/":/.//rr-K. THE MMUNIGATOR l*a t€€, lpFr;e VOt 19-No. 3 i,& I !!jTF fr * **S LIGHTWEIGHI the Services newest highpower GIrfirfl EEctrtrill BCC "Against intense competition the BCC 30 has been selected to f ill the 414 role for the British Services." The Al tt--BCC 30 is the lightest, smallest, f ully transisto- rised, one man high power H F transmitter-receiver station with an output of up to 30 watts. Fully approved to British Ministry of Defence DEF 133 standards and to United States Mil.Std.1B8B the Alzt- BCC 30 has already been selected by the British Services, Commonwealth, NATO and United States forces. BNTIS'I COTMATICA|IOTE COBPONATruil LTI'. souTr{ wAY, EXHtBtTtON GROUNDS, WEMBLEY, MtDDLESEx Telephone: WEMbley 1212 Cables: BEECEECEE Wembley Better Deal with , , , DAUFMAN TAILORS AND OUTFITTERS TO THE ROYAL NAVY FOR OVER 50 YEARS H.M.S. ,.MERCURY'' SHOP (Manager: Mr. A. C. Waterman) We invite you to inspect the lorge rongeanti voried serection of Uniforms ond civilion Clothing in our Comp Shop Our Crested Pattern Communication Branch Ties are again available, l7s. 5d. each, in Terylene. CIVILIAN TAILORING STYLED TO YOUR INDIVIDUAL REQUIREMENTS PROMPT AND PERSONAL ATTENTION TO ALL ORDERS SPECIALISTS IN OFFICERS' UNIFORMS Novo/ Allotment ond other Credit focilities ovoilable GIFT CATALOGUE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST Heod Ofice: 20 QUEEN ST., PORTSMOUTH Telephone : PORTSMOUTH 22830 Members of the lnterport Naval Traders Association tt4 THE COMMUNICATOR The Magazine of the Communications Branch, Royal Navy and the Royal Naval Amateur Radio Society WINTER 1968 VOL. 19, No.3 CONTENTS page page Captain J. E. Hope, RN 116 WRNS Nsws 126 Eoltorual 117 OI-vrrrprc G,aurs 129 Oun Cnapr-nrNr tt7 GorNc rnr Rourros rN Mercupv . 130 Tur RrvrnrNo Scorr 118 Pnocnarrmrp INsrnucrroN (PI) Mn. D. PrcrenscnL 118 IN HMS Mrncunv 134 oE Anvrsrn 118 AtporNrvrNr RrsrttLrrtrNr BR69-INrrnN.quoNer- CooB oE SrcNars 134 Tgr Nlval Hotrm LoaN Scurur 119 (T) ron TrcnNrc* .. 135 2l YErns Aco 119 A SysrEM ron Tnr ErrrcrpNr Excna^*cr Ponrsltourn Navy D,qYs 119 oE Mrssacrs rN THE SERvrcEs . 137 Tsr 1914-1 8 TELEGRApHTsTs AssocrarroN 119 col,lrrauNrclrroNs-THE N.Cv.Ar Sr.AtE or PnrpanrNc ron e Frtrt BoeRn 121 TnE Anr 139 ExeutNartoN Eon Rroro Oprnaton 145 2Nr Cless 121 SHrp-Ssonr Nrws Lrtrrns ro urE Eorton 122 Cortl.t$sroxrNo Fonrc,lst . 163 Rovar- Nrvy Anarrun Rnoro Socrrry 124 ColruuNlcnrtoNs Glzrtrr 165 SrvEnN DrvrsroN RNR 12s DnarnNo 169 Editor: Lieutenant-Commander J. H. Elrrs Treasurer: Lieutenant F. R. Tnonpr Assistant Editor'. Lieutenant B. A. Dlvrrs Sub-Editor: Second Officer D. SErrrn Business, Production and Advertisement Manager : Mr. Eocln Srncourr, 44 Abbots Ride, Farnham, Surrey. CONTRIBU ZONS A1l MSS, photographs and cartoons should be sent to the Editor. These will be returned to the sender only if asked for and responsibility for them cannot be accepted by the Editor. Contributions for the Easter 1969 edition must be in the Editor's hands by lst March 1969, and bulk orders by 10th March 1969. Subscription Rates are as follows: For the whole year . 7 16 post free For each issue . 3l- post iree BULK ORDERS (2 copies or more) from commands, ships or establishments, 216 per copy, post free. The magazine is published at Easter, Summer and Christmas. Orders are normally posted during the lst week of April, August and December. The closing date for articles is the lst March, lst July and lst November. Cheques/Postal Orders should be made payable to and sent to: The Treasurer, Tne CouuuNrcAToR, HMS Mercury, East Meon, near Petersfield, Hants. This address should also be used for placing orders. All otl-rer correspondence should be addressed to the Editor at the same address. PUBLISHED AT HMS .,MERCURY'' 115 CAPTAIN J. E. OPE, ROYAL NAYY 1944-1915 Qualified in Signals. 1954 Promoted Commander. t945-1946 SCO to 4th Destroyer Flotilla in British I 954-1 956 Signal Dir i.ion. Admiralt). Pacific Fleet. I 956- 1 958 Erecutive Officer, HMS St. Vincent. 1958-1960 Executive Officer, HMS Centaur. 1946 1918 HMS Mercrr] as W3. 1 960 Promoted Captain. 1948 1950 Loan Service with RAN in HMAS's t960-1962 Chief Staff Officer to C-in-C Allied Forces Australia and Sydnel and as SCO to Flag North. Officer Comn-randing Australian Fleet. t962-1961 Commanding Officer HMS Decoy. 1950-1 952 SCO to Admiral Cor.nmanding Reserves. t965 1967 Director of Naval Equipment. 1952-1954 Flotilla Communications Officer Home I 967-1 968 Commanding OlIcer HMS Eagle. Fleet. I 968 Director of Naval Signals. 116 EDITORIAL On taking over as editor I should like to record. on 1'our behalf, our thanks 10 Lielltenant-Coilurander C. W. Williams, my predecessor, and his wile u'ho have done so much in producing the rnan1, editions ol the magazine in their tinle; and to Lieutenant (SD) (C) G. A. Stratton who devoted a great deal ol his own lime in looking after the finarrcial sicl: of the magazine. New members welcomed to the editorial staff are Lieutenant (SD) (C) F. R. Thorpe, u'ho tal..es over as the treasurer. and Secontl Oticer D. Seller, \!'RNS who becor.nes a sub-eCitor responsitr)e for the WRNS aspect of the n-ragazine. Both have r'ery kindll, volunteered to do this work for us. Other Helpers In reading through 2l years of previous corres- pondence regarding the rnagazine I sas struck by' the tremendous arrlount of good uill shoun by aJl sorrs of people to the well being of Conrmunicaiors. anC to the continr.red success of the n-ragazine. Many of thern are retirecl ofllcers irrrd ratings rl,ho gire their services, ancl contribute articles for publication. with- out any thought of re*ard. This. c'r1'course, is also true of the serving Communicator u,ho sends in articles, and pays for the postage out cf his own pocket. knowing that he uill not get a penny in return The Chaplain for his efforts. I think the finest example of another helper is the RO who, having won a first prize in a competition run by Tnr CouvuNrcAToR, wrote asking for the prize rnoney to be given to a local CONGRATULATIONS TO Old People's Home. OUR CHAPLAIN Congratulations By the Editor It is alu'a1's a pleasure to congratulate those who have -just been promoted or decorated. lt is even more The Rer'. Ambrose Weekes, AKC, who joined the so when the recipients are Communicators or con- Royal Navy in 1944. and now Chaplain ol HMS nected with them. In this issue we repromulgate rvith ll4ercury, is to becoure Chaplain of the Fleet in April great pleasure the promotion of one of our most 1969. We offer him our heartiest congratualtions. senior Comnrunicators, Vice-Admiral E. B. Ashrnore, Father .lohn Scott, our last Chaplain, now serving CB, DSC, and his appointment as VCNS in succession in HMS Sultan writes:. in December; and the promotion and honour be- storved on two Chaplains, the Reverend Ambrose 'Although very sorry at leaving HMS Llercury, Weekes, AKC, now sen,ing in HMS Mercrrlr,, who I could not have been more delighted than when becomes Archdeacon and Chaplain to the Fleet, and told that my successor was to be Father Weekes- the Reverend John Scott, OBE, who recently left a very old lriend and my senior in the Navy. Mercury for HMS Sultan. and u,ho has been r.nade 'During his 24 years as a Naval Chaplain he has an Honorary Chaplain to Her Maiest-v the Qlleen. alwa;,s, ashore and afloat, been a friend and adviser It is with pleasure too that we repromulgate the to all onboard. An excellent Priest who has never promotions listed in the Comr.nunication Gazette on lost his sense of vocation. It is, therefore, with paee 167. great joy to us all to know that his elevation as Archdeacon and Chaplain to the F.leet, will be of great benefit to the Church Universal and to the Respects Royal Navy in particular. In this issue we pay our respects to Mr. D. 'Our prayers, please, for him as he takes over Pickersgill who is retiring alter 22! years' service in his duties and may God's Blessing be upon him HMS Mercury as the civilian Arrnourer. and the dillicult tasks which lie ahead.' 117 THE REVEREND J. G. SCOTT, joined the Royal Navy on the May 18 1919, having volunteered his services in the closing months of oBE, QHC, L.Th. World War I. He was accepted at HMS Ganges and by the Chaplain there commenced training as a Communicator. This however was not to last because with requirements for It will give considerable pleasure to the many operators becoming less he was transferred to the friends of the Reverend John Scott to know that in Seaman Branch and began specialising in gunnery. addition to the honour of the OBE recently conferred After training at Shotley he joined HMS Malaya on upon him, he has now been given the further honour a flag-showing cruise around Malaya with the Duke of being made an Honorary Chaplain to Her Majesty of Connaught onboard. Mr Pickersgill spent the the Queen. remainder of his service time in destroyers and The title will be actively effective for the rest of his recalls such names as Sirdir, Campbell, Woolston and naval career, and he will now wear the Scarlet Cassock Exmouth in the list of ships in which he served. It was which is the outward sign of his office. In addition he whilst serving in HMS Nubian, during World War II, will wear the Royal Cipher on his Naval Scarf-worn and when carrying out his duty as a gun layer in the with the Cassock and Surplice when officiating as a director that he was the first one to sight the German Naval Chaplain.