HMS Ark Royal - The Last Farewell

[Fliegenmong]

Anyone have a link to it...I cannot seem to find, amazing as it was.....:D

[david parry]

This one with the MAA;) YouTube - SAILOR TV SERIES 8 YEARS LATER HMS ARK ROYAL SCRAPPED (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gk1TMKTv4x4&feature=related)

[Thomas coupling]

Bumped into John Moffat in Dunkeld last week. He was the pilot who crippled the Bismarck from his swordfish. He's 90 now and only stopped flying a year ago!
He mentioned that when they discovered the Ark Royal at the bottom of the sea, they sent a mini sub to recce it. They took Moffat down to take a look and the mini sub pilot invited John Moffat to do a running landing onto the deck!!!
Who'd have thought he would have done another landing on his Ark Royal all those years later.......at the bottom of the sea! :D:D:eek:

[david parry]

Little Wilf sends his regards;) http://usera.ImageCave.com/scouse/31696_131828380160579_100000002540709_391685_6846190_n(1).jp g

[goofer3]

From the final Noah's News Tuesday 4th October, 1966, at the end of the 5th Commission:
SHORT-TIME IN ARKSVILLE
The current wave of redundancy has now spread as far as Arksville, in Devon. In this Naval Establishment hundreds of men have been laid off and will be given the alternative of working in various parts of the country. Others have been obliged to work on a short-time basis with perhaps half of them, members of the notoriously militant RA Union, working a four-day week.
Many of the men who joined the Establishment two years or more ago have demanded a meeting with the Management to press for what they claim is their right to remain in Arksville where they have lived and worked for such a long time. Having originally accepted employment in Arksville on a commission basis they expect the right to be retained for further commissions. Now they find that in many cases they are forced to work out of Devon and be retained ashore for up to five years before qualifying for the same type of work. This section includes skilled workers of the Fairy Aviation Branch and Branch officials are sending delegates to Naval representatives to drive home the point that these men - whose love of the sea comes second only to aeroplanes - should be permitted more time afloat.
A spokesman for the Management said he had been well satisfied with the work carried out by all the departments in Arksville and this also included the Fairy Aviation men, and he would be only too pleased to see them in this area around 1969 - should there still be work available for them. Meanwhile, the Management expected that they too would be invited to move from Arksville and find work and accommodation further afield, with perhaps little chance of returning. Concluded the spokesman: "We can only wait, and fervently hope....."

Today's Temperatures
London..................57 degrees.
Manchester............62 degrees.
Birmingham...........61 degrees.
Long-range forecast
Arksville....decidedly drafty with a few showers spreading throughout the country.

[pasir]

... Another brave naval airman of the same era - operating from Ark Royal - piloting an ancient 'Stringbag' against the mighty Bismark was R/Adml P Gick DSO OBE - whom I was privileged to meet when he retired from the RN in the early 70's .
A tall slim modest gentleman one would never have associated with
such dangerous exploits. R/Adml. Philip Gick died 2002 - A likeable and gallant gentleman of the old school type.

...

[cybermega]

Guys n Gals,

the sailor tv series is available on dvd for a fiver here: (http://www.freewebstore.org/hardtofind/Sailor_-_1976/p307680_787079.aspx)

The same site also has the Ark Royal tv series from 2003 also for a fiver - here (http://www.freewebstore.org/hardtofind/ARK_ROYAL_2003/p307680_1612650.aspx)

CM.

[david parry]

Pasir.... He was in this flypast that our squadron took part in...The 50 YR FLYPAST Fairey Swordfish (pilot, Rear Admiral P. D. Gick; observer, Rear Admiral H. R.
Janvrin; telegraphist/air gunner, Lt Cdr C. Topliss).

[macymay]

hi iwas wondering if you had any lick finding a copy of the last farewell by ships company ark royal? im trying to get acopy for my dads 81st birthday. Any ideas?? thanks

[david parry]

BBC Sailor: The Complete TV Series [DVD]: Amazon.co.uk: Film & TV=

[Davidsoffice]

There was also a 45rpm record made of the ships crew with Sailing on one side and The Last Farewell ont'other. Disposed of it not that long ago as the turntable packed up.

[Spurlash2]

There's always something SOMEWHERE (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HMS-Ark-Royal-Ships-Company-The-Last-Farewell-Vgc-7-EP-/150629436042).

[6Z3]

What you won't find through Google is the unique recording the BBC sound crew (on board for the Last Farewell recording) kindly made of the entire 824 Squadron aircrew (yes including "AJ"; later Sir Adrian, 2SL and now our man in the Rock!) all crammed into a sweltering cabin 6Y1. 6 deck aft cabin flat was just below the water line, and 6Y1 sat on top of the stbd screw. The recording immortalised on cassette such musical gems as #Ro-tary-tary, #The Heads Song, #Bye Bye Stovie, #Any Old Iron, #Much to my Amazement, #Pack up all your gear and stow, #Back to Cornwall and many more. Wonderful times.

[campbell1]

Can anyone provide me with a contact for John Moffat. I am interested in contacting Lt Comm John Moffat to find out if he knew my father, Lt Comm Alwyn Campbell, who was attached to the same Naval Air Squadron (818) during the period of the sinking of the Bismarck. My father has long passed on but what has puzzled me is that his name doesn't appear in any of the flight crew lists involved in the Bismarck attack and I'm hoping Lt Comm Moffat can provide some form of clarification. I know that my father was involved in the attack because I have a letter he wrote to his parents shortly after the event in which he describes what happened.

Thank you.

[bricklane]

Your best bet is probably to contact the Fleet Air Arm Officers Association. They won't, as you can imagine, give out addresses, but they will, I'm sure, forward a letter. Good luck.

[Halton Brat]

I seem to recall that when Ark Royal was being towed up the Irish Sea, en route to the knacker's yard in Scotland, the 4FTS Hawks from Valley were busy making practice approaches to her deck.

I subsequently saw (on TV) the ship's Master-at-Arms being taken to see the destruction of the Ark. His grief at the sad sight was too much to witness.

HB

[Roadster280]

I subsequently saw (on TV) the ship's Master-at-Arms being taken to see the destruction of the Ark. His grief at the sad sight was too much to witness.

I saw that too. I couldn't help feeling that showing that on TV was a step too far. It must have been daggers through his heart. I was embarrassed just watching it. Goodness knows what that poor guy must have been thinking.