THE ROYAL NAVAL

ASSOCIATION

Incorporated by Royal Charter

Patron: Her Majesty The Queen

Registered Charity No: 1068408

LISKEARD BRANCH

Commissioned 20th April 1986

Full Recognition by The Royal Navy

The Bilge Rat

April 2024

Issue No 415

COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2024/25

Any items for inclusion in the Bilge Rat are to be

sent to: - editor@liskeard-rna.org.uk

Branch website www.liskeard-rna.org.uk

Blog https://liskeard-rna.blogspot.com/

President

Chairman

Vice Chairman

Secretary

Treasurer

Membership Sec

Branch Support

Wellbeing Officer

Area Delegate

Social Secretary

Standard Bearer

Slops Bosun

Rum Bosun

Fundraiser

Auditor(1)

Auditor(2)

PR Officer

Branch Chaplain

Bilge Rat Editor

Sports Officer

Vacant

S/M Marie Belfitt

S/M Bill Billing

S/M Lisa Strutt

S/M Warwick Belfitt

S/M Christina Whitty

S/M Maureen Parker

S/M Steve Parkinson

S/M Jerry Fleming

REQUIRED

S/M Adam Strutt

S/M Warwick Belfitt

S/M Adam Strutt

REQUIRED

S/M Adam Strutt

S/M Steve Parkinson

REQUIRED

S/M Ian Wheatley

S/M Adam Strutt

S/M Terry Whitty

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DISCLAIMER

Whilst The Bilge Rat is the magazine of the Liskeard branch of the

Royal Naval Association, it should be clearly understood that the

contents do not necessarily reflect the views of the Association, the

branch members or the Editor and should not therefore be interpret-

ed as such.

A colour version of the Bilge Rat may be viewed on the RNA website.

Branch website: www.liskeard-rna.org.uk

COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2024/25 2

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 4

THE STORY OF HMS KEREN 5

CRUISING 7

MENTORS 10

NEW MEMBER 12

APRIL QUIZ 13

MARCH QUIZ ANSWERS 14

SOCIAL CALENDAR 2024/25 15

Contents

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Birthdays for May

Members;

Life 6

Full 47

Associates 28

Total 81

4th Colin Breed

4th David Austen

5th Terry Kurn

7th Ted Steele-Tyson

7th Jason Deane

26th Adam Strutt

The Story of HMS KEREN

HMS Keren was the ex-Sealink Ferry "St Edmunds", which was pur-

chased by the MoD shortly after the Falklands War ended. There was

a dispute between the National Union of Seamen and the MoD regard-

ing whether they would be paid 'ferry' or 'deep sea' rates of pay with

the result that they went on strike. There was an urgency to get the

ship to the south Atlantic, so the MoD hatched a plot to take the ship

over with an RN crew and sail it there without the NUS seamen.

Thirty five of us congregated at HMS Calliope (Newcastle Division

RNR) on Good Friday 1983 and boarded the ship late that evening. I

was the MEO (Tony Dyer). Within an hour of taking over the ship a

Commissioning Warrant was read and the ship became 'HMS' Keren,

thereby making it an offence for any member of the public including

NUS to step on board. We posted sentries at the gangways to ensure

they didn't! We then set about learning how the ship worked and pre-

pared ourselves for the 8,000 mile trip to Port Stanley. After three days

we took the ship down the Tyne and anchored off South Shields for a

further period of familiarisation before declaring to CinC Fleet five days

later that we were ready to go.

On hearing that we had succeeded in getting the ship functional (which

the NUS believed we could not do), they gave up their fight and asked

for their ship and jobs back. We brought HMS Keren back up the Tyne,

berthed alongside in one of the shipyards (cannot remember which

one), decommissioned (it became MV Keren) and marched off trium-

phantly to much abuse from local trade unionists, shipyard workers

and the leader of the NUS, Jim Slater.

Inevitably there was a great deal of national and local press coverage

at the time, and the tabloids accused us of acting in a piratical way and

hijacking the ship. We were a tourist attraction over the Easter week-

end 1983 and particularly whilst at anchor we were surrounded each

day by lots of grockle boats. That made us feel even more happy

about the situation and what we had achieved, which in anyone's book

was quite extraordinary.

MV Keren was withdrawn from the Ascension Island / Falklands troop

ferrying service in July 1985 and offered for sale. She spent a couple

of years moored with other vessels for sale in Fareham Creek

(Opposite Priddy's Hard) until she was eventually disposed of by the

MoD in 1986 / 1987 to the Cenargo Group. It is understood that she

is now operating as the car / passenger ferry 'MV Scirocco' on the

Almeria (Spain) / Nador (Morocco) service.

Provided by S/M Lee Hayward

Cruising

Update on our return to cruising following the pandemic

Although many cruise ships did various short cruises when allowed

after the various lockdowns we decided not to as could not be both-

ered with Covid tests at Southampton and the wearing of masks. In

view of this and getting the necessary travel insurance in place we

decided to return in October 2023.

Since then we have been to the Canaries and the last one in March

was to Spain, Portugal and into the Mediterranean via Gibraltar.

During the cruises both myself and Margaret have found a new and

most enjoyable evening attending the weekly silent discos. Although

Margarets mobility is limited I can get on the dance floor and probably

make a fool of myself, however we do go away to do something dif-

ferent and enjoy ourselves. What I like about silent discos is that with

out the necessary 2 channel earphones on, you are not deafened by

very loud music as the ear phones do have a volume control.

On one of our Canaries cruise, I was invited to attend a veterans

meet with coffee and biscuits during which time I was able to have a

chat with service personnel and indeed be included with all including

the Captain which is attached.

During our last cruise whilst in Gibraltar we were very fortunate to be

at the Guardhouse along with many hundreds of local people to wit-

ness the ceremony to mark the end of the 4 years that the Governor

Vice Admiral Sir David Steel had served. The ceremony lasted about

1 hour during which time we were able to see the full pipe and drum

band etc in full flow marching back and forward past the Guardhouse

with the cannon being manually towed at the rear. On completion of

the ceremony at the Guardhouse the band with the cannon marched

down the main street to the lower square where the cannon was

charged and fired which deafened most of us. I have included some

photos which may be of interest to some.

During this cruise we were waiting for a lift when 2 passengers who

knew our names reminded us that we had met some 7 years earlier

on a Caribbean cruise. This we found most embarrassing as neither

of us could remember however as we were considerably older that

was our excuse.

Unfortunately, the weather on the last cruise was particularly bad with

wind rain and choppy seas however as usual we had good food and

good service.

We have now decided to have a break from cruising till October this

year when we are booked to go to the Canaries with a very good and

long-time friend with whom I started my engineering apprenticeship

with in 1956 and his wife.

Can’t wait.

S/M Wilf Jolley

Mentors

Greetings from HMS Raleigh

Welcome from all the mentors at HMS Raleigh. Today Friday 19th of

April 2024, the RNA Mentors had the pleasure to host the families and

friends of Fisher and Cornwell 23/31 class.

The Royal Navy now has 56 more ratings to add to the fleet.

The inspecting officer today was: -

Captain RJ Roe ADC Royal Navy

Captain HMS Raleigh

We had over 423 family and friends today to witness the passing out

Parade. The weather here in Torpoint, SE Cornwall, was DRY, so the

passing out Parade was outside.

Congratulations to our brand-new sailors, and good luck in phase two

training.

The two sets of divisional mentors were: -

S/M Susan Goldfinch (Cornwell Division)

S/M Pat Cassidy (Cornwell division)

S/M Terry Whitty (Fisher division)

S/M Lee Hayward (Fisher Division)

We had several other Raleigh Divisional Mentors hosting the families,

friends, of the new navy sailors.

As always thank you to all our mentors for your dedication and

commitment to the Mentoring programme here at HMS Raleigh.

Yours aye

S/M Terry Whitty

Lead Liaison Mentor

HMS Raleigh

New Members

Not a New Member, but Andy Schofield receiving his new

branch membership card from Marie.

April Quiz

1. What river runs through Tideford?

2. What picture was on the back of a Farthing?

3. What is an “Oxford Comma”?

4. Who is the biggest hat-maker in the world?

5. What is the official motto of the RAF?

6. We’ve all seen the Brunel Bridge over the Tamar many

times, but what is the date underneath Brunel’s name?

7. What was the Crest used by the “Mighty Hood”?

8. In 1967 which ship was bombed by the RAF and the

Fleet Air Arm?

9. In 1960 Penguin Books were tried under obscenity laws

for publishing which novel?

10. In which US state would you find Fort Knox?

March Quiz Answers

1. Where would you be if you were standing on the Spanish

Steps? Rome

2. Which language has the more native speakers: English or Span-

ish? Spanish

3. What is the most common surname in the United States? Smith

4. What disease commonly spread on pirate ships? Scurvy

5. Who was the Ancient Greek God of the Sun? Apollo

6. What was the name of the crime boss who was head of the

feared Chicago Outfit? Al Capone

7. What year was the United Nations established? 1945

8. Who has won the most total Academy Awards? Walt Disney

9. How many faces does a Dodecahedron have? 12

10. Queen guitarist Brian May is also an expert in what scientific

field? Astrophysics

Social Calendar 2024/25

Date Event

20th April Community Fair

5th May VE Day

6th June D-Day 80

9th June D-Day 80 Drumhead

30th June BBQ/Big Lunch Trebenver

13th July Liskeard Show

26th-28th July

Bocconnoc

18th August VJ Day

24th –26th August Great Trethew

19th October Trafalgar Night

26th October Poppy Concert

3rd November Field of Remembrance

10th November Remembrance Parade

11th November 2 min Silence

7th December RNA Christmas Dinner

Liskeard RNA usually meets on the last Thursday of the month, in

the room above the Royal British Legion. The room and bar are open

from 1930 and the meeting starts at 2000. You do not have to be ex

Royal Navy to join. All are welcome.

ONLY DRINKS PURCHASED IN THE RBL CLUB

ARE TO BE CONSUMED ON THE PREMISES

Anybody who has content for the Bilge Rat, please send to

the Bilge Rat Hon Editor.

Email: - editor@liskeard-rna.org.uk

Breakfast Club· Market Cafe Liskeard

Now meeting every Wednesday 0930

and 2nd Saturday of the Month 0930