HMS Diamond-2012

So where to start ? – maybe why I got to be part of this experience.

I finished my work in PNG in December ‘11 after 4 years as a contractor to a Law and Justice Program on an island called Bougainville and decided that I wouldn’t renew my contract and secondly that I would take a year of travel round a few Countries. So far, starting in January, I have been in Germany, France, Switzerland, England, Scotland, Lebanon, Greece, Turkey, Jordan, Cyprus, UAE, Egypt, Israel and back to Crete in Greece for this ceremony. I am now in Macedonia having flown to Albania for a look around there and next I think will be Bulgaria and up through the Balkan States and Eastern and Central Europe hopefully ending up in Estonia in a few months time.

A few months ago my mother, Mary mentioned the possibility of Ed van Lierde (Royal Rotterdam Lloyd Museum) being invited onto the HMS Diamond as it passed through Greece on its way to deployment in the Gulf. If you look at the website of the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd Museum it goes into detail about the 70th anniversary commemoration of the sinking of the Slamat, Diamond and Wryneck held in Rotterdam last year. Invited to that commemoration last year were Ian Clarke, who was and is the Commanding Officer (Captain) of the HMS Diamond, and 7 of his crew (all were present on the ship during the ceremony).

Like Ed and Frans Luidinga (son of the ss Slamat Captain also killed along with Len and 981 others) and Mary and you all and many other people, Ian was very passionate about this sinking of his ship’s namesake and so in contact with Ed it was arranged to hold a memorial service over the given coordinates of the Diamond’s sinking/resting place. The Wryneck is believed to be relatively close by and the Slamat some kilometres away.

So it came to be that I was nearby in the Middle East and that coincided with this ceremony (a date could never be set in concrete due to ships trials etc but it was a punt Ed and Frans and I took in booking tickets to Crete at that time hoping it would pay off). Ed managed to get an invitation for Frans Luidinga and me and he took a two man film crew to record the event. Ed and the film crew are putting a documentary together on ‘Operation Demon’ and this commemoration. The Film crew are Arend Schmale and Ton Kellner both from Holland. They gave of their time completely for free to do this and spent 7 days in Crete with us.

Left – Film crew: Ahrend Schmale and Ton Kellner

I had heard of Frans and Ed and all they had done prior to this ceremony but I had never met them until we all arrived in Chania, Crete, Greece on the 22nd of June. They couldn’t have been more hospitable and we spent the 23rd ,24th and 25th getting things in order for the trip – expecting to leave on the 26th and overnight on the ship and return on the 27th. It turns out this was brought forward a day.

At this point can I say such a big thank you to all who sent messages either hand written or e.mailed. I received them all. Ed brought with him two thermoses. One had, as you can see by the photos, the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd logo on it and in it were placed all the names of the 983 killed on the 27th of April 1941. He also gave our family one and laminated a photo of Len and a map of New Zealand and stuck those to the outside of the thermos as you can also see in some of the photos. Inside we placed all the written words to Len that you sent as well as a NZ ANZAC poppy and a sprig of rosemary.

Ed, Frans and I went to the beach on the day of the 25th and filled each capsule with sand to weigh it down so it would sink where we were to throw them overboard at the site of the Diamond sinking. You can see some photos of us filling them up and how they looked.

We also had three fresh flower wreaths locally made for the ceremony; one for Len and I took the liberty of making it from all of his family. On the wreath I attached two quotes. One was an extract I took from a letter Ga had written to Len, believing him to still be alive :”…your love helps me always. I love you with everything in me. Kisses from the wee girls and all my love my own dearest for always and always. You are never out of my heart and thoughts, your own Joanie”. And also I attached a quote from Len in a letter he had written to Ga (from the poem that is featured in ‘posted love’)… “I am fighting for my King because the old traditions rouse me. I am fighting for my Country because my Country’s cause is still the best cause in the world: and I am fighting for you and our children because you are my life”.

The other two wreaths were for Frans’ father from Frans and family and one wreath was from the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd Museum from Ed for all killed at this time.

So all five of us were picked up by a couple of the HMS Diamond crew on the afternoon of the 25th. The HMS Diamond was in port, not at Souda as we thought but at a smaller Greek Naval base about 20 minutes from Chania (If you are wondering when you get to see all the photos why there are no photos from us of the ship from port it is because filming in and around the base was prohibited). We boarded the ship and were greeted by Logistics Officer Lieutenant Commander Simon Boon and 10 minutes later by HMS Diamond Commander Captain Ian Clarke.

Dinner over and we all retired to the Officers Ward and then bed about midnight. During the night the ship sailed to the site of the Diamond’s and Wryneck’s sinking and when we woke early in the morning we were already over the site.

The ceremony was set to start at 06.00 and prior to it commencing we all went up to the bridge and took some time to reflect. The morning was so very still and the sea was as calm as it could be. We were up before sunrise so it was quite dark and eerie, almost misty – perfect really for the sombreness of the ceremony about to unfold.

I am told it doesn’t always happen but for this ceremony the whole of the crew (bar those needed to keep the ship going) were present – some 200 crew all immaculately turned out. You can probably see from the photos that the ceremony took place on the rear deck of the ship (usually where the choppers land etc so plenty of room) and the crew were all lined up in formation facing to where our seating was and we were facing the Chaplain and the Commander and some of his Officers.

Tears of emotion for Granddad …………….. Lennox Douglas

The ceremony continued to its conclusion and by this time the sun was up and it remained the most amazing calm sea. Ed and his film crew then did an interview with Frans and I, and as I watched Frans being interviewed unbeknownst to me the ship had done a complete circle and we saw all of our wreaths floating away again which was such a special sight. It is hard to describe but it kind of represented to me that even in that small time frame our respects to Len and fellow crew would still carry on.

After the ceremony we had breakfast together and then we were treated to the most amazing and complete tour of the ship. This was great for the film crew and their footage but special for Frans who had never been on a warship and I was fascinated by the whole workings so I stuck with the film crew the whole day, including putting on overalls and going through the whole engine room etc.

I have to say I was so impressed by the hospitality and professionalism we were shown by every member of the crew we came in contact with. Every department (Engineers, Kitchen, Laundry, Officers, etc) dropped whatever they were doing to show us around their part of the ship and to explain their specific roles etc and did so with such amazing enthusiasm. Commander Clarke should certainly be very proud of all his crew and how they operated.

The great thing for me was that for the three days Frans and Ed and I had in Crete after this ceremony and even after they had left we kept seeing crew members who were lucky enough to be granted shore time and again all were fantastic then too and a few beers and coffees were had with some crew even ashore. I think as one group I caught up with said, when it comes to lives lost at sea fighting in a war they have a special respect and it means more to them than other ceremonies, and it hits home it could be them, so I think for some this ceremony was special to them too and one that will be remembered.

Once ashore Ed did not stop his tireless work for remembering the lives lost and so he spoke with a reporter from the local paper and as a result a full colour page article was written on the ceremony. He also was interviewed by the television news team. Ed and Frans also visited the local maritime museum and as a result Ed and the director of that museum will cooperate in future. He also hopes to hear from the Rear Admiral of the Greek Navy and maybe more information (footage for the Slamat/Diamond/Wryneck documentary) will come through those channels.

For me it is difficult to describe the whole week in Crete. I think the ceremony was done very professionally and with the respect and care you all would have wanted. I feel so lucky that I was in a position to attend but I feel sorry that many of you who really should have had this opportunity weren’t there and above anyone I speak of Cass, Annie and Mary. I am so very proud that as a family you all expressed your thoughts and words to Len and I hope in some way that Frans’ and Ed’s and my being there and the laying of the wreaths and the delivering of your words goes in some way to your paying your respects to so close where it is believed Len died.

It was so very kind, and that is an understatement, of Commanding Officer Ian Clarke and his crew to facilitate this ceremony and without his and Ed’s dedication to this ceremony it would surely never have happened.

I hope that you will soon have access to all the photos and documents of this time and the next thing will be a special DVD (within 2 to 3 month) with footage of this impressive commemoration, this footage will be part of the documentary but that is at least one to two years away and I understand the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd Museum hopes to release it whichever year it is completed on the 27th of April.

Lots of love to you all.

Kate xox

Last Tuesday a special honor and memory event took place on board the British Royal Navy destroyer, HMS Diamond for about a thousand victims of three ships that were bombed by German planes on April 27, 1941 some 80 nautical miles, roughly, North of Crete.

The history of this tragedy
Among the countless tragic stories that happened in World War II is the disaster with the Dutch passenger ship SLAMAT, which was transformed in 1941 into trooptransporter and operated under the control of British War Department to assist in the evacuation of 60,000 soldiers of the allied forces (Australian , British and New Zealanders), an operation with the the code name “Demon”!

SLAMATHERDENKING – 2007

HMS Diamond crew poserend bij het, even daarvoor, onthulde Slamatmonument.

De vertegenwoordigers van de Britse Koninklijke Marine met Frans Luidinga (zoon van de Slamat Gezagvoerder, Tjalling Luidinga – 5e van rechts) en Ed van Lierde (Grondlegger en bestuursvoorzitter van het Koninklijke Rotterdamsche Lloyd Museum – 4e van rechts).

Captain Lambourn, British Defence Attaché voor de Benelux (3e van rechts),

Commander Ian Clarke Commanding Officer van het HMS Diamond (2e van rechts),

Lt. Commander Allen (1e van rechts) en verder: PO Morris, PO Berry, LS James, LET Barnes, LET Chadwick, LSC Meggeson.

Het Slamatmonument bij het Koninklijke Rotterdamsche Lloyd Museum te Oudehorne

DE NIEUWE HMS DIAMOND – 2010

DE EERSTE COMMANDANT VAN HMS DIAMOND D-34

COMMANDER IAN B. CLARKE

Commandant Ian B. Clarke is geboren in 1972 en groeide op in Elms Vale (Dover). De vader van twee dochters met prachtige blauwe ogen (2011) werd in 1992, na het succesvol afronden van het Britannia Koninklijk Marine College, oorlogs-officier. Hij nam, tijdens vulcanische uitbarstingen, met de destroyer HMS Newcastle deel aan de Montserrat-missie. In 2003 kwam hij aan boord van de destroyer HMS Manchester en hielp bij het onderscheppen van trans-Caraibische- drugsvaarten. In 2005 behaalde hij zijn Masters op de Universiteit van Kingston (technologie – Maritieme operaties). Commandant Clarke voerde in de periode 2007-2009 het bevel over het Offshore Patrouilleschip HMS Tyne, waarbij hij regelmatig Visserijbeschermingstaken in de Straat van Dover uitvoerde. In juni 2010 verkreeg hij het commando over de meest moderne luchtverdedigings-destroyer ter wereld, HMS Diamond. Ian B. Clarke is een verwoed zeiler en beoefent het Skiën en onderwaterduiken.

HET EERSTE BUITENLANDSE BEZOEK VAN HMS DIAMOND WILELMSHAVEN-DUITSLAND: 21 juli 2011

Het oorlogschip van de Britse Koninklijke Marine, het HMS Diamond bezocht de Duitse haven, Wilhelmshaven in de periode van 21 tot 24 juli 2011. De nieuwste aanwinst van de Britse Koninklijke Marine heeft haar basis in Portsmouth aan de Zuidkust van Engeland. Het was aanvankelijk de bedoeling als eerste buitenlandse haven, de Nederlandse Marinebasis te Den Helder aan te doen, maar ten gevolge van een gebrek aan kaderuimte aldaar moest HMS Diamond naar Duitsland uitwijken. Aldus markeerde zij als gast van de Marinebasis te Wilhelmshaven haar eerste overzeese bezoek in ‘volle dienst’ bij de Britse Koninklijke Marine. Gezagvoerder van de 190 koppen tellende bemanning, Commandant Ian Clarke zei: “Het is altijd een groot genoegen Duitsland en de Duitse Marine, met wie wij zulke nauwe en professionele banden hebben, te bezoeken”, hij voegde daaraan toe: “Mijn team heeft sinds HMS Diamond in September 2010 de scheepswerf verliet uitzonderlijk hard gewerkt en dit bezoek is een goede manier om de indienststelling van de luchtverdedigings-destroyer te markeren”.

 

FOTO’s AANKOMST HMS DIAMOND

HMS Diamond komt rustig aanvaren	HMS Diamond meert aan in Wilhelmshaven :21 juli 2011
De gangway ……………………………………………………………………………..	Appèl aan de wal
HMS Diamond-bemanning in diamantvorm opgesteld op het achterdek	Vijf bemanningsleden laten trots hun petband zien ……………………………………………………………………………

RECEPTIE HMS DIAMOND IN WILHELMSHAVEN – 21 juli 2011

Tijdens haar korte verblijf in Wilhelmshaven was het HMS Diamond niet open voor het publiek. Enkele uren na aankomst werd aan boord een persconferentie gehouden waarbij Commander Ian Clarke en zijn bemanning de Duitse Marine, waaronder Admiraal verwelkomde. Ook de diplomatieke vertegenwoordigers werden gebriefd over de mogelijkheden die dit nieuwe type oorlogschip aan elke multinationale militaire operatie kan bieden. Commander Clarke verwelkomende als speciale gast de heer Ed van Lierde, oprichter en bestuursvoorzitter van de Stichting Koninklijke Rotterdamsche Lloyd Museum en zijn echtgenote mevrouw Josje van Lierde-Olivier.

FOTO’S ONTVANGST

HMS Diamond Commander Ian Clarke en Ed van Lierde bij de permanente mini-expositie over de Slamatherdenking

Links: Brugvleugel HMS Diamond – Een hand op toekomstige samenwerking met de Britse vlag als getuige. Rechts: Josje op de Navigatiebrug in de Commanderstoel.