George Coates

[rtmiller999]

Hi,

My name is Glynn Coates and my father was called George Coates. He served on the Victorious from its launch to when he left the Navy in 1948.
My Mum passed away recently and in her belongings was a blue HMS Victorious tie pin and a parchment type eulogy surrounded by drawings of Neptune a sailor, fishes etc. The words on it are as follows;

To Whom These Presents Come:
Greetings,
Whereas it has been our Pleasure to suspend during the present War, the mysteries of initiation into our Most Excellent Order of the Oceans: We, Neptune: do herebye charge most solemly all Sharks, Octopi, Dive-Bombers, Sea-Serpents and Keepers of Plymouth Boarding Houses to respect the person of our trusty and well-beloved
George Coates
this Mariner having entered our domain this 8 day of May 1945: and further we command all Mermaids, Barmaids and South Sea Belles to render unto him such succour as he may be pleased to call upon them to deliver.
Given unto our hand on board This Britannic Majesty's Ship Victorious, at sea.

It is a beautiful piece and I was wondering if anyone on the site knew anything about it or the tie pin.

Thank you for reading

[stokerstan]

 Hi Glynn, thanks for your message. It is rather intriguing ! Late on the 7th May 1945, the crew of Victorious had been told that the War in Europe was won.
It was almost exactly four years to the day that Victorious had been commissioned. However, for your father, the struggle against Japan went on.
On the 8th of May the log  of 849 squadron, (Corsairs) reads
" Once again the undaunted BPF approached  Miyako area, and cries of joy were heard when it was announced that plan "Queen" was in operation. This meant no strikes for
849, but a bombardment by the battleship. King George V and Howe left at 1000 with bags of cover, and at 1300 commenced the bombardment, joining up again at about 1530.
However, the ship was soon flying off its aircraft bombing Japanese airfields and fuel dumps, and the Victorious was attacked on a number of occasions, both by bombing but also, as on the 9th May by hits on the flight deck by kamikaze strikes.
The Royal Navy has a long history of presenting new crew members with a certificate during a mad ceremony when the equator is first crossed, but I very much doubt if this is what you have there, I wonder if there was some presentation made on the ending of the war with Germany, that is quite possible ! The Vic had done her share in that theater of war as well !!
 We would be very grateful if you could possibly send us a picture of the items, we could display them in our magazines, and on our web. It is probably that we may well get more info as to what and why they are.
 Do Keep in touch, and thanks again for taking time to write. Best regards Stan McLellan  (Vic 1960-64)