Twinned with SAOC East September 2012 Submariners Association ▪ Barrow-in- Furness Branch Newsletter ▪ Issue 147 [email protected] HMS Upholder The September Ian stated after the Church service and the Cremation that he was pleased to see so Word many Submariners in the congregation in In the absence of our Illustrious leader uniform, although it was stressed that no Dave Barlow who is on Holiday (Lovely black was to be worn. He has also stated Weather for it), I have the honour of that he will continue attending the delivering the “Word” for September. functions as this is what Glen would have wanted…..very sad loss and at a young and August didn’t start too well with the tender age….God Bless Glen xx. Branch loosing Glen Sharp after a long battle with MND (Motor Neuron Dis- The next function is the Ladies night ease), Glen and Ian have been avid sup- Dinner Dance in the Abbey House Hotel porters of our Branch functions for as and Colin Hutchinson will hopefully long as I can remember and a good ensure that the list will be available for the turnout from the Branch was welcomed, September meeting, so plan ahead and get Barrow Submariner’s Association Branch Officials HON CHAIRMAN TREASURER SOCIAL TEAM STANDARD WELFARE PRESIDENT Dave Barlow Mick Mailey Colin Hutchinson BEARERS COMMITTEE John V. Hart 01229 831196 01229 821290 01229 208604 Pedlar Palmer Michael Mailey 01229 821831 Ginge Cundall Alan Jones VICE CHAIRMAN LAY SECRETARY WEB MASTER Jeff Thomas NEWSLETTER CHAPLAIN Ken Collins Ron Hiseman Ron Hiseman 01229 464493 EDITOR Richard Britten Alan Jones 01229 823454 01229828664 01229 828664 01229 463150 01229 820265 Contents: 2)Submariner Shortage 3) HMS Upholder 4) RN Sub Museum 5) Chaplains Dit 6) CO Ambush 7) Ambush Pics 8) Old Navy 9) Obits 10) General Info 11) Quiz page September 2012 your names down, it was a great There are innumerable Associa- function last year and for those tions with a dazzling array of who did not attend it promises possible routes to follow but no Submariner to be a good function again. clear organization to point a Shortage retiree in the direction of the Mickey Dack has informed the Association which most suits his Committee that the laid up needs. There is also a desire to SOCA Standard which was have the main groups working The British Royal Navy is the going to be used for the “Dundee together for the common good latest to admit that it is unable Memorial Weekend” was in a with each hopefully helping the to recruit and retain a sufficient state of ill repair. It had been others where they can. It is number of qualified sailors to stowed in the RBL without its obvious that many, in fact most, man its submarines. Some cover and it is now showing of the other groups are much smaller nations, like Australia signs of deterioration. The bigger than the Submariners and South Africa have one or committee will consider its state Association, but that doesn’t more subs idle because there are and cost of repair, or framing, mean we can’t contribute. literally no qualified sailors and report back to the Branch. available to operate them. Even Our new standard was being Jim McMaster attends on behalf the United States, currently the used for Dave Lever’s Funeral of the Submariners Association nation with the largest on Friday the 31st of August, the and hopefully it will bring in submarine fleet, all of them reason for searching out the new members. nuclear, has been battling the other one. manning problem for decades. Next year’s diaries are available The shortages keep getting Well that’s about it for this order. Anybody interested worse. month, here’s hoping that please let me know and I will everyone is as fit as they can be, arrange collection. During the Cold War Russia had families included. the largest sub fleet, most of It is approaching the time of them diesel-electric boats. These All the best year when we need to get our required crews with less thinking caps on. Any extensive training and could be Ken Collins resolutions for the National need manned with lots of conscripts Vice Chairman to be in by end of December. If (especially if these boats did not you have anything you wish to go to sea a lot). But since the end see changed then let the commit- of the Cold War in 1991, no one Ron Hisemann tee know as soon as possible so it puts conscripts on submarine can be discussed. crews anymore. Volunteers Secretary work much better, if only For those of you attending the because it takes so much It might seem strange but at this mixed reunion your tickets training to acquire the needed moment in time I should make should be with you. Please note skills. But there is tremendous the next Branch meeting, having the cost of the coach trip to the demand in the civilian economy missed the last two. Following National Arboretum is £8 and for those skilled submarine on from the last meeting where not the £6 as indicated with the crewmen, especially those with Dudley raised the question of tickets. experience in running a nuclear when is the Canadian power plant. Then there's the Submarine service 100th Regards discipline factor. Submarine anniversary. Turns out that it is sailors not only have excellent in 2014 and Ottawa is planning Ron Hiseman technical skills but a proven some celebrations and possible Secretary, track record of disciplined Halifax. This raises the question, Web Master, performance. All this, and the does the Branch wish to arrange Barrow-in-Furness resulting shortages, is a major holidays around the events? We Submariners Association reason more and more navies used to tour back in the late are willing to allow women to nineties and if there is enough join submarine crews. interest we can get a committee together to look at costs and itinerary. Do You Remember On a different point a Confer- Midnight Leave ence of Naval Associations Cheese Ush recently held its first meeting. The initial idea for forming this Submarine Clothing group was the initiative of the Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Montgomery who felt that there was no clear path for a person leaving the Royal Navy to follow. 2 September 2012 3 September 2012 fundraising campaign to Save which has not been located and HMS Alliance. HMS Alliance, given war grave status. The RN Submarine the centrepiece at the Royal submarine initially served in the Navy Submarine Museum, is the English Channel after joining Museum only surviving WW2 era the Royal Navy, where it helped A-Class submarine left in protect the Dunkirk evacuation. Europe. She is also the memori- It was then sent north to join the al to 5,300 submariners who 9th Submarine Flotilla based at have lost their lives in service. HMS Ambrose in Dundee. The campaign has currently raised over £6m which includes Last patrol a grant of £3.4 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The O-13 left the base on 12 June campaign to Save HMS Alliance 1940, 24 hours after a message was sent from Norway requires a further £230,000 to suggesting the Germans were reach its target. assembling a large force there to attack the east coast of Scotland. Tickets for the talks are £8 and available online at The crew were tasked to patrol WW2 crew of HMS Saracen www.supportusalliance.co.uk or the waters between Denmark by calling 023 92545036. The and Norway should the Ger- A new season of Autumn Royal Navy Submarine Museum mans make a move. However, fundraising talks at the Royal is the memorial to the Royal neither the submarine nor her Navy Submarine Museum, Navy Submarine Service and is 31 Dutch and three British crew Gosport, Hampshire have been open every day until November, were heard from again. announced. The Submarine and then open Wednesdays Three scenarios have been Museum’s Third Thursday Talk through to Sundays until April. season explores four different proposed to explain the loss of Details for all events can be O-13: Royal Navy conflicts all that found online at:- presented different challenges. www.submarine-museum.co.uk. The vessel was accidentally The programme includes pub- rammed by another Dundee- lished naval historians, Profes- For more information contact based submarine on patrol in sor Andrew Lambert and Neil Bill Sainsbury on 07725641448 the same area, the Polish Wilk. Oliver protégé Glyn Prysor. The or The boat was the victim of season will culminate with a [email protected] enemy action or the submarine special masterclass on passed through an enemy mine- Submarine Cold War tactics led field which was only discovered by former HMS Courageous in charts found in a captured U-boat in 1941. Commander, Chris Munns. Dutch Navy to search for Researchers believe it is most Bill Sainsbury, Event Manager Dundee-based submarine likely that the submarine was said, “This autumn, we are destroyed by a mine. delighted to be sharing details lost in WWII on four naval battles that The Dutch Navy, in conjunction presented four very different with North Sea oil and gas challenges” exploration firms, will mount a large-scale search for the wreck Four Royal Navy battles are towards the end of September, explored throughout the concentrating on the area of the Autumn. The season starts with German minefield. the eminent Andrew Lambert, O-13 and her crew are now Professor of Naval History at commemorated at the annual King’s College in London on Dundee International Thursday 20 September.