NMA   24th June 2017

http://www.thenma.org.uk/events-and-news/forthcoming-events/armed-forces-day-2017/

   Sorry to say, our Welfare Officer, Peter Barnes has not been too well of late. He had a short stay in hospital, but he now assures me he is much improved, but not yet going out, but his neighbours
   in Upper Poppleton are taking care of him.

     Peter has sent out quite a few get well cards to members over the past few years, so anyone who might wish to send him one, can find his address in the latest Flat Top.  

      

 
 Was in Scotland last week, and spent time in Oban, great place on the west coast. On a rainy we discovered the Oban War and Peace museum, a great little place run by volunteers, who sounded like ex military veterans. It is only a small affair, but has some real gems by way of ww2 photographs, and there was one in particular that caught my attention., it was a picture of H.M.S Belfast, alongside pictures of the H.M.S. Duke of York, and the pocket battleship Scharnhost.  The pictures were part of a story concerning a Lt Donald MacPhee, an officer on the Belfast who had advised Admiral Bruce Fraser (CinC Home Fleet), as to the likely direction the German ship may head to avoid an action with the British fleet. MacPhee's information was spot on, and the Scharnhost was subsequently sunk. Our old mate H.M.S Belfast played an important role in the action.
 MacPhee was awarded a D.S.C on the direct order on Sir Bruce, who stated publically, " I would have been lost without Macphee".

  Not bad for a chap who had enlisted as an Ordinary Seaman in 1939.

Having posted this item, I found that in 2008 an item had been posted by "Gary", a member who had also been impressed by the Oban Museum.If you read this Gary give me an email !! Stan

      Shipmates, our association still has a lot of life in it.
       Other veterans associations seem to be disappearing at a rapid rate of knots, but with our News Letter, and our Magazine not to mention the birthday cards, our numbers seem to be holding up well.
 However, no place for complacency, there is a need to recruit new keen blood to the crew, full members, associate members or even nice people who just like rum (we can always sort out any who won't share a tot,
 but recruits we must have.
  We have in the past couple of months had several new members, so the people are out there, lets see what we can do ?


     Re the man remark below, to show how progressive we are as an association, I wish to add. OR WOMEN (with or with the mustache)

  6th June 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ0VNMzxaiw

Thanks to Stan I have received the latest copy of Flat Top. I've uploaded it to the site, it can be downloaded from here.

http://www.hmsvictoriousassociation.com/files/Flat_Top_June_2017.pdf

James.

  Well someone must have asked for smoke  and if smoke is asked for, well... smoke they get.

 Not sure how our navy today will be able to make smoke, but whatever they do produce, it won't be as good as our smoke !!!!