HMS Victorious Association Web Community

 Reunion week-end 2019. 4th-5th-6th October. Britannia Coventry as usual ! No increase in costs again. Booking forms and details to follow.

The Duke of Wellington was once asked how he had managed to win so many battles without losing any ! His reply was that he always made sure he was able to win the fight before he engaged the enemy, if he was not sure of victory, he retreated, he retreated he said and waited for a more opportune moment.
  Admiral Cradock engaged a German fleet in 1914 which he knew was greatly superior to his own.It seems that he had guessed the outcome of the  the battle that was not going to be in his favour,he had even left written word that he felt he would not survive the engagement. History records that he was correct, and he died along with 1570 of his men,in an engagement that became know as the battle of Coronel.
  The battle was the first defeat of the Royal Navy in a naval action in more than 100 years.
   Admiral Cradock, from my preliminary reading does not seem to have been a bad commander. His service record reads like that of a hero. However, it was reported, that some month earlier a Rear Admiral Troubridge had been brought before a court martial for failing to engage the enemy because the prevailing odds were severely against him, and it is suggested that this greatly influenced Cradock's course of action. There does seem to be other issues at play in the disaster. Orders issued to Cradock by the Admiralty seem to have been disingenuous,to say the least, and were in fact withdrawn ,three days after the battle !! I think further research into this battle might be interesting,I suspect that the Admiral was really worthy of his memorial in York.
    Wellington was on several occasions abused by the authorities for failing to attack the enemy, he lived to fight lots of famous victories, but it may be that the Lords in London still believed that Nelson's Navy could indeed still work miracles in 1914, sadly it was not so.

 The Christmas card put out this year by the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners Royal Benevolent Society, impressed me. The painting by Charles Dixon is in the National Maritine Museum at
Greenwich, and shows the Spithead Review for Queen Victoria.
    I wonder what sort of turn out we could do today ? I was at the Clyde Review on HMS Dalrymple. didn't see much at the time we were hidden at the rear of the lines !!, but there was a good turn out of ships, nicely dressed, and inspected by the Queen in Britannia. I think that was in 65 (I think).Our Victorious was still pottering round the Far East so missed that show.

      Can anyone tell me if there would have been a Victorious at the "Victoria Review"

   

 

   Well its goodbye to 018, and hello 019.
          I rather feel that the years are getting shorter !!! but maybe all oldies say that !! Right, into 2019 with bang, ....not a big bang, but we will do our best.
 I am awaiting word back from Coventry Britannia,re 2019 reunion, 019 is their City of Culture year, they may have to increase prices  !!!! >: but we will have a look at things when I have the information,  I have a cunning plan prepared ..of course, so no worries.

                  HOPE CHRISTMAS WENT WELL FOR  FOR YOU ALL, AND 2019 IS BETTER.
                                            HAPPY NEW YEAR VICTORIOUS.
                                             Stan

 

   Thanks for the picture Dave, not sure why we are having this in the Arboretum ? but I suspect we will see worse to come in the near future.

   The original concept that I understood the arboretum was aiming for,seems to have been lost somewhere  "A place for quiet reflection to remember departed service personnel lost since the end on WW2 "     Did I get it wrong ?  I hope our tree survives !! I think little else will. 

                          Keep your eye on the place Crash.