-H.M.S. Hood Association-
Association Events
Updated 28-Apr-2019

On this page you will find details of events run by the Association as well as those organised by others with but with which we have strong ties.

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Annual events

The Association runs three major events each year, these are:

The Annual Dinner
This takes place at the Royal Maritime Hotel & Club in Portsmouth on the Saturday closest to 24th May. The dinner usually commences at 7pm. We have a guest of honour who gives an after dinner talk. Recent Guests of Honour have included David Mearns, who discovered Hood's wreck in 2001 and recovered her bell in 2015 and Professor Andrew Lambert, Laughton Professor of Naval History at King's College London. Aside from the excellent food provided by the RMC and the talk given by the guest of honour, the other highlight of the dinner evening is the display of the Memorial Gallery. This comprises 1418 cards displayed on boards giving the names and service details of all Hood's final crew - the 1415 men lost and the 3 survivors (all of whom have now 'Crossed the Bar'.) Photographs are included where we have them - in November 2021 these numbered 1023 men. The dinner is open to members and non members alike, although members do receive a discount not only on their dinner ticket but a 10% discount on accommondation at the RMHC. Tickets for the dinner generally go on sale around 3 month before the event.

In the afternoon of the same day, the Association holds its Annual General Meeting which anyone is welcome to attend but voting is reserved for paid up members. At the AGM the committee feeds back on a range of issues such as membership, finance, past events and future plans. The committee stands for re-election each year at the AGM. Generally committee members are re-elected unopposed if they are willing to continue in office but any member is able to stand for any post should they so wish. Full details are in our constitution.

Service at St. Ann in the Dockyard
On the Sunday morning following the Annual Dinner we join the church service at St. Ann's in the Dockyard. This is not a distinct "Hood" service and we join many others with a naval connection who are either regular worshippers or are visiting the area. The church is in the secure area of the dockyard meaning that those attending do have to submit their names beforehand and have ID ready should they be asked. The advantage of using the dockyards failities is that members along with the cadets from TS Hood are able to march to church - usually to the music of the band of the cadets of TS Tenacity. Details of the week-end's events are published in the spring edition of The Chough as well as being availabe on the home page of this web site and the Events table of the Association Facebook group.

Armistice Day service
Although many remembrance events have moved to the nearest Sunday, the Association has kept faith with the traditional Armistice Day service on 11th November. Our service takes place at the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on the front at Southsea Common. We muster at around 10.45 for a short service led by Association Chaplain Rev. Ali Mepham. The two minutes silence is kept at 11.00am. Without the Association there would be no formal service on Armistice Day and, for us, it is an honour to keep this tradition going. After the service many members return to the Royal Maritime hotel & Club for lunch before heading home.

Boldre service
This takes place at the church of St. John the Baptist, Boldre, usually on the Sunday before the weekend of the Annual Dinner. The origins of the service date back to the 1930s when Vice-Admiral Lancelot Holland and his wife Phyllis lived in the area and were regular worshippers at the church. After the War, and before the Association was formed, Mrs. Holland established the service as an annual event in order to ensure that the officers and men lost in Hood would not be forgotten. The church contains a significant display of Hood related artefacts in their "Hood corner," these include an illuminated Roll of Honour Book, a facsimilie of the memorial tablet laid on the wreck of Hood by Ted Briggs as part of the expedition which located the wreck in 2001 and many other items. Details of the service are usually given in the Spring edition of the Chough as well as on this web site, our Facebook page and the church's own web site.



Past Events

2021

80th anniversary of Hood's loss commemorated in Orkney

By Commander William Sutherland, Association Chairman

When H.M.S. Hood left British waters for the last time, on 21st May 1941, it was the great naval anchorage of Scapa Flow from which she set sail. Scapa, lying in the mists of the Orkney Isles north of the British mainland, was the vital ‘cork in the bottle’ of Britain’s long-range blockade of Germany in both World Wars. Though no longer a regular Royal Navy anchorage, it is still a special place for anyone who cherishes our navy’s great history.

To this day, the people of Orkney retain an acute sense of the naval history and tradition of Scapa. How fitting, then, that Orkney heritage group 'Another Orkney Production' (AOP), with support from the Orkney International Science Festival, chose to run an online event commemorating the 80th anniversary, in May, of the loss of H.M.S. Hood.

When AOP asked for help from the H.M.S. Hood Association, naturally, we were eager to contribute to the Orkney event, particularly as it harmonised so well with our own 80th anniversary commemorations. HMSHA representatives contributed to a number of online programme events. HMSHA participants included our President Rear-Admiral Philip Wilcocks, VicePresidents Rob White and David Mearns, and Chairman Cdr William Sutherland. Fellow contributors included well-known naval historians Ian Johnston (an HMSHA Honorary Member who is well-known to us through his strong contributions to our centenary events in 2016 and 2018), Cdr David Hobbs MBE and Mr Graeme Lunn (an Australian expert who has now himself joined our Association!)

Links to the various discussions are below.

- H.M.S. Hood, Last of her Kind (Discussion) - RAdm Philip Wilcocks, Rob White, Cdr William Sutherland, Cdr David Hobbs (naval historian), Mr Graeme Lunn (naval historian.)
- The H.M.S. Hood Association (Talk) - Cdr William Sutherland, Rob White.
- Building H.M.S. Hood - Maritime historian and author Ian Johnston.
- H.M.S. Hood to Australia - Australian historian Graeme Lunn
- The Hunt for the Bismarck - Cdr David Hobbs MBE.
- Question and Answer Session about finding Hood's wreck and recovering her bell - David Mearns, Rob White, RAdm Philip Wilcocks, Cdr William Sutherland, Cdr David Hobbs, Graeme Lunn.

This article was first published in the Summer 2021 edition of The Chough.





The funeral of Joanna Warrand and the service of Commemoration on the 80th anniversary of Hood's loss

By Rob White, Association Vice-President

Jo Warrand, whom we will all miss so much, has left us with a real gift - a relationship with a new church: St. James Garlickhythe in the City of London. New to us, but not to her: St. James is the church of the Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers, a livery company of the City of London, incorporated by Royal Charter in 1581. Jo was a member through her family. St. James is a beautiful Wren church, tucked away a few steps from Cannon Street tube station, in a still wellpreserved part of the capital.

Jo’s plan was to have a service especially for our ship, on the very date 80 years ago that Hood was lost, with her father Commander Warrand. She was just three. One last memory of him being the excitement, for her and brother James, of receiving a rare bar of chocolate when Commander Warrand was briefly home from his ship.

Jo pushed forward her plan with her usual vigour, and I came alongside to help; but then tragedy struck. She suddenly fell seriously ill - after a lifetime of infirmities met with bright courage and good humour - and was lost to us. So it became not one, but two services.

A Farewell to a Great Friend

The first service, on Monday 17th May, was Jo’s funeral. This was superbly conducted by St. James’ parish priest, Father Tim Handley, very much to an order of service laid down by Jo, and with a reading from a letter of H.M.S. Hood Association | The Chough, Summer, 2021 15 farewell by Jo’s brother James, which I was glad to undertake. There was a strong attendance by many who had known and loved Jo, and the service featured good memories and uplifting hymns - from ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’ to ‘I Vow To Thee My Country’. Because of Covid, these were not sung in congregation, but by two excellent singers from the gallery above the church. The service was live-streamed and recorded, and if you were not able to catch it, you can see on YouTube.

A Commemoration 80 years On

I think we can all be sure that Jo would have approved of St. James’ conduct of the service she had planned: a full commemoration of the loss of Hood, just as we were wont to do at St. Ann’s in HM Naval Base Portsmouth, and indeed the week before at St. John the Baptist, Boldre. And will doubtless do so again.

The esteem in which Jo was held at St. James was very apparent from the unstinting help given by their able administrator, Johanne Moss, and a warm welcome once again from Father Tim Handley. Music soared into the rafters from the two church singers, a bugler sounded the Last Post, and our own Chaplain, Reverend Ali Mepham, led the service with the support and assistance of Father Tim. The Royal Navy was well represented by Commodore Robert Bellfield, with Commander Andrew Swain, from H.M.S. President. Lord Hood attended too, with his son, and read Admiral Tovey’s account of the loss of our ship. Again, you can see the service on YouTube.
This article was first published in the Summer 2021 edition of The Chough.







2020






Act of Remembrance, 11th November 2020

Conducted by Rev. Ali Mepham, HMSHA Chaplain, supported by Moya and Mark Jackson

Just before lockdown 2, Moya and Mark Jackson laid a wreath at the Portsmouth Naval War Memorial on behalf of all our members, in memory of the 1415 men lost on H.M.S. Hood. With our usual remembrance event being impossible, and in keeping with COVID-19 restrictions, Rev. Ali Mepham instead conducted the first live-streamed Act of Remembrance for our Association alone from his local village war memorial on 11th November. Poignantly it followed our usual order of service, beginning with the music of the Naval Hymn, "For Those in Peril on the Sea" and, during the 2 minutes silence, showing a photo of Hood's crew complement. The Kohima Epitaph followed and, on a beautiful but chilly day, Ali asked us to pray for the peace of the world and to "...remember the beauty of creation and the earth entrusted to our care." The Lord's Prayer and Naval Prayer preceded the ending of the virtual Service when the National Anthem rang out on YouTube. Ali somehow managed to make the Act of Remembrance equally, if not more moving than usual - bringing us together from our various corners of the UK, Europe and the world, and leaving us with a lasting reminder of how we are connected through our link with Hood. Whilst we remember all those lost in conflict, and we hope and pray for those suffering through crises everywhere, our hearts and minds return inevitably at this time to the losses of our own families through the enormous tragedy of 24th May 1941.

Thank you, Ali: for using technology creatively, for your compassion and for your skill in helping us to rise above the current crisis going on around us. The Act of Remembrance can still be viewed online on YouTube.

This article was first published in the Winter 2020 edition of The Chough.





Boldre 2020

By Jackie Miller

In this challenging year when we were unable to commemorate the loss of Hood and her crew, or celebrate the centenary of her commissioning as planned, there was one very special event. Faced with the cancellation of the usual service at St John’s Boldre, our friends in the parish, including Nigel Henley and The Rev.Canon Andrew Neaum, recorded a special service dedicated to HMS Hood. You may view it on YouTube. Many thanks to all those who contributed to this recording for creating something so very moving and appropriate.

This article was first published in the Supplemental 2020 edition of The Chough.





Loch Eriboll Historic Church Restored

From William Sutherland

Loch Eriboll, a sea loch on Scotland’s northern Sutherland coast near Cape Wrath, provides good shelter, for vessels, from high winds when the wind is in the south or west. Loch Eriboll holds a special place in the heart of the H.M.S Hood Association, because Hood used to visit there and because members of Hood’s ship’s company laid out the ship’s name in white-painted stones on the hillside above. The local church had been heading towards dereliction, but has recently been restored. The following article, reproduced in full, with permission, from a recent edition of the ‘Northern Times’, Sutherland’s local weekly paper, shows that the memory of H.M.S. Hood lives on in the memory of that part of the UK.

A CELEBRATION has been held to mark the restoration of a historic north-coast church which had started to become an eyesore.

Danish clothing magnate Anders Holch Povlsen’s company Wildland Ltd undertook a full restoration of Eriboll Church near Durness costing "six figures".

The church is on the 18,000-acre Eriboll Estate owned by Mr Povlsen.

Around 100 people attended the dedication service, conducted by the Rev Simon Matthews, who spoke of new beginnings and the "great natural theatre we find ourselves in."

Tim Kirkwood, CEO of Wildland Ltd, told the service that Eriboll Church was built around 1804 as a place of worship, refuge and marking of occasions.

"The Church has seen some extraordinary events over the last 215 years," he said.

"In 1934, H.M.S. Hood, which had been launched in 1918 as Britain’s biggest warship, spent some time at anchor in Loch Eriboll. Members of the crew came ashore and set out the name of the ship in stones on the hillside above Laid. Seven years later, in 1941, the Hood was sunk by the German warship Bismarck, during the battle of the Denmark Strait between Iceland and Greenland. Of the 1418 members of crew on board, only three survived.

"A plaque to their memory is on the wall of this church and thanks partly to the efforts of children from Durness Primary School who started their conservation in 1993, the stones still pick out the name on the hillside.

"The Church, privately owned by Eriboll Estate, whilst only a building, is a notable landmark locally and highly visible by the many who now travel the North Coast 500 route. It is therefore, perhaps, perceived as an indicator of how things are going in the community and landscape of this truly remarkable and special area. Anders and Anne Povlsen are now custodians of the church and Wildland is committed to restoration and creating new beginnings for the area.

"This church – modest – understated, but I hope you agree, beautifully restored, filled with the sound of singing and music is a step in that direction. Without people and place, opportunity and livelihood, our landscapes will be poorer.

"We hope that Eriboll Church – historic and modest but beautiful and rejuvenated, will be set in a flourishing and enriched landscape. A place that will bring people together for celebration – for weddings, for christenings - a place for remembrance and sanctuary – a place that reflects a community that values its heritage and environment.

"Thank you, Anders and Anne who have made this possible."

Children from Farr High School and the Big Sing Choir provided music at the service, and Rachel Parrott recited a reading.

Wildland-appointed leading conservation specialists Groves-Raines Architects to come up with the restoration scheme.

The church originally doubled as a mission schoolhouse for children on the estate. The church graveyard is situated two miles away over "the hill", facing south, so that the souls within encounter the sun’s warmth.

Copyright Highland News and Media Ltd.

This article was first published in the Spring 2020 edition of The Chough.





2019






Remembrance Service for the Ship’s Company of H.M.S. Hood (11th November, 2019)

By Jackie Miller

On a beautifully sunny, but very cold and windy 11th November members of our Association gathered at the Portsmouth Naval War Memorial to remember the ship’s company of H.M.S. Hood. Numerous wreaths, crosses and written tributes to crew members of Hood had already been left at the memorial by relatives and friends who had paid their respects earlier on the Remembrance weekend - a poignant reminder of how deeply-felt are the losses of the bereaved families.

Led by our chaplain Ali Mepham (Vicar, St Thomas Church, Fair Oak & Horton Heath) the service included contributions from Moya Jackson, Theresa Day, Paul Bevand and Cdr William Sutherland, who also laid a wreath. Mark Jackson was the Standard Bearer. As usual, members of the Association were joined by many members of the public and, this year there were three members of the French Navy present who were training in Portsmouth. Ali reminded us particularly of Francis Fryer (Hood veteran) and Derick Collins (ex-Secretary of the HMSHA), both of whom were lost to us in the last year. Cdr William Sutherland lays the wreath. It seems fitting that our Association, representing the flagship of WWII, should remember our lost sailors with a Service at the Naval War memorial at 11.00 hrs on 11th November annually. This ensures a naval presence at that most important of times, when otherwise there would be no formal Service.

Below is the beautiful and poignant poem written by Eileen Mahoney, known as "A Sailor's End", "In Waters Deep" and as "The RN Remembrance Poem". We were reminded of it by Colin Brown, Shipmaster (ret'd) and Master Mariner, who sent us a copy in September 2019 when HRH the Princess Royal dedicated a newly built monument on Plymouth Hoe to the men and women of the Merchant Navy, Fishing Fleet and Royal Fleet Auxiliary. In addition Colin had watched a recorded programme on the building, service and loss of H.M.S. Hood in which Rear-Admiral Wilcocks spoke and particularly noted that there are no flowers or "memorials on the waves that wash our shores".




A SAILOR'S END

In ocean wastes no poppies blow,
No crosses stand in ordered row,
Their young hearts sleep... beneath the wave...
The spirited, the good, the brave,
But stars a constant vigil keep,
For them who lie beneath the deep.

'Tis true you cannot kneel in prayer
On certain spot and think. "He's there."
But you can to the ocean go...
See whitecaps marching row on row;
Know one for him will always ride...
In and out... with every tide.

And when your span of life is passed,
He'll meet you at the "Captain's Mast."
And they who mourn on distant shore
For sailors who'll come home no more,
Can dry their tears and pray for these
Who rest beneath the heaving seas...

For stars that shine and winds that blow
And whitecaps marching row on row.
And they can never lonely be
For when they lived... they chose the sea...

by Eileen Mahoney


This article was first published in the Winter 2019 edition of The Chough.





Lecture in Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A.

from Chris Kolakowski

On 31st October HMSHA member Chris Kolakowski gave a two hour lecture about "The Chase of the Bismarck" at the Chesterfield Lifelong Learning Institute outside Richmond, Virginia, USA. As we know, the chase of the German Battleship Bismarck in May 1941 is one of the greatest sea stories of all time. It was also a pivotal moment in the Battle of the Atlantic. The course discussed the story, its twists and turns, and effect on the war at sea. Wearing a Royal Navy polo shirt and collar pin with H.M.S. Hood's badge Chris interwove the story of Hood into his lecture, which provided a fascinating insight for the audience and 'spread the word' about our ship and her crew more widely. Chris presenting his lecture.

On behalf of all our members we congratulate Chris on his recent appointment as Director of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum in Madison, starting in January 2020. He leaves his current post as Director of the General Douglas MacArthur Memorial on 6th December.


This article was first published in the Winter 2019 edition of The Chough.





44th Reunion Weekend

By Jackie Miller

Our Reunion Weekend this year took place, as usual, on the weekend nearest to 24th May. Mark Jackson was the key organiser of the whole weekend (thank you once again Mark!), aided by those who swung into their regular tasks: the "Roll of Honour team", John & Marylyn Oakley (raffle), Mary McKeown (Dinner tickets/St Ann's) and the staff of the Royal Maritime Club.

Work for a Reunion Weekend begins as one ends and the task should not be underestimated. From the provisional room bookings, menu planning, organisation of applications and ticketing, table/seating plans and stationery, to the collation of security info for HMNB, liaison with St Ann's staff, preparation of cadets for readings and band marching (and that is not all!) it is a considerable undertaking. Once again all went smoothly and the weather was kind (if not the traffic to get to Portsmouth).

This year let's also recognise the work of the 'Roll of Honour team': it varies slightly from year to year, but the stalwart members remain. This year Frank Allen, Paul Bevand and Jim Sikorski were joined in constructing the Roll of Honour display by none other than Thomas Schmid (illustrator of Bruce Taylor's book about Hood), his wife, Florentina, and HMSHA member and model-maker Colin Vass, all of whom were also attending the Dinner on Saturday evening. The display of crew photographs continues to grow (albeit slowly now) and is just short of 1000 of the 1415 men lost. Anyone who has helped by sorting these photos on the weekend will know how poignant the task is: looking one after another at the faces of the men, boys, brothers, fathers, sons, uncles, grandfathers who will always be remembered with love, sadness and gratitude. The display always attracts attention and quiet contemplation - often from those who have seen it many times before as well as new attendees.

We were honoured this year to welcome Jean-Aristide Brumont (President of l'Association des anciens marins et des familles de victimes de Mers el-Kébir) and his wife Marie-Louise, whose father was lost in the attack on the French fleet at Mers-el-Kébir when she was only four months old. Together with us they listened to an excellent address by Professor Andrew Lambert, FRHistS, who spoke to a fascinating slideshow to illustrate how and why the design of ships had evolved over a very lengthy period to eventually create the beautiful lines and aesthetics of our own H.M.S. Hood. It was a fascinating talk which interested even those of us for whom an understanding of the design of battleships and battle cruisers is as clear as a muddy puddle!

As usual, the Richard Doolin Award was presented to the cadet from TS Hood who had shown the most improvement over the last twelve months: this year it was proudly collected by Jayden Bounsall. The cadets from TS Hood then joined us on Sunday for our walk to St Ann's Church in HMNB. Accompanied by the band of TS Tenacity (above) we processed to the Church where Rev Adam Gay was joined by Rev Martin Evans, RN chaplain, to conduct the service. Following the service, the Veterans Award was presented to Dylan Maile, of TS Tenacity, for being the 'Most Tenacious Cadet' over the last year.

It was wonderful to renew old friendships, make new ones, celebrate the achievements of many (and especially our cadets) and once again remember our beautiful ship H.M.S. Hood and, in particular, her crew.

Until next time: Ventis Secundis.


This article was first published in the Summer 2019 edition of The Chough.





Boldre 2019

By Jackie Miller

On Sunday 19th May the church of St. John the Baptist, Boldre, hosted a remembrance service to the lost crew of H.M.S. Hood. It was the 70th time since 1941 that the local parishioners (who once included Admiral Lancelot Holland) had joined together for this purpose.

Rev Martin Evans, RN chaplain, gave the sermon, explaining that Hood was the first warship constructed with a purpose-built chapel: "I think about the chapel as a part of this tragic story. For a war grave to include a chapel brings a very special dimension into play and serves to underline that God was with these men."

Hood veteran Alec Kellaway (left) was among the congregation, who watched as the illustrated Memorial Book listing the names of all those lost was carried ceremonially into the Church. Rear Admiral Philip Wilcocks read the Act of Remembrance, followed by the sounding of the Last Post and Reveille; local MP the Rt Hon Julian Lewis read a lesson and Russell Hay and Titch Blachford, grandson and great-niece of Hood's captain Ralph Kerr laid a wreath. Mark Jackson (HMSHA Committee member) acted as Standard Bearer for his first time and Sea Cadets from City of London SCC were in attendance. It is humbling how this small parish, nestled in the New Forest, still welcomes our Association and honours and remembers the men of H.M.S. Hood every year. Any member of the Association is welcome to join the annual service, view the memorial area devoted to Hood and mingle afterwards for tea with the parishioners and other guests. Ventis Secundis.


This article was first published in the Summer 2019 edition of The Chough.





A Thanksgiving & Celebration for the Life of Derick Morey Collins

Portchester Crematorium, Thursday 14th February 2019

Family, friends and H.M.S. Hood Association members gathered together to remember and celebrate the life of Derick Collins. As he would have wanted, the H.M.S. Hood Standard stood within the chapel while we listened to a moving tribute from Lynda, Derick's daughter, and participated in the prayers and hymns led by Rev'd Ali Mepham, our Association Chaplain.

As always at such events the music said so much about the person: from the entry music (Hymn to the Fallen from 'Saving Private Ryan') to the Naval Hymn, Eternal Father, and the exit music (Land of Hope and Glory) and everything in between, it was a story about a life of duty, service and most of all, family. Lynda's tribute told of a childhood of letters and postcards from all corners of the globe, and the gifts that Derick would bring back from his travels - often things which were not yet available in the UK. We learnt that as a family the Collins' could never escape the date of 24th May, as, just 26 years to the day after Derick's father was lost on Hood, his twin sons David and Peter were born. He and Hazel were married for over 57 years and together they coped through his numerous unpredictable absences with the Royal Navy. In later years they had time together to travel the world (even if Derick had seen it before, Hazel had not - as she pointed out!), tour with the Caravan Club and Derick finally had time with younger family members when their grandchildren came along.

The service was full of friends from all walks of Derick’s life. It was a fitting tribute: that the day was bright and sunny; that it was Valentine's Day, when there was an outpouring of love to a much-loved husband, father, grandfather and friend; that naval links ran throughout with Psalm 107: 23-30 featuring midway. Above all it painted a picture of the Derick we knew, who loved fun, jokes and people and also, it turns out, liquorice allsorts and smelly cheese! It was a privilege to have known him - Rest in Peace, Derick.


This article was first published in the Spring 2019 edition of The Chough.





Three go to Scapa Flow

PBy Commander William Sutherland, Association Chairman

The very early hours of 22 May 1941, just after midnight. It is barely an hour after summer sunset, and not yet fully dark in the huge northern Royal Navy fleet anchorage of Scapa Flow, Britain’s wartime guardian in the Orkney Islands. In the northern dim the great grey shape of H.M.S. HOOD emerges through the boom guarding Hoxa Sound, the entrance to Scapa, and, with her consorts, turns seaward. Her mission is to hunt down the German Battleship Bismarck, known to be at sea. It is the last time HOOD and almost all of her ship’s company will see their homeland.

That is why Scapa Flow and Orkney hold such a special place in the hearts of those who have a connection with H.M.S. HOOD. So it was with eager anticipation that, last November, three members of the H.M.S. Hood Association – Rob White, Paul Bevand and William Sutherland, took the ferry from Scrabster, on Scotland’s northern mainland, to Stromness in Orkney. Their appetites already whetted by a visit to the Naval Museum in the former naval port of Invergordon (well known to HOOD) they were looking forward to a two-day naval history conference in Orkney’s capital Kirkwall organised by distinguished historian Nick Jellicoe, our Annual Dinner speaker in May 2018, and grandson of the victor of the Battle of Jutland.

The conference was everything that the Hood Association contingent had hoped it would be. For two days, in the surroundings of the impressive auditorium of Kirkwall Academy, Rob, Paul and William were treated to a series of interesting lectures on every aspect of Scapa Flow and the Battle of Jutland – the greatest naval battle in history, whose lessons led to radical changes in the design of H.M.S. HOOD. They heard about the strategic background which shaped the battle; the incredible complexity of the course of the battle itself; its tactical outcome; and its strategic effect (the German High Seas Fleet never challenged Royal Navy supremacy again during that War.) More than this, they heard fascinating detail of the internment (not surrender) of the German High Seas Fleet and its arrival in Scapa Flow, exactly a century before, in November 1918. And they heard about the scuttling of that Fleet in Scapa Flow just seven months later, on the orders of German Admiral von Reuter – the largest scuttling in history. The Hood Association delegates heard more still: about the great Scapa anchorage itself; of the story of Orkney, this unique and historic corner of the United Kingdom; and of the wildlife which happily coexists with the remaining wrecks in Scapa. The two-day event concluded with a lecture on the "Jellicoe Express", the special naval train which, in two World Wars, took sailors in their thousands all the way from London to Scotland’s northern tip.

So, the naval conference concluded – a great event. But with so much naval history all around, Rob, Paul and William had more to do on Orkney. First was a visit to the former naval establishment at Lyness, on the island of Hoy, which included a fascinating display in the local museum (currently being upgraded) and a visit to Lyness naval cemetery, with its casualties from both World Wars. Back on Orkney’s Mainland, an invigorating clifftop walk took the Hood Association team to the impressive stone tower memorial to the 1916 loss of the cruiser H.M.S. HAMPSHIRE and her VIP passenger, Field Marshal Lord Kitchener. Then came another sobering visit, this time to the memorial to the lost of H.M.S. ROYAL OAK, torpedoed in the early days of World War II in Scapa Flow itself by Gunther Prien’s U47. There was just time, also, to visit the touching "Italian Chapel", built from two Nissen huts, in World War II, by Italian prisoners of war, and the impressive big gun battery guarding the Scapa entrance at Stromness. And as if all this was not enough, the team managed to visit a couple of NON-naval sites: the amazing Neolithic coastal village of Skara Brae (exposed by stormforce winds in the 19th century) and the intriguing Neolithic chamber cairn at Maeshowe.

So, after an extra night’s rest to recover, the Hood Association party took the ferry back from Orkney. But that did not conclude their visit to historic naval sites, because they took the opportunity to visit Loch Eriboll, the remote, beautiful and atmospheric naval anchorage near Cape Wrath on Scotland’s north coast. There are to be found the "Hood Stones", laid out to spell the ship’s name by members of HOOD’s ship’s company all those years ago.

Nearly a mile up a steep, heathery, trackless hillside, the walk to the stones was no mean feat for two of our team members, who could only look on enviously as their colleague (Paul) bounded like a gazelle up the hill. But all three made it to the stones – a "first" for all of them – and gazed on the tranquil waters of the loch below, as HOOD sailors had done before. It was a moving and fitting end to a memorable trip.

This article was first published in the Spring 2019 edition of The Chough.

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 Archived Articles & Correspondence

2018
Association AGM and Reunion, May 2018 - See "The Chough," Summer 2018, page 3.
Centenary of Launching Event, West College Scotland, Clydebank, August 2018 - See "The Chough," Winter 2018, page 3.
Centnerary of Launch Event, HQS Wellington, September 2018 - See "The Chough," Winter 2018, page 4.
Remembrance Day 2018 - See "The Chough," Winter 2018, page 5.

2017
Association AGM and Reunion, May 2017 - See "The Chough," Summer 2017, page 4
Remembrance Day 2017 - See "The Chough," Winter 2017, page 2.


2016
Association AGM and Reunion, May 2016 - See "The Chough," Winter 2016, page 2.
Hood Bell Rededication, May 2016 - See "The Chough," Winter 2016, page 2.
Centenary of Hood’s Keel Laying at Clydebank, September 2016 - See "The Chough," Winter 2016, page 5
BBC Scotland Radio Interview with Hew Dundas, September 2016
Hood Locomotive Rededication, September 2016 - See "The Chough," Winter 2016, page 7
London Event, September 2016 - Day 2014 - See "The Chough," Winter 2016, page 6
Remembrance Day 2014 - See "The Chough," Winter 2016, page 7.

2015
Association AGM and Reunion, May 2014 - See "The Chough," October 2014, pages 2 & 3
Hood Gatherning in Norfolk, Virginia, USA, - See "The Chough," October 2014, page 4
Lewisham Memorial Parade, May 2014 - See "The Chough," October 2014, page 5
Remembrance Day 2014 - See "The Chough," Spring 2015, page 3.

2014
Association AGM and Reunion, May 2014 - See "The Chough," October 2014, pages 2&3
Hood Gatherning in Norfolk, Virginia, USA, - See "The Chough," October 2014, page 4
Lewisham Memorial Parade, May 2014 - See "The Chough," October 2014, page 5
Remembrance Day 2014 - See "The Chough," Spring 2015, page 3.

2013
Association AGM and Reunion, May 2013
Lewisham Memorial Parade, May 2013
Remembrance Day, Nov 2013

2012
Expedition to Recover H.M.S. Hood's Bell, August 2012
Association AGM and Reunion, May 2012

2011
Association AGM and Reunion, May 2011
Lewisham Memorial Parade, May 2011

2010
Photo Album Presentation to H.M.S. Collingwood, July 2010
Lewisham Memorial Parade, May 2010
Association AGM and Reunion, May 2010

2009
Armistice Day Service of Remembrance, Nov 2009
Association AGM and Reunion, May 2009
Lewisham Memorial Parade, May 2009

2008
Association AGM and Reunion, May 2008
Lewisham Memorial Parade, May 2008
National Arboretum Hood Memorial Dedication, Oct 2008
Memorial Service in the Denmark Strait Aboard MS Boudicca, September 2008

2007
Association Reunion, May 2007
Memorial Re-dedication, Lewisham, May 2007
Remembrance Day, Nov 2007

2006
Association Reunion, May 2006
Annual GB2HA Special Event Station for the H.M.S. Hood Association
Visit to Brest for Mers-el-Kébir Ceremonies, July 2006
Remembrance Day, Nov 2006

2005
Association Reunion, May 2005
Remembrance Day, Nov 2005

2004
Association Reunion, May 2004
Grand Opening of "Hood" Building at H.M.S. Collingwood, Sept 2004

2003
Presentation to Commodore Wilcocks, Mar 2003
Association Reunion, May 2003
Remembrance Day, Nov 2003
Hood Building Groundbreaking, Dec 2003

2002
Association Reunion, May 2002
Canadian Veterans Highway Dedication, October 2002
Remembrance Day, Nov 2002

2001
Association Reunion, May 2001
Tour of U.S.S. Winston S. Churchill, August 2001

2000
Association Reunion, May 2000
Remembrance Day, Nov 2000


1997
Jottings of an Ageing Seafarer, March 1997
HDMS 'Triton' - Voyage of Commemoration for H.M.S. Hood, March 1997

1996
July/August 1996 Association Newsletter
May 1996 Association AGM

1995
August 1995 Association Newsletter
May 1995 Association AGM

1994
December 1994 Association Newsletter
August 1994 Association Newsletter
May 1994 Association AGM

1990
June 1990 Association Newsletter
May 1990 Association AGM


1988
June 1988 Letter from the Bismarck Veterans

1986
October 1986 Association Newsletter


1970s

Newsheet No. 5 (1977)
Newsheet No. 4 (1976)
Newsheet No. 3 (1976)
Newsheet No. 2 (1975)
Newsheet No. 1 (1975)