IOBA attends Merchant Navy Day 2016 – Liverpool

IOBA members present; Mrs P A Brown MBE MStJ JP DL MNM : Hon IOBA Member, Revd Canon. (Bob) Evans : Hon IOBA Member, Martyn Hunt 82/85 IOBA Vice Chairman, Tom Keyes 63/64: IOBA Treasurer & Membership, Pat Moran: Hon IOBA Member, John Farrell 49/50, Russell Jones 55/56, John & Val Aspinall 59/60 & Steve Humphries 75/76: IOBA General Secretary & Archives.

Merchant Navy Service and parade from Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas to the Pier Head memorial, Liverpool.

The annual National Merchant Navy Day celebrations took place in Liverpool on Sunday 4th September.

A service took place at Liverpool Parish Church in Chapel Street and was followed by a short march to the Pier Head memorials, where wreaths were laid.

Among the civic dignitaries attending was the Lord Mayor of Liverpool , Cllr Roz Gladden.

Merchant Navy Day is the annual celebration of the British Merchant Navy, with the memorial service held for the 36,000 seafarers who died at sea in the Second World War.

The service was attended by diplomatic representatives of Britain’s allies during the war, who paid homage to their own considerable losses of merchant seafarers serving in British ships.

Wreaths were laid by, among others, the Indefatigable Old Boys Association (IOBA), Merchant Navy veterans, High Commissioners and naval attaches from many countries linked with the Port of Liverpool, including the Canadian Navy.

 ©www.indeoba.com 2016

The late Spencer Bell (1958) former Chairman of the IOBA.

We have just received a message from Wendy Bell about The Carnegie Trust Hero Award, which Spencer has been awarded.

Spencer will be honoured on the 17th July 2015 at Metropolitan Police Sports Ground, Aldenham Road, Bushey, Hertfordshire WD23 2TR.  Timmings TBC.

Wendy has asked if we can muster numbers from the IOBA for the presentation, *we need numbers by the beginning of June.

Please contact: Martyn Hunt 82/85 (IOBA Vice Chairman) martyn269@yahoo.co.uk

Would be great to see as many there to help celebrate this amazing mans life!

A great honour to a great man.

More information about it can be found at: www.carnegiehero.org.uk

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It is with great sadness that I inform you of the tragic death of Spencer Bell (1958) former Chairman of the IOBA.

Some of you may have heard of the terrible accident on the M1 in the Watford area on Friday 30st January 2014.  Spencer was that Good Samaritan who stopped his car and ran to the aid of the individual who jumped off of a bridge onto the carriageway below. In carrying out this brave act, Spencer was unfortunately struck by a car and killed. Such was the mark of the man, he put his own life at risk to try and save that of another.

I have written to Wendy to pass on our sincerest condolences and of course to offer our support to her during this dreadful time.

I would ask that you all pray for Spencer and Wendy and I will update you all via these means and the website in the next day or so.

Yours ever

Bill O’Leary Chairman IOBA

 

Child Growth: The Long View

http://www.sussex.ac.uk/childgrowth/index

Training Ships

Based on the extensive records from two training ships, the Exmouth based in London (1876-1925) and the Indefatigable based in Liverpool (1865-1995).

• The Boys’ Record Books and Admission and Discharge Register of the training ship Exmouth, held at the London Metropolitan Archives, contain 14,000 boys.
• The Cadet Records for the training ship Indefatigable, held at the Maritime Archives and Library (MAL) in Liverpool, contain 10,450 boys.

Both training ships were founded to prepare working class and pauper boys for careers in the Navy or the merchant marine, but unlike the earlier Marine Society data, there do not appear to have been minimum height requirements for boys entering the ships. The boys generally entered the ships at age 10 to 14 and were discharged by the age of 15 to 18. Critically, their height and weight were recorded at entry onto and at discharge from the ship, providing a longitudinal measure of their growth. In addition, the ships’ records were incredibly consistent over the 50-150 year period.

Dear Members,

It seems just like yesterday that we were enjoying ourselves at the 150th Reunion Event at JSMTC, and now it’s the countdown to Xmas! That beautiful sunny weekend in June on the banks of the Menai will certainly be one I’ll remember for a long time. Memories, mostly fond, shared with so many wonderful friends, some returning to the Inde for the first time since their school days; and to meet so many family members attending along with Old Boys was a privilege. For those of you who were not able to join us, and of course there will be many reasons why you could not, you missed something very special.

For those who had to sit through my speech on the night, you will remember I said a lot of thank you’s, and it will be remiss of me not to record them again here. Without the incredible efforts and support of these individuals, the event would never have got off the ground.

First of all to Lieutenant Colonel John Shirras, Commandant JSMTC for his approval in allowing the event to take place, and WO1 (RSM) Andy Johnson, for his amazing support to our event committee in bringing it all together. To Charlie and the Sodexo team for providing such fabulous food on the night, truly remarkable considering the numbers being catered for in a marquee. To the Salon Orchestra of the Central Band of the Royal Air Force for providing such delightful music, adding a touch of sophistication and gravitas to the evening. To our President, Sir Michael Bibby for his most generous financial support, without which we simply would not have been able to fund such a splendid anniversary function; his attendance along with Lady Bibby making the evening even more special. And of course to the amazing Elaine Humphries, ably supported by Tony Eastham, for her leadership of the 150th Anniversary Committee. Such inspired and creative ideas, brought together to create and deliver an absolutely outstanding weekend. There are not enough adjectives to describe the impact Elaine had on the weekend. Simply breathtaking.

But the special thank you must go to those of you who attended and gave to those worthy causes our Association support, you are all so incredibly generous, it is humbling. We raised a total of £5,400 over the weekend, amazing and humbling. Thank you!

Planning is now underway for the 2015 reunion weekend; it will of course revert back to the normal format, but with a few changes based on lessons learned from 2014. I would ask that you take a moment to please consider nominating a fellow member for the annual allowance to our ‘Less Fortunate Members’. This is a monetary award up to a maximum of £300 to go towards the costs associated with attending the annual reunion. The recipient must be a fully paid up member of the IOBA and not have been to a reunion under this proposal previously, and the name will be kept confidential by the committee.

Deo Adjuvante, or translated into English,  ‘With God’s Help, there is nothing to be afraid of’. And of course in Inde speak, ‘The Inde Way, get stuck in and get it done!

Thank you

Brigadier Bill O’Leary TD ADC DL

Chairman

IOBA

 

© www.indeoba.com 2014