Lewin of Greenwich Naval History & Forum

About half way now Tim

Some of the Boss now I see , will show you more tomorrow

Very interesting reading and viewing. Thanks to Ivor and Tim.

jbryce1437 wrote: ↑Sun May 12, 2019 8:37 pm Many thanks to Ivor and Tim for the insight into the celebrations on HMS Belfast.
I share your disappointment with the youth of today Ivor. As my old man would say, they all need a good kick up the a**e.

Jim

Well mine used to say " Stick the lazy sods in the Forces that will bloody sort them out " but why should they have them eh Jim

As I said earlier Harry , shame the lads couldn't be their to , but to be honest I don't think Tim could have got anymore crew in there

Here is a very touching news item by NRK, Norwegian State TV, an interview with Trygve Hansen, 97, who flew from the USA to be at our Victory event. Trygve survived the sinking of the destroyer Eskdale before joining Stord, a fleet destroyer of the "S" flotilla, together with Saumarez, Savage and Scorpion she tordedoed Scharnhorst slowing her down enough for Duke of York to catch up and finish the battle with her huge guns. Stord, and the others of the flotilla went on to join the gun-line off the beaches on D-day where Svenner and Swift were sunk. In the clip you see Trygve visit the cemetery at Greenwich where some of his less fortunate Norwegian seamen were buried. Here is a photo of Trygve with Tony Ditcham, gunnery office of Scorpion at that time who has written a stunning book about his wartime Naval Career, "A Home On The Rolling Main" which I urge everyone to read, its the best book ever on action in a small ship. These are very probably the last two men left from that outstanding action at north Cape.

https://vimeo.com/335800867

https://www.vesti.ru/videos/show/vid/79 ... d%3D797262

and this is how we looked on Russian TV news.

The Belfast hoolie was just one night, we arranged a whole programme for the visitors, mainly Russian and Norwegian as the others, Canadians, Jamaicans and Brits were all local. On the Monday they had a visit to Greenwich by river; on Tuesday it was the historic dockyard at Chatham where they were royally received by the Cavalier Association and the DY management. Wednesday it was the IWM followed by the reception in HMSB. On Thursday they had the ceremony at the Soviet War memorial in the park adjacent to the IWM Main Building, the Immortal Regiment parade and a concert in the evening. Friday was the Tower of London and on Saturday they visited the memorial service for Tim Elkington in the village church at the former Little Rissington airfield near Oxford where there was a fly-over by a lone Hurricane. Tim Elkington was the last surviving pilot who went with Operation Benedict flying his Hurricane off the carrier Argus into the front line. He never lost his respect and affection for Russians, he died on the 1st of Feb. this year, see my obit.

The final picture is of my table mates .. "The Rum Pirates "

ivorthediver wrote: ↑Mon May 13, 2019 5:36 pm The final picture is of my table mates .. "The Rum Pirates "

Spirited away

Jim