The Submariners' Database

One of the Museum's principal objectives is to maintain an accurate record of where individual officers and ratings served, as well as tracking the activities of each submarine hull. The advent of 'computer-assisted' appointing/drafting by HMS Centurion in 1969 has caused significant difficulty. Prior to this date, career details were kept on cards in Blockhouse and the Museum holds over 50,000 of these. Since then, for a variety of reasons, it has become increasingly difficult to extract information from the computerised database. The result is that our records have become badly out of date and we have 'lost' large numbers of you from the corporate memory. Indeed we have no records at all for our engineering fraternity, because all the cards were consigned to a skip!

One of our major tasks therefore is to rebuild the picture and I would be most grateful if you would print out and return the registration form. This will enable us to preserve our heritage and allow bona fide researchers, as well as our descendants, to gather accurate information about us and our fine service. We would also welcome a single page of A4 'biography' to fill in the gaps between appointments/drafts, your major achievements, and, for example, what you did on leaving the service.

Recent Farewell

Herbert Birch Tapley Wootton better known as Bert or Lordy in the Stokers mess, sadly passed away on Sunday 28 th June 2009. Bert served on the HMS Tantivy during the Second World War as a Stoker. Bert had many a fond memories of his time spent with his ship mates. Bert's ashes were bought back to Gosport where he was based during his training at the Dolphin. He was scattered at sea where he will now rest.

The family would like to mention a very Special Thank you to the Submariners Association members along with Standard Bearer who were able to attend Bert's Funeral on Thursday 9th July 2009 along with being a part of Bert's scattering of his Ashes on Thursday 3rd September 2009. Also we would like to thank Bill and Stuart who have made this all possible with all the arrangements being planned for us.

All Bert's family are filled with enormous respect for Bert for all what he had achieved in his life and all the very fond memories he has left us all with. He deserved a very special goodbye from all his family who loved him dearly. We will miss you so so much Bertie boy, darling dad, wonderful grandad, special uncle, great friend, our brave sailor. God bless you.