The Surface Warship Association
Grey Hulls, Sun Hats & Lots of Sun Cream
On Sunday 10th July, Knightcote Model Boat Club hosted its annual Naval Day at its home water
Warwickshire. Lots of Sun and plenty of sun cream needed.
The SWA attendance with both members and boats was excellent.
Members at the event were John Coster, John Elliott, Robin & Heather Lee, Keith Barnes, Robin Davies and Adrian & Sue Clutterbuck. The SWA display included 2 gazeboes, table clothes, fully uniformed members and lots of excellent model warships. Grey Hulls present included the late Chris Gilson-Taylor and Philip Bellamy’s 7ft long HMS Termagant Which Chris’s grand father commanded at the Battle of Jutland and won the DSO. Other boats included HMS Penelope, HMS Crane, HMS Felixstowe WWII version, KM Graf Spee, HMS Norsuch, HMS Fox and PT 212. Both Felixstowe and Termagant had come from Chris’s late estate in Switzerland – furthest travelled boats? Keith Barns displayed HMS Warship {ex the late Peter Revills model) and HMS Manxman.
John Elliott, SWA member and Knightcote Model Boat Chair person, also exhibited his 2 1:96 scale RN vessels, a County Class Destroyer and a type23 Frigate, both excellent builds. Both are RC on the water. John’s County Class HMS Glamorgan served in the Falkland Islands war.
The furthest travelled member was Robin Davies, who with his passport stamped, left Wales to join us with HMS WWII Trafalger and Tank Landing Craft LCM6.
To the delight of all present, Robin put his large RNLI Hovercraft afloat on the water also.
Adrian & Sue Clutterbuck had their HMS Clyde Batch 2 River class, HMS Amazon WWI
Torpedo Boat Destroyer and A197 Sealyham Royal Marine Auxiliary Service Tug.
One of the event visitors then gave us a big surprise!
A young man was showing considerable interest in HMS Clyde, he said I’ve been on the Clyde. I replied HMS Clyde had been the Falkland Island’s guard ship in the South Atlantic for over 10 years. Yes I know, he said with a grin – she was in the Falklands when I was on board her. Yes it did result in the photo opportunity afterwards.
The day ended with 2 prizes, Best on the Water – Steven Matheson with K49 Compass Rose, a WWII Flower Class Corvette, whilst Best Static was Alan Taylor with his Perkasa MTB, which he had built over 20 years. Both prizes were sponsored by the SWA, plus we later made a donation to the RNLI.
Other attractions included an RNLI stand and a Model Boat Bring and Buy stall, plus the Clubhouse was open for drinks and hot food.
Sorry for the long report, but it really was –(as Wallace & Gromet would say) a Grand day out!!
Hopefully the photos show some of the day – see you next year?