NAVALESE BITS & BYTES
I am not a happy chappie. This is my second attempt to get this script to my anxious Editor. Unfortunatley I got through 90% of my first attempt and lost the lot. So here goes for round two!!!!!!.
August has been and gone and with at least 4/5 sunny days to our credit spring must be on the way!!!!!. Big deal.
Not a lot happening over the last month but we do have our luncheon coming up on the 3rd of October so that is something to look forward to. The cost is $20.00 per head for a two course buffet meal. If we can go by our previous successful luncheons hopefully this will be in the same category. I shall be asking for names and numbers attending at our next meeting on September 7th. We will aim for an 1100 start for meal at 1215/1230. This will give us a chance for some pre match conviviality. Hope to see you there.
Secondly the RNZNA/RSA golf tournament date has been set for the 14th November at Everglades. We will follow the same format as last year I.E. golf to start at 0730 or 0800, after completing the round the bar at Everglades will be open for our patronage then to Papanui RSA for prize giving, lunch and some liquid refreshments. I shall get some flyers out shortly and if it is anything like our last effort it will be a good day. I have also tenatively booked Everglades for a 'practice' round on 10th October. TBC.
HMNZS Endeavour will be in Lyttelton over the weekend commencing 17th September. We have had an invitation to visit the ship on the 17th with a choice of times as follows, 1300, 1400 or 1500. I think for our purposes 1400 would be a conveinent time for those wishing to go. I hope our shipmate Roy will be able to take the Club van to Lyttelton for transport. Again I will asking for names and numbers at our next meeting.
I would also like to mention for the benefit of our members the 'Christchurch Naval Memorial Benevolent Trust'.
The trusts primary purpose is to provide charitable assistance, when needed, to local ex-naval men and women and their dependants.
It is governed by a trust deed and incoporated as a Charitable Trust.
Its origins lie in the city's ex-naval groups coming together to work for a naval memorial, the one now standing alongside the Bridge of Rememberance, honouring those who died in war. Afterwards the groups decided to form this Trust, in order to do something for the living.
There are about 600 ex-naval men and women, and dependants, in the area. Our main concern is for the aged, infirm, crippled, blind or otherwise disabled and giving a hand in cases of financial difficulty. We can help with hearing aids, glasses, dentures and other medical conditions. If you find youself in the situation where some aid would be helpful please do not hesitate to approach myself or Denis Moffat and we can then get the necessary papers/correspondence underway.
Summary upcoming events.
HMNZS Endeavour: Ship visit 17th September 1400.
Luncheon: Papanui RSA 3rd October 1100.
Golf: Practice round October 10th Everglades?
. Tournament Everglades 14th November.
I will conclude this now before this *&?:*^$ machine decides to throw in the towel again.
Its getting old and on its last legs something like me!!!!!!!!!!!
Will look forward to seeing you at the RSA
Cheers & Beers
Ron Mayell
President Papanui Branch RNZNA
30th August 2010
Heroes
For his exploits in WW1. Lt Cmdr Williams Sanders remains the only New Zealander to date to have won the Victoria Cross while serving at sea. But while the highest British award eluded New Zealands sailors in WW2, there were a number who got very close to winning one.
For instance, it takes a very special kind of man to spend nearly 48 hours locked in a 15-metre long steel cylinder, spend a third of that time under water, press home a successful attack on an enemy cruiser moored safely in heavily defended harbour, and then escape unharmed. Such a man is Commander W.J.L. (Bill) Smith, who in 1945 won the DSO for his part in the mining of the Japanese cruiser 'Takao' in Singapore Harbour. Commander Smith was one of four highly trained men who manned the midget submarine XF-3 for the attack. Some of the daring shown on that operation is gained from the fact that in addition to his own decoration, the midget's captain, Lt "Tich" Fraser won the VC, a second VC went to the diver, L/S J.J. Magennis, while the fourth man, ERA C. Read, was awarded the Conspicuous Gallentry Medal.
