Floral displays courtesy of Shrewsbury Flower Club - Battlefield Church July 2003.
Captain Edward 'Dusty' Dunsterville RN
CAPTAIN EDWARD 'DUSTY' DUNSTERVILLE, who has died aged 88, was Mountbatten's flotilla signals officer in the Kelly; he was one of the few officers whose character featured in Noel Coward's film In Which We Serve(1942), set in the aftermath of Kelly's sinking by German dive-bombers in 1941.
He was twice mentioned in dispatches during the second world war and was later the youngest Captain in the Navy. During the 1950's, he oversaw many of the key developments in modern naval signaling and was in charge of Naval Planning for Suez.
Edward Trevor Lloyd Dunsterville was born on January 25 1913 on Jersey, the son of Major (later Colonel) Herbert Dunsterville, BA. He spent his childhood in Ireland during the troubles, where his father commanded the citadel at Cork, and where he recalled going home in the dark at the age of six with a service revolver lent to him by his father.
Dunsterville was top of his term at Dartmouth and a term cadet captain. He went to sea for the first time in 1931 and, as a midshipman on the China Station in Shanghai, witnessed the Japanese invasion of 1937 from the Bund while dressed in the uniform of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
After attending the Royal Naval College at Greenwich and then Portsmouth for further technical training, Dunsterville qualified as a signals officer in 1938, again top of his course. In 1939 he joined the destroyer Kelly, the fastest ship in her class, and described by her captain, Mountbatten, as having "the most beautiful lines of any ship I had seen".
As flotilla signals officer to the 5th Destroyer Flotilla, Dunsterville saw various actions in Kelly in the Channel and Baltic through 1939 and the spring of 1940, and was mentioned in dispatches following the evacuation from Namsos. On the night of May 9 1940, Kelly found herself in foggy weather off the coast of Denmark. Several of her crew later recalled having noticed the dim shape of the German E-boat; shortly afterwards, what appeared to be a whipping tow cable rising from the sea brought cries of "Torpedo?". On the bridge, they thought at first that it had been set too deep--Mountbatten even exclaimed, "Thank God that one was a dud?" -- but then came a tremendous explosion from below, and everyone was thrown about. Dunsterville hit his chin on the voice-pipe and smashed some of his teeth.
The torpedo had struck Kelly in the forward boiler room, tearing a hole in the plating some 40 feet long, killing 27 of the ship's company, and almost breaking her in two. She was taken in tow by the destroyer Bulldog but had small chance of survival, as a gale sprang up shortly afterwards.
For four days, Kelly was at the mercy of the seas, and on some occasions had to be temporarily abandoned by her crew. There were frequent attacks by enemy aircraft, all of which were successfully beaten off.
Kelly was eventually brought safely to harbour and repaired, and by May 1942 was back in action bombarding German positions on the island of Crete. At daybreak on May 23, Kelly and her fellow destroyer Kashmir attacked two caciques carrying troops and ammunition, an action that brought upon them the unwelcome attention of German dive bombers.
From 5.30am they were repeatedly attacked. Kashmir was struck amidships and sank immediately. Kelly was soon also hit, and she too sank with great rapidity, drowning nine officers and 119 ratings. On the bridge, Dunsterville and Mountbatten had seen the fatal bomb coming straight at them and knew it could not miss. They remained perfectly clam, holding on as the ship tilted. Dunsterville later recalled "clinging on for as long as I could - then I was swept down, came up too near the propellors for comfort and went down again". When he resurfaced he found "a lot of us bobbing about and we found bits of wood to hold on to". Eight officers, including Dunsterville and Mountbatten, and 120 ratings were rescued.
After the sinking of Kelly, Dunsterville served on Admiral Cunningham's staff at Alexandria, where he helped set up the naval signaling equipment for the Eighth Army. He returned to Britain via Lisbon on the second commercial flight to England, the first one having been shot down.
He was posted to the Far East and served again with Mountbatten in Ceylon. He finished the war as Fleet Signals Officer to the C-in-C East Indies (Admiral Power).
After the war, Dunsterville went as Commander (Applications) to the Signals Research Establishment at Haslemere, Surrey, where he helped set up the modern system of naval signaling. In 1951, he got his first command on the frigate Loch Quoich, based in Ceylon, and the next year was promoted Captain, the youngest then in the fleet.
As Chief Staff Officer for the Mediterranean Fleet, he was responsible for naval planning of Suez, and in 1957, as Captain of Gambia, he took her through Suez as the first ship to make passage after the crisis. He became Director Signals Division in 1959 and retired from the Navy the next year. He then joined Racal Electronics, becoming director of Racal Slough.
After final retirement in 1973, Dunsterville served as a local councillor for Maidenhead and Windsor, and as Chairman of Bisham Parish Council. He travelled extensively, and wintered in Spain.
Dusty Dunsterville married in 1940, Justine Marcel; their engagement was portrayed in "In Which We Serve", as a party on board Kelly for "Flags". She died in 1990;
he is survived by their son and daughter.
Author Anon
The photograph below, kindly donated by Sally Bradden,
Daughter of Captain Dunsterville.
I very much regret to say that our member, Ken Saunders, died on the 30th September, just three weeks after attending our Annual Reunion and A.G.M.
Ken was a Royal Marine Boy bugler on HMS Gambia 1942/43 and he and his wife, Pat, attended many of our reunions. Ken was only fourteen years of age when he first went to Sea.
Member Robert (Bob) Jackson has also died, he passed away on the 8th September.
Bob served on HMS Gambia 1946/50.
"Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow, I am the diamond glints in snow,
I am the sunlight on ripened grain I am the gentle Autumn Rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush I am the uplifting rush of
quiet birds in circled flight, I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there, I did not die."
Obituaries
Member John Farley passed away on the 2nd January 2002. He served on Gambia for both commissions of 1942/46 as a Royal Marine.
Member John Matthews passed away on the 9th February 2002. John served on Gambia 1955/56 as an A.B.
Royal Marine Bandsman Harry Henshaw is reported to have passed away. Harry was aboard Gambia in 1955/56. Harry's funeral was attended by many ex-RM's, Royal Navy and HMS Ganges Association members in South Australia. Harry left a wife Joy and Son Robert in Adelaide.
Member Derek Lowe passed away on the 1st March 2002. Derek served on Gambia as a Stoker Mechanic 1951/52
Captain Joe Baker-Cresswell D.S.O.
Capt. Baker-Cresswell died on 4th March 1997, and at the request of a member of the Committee, I have been invited to mention his passing here. Captain Baker-Cresswell was Commanding Officer of H.M.S. Gambia for the 1946-48 Commission.
Captain Joe was in Command of the Destroyer HMS Bulldog when it depth charged the U-boat U110 on the 9th May 1941 and brought it to the surface. He then boarded it and captured a working Enigma Decoding Machine. For this incident he was awarded the D.S.O. The capture of the cypher was so valuable that it led to the sinking of many more U-Boats, and the saving of many lives on our Convoys.
Staff Bandmaster Ray Banning, reported to have passed away in Banff, Alberta on August 13th 1987. Ray was onboard Gambia for the 1955-56 Commission. He was buried at Foam Lake, Saskatchewan. Ray was the Band Sergeant for his Commission, and can be seen on the HM Royal Marines page in the photograph taken of the Band on the Quarterdeck.
Member Ben Ballance, L.S and P.O. 1949-1952 Commission, passed away on Sunday 4th May in Bodmin.
Member Cyril Matthewman, A.B. First Commission.
Cdr. Frank William (Bill) Ashmole, 1953 - 1955 Commission
Beryl Abbitt - Chairman 'Association of Wrens'
Lt Cdr S.K. Grove - Sub-Lt 1955 - 1956 Commission.
C.P.O. A. Borland - AB, 1955 - 1956 Commission.
Royal Marines Bandsman Ronald Mackay. Passed away on 10th August 2003.
Ronald was a Musician on the 1955 - 56 Commission.
Ronald is survived by his wife Jeanie and three children.
Ron was Notably the first Warrant Officer in the Royal Marines Band Service.
John Sweatman P.O. Gambia 1950 - 55, passed away 12th June 2003.
William Kilpatrick, Joiner 1, Gambia 1952 - 55, passed away 17th May 2003.
Commander T.B.D. Penfold was the Commander (L) Gambia 1952 - 54, passed away 7th October 2003.
The Service Cover right, kindly sent in by Ken Stephenson.
Stan Doughty passed away in Nuneaton on Tuesday 6th May 2003. Stan was a S/M on the 1949-52 Commission.
Members Ronny Lee and Roland Payne attended the funeral.
Gerald Savage R.M. 1952-54 Commission, passed away June 2003.
Albert Weatherill L. Stoker, 1942-43 Commission, passed away 29th August 2003.
Dave Bleasdale passed away on Friday 31st October 2003, aged 72. Dave was a founder member of the Association, and was a Stoker Mechanic on the 1949-1952 Commission.
Alan Dunthorn - Aberdeen. 1952-54 Commission, Chief Petty Officer S.B.A.
Passed away on 3rd January 2004.
Lt. Cdr. N.D. Cornwall, 1952-54 Commission. No details, but this information derived from Navy News.
A very belated notification of the passing of Garth Owen,
who served onboard during WW2. His Son, Garth Jnr.,
advises that he passed away on 5th February 1992
Photographs to the left, right and below, kindly sent in by Rene Casbolt, of the funerals of
Please find attachment of Alan Garners funeral old ship mate of
H.M.S. Gambia 1958 - 1960 AB RP who died in Canada. A dear friend of both myself and Graham Spooner. Living in Canada he was not a member of the Gambia association, but read the E-Mails. He was a member of the Ganges association in Canada. He suffered from skin cancer and died of leukemia. Anthony Hockenhull.
It came as a great shock to hear of the passing of Charles Mearns, who has supported the Association for many years, travelling down from Aberdeen to just where-ever the Reunions were taking place. Charles will be sadly missed by all active Members.
Would anyone who has more information on Ratings, Officers, and Other Ranks, when serving onboard with the Commission Dates and the Date of Death.
Please forward to me for inclusion on this page.
Thank you.
BH. Editor.
Please pass my thanks to all the members
of the Gambia Association.
"Dad would have been so pleased you were all there."
Born 19th April 1907; 2nd son of Late Edward Evershed and Lilian Johnstone, of 48, Handsworth Wood Road, Birmingham. Married 1944, Susan Mary, daughter of Rev. A.R. Browne-Wilkinson; two sons, three daughters. Educated, R.N.C. Osborne and Dartmouth.
In Command H.M.S. Gambia, 1954-1956; Director of Operations Division, Admiralty, 1956-57; Admiral Superintendent, Rosyth Dockyard, 1957-60.
I have been advised by Graeme Smith of the Crossing of the Bar by a former member of HMNZS Gambia.
Jimmy Manson joined the New Zealand Navy at HMNZS Tamaki on 21 September 1941.
He was assigned to the Gambia when it was Commissioned by the New Zealand Navy on 23 September 1943 and he remained on her until she was handed back to the Royal Navy on 17 November 1945.
Jimmy had the distinction of being present at the Formal Surrender of Japan to the British and U.S. Third Fleet in Tokyo on 2 September 1945.
Jimmy is survived by his Wife and Son, to whom we offer our sincere condolences.
Lt. Cdr. Ken Cooper.
Joined Royal Navy in 1935, Ships included CURLEW, FOXHOUND, IVANHOE, (released captured Merchant Seamen from the ALTMARK, and was on IVANHOE when she was later mined and sunk), ACHATES (two Russian Convoys), MEYNELL (D Day), CHEQUERS and WOODBRIDGE HAVEN, commended for his work during North Sea Floods of 1953, CORUNNA, GAMBIA, WIZARD and CHICHESTER.
Ken retired in 1980 with 45 years Service.
Ken died on June 7th 2005, aged 87.
Stan Coulding
On a sad note I wish to advise you on behalf of the Rockingham Branch of the Royal Navy Association that my good friend and shipmate Stan Coulding passed over the bar on Sunday 11th September. He was meeting friends from overseas at the airport. They were all to attend a HMS Ganges reunion being held here. He was walking back to his car with them and suddenly collapsed.
Despite attempts at resuscitation Stan passed away.
He was a serving member of our local council and will be very much missed by all that knew him.
He served as a tel/signalman on HMS Gambia in I think 1952/54.
I will be attending a service for him on Friday and will pass on the
condolences of the HMS Gambia Association to his family. I trust this will be in order.
Yours aye,
Terry Craig
This page was last updated: October 29, 2008
Commander Richard Tibbatts DSC RN
Richard (Dick) Tibbatts, was Commander of HMS Gambia for the 1957 - 1958 Commission. He was a Submariner during WW2, and it only came to my notice that he had crossed the Bar purely by chance.
I am grateful to Leo Butler, who kindly made some enquiries about Dick, and was able to provide me with a telephone number of his widow.
I did speak to Mrs Tibbatts, but she was not able to provide me with any information, other than the date of his death.
Apparently Dick passed away in New Zealand, having served lastly with the Malayan Navy as Commandant at the Malay Naval Base in Singapore.
Dick was an avid equestrian, and trained many horsemen in Malaya. Upon his retirement he settled in New Zealand.
Royal Marine Richard James Jones
Born Rushden Northants
On the 5th October 1922
Loving Husband of the late Amy Jones (nee Whiteley),
Much loved and respected Father of Anthony and Michael.
Passed away peacefully in his sleep on the
4th April 2003 , at home,
Unit 1 Yorketown Road
Minlaton South Australia.
Hi Bill,
Our father Keith Laidlaw was a Coder on the Gambia for the whole time that the Gambia was involved in WW2. Dad joined the Gambia from the Achilles when she was commissioned. Dad had joined the Achilles just after the Battle of River Plate. Dad was very active in the RSA and Ex Naval Men's Association and he attended the Cruiser Reunions that were held in Hokitika, NZ. Dad died on 13 February 1993 and he always enjoyed the company of his former shipmates right through his life after he returned to civilian life when WW2 ended in 1945. Dad was from Invercargill in Southland and he was a man who proudly volunteered to serve his country. Dad is lovingly remembered by his 2 children and 6 grandchildren, and his loving wife, our mother, died on 9 November 2002.
Kind regards.
Keith Laidlaw Jnr (son)
Pauline Strong (daughter)
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Our hearts ache so much for you
We dreamed last night of heaven
As we followed you there
We felt your presence, heard your heart,
We almost touched your hair.
We remember crying
Just because we missed you so
Though we were right behind you
We didn't want you to go.
We begged for a reminder
To help us see your face
A thing to hold and touch
But it left an empty place.
We looked for you in everything
We asked for you by name
We know that you were with us there
We'll never be the same.
We dreamed last night of Heaven
We ache for one more glimpse
Of the love we felt while near you
And the beautiful heart we miss.
Anon
O Lord God, when thou givest to thy servants to endeavour any great matter, grant us also to know that it is not the beginning but the continuing of the same until it be thoroughly finished which yieldeth the true glory;
Through him that for the finishing of the work laid down his life, Our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sir Francis Drake (1540-1596)
DRAKE'S PRAYER
Crossing the Bar
By Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the
Boundless deep
Turns again home.
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness or farewell,
When I embark;
For tho’ from out our bourne of
Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.
A Smile From God
Lt Cdr F.J. Hackney
Lt James 'Jim' Quinn
Lt Cdr P.R.B. Bennett
Captain A.R.E. Bishop
Information of the above came from the June 2008 Newsletter, as you can see, no details of when they crossed the Bar. Could you put this right?
Onslow, William Robert December 30, 1933 - August 19, 2008
Bill Onslow passed away suddenly in Victoria, B.C., August 19, 2008, at the age of 74. Bill is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Doreen, sons Bill and wife Denise, and Chris and Maureen; sister Cynthia in the UK, brothers David in Australia and Barry in Ontario. Cherished Granddad to Samantha, Brittany, Grant, Brendan, Lauren and Aaron.
Bill was a policeman on the Medicine Hat City Police Force from 1961 - 1971 and served as a Major in the South Alberta Light Horse. He also served in the Royal Navy during the 1950's and police forces in the UK, Regina, and Labrador City.
A memorial service celebrating Bill's life was held
on August 23, 2008, in Victoria.
Tribute to Alan speakman
"LEVERTON" Peter George.
Died peacefully at home in Falmouth after a long illness. Much loved and missed by his wife Pauline, his children and grandchildren. Funeral was held at Trelawney Chapel, Penmount Crematorium, Truro on Wednesday September 17th 2008.
No flowers were requested but, donations to:-
Cancer Research UK,
c/o Terry Tregunna,
Funeral Director,
49, Kenwyn Street,
Truro,
TR1 3DB.
More than two hundred mourners turned out for Jims funeral, which shows what such high esteem he was held in by not only Shipmates but others too.
R.D.C. 1968. J.P. 1961. Hon. Burgess of Dunfermline, 1960.
