March 10 2010 02:12 UK

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	Maggy's raffle quarterly collection this time is going to the 'Help for Heroes' fund and we are sure that all of SMHS welcomes this donation. Our member Simon Bellamy has completed his mobilisation with the Royal Navy. He says 'I was serving on the staff of Commander Task Force Iraqi Maritime, a UK /US naval force responsible for assisting the Iraqi Navy with protection of their off-shore oil platforms'. He adds 'I was based in Bahrain, but also travelled to the oil platforms and to the Iraqi naval base. Most people probably think that UK forces have left Iraq completely, but there is still a small UK/US naval training team there, as well as ships assisting with protection of the oil platforms. Fortunately it was quiet from a security point of view. One of the biggest challenges was the heat, with temperatures of almost 50 degrees C, or about 120F, which is quite hot when you are carrying a lot of kit'. We are pleased to have Simon back in our midst and fully appreciate the brave roles undertaken by other Reservists like him. A highlight of Ian Carnichan's talk in January on Lord Downing must have been the impromptu rendition of being politically correct chanted as a finale, all in all a very good evening. For our February meeting it is the turn of Ed Tyhurst to deliver on Newhaven Fort, talk about a busman's holiday? Thanks Ed anyway mate. The relationship between field work and paper or digital archive activity may be an incongruous balance. However,these winter months might the time to prepare for spring-time investigations. Apart from being out on the Downs himself our tireless explorer Pete Hibbs has provided internet data on William Foot's bible of military sites 'Beaches, Fields, Street and Hills - the anti-invasion landscapes of England 1940. Individual downloads are available at £4.00 each. Pete says - it is now available at: http//ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/archive/defended cba 2005/ - click downloads and go to DA14 for Cuckmere Haven, DA17 Cripps Corner, DA18 Old Lodge Warren, DA23 Barcombe Mills and DA66 Pevensey Castle etc. Which could be the indoor start of a variety explorations these dark and wet days. William Foot's original 2006 book of some 648pp is titled Beaches, fields, street and hills The anti -invasion defences of England is listed at £46.67p new and is the result of two years national work covering 67 areas. In the last few months I have had various reports from individuals and site owners re the exploits of groups known as ‘Urban Exploration’. (Similarly '28 Days Later' 'Dark Places' 'Under-Ex' 'Abandoned Buildings' etc.) These are far more informal groups than Subterranea Britannica that exercise their interests exploring dis-used properties, bunkers, radar, tunnels, cellars etc. I must admit a bemused affinity with these secretive activities that render no harm nor damage and leave a site unmarked. Some covert communications are concealed via nicknames like, Carl for Christopher, Ringo for George, Alice for Alan etc. Is there a member in our neighbourhood? Apart from our trip in May to view Napoleonic defences around Rye another trip is being put together. Newer member Jim is hopefully organising a visit to the Cold War bunker, aka Regional Seat of Government, at Kings Standing near Crowborough. This site was excavated in WWII as an illicit form of intercepting German domestic radio programmes as Operation Aspidistra. There is a splendid coverage of the Kings Standing complex in After the Battle series No 75. Also no doubt there is a mass of more modern media on the internet. For our December meeting we welcome Jeremy Hodgkinson from Crawley. Jeremy is a writer and lecturer on the Wealden iron industry and Sussex cannons as is topic to enlighten us upon. This is eagerly awaited as we have not really ventured that far back with our material to date. Mid December news. We now have some outline of the Romney Marsh/Dymchurch trip for Saturday 29th May next year. Numbers may be restricted on a first come basis. The Study Day starts with an introductory speech by Col Kimber on the Napoleonic situation, then Jonathan Coade of English Heritage will talk on defence structures. After coffee SMHS will provide a presentation on a Napoleonic theme. The morning closes with a talk on the Royal Military Canal's function in the landscape of the Marsh by the Inland Drainage Board. After lunch we embus for Appledore where there are some sites near a pillbox, next to see the Iden Barracks property by the canal. Plus other drainage features and possibly Scott's flait and Jury Gap to finish around 4.30pm. It sounds like quite a busy schedule that the Romney Marsh Preservation up are putting together. Cost is envisaged at £15.00 not including lunch that can be your own packed or a pub lunch. Patrick Coulcher responded to our signed 'thank you' card saying he was really chuffed and had not had anything like that before. Well Patrick will return in 2010 to talk on 'Historical surprises of the Cuckmere valley'. Stewart and myself were recently on Bob Peedle's Forces on Parade Seahaven FM programme. Ed Tyhurst has been on the programme the week before talking about his role at Newhaven Fort. Bob has a considerable variety of material to talk to us from his time with the Police and then as a Major with the Royal Military Police, he is on our 2010 talks. Last month Hugh Miller in his imitable immaculate style provided his research on the Royal Navy. This in itself was quite a wide ranging topic but Hugh had his audience entranced with his records and scene of our Nations past glory's and duty. <----------> Patrick Coulcher returned in October to speak on his experiences as a Wing Commander - 'My Life as a Fighter Pilot - 1960-1980'. Including ejecting from a Phantom fighter whilst test flying - plus a true UFO experience. Which was guaranteed to keep members attention and glued to their seats a world away from Patrick's career with the Royal Air Force. Sitting in the calm of autumnal Sussex it may have been daunting to visualise the levels of human demands of this life-style at the time - particularly with the current media reports of overseas conflicts and manning. Chris Youles in Worthing has started to collate material on WWII Canadian troops in West Sussex. He welcomes input, anecdotes, warbride matter, incidents etc. www.canadianroots.org.uk Andy Saunders has a couple of RAF related subjects to enlighten us with. Convoy Peewit conflict in the English Channel during the Battle of Britain when the Alllies suffered heavily. Also the facts involving the courageous combat that took the life of Pilot Office Percy Burton over Hailsham when he rammed his foe fatally. <----------> Our speaker for September is bang on target with the original themes of SMHS when it was launched in November 1988 via a Sussex Express half page feature. A decade on Peter Hibbs has used the latest GPS and computer wizardry to regenerate his interest in Sussex military topography and we applaud his endeavours. What he does with the material might be another matter, possibly a disk/web product developing from a book to cover his researches. Peter has spent literally months and months of weekend field work to discover areas of army activity after sourcing material from Regimental record books etc at The National Archive. There was speculation if he would arrive for his presentation in camo gear and a spade in one hand and a surveyors pole in the other hand. Peter has a new web site www.home-front.org.uk Rodney Gunner in Worthing is collating material re Gumber Farm, near Tangmere, and other WWII decoy sites and has a surprising amount of material already. See his contacts at sussex-www2-decoy-sites.synthasite.com Shoreham Fort is due for a long overdue overhaul now that agreement has been achieved with the owners and English Heritage. Also known as Kingston Fort the expanse on shingle wasteland approached from Shoreham Beach thoroughfares has been wide open to the elements and public for many years. It may be better known as a nature reserve these days. An archaeologist is needed to assist the project along with able bodies to restore the site, old aerial views are also sought. One for the West Sussex brigade perhaps . . . Gary Baines at www.shorehamfort.co.uk or garyclio@hotmail.comseeks friends of the Shoreham Fort Society. Helen Woodward, our speaker last month, passed her fee to the Kent/Surrey/Sussex Air Ambulance. Maggy's collections from SMHS meetings and their Glynde Forge Weekend amounted to 50 pound and 75 pound for the Help for Heroes Fund. We have to thank Helen for her very professional presentation on Horatio Nelson, she had the audience entranced and then came more facts and fascination with the question session. A latest splendid gesture is the prospect of creating a statue to Henry Allingham where the Centurion tank stood guardian to Eastbourne Redoubt. Imagine an inspirational life-size bronze there like that of Wing Commander Douglas Bader at the Goodwood circuit. Fasten your safety belts for next months talk - Wednesday 21st October with Patrick Coulcher - 'My Life as a Fighter Pilot 1960-1980'. Including ejecting from a Phantom aircraft while test flying. 'Plus a true UFO experience'. <----------> For our July gathering the theme is member's own interests and collections. Years ago we opted to alter the usual theme of having a guest speaker once a month in order that members could present and display their own militaria material. Having said that a decade on and most of our outlets seem exhausted. That was until it was aired at the start of our June meeting when a newer member confidently declared that he had 'sheds of that stuff' meaning items of uniform, munitions, signaling and communications equipment plus examples of individual field work, excellent! Another member offered to bring along samples of his WWI arsenal and we were back on track for another stimulating evening. Possibly someone can be cajoled into reading one of the WWI war poet's pieces and speaking on their personality. Thursday 16th July is the date when The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires) receive the Freedom of Lewes. The parade starts at 12.20pm from Westgate car park. Increasingly of late the role of our Armed Forces is being brought into the public prominence. Veterans Day this year became Armed Forces Day as acknowledgement of serving men and women is duly recognized in these difficult times overseas. Hopefully our members will be out in force the day after our monthly meeting to support the PWRR soldiers at our county town. The accumulated funds from Maggie's monthly raffle have amassed once again. On this occasion a donation is being passed to the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment at the time of their being granted the Freedom of Lewes. <----------> Our June meeting interest centred on the role of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). It may be surprising that during the many years of our existence I cannot recall any specialist speaker on the poignant subject of the military cemeteries. Thus we particularly welcomed Max Westland who has been employed by the CWGC at home and overseas for a number of years. Max took us through the origins, current CWGC policy and onto the contemporary avenues that the CWGC is taking. After an introductory CD covering all aspects of the CWGC Max spoke of his own experiences and then hosted a lively questions session. Max's fee has been passed to the CWGC Retirement Fellowship. Thank you Mr. Westland. The CWGC 'Debt of Honour' register is the Commission's database listing 1.7 million men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died during two world wars and the 23,000 cemeteries, memorials and other locations worldwide where they are commemorated. <----------> For our May meeting in Lewes we have a long term SMHS member enlightening us on his National Service time in the Army Motorcycle Trials Team between 1954-1955. Mike Waller had been posted to No 6 Training Battalion at Bordon and was able to maximise his civilian interests during his spell with the army. The first of our field excursions this year proved to be very successful for those participating. We have to extend thanks to Peter Mercer for being our congenial guide as ventured into Balsdean valley to explore the 'Lost Village' that was shelled out of existence in 1942. Our next outdoor event is the Hove Lawn's big Military Show which is still being put together, but we hope that members will come along and see the exhibits and arena events that Whit Saturday. Eastbourne's seafront Mk III Centurion tank was unceremoniously ferried to Phil Wooller's farm in late April. <----------> For our April meeting we bade good evening to Andy Saunders who has kindly supported SMHS for some years now. When I first became interested in WWII sites and archives, almost two dozen years ago, in the local press were reports of aviation archaeology teams hiring mini diggers etc to seek out and excavate rural reports of downed WWII aircraft. Virtually all the accounts and material must have been checked and double-checked by now, but there is invariably an element of uncertainty. So we welcomed Andy's verdict and presentation 'Missing Airmen from WWII' which is based on his next publication due out in autumn 2009. Some of you may have seen the recent Timewatch programme 'WWI Aces Falling'on Major Edward Mannock and Major James McCudden which was a first rate absorbing account of WWI circumstances and personnel. The life expectancy of a WWI Front Line pilot was just eleven days. Of 14,000 deaths of Allied pilots in WW1 some 8,000 were during training accidents. Decades on, as other research, these investigations go into the annals of history, for posterity or renewal, or regeneration in some form. As an on-going contingency we have imposed on Ron Bishop's domestic hours to organise a selection of his ten year spread of RAF Hendon visits taking scenes of aircraft there, along with specifications of the exhibits. In Lewes recently I bumped into our naval reservist member Simon who was based at Portsmouth. He leaves there in early May for Bahrain and then onto Iraq in July. His position is a Royal Navy Lieutenant media liaison officer - which sounds like a very interesting outlet and role to participate within current issues. Anybody planning to visit ESRO shortly may care to note that the Maltings is due to be closed for structural repair and redecoration later this year. Initially late May to early June, but phone 01273 482349 for details. A couple of very interesting, but time consuming, web sites have just been provided. Try - GermanInvasion.co.uk and www.Air Recce.co.uk The next Western Front Association meeting is 7.30pm Friday June 12th 1st Floor Lecture Room at Lewes Town Hall. The speaker is Mike McCarthy on Ernst Junger and The Storm of Steel. The success of our next two outdoor gatherings depended rather on the weather. There has been much interest in the Balsdean site of late and our guide Peter Mercer's memories, from his nearby Woodingdean childhood prewar, will provide an invaluable insight. He published his in-depth The Hunns Mere Pit account of that area and its history in 1993 and copies now attract high prices on e-bay etc. Our February presentation by Patrick Coulcher on Antarctica was memorable for most members for the sheer proportions of the tasks, the voyages, and land masses covered - absolutely rugged determination echoing the spirit of the early 1900s. In March we welcomed back Hugh Miller who has been preparing an archive of D-Day. Operation Overlord must be one of the most intense activities ever staged. Thank you Hugh - we hope that you have enough time, you know that the SMHS members warm to your presence. There are varied views on what the D prefix on D Day (d-day?) represents and readers may utter their own views. Debarkation sounds acceptable to my mind. However there are many variables, similarly the intended actual date and state of the moon, clouds and tides remained flexible . . . Although it is like bleak mid winter there seems to be plenty happening. Our presenter for February needed little introduction to many members. Retired Wing Commander Patrick Coulcher has been hosting a variety of local talks in recent years and as secretary of our group I get to book my favourite talks that I may have sat through half asleep elsewhere. The topic of exploration, extremes and leadership ideals has fuelled the imagination of the public since the early 1900s, its prominence can hardly have ebbed with the years. Utilising modern media methodology, re-enactments and analysis of late these explorations are hardly away from our attention. In the decade that SMHS has been operating we have never, until recently, had a serving member of the Armed Forces amongst our midst. So it is with extra interest and support that our thoughts are with a certain Royal Navy Reservist who has been posted to the Gulf. Shortly he will be back to relate on his experiences for us. Last month Richard bought along a book that I am avidly reading.'Seven Sisters - The story behind the view' by Monty Larkin. This is first rate absorbing coverage of endless aspects of that headland region. RAF Friston takes two chapters, society, farming, shipswrecks, coastguard and smuggling incidents are all accommodated. The account is very much a book that I wish I had the capacity to compile. It is not available at Waterstones or Sussex Stationers, but from independent books shops or the ESCC Library system. Last months photo of 'Lewes Cossacks' was in fact led by Ivor Wycherley on the white horse Snowball, we are going to interview him soon. We have been reviewing aspects of SMHS in recent months. The addition of our web site has been very worthwhile, putting us out there more in the public eye. One element of concern was the comparatively high annual subscriptions charge at £12.00. Accordingly from 2009 the fee has been reduced to £9.00 which is quite enough. Most of our members are of the elder age range, costs are increasing all the time and SMHS has sufficient funds for what we do. A few weeks ago I needed to contact all members re a cancelled talk. Not everybody has email and really we ought to have all phone numbers at base. <----------> Our 2009 schedule started by welcoming Seaford Historian Kevin Gordon and his wife Mandy who provided an illustrated talk about Seaford's Military History drawing on a variety of sources. Seaford has a proud succession of military links. As a Roman outpost it provided marines for military service in medieval times and was a key site in the Napoleonic Wars. Seaford Museum & Heritage Society has excellent facilities at Martello Tower 74. The Alfriston Road Cemetery retains one of the largest Commonwealth war grave sites in Sussex and seven Victoria Cross holders are associated with the town. During the Great War there were two massive military camps, with troops from Ireland, the West Indies and Canada - and also a camp for conscientious objectors. In WWII Seaford became the third most heavily bombed community in Sussex, which is surprising as it has no strategic significance other than its coastal location and proximity to Beachy Head. For the militaria curious though the environs host a variety of sites and incidents - plus RAF Friston aerodrome and the Seaford Head Armoured Fighting Ranges that were closeby. In 1939 Seaford had some 6,570 residents. 23 people were killed in air raids and 28 properties were totally destroyed - ripping the heart out of the ancient township. Even the Chief ARP warden Mr W.P. Tomely was killed by a stray bullet. Following Ernie Sweeney's extraordinary research,on the E24 submarine episode, Mike King has supplied more source material via 'google E24'. http://www.ubootbilder.de/E24.htmhttp://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/ http://www.ww1cemeteries.com/ww2 cemeteries/hamburg_cemetery. Just possibly some of our senior Lewes members may have knowledge of the mounted Lewes Home Guard SX 16 unit from the early 1940s. Some 55 men formed the patrols from their HQ at Hope in the Valley Stables and a popular venue was the racecourse grandstand where the bar still functioned . . . With ample recruits from the local training stables and hunting fraternity the Lewes Cavalry became a national legend. (Col Styles uniform was on e-Bay recently.) Their patrols defended the South Downs that had once been the domain of Saxon, Roman and French invaders. Leading the group above is Col Styles on the gray. Others recalled are T. Masson, F. Rees, Arthur Dalgety, Rev Ensell and I. Wycherley, who found mounts in this unit. (More details in Lewes at War. Bob Elliston, 1995.) A smaller mounted Home Guard unit was formed at Storrington. <----------> Our December meeting . . . Submarine E 24 - researches in progress by Ernie Sweeney. 24th March 1916 The 9th Flotilla based at Harwich reported the loss of HM Submarine E24 missing from a mine-laying patrol in the North Sea in the vicinity of Helgoland Bight with its crew of 36 men. They had been tasked to lay 20 mines off the mouth of the river Elbe which joins the sea at Cuxhaven. Subsequently a war memorial was erected at Sullington Church, Storrington to the memory of Lt Cdr CWE NAPER and the crew of the E24. There is a record of NAPER and his brother staying at the Rectory at Sullington in 1899 when he was a Naval Cadet and there is possibility that he was in love with the vicars daughter. She never married and is buried in the Sullington. In 1982 I was looking for a topic for a dissertation when I found the memorial which looks like a conning-tower of a submarine. I made enquiries at HMS Dolphin The home of the RN Submarine Museum at HMS ALLANCE Gosport of Gus Britton who was very helpful but there was very little known about it. It was reported missing on its second mission out. There wasn't even a known photograph of it. The only thing they had was a crew list! With so little information I abandoned the task and went back to Oliver Cromwell's Major Generals in Sussex. In 1986 I tried again and made some more enquiries. I obtained a plan of the boat and details of its specification. It was launched 9th December 1915 by Master Kenneth E SMITH (naval Cadet) son of Engineering Commander WAP SMITH without a Ceremony. In 1998 after my retirement I started researching again and was contacted by the Curator of the Submarine Museum and told they had something interesting to tell me! It transpired that in July 1974 the E24 had been salvaged from 10 miles northwest of Heligoland Bight /the Hamburg Estuary by a Dutch salvage company who were alleged working for a German consortium looking for a German U Boat lost in May 1945. The E24 was mistaken for this boat and towed underwater into Cuxhaven harbour. It was placed into dry dock and in clearing the boat they found 25 sets of remains and an engine number that confirmed her identity. The Captain George NAPER was identified by his gold rings on his coat found at the base of the conning tower. Locked under the floor were three bodies laid out for burial! There was a hole in the bow and the hatches were open which suggests that it hit a mine at night on the surface. The crew buried in a single plot by the German authorities in Ohlsdorf War Cemetery. Actually quite near the grave of Lt William Phillip LILLIE of the E34. Interestingly The E34 commanded by Lt Richard Ivor PULLEYNE DSO DSC age 28 yrs was reported lost in the North Sea on 20.07.1918 cause unknown. According to the CWGC website he is in NOORDWIJK GENERAL CEMETERY north of Den Hagg on the Duth coast and it has 54 unidentified ratings from the WW1 Rolling back the years George Wyatt Edgell NAPER was born 25th 8 1884 at Stanley Lodge Exmouth his father was Col WD NAPER. We know that he lived in Brighton and Hove in 1903 and he was 31 when he died. George NAPER was 6'4" tall a bit tall for submarines! He was also very brave. He survived the sinking of his submarine C14 on 10th December 1913 by Government Hopper no 29. All the crew survived (first time round!) 38 were built and 11 sunk. He joined as a Cadet on 1st May 1899 and served in destroyers on the China Station. He was promoted to Midshipman in October 1900 in the Channel Fleet, In 1903 to Sub Lt and full Lieutenant 30th June 1906 On 9th April 1906 he joined HMS THAMES for submarines. Here the record gets hazy as they only gave the Depot ships names and not the Submarines they were attached too. On 10th September 1913 to took command of C14 at the Forth which he had until 16th October 1915. On 13th June 1914 he was promoted to Lt Commander Then to HMS Maidstone the depot ship for command of the E24 16th October 1915 (It was not launched until 9th January 1916). On the 27th March 1916 he was formally declared missing along with his crew Submarine E24 material Copyright Ernie Sweeny MA 2008. Photos: An E Class submmarine. The E24 memorial is just ot the left of the steps at Sullington Church, near Storringon. <----------> NEWSHEET 11/12 2008 This month is again special - we rate all our guest speakers as rather special! In November we had two visitors with their experiences of WWII tanks. Captain David Render from Lime Grove, London, was a 19-year old Lieutenant Troop Leader in charge of a four Sherman tanks of the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry facing Panzers, Wehrmacht and SS Divisions. We have to thank our Peter Kerridge for the introduction to David. Ron Levett from Alfriston provided a display of his model tanks to illustrate the subject. Similarly Ron was a young soldier serving with the Royal Scots Greys as a tank wireless operator. Leaving the army in 1948 he used his training to best advantage to start Norvett Electronics at an opportune time locally. Thank you David and Ron for sharing your experiences with our members. This time of year is Remembrance month and seemingly more and more media attention is focussed on commemoration. This year an extra 2m million poppies have been produced, making some 38m in all. (Who knows of the 1930s white, peace, poppy topic?) Footage of films from the Great War is screened into our homes along with scenes of more modern conflict - as the media industry of war subjects proliferates. Lest we forget . . . At a time when we are setting up a web site it is worth looking at others like - southeast-defence photos.com - better still is the more local - www.pillbox.org.uk. This latter site, titled The Defence of East Sussex Project, is ever expanding and very authoritative. Books these days are costly to produce and such websites can be updated ad lib - and remain mobile. Not forgetting that this month is our 10th anniversary of starting the group and we have to thank the membership for their support. Fittingly our web site should be up and running this next month as sussex.military.org.uk. Lets have some feedback! ENDS
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