Welcome to the HMS Wessex Association (RNR)

Posted on 5th January 1995 by vince

The Wessex Association was formed when HMS Wessex (the former RNR ShieldShorebase) which was situated in Southampton Docks closed.

Membership is open to any person who served at  HMS Wessex regardless of rank.

Where we meet…

VENUE FOR JUNE 2017

BRITISH LEGION CLUB
366 Brook Lane, Park Gate,
Southampton, SO31 7DP

Date: Wednesday 7th June 2017 at 20.00hrs
Just sign in and say you are a guest of either Barbara Belfield or Tony Simpson. Entry is a £1

We organise events during the year, including an Annual Dinner after Christmas and a Summer Meal usually in June.
Email: contact@wessexassoc.org.uk

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Annual Meal February 2017

Posted on 12th March 2017 by vince

This year’s Annual Meal took place on 9th February 2017 at Gentings Casino

The meal was again very well attended with 22 diners going and was enjoyed by all.
The food was as usual very good and many members had a little flutter on the roulette tables with the complimentary tokens supplied by the casino. Continue reading →

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Summer meal 2016

Posted on 29th August 2016 by vince

This was very well attended again with 24 dining. This is an excellent venue and the food is very good. Many having a flutter on the roulette tables courtesy of Gentings free tokens! Thank you all who came along to support the evening and hope you enjoyed it.

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Request for help: Re-HMS Wessex Ship….

Posted on 3rd August 2016 by vince

Although the Wessex Association is purely for ex-HMS Wessex SHOREBASE, we received the following request concerning HMS Wessex SHIP:

To whom it may concern,

My grandad (who is 91 this August!) was in the Royal Navy in the Second World War and remembers being moored at Auckland for a re-fit in 1945 (July). He was aboard the HMS Wessex and remembers having a whole crew photograph which he has since lost. He asked me if I could have a look for it as he’d love to see it again! He said the photograph was taken by a private firm local to the area and I was wondering if you had any photos from this time of the ship or knew anyone who anyone who might. If not I also wondered whether you had any suggestions of where else I might be able to look to find the photo. It would mean a lot for both of us to find it.

Many thanks for your time- I really appreciate your help!

If anyone can help in her quest, please let me know and I will pass your details on to her.

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Service of Commemoration for HMS Fittleton 18 & 20 September 2016

Posted on 19th June 2016 by vince

Pauline and Robbie Christie, along with many others, including ex-HMS Wessex RNR members attended on Sunday 18th September 2016

Here is an account from Pauline:

I attended the memorial service held in the village of Fittleton to remember the twelve who lost their lives when HMS Fittleton sank after a collision with HMS Mermaid forty years ago. Continue reading →

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Remembrance Parade March Past…. by Bob Baker RO2(TC), Bunting Tosser

Posted on 5th June 2016 by vince

Regarding the photo of Remembrance Parade March Past

– Photo by Brian Wilson (Ref.B1), this photo brought back a flood of memories. I am in the left column, 3rd from the rear. 
I have a Remembrance Day Parade photo from a previous year with the PO leading the guard (John ? sorry, how the memory fades) leading the left column as a Leading Seaman. Following the Guard in this photo and in the one I have is the ships company led by Lt Commander Mccarahar (?), my Divisional Officer.
Just a few names to fuel the memory: CGI Harry Dudley, CGI Tim Ireland, Chief Yeoman Ken Baker, Chief Yeoman Harry Pine, PO Stokers Les Jarman and Ted Noonam, CPO Spider Kelly, CPO Bill Cruze, PO Jimmy Green, CPO Ken Goodwin, PO Alphie Paddon, Captain Tucker, Commander (crasher) Clark, shipkeepers Harry Muncey, and ‘Oscar’ Wilde, Leading Signalman Terry Martin, Leading Seaman Bill Coombs, PO Les Archer, to name a few.

I am 2nd from the rear in the left column.

Also attached a photo of some of the Guard, I think for Lord Mountbatten’s Wessex Inaugural Parade, from left to right Bill Coombs, Les Jarman, yours truly, Ron Wills, Ted Noonam, John ?, unknown, John ?, Unknown, Les Archer, and Tim Ireland seated.

On a run ashore in Amsterdam Bill Coombs and myself with three shipmates whose names allude me.

I hope these small reminders of our time at HMS Wessex, will bring a smile to the faces of my old shipmates.

In all my research on the web regarding CMSs etc I cannot find any reference to HMS Isis our IMS.

I have lived in the USA for the past 35 years, residing now in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, on the shore of Lake Superior (The North Coast of America)

What happy memories this email has evoked!

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Would any ex-members of Wessex be willing to help at Southampton Sea Cadets?

Posted on 26th January 2016 by vince

We are looking for:-

1.    People to serve on the Unit Management Committee as we have recently lost three members due to ill health.  No experience necessary but a willingness to help manage the unit & help with fund raising ideas. The committee meet approx once a month & members help out at the Boat Show in September. Continue reading →

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