Military Veterans Celebrate Trafalgar Way Ride Completion
Torbay Branch Newsletter September 26
Shipmates, posted on behalf of Torbay Branch:
“Fellow Torbay Area Associations & Friends please see the latest edition of our Branch Newsletter.
Please note the invitation to join us at our October meeting as we have a presentation by Sarah Henwood from the Personalised Care Team at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust. This is related to the benefits of Cancer Screening.
This goes out to Branches and Associations around our Bay and further afield. I hope you and your members find it interesting.”
Pam’s 100 years of an amazing Life
Pam Warner of the Bridport Branch of the Royal Naval Association celebrated her 100th birthday on 4th September 2026.
She hosted an Open Door event at her home from 12 noon, and asked anyone who knew her to pop in and help her relive those memories and celebrate her milestones.
What a life she got to relive with them. She received a wonderful cake and a letter from The First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff – General Sir Gwyn Jenkins KCB OBE ADC RM.
PAMS STORY – In May 1944, during one of the most critical periods of the Second World War, Mrs Warner volunteered to join the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS). She was the youngest of three friends who had volunteered and was the last to join.
Her wartime service began at New College, where she was in Sick Bay on D-Day, 6 June 1944. She vividly remembered waking early and hearing coded radio messages being broadcast to agents in France. A few hours later, she and those around her realised that the long-awaited Allied invasion had begun.
Having missed her Wireless Telegraphy course because she was in Sick Bay, she was offered the opportunity to train instead as a Writer (Pay). She was sent to Highgate Hill in London, where she completed the course and came top of her class, qualifying for her rate.
She was subsequently posted to Chatham and then to HMS Beehive at Felixstowe, where she worked in the pay office supporting the Coastal Forces. HMS Beehive was a busy and strategically important naval base, and her work played a vital part in keeping personnel paid, supplied and able to carry out their duties.
Her time at Felixstowe coincided with the terrifying V-1 flying-bomb attacks. She experienced one particularly close call when a flying bomb struck nearby as she and her colleagues were leaving their accommodation. Holding on to the doorway protected her from the blast, but several of the women behind her were knocked to the floor. She immediately helped to pick them up and continued with her duties. The V-1 attacks became an almost daily part of life, with the women hearing the weapons approaching and the sound of anti-aircraft fire as attempts were made to shoot them down.
Despite the dangers, there were also memorable and lighter moments. She recalled the American servicemen who were stationed nearby and the dances and social events they organised. One particularly special occasion was being invited to a Glenn Miller concert held in an airship hangar at Bedford. The concert included WRNS personnel as well as American servicemen and others, and she remembered it as a wonderful evening. Glenn Miller disappeared only days later, making the memory all the more poignant.
During her service she also met the man who would become her husband. Their first encounter came when he arrived seeking a railway warrant to Bristol after injuring his finger. Mrs Warner, then an Essex girl unfamiliar with Bristol’s Temple Meads station, asked where Temple Meads was. Later, she discovered that he was the brother of one of her colleagues. Their relationship developed during this extraordinary period of wartime service, and they eventually married in a simple registry-office ceremony, with just two witnesses, when wartime circumstances made a traditional wedding impossible.
On VE Day, Mrs Warner was briefly at Newmarket Races with her father before returning to Felixstowe. Soon afterwards came another extraordinary moment in her naval career: the arrival of the German E-boats to surrender at Felixstowe. She witnessed the boats entering the harbour and remembered the enormous sense of occasion as everyone gathered to see them arrive.
The surrender also brought practical responsibilities. Ammunition had to be removed from the German vessels and disposed of safely. Mrs Warner was invited aboard one of the surrendered boats, RML 547, to accompany the crew as they took ammunition out into the North Sea. It was an unforgettable experience — although her realisation that she was becoming extremely seasick led her to conclude that she was never going to make a proper sailor!
After the war, Mrs Warner continued her naval service rather than being immediately demobilised. Personnel in essential occupations had to remain in service until their demobilisation numbers were called. She returned to Chatham and was then posted to HMS Wildfire III at Sheerness Dockyard, where she continued working in the pay office, supporting a large naval establishment that included submariners and other personnel.
By this time she had been promoted to Leading Wren. She subsequently undertook a Petty Officers’ course, passed the examination and, following an Admiralty Fleet Order allowing those who had qualified to be promoted immediately, became a Petty Officer.
With an excess of Petty Officers at Sheerness, she was transferred to London, where she worked in an office on the Embankment dealing with Royal Naval Reserve officers. She continued in this role for several months until her demobilisation became due. Even then, a further spell in Sick Bay delayed her departure, and she finally left the Service towards the end of 1946.
Her career was characterised by dedication, adaptability and a strong sense of responsibility. Her work in naval pay offices may have been behind the scenes, but it was essential to the smooth running of the Service. One memorable incident demonstrated just how important that responsibility could be. A group of sailors returned after spending months overseas without receiving their pay. With the men waiting to go on leave and the pay office unable to provide sufficient cash, Mrs Warner helped persuade the authorities to arrange for the bank to open specially. The money was obtained, the sailors were paid, railway warrants were issued, and the men were finally able to leave.
Although her naval career formally ended in 1946, her connection with the Royal Navy community continued for the rest of her life. She became deeply involved with the Royal Naval Association (RNA) and served in a number of important roles, including Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.
When she began her involvement, the branch had approximately 110 members. Over more than 30 years she witnessed membership gradually decline to around 50, as well as attending numerous funerals and seeing generations of naval comrades pass on. Nevertheless, she remained committed to keeping the Association active and supportive.
She described the RNA as hugely supportive and took great pleasure in the friendships, activities and sense of community it provided. She and her husband were also involved in bringing together members of the RNA and the local Royal Air Force Association, creating many opportunities for fellowship and social gatherings.
In recognition of her outstanding and sustained commitment, Mrs Warner was made a Life Member of the Royal Naval Association.
Her story is therefore much more than that of a woman who joined the WRNS during the final years of the Second World War. From D-Day and the V-1 attacks to the surrender of the German E-boats, from working in naval pay offices to rising to Petty Officer, she played her part in some extraordinary chapters of Britain’s history.
Her service at HMS Beehive in Felixstowe placed her at the heart of vital Coastal Forces operations during a decisive period of the war, while her subsequent service at HMS Wildfire III at Sheerness Dockyard contributed directly to maintaining the readiness and effectiveness of the post-war fleet.
Her experiences also form part of the wider story of women in the Armed Forces. Through her commitment, professionalism and willingness to serve wherever she was needed, she helped demonstrate the valuable contribution women could make to Britain’s military services and helped pave the way for future generations of women in uniform.
More than 80 years after she first volunteered, her contribution remains an enduring legacy. Her memories provide a remarkable personal window into the Second World War, while her decades of commitment to the Royal Naval Association demonstrate that her sense of service did not end when she left the WRNS.
Mrs Warner’s lifetime of service, dedication and comradeship is a remarkable achievement and a lasting source of inspiration.
Happy 100th Birthday, Pam!
Torbay Branch Newsletter August 26
Shipmates, posted on behalf of Torbay Branch:
“This Newsletter goes out to Branches and Associations around our Bay and further afield. I hope you and your members find it interesting.
There’s not much in the way of social function invitations in this edition but if you would like to pass on or share invitations which would be of interest to other ex-service colleagues. please do let me know and I will add these to the next available edition.
“
@Ease – or so they tried!
The RNAMCC (Royal Naval Association Motorhome, Camping and Caravan) Group headed off for a festival in the countryside for yet another weekend or so of R&R. Members from Area 4 and several other RNA Areas around the country arrived in units big and small.
Aptly named the @Ease Festival, one organised by Veterans for Veterans – 
17 from the RNAMCC group attended and even managed to recruit 3 more possible members to their own group.
AT E@SE is a music & camping event for veterans, their families (including dogs) & supporters. All bands have Armed Forces links and all profits go to a chosen Military charity.
The Festival aims to be a gathering where you can be yourself and mix with other like-minded individuals – an ethos very much mirrored by the RNAMCC. It involved a LOT of socialising with quizzes, stores and slops to purchase, raffles, singing (some of it dubious) and sometimes just chilling with a glass of wine – read that as staying hydrated in our 4th heatwave of this year.
The RNAMCC group was the smallest of all those 
who joined in, but the wave of flags and ensigns shone bigger and brighter and they aim to attend again next year with even more members.
At E@se have their own Facebook page – full details can be found here
Further details about the RNAMCC can be found here or contact Ron Shilton (Lead Admin) rnamcc@outlook.com or Annette Laurie (PRO & Communications Lead) commsrnamcc@outlook.com
Veteran Petty Officer Malcolm Ratcliff
The recent funeral of veteran Petty Officer Malcolm Ratcliff, held at Bodmin crematorium, was well attended by various branch shipmates and RBL members.
While Malcolm wasn’t RNA, he was part of the West Country Gunnery Association and Area 4 were requested by RBL County Chairman and Area 4 Shipmate Mark Bardsley MSM to parade Standards.
He was married with two sons and lived in Looe. He was only 58 and taken far too early after a serious illness. The dress code was Hawaiian.
RIP shipmate.
Bodmin Branch Barbecue and Hands to Bathe
The Bodmin Branch of the Royal Naval Association held its annual summertime BBQ event this year.
Hosted by Shipmates Fiona and Gary Hawkey, over half the Branch members attended for an afternoon in the sweltering sunshine.
Hands to Bathe duly called, the paddling pool provided lots of fun for little ones and with plenty of shade for older ones, the venue backs onto the famous Bodmin and Wenford Heritage Steam Railway, which was unfortunately not running that day.
A full barbecue menu and salads were served up followed by a Cornish cream tea of scones, jam and cream were served but unfortunately, the age old question of jam first or cream first raised its head and was not settled once and for all.
Bodmin Branch is open to all serving and former serving members of the Royal Navy and any others who feel affiliated and align to the RNA ethos. Please feel free to get in touch, the shipmates would make you feel more than welcome. They meet on the first Friday of every month at Bodmin Bowls Club at 7.30pm
Contact S/M Annette Laurie Hon Secretary 07802896505 or annette.laurie@blueyonder.co.uk
RNA Open Day Brings Shipmates Together in Portsmouth
The Royal Naval Association recently welcomed shipmates from the Portland and Torfaen & District Branches to Central Office for a special RNA Open Day in Portsmouth.
The visit provided a wonderful opportunity for members to meet the Central Office team, hear the latest updates from National Chair Andy Christie, and spend time catching up with fellow shipmates. Throughout the day, old friendships were renewed, new connections were made, and there was no shortage of dits, laughter and good company.
A huge thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the event such a success, including Area 3 President Soapy Watson, and Steve for their support and contributions throughout the day.
The Royal Naval Association remains committed to supporting shipmates, preserving our naval heritage and fostering lifelong friendship across the naval community. We are also grateful to the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity, whose grant funding helped make this activity possible.
Over 100 Veterans and Families Gather in Oxfordshire
After almost a year in the planning by an amazing admin team and financed in part with a grant from the RNRMC (Royal Marines Royal Navy Charity), Naval veterans, RAF veterans, partners and a host of furry, four legged friends, descended on the Oxfordshire countryside from all over the UK and parts of Europe for the RNAMCC (Royal Naval Association Motorhome, Caravan and Camping) group’s annual Big Meet.
Hardwick Park near Witney played host to the gathering, held to rekindle old friendships, make new ones, remember old ‘oppos and have fun.
Reducing isolation and reaching out to be inclusive to all, the event started 5 years ago by 14 people all involved with the Falklands Conflict and who wanted to see if anyone else may be interested. Within two years the SCG (Sports & Comradeship Group) grew to over 700 members.
The Big Meet V for this year had a waiting list after all 67 pitches sold out fast, there was no stopping the 
attendees as The Rum Bosun introduced the Tot Time each day at noon and the following 5 days were filled with a whole host of events ranging from sing a long sea shanty time, scavenger hunt, ladies get together with quizzes, bingo, whose who? and the men’s beer and cider tasting sessions. The theme for this year was Beach Party / Hawaiian / Caribbean and the colours of the outfits were vibrant. With an interesting pirate or 2, many, many questionable Reggae outfits and a little bit of the old Hawaiian thrown in, the Limbo competition took place and some went over, not so many went under.
The Horse Racing evening raised funds from which a donation of £100 was made to Scarves for Falklands Veterans who produce items in the SAMA colours and Darwin the giant penguin was donated by attendee Dawn Easterbrook – and is now the Group’s mascot.
More funds were raised after three days of raffles took place with everything from bottles – of everything you could imagine (Including household detergent) to teddy bears, penguins, a solar light “Tommy” and more. The generosity of people donating was second to none.
Sunday saw a Remembrance Service take place with a short service, wreath laying and placing of small crosses for those still held dear in people’s memories.
The beach BBQ (but not quite on the beach!) was catered for by the crazy chefs for the day whilst others played giant Jenga, Connect 4 or tried their best at the limbo competition. 
When it got too hot, shipmates just took themselves off for a swim in the onsite lake which proved a welcome relief in the temperature which ranged between 25 and 33 degrees over the days.
While the gentlemen enjoyed a few drinks together, the ladies didn’t miss out having their own afternoon of high tea, cakes and sandwiches. All dressed up in their finest and while the bubbles flowed once they reached their limits of gastronomic delights, they invited the chaps over from their lowly corner of the field to come and join in and devour the rest of what was left. The ladies afternoon evolved from feedback from last year where a WRENs event took place but it was felt that the non Wren ladies may have felt left out – not so this year – all ladies in it together, as they say!
Call rounds happened morning noon and night. The flags were flying amazingly, while the slop stores did a roaring trade.
One of the highlights of the whole event was Defaulters with the miscreants being brought before Table, charged, always found guilty and receiving their punishment of dried biscuit coated in strong chilli sauce. Evening colours took place on the Monday evening before shipmates weighed anchor and departed on the Tuesday.
The aim of the meet was achieved, get together with old friends, make new ones, enjoy the comradeship and empathy of those that “get us”, feel included, and never alone and whether you are 10 years old (the youngest helper and OD Danny from Czech Republic) or almost 90 years old, whether you are in a wheelchair, have a tent or a motorhome – everyone is welcome and ALL are included.
Thanks again to the RNRMC for enabling us to 
put this event on and we will be back for Big Meet VI in 2027 – just follow us on Facebook at Royal Naval Association Motorhome Caravan and Camping Club or email Ron Shilton – RNAMCC@outlook.com or Annette Laurie – commsrnamcc@outlook.com
New member welcomed to Chard Branch
Last night Chard branch President was on hand to welcome our latest associate member (former British Army veteran) Chris Brandes to the branch. S/m Malcolm Day presented Chris with his RNA welcome pack and Identity card at the beginning of a quiet social evening.
Part of the evening saw the drawing of the ‘Pick a ship’ raffle draw which had been running for the past 3 months with the winning ship drawn out belong to the new member S/m Chris the second one drawn belonging to S/m Paula and the third one to S/m Bill with the branch receiving a donation from the proceeds.
Images by S/m Mike Kirkland
Report S/m Dick Moon