Written by London Branch | Posted on 17th February 2011
Secretary's Report
Hello to all.
The last meeting, held on the 16th January was the occasion for the Branch AGM. Some months ago our Vice Chairman, Wallis Randall, had expressed a wish to relinquish this position at the AGM.
So, rather sadly for us, he confirmed at the meeting that this would be so. Wallis has been prominent in the affairs of the Branch for many, many years and truly has been one of the kingpins of the London Branch. For as long as anyone seems to remember, he has been the CFVA Librarian and this, over the years, has entailed humping lots of books to and from the CFVA Annual General Meetings and other related events and we were pleased to hear him say that he did intend to continue with the library (though we suspect not with the humping). We hope to continue to see Wallis at our Branch meetings, but by relinquishing the position of Vice Chairman, he will not feel the pressure to be present at every meeting and so can turn over and relax and say 'not today' on the third Sunday if he likes. Aided and abetted, of course, by Edna who looks after Wallis in the manner that good wives thankfully (for us men) do. So please accept our sincerest good wishes and thanks, Wallis, for all you have done for the Branch.
Those in receipt of the Branch minutes will have noted that the final date for receiving 2011 subs. For inclusion on the Branch membership list will be 28th February. If you have not already paid these in, do please forward your £5.00 remittance to John Williamson (his address will be on your last membership list) or alternatively to the Branch Sec. — his address can be found on the back of your newsletter envelope. Following the completion of payments a new edition of the Members List will be distributed to members.
E.D.
An Unexpected Invitation
Annette and I were lucky enough to receive an invitation to attend a reception at the Imperial War Museum on the 8th December given by the Heroes Return Fund to mark the 50,000th grant to a World War Two veteran to return to the area in which he served. The other veterans came from London and Kent, all being picked up from their homes and safely driven to the Museum where we were met by the staff of the Press Section of the fund and escorted to the room where the reception was being held. On the way in, after having our coats etc. taken care of we were offered refreshments before joining the other veterans already there. We soon made ourselves known to a number of them and the chatter began as all were keen to say which service they served in and where they were stationed or in which ships they served.
The Big Lottery Fund Chairman, Anna Southall welcomed everyone and told us the cheque she was presenting was the 50,000th grant to be made since the fund started and the total amount paid out so far totalled over £24 million and then announced that the Heroes Return programme would remain open for another year.
The recipient of the grant was Gordon Mellor, a 91 year old RAF Bomber Command crew member whose plane was shot down in France and had to bail out, landing in a tree and with the aid of the French Resistance managed to escape to Spain. He was presented with a large sized cheque to cover the cost of his trip to France where a memorial service was held for the escapees who died and those civilians who were killed helping the escapees. We then spent a short time continuing to talk to each other before having a look at some of the display on the ground floor which I found very interesting, especially the one and two man submarines. I decided I was pleased I did not have to train to crew one of them.
A splendid selection of sandwiches washed down by glasses of wine was provided to keep us going as the exchange of experiences continued at which my wife remarked that she had never seen so many cheerful and happy very elderly gentlemen enjoying themselves.
All too soon it was time for us to leave and we simply waited till our names were called when we were taken to our respective cars for our return home.
It was a splendid outing and one we will not easily forget.
Doug Elliott
Editor's Note:- The event was recorded and appeared on prime time television. Parts of the programme were quite emotional as those from the Services came forward on to the stage and the parts they played in hostilities were acknowledged. For TV viewers there probably were occasions when a distinct lump in the throat was felt, but if you were wise, you swallowed hard and made out that it didn't affect you at all, although you knew full well it did!
We did ask Doug how he managed to come by the invitation. He said that when he enquired about this, he was told that his name was drawn out of a hat. Very well deserved, Doug.
The Big Lottery video of the event on YouTube
The Web Site Helps Out
A recent enquiry using our website created a very interesting investigation, and for me a review of my records.
A query from a ‘Natalie’ whose Uncle A/B Norman Stephens served aboard MTB 655 reports that his date of death on the Plymouth Naval Base Memorial as 18th February, 1945.
In my article Pirates of Dalmatia featured on our website, I included a list of those lost when MTB 655 hit a mine on 21st March, 1945 whilst on patrol in the Planinsky channel off the Adriatic coast of then Yugoslavia and sank with the loss of eight of the crew.
It was from a list of some 1200 names of casualties of Coastal Forces personnel compiled during my tenure as National Secretary of the CFVA, that A/B Norman Stephens appeared as serving aboard MTB 655 with only the date of the loss of the boat being quoted. It is here that the error occurred.
In correspondence with Sir Derrick Holden Brown who was the Commanding Officer of MTB 655 and was one of the survivors when the boat struck a mine, recalls a previous action that took place whilst on patrol in the same area on 18th February, 1945.
During an exchange of enemy fire, an 88mm shell from a shore battery fell short and exploded off the starboard bow causing shrapnel damage above the water line and mortally wounding the fwd. pom-pom gun loader who was later buried at sea from Ancona this casualty could have been A/B Norman Stephens.
My thanks to Sir Derrick for his help in this matter. Details of this action are well documented in Dog Boats at War by Rover Reynolds page 233.
It was about this time and in the same war zone in the northern Adriatic Sea that MGB 647 of which I was a crew member, also encountered an exchange of fire with 3 F-lighters and a shore battery. It was during a routine patrol with MGB 643 on the night of 13th April 1945 that we were hit by an 88mm shell through the deck of the Cox'n cabin which left a large hole above the water line aft on the starboard side, miraculously no one was injured. We made a slow journey back to Zada where temporary repairs were carried out by HMS Colombo shipwrights that enabled us to return to Ancona in Italy and finally for the long journey round the coast of Italy to the island of Ischia near Naples for extensive repairs, where thankfully we celebrated 'D' Day — that’s another story.
As a provisional learner to this computer age of technology may I encourage you to somehow get your stories recorded, may be with the aid of Grandchildren let them write your story of incidents you can recall 'good or bad' 'funny or serious'. I feel we owe it to our shipmates present and past to preserve this wonderful website which is the Coastal Forces life support machine.
I hope that ‘Natalie’ gets in touch again. I think the story will continue.
Peter Bickmore
Medusa (ML 1301)
Medusa was relaunched last March following a long overhaul — effectively a complete rebuild, which should keep her safe for another 60+ years. She was recommissioned on Trafalgar Day and visited by the Princess Royal.
It is hoped that later this year, she will receive MCA approval to carry passengers. We are hoping to arrange for Branch Members to visit the ship in Southampton, and perhaps go for a short trip on her.
It may also be possible to arrange transport from SW London to Southampton. However, we need to know who and how many would be interested. Can you please contact Eddie or myself if you would like to join us on this trip.
David Carter
