NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2018 CONTENTS Chairman's Report Standard Bearer Report South America Trip 2019 Update Ajax Street Update Should've gone to … Alf Larkin's House Move Membership Secretary's Report HMS Ganges Redevelopment Exeter Model The Banana Boat The Captain Tubby Squires Award 2017/18 Henry Harwood Hero of the River Plate The Debbie Steer Tour The Fate of HMS' Achilles Archivist Report Newsletter Editor's Comments 1935 - 48 1963 - 85 Nec Quisquam Nisi Ajax www.hmsajax.org 2. 3. CHAIRMAN Then it was time for the preliminary Nigel Masters bouts up to and including the semi- The Lookout finals. I watched my team mates step in Golden Cross Terrace the ring and win their bouts; P.T.I. Tug Station Road, Swineshead Wilson, Nobby Hall, Scouse Murray, Boston, Lincolnshire PE20 3LP Tel: 01205 820127 Terry Webster, Whisky Walker, Bruno Mobile: 07743 381153 Bowen and then it was my turn! I was to [email protected] fight a trainee from HMS Cambridge who when I stepped in the ring looked even more terrified than me! The bell SECRETARY Peter Danks rang and I went forwards and he went 104 Kelsey Avenue www.hmsajax.org backwards into his corner and there he Southbourne, Emsworth [email protected] stayed; the referee stopped the bout. I Hampshire PO10 8NQ thought this boxing lark is easy; little Tel: 01243 371947 did I know what lay ahead! [email protected] T h e n c a m e m y n e m e s i s , m y CHAIRMAN'S REPORT Armageddon, my destiny; his name was MEMBERSHIP Hello to you all. Taff Powell representing the Ariadne. SECRETARY I am sat at home today in the garden enjoying yet another The bell rang and I stepped towards him. Mrs Judi Collis day of glorious weather having just returned from a What ensued for that first round was not The Bewicks, Station Road shopping expedition accompanying my better half. Whilst Ten Mile Bank, Norfolk PE38 0EY much short of cruelty, he knocked me Tel: 01366 377945 walking around the shops I heard comments such as “It's too down and I got up again, he knocked me Mobile: 07736 929641 hot” and “I will be glad when this weather is over”. How down again and so on. I managed to get [email protected] soon they forget the “Beast from the East”. back to the corner and Alf gave me all It is now about a month until the Reunion in Plymouth on the sorts of advice and instructions, I just th weekend of October 5th to 8 ; there are still places available wished I had a chance to carry them out. TREASURER/STANDARD for the whole weekend, one night, two nights or just the I lasted until nearly the end of the BEARER Gala Dinner on the Saturday evening which promises to be a Alf Larkin second round but on my third visit to the Stonecleave spectacular evening with a fantastic four course meal, a canvas I decided discretion was the 26 Wakeham singer and comedian, not to mention “Up Spirits” served by better part of valour and remained Portland, Dorset DT5 1HN our very own Rum Bosuns!!!. where I was! Tel: 01305 457259 Most of my team mates had fared better [email protected] Alf Larkin our Treasurer, as some of you will know was a and the Ajax had managed to have seven Royal Navy Boxing Champion. In the spring of 1977 whilst finalists out of ten categories! ARCHIVIST/WEBMASTER/ Ajax was in refit he formulated a plan to enter a team of The finals night was a triumph for the NEWSLETTER EDITOR boxers in the Plymouth Command Novices Championship. Ajax and especially for Alf Larkin who Malcolm Collis He started training sessions, which involved an awful lot of had put so much time and effort in to ensuring the boys were ready. The Bewicks, Station Road running up to Brickfields then an amazing amount of Ten Mile Bank, Norfolk PE38 0EY The winners that night were: Whisky Walker; Jock Dempster; Tug Wilson; Terry Webster; Bruno Tel: 01366 377945 burpees, press ups and sit ups, then running back to the Ship. Bowen; and Nobby Hall [email protected] I had never boxed other than the compulsory bout at Ganges The bout of the night, everyone agreed, was when Nobby Hall faced Taff Powell (my nemesis), both but l did like the idea of the fitness training so l asked Alf if l fighters were knocked to the canvas on two occasions but Nobby managed to hold on and emerge could join in. “No problem” he said. Little did l know what victorious. What followed that night can only be described “As one Hell of a celebration”. MERCHANDISE OFFICER lay ahead! One day when l was in Alf's office he said to me, Michael Fox On a personal note, I will always be grateful to Alf for the training; he showed me what can be 6 Brown Hill “I think you would make a middleweight”. I am not proud to achieved by hard work and put me in good stead for my future career. Sounthwell, Portland say vanity got the better of me and agreed to give it a go. The Dorset DT5 2ED problem was when he weighed me l came in at light Malcolm's hard work continues with regard to our visit to South America next year for the 80th Tel: 01305 823436 heavyweight, he said “you need to lose weight”, when he Anniversary of the Battle of the River Plate, it is proving particularly difficult in respect of finding [email protected] said lose some weight he meant about nearly two stone in contacts who are in positions to help us. Malcolm's tenacity is to be commended. An itinerary along six or seven weeks. So ensued a training regime that Rocky with costs will be published in the near future. It promises to be a trip of a lifetime. COMMITTEE MEMBER Balboa would have whinged at! … along with a diet of Alan (George/Phil) Phillips boiled veg and very little else. Early mornings saw donned On a final note we hope to see as many of you as possible at the Reunion. 8 Orchard Way an NBCD suit underneath the swimming pool in Drake Send Hill, Send, Surrey GU23 7HS Barracks, next to the boilers which heated the pool, running Tel: 01483 223299 Nigel Masters Chairman [email protected] on the spot and various other forms of torture. Come the day of the weigh in I had achieved the target and some: it meant we could have a breakfast. I didn't hold back! 2. 3. CHAIRMAN Then it was time for the preliminary Nigel Masters bouts up to and including the semi- The Lookout finals. I watched my team mates step in Golden Cross Terrace the ring and win their bouts; P.T.I. Tug Station Road, Swineshead Wilson, Nobby Hall, Scouse Murray, Boston, Lincolnshire PE20 3LP Tel: 01205 820127 Terry Webster, Whisky Walker, Bruno Mobile: 07743 381153 Bowen and then it was my turn! I was to [email protected] fight a trainee from HMS Cambridge who when I stepped in the ring looked even more terrified than me! The bell SECRETARY Peter Danks rang and I went forwards and he went 104 Kelsey Avenue www.hmsajax.org backwards into his corner and there he Southbourne, Emsworth [email protected] stayed; the referee stopped the bout. I Hampshire PO10 8NQ thought this boxing lark is easy; little Tel: 01243 371947 did I know what lay ahead! [email protected] T h e n c a m e m y n e m e s i s , m y CHAIRMAN'S REPORT Armageddon, my destiny; his name was MEMBERSHIP Hello to you all. Taff Powell representing the Ariadne. SECRETARY I am sat at home today in the garden enjoying yet another The bell rang and I stepped towards him. Mrs Judi Collis day of glorious weather having just returned from a What ensued for that first round was not The Bewicks, Station Road shopping expedition accompanying my better half. Whilst Ten Mile Bank, Norfolk PE38 0EY much short of cruelty, he knocked me Tel: 01366 377945 walking around the shops I heard comments such as “It's too down and I got up again, he knocked me Mobile: 07736 929641 hot” and “I will be glad when this weather is over”. How down again and so on. I managed to get [email protected] soon they forget the “Beast from the East”. back to the corner and Alf gave me all It is now about a month until the Reunion in Plymouth on the sorts of advice and instructions, I just th weekend of October 5th to 8 ; there are still places available wished I had a chance to carry them out. TREASURER/STANDARD for the whole weekend, one night, two nights or just the I lasted until nearly the end of the BEARER Gala Dinner on the Saturday evening which promises to be a Alf Larkin second round but on my third visit to the Stonecleave spectacular evening with a fantastic four course meal, a canvas I decided discretion was the 26 Wakeham singer and comedian, not to mention “Up Spirits” served by better part of valour and remained Portland, Dorset DT5 1HN our very own Rum Bosuns!!!. where I was! Tel: 01305 457259 Most of my team mates had fared better [email protected] Alf Larkin our Treasurer, as some of you will know was a and the Ajax had managed to have seven Royal Navy Boxing Champion.