Losing a friend, Captain Sergey Aprelev

[timlewin]

Epitaph for Sergey Aprelev, Captain, Russian Fleet

A few years ago, completely out of the blue, I had a call from a young lady on the production staff for Michael portillo's Secret History series on television. She wanted to know if I could connect her with anybody who knew anything about the Cuban missile crisis and the role of the Soviet Navy in that dangerous period of our history. The man I turned to for this esoteric insight was captain Sergei Aprelev.
Sergei had been a Soviet submarine captain and more to the point a wonderfully good friend for several years and a staunch supporter of our Victory Day activities for the Arctic veterans. Sergei was a true man of action, a sea officer in the best traditions of any Navy. Not content with supporting us and the Arctic veterans he organised his annual Festival of the Sea in his native Saint Petersburg all of which made him the go-to man for anything to do with the Soviet Navy , its history and its campaigns.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxOm6AiS8t0

Thanks to Sergei I was able to introduce to Portillo's programme assistant two sterling men of the Soviet Navy who had sailed in submarines escorting their missile carrying ships en route to Cuba. Michael Portillo, ever aware of dramatic location, interviewed both of them from inside the decommissioned Soviet submarine in the Thames estuary. The 2002 film “Widowmaker, K19” about an early Soviet nuclear submarine which suffered a reactor malfuction was made by Hollywood, much of the filming was actually done inside British “O” class submarines belonging to the Royal Canadian Navy and the technical advisor to Hollywood for this epic was none other than Sergei Aprelev.
Sergei's health had not been good for the past few years, he had been battling cancer seemingly successfully , the news that he had fallen victim to the Covid virus came as a shock to all of us. Before this heartless affliction attacked him we had all thought he was winning his battle. The last time we saw Sergei was when he attended the 10th anniversary of the Last Witness project that saw the excellent Severnaya Verf shipyard in St. Petersburg, replace both the masts of HMS Belfast, the greatest gift the ship has received in my fairly long memory of her museum service. As always it was a true pleasure to see him and to enjoy his company onboard not knowing that it would be for the last time.
When we lose a friend like this our world becomes that much poorer , we will never find another friend like Sergei but it's important to remember when we feel regret in ourselves for his loss that he also had a family. Sergei's wife Anna was his greatest supporter and we hope that once we have all defeated the deadly virus we will be able to bring Anna to London to show her our appreciation for her wonderful captain.
Dear Sergey, in life we appreciated you we enjoyed your company you were a true friend, in death our ensigns were dipped for you, we salute you, and will never forget you.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
But I with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

Walt Whitman

[jbryce1437]

So sorry to learn of the death of a dear friend. My condolences to you and his family on the loss of a great man and a friend to many. His support of HMSB is greatly appreciated and I hope that Anna can some day visit and receive that acknowledgement on his behalf.

Jim

[timlewin]

Thanks Jim, i will tell Anna, support from friends is always welcome.

[timlewin]

O Captain! My Captain!

BY WALT WHITMAN

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head!
It is some dream that on the deck,
You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
But I with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.


for those who want to see the complete poem, how many lost heroes can we repeat this for?