Climb Climb Up Sunshine Mountain………….
March 2004
30th Birthday Party
HMS Ambuscade was laid down in 1973 but did not enter service until 1975. Her life stretched until 1993 when she was sold to the Pakistani Navy. We understand that she is still in service under the name of PNS TARIK.
Anyway, to celebrate her 30th we are planning a birthday bash on either the 18th-19th or 25th-26th June 2005 in Crewe. The event will follow a similar format to that of 2002 but details will be confirmed closer to the date.
We currently have a 'Task Force' working on the finer details led by the very able Paul 'Manny' Cousins.
All updates & notices will be published on the web site & future issues of the newsletter.
To help us get an early idea on numbers, it would be a big help if you could indicate if you will be attending or not. This will not commit you either way, but will help us with forecasting demand and give the Task Force a better idea on the size of venue required.
Please could you drop me an email to mark@sharplesgroup.com or call me on 01925 839599 (Mark Brocklehurst).
Membership
The current status is 53 fully paid members. This is increasing year on year and more and more contacts are coming in from the cold!
The membership charge has been held for the second year running to £5 per annum (a paltry figure I am sure you will agree!). This fee is to help the Committee with the usual admin costs i.e. postage, stationary, the web site etc. The membership year runs from 1 October to 30 September.
The current Committee members, as with all previous members, have opted not to draw any expenses for travel or accommodation for meetings.If you have forgotten to pay your membership fee for 2003/4, there is still time even if you are a recent contact! Unfortunately we do not have an accounts department so no chasing action or 'final demands' will be sent to you. We just rely on your sense of righteousness and good will to keep us going.
Web Site
It's here and it is fantastic.
For all the latest info, crew list, Photo's, dits plus much, more visit www.ambuscade.org
You will notice that the period 80-83 is quite well covered. What we need now is photos, dits, visit list or any other info that will help us built a comprehensive picture of the whole of Ambuscade's life.
If you are not on the Internet please call any member of the Committee and we will guide you through the best way to connect to this page.
If you do not have a computer the best place to view the Internet if you do not have a computer is via your local Library, Community Centre or Internet Café.
Holy Holy Week
You what?!!!!!
Bet you've never heard of it have you?
Well, way back in 1683 on 25 January when the English Civil War was in full swing the Royalist descended on Nantwich to sort things out. This led to a siege where the locals held out against the Royalist for several weeks. In the end the Royalists got fed up, shouldered their muskets and went home.
The inhabitants of Nantwich, to show their great happiness and joy and to prove they were more intelligent than the Royalists, stuck sprigs of holly on their heads!
This event has now been resurrected and is celebrated every January. It is a very colourful, noisy and busy event. Seriously, if you are at a loss next Jan' and fancy a bit of colour and noise you could do no worse than popping into Nantwich (don't wear Holly though, it hurts!!)( photos on the website Events/Reunion photos)
Building a Newsletter
My very good friend Mike (Jan) Toye did the Newsletter until recently when I took it on.
Jan used to complain that, without input, it proved hard to make it interesting. I said "Use your head…..x stoker's should have no problems waffling"
I have done two newsletters and I am now pleading for help in filling the pages.
Give us your dits,jokes…… ANYTHING !!
A Day in the Life of…..
Ray Taylor (L/STD 80-83)I pushed sometime ago for you guys to send in your 'Day in the life of'
Well, to kick it off, here is mine.
I work as an Area Accommodation Manager for a Housing Charity covering schemes from London to Kettering.
I specialise in accommodating Keyworker's i.e. Doctors, Nurses, Teachers, Police, and Fire. In fact anyone who is 'key' to the community.
It does get a little complicated at times trying to stick with the Housing Act and working with the NHS, Education Dept and Police Authorities.
I am currently awaiting the result of a tender to take on 3000 beds for Students at Mid Middlesex Colleges (really looking forward to controlling these members of our Community!)The charity I work for are named (and still controlled by) an Order of Monks. This has no bearing at all on my own religious views (if any!)
I fell into this type of work after leaving the RN in '86. Because we had to vacate the M¼'s I opted to go for a job in Westminster City Council where a house came with the job.
This job evolved from Contract Monitoring to Senior Housing Officer to specialising in Court appearances and Evictions.
In 2000 I decided I was to old for attending Evictions and all the associated problems so I downshifted to this current job. This job still has the occasions to raise the blood pressure but not as much as being chased by a machete wielding nutter shouting that he new my mother at sometime !!
a few comments from some of the latest contacts…..
LS(EW) Mark (Caz) Caswell…..
I went to W. Palm Beach in July of 90 where I used to teach people to Scuba dive, taught about 3000 people up to 99. Worked my ass off! Last 4 years I mainly taught police and fire dept public safety diving, whole different thing to teaching people to dive for fun. Moved to Atlanta Ga where I went to work for AT&T Broadband (cable, High Speed Data & telephone stuff). Got married in Atlanta to my wife Elizabeth, we have 3 children, Chase my step-son 7, Meadow 20 months and Charm 6 months. So Don Cox went to Malta to teach diving did he? Pity he didn't get out on this side of the pond he'd have made a fortune!AB(EW) STEVE 'BAGSY' BAKER
Served from 1/9/91 till paying offMick Davidson, PO Caterer
Served September 1990 until we handed over to the Pakistani Navy in 1993, now travels all over the country running his courier business. Mick has provided a number of visits & events from 91 onwards but wasn't able to give accurate dates due to alcoholic haze! Will also try to contact somebody he knows who can firm up the dates. Looking forward to contact from old ship mates.
Yours aye - Mick DavidsonAB(M) Don Cox
Served 82 - 87 Recently returned from Malta where he was a Diving Instructor.Tim Barker (LWEM)
I served on Ambuscade from March 1982 to July 1983
when I left the serviceBernard Lynn (RO T)
Joined HMS Ambuscade in April 82 leaving in August
84, Great site.S Brunson (MEM L)
many thanks......MEM (L) 3d mess Dec 1990-March 1992)LWTR Graham Deacon
Tech Office Writer 1980 - 1983 please add me to the listOther Contacts via web site…………
Croft Jonathan
Thomas L D Tommo
Tinker Mark Tinks
Beresford Willie
Milner Steve
Bunker Dave Wingnut
Update on Your website
The Ambuscade Association now pays for our website, www.ambuscade.org to be hosted. This has given us 10 times more storage than we had previously.
After a long delay, we are now listed near the top of the two main search engines, Google and Yahoo. As a result the number of 'hits' increased from 230 to over 979 in 7 weeks and a number of Ambusmen have contacted us for the first time. In addition we have links from a number of RN contact sites which has increased our visibility.
Thanks to everyone who has sent in photographs. At the moment only those associated with events and trips are displayed, but now that we have more space, I intend to have pages of happy snaps of crewmates. Please give names and dates or year.
More information is needed pre 1981 and after 1985. There are a lot of dates missing.
We also need to know about refit dates to fill in the significant gaps.
When the visits pages are complete I can then build a page with a summary of all the trips
'A day in the life of.. ' page has also been added to the site (follow the ship's company link from the Crew list button.
Where are all the Ship's Company photo's.?? We only have 1983!
Please e-mail me if you have any in your possession. If you can't scan them, I will give you my address. Please mail them to me with your return address and I promise to send them back.
Please encourage all 'sleeping ' shipmates to join the Association. Being part of the Ambuscade adventure was a great experience for us all and it is important to support it as much as we can.
We need to get over the 'Old guy with beard and medals in corner of the pub' image of an RN Association. And make the site as vibrant as possible.
Suggestions for the website and Dits are always welcome.
Photos of the Crewe meeting in January welcome.
If you have joined the Association, please e-mail an 'about me' paragraph (approx' to 300 words). This may be accompanied by a photo of you then or/and now and will be linked to your name on the 'Crew List' page.Steve Griffin (your web builder)
Saturday 18 or 25 June 2005
We need some ideas to keep all happy for the forenoon/afternoon
Ambuscade Bites Your Bum!
Some of us will remember the collision with US Destroyer Dale in the Gulf in 83, here is a different account from one of the Dale's crew!
I WAS A BOILER TECH DOWN IN THE AFT FIREROOM AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION.
ONE HELL OF A SCARY FEELING HEARING THE COLLISION ALARM AND NOT KNOWING WHERE IT WAS GOING TO HIT AND BEING THREE OR FOUR DECKS BELOW THEWATERLINE. .AS IT TURNED OUT WE DID MORE DAMAGE TO THE BRITISH SHIP THEN WAS DONE TO OURS. WE WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE OUR DEPLOYMENT THEN WENT INTO THE SHIPYARD.IT IS NOT ANYTHING I WOULD CARE TO DO AGAIN BUT IT DOES MAKE FOR AN INTERESTING SEA STORY-2 SHIPS COLIDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INDIAN OCEAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY..ANYWAY WOULD LOVE TO HERE FROM OTHER SAILORS ABOARD EITHER SHIP, THANKS GARY
BT3 GARY MENKS
USS DALE 81-85
Footnote from the new Chairman!
If I learned one thing from my time in the mob, it was never volunteer! So when Ray Taylor asked for a volunteer to replace him my lips were firmly sealed. I however under estimated the powers of persuasion a Killick Steward possessed and when he called me a "Good Egg" & "Snappy Dresser" I crumbled.
I then realized that being on the Committee would give me a cast iron 'pass out' from my better half for all Ambuscade official duties! This probably means two additional passes per year. Every Cloud…
The Committee has identified a number of challenges it faces over the next couple of years, to grow the contact list to the potential 1200 ex crew members that served and to organise well attended and fun get together.
With the excellent response received already from the web site we are well under way to achieving the growth In numbers. At the recent meeting in Crewe a "Task Force" was set up to organise the 30th Birthday Party. "Manny Cousens" is heading up this team and for those who don't recall Manny, they named the Party Animal after him! This alone should guarantee a great weekend and we will keep you up to date over the coming months.The next planning meeting will be held in September and we would welcome anyone who fancies a good night out to join us.
Please keep the messages coming in and have a think of anyone you are still in contact with so we can add them to the contact list.
Yours in Ambuscade
Mark Brocklehurst
Stop Press - Stop PressThe Reunion date has now been confirmed for the weekend of 17th & 18th June 2005.
Please make every effort to make it a date and don't forget to pledge your intention to attend by emailing mark@sharplesgroup.com
Or calling 01925 839599
(Mark Brocklehurst)Stop Press - Stop Press
