2297 entries.
Good Morning Shipmates
I am in the process of finalising the Falkland Veterans March past and service on Sunday 27th May at 1000 on behalf of Gosport Borough Council and I thought I'd share progress with you all. The town will be hosting all veterasns and about 500 are expected. We will be led by the band of the Royal Marines and a guard of honour made up of sailors from HMS Suyltan and surrounding areas. We have invited a Royal plus Baroness Thatcher and are awaiting the outcome of theroyal diary meeting next week to see if we are successful. The service will be held in the Falkland Gardens and the salute will be taken outside of the Town Hall. A reception will follow on Walpole Park in a marque.
In order to establish numbers attending Falkland Vets will be asking for detaILS ON THEIR WEB SITE so please look out for notices there and I will duplicate their notices via our site when available. On Saturday 26th in the evening Smokey Cole of FVF is organising a party on the polo fields at Sultan. He is fionalising details now and will put it on their site very soon.
Please be aware that accomodation in Gosport is a premium so book now if you wish to stay here. Also, the Gosport ferry will cease during the service from 1015 on the Sunday until 1215 so you will need to get over to muster by 1000. More news as I get it
Yours Aye
Derek
Hi guys,
I hope 2012 finds you all in good health and as happy as one can be in these times. Just to let you know I have created a You Tube vid with all my own pictures from 1982. You may have seen quite a few in the 'tinternet' as I have donated most of my them to Wikipedia Commons for use by the world in general. I may have some things wrong (age and substance abuse) but it is my effort all the same. Search You Tube 'Falklands 30' to view. Getting more views from Argentina than the UK up to now and the associated 'stick' that goes with it. All the very best. Griff.
Just a note on Mario's post, this is the meeting he was reffering to.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-16518031
Shipmates et al
Thought you might like to share a nice to hear and heartening piece of news I have just this week recieved from down south. Especially at this time as we move into the 30th year since the loss of our dear old Coventry and our shipmates.
It was made known to me via Cdre Jamie Miller CBE NRCWWE, who many will know was onboard Coventry that day as a Spanish interpreter (amongst other roles) that the Captain of Montrose, namely Cdr Jonathon Lett, currently conducting the FI Patrol Ship duties, has this week led a 30 strong team to go ashore on Pebble Island to attend to our memorial site.
They started with a very moving memorial service over the wreck of Coventry and then proceed with the working party of volunteers to maintain and clean up the site. This included a thorough painting and varnishing of the cross and finally completed with the laying of a wreath.
Cdr Lett Sir, on behalf of our Association I would like to thank you and your crew for taking the time out to do this for us and send you all a big BRAVO ZULU, many thanks from myself and the former crew of HMS Coventry D118.
Finally, I wish the crew of Montrose a safe and speedy trip home at the end of their current deployment.
(I will ask Damien if he can put the associated pictures up on this site)
Yrs Aye - Chris Howe MBE
Chairman HMS Coventry D118 Ass
Hello Steve Hunt (Selwyn). Got my airfares booked and will arrive in the UK on May 12. After the north east we will be doing a bit of touring around the Lakes and Cornwall (got the 5 year old bairn in tow).In London from 21 May until the morning of the 25th. Staying at the Holiday Inn Oxford Circus.Visiting the Chelsea Flower show. Had to do that to keep the Mrs happy and in return for a leave pass to the Sunderland v Man Utd game. Also staying at the Holiday Inn in Pompey for three nights or possibly four nights. Would like to catch up with you if you fancy a night out in London. Have been in contact with Jeff Oram our old CPOSA though this might be after your time. Trying to contact Flipper Flood as well. Hopefully they'll be a few S and S branch turn up for the 30th. Bit weird really sometimes it seams like a lifetime ago since we were in 2QS then other times it seams like just yesterday. PS I'm definately not stopping in Karachi of Bombay on the way back!
Shipmates et al
A very Happy New Year to you all..
Just to keep you all up to speed on this years reunion planned for the evening of Friday 25th May. I have just updated the Reunion tab adjacent, essentially just fine tuning the Friday evening itinerary and the Saturday lunchtime meeting which are purely Coventry events whilst also making it quite clear that the Sat evening and Sunday morning events over that same weekend are in fact being run by the FVF and all details of these events can be found on the FVF website
http://www.falklandsveterans.org.uk/ with updates also to come on this page from Derek Kimber. Hopefully many of us will march on the Sunday morning with our own standard along with many other FI 82 Veterans.
As we move toward the 25th May it would be much appreciated if those of you intending to join us this year could give an indication to either Eli or myself in order that we can understand numbers for the march to the FI Memorial at 1715 and later at the GIs Association at 1930 for the reunion, being aware of potential numbers will assist in the logistics planning.
I can share with you that slowly but surely I am getting contacts from shipmates that had no idea we meet each year and are coming to join us this year, so if you are in touch with someone let them know what is happening, they may not be aware....
I have also this week finished my first draft of our Service of Remembrance and have managed to recruit our own D118 Association 'Sky Pilot' who in fact is an ex RN CPO and now a Revd in the Diocese of Coventry, a good addition to our Association going forward.
Finallly, for now that is all I have but please keep watching this page as I will keep posting updates as and when I have something new to disseminate. Meanwhile, if anyone has any questions at all please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yrs Aye - Chris Howe MBE
Chairman
Merry Christmas one and all - and thanks for the thought Chris!
Having worked in the Propulsion System Team (PST) in Portsmouth up to October 82, I have exceptional memories of the Summer of 81, when the 'Tynes' were upgraded, Charles married Di and the PST came to love the ship. At this time of year and as we enter 2012, you are in our thoughts. Best wishes for the year.
Mike
Fellow shipmates et al...
Just a quick note from your Chairman at this time of festive cheer!
I would like to wish you, your families and your loved ones a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, I sincerely trust the break meets all our expectations.
Also a very special vote of thanks to Damien Burke for continuing to support us with this splendid website, Bravo Zulu shippers.
Finally, just to mention that once I get back in the New Year I will be updating the current declared itinerary for our May 2012 reunion, so please keep a close eye on the reunion tab and remember to let Eli know of your attendance at the reunion on the evening of the Friday 25th May. Also, by all means contact me by email for any questions you may have, it will be good hear from you.
Take care one and all and stay safe.
Merry Christmas!
Yrs Aye - Chris Howe MBE
Chairman HMS Coventry D118 Association
Have just made contact with Bob Vass, former Caterer on the 1980 Far East tour.He was unaware of the website or the D118 Association but will hopefully sign in and join with us in the future. Anybody who picked up his camera in Boogie St, (Singers) during the altercation with the New Zealand lads, please step forward.
This site is a great tribute to all those who served onboard HMS Coventry. I had the honour and privilidge to serve on her from 08/81 - 12/81. I was he "baby doc" (JMA2)and worked with POMA Tom Tominey (RIP) in the sick bay. Coventry was my first ship, I was 17 years old. I was in 2F mess with the electronic warefare guys and Tony who worked in the Naafi. Unfortnately, my killic of the mess Bernie Still did not make it back from the Falklands,but I still remember him and have fanatastic memories of my time onboard.
Sam - and everybody else - the message from Mariano wouldn't have got past me if it was a nasty one. A translation is:
"A few days ago I met with a member of the Royal Navy who shot me down on May 27, 1982. It was a unique experience. First of all, I want to express my deepest sorrow for those who gave their lives in the struggle. As a historical matter I wish to say that the story of the attack on the 25th of May is not as it was in reality.
My most sincere respect for all."
I've since been in touch with him to find out what errors he was referring to, and the 25th May 1982 page on this site has been updated in light of his information. Basically the numbers and types of bombs used were wrong, and it was Mariano's bombs that sank the ship rather than those of his wingman, Velasco. Interestingly his flight deliberately used smaller bombs than previous raids in an effort to stop them passing right through their target - sadly with success!
Hi guys, I gather the message from Mariano is not very complimentary?
Take care and hope you have a wonderful Christmas, wishing you all the best for 2012.
Yours Aye,
Sam
hi just found the site..........anyone about from my time?
Hace pocos dias me reuni con un integrante de la Royal Navy quien me derribara el dia 27 de mayo de 1982, fue una experiencia unica. Quiero manifestarles primero que todo mi mas sentido dolor por aquellos que ofrendaron su vida en en la lucha. Por una cuestion historica quiero expresarle que el relato del ataque el dia 25 de mayo no es como fue en la realidad.
Mi mas reconocido respeto para todos
hey toby hows things yes look forward to meeting up in may and bye the way the chicken legs have progressed to turkey legs ha ha look forward to a beer and catch up kev
Great tribute to HMS Coventry and its crew. I liked the words you wrote on the into. I have linked to this site from article here: http://www.hmforces.co.uk/armed_forces_news/articles/7639-falklands-survivors
Regards
Hi Kev.
Good to see you've found the site. Yes I remember you, well those chicken legs anyhow.
A few of the stokers keep in touch so would be great to see you in May.
Always good to see another old face as they are now !!
Hopefully see you soon.
Toby Owen
For the past couple of Remembrance Sundays I have been laying a poppy wreath at the Barnsley Town Hall parade on behalf of SAMA 82. This year however with help from the local RBL I was able to get a wreath with our ship's crest on. Unfortunately the RBL don't hold our crest with our 'HMS Coventry D118' Association wording on. Is there any way of rectifying this for future years?
The Barnsley parade was attended by over 1,000 people this year as sadly a young TA soldier from Barnsley, Matthew Thornton, had paid the ultimate sacrifice out in Afghanistan the Wednesday prior to Remembrance Sunday.
It was a poignant day as young and old stood to remember.
'We will remember them'
Hi Kevin, just read your post, please contact me at this email address and I will sort out your membership issue. Alternatively, you could try downloading the form at Association tab adjacent.
Let me know either way as you certainly do qualify to join us being a former D118 shipmate and you would be most welcome.
Yrs Aye - Chris Howe MBE
Chairman HMS Coventry D118 Association