|
BRANCH
OFFICIALS
Branch President; Bernard Leaver
Branch Chairman; Lindsay Boyle
Branch Secretary; Peter Wilkie
Branch Welfare Officer; Frank Brown
Branch Chaplain; Keith Baines
Committee member; Barbara Murphy
ATHERTON R.N.A BRANCH HISTORY
Atherton Royal Naval Association was commissioned as a Branch
on the 8th of November 1983, and in 2003 saw us celebrate our 20th Anniversary.
The idea of a local R.N.A. goes back a bit further than that.
As we know people get chatting at social occasions and down at the
local pub and it came about that there were quite a few
ex-matelots resident in the Atherton area. They came from a
variety of backgrounds and covered a wide range of age groups.
The Secretary-elect at that time, Shipmate Jack Richards, wrote
to the R.N.A. Headquarters in London for guidance, and from humble
beginnings the Branch held its first meeting in June,1983. There
were five further founder members present - Frank Wilson, Fred
Wilcox, Tommy Proctor, Mike Needham and Jack Gibbons and others
soon joined them. Before long things snowballed and the membership
began to grow.
Monthly meetings were held at the Sailors & Soldiers Club in
High Street, Atherton, on the second Thursday of each month. This
meeting date has continued ever since, but sadly to say, the
Sailors & Soldiers Club is no longer in being and closed down in
the September of 2001. Meetings are now held at the
ATHERTON ARMS, Tyldesley Road, Atherton, which is close by.
(see picture below)
On the 12th August 1986, Commander M.E. White, Royal Navy,
approved the Branch's request to be affiliated to the
Swiftsure-Class Submarine HMS Sceptre. Over the years we have had
some memorable times on board the Sceptre and have attended a
re-commissioning at Devonport and a re-dedication at Rosyth. As
recently as June, 2001, we were able to visit Faslane and Rosyth
to commemorate the centenary of the Submarine Service with our
friends on board Sceptre. Members of the Sceptre's ship's company
have visited us to celebrate our tenth anniversary and to join us
on Remembrance Sunday's.
HMS Sceptre is also affiliated to the town of Wigan and when
the Wigan Branch of the R.N.A. was formed in the mid 90's they
also became affiliated to the vessel.
We try to organise trips and ships visits whenever possible and
have recently been on board HM Ships Lancaster, Orwell,
Northumberland, and Cromer to name but a few, and have also
visited a number of other R.N.A. Clubs in our area.
Several of our branch members belong to other Associations
including the LST & Landing Craft Association, the Ton Class
Association, HMS Collingwood Association and the St Austell Bay
Association, so there is always something to chat about. We also
have close ties to the Wigan Sea Cadet Unit, T.S. Sceptre.
Currently the branch has 19 Members and we are always willing
to accept new Members and Associate Members. If you are already an R.N.A. member visiting the area please come along to one of our
meetings and help to "Swing the Lamp".
|
