Award Winning Magazine
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The Magazine of friendsof the Royal The National Museum of the Naval Museum and Royal Navy (Portsmouth) HMS Victory HMS Victory and the Friends SCUTTLEBUTT AWARD WINNING MAGAZINE Another amazing Pre WW1 Anglo- Indonesian year for NMRN German naval race conflict 1963-66 [Edition No47, Autumn 2013] [by subscription or on sale £3.00] The Magazine of friendsof the Royal The National Museum of the Naval Museum and Royal Navy (Portsmouth) HMS Victory HMS Victory and the Friends ISSN 2052-5451 SCUTTLEBUTT [Edition No47, Autumn 2013] AWARD WINNING MAGAZINE [by subscription or on sale £3.00] postage additional cost CONTENTS Council of the Friends 4 Chairman’s Report (Peter Wykeham-Martin) 5 Second Sea Lord’s overview (Vice Admiral David Steel CBE Second Sea Lord) 6 UPDATES: News from the National Museum of the Royal Navy (Graham Dobbin) 8 Conserving HMS Victory (page 12) HMS Victory, Commanding Officer’s Report (Rod Strathern) 10 Progress with the Victory Preservation Project (Andrew Baines) 12 Steam Pinnace 199 - Progess Report (Martin Marks) 16 REGULAR FEATURES: Series on Museum Figureheads (David Pulvertaft) 20 The paintings of Frank Wood (Rick Cosby) 22 Naval Medals (James Kemp) 34 Naval Museum HMS Victory & Friends Events 68 SPECIAL FEATURES: The Anglo-German Naval Armament Race (Bernard Ireland) 24 Fisher Against the Rest (Richard Hill) 30 The Gun which won Trafalgar (John Roberts) 36 Paintings by Frank Wood (page 22) The Carronade (Ken Napier) 41 Opening Round The Escape of the GOEBEN (Nick Hewitt) 44 The Ship (Jetse Reijenga) 50 Continuing our history of British naval nuclear weapons – Strategic Part 1: (John Coker) 54 Indonesian Confrontation – Part 1 (John Roberts) 62 The Battle of Damme (800th Anniversary) (John Roberts) 66 REGULAR ITEMS: Book Reviews 70 “Welcome aboard!” (come & join us), benefits of membership 73 Letters to the Editor 74 Naval Medals (page 34) Fisher against the Rest (page 30) Anglo-German Naval Race (page 24) The Escape of SMS Goeben (page 44) Editor: John Roberts 01329 843427 ([email protected]) Design: MMCS dh.creative 07765 245533 Print: Stephens & George Group 01685 352042 Advertising:: SDB Marketing 01273 594455 www.royalnavalmuseum.org/support_friends.htm *The term ‘Scuttlebutt’ is nautical slang for the latest gossip and rumours; it derives from scurrilous chatter between sailors gathered round the water Indonesia Confrontation (page 62) cask, the equivalent, in modern terms to the office water cooler. Cover picture: A colourised image of the Duncan class pre-dreadnought HMS Albemarle, completed 1903, see page 24 | Scuttlebutt A utumn Edition 3 The Magazine of friendsof the Royal The National Museum of the Naval Museum and Royal Navy (Portsmouth) HMS Victory HMS Victory and the Friends SCUTTLEBUTT From the Editor AWARD WINNING MAGAZINE Hopefully you will think CHAIRMAN’S Scuttlebutt is getting THE COUNCIL OF THE FRIENDS OF THE ROYAL better and better. NAVAL MUSEUM AND HMS VICTORY Tell your friends about the REPORT saw the ship lost. All of us who saw his the wonderful collection. Some of the magazine and encourage them presentation walked away with the feeling display methods are very imaginative and it Patron: Admiral of the Fleet HRH The Prince of Wales that whilst things in the short term looked just proves what can be achieved with a KG, KT, OM, GCB, AK, QSO, ADC to buy a copy. We need your alarming, there was at last the chance to get strong funding line! support, we are a charity and some proper restorative work carried out to VICE PRESIDENTS a structured programme. It is your Council’s On the subject of funding, fitting out of the Admiral Sir Brian Brown KCB, CBE rely solely on copy sales and intention to receive regular updates from new 20th and 21st Century gallery has Rear Admiral Richard Irwin CB advertising to survive. Andrew, and we wish him well with the commenced and it is on track for opening Lord Judd challenges ahead. His latest progress report early next year, although there is still a Our aim is to publish Commodore Peter Wykeham-Martin RN is on page 12. funding gap that needs to be filled. Again, President: Vice Admiral Sir Michael Moore KBE, LVO Scuttlebutt more frequently his seems to be the this is a stunning addition to the Museum at Chairman: Commodore Peter Wykeham-Martin Royal Navy season of good news – In May I attended a meeting of the four Portsmouth. With the addition of the Vice Chairman: Lieutenant Commander John Scivier Royal Navy with a wealth of articles, to not least because for the Chairmen of the Friends of the core Explosion Museum at Priddy’s Hard, funding Executive Secretary & Treasurer: Mr Roger Trise support Royal Navy’s National first time in a number of museums of the National Museum to for the restoration of HMS CAROLINE and Honorary Secretary: Dr Campbell McMurray OBE Museum, HMS Victory and the T years we have had a discuss plans drawn up by the NMRN for a progress on the transfer of the Monitor ‘summer’ and what a difference it has membership scheme. Whilst all of us M33, there is a real buzz of progress within MEMBERS OF COUNCIL Royal Navy, as well as made. As Graham Dobbin has written, the acknowledged the need for the National the NMRN. Lieutenant Commander Nicholas Bates, Royal Navy amazing news is the 94% increase on last Museum to attract a body of national Mr David Baynes – Events Organiser & Volunteer Liaison stimulate an interest in our year’s visitor numbers to the Historic support for their work with an attractive Elsewhere in this edition is an update on the Lieutenant Commander Mark Brady, Royal Navy great naval heritage Dockyard and nearly 60% up on the package of benefi ts, there was unanimous refit of the Steam Pinnace 199. Regrettably Lieutenant Commander Clive Kidd, Royal Navy forecast for this year. By any measure these agreement for the work of the Friends of the she did not get afloat this year, and snags Mr Christopher Knox figures are impressive. Whilst it is easy to four constituent Museums to continue to be with re-tubing the boiler, with over 800 Captain John Roberts MBE, Royal Navy Can you help us? argue that it reflects the “stay-cation” holiday recognised within the NMRN. In particular, tubes, are still causing delays. However, the Mr Ivan Steele – Steam Pinnace 199 Project The Council would like to encourage members of mentality seen at many attractions this year, we were unanimous that we individually main engine has been beautifully restored Mr Paul Woodman the Friends to become more involved in various the large number of both UK and foreign wished to continue our independent work in and painted and there is definitely light at the ways such as helping on Museum or Friends stands visitors reflects a very healthy level of support of “our” Museum. We all felt end of the refit tunnel. As I reported at the EX OFFICIO MEMBERS OF COUNCIL at special days and events to promote the museum interest in what is on display within the strongly that without the work of our AGM, when compared with the time Commander John Bingeman, Royal Navy and the Friends as well as distributing some copies Dockyard. predecessors, much of what has been overrun of the Flying Scotsman refit now in – Society for Nautical Research of ‘Scuttlebutt’ to ‘Friends’ locally. If you think you achieved in preserving and showcasing our its 7th year, and a corresponding cost Mr Graham Dobbin – Chief Operating Officer NMRN could help please contact us: Since the last edition of Scuttlebutt we have naval heritage simply would not have escalation from £750, 000 to over £3Million, Mrs Erica New – National Museum of the Royal Navy Friends Liaison [email protected] held the AGM of the Friends, and many happened. We have a meeting this autumn Ivan and his stalwart team have achieved Lieutenant Commander Rod Strathern Royal Navy thanks to those of you who supported the to continue our discussions to see how we wonders keeping within budget. There is – Commanding Officer HMS Victory event. They were rewarded by a veritable can assist the NMRN’s plans and yet still no question that 199 will be a marvellous Councillor Rob Wood - Portsmouth City Council ‘Scuttlebutt’ is most grateful to the tour de force by Andrew Baines on the retain our treasured role of supporting our asset to the NMRN when she steams out Councillor Chris Carter – Hampshire County Council many contributors to the magazine survey of HMS VICTORY and the initial Museum and of course, HMS VICTORY. and a wonderful example of what the for their invaluable support: planning work for her refit. The laser survey I shall continue to work in support of that Friends can do to help the National Executive Secretary Kit Anderson, Andrew Baines, David Baynes, has created a 3D model of the ship, role, and all us Chairmen are anxious to Museum. Roger Trise (023 9225 1589) [email protected] John Bingeman, Mark Brady, John Coker, showing the areas of structural strength and work with the NMRN. Rick Cosby, Graham Dobbin, Giles Gould, weakness, and allowing refit planning to Finally I would to thank those of you who The purpose of the Friends is to provide assistance to the National Richard Halton, Michael Heidler, Nick Hewitt, focus on what is needed. The survey not During the summer I was lucky enough to volunteer to help in so many ways – Museum of the Royal Navy (Portsmouth) and HMS Victory when Richard Hill, Bernard Ireland, James Kemp, only demonstrated the scale of the work be invited to visit the new Mary Rose whether it be recruiting new Friends, requested, to promote the interests of the museum and to help Martin Marks, Martin Gates, Campbell McMurray, needed to restore the ship, and ten years Museum before it was open to the public.