16.

extent of the 2000 floods – many of you will remember the story of the girl who gave birth in H.M.S. Ajax & River Plate Veterans the top of a tree. Association From the capital Maputo we headed into Swaziland before dropping back into South Africa calling in at Richards Bay, Durban and East London on route to see friends at Port Alfred. Following a week in a real bed we headed north for Johannesburg and into the Kruger National Park. We hadn't intended visiting Zimbabwe but our conversations with various NEWSLETTER travellers suggested it was now safe with fuel readily available. Having replaced the Zimbabwean dollar with US dollars had made all the difference. However, this did mean our One Hundred Trillion Dollar note was now obsolete but don't worry, that would have only paid for a loaf of bread! We were really glad we did visit. We travelled to the northern part camping once again on the banks of the Zambezi before heading west to Lake Kariba JUNE 2011 spending a couple of days in a national park there. Across to Hwange Park and then south down through Bulawayo and into the Matopes Park where Cecil Rhodes is buried in the rock on top of a large rock formation. In the park we came across a memorial to the MOTHS which CONTENTS turned out to be in honour of those military personnel who had survived various conflicts. We eventually found out that MOTHS stood for 'Member Of The Tin Hats' and it was quite fitting Chairman/Editor’s Remarks that we by chance were there at 11am on 11th November. River Plate Veterans’ Association

75th River Plate Anniversary Membership Secretary’s Update & Recent Birthdays Overdue Honour for River Plate Veteran Memories of the Battle – Tony Sheridan HMS AJAX – association with Halifax, Yorkshire Pictures of the Cruiser Pictures of the Frigate activities

Poster for HMS AJAX visit to Ajax 25th August 1976 African Adventure

Rescuing a stuck lorry in Zimbabwe

To be continued NEC QUISQUAM NISI AJAX 2. 15. H.M.S. AJAX & RIVER PLATE VETERANS ASSOCIATION. CHAIRMAN/SECRETARY ARCHIVIST NEWSLETTER EDITOR John Hitchen At Bagamoyo we again saw the sea but this time the Indian Ocean. Bagamoyo, now a sleepy Peter Danks 25 Arundel Avenue little town, used to be the main trading port in East Africa with thousands of slaves passing 104 Kelsey Avenue East Ewell through in exchange for spices. We headed to Dar es Saalam with the intention of catching a Southbourne Surrey KT17 2RF ferry across to Zanzibar. The heavens opened as we entered Dar but we soon crossed over the Emsworth Tel: 02082 247757 river by the city ferry to the south side to camp up for a few days before putting the Land Hampshire PO10 8NQ [email protected] Rover in storage and taking the 2 hour catamaran ride to Stone Town, the old port of Zanzibar. Tel: 01243 371947 We stayed for 4 nights hiring a car and touring the island before returning to Dar es Salaam [email protected] and making our way north to the Serengeti Park and on to Lake Victoria, the largest African MEMBERSHIP lake. This was to be the furthest north we would go on this trip as we now intended travelling TREASURER Malcolm Collis south down to Malawi. Alf Larkin ‘Glenmorag’ 5 Cockles Way Little Coxwell Weymouth Faringdon We stopped off at Lake Malawi, the third largest in Africa before crossing into Malawi with a Dorset DT4 9LT Oxfordshire SN7 7LW very easy crossing – through in 10 minutes. Although Malawi is one of the smaller African Tel: 01305 775553 Tel: 01376 240832 countries, dominated by its lake, we spent about 4 weeks there alternating between the lake [email protected] [email protected] and the Highlands before heading west into Mozambique at the end of August.

CHAIRMAN’S/EDITOR’S REMARKS

I am grateful for those members who have sent me articles for this newsletter. Keep your articles coming.

Annual Subscriptions Members who may have overlooked sending their subscriptions through to Malcolm, could they please do so on receipt of this newsletter. A red sticker will indicate those who may be outstanding.

Annual Reunion The application form for this year's reunion – 5th and 6th October – is forwarded with this newsletter.Following the procedure which was adopted last year where you can submit your application for accommodation and make payment for dinner on the same form, we are repeating this again for 2011. There is a slight increase in the cost of the meal taking into account the rise in VAT.

There will be an “Up Spirits” prior to the Dinner similar to last year's event which proved very popular with those attending. One of the better bridges in Malawi

Annual General Meeting We spent the first night at the busy town of Tete once again camping on the banks of the The AGM will be held on Thursday 6th October at the King Charles Hotel after the Church Zambezi before heading down through Mozambique to the coast. We intended visiting Biera Service. It is intended to publish the agenda in the September newsletter – if any member has but having lingered longer than intended at Gorongosa National Park we forgo the detour and any item they wish to be discussed, please forward to me by 1st August with any instead ended up at Inhassora on the coast and made our way south along the coast road to accompanying comment in support of the item. Nomination of officers of the Association Vilancolus. Here we took a dhow (small sailing boat) trip out to the small island of Magarique would also be welcome, with a seconder. Please send your nominations by email to me or by for the day, although they did cheat and use the engine to get us back on time! At one campsite phone. right in the dunes we had brilliant close-up views of humpback whales coming here to give birth and breed. Crossing over the Limpopo River at Xai-Xai we were shocked to see the 3. 14. boats and consequently sea birds. The idea is to sail to the fishing grounds and find a trawler The River Plate Veterans and Families Association with its attendant thousands of albatrosses of many species and the literature says the rougher I am grateful to Jim Smith for the following information. His Association will be holding the weather the better! Unfortunately the skipper couldn't find any trawlers so we didn't their 2011 Reunion over the weekend of 28-30 October in Plymouth and this will coincide witness the spectacle of the thousands of birds picking off the discarded fish offal as they are with their affiliated ship – HMS DIAMOND – visiting Devonport. If you would like to attend cleaned on board. We did put out our own chum, a mash of smelly fish, and pulled in a few please contact him for an application form on [email protected] or 01302 841806. albatrosses of a couple of species but by mid-afternoon we made our way back to shore with Their dinner on the 29th October will be onboard HMS DIAMOND; however numbers are breathtaking views of Cape Point high above us and fur seals all around us. very limited. Please contact Jim by 31st August 2011.

Eventually we had our vehicle ready for the expedition and left on 1st March heading north. We cut across to Port Nolloth on the west coast and on up to Alexander Bay right on the 75th River Plate Anniversary Namibian border before camping on the flooded Orange River. From here we headed into Botswana and on up to the north to the, also in flood, Chobe River. A day trip into Zimbabwe Your Committee members met recently and the question of how the Association should to visit the mighty Victoria Falls on the Zambezi saw us getting soaked due to the amount of celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the River Plate in 3 years time was discussed. The spray from the very full Falls. Back into Botswana for another couple of weeks before Committee would be pleased to receive ideas from anyone who has any brilliant ideas. One crossing into Zambia late April; the ferry across the flooded Zambezi at Kazungula was suggestion was to somehow link in with the final Astute Class submarine which is to be called interesting but nothing compared to the actual border crossing. We camped at Livingstone on 'Ajax' in the hope that the Keel Laying ceremony may coincided with 2014. As a result of this the Zambezi before heading north for a few days on the shores of Lake Kariba. Built in 1950's Malcolm Collis emailed the Minister of Defence and received the following response: by damming the Zambezi, the lake is the largest man-made lake in southern Africa; 150 miles long and up to 25 miles wide. We slowly made our way through Zambia, having been joined “Dear Mr Collis by our 13 year old granddaughter for a fortnight, and detoured back down to show her the Your point of contact for future reference is Navy PR. You will be aware that we are not now Victoria Falls and take a helicopter trip over them. In Lusaka we said goodbye to able to actively lead on many of the anniversaries, however we would be very interested to granddaughter & headed up to Lake Tanganyika As part of the Rift Valley this lake is the hear in the future if the Association comes up with a plan, which we can then scope on your second largest in Africa after Lake Victoria & the second deepest in the world after Lake behalf for possible Service involvement. We can most certainly be your link into Navy News Baikal. From here we made our way across the top of Zambia and with another lengthy to help coordinate and garner support, and with Fleet Media to help publicise. bureaucratic crossing, into Tanzania. We are expecting formal approval later this year for the hull to be commissioned, which is the hull that we expect to carry the name. We don't officially use the name yet, until formal approval has occurred, which we anticipate to have by the end of the summer 2011. If so, it is entirely possible that the keel laying would be in 2014 and of course we would look to include the Association on the day. Hope this helps for now and you may want to put a marker in the diary for later in the Summer to re-contact us and revisit this issue. Andy Aspden Captain Head of Navy PR Directorate of Media and Communications”

We are hopeful that we can do something along these lines but regardless we would be very happy to consider your suggestions for alternative or additional celebrations.

Membership Secretary's Update Welcome to new members: Phillip Charles Byram who is the youngest son of a current member, Kenneth (Yorky) Byram HMS Ajax 1942 – 1945. Phillip lives in Bradford, West Yorkshire and doubles up as chauffeur to Kenneth and Betty for the reunion (that's how I started!)

Martin Rowland who was a Frigate member 1967 – 69. Martin lives in Brighton, East Sussex.

On the Makgadigadi Salt Pans in Botswana Trevor Dixon joined the navy in 1965 and served on the Frigate 1973 to 1975 as a PO Writer. 4. 13.

He left the Royal Navy in 1992 as CPO Writer. He lives in Dartmouth where he runs his own on-line business 'Navy Blue'. This is a specialist retail outlet selling Naval & Military AFRICAN ADVENTURE memorabilia to the general public with a large range of maritime books; they also provide a medal mounting service, full or miniature. Check out www.navyblue34.co.uk Malcolm & Judi Collis, Membership Secretaries of HMS Ajax spent a year touring southern Africa in their fully kitted out Land Rover allowing them to camp in the roof tent for most of Regrettably one of our members has Crossed the Bar. Raymond (Dolly) Gray died on 21st the time and visit most of the many National Parks. The following is an extract of that April at the age of 93. Raymond lived in Cheltenham and served on HMS Ajax 1938 to 44 adventure touching upon the nautical and watery bits. having joined the Navy in 1935 serving in HMS Cumberland and Ramillies. Raymond featured in an article in the September 2010 Newsletter. Raymond was in Ajax when war 20th January 2009 saw the arrival of the big day; the start of our 12 month adventure in broke out at 0800hrs on 3rd September 1939 and on the same day they sank the German ship southern Africa with my wife Judi and me delivering our expedition Land Rover to Barking in Olinda, the next day the Carl Fritzen and in the third week the USS Acooma. Essex for loading into a shipping container before transportation to Tilbury Docks for loading. We waved off the Land Rover knowing the next time we would see her would be Cape Town with a scheduled arrival date of 14th February. Over the next weeks we followed He attended School a couple of times but always returned to Ajax and saw action at the progress of the ship, Safmarine Nokwanda on the internet tracking site as she stopped off the River Plate; Greece; Crete; Matapan and the Mediterranean where Ajax sank 2 Italian at Bremmerhaven before heading south, calling at Las Palmas in the Canaries. We flew out Destroyers in October 1940. On New Year's Day 1943 Raymond was on board in Bone, early February leaving behind deep snow. The boat arrived at Cape Town on schedule but, due Algeria when a German 1,000 pound bomb was dropped and went down a funnel into the to what they called strong winds, didn't dock for another 7 days. We could see the boat out in boiler room severely disabling the ship and killing several people. the Bay but all we could do was wave from Table Mountain.

Raymond was discharged in June 1946 when he returned to Swan Hunter and later served in We made the most of the wait by visiting the tourist attractions around Cape Town including a the Prison Service and finally retired in 1982. trip to the penguin colony at Simons Town; better known to many of you for its naval base. My Father, Joe Collis (First commission HMS Ajax 1935 -37), was there in 1943 sailing on the Our condolences go to his wife Elizabeth and Sister Muriel. HMS Despatch in search of a Japanese Aircraft Carrier but as he says, fortunately they didn't find it! From here we also went on a pelagic trip. Pelagic means 'open sea' and you have to be slightly mad to pay £120 each to sail 15 odd miles out to open sea in a very small boat to see a bird. The waters are rich in nutrients as the Benguela Current from the South Pole hits the warmer Indian Ocean, meaning the waters are teaming with fish and consequently fishing

Ajax port-side anti-aircraft guns in action, 1936 (courtesy of www.throughtheireyes2.co.uk) Not an unusual sight in Africa 12. 5. FRIGATE LIFE

Crew Inspection, 1976. HMS Ajax leaving Ajax, Ontario. This photo appeared in local press - Alf got into trouble - can you spot what annoyed his First Lieutenant when he saw it?

HMS Ajax Boxing Team - Plymouth Command Boxing Championships. Taking on war stores, Bermuda 1936 (courtesy of www.throughtheireyes2.co.uk) Trainer Alf Larkin. Team reached the final in 7 out of 10 weights and 6 boxers won their Recent Birthdays fights - 5 inside the distance. A Many congratulations to the following members reaching the milestones indicated – we hope proud night for Captain Peter the day was celebrated in the true Naval tradition!! Cobb, Alf and the boxers. William Smail – Ajax 1943/44 who was 86 on the 8th March; William Swanston – Ajax 1938/42 who was 93 on the 9th March; Michael Fox – Ajax 1973/78 who was 58 on 14th March; Michael Keenan – Ajax 1974/77 who was 64 on 11th April; Ian Darbyshire Ajax 1976/78 who was 55 on the 19th April; Sidney Wilson – Ajax 1940/43 who was 88 on the 22nd April; John Garrard – Ajax 1939/41 who was 89 on the 8th May; Reg Baker – Ajax 1943/46 who was 87 on the 14th May; Bill Slader – Ajax 1946 who was 89 on 23rd May Barry Clutton – Ajax 1968/70, who was 76 on 26th May.

Captain “Tubby” Squires presenting a cheque to Over due honour for River Plate Veteran representative of local hospice in Plymouth Thanks to Cherry Sevigny and David Forget at Ajax a long overdue honour has gone to one of following a deployment. our nine surviving Battle of the River Plate Veteran Members. Mike Keenan is the third from the right between the Garrard Street in Whitby already exists and being in the same municipality as Ajax this lady and sailor. precluded John Stephen Garrard having a street named after him in Ajax. However, thanks to 6. 11.

Cherry and David and some creative engineering the naming of a street after John has been approved and David has made sure the name was taken up by a developer for the street to be built in a new subdivision being developed in Ajax.

Henceforth Garrardview will be a lasting tribute to John who had a long and distinguished career with the navy.

John, who lives with his wife Jean in Colchester, Essex, was born on 8th May 1922 and joined the navy in 1937 as a Boy 2nd Class. He served on HMS Pembroke, Dragon and York before joining HMS Ajax in 1939 as a Boy 1st Class and later AB. He saw action at the River Plate and left Ajax in 1941 and went on to serve on a number of ships where he became a Petty Officer: HMS Balsam; Kempenfelt; Jutland; Kenya; St Kitts; Swiftsure; and Jamaica. This took him up to 1954 when he became a PO and later CPO Instructor at HMS Ganges, the first of three drafts there interspersed with a draft on HMS Superb and Carysfort. In May 1962 after 25 years service John was discharged from the service.

Congratulations John from all in the Association and from The Town of Ajax.

Memories of the Battle – Tony Sheridan and Sam Shale Thanks to Sam Shale for this article. Sam writes that he was in touch with Tony Sheridan recently. Brind Sheridan, Tony's father, was the officer in charge at the rear of the X turret with his periscope giving up a fall of shot report as it happened during the battle. Tony's letter to Sam is as follows and there is an exert from a letter his father wrote dated 2nd March 1940. From: Tony K B Sheridan, 2761 Sea View Road, Victoria BC V8N 1K7 dated 8th Feb 2011.

Dear Sammy Many thanks for your letter, photos and clippings and a belated very happy 90th birthday. I enjoyed reading of your exploits, particularly your annual tribute to your friend Cyril. I enclose an exert from a letter my father wrote to his brother describing the Battle of the River Plate. I thought you might be interested as in the first letter you wrote to me some fifteen years ago, you said he told you what was going on as he was the only one in X turret who could see outside. I think my father left Ajax in late 1942, well after the Battle of Cape Matapan, but I have very little information about what happened after the Plate as censorship came in and his letters only contained personal matters. I did meet a Navy friend of his some years ago, Lieutenant David Clutterbuck who told me about some exploits, including the two of them 'borrowing a steam roller in Alexandria to get back to the ship as there was no other transportation available'. If you have any other anecdotes or information I would love to hear them. After leaving Ajax my father was transferred to HMS Victorious. Then in early '44 he was transferred to Commando training and joined 41 Commando in France. He was killed shortly after the amphibious landing on Walcheren on November 1st 1944. I did meet three of the men that served with him in the Commando – Sgt Bill Wilderspin, Sgt Tom Morgan (both RM) and Lt Dai Davies (Army). I attended two memorial services with them at Walcheren. Thanks again for writing, Sincerely Tony 10. 7. connection with the ship and her crew”

Well Bill, perhaps you could write a short article on your visit to the town of Halifax and the pleasure the Ship's Company received from the games and books which they sent you.

If there are any of our members who can remember the association with the town of Halifax, please let me know and perhaps we could renew the association which was so famously formed nearly 70 years ago.

Aircraft take-off from Ajax at Alexandria,1936 (courtesy of www.throughtheireyes2.co.uk)

An exert from a letter written by Lieutenasnt PK Brind-Sheridan, Royal Marines, to his brother, dated 2nd March 1940.describing the Battle of the River Plate. “We knew from reports we had that the Graf Spee (which we believed to be the Admiral Scheer at the time) might arrive off the River Plate about 13th December so the Commodore concentrated the Ajax, Achilles and Exeter and looked around for her. Nobody expected her to be there, but we sighted some smoke at 0610 on the 13th which turned out to be her. Exeter went off on one flank and Ajax and Achilles went off on the other. The Graf Spee opened fire first at about 13 miles. She came into attack as I think she had only seen the Exeter. When she saw us she engaged the Exeter with one 11” turret and us with the other. After about four salvoes, which came unpleasantly close, she concentrated both turrets on Exeter and engaged us with her 5.9”. We failed to run off, which I think she expected us to do, she tried to get away and used a lot of smoke to hide her movements, very effectively too. The Exeter got hit pretty badly and dropped out of the scrap after about 50 minutes – she had only one 8” gun working. We then closed the range down to four miles and things were getting pretty hot. How we weren't blown out of the water God alone knows. Her 11” seemed to straddle us every time, but we only got hit once or twice, if you count the mainmast being blown away. Achilles didn't get hit at all, except by the splinters of shells hitting the water. We broke off the action after about 90 minutes as ammunition was getting short and the Graf Spee ran for Montevideo. We followed her in about 13 miles behind. She had another crack at us at that range, at about 1000 hrs, and two at Achilles. We anchored off Monte at about 10pm and we waited outside for her to come out. That lasted for 4 days which was the most trying time of all, I think. The first two nights Achilles and ourselves were alone and then we were joined by the Cumberland. As the entrance of the Plate is about 100 miles wide with two estuaries, the Graf Spee stood every chance of getting out at night, especially the first two nights when she could have sunk both of us. Ajax in dry dock, Malta, July 1936 (courtesy of www.throughtheireyes2.co.uk) 8. 9.

It's rather difficult to know what damage we did to her. Our aircraft which was up during the I very much regret that I shall be unable to attend the ceremony myself, but the pressure of my engagement reported that she saw between 25 and 30 hits. Later we got reports from our duties coupled with the fact that I have only joined the ship during the last few days lead me to people at Monte that the number of hits was between 50 and 60. We do know all her galleries the conclusion that Lieutenant Commander Halliday will be a more appropriate were blown to buggery and that several of her store rooms had been hit. Three out of four of representative. her port battery of 5.9” were put out of action and either one or two of her AA guns. Her main control was buggered up and there were reports that one of the forward 11” guns was out of In conclusion we would again like to congratulate you on the magnificent results obtained action. She had four or five visible holes at her and a large one. About 6' square from your Week and to tell you again how proud we were to see in the press that you headed high up in the bow. Her aircraft was bust before it could get off. the whole country in the amount you raised per head. The whole business caused a hell of a stir in South America especially in Uruguay. Any sympathy they may have had for the hun was gone. In Argentina and Brazil there is a large In another letter from HMS AJAX dated 9th August 1942, signed by Lt Cdr Halliday, it is German population, but even so they appear to be definitely no ally”. noted that Mr AFW Marshall, Warrant Engineer, will replace Mr Barbour who is unable to attend. In addition Master at Arms S Brooksbank, DSM who has served in HMS AJAX for (By Ed – what an interesting first hand account of life during the Battle) four and a half years and who was awarded his decoration for his services during the evacuation of Greece in April 1941 and Able Seaman E J Ridley, who has served in the ship since the outbreak of war, will be added to the original party. HMS AJAX and the town of Halifax, Yorkshire Following a letter from Bill Marshall to Alf Larkin, which Alf forwarded to me, I visited the The presentation day would be Sunday 23rd August; mention can be made that a Lord Mayor's office in Halifax last Autumn. The following is a summary of what I learnt representative party of officers and men who are serving in HMS AJAX will attend but of from reading some letters which were in the archives at the main library. course no indication should be given of where they are at present serving.

In 1942, it was Warship week in England and Halifax appears to have adopted HMS AJAX. A further letter signed by Commander P Love, Commander-in-Command to the Mayor dated On 23rd June 1942, the Chairman of the National Savings Committee wrote to the Mayor of 3rd September 1942 reads: Halifax regarding the presentation of a plaque from HMS AJAX to the town. Regarding a “ In view of our adoption by the people of Halifax, I venture to ask whether you could use your date for the presentation, the letter says “The Admiralty are very reticent about giving any good offices to give us a small supply of indoor games, books etc for the use of the ship's information as to the movement of ships, especially such a famous one as the Ajax”. It goes company. on to suggest how the exchange of plaques should take place. Another quote “ In your letter The existing means for spare-time recreations are practically non-existent and any help you you mention the special efforts of the Halifax Warship week. I gather there might be a chance could give in this connection would be most gratefully appreciated.” of the Ajax folk coming along before very long which might be a desirable thing”. I hope I have made myself clear and will keep you in touch with the Halifax Savings Committee on A further letter signed by Captain J J Weld, Royal Navy to the Mayor dated 30th November the matter, so that the ceremony can be a joint one between the municipal authorities and the 1942 includes the following:- Savings Committee. “ Thank you for your letter of 24th November 1942 and for the very kind greetings which it conveyed to us all. Commander R G Stewart, Commander-in-Command of HMS AJAX wrote in reply to the We have already received several parcels of books and games from the people of Halifax and I official invitation from the Worshipful Mayor of Halifax, on 29th July 1942. “We shall be should be very glad if you could convey to all those concerned in sending them to us our delighted to accept your invitation and propose to send the following representatives:- sincere thanks for their generosity. Their gifts are most gratefully received and are much Lieutenant Commander J W T Halliday, Royal Navy appreciated by everyone. Mr F C Barbour, Warrant Engineer, Royal Navy The bond between the Ship and the town of Halifax has been strengthened recently as we now Chief Mechanician W G Dorling DSM number amongst our company two of your townsmen. Supply Chief Petty Officer H Vale On behalf of the Officers and Ship's Company of HMS AJAX may I wish both you and the Petty Officer A F Moll DSM Mayoress the very best of luck during your term of office. Sergeant R G Cook DSM Royal Marines. Thank you again for your kind greetings and good wishes”.

Of the above, Lieutenant Commander Halliday is second-in-Command; Mr Barbour has A letter from the Secretary of the Admiralty to the Town Clerk dated 19 May 1950 contains served here for over four and a half years; Chief Mechanician Dorling and Sergeant Cook the following:- were decorated for the action off the Rio Plata and Petty Officer Moll for that in which three “I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you that HMS Italian destroyers were sunk in October 1940; Supply Chief Petty Officer Vale has also AJAX which was adopted by the Citizens of Halifax under the Warships Adoption Scheme is served in this ship for over four and a half years and has also served in the previous HMS no longer in Commission. In these circumstances My Lords regret that the association AJAX. between the ship and the people of Halifax will necessarily be brought to a conclusion. I am to convey my Lords' appreciation of the kind interest that you have shown in your