Armed Forces Memorial at Alrewas

I found time yesterday to visit the Arboretum at Alrewas which is only a 30 minute drive away, I have visited many times since attending the tree planting ceremony back in 2001.

The site has come on in leaps and bounds since then and tomorrow (Friday 24th April) a visit is due by Prince William to launch a new appeal for funds.

Here are some photos I took yesterday, starting with the Arethusa tree....


This is a shot of the new (2007)Armed Forces Memorial, which is dedicated to all those who died on duty since the end of WW2.



The walls are inscribed with the names of casualties in date order.




Through these slots in the walls the sun will shed a beam of light on the 11th hour of the 11th day of November which casts a light on a wreath at the centre of the memorial.




When I first saw this memorial last year I was quite shocked by the number of names of those lost during so-called peace-time and also by the amount of space left for future losses....

A few more nice photos of F38 arrived this week via email with the following text....

Sending you a couple you might want, I took them in 1982 off the Minches, we had an American exchange pilot flying the Wasp and he was a plain nutcase, thought he was still in Vietnam. I have some posed crew photos from the same era somewhere, will have a hunt for them.



We were sent to STANAVFORLANT at the outbreak of the Falklands to relieve a Type 21 so she could go south, moral was appalling and culminated in a mutiny when we left Sniffle, the skipper would not let us perform the usual antics and ordered us to line the ship in Procedure Alpha and cheer ship, we refused and had to skulk off back to the UK without any leaving ceremony at all. Thankfully they replaced him with a guy who was a total star.



Crew of HMS Arethusa, think this was 1983 on the way to Fort Lauderdale.



Mike Loring HMS Arethusa 1982-1984 LWEM(R) - APOWEM(R) Ikara Tracking and Guidance Maintainer Operator

Again we have a blogger who served on the ship and asking about reunions. If these bloggers get in touch with me (address on web site) I can send them info. The next reunion is in Criccieth, North Wales, on the weekend of 2-5 October 2009. Booking forms from Hon. Sec. (Tom Sawyer)

Hi all interested in RN and Arethusa WW2

My Father's favorite ship. He was CERA and I believe that he served under Captain Vian and CinCMED 19336 Adml.Cunningham. ( Action Palestine etc)
Mum and I were out in Alex and Malta 1937and returned home1939 on outbreak of war
Passenger ships we used were "El Nil" "Dilwarrah" "Mohammed el Kebir" I have no details but I believe that all were sunk shortly after we left. Presume by Italian Navy?
I have a large collection of Dad's photos and will try to sort out some for your site when I learn method of submitting.
Will revert.re Harold & Cath Barrett. Their Med Fleet Family Friends were Tom & Wom Stibbards, Reg & Marjorie Shaddock, Arthur & Molly Saunders, Bob & Elsie Elam. Bob& Kath Seabrook all long dd I presume but some children may still be in touch as I am with Jean Stibbs.
There are many tales to tell of Civvy wartime
NOW D'YE HEAR THERE!
I am trying to get something done to act as a National Memorial to those who were involved in the British Development and use of RADAR and to save the HMS Collingwod Museum Collection and preserve the few bits of equipment remaining to illustrate the Technology and to tell the story.
Sadly, The Official Secrets Act and much destruction has resulted in the subject being almost unknown. At school, the History, Physics and Maths of this subject, without which Britain would have lost both the Battle of Britain and The Battle of the Atlantic and hence, WW2.
It is a sad reflection on our society that our children and now grandchildren have not been taught about such matters as part of their education.
This Government has spent £4 billion on sport but £0 on the preservation of this National Heritage. Do YOU think this is a scandal?
Please spread this bloggerel and we shall get something done!.
NAtional RAdar Defence Electronics Memorial
Bequests to avoid giving your inheritance to the Chancellor can be sent to The Royal Institute of Navigation or to the DEHS Defence Electronics Historical Society marked
"For NARADEM a/c"

In Haste, More later,
IAN M. BARRETT

HMS Intrepid Memorial

Received this email today from Steve Dickinson who has contributed a number of photos of F38 to the site....not sure if this is a save the Intrepid or Fearless petition, but they were sister ships weren't they?

Hi Mitch,

Hope you are in fine fettle. Would it be possible for you to send this link around the lads? I lost most email

addresses when hard drive at home died a death.

I was on the Intrepid after Arry and some of the crew are trying to get an association together and see if we

can get as many names as possible on the petition to save Intrepid as a floating memorial for the Falklands war.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/HMS-Fearless/

Reunion 2007

Add comments here about the 2007 reunion, I shall add some photos supplied by Tom in the next few days.

Some photos from the 2007 reunion.....

November 1942

Leave comments here if you have info or would like to request info regarding the attack on HMS Arethusa in November 1942.