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Regular browsers should notice a difference in this page.  I've been trying to tidy it up so now there is a separate section for Lost Oppos and Obituaries.  Click on the buttons below to view these pages.  

HMS CARYSFORT ASSOCIATION Polo Shirts

There are still a few polo shirts available in Oxford Blue if any association members are interested.  Keenly priced at £15 plus p&p.   Don't miss out on this rare opportunity to purchase these unique and limited edition polo shirts.  When they're gone they're gone.

Veterans ID Cards

Nearly 5 years after the original Government announcement regarding Veterans ID Cards they are at last going to start rolling them out from January 2024.  A new digital application service will be used for this but there will also be a paper-based application process for veterans unable to use the online service. Veterans can apply for their cards by emailing dbs-veterans-cards@mod.gov.uk and give your name, year of birth and year left service.  You should then receive an email invitation to apply for your card.  I received mine on 20th January 2024 about 3 weeks after applying.

HMS CARYSFORT ASSOCIATION STANDARD

Here's our newly manufactured Standard which arrived yesterday (7th November 2023).  The final invoice is also displayed below and pleasingly is no different from the original quote. We'll need to make arrangements for having the Standard blest/dedicated at the November 2024 reunion in Chatham. Thanks to our Standard Bearer Bill Bayley for providing the photo and storing it.  

HMS CAVALIER and HMS CARYSFORT ASSOCIATION

I'm very much aware information regarding this is written elsewhere on the website but I want the headline to catch the eye of anyone browsing the website regarding the formation of this association.   There are still a few i's to be dotted and t's to be crossed but it was agreed in principle over the combined reunion weekend  in May 2023 with our sister ship HMS Cavalier that we would merge and form an HMS CAVALIER and HMS CARYSFORT Association.  Full implementation will however require a small change to HMS CAVALIER's Constitution which will be formally adopted at the next AGM.  this merger makes sense as numbers diminish each year.  Should you wish to join the Association then please contact the Treasurer and Membership Secretary Rowdy Yates on  07957 498769 and I would urge all Carysfort's to do this. The annual subscription is normally £15.00 but for this year it will be £10.00. To date 16 Carysfort's have joined the Association and those 16, along with Angela Mitton have most generously donated to the cost of our own Standard which is being manufactured as I write this.  We also have HMS CARYSFORT Association Polo Shirts which cost £15 plus p & p.  Contact me for further details.

Ceremonial Standard for HMS CARYSFORT

There are still a few i's to be dotted and t's to be crossed but it was agreed in principle over the combined reunion weekend  in May 2023 with our sister ship HMS Cavalier that we would merge and form an HMS CAVALIER and HMS CARYSFORT Association. In the last few days since the weekend reunion quite a few Carysfort's have paid the annual subscription already for this year and in the post today I received my own HMS CAVALIER and HMS CARYSFORT Association Membership Card. Full implementation will however require a small change to HMS CAVALIER's Constitution which will be formally adopted at the next AGM.  Our own Flossie Foster was elected as Vice Chairman of the Association.  Should you wish to join the Association then please contact the Treasurer and Membership Secretary Rowdy Yates on  07957 498769 and I would urge all Carysfort's to do this. The annual subscription is normally £15.00 but for this year it will be £10.00.  I've emailed as many Carysfort's as possible outlining the advantages to us so I won't repeat it here.  The main thrust of this message today is that we need to purchase our own HMS CARYSFORT Association Standard.  They don't come cheap and the quote I have from the preferred supplier with all the accoutrements is just under £1500.00.  A breakdown of this is shown on the Standard page.  I'm appealing to you all to help with this so if you are willing to make a pledge then please remit your contribution to: HMS CAVALIER Business Account.  Bank:  HSBC  Sort Code 40 45 26 Account 61463179 Reference: Standard.  If you are uncomfortable doing an online transaction then your own bank will help you do this transfer in branch. If you want do do it by cheque then please email hmscarysfort@gmail.com or ring Rowdy Yates on the above number for his address.  So far six people have very kindly already made pledges and we are nearly half way to our target already.  I'll be putting regular updates on the website as the money comes in so we can see where we are at.  Once we are in a position to purchase the Standard we hope to get it dedicated at the next reunion.  Bill Bayley has volunteered to be our Standard Bearer.  He was one of the Standard Bearers at the Queen's funeral (see below).  Please help us achieve this aim.

for latest state of play on Standard Appeal

Mech 1 Brian Hurditch

I am sure all of the 1966-69 commission would like to wish Brian well as he recovers from major surgery for a perforated bowel.  He was in hospital for 3 weeks and now has a stoma bag fitted.  We wish you a speedy recovery Brian although you have been told this could take 6 months or longer.  Brian and his wife attended the 2006 reunion in Babbacombe.

Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

HMS Carysfort was represented at the funeral of Her Majesty in the shape of Brian (Bill) Bayley who was selected as one of the 72 standard bearers for the Royal British Legion from a  cast of many.  Bill was very humbled to be at the event and a photo of him is shown below at the Cenotaph as well as his Certificate of Appreciation from the Royal British Legion.  BZ Bill.

The photo on the left is George Tully's ship's mug and Flossie has sent in the photo of The Grapes Bar in Rothesay which will be familiar to those who completed the last couple of months of the last commission. 

Best regards from Flossie and Buster of the last commission photographed before the lockdown in the Ship Anson.  Hope you all stay Healthy and Safe until the October Reunion.  Flossie has suggested we might all want to post an up to date photo of  ourselves on the website before the reunion takes place.  What do you think?  Ideally a photo of what you looked like during your time onboard Carysfort along with a current one.  I'm sure we've all got time on our hands just now.  You can email them to hmscarysfort@gmail.com  

Seychelles June 1966.  Does anyone have film of the ship's visit to the Seychelles.  If so Mike Butt would like to hear from you and you can contact him at mikebutt1@hotmail.com

BRAVO ZULU

A sincere BIG thank you to Alick Lavers (1964-66) and Roger Davage (1966-69) for their very generous donation towards my costs in leasing HMS Carysfort website domain name and webspace from 1 & 1 IONOS (formerly 1 & 1 Internet Ltd).  Their thoughtfulness is much appreciated.  BZ.

Jim Donaldson HMS Carysfort Webmaster March 2019

3rd April 2019 also Wallace Russell (1964-66) resident in New Zealand.  Thanks Russ.   7th April 2019 JJ (Paddy) Jennings (1966-69).  Cheers JJ.  20th May 2019 Pete Barley (1959-61).  Thanks Pete. 8th July 2019 Richie Richardson.  Thanks Richie.

"C" Class Destroyer Association - Facebook page

For any of you old salts on Facebook the above newly started group may be of interest to you.

John Garrity wrote on 11th July 2016.   Many thanks for the help from your website.  As a result I have managed to get a Service Medal for my father Ronald Thomas (Yorkie) Garrity who served in the first commission.

Former Lieutenant R A R (Tony) Hill RN has provided a copy of this commission book to view.

The late Peter (Fred) Gannon

Tony Leeks is trying to gather as much info as he can about Peter, who served in the penultimate commission for his son.   Peter died in a house fire where all his Naval records and photos were destroyed.  If you can help please contact Tony, who is also ex RN and you can do this by clicking this icon:     Your help is appreciated.

Lee Garrett is looking for information on his father Ken (Gary) Garrett aka Gary Whistler who served onboard for part of the last commision.  He may have been a TAS rating because he used to mention "Blossom" to his family (Blossom Petchey).  He may also have been a ship's diver. Lee would love to hear from anyone that knew him onboard as he is trying to put together the family history for his Mum's 70th birthday.  You can contact Lee direct by clicking on this icon    

Keith Wren of the last commission bought a copy of the 1959-61 Commission Book at a car boot sale and sent it to me some time ago.   If anyone from that commission doesn't have a copy of the book Keith is willing to let you have it for free but you would need to meet the postage costs. For further details me.

Footnote:  It's been claimed by Eddie Howe 3rd February 2016 - thanks Keith

Chris Wright who is the son of Alexander Robert Wright (Brummy) would like to hear from anyone from the first commission who knew his father on the first commission.  Chris thinks he was a Petty Officer.   You can contact Chris direct   

Nick Bailey recently got in touch.  He was a Lieutenant onboard for this commission; action OOW and Ship's Office and played rugby for the ship.  He transferred to the Royal Australian Navy in 1970 and retired as a Captain RAN.  He now lives in Canberra.

This photo has been sent by Richard Bentley who is the late Chief Mechanician David "Dick" Bentley's son.  Dick crossed the bar in 1989 and the family are keen to have some background information on why he his having his beard trimmed and when this event took place.  They thought the picture was published in a Brisbane newspaper so I am guessing it was probably taken during the 1959-61 commission when the ship visited Brisbane.  One other piece of information is Dick's run ashore oppo onboard was called Bert Gill.  If you can help please email me and I will pass the information on to Dick's family.  Thanks.  

John Garrity, son of the late Ronald (Yorkie) Garrity who was a Stoker onboard for the First Commission would be grateful to hear from anyone who remembers his Father.  You can contact John direct by clicking the email icon

Jimmy Green from the 1961-62 commission has managed to purchase the ship's nameplate forty years after she was scrapped.  You'll see a photo of this in the 1961-62 ship photo section

Medals

If you served onboard HMS Carysfort out the Far East between 31 August 1957 and 12 August 1966  you may be entitled to the Pingat Jasa Malayasia Medal.  For further details email  DBS-Medals@mod.gov..uk or call 0808 1914 218

Can anyone help with a photo and any dits about Acting CPO Dave Reid the ship's Coxswain and ship's diver 21 Jan 64 to 27 Jun 66.  At the Seychelles incident when 32 men were hospitalised after eating Spam, Reid took charge of the shore party and liased with the hospital and staff ashore, displaying a high order of leadership.  For this he received the Commander in Chief's Commendation.  After leaving the ship he went to Drake 28 Jun 66 to 17 Aug 66 and then to Condor 18 Aug 66 to 25 Mar 67.  Whilst at Condor he was awarded the BEM in the New Years honours list, presumably for his service aboard Carysfort.    See the Coxswain's C-in-C Middle East's commendation

Yours Aye,  Barry Scott

PS read my website at www.navysong.co.uk

Dusty Miller ex PO Seaman onboard  has written his detailed and interesting memoirs of the last commission

Read George Tayor's interesting ditty published on the 1945-46 page