Notice Board
Winter 2025 Capers
You can now view the latest edition on the website by going to the Association page and thank you to our Chairman Tony Cox for doing a sterling job in pulling this all together for our benefit. It takes a great deal of time and effort to produce Capers.
HMS Carysfort ship’s bell
This is up for auction in Boston USA on 22 November 2025. At the time of posting this there is currently one bid of US$600. Further details can be found here:
Digital Veterans ID Cards
From 17th October 2025 Digital Veterans ID Cards are being introduced by the Government. To apply log into your Gov.UK One Login account and you will need a smartphone running IOS 15 or later to upload the Digital Card to your phone. If you don’t have a Gov.UK One Login it’s a fairly easy process to set up.
Joanna Musson
Joanna died peacefully on 31 August 2025 at Dorchester Hospital surrounded by her three children. Joanna and her husband the late Rear Admiral Robin Musson CB were dedicated members of the association and attended the reunions frequently. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family.
The memorial service will take place at 1100 on 19 September 2025 at St Mary’s Church Beaminster DT8 3BA.
John (Nat) Nathan – 1961-63 Commission
The Chairman has advised us that Nat crossed the bar on the 15 August 2025. He was an M(E)1 on the above commission but ended his 12 years RN career as a Chief Mech and at one time he was reputed to be the youngest Chief in the Navy. Nat was a member of the association. Our condolences to his wife Margaret and family. Fair winds and following seas shipmate.
John’s funeral will be held at 1300hrs Monday 8th September 2025 at St Mary’s Church, High Street Felixstowe IP11 9DS. It will be well attended by all accounts as John had a lot of friends from Suffolk Police where he was a top mechanic at their workshops. He also took his keyboard to entertain local elderly people. All his motorcycle friends had their servicing and repairs done by him including his good oppo Roger Hunt.
Lt Cdr Harry Dormer RNR
We have just heard that Lt Cdr Harry Dormer RD RNR has crossed the bar on 31 May 2025 at the grand old age of 96. He was at sea all his life from the age of 16 and served in the greatest Cunard ships, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary, the maiden voyage of QE2 and others such as the Mauretiania, Caronia, Francobia and Carmania and some cargo ships. His last commission in the RNR was HMS CAVALIER. His funeral is on Friday 4th July 2025 at 2.30pm at Octon Crematorium Driffield YO25 3BL.
HMS Cavalier and HMS Carysfort Association
It was agreed in principle over the combined reunion weekend in May 2023 that HMS Carysfort would enter into a joint association with HMS Cavalier and form the HMS Cavalier and HMS Carysfort Association. This merger makes sense as numbers diminish. After three joint reunions this was formally ratified at the 2024 AGM and voted for unanimously. The constitution has been amended to incorporate this change and can be viewed on the Association page of the website. HMS Carysfort is well represented on the committee. Flossie Foster has been elected Vice Chairman and Rear Admiral Peter Franklyn CB MVO has been appointed Vice President. Jim Donaldson was elected to the committee as Webmaster. Applications to join the joint association can be found on most pages of the website. I would recommend anyone who has served in either of these two ships to join. We are not getting any younger that’s for sure so why not catch up with your old shipmates whilst you are able.
HMS Carysfort Association Standard
Nearly 80 years after commissioning here is HMS Carysfort’s newly manufactured Standard which arrived yesterday (7th November 2023). The final invoice is also displayed and pleasingly is no different from the original quote. The Standard was blest/dedicated at the November 2024 reunion in Chatham in a moving ceremony. Thanks to our Standard Bearer Bill Bayley for providing the photo and storing it. Thanks also to the 17 very generous people who donated to our Standard appeal and they are shown here in alphabetical order: Abbie Absalon, Wal Adamek, Bill Bayley, Jim Donaldson, Flossie Foster, Peter Franklyn, Ian Fraser, Robin Gainsford, Tony Hill, Alick Lavers, Billy Mains, Angela Mitton, Alan (Pony) Moore, Colin (Orry) Orriss, Martin Sands, Roger Walker and Keith Wren.
Veterans ID Card
Nearly 5 years after the original Government announcement regarding Veterans ID Cards they are at last going to start rolling them out from January 2024. A new digital application service will be used for this but there will also be a paper-based application process for veterans unable to use the online service. Veterans can apply for their cards by emailing dbs-veterans-cards@mod.gov.uk and give your name, year of birth and year left service. You should then receive an email invitation to apply for your card. I received mine on 20th January 2024 about 3 weeks after applying.
Stop Press: Digital Veterans ID Cards are available from 17 October 2025. See separate post on Notice Board for application process.
CA Class ships
I’ve recently been asked to provide info on the fate of the 8 CA Class destroyers built and information is shown below. The ships appear in alphabetical order. Hope you find it useful.
HMS CAESAR D07
Paid off June 1965. Arrived Blyth 6 January 1967 to be broken up.
HMS CAMBRIAN D85
Paid off 3 March 1969. Sold to Thomas Ward Briton Ferry 6 September 1971. Scrap declared complete September 1972
HMS CAPRICE D01
Decommissioned 2 April 1973. Sold for scrap and arrived at Queensborough 5 October 1979
HMS CARRON D30
Paid off in Portsmouth 5 April 1963. Sold to T W Ward for scrap on 10 March 1967. Arrived at Inverkeithing 4 April 1967 and broken up for scrap.
HMS CARYSFORT D25
Paid off 31 March 1969 at Devonport. Sold to John Cashmore Ltd for scrap arriving to be broken up on 13 November 1970.
HMS CASSANDRA D10
Decommissioned in Portsmouth 18 June 1965. Sold to Thomas Ward 3 March 1967 and arrived for demolition on 28 April 1967.
HMS CAVALIER D73
Arrived Chatham 6 July 1972 flying paying off pennant.
HMS CAVENDISH D15
Returned to the UK on 22 October 1964 for planned refit. Announced on 6 January 1965 refit would not start. Laid up at G moorings Fountain Lake Portsmouth. Placed on disposal list 6 August 1965. Towed from Portsmouth to Chatham on 3 June 1966 to be cannibalised. Sold to Hughes Bolckow 2 August 1967 for scrap. Arrived at Blyth under tow on 17 August 1967 and broken up.
You will find historical details for the entire C Class destroyers (Ca; Ch; Co; and Cr) flotillas by clicking here
Happy 90th Birthday to Alick Lavers
Happy 90th birthday to Alick Lavers on 23rd October 2024. Alick was HMS Carysfort’s PO Writer for the 1964-66 commission.