From your Chairman
First I must thank all members who voted me in as your new chairman, I am fully aware that I have an impressive act to follow.
George Toomey together with Peter Harrison built the association membership over many years, which we hope will continue to expand.
I would like to personally thank George for all his hard work, sense of humour and dedication in getting this strong association to the position it is today. Unfortunately he has told our secretary he will not be attending any further reunions, as I would have like to have thanked him in a more official way, but that sadly will not be possible. So George, all the best for the future, from me and the association of which you can be proud.
No organisation can afford to stand still; therefore we must look to the future and consider where we should be going. I for one do not consider that an association can be governed by a small number of members; it requires new ideas, new drives and most of all an input from the membership who have a wealth of knowledge and appropriate skills. So at our AGM in April 2007 I shall be placing some ideas on the table for you the membership to consider, debate and reject if you feel that is appropriate.
As you will see later, I have researched the Sailors Home Club as our possible venue for the reunion in 2008, so please respond to the Secretary with your views.
Many of you will be aware 2010 is a landmark in the history of the WW2 Cossack (LO3), as it will be 70 years since that epic rescue from the ‘Altmark’ and I for one would not like to see it go unmarked. To that end, with your approval, I am looking at the possibility of having our reunion in Plymouth and engaging with the ‘Board & Search Unit’, which uses the name of Cossack, in HMS Raleigh. The latter has not been explored as yet; because I do not know what you the members want, so again please respond to our Secretary. Furthermore, if you have any constructive suggestions please communicate them to us, as well.
I don’t think there is much else I can say at this moment in time but I leave you with this thought ‘Each new season grows from the left-overs from the past. That is the essence of change and change is the basic law’. Borland...
I hope I see you all in 2007.
Ken Satterthwaite
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Membership Matters
Membership
We have recently heard that Shipmate T.G. Albion, L03 1940-41, died in April. It is always sad to hear of yet another member passing over the bar and especially so when it is one of our dwindling band of those who served in L03. His obituary is given below.
We have, however, gained one new member since the last newsletter and we warmly welcome:
S/M A.F. (Billy) Budd MEM1 D57 1958-60
Membership still stands at 262, made up as follows:
Full/Life Members 168 (18 L03, 150 D57)
Associate Members 87
Honorary Members 7
Total 262
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Obituaries
MAY HE FIND A SAFE HARBOUR FOR EVER
Calling on Cossacks to crack down on crime this autumn
This was the headline in a local Surrey newspaper in October. However, it doesn’t refer to any of our members. S/M John Knight (D57 1955-56) from Sutton thought it good to see the name in print though, and used for something worthwhile. It headed a story about Operation Cossack, a crackdown on crime in the Sutton area.
John said that it just goes to prove that old Cossack’s never die, they just go on to something else useful.
Did you see that report in the newspapers recently about how little is known by our population about world events of 50 or more years ago? It said that only 32% of those questioned had even heard of the Korean War!
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REUNION 2007
Enclosed with the newsletter is a booking form for our next reunion which will be held at the Chatsworth Hotel, Worthing The dates will 13th - 15th April 2007 and the prices (including the association’s £5.00 charge for extras) will be as follows:
3 nights dinner, b & b - £135.00 per person
2 nights dinner, b & b - £102.50 per person
1 night dinner, b & b - £ 60.00 per person.
Banquet dinner only - £ 25.00 per person.
As with the 2006 Reunion, a deposit of £25.00 per person will be required on booking, with the balance being paid by 15th March 2007. If you wish you can pay the full amount when booking. We were fortunate that last time we were able to recover all payments made by those who had to cancel their bookings because the hotel were able to re-let the rooms. However, it is recommended that members should take out personal insurance to cover their payments in the event of having to cancel their arrangements.
Noel Bevan, one of the merchant seamen rescued from the Altmark by Cossack in 1940, will be our guest of honour.
Please complete the booking forms and return them, with cheques for deposits made payable to HMS Cossack Association, by 15th January 2007.
REUNION 2008
Yes, we know it is a long way ahead but your Chairman, Shipmate Ken Satterthwaite, hasn’t been sitting on his hands since being elected to the post on 1st October.
Ken has been looking into the possibilities of holding the 2008 Reunion at the Royal Sailors’ Home Club at Portsmouth. The Club has sufficient accommodation to take our numbers and at a price comparing favourably with that of hotels. Rooms are charged on a B & B basis at £30 per person per day. The banquet dinner including wine, the ballroom with a DJ provided, etc. would come as a separate package. The price of the dinner package will be £43.00 per person for a minimum of 100 persons. The club is adjacent to ‘Gunwharf’ (ex- HMS Vernon), a large shopping precinct, also the Naval Museum is close by.
The Home Club is a very popular venue for reunions and the ballroom gets books up far in advance. It has been confirmed that retired officers may use the Club, unlike the Union Jack Club in London. Ken has provisionally booked the ballroom for 15th April 2008 but we are required to confirm it and pay a £300 deposit by mid-April 2007.
Whilst we appreciate that none of us can say for certain that we will be able to attend an event in April 2008, we would like you to make a stab at it. We need to know whether we are likely to have at least that minimum of 100 persons attending. On the back of the booking form for Reunion 2007, another short form is enclosed on which we ask you to say whether you will attend a reunion at the Royal Sailors’ Home Club in 2008.
On the same form is also a question about Reunion 2010. At the last AGM held in April this year, Ken put forward the idea of holding the 2010 Reunion at Plymouth. That year being the 70th anniversary of the Altmark incident the idea would be to tie it in with the Cossack Building (Board and Search School) at HMS Raleigh, if possible.
Obviously there would need to be a great deal of work done before then to make all the necessary arrangements but it will only be worthwhile doing that work if there will be a reasonable number willing to attend.
Please help us by completing the questions on the form about the 2008 and 2010 Reunions and send it in even though you may not be booking for 2007.
THE BOARD & SEARCH TRAINING SCHOOL (COSSACK BUILDING)
The Board & Search Training School, headquartered in the Cossack Building which is part of HMS Raleigh, are looking at inviting 10 people from our Association to view their passing out parade there on Friday 16th February 2007. They hope to be able to offer lunch to those who attend before witnessing the parade at 1415. Surviving L03 members would be particularly welcomed.
HMS Raleigh is at Torpoint, Cornwall and is not the easiest place to get to. However, subject to the invitation being given, it would be a good thing if we could get some of our members to attend. It would be a good opportunity for us to see the modern Navy at work and for them to meet us.
Would those who would like to attend please let the Secretary know as soon as possible.
THE AMETHYST INCIDENT
One of our long-standing members, Norman Buck, has felt for some time that Cossack’s part in the Amethyst incident has always been underplayed. The narrative about it in our own booklet on D57’s history was written by the 1st Lieutenant at that time, the late Lt. Cdr. W.W. Dennis and describes how Cossack went up the Yangtse River and secured alongside a pontoon about 6 miles from Nanking on 26th February 1949. Then having been relieved by HMCS Crescent, she left on 14th March proceeding down river to Shanghai and, after some exercises at Woosung, arrived in Hong Kong on 27th March. According to Lt. Cdr. Dennis’s account, Cossack then went alongside in the dockyard on 4th April to commence her refit, was moved into the floating dock on the 12th and therefore took no direct part in what was then to become known as “The Amethyst Incident”. Norman has a slightly different take on that. Below is his account, which is taken from both his memory and from letters he wrote to his mother at the time.
HMS COSSACK AND THE AMETHYST INCIDENT
by S/M Norman Buck
On February 26th 1949 HMS Cossack resumed the trip on the Yangtse River to relieve another destroyer which had been tied up at a pontoon alongside a disused cement and gas factory, about 6 miles from Nanking. We have to pass a Communist position on the right bank on the way up. At this time we have not been attacked or intimidated by the Communist guns.
We sailed from the Yangtse River for Shanghai on the 14th March and went back up the river to Nanking. After our job of work at Nanking we were relieved by a Canadian destroyer. The Chinese army could be seen on the North bank, which governs all approaches to Nanking. The Nationalists still held the opposite banks. We were not allowed ashore outside the compound.
The Nationalist cruiser Chunking, which used to be the old HMS Aurora, has just gone over to the Communists. We were always at Action Stations whilst going up to Nanking and then reverted to Defence Stations on being tied up to the pontoon.
HMS Consort was up river on 20th April when HMS Amethyst, on her way up to relieve Consort, was fired on. The first shells hit the bridge and wheelhouse. The Coxswain, CPO Nichols, was wounded and the Captain injured. The shore batteries were 100mm guns, inflicting severe damage to Amethyst. HMS Consort, going to help Amethyst, was also hit on the bridge and wheelhouse but put quite a few Communist guns out of action. The Commissioned Gunner in Amethyst had been a Boy with me at HMS Ganges, Shotley in 1937-38. Unable to give further assistance to Amethyst without the high risk of being sunk, Consort sped down river and got out without further damage.
On 21st April, the cruiser HMS London and the frigate HMS Black Swan attempted to rescue Amethyst but, as she was grounded on the mud, London could not get to her. London’s 8-inch guns could not be brought into action as she was too high out of the water to depress he main armament. Because of her size she was a sitting duck. I lost a good friend, P.O. Roper. Amethyst had 23 killed, Consort 9 and of London I’m not sure.
We arrived back in Hong Kong and I went up to the R.N. Hospital to see CPO Nicholls. The Coxswain legs had been injured in Amethyst. Three months later we were on our way back to Whampoa entrance and at the end of August HMS Amethyst managed to escape the Chinese. Having secretly got fuel for her engines and wrapped the cable in cloths soaked oil to keep the noise down, she slipped away without being seen. It was a cold night and no moon. HMS Cossack was inside the entrance waiting for her. It was about 0300 when I was told to get my hawsers out on the quarterdeck in case she broke down and had to be towed. She didn’t have much oil or engine power.
The Chinese were alerted before Amethyst got to the entrance and they had 9-inch guns on the forts. I stood on the quarterdeck and watched the Chinese sink one of their own ferries crossing the river. It was set alight and eventually sank. We escorted Amethyst back to Hong Kong with a cruiser joining us. It was quite a scene with all ships and their sirens greeting her. What a sight! I felt very proud to be British. Amethyst’s ship’s company all got 11 days leave.
I still cannot understand why Cossack was not included in the film of the Amethyst Story, made in Harwich where I live. No mention of us then or since. Captain White was our C.O. and Lt. Commander Dennis our 1st Lieutenant.
Norman Buck
Petty Officer
D57 1949 – 1952
Amethyst on her way back
Shipmates in the News
One of our shipmates who made the headlines in his local paper (The Ledbury Reporter) was Ray Davies. Ray was an Ordinary Seaman when he joined Cossack in 1941 and survived the torpedoing, being picked up by HMS Legion, Commanding Officer Lt. Cdr. Jessel.
Ray was to meet up with Lt. Cdr. Jessel again. In 1942 the Legion was sunk while she was alongside the wall in Malta and a badly wounded Lt. Cdr. Jessel was given passage back to UK by HMS Havock. Havock never made it as she ran aground off Cape Bonn and the crew were taken prisoner by the “Vichy” French, under orders from the German and Italian Armistice Commission. They ended up in Laghouat, the French Prisoner of War Camp. It was there that Ray also found himself after the sinking of HMS Manchester . The newspaper report is reproduced below: