“Battle for the Unicorn” Mess Dinner 8 September 2009:
Grace & Speeches
The Grace (Rev Eric Milton RD RNR)
Eternal Father, Strong to Save
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Before our tender beef is sliced
Or pipe the mainbrace to be spliced
O hear us as we cry to Thee
For Unicorn ‘longside the quay!
Never in anger has she fired a shot,
Yet ‘beat to quarters’ the drummers exhort.
A call to fight, you daughters and sons,
To save our ship from apathy’s guns!
O hear us as we cry to Thee
For Unicorn ‘longside the quay!
“Join battle for UNICORN” goes the cry,
But first, our hunger to satisfy!
Napoleon once said, while crunching a bannock:
“An army marches on its stomach!”
O hear us when we cry to Thee
God bless our victuals ‘longside the quay!
Amen, Amen, Amen
Mess President Introduction (Commodore Angus Sandford CBE RN)
YRH: LP: My Lords:Distinguished Guests:L andG
Welcome onboard the Frigate UNICORN on the special occasion of this ‘Battle for the Unicorn Dinner.’
We are delighted and honoured Ma’am that you are once again gracing a Dinner in this unique ship with your presence. HRH has a packed programme around the UK; but she still finds time to support her charities and undertake representational duties in far corners of the world like: Kossovo, Croatia, Gibraltar, Australia, the Falklands and South Georgia- and her close involvement with the IOC continues apace.
Reverend Eric Milton’s wonderful words ‘Save our ship from apathy’s guns’ amply set out the theme for this evening. I have no doubt the way forward will be a ‘Battle’ both in the Short Term- emphasis on critical Preservation and Maintenance- and in the Long Term- securing the future for this iconic vessel. Strong, committed partnerships hold the key.
The 70th Anniversary of the beginning of WW2 and my forthcoming talk on the Battle of the Atlantic to P7 at Kingsbarns Primary School, now there is a challenge, prompted me to delve in to ‘Freedom’s Battle- The War at Sea’ and ‘Make a Signal’- 3 superb signals!
- Cruiser tryng to secure to head and stern buoys in a congested harbour. Admiral watching from his QD. Cruiser made a smooth approach and appeared to be judging the manoeuvre well. Admiral signalled : Good
Then things started going wrong, missed the buoys, and got tangled up. Admiral again signalled: Add to my previous signal- God.
- In severe winter 1940 when Wrens were buying up all available serge to make trousers one CinC made a signal:
- WRENS CLOTHING IS TO BE HELD UP UNTIL THE NEEDS OF THE FLEET HAVE BEEN SATISFIED.
- In early May 1944 Captain Johnnie Walker in STARLING, with WREN and WILD GOOSE as part of his Escort Group, was in action for over 15 hours against U473. In an effort to escape on her Diesels the U Boat surfaced but after a running gun battle was sunk. Walker made his first signal of the action: Cease firing. Gosh what a lovely battle.
At our Camperdown Dinner 2 years ago I mentioned that there was the prospect of a branch of the V and A Museum opening in Dundee. This prospect has become a much more serious possibility with the Scottish Government confirming financial support- a decision described by the Culture Minister as a ‘No Brainer’- not often I agree with a Scottish Government Minister! This exciting project is expected to create 900 jobs and bring over 130,000 visitors to the City each year.
Our challenge must be to achieve the same ‘clarity of support’ as we strive to ensure that UNICORN joins the V and A and the DISCOVERY on the regenerated Waterfront forming a unique ‘Dundee Triangle’ further enhancing the reputation of a City already to the fore with world class medical research, 2 Universities, a premier College of Art and Design and a vibrant cultural scene underpinned by the DCA and the Dundee Rep.
There is much to be done if we are to be able to claim ‘a lovely battle’ and ‘Save our Ship from apathy’s guns’. Your ongoing support will be essential. It is worth recalling that 2 special ladies, among others, championed the cause of this ship in what was effectively the First Battle for the Unicorn- one was the Royal Patron, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, and the other Mrs Irene Stewart who due to recent surgery cannot be with us this evening. Irene remains a staunch supporter and ‘bonnie fechter’.
Before I introduce HRH I would like to congratulate 3 Naval Officers, 2 of whom are present at our Dinner:
First of all our Chairman, the Earl of Dalhousie, on his recent appointment as Honorary Captain in the Royal Naval Reserve.
Captain Nick Dorman RNR, present CO HMS SCOTIA, on his recent promotion: and we wish him well in his forthcoming appointment as Director of Operational Capability in the RNR.
In absentia Commander Lorne Robertson RNR on his new appointment as CO HMS SCOTIA, his continuing support will be invaluable.
YRH we are indeed privileged that you are dining with us onboard UNICORN this evening at yet another crossroads in the life of this very important ship- can I now ask you Maam to propose the Toast to ‘the successful preservation of the UNICORN.’
Main Speech: HRH The Princess Royal: HMS UNICORN BATTLE HONOURS – THE BATTLE FOR OUR UNICORN
(HRH will be seated in front of the carved Battle Honour scrolls)
I am pleased to be back onboard and to see Unicorn so alive with our supporters tonight. (there were 220 diners onboard).
Unicorns are one of the heraldic symbols of Scotland & supporters of the Royal Arms in Scotland, and almost every Scottish burgh has a carved Unicorn perched on the top of its ‘Merkat Cross’. An earlier Unicorn was the flagship of the old Scots Navy, and there could be few more appropriate ships to preserve in Scotland than HMS Unicorn.
It has long been the tradition within the Royal Navy for a ship to take great pride in the battles fought by her namesakes, and to recognise them as ‘Battle Honours’. HMS Unicorn is no exception.
HMS Unicorn’s Battle Honours range from the Spanish Armada, the first ever Royal Naval battle honour, right up to the Korean War. This last has been know to puzzle visitors to the ship, and was gained by an aircraft carrier which borrowed the (our) name during WW2, while this frigate became HMS Cressy. After the war the carrier was scrapped, and the frigate recovered her own name, together with three fine, new battle honours, Salerno, Okinawa and Korea.
The delightful irony is that the name Unicorn now has one of the highest totals of battle honours of any Royal Navy ship name, more even than Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory, yet our own HMS Unicorn never put to sea in war!
Though she still resolutely served her country. Our War Memorial onboard commemorates those of her Company who went to war and did not return, and (this German naval dirk, will be on the table) belonged to the Captain of the U-boat U2326 which surrendered to Unicorn at the end of WW2. [and it is most appropriate that the Duke of Gloucester will unveiling the Dundee Submarine Memorial next week, just across the dock from here.]
Our Unicorn is now facing a battle every bit as important as those of her predecessors of the name. The battle for her survival, and for her due recognition in her natural home port of Dundee.
HMS Unicorn has now been in Dundee for 136 years. She has embedded herself into the social fabric of Dundee, Fife and Angus in an extraordinary way. Unicorn has indeed earned her place in local history.
Every bit as much as Dundee’s famous seafarer, Admiral Adam Duncan.
HMS Scotia at Rosyth, the modern-day successor to the Royal Naval Reserve divisions in Dundee and Edinburgh, is also well represented here onboard tonight, and it is very appropriate that the RNR recognises and maintains its historic roots.
These connections represent a tiny fraction of the many ways in which HMS Unicorn represents the Royal Navy in the community in Scotland. There are now just FIVE ships in the entire world older than Unicorn. We must ensure her survival.
Toast:
Ladies and Gentlemen, let us rise and drink
“to the successful preservation of our frigate HMS Unicorn”
