By Rory Murphy
MILITARY personnel and civilians at HM Naval Base Clyde were joined recently by members of the New Zealand Consul and the Royal New Zealand Navy to commemorate the sinking of the Wartime HMS Neptune.
ON Tuesday, December 19, many took a moment out of their day to remember the Leander-class light cruiser which hit an Italian minefield off Tripoli on December 19, 1941, sinking with the loss of 764 lives. Among those who paid the ultimate sacrifice were 150 New Zealanders, making it New Zealand’s worst ever maritime disaster.
This year to mark the 82nd anniversary of the tragedy, Scott Williamson, Honorary Consul for New Zealand in Scotland, accompanied by Commander Wayne Andrew and Commander Jennie Hoadley of the Royal New Zealand Navy attended the service at the HMS Neptune Memorial at the Base.
Scott Williamson said: “It was a privilege and an honour on behalf of the Government and People of New Zealand to be able to remember all those who lost their lives in the sinking of HMS Neptune on 19th December 1941.”
“Although we gathered at Faslane on a wet windy morning in December our passing discomfort really counts for nothing as we recall the horror of all of those on board – particularly the sole survivor. It is at times like this that we appreciate the sacrifice that all these sailors made.”
Commander (Cdr) Peter Noblett, Base Executive Officer, played a key part in organising this year’s Memorial service and was responsible for inviting the special guests from New Zealand.
“It is only since becoming part of HMS Neptune, the shore establishment here at Clyde that I have learned the full story of the disaster and that it was one of the biggest losses to befall the Royal Navy in World War II,” said Cdr Noblett.
“I also learned that Neptune was still an important part of New Zealand history, as with 150 men lost in the disaster, it is the worst maritime loss in the history of the Royal New Zealand Navy and is widely commemorated throughout that country, especially in their Reserve units from which the 150 volunteers had come.”
He continued “It was therefore extremely pleasing to welcome not only the New Zealand Honorary Consul but also two serving Royal New Zealand Navy personnel to the ceremony this year and have the New Zealand Flag and Ensign fly proudly alongside the White Ensign on the Main Mast.”
There was only one survivor of the disaster – 20-year-old Able Seaman Norman Walton – who managed to clamber down the ship’s anchor and find a nearby raft. He was eventually picked up by an Italian ship and spent the next 15 months as a prisoner of war.
When told that no-one else had survived Norman refused to believe it. It wasn’t until he was repatriated in 1943 and the Royal Navy confirmed the story that the reality hit home; even then it was a reality that was “hard to take in”.
Mr Walton visited New Zealand in 1991, to unveil a memorial in Nelson to honour his fallen shipmates. He died aged 84 in 2005.
During the commemoration which was led by HMS Neptune Chaplain, the Reverend Mark Allsopp, wreaths were laid, and the Survivor’s story read by Leading Hand Jhobell Pigganto. Everyone joined in singing the Naval Hymn and the service was brought to a close with the playing of both the New Zealand and the British National Anthems.
On Sunday, December 17, a similar memorial took place in Bluff, New Zealand. The service was attended by the Chief of the Royal New Zealand Navy, Rear Admiral David Proctor, along with present and past navy staff and members of the public.
Photo captions:
- Sailors from HMS Neptune gather at the site’s memorial to the tragedy to pay their respects with Chaplain Reverend Mark Allsopp leading the service.
- Scott Williamson, Honorary Consul for New Zealand in Scotland lays a wreath at the HMS Neptune Memorial.
- Base personnel at the memorial.
- Leading Hand Jhobell Pigganto tells the story of the only survivor of the tragedy.
- Naval Base personnel with the guests from New Zealand and the Memorial.
- The HMS Neptune Memorial at HMNB Clyde.