November 2016 Editorial By Shipmate Norrie Millen Hi! Shipmates, he Festive Season is rapidly approaching, don’t The Rum Tub or Norrie’s you just hate it when Christmas decorations and Nocturnal and Nautical Tfestive fare appear as early as late August in Natter In this issue some stores, hardly before we have our sun glasses Editorial ................................. 1 and swimming trunks off! I don’t know about your Norrie’s natter ......................... 2 Battle of Jutland ................... 3-5 families, but as a child we were bunged off to bed Sheep Farmer to spy ............. 6-8 early Christmas Eve with a stern warning not Shot at dawn ..................... 9-10 reappear before morning or Santa Claus 1961-63 Commission dit ... ..... 10 1970-72 Commission dit ........ 11 would not call. RN Submariner Qualifies USN .. 12 Whilst we were allegedly asleep, I guess we dozed a little; my parents would then hang DID YOU KNOW? the Christmas Decorations (homemade) Although very little is known about and erect the small Christmas tree with them due to sparse historical about a dozen small lights on it. Main records, there were female gladiators, known as gladiatrices, in presents were sneaked into bedroom during the wee Ancient Rome. hours. After opening our presents and once we went down Phoebe Snetsinger (1931-1999) the stairs, there was a Christmas stocking each with an was the most accomplished birder apple, orange, some sweets and nuts. (Remember things in the history of the world–over the were on ration and scarce) course of her life she observed and Next year’s reunion at Royal Beach South promises to be a documented 8,398 different bird great one, lots to do and a regular free shuttle bus to take species. you about. Please do think about it, we would love to see Although Drew Struzan might not more of you from all commissions. I know if you are not be a household name, you’ve on email, you will not get continual updates to website or certainly seen his work–he’s the artist behind some of the most newsletters. I will endeavour to send this one out to as iconic movie poster art of the 20th many as I can, bearing in mind the heavy postage rates century including Star Wars, Back these days. to the Future, Indiana Jones, and Still Tiz the season to be jolly and a fun family affair. This more. newsletter a tad early for Chrimbo, but I will be driving up The first commercial flight in the UK to Scotland to celebrate with my eldest son, who did not took off from Teignmouth, in Devon. want dad to be alone for Christmas. When Angela said The passenger service was run by The Great Western Railway. last Christmas that she would not see another Christmas, I told her to stop talking nonsense! The auditory equivalent of visualization is called audiation It’s kind of weird that people seem to know when their wherein you imagine sounds or time left on this earth is approaching, I remember my musical constructs in the absence father saying many years ago, I will be dead within the of actual auditory stimulus; the term week and he was spot on. was coined by music education Have a great Christmas & Prosperous New Year researcher Edwin Gordon in 1975. Life is too short, take each day as it comes and enjoy it. The way I see it anyway! Volume 5 Issue 5 November 2016 Norrie’s Natter The polo shirts first and second order have now all been collected or posted. Gentle reminder for those yet to pay, settlement would be appreciated in the near future. Plans are in hand for next two reunions, 2017 and something (hopefully) a bit special for 2018, the 60th anniversary of the 1958-60 commissioning year. All those on my Ulster database will receive applications from IOW Tours in near future; apart from those who have stated they have no further interest in attending or are unable to for health reasons. If anyone has slipped through cracks my sincere apologies. 2017 will be at The Royal Beach in Southsea, with a shuttle bus on the Saturday to and from hotel to local attractions. I did email out a survey which drew little response but came out in favour of the shuttle over a dedicated bus trip to a local attraction. Now I am not a push and shove away from a free TV licence, the only other person in A highway patrol officer was patrolling late at night off that category that keeps in frequent touch the main highway. now has his. What am I trying to say? The At nearly midnight, he sees a couple in a car, in other ‘young lads’ on the commission I lovers' lane, with the interior light brightly glowing. hardly ever hear from. Nothing at all from He carefully approaches the car to get a closer look. Young ‘Jock’ Bain since he made contact, He sees a young man behind the wheel, reading a computer magazine. He immediately notices a young a couple of Christmas’s ago. woman in the rear seat, filing her fingernails. It really is quite painless to hit reply and Puzzled by this surprising situation, the trooper walks acknowledge my emails, especially when I to the car and gently taps on the driver's window. ask a direct question e.g. last survey. Nor The young man lowers his window. "Uh, yes will you catch anything by doing so apart Officer?" The trooper asks "What are you doing?" The young from a thank you response from me for man says "Well, Officer, I'm reading a magazine your reply and comments. "Pointing towards the young woman in the back seat, I really do appreciate it is not always easy the trooper asks: "And what is she doing?" The for you to respond right away, but do try to young man shrugs: "Sir, I believe she's filing her fingernails." keep in closer touch. I doubt, many of you Now, the trooper is totally confused: A young couple, spend 8+ hours 7 days a week, I have to alone, in a car, at night in a lover's lane and nothing running my websites and answering the inappropriate is happening!" The trooper asks mound of emails I receive on a daily basis. "What's your age, young man?" The young man says Remember communication is a two-way "I'm 22, sir." The trooper asks "And how old is she?" medium, well at least it should be! The young man looks at his watch and replies: "She'll be 18 in 11 minutes" d d d d d d d d d d d d Rum Tub Page - 2 Volume 5 Issue 5 November 2016 Battle of Jutland May 31st – June 1st 1916 Transcript of the Journal of Petty Officer (Writer) Albert Symonds Submitted by Shipmate Mikle Seaward Journal transcribed by Ian Mackenzie, HMS Lowestoft Association PART I she was transferred to the 8th Light Cruiser Squadron with whom she This is a transcript of the Journal of remained for the rest of the war. Petty Officer (Writer) Albert Symonds, Southampton was sold for scrapping on who was serving in the Town Class Light 13 July 1926 to Ward, of Pembroke Cruiser HMS Dock. Southampton. (Sister Albert William ship of HMS Garland Symonds was Lowestoft which the fifth of seven was in 1916 with children born to the Mediterranean William and Emily Fleet in the 8th Symonds on July 2, L.C.S.) 1888. The Journal was He was educated at kindly supplied to the the Royal Hospital School, HMS Lowestoft Association by Bob Hind of 'The News' HMS Southampton Greenwich, and served 25 Portsmouth who was given years in the Royal Navy, access to the journal by Sarah Pilbeam, retiring as a Chief Writer. of Widley, the granddaughter of Albert Symonds. Albert begins his notes at 6pm on the evening of Friday, June 2, 1916 at HMS Southampton was laid down on 6 Rosyth. The battle raged from May 31 April 1911 by John Brown & Company at to June 1 their Clydebank shipyard and launched on 16 May 1912. Upon completion in Foreword I am writing this at 6 PM November, the ship was assigned to the on the evening of Friday June 2nd 1916. 1st Battle Squadron and she became The ship is at Rosyth and we reached flagship of the 1st Light Cruiser this base at 2 PM today having left it at 9 Squadron in July 1913. The ship PM on Tuesday 30th May. In the had an extremely active interval, a naval action of some wartime career. magnitude has taken place. Southampton participated in HMS Southampton played the Battle of Heligoland her part in it and it has been Bight, and later in the an honourable if somewhat Battle of Dogger Bank in trying part which we have early 1915. In May 1916, played. It is of course Southampton fought in the inevitable that one ship, not to Battle of Jutland as flagship mention one individual like of 2nd Light Cruiser myself can form but an Squadron (Commodore indifferent opinion of the Goodenough) where she complete results and actions of a torpedoed the German light 'show' such as this last one. But it cruiser SMS Frauenlob, which Writer Symonds so happened that circumstances subsequently sank. In 1917, dictated that this ship should see Rum Tub Page - 3 Volume 5 Issue 5 November 2016 as much of the action, if not more than line, steering South with the "Lion" any other ship.