H.M.S. Ajax & River Plate Veterans Association NEWSLETTER JUNE 2017 CONTENTS Chairman's Remarks Newsletter Editor's Remarks 2019 South America Trip News from Town of Ajax – Colleen Jordan Ships Models Jim London Street Sign Presentation The Missing Chilean Plaque Crossing the Line Enigma Earthquake Medal Presentation Falklands Conflict – 35th Anniversary Membership Secretary's Report With obituaries: Len Porte Roy Turner John Garrard Archivist Report HMS Belfast – Clive Sharplin Knock on the door for Alf Larkin Exeter's Telegraph Wheel NEC QUISQUAM NISI AJAX 2. 3. H.M.S. AJAX & RIVER PLATE VETERANS ASSOCIATION. CHAIRMAN/SECRETARY ARCHIVIST/WEBMASTER/ NEWSLETTER EDITOR’S REPORT Peter Danks NEWSLETTER EDITOR Thanks to everyone who contributed material for this Newsletter. A somewhat disrupted end 104 Kelsey Avenue Malcolm Collis to the Newsletter period meant I wasn't quite as organised as I would have like to have been. Southbourne The Bewicks, Station Road If you sent me material and I haven't used it please let me know. Emsworth Ten Mile Bank, Hampshire PO10 8NQ Norfolk PE38 0EU I received a strange email from the British Library that I thought might have been a scam at first. It Tel: 01243 371947 Tel: 01366 377945 read: [email protected] [email protected] British Library archive website MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE TREASURER/ The British Library would like to archive the following website: SECRETARY MEMBER STANDARD BEARER HMS Ajax & River Plate Veterans Association Mrs Judi Collis Alan (George/Phil) Phillips Alf Larkin The Bewicks, Station Road 8 Orchard Way Lime Kiln Cottage Dear Sir/Madam, Ten Mile Bank Send Hill 2 Easton Lane The British Library would like to archive your website in the UK Web Archive and to make it Norfolk PE38 0EU Send Portland Dorset DT5 1BW publicly available. The UK Web Archive was established in 2004 to capture and archive websites Tel: 01366 377945 Surrey GU23 7HS Mobile: 07736 929641 Tel: 01305 457259 from the UK domain and across the web, responding to the challenge of a digital black hole in the [email protected] Tel: 01483 223299 [email protected] nation's memory. It contains specially selected websites that represent different aspects of UK [email protected] heritage on the web, as well as important global events. We work closely with leading international institutions to collect and permanently preserve the web, and the open UK Web www.hmsajax.org Archive can be seen at http://www.webarchive.org.uk/. We are now archived! CHAIRMAN'S REMARKS Chairman has mentioned the Reunion – I know some of you are double booked with holidays but we have several stalwarts yet to book for the reunion so please do so as soon as possible It has not been a particularly pleasant few months since our last newsletter. We have sadly seen as currently numbers are pretty low. the passing of Len Porte and Roy Turner followed recently by John Garrard one of our Plate Malcolm Collis veterans – all three were tremendous characters and great supporters of our Association. They will be sadly missed at our Reunions and our condolences go to their families. Malcolm and Judi Collis have been very ill and will have to take life at a very steady pace for the next few months. Please speak with other committee members if there is a routine matter seeking resolution. One enjoyable event took place in Cambridge in March when the Chilean Ambassador, His Excellency Rolando Drago, presented medals which marked the part crew members from HMS AJAX and HMS EXETER played in providing assistance to the town of Concepción following a 2019 SOUTH AMERICA TRIP major earthquake in 1939. The recipients were Frank Burton and Basil Trott and another veteran Not too much to report. Currently 45 have indicated a wish to join us with another 6 maybes – a from that time, Jim London, was also there; Jim already had his medal. There was a very good good coach load! turn-out of Association members, and really good to see Mike Turner who hasn't made the last couple of reunions, two local MPs, members of the Cambridge RNA and local TV and Press We have established a good contact, Richard Cowley, in Montevideo (Richard came to the 2014 ensured a wonderful occasion. Pictures of the event are to be seen in the newsletter, together Anniversary lunch in Portsmouth) and his daughter Sarah in the FCO there, so should make life a with a fuller report. lot easier. Talking to someone who use to live in Montevideo, it seems a day trip to Buenos Aires is possible by taking the fast ferry across the Rio Plata but a long day. In Uruguay we should be able This is the time to remind members to make application to attend the Reunion over the weekend to hire a coach for about US$500 a day, about US$10 each. A Tour Guide can also be arranged. 29th September – 2nd October. Numbers already booked with Isle of Wight are very low and we really need your support to make the weekend a success – remember, it was the members at We also have an enthusiastic contact in Chile who has come up with several suggestions. The the 2016 AGM who voted to hold the 2017 reunion centred round the NMA. sensible mode of transport from Santiago to Conception is to fly … I quite fancy the 6 hour train (one way) to take in the dramatic Andean scenery! The AGM will be held on Sunday 1 October so if you wish to have an item discussed please submit it to me by the middle of August. Do you have thoughts on where you would like the 2018 I'll keep you updated as things progress but in the meantime please do let me have your Reunion to be held, for example? Also nominations for the Committee with a proposer and suggestions and thoughts on the trip. Also, any ideas on gifts to take? seconder are to be with me by mid August please. Peter Danks - Chairman 2. 3. H.M.S. AJAX & RIVER PLATE VETERANS ASSOCIATION. CHAIRMAN/SECRETARY ARCHIVIST/WEBMASTER/ NEWSLETTER EDITOR’S REPORT Peter Danks NEWSLETTER EDITOR Thanks to everyone who contributed material for this Newsletter. A somewhat disrupted end 104 Kelsey Avenue Malcolm Collis to the Newsletter period meant I wasn't quite as organised as I would have like to have been. Southbourne The Bewicks, Station Road If you sent me material and I haven't used it please let me know. Emsworth Ten Mile Bank, Hampshire PO10 8NQ Norfolk PE38 0EU I received a strange email from the British Library that I thought might have been a scam at first. It Tel: 01243 371947 Tel: 01366 377945 read: [email protected] [email protected] British Library archive website MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE TREASURER/ The British Library would like to archive the following website: SECRETARY MEMBER STANDARD BEARER HMS Ajax & River Plate Veterans Association Mrs Judi Collis Alan (George/Phil) Phillips Alf Larkin The Bewicks, Station Road 8 Orchard Way Lime Kiln Cottage Dear Sir/Madam, Ten Mile Bank Send Hill 2 Easton Lane The British Library would like to archive your website in the UK Web Archive and to make it Norfolk PE38 0EU Send Portland Dorset DT5 1BW publicly available. The UK Web Archive was established in 2004 to capture and archive websites Tel: 01366 377945 Surrey GU23 7HS Mobile: 07736 929641 Tel: 01305 457259 from the UK domain and across the web, responding to the challenge of a digital black hole in the [email protected] Tel: 01483 223299 [email protected] nation's memory. It contains specially selected websites that represent different aspects of UK [email protected] heritage on the web, as well as important global events. We work closely with leading international institutions to collect and permanently preserve the web, and the open UK Web www.hmsajax.org Archive can be seen at http://www.webarchive.org.uk/. We are now archived! CHAIRMAN'S REMARKS Chairman has mentioned the Reunion – I know some of you are double booked with holidays but we have several stalwarts yet to book for the reunion so please do so as soon as possible It has not been a particularly pleasant few months since our last newsletter. We have sadly seen as currently numbers are pretty low. the passing of Len Porte and Roy Turner followed recently by John Garrard one of our Plate Malcolm Collis veterans – all three were tremendous characters and great supporters of our Association. They will be sadly missed at our Reunions and our condolences go to their families. Malcolm and Judi Collis have been very ill and will have to take life at a very steady pace for the next few months. Please speak with other committee members if there is a routine matter seeking resolution. One enjoyable event took place in Cambridge in March when the Chilean Ambassador, His Excellency Rolando Drago, presented medals which marked the part crew members from HMS AJAX and HMS EXETER played in providing assistance to the town of Concepción following a 2019 SOUTH AMERICA TRIP major earthquake in 1939. The recipients were Frank Burton and Basil Trott and another veteran Not too much to report. Currently 45 have indicated a wish to join us with another 6 maybes – a from that time, Jim London, was also there; Jim already had his medal. There was a very good good coach load! turn-out of Association members, and really good to see Mike Turner who hasn't made the last couple of reunions, two local MPs, members of the Cambridge RNA and local TV and Press We have established a good contact, Richard Cowley, in Montevideo (Richard came to the 2014 ensured a wonderful occasion.