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Portsmouth
12th July
2003
click on a photo
to enlarge
Present were;
Ginge Daniels, Chelsea Campbell, Dave Higgs, Scouse
Jeavons, Joe Carey, Dusty Miller, Joe D' Souza, Steve McNaught, Tom
'TK' Smith, Andy Ross, Taff Knight, Bungy Edwards, Paul Newbury
Ginge and I would like to take this opportunity to
say thank you for all the lads who served on HMS Yarmouth and made
the reunion a great success. Thanks for the calls and emails from
all of those who where unable to make it. As everyone is aware is
not easy to choose a place which is best for all. I would like to
explain the reasons as to why we had the reunions in London last
year and Portsmouth this year.
The London reunion was the first reunion as Ginge and
I were only in touch with a couple of people after the Falklands
reunion in Gosport and with the exception of a few, most were from
down south. Ginge and a few others were on holiday so it made sense
to have to have a little reunion close by. This lead Ginge and I to
arrange another that was not just a Falklands reunion but an HMS
Yarmouth reunion that would be open to all who served on her. We
repeatedly asked everyone we knew to suggest a place to meet.
Portsmouth got the most suggestions.
Next years reunion needs to be started now. It has
been suggested that Great Yarmouth be the venue as it will be twenty
years since the ship received the freedom of the city. A reunion has
been suggested in Scotland but someone up there needs to get the
ball rolling and help with organizing it. Suggestions for a venue
can be emailed or posted on the guest book. Just remember it takes
the effort from you all to make this work. If you can’t be bothered
so be it. My reunion started with some of the boys from up north
staying round mine on Friday night and drinking all my cold beer
from the fridge. My lovely guard dog called Chelsea, what else
would he be called! (west ham, I think not!) seemed to get confused
when I was called Chelsea. But, he was a good lad and very well
behaved. After lots of beer, champers and photos, the clock struck
5am.
With an early start ahead of us we decided to retire.
At 8.30 we were up and in need of lots of paracetamol and coffee.
After coffee, toast and more coffee we were ready to set off. We
left Cambridge around 11am. We got as far as Stanstead airport which
is about 20 minutes up the road and we had to stop for another
coffee! In we went had a coffee and a KFC. Next question was
should we go round the M25 via Heathrow or Gatwick. Finally we
decided to go the Gatwick route. As we traveled Up the M11, on the
radio was the news we didn’t need to hear. Lorry crashed and
Junction 5 to 6 is closed (Great). Cut a long story short, if there
was a back road to Portsmouth we used it! 7 hours later we arrived.
We made it.
All the greeting done We got to the bar and ordered
the first beer. We sat down and let the tongues loose. I was told to
look at these pictures that young Paul Newbury had, which turned out
To be photographs of oil paintings that a friend of his does. I
suggest you all have a look on the website they are brilliant. On to
the pizza hut and into the MF sorry, it’s now the Albany and it has
windows! A few drinks and more chat before we hit Joanna’s. Only you
had to be a member or hold an RN id card to get in. Some smooth
talking by Scouse and the bouncer decided to let us in. As they say,
the rest is history.
Sunday a few of us met up and had coffee in the
quayside (HMS Vernon) what a change, and for Taff Knight and myself
as sonar rating where all our training was done it was soul
destroying. Only the main gate and the old captain hose was left and
not a mention of the history. Well not that I saw anyway. Even I
anti RN as I was, I actually felt sad and really disappointed. I had
read about it on Jimmy Greens website but to actually see it brings
it all home. I know we all move on but the fact that I saw no
mention of it ever being a naval base made it all the more
disappointing. Gutted still life goes on. Next year we would like to
see more people of the Yarmouth no matter what rank you where or our
now. Life is too short to hold grudges, so if you are thinking of
coming but not sure. I can tell you it’s a great day, who is doing
what and what they have all done over the years. Don’t miss out next
year it’s all good fun.
Chelsea Campbell
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