Latest news with #RobinBoodle
BBC News
7 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
WW2 veterans celebrate 101st birthdays in Portsmouth
Two Royal Navy veterans of World War Two have celebrated their 101st birthdays at the HMS Excellent naval base in Chivers and Robin Boodle, both 101 years old in June, received cake and cards, as well as a letter from the new First Sea Lord. They were joined by two other veterans, both 98 years old, their families, and serving personnel from the Royal year is the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, and BBC South was invited to hear some of their memories of the conflict. Mr Chivers, from Portsmouth, joined the Royal Navy when he was 15 years old, and survived the catastrophic bombing of his ship, the HMS Kipling, in 1942."The war was a rude awakening," he said."Four destroyers - Jarvis, Jackal, Kipling and Lively - went on an operation from Alexandria to intercept an enemy convoy bound for Benghazi."This was an operation when the Mediterranean fleet was at its lowest ebb. We had no battleships."The Lively was bombed and sank immediately. We in the Kipling picked up the survivors. She lost 75 men." Later, he said his crew spotted dive bombers after his own ship. "We got a few rounds off, and then for me - complete oblivion," he his ship took 20 minutes to sink, meaning his crew-mates could rescue him while unconscious. Mr Chivers suffered severe burns to his face, leg and arms, and a fractured spine and was bed-ridden in Alexandria for two months, before moving on to a hospital ship. He also helped to evacuate allied troops from Crete in 1941, after the German invasion of the Greek island. "That was extremely expensive for us, both in terms of ships and men. Three crews were lost, six destroyers," he Chivers retired in 1974 after serving for 35 years. Mr Boodle worked in radio and communications for five years aboard the HMS witnessed the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck, rediscovered in in 1989 by the same man who found the Titanic. "Dad's role when he joined was first of all in the Battle of the Atlantic on the [HMS] Suffolk, he was on the guns," said Mr. Boodle's daughter, Gay. "But because of his height, he found putting the shells in too difficult, so they actually started training him up for the radio."He joined when he was 16 years old, leaving in 1967. "He loved the Navy and the sea," said Gay. "He travelled the world." "It's just fascinating to hear them speak," said Alice Farrow, a director of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, which organised the event."It means so much to me that there are still these people with incredible stories to tell."It's just so wonderful to see them sharing them [their stories] across the generations."
Telegraph
22-02-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Princess Royal's naval charity begins campaign for lost Battle of the Atlantic heroes
Robin Boodle was just a boy sailor when he took part in the Battle of the Atlantic, a contest Winston Churchill named himself in 1941 to emphasise just how important the war at sea was becoming. The battle began on Sept 3 1939, when the first Atlantic convoy sailed, comprising Royal Navy escorts and Merchant Navy vessels taking with them vital supplies to the UK and allies from the North Atlantic and elsewhere in the British Empire. However, the seas were treacherous as all ships were at risk of being torpedoed by German U-boats as they made their perilous crossings. For Robin, 100, who served onboard HMS Suffolk from 1940 to 1945, which formed part of three Battle of Atlantic convoys, two of which were Arctic, it is the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck in May 1941 which remains the most vivid memory. Despite being only 16, he remembers rescuing German sailors, who kept saying 'thank you' to the British. 'Some of the Germans we saw were in the water and we went to pick them up,' said Robin, who served in the Royal Navy for more than 26 years, from his care home in Portsmouth. 'With people in the water, if you are in control, you help, no matter who they are or their attitude.' He told The Telegraph: 'They weren't upset. They were grateful. We took about 40. Some were injured. There was a lot to cope with. We took them down below and the Captain instructed me to look after the men. I then had to control some small groups of five or so. 'There were two I had a bit of trouble with, but most told me in English they would be good, and they were. I don't know why but I always got the biggest guys. One of them, an officer, was quite august. He did change though, and by the time they were all transferred, he called me Robin.' It is stories like Robin's which the Wellington Trust charity is pledging to keep alive to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 8 2025, which marked the end of the Second World War in Europe in 1945, and the end of the Battle of the Atlantic.. The trust is dedicated to preserving HMS Wellington, the sole surviving dedicated Battle of Atlantic convoy escort in Europe. The campaign is named after Robin as he was onboard HMS Suffolk as part of a convoy with HMS Wellington going from the Clyde to Freetown, Sierra Leone in Sept 1941. It will be the first time work has been done to trace the last remaining Battle of the Atlantic (BoA) veterans. The charity, of which the Princess Royal is patron, is now appealing for BoA veterans from the Royal and Merchant navies to get in touch with the Wellington Trust. All veterans found will be commemorated onboard with a roll of honour and photos where available, including visits if their health allows. Admiral Lord West, the former First Sea Lord, told The Telegraph: 'The 5,000 Merchant and Royal Navy ships and 70,000 men and women lost winning the Battle of the Atlantic are too often forgotten, despite it being the most important and longest battle of the war. 'It is crucial that we recognise the very few survivors and their bravery and resilience.' Dominic Tweddle, chairman of the trust, added: 'It was remarkable that we learnt of Robin and his decorated Second World War service, and even more remarkable that he was on one convoy with Wellington when he served onboard HMS Suffolk. To have this living connection to the ship is special. 'We appreciate there cannot be many surviving BoA veterans, yet we are keen to find them and document anything they may remember, as well as learn of their individual service histories. 'We not only want to commemorate their contribution to the Battle of the Atlantic, but ensure visitors to the ship can learn of their contribution to the Battle of the Atlantic as part of the Wellington Story.'
