MVS unit celebrates Trafalgar Night in style

Members of East Sussex Sovereign Harbour Mess of the Maritime Volunteer Service were celebrating Trafalgar Night once more as the guests of Bexhill Sailing Club.

As usual, it was executed in style. The White Ensign and the Union Flag decorated the clubhouse walls.

A tot of rum was issued to all on arrival.

Under their able Master of Ceremonies, Chief Volunteer Ray Craig, members and guests enjoyed a heady mix of good food and good comradeship washed down with a liberal slug of naval tradition.

And that was before principal guest Lieutenant Andy Billings rose to his full 6ft 7ins to give a speech which combined his work heading The Crushers, the Royal Navy's police service, and the toast to "The Immortal Memory" of Lord Nelson.

Nelson's Prayer was read by Leading Volunteer Keith Johnson.

The Naval Grace was given by Able Volunteer Andy Funnel.

Dinner of soap, "roast beef of Old England" followed by "ship's biscuits" with cheese and the fruit basket was enjoyed and the port was passed.

The toast to The Queen was proposed by Chief Volunteer Alan Buffery and the welcome to the guests given by Chief Volunteer and Acting Head of Unit Greg Darby. Lieutenant Billings, the service's Regulating Staff Officer, was, he was, "the most-qualified policeman in the Navy."

"Crushers", Lt. Billings admitted, were not the most popular people in the Royal Navy. But they did have their uses.

He spoke movingly of the gratitude expressed by the families of the two crewmen whose deaths in an explosion aboard a submarine he had investigated.

He traced the history of his branch of the service back to the 17th Century.

The service existed to maintain good order and discipline both afloat and ashore.

"I have to point out that in Nelson's time the average sailor was expected to drink about half a pint of rum and five pints of beer a day'¦"

Punishments included flogging, hanging and running the gauntlet.

Referring to the investigation into last year's submarine explosion, he said the dead crewmen's parents had told him: "We want you to find out what happened to our sons and make sure that this never happens again."

The investigation had been long and challenging but the families had been grateful for it.

The bond of seamanship which existed in the service today could be traced back to Nelson's time.

"Everyone thinks that he was a god-like figure '“ and in many ways he was.

"He was also a philanderer and extremely vain!

"But he was also an exceptional leader and a remarkable man.

"He combined gentleness of character with an extreme ruthlessness and aggression in action.

"He was a magnificent tactician.

"He was also compassionate and looked after his crew."

Out-numbered and out-gunned at Trafalgar, he won a crushing victory, losing 1,587 men to the enemy's 16,000.

Lieutenant Billings concluded by quoting Nelson's words: "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers'¦"

An appreciation of Lieutenant Billings' speech was given by Geoff Furlong, Vice Commodore of Bexhill Sailing Club.

The Naval Prayer was led by Volunteer Officer Eddie Oades.

A memorable evening was rounded-off as usual by PO Volunteer Geoff Frost leading a lusty singing of sea shanties.

When Bexhill's Royal Naval Auxiliary Service unit was axed in Navy cuts in 1994, members, like other volunteers across the country, vowed to continue the tradition of training in seamanship. The Maritime Volunteer Service was formed. The Bexhill unit moved to Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne, five years ago where East Sussex 1, its 16-metre ex-RN Kiwi Class harbour patrol vessel is moored. The unit also operates a six-metre rigid inflatable and a six-metre river patrol craft.

The 345 raised at Saturday's raffle will go towards buying fuel for the craft.