Latest news with #HMSTartar
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Five feelgood news stories you missed this week as rowers restart Pacific challenge
A pair of female rowers trying to cross the Pacific Ocean after an initial setback is one of our five feelgood Friday local news stories. Hull Live reported how Miriam Payne, from East Yorkshire, and Jess Rowe, from Hampshire, are attempting to row unsupported from Peru to Australia, and are back out on the water after a broken rudder forced them to shore. Elsewhere, a 100-year-old veteran from Liverpool has recalled how he enjoyed celebrating the end of the Second World War on VE Day 80 years ago, while a teenage Army Cadet used his training to save his little brother's life. You can read the full version of each of our selected articles through the links under each story – or read more top headlines from around the UK's regions on the Yahoo UK local news page. An East Yorkshire woman who is part of a rowing duo attempting to cross the Pacific Ocean unsupported was forced back to shore after a rudder breakage - but they're now heading back out again for another try. Miriam Payne, 25, from Market Weighton, and 28-year-old Jess Rowe, from Hampshire, set off from Peru on 8 April with an ambitious goal of reaching Australia, but their 8,000-mile journey was short-lived after the rudder on their rowing boat broke days into the voyage. Read the full story from Hull Live A 100-year-old Second World War veteran has recalled 'getting a bit squiffy' as he turned 21 amid VE Day celebrations on a navy ship in 1945. Tom Berry, born and raised in Liverpool, was a teenager when he joined the Royal Navy as a radio operator on the Tribal-class destroyer HMS Tartar. She became known as the Lucky Tartar for her many narrow escapes from danger during the war. Read the full story from Cheshire Live A Derbyshire Army Cadet has saved his two-year-old brother's life using skills he gained at Army Cadets. Cadet Lance Corporal Lewis Butler, 15, who lives in Spondon, was enjoying dinner with his family when his brother Lyndon became silent, red-faced and started shaking due to a piece of food lodged in his throat. Whilst the parents were panicked and unsure how to best help their son, Lewis had been trained by the Army Cadet Force to remain calm and take control of an emergency such as this. Read the full story from Derbyshire Live A Lincolnshire couple have sold almost everything they own to travel the world after deciding they "can't take a single moment for granted." Husband and wife, Lucy Barton and Lee Mandzij, had always planned on travelling when they retired, but as the retirement age kept increasing they found their dream was "becoming increasingly unfeasible". Lucy, 44, also developed several chronic illnesses in 2018, which she says left her unable to hike or have a social life for some time. Read the full story from Lincolnshire Live A family from Princetown had a shock when its three rabbits bred to more than 21 bunnies in a matter of weeks - after confusion over their gender. The owner told the shelter that the bunnies were all supposed to be female when they were purchased - but one turned out to be a male. The family has now given 10 of its pet bunnies to Woodside Animal Welfare Trust, while another litter remains with the family until they are old enough to leave their mother. Read the full story from Plymouth Live
South Wales Guardian
07-05-2025
- General
- South Wales Guardian
100-year-old veteran recalls ‘getting squiffy' amid VE day celebrations
Tom Berry, born and raised in Liverpool, was a teenager when he joined the Royal Navy as a radio operator on the Tribal-class destroyer HMS Tartar. She became known as the Lucky Tartar for her many narrow escapes from danger during the war. D-Day veteran Tom Berry, from Macclesfield, who has spoken for the first time about his wartime experiences ahead of the 80th anniversary of VE Day (Royal British Legion/PA) Speaking ahead of the 80th anniversary of VE Day on Thursday, Mr Berry, who now lives in Macclesfield, Cheshire, described celebrating his 21st birthday a day early aboard the vessel, saying the crew 'got an extra tot of rum'. He said: 'The captain came on to the deck and addressed the crew to let us know that the war was over in Europe. 'The Admiralty ordered us to 'splice the mainbrace', which is basically an order to have a drink. 'Because it was my birthday, I got more than most and got a bit squiffy.' May 8 marks the date in 1945 when Germany surrendered to the Allies, ending almost six years of conflict in Europe. The Royal British Legion will bring together Second World War veterans at an anniversary tea party and remembrance service at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. Mr Berry, who will celebrate his 101st birthday on Friday May 9, said he 'hopes everyone joins in the spirit of the celebrations the Royal British Legion is laying on for the country'. He said he 'doesn't consider himself a hero' but rather a 'lucky man on a lucky ship'. HMS Tartar was one of only four destroyers to survive the war out of 16 at the start of the conflict. Mr Berry said one of the Lucky Tartar's closest scrapes happened on D-Day, when the largest amphibious invasion in history began the liberation of western Europe from Nazi occupation. He said: 'Our orders were to shell the German emplacements to allow the troops to land in Normandy – I felt very sorry for those poor soldiers heading into the unknown. 'After the troops moved further inland we patrolled the Channel and sank two German destroyers, but they returned fire and shot our main mast away. 'The galley and the bridge caught fire and we lost four men in that incident before limping back to Plymouth.' After victory in Europe, the war continued for the Lucky Tartar in the Asia-Pacific, and Mr Berry recalled being 'a bit miffed' because of 'all this celebrating in the UK' while he and the crew were 'still being shot at'. 'In the Far East we did have one particular encounter with a Japanese cruiser which was very heavily armed – we could only fire about five miles (away) but their range was seven or eight. 'It was a tense time, but we kept going,' he said. The end of the war came for Mr Berry on September 2 1945, when the Lucky Tartar was present at the signing of the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay.
Western Telegraph
06-05-2025
- General
- Western Telegraph
100-year-old veteran recalls ‘getting squiffy' amid VE day celebrations
Tom Berry, born and raised in Liverpool, was a teenager when he joined the Royal Navy as a radio operator on the Tribal-class destroyer HMS Tartar. She became known as the Lucky Tartar for her many narrow escapes from danger during the war. D-Day veteran Tom Berry, from Macclesfield, who has spoken for the first time about his wartime experiences ahead of the 80th anniversary of VE Day (Royal British Legion/PA) Speaking ahead of the 80th anniversary of VE Day on Thursday, Mr Berry, who now lives in Macclesfield, Cheshire, described celebrating his 21st birthday a day early aboard the vessel, saying the crew 'got an extra tot of rum'. He said: 'The captain came on to the deck and addressed the crew to let us know that the war was over in Europe. 'The Admiralty ordered us to 'splice the mainbrace', which is basically an order to have a drink. 'Because it was my birthday, I got more than most and got a bit squiffy.' May 8 marks the date in 1945 when Germany surrendered to the Allies, ending almost six years of conflict in Europe. The Royal British Legion will bring together Second World War veterans at an anniversary tea party and remembrance service at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. Mr Berry, who will celebrate his 101st birthday on Friday May 9, said he 'hopes everyone joins in the spirit of the celebrations the Royal British Legion is laying on for the country'. In the Far East we did have one particular encounter with a Japanese cruiser which was very heavily armed - we could only fire about five miles (away) but their range was seven or eight. It was a tense time, but we kept going Tom Berry He said he 'doesn't consider himself a hero' but rather a 'lucky man on a lucky ship'. HMS Tartar was one of only four destroyers to survive the war out of 16 at the start of the conflict. Mr Berry said one of the Lucky Tartar's closest scrapes happened on D-Day, when the largest amphibious invasion in history began the liberation of western Europe from Nazi occupation. He said: 'Our orders were to shell the German emplacements to allow the troops to land in Normandy – I felt very sorry for those poor soldiers heading into the unknown. 'After the troops moved further inland we patrolled the Channel and sank two German destroyers, but they returned fire and shot our main mast away. 'The galley and the bridge caught fire and we lost four men in that incident before limping back to Plymouth.' After victory in Europe, the war continued for the Lucky Tartar in the Asia-Pacific, and Mr Berry recalled being 'a bit miffed' because of 'all this celebrating in the UK' while he and the crew were 'still being shot at'. 'In the Far East we did have one particular encounter with a Japanese cruiser which was very heavily armed – we could only fire about five miles (away) but their range was seven or eight. 'It was a tense time, but we kept going,' he said. The end of the war came for Mr Berry on September 2 1945, when the Lucky Tartar was present at the signing of the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay.
