Remembrance Sunday in Portsmouth 2025

 

Early on the Sunday morning I went to a Royal Navy service at the Memorial in Southsea remembering the 25,000 sailors killed during World War One and World War Two, who were buried at sea and had no known grave. My Taid (maternal Welsh Grandfather) Frederick Matthews, MC RNVR, served in the Royal Naval Division 1915-1918. It was a very moving service. 

Afterwards I finished off my visit to the historic dockyard in Portsmouth (see earlier post) during which I visited HMS Warrior (built in 1860 by East London Iron workers, who later formed what became West Ham FC). See the photo in bottom right of collage of the pay differentials between the Captain of the Warrior and ordinary seaman.  It was about 20x as much per day. 

Pretty shocking but certainly a lot less than the current West Ham FC football player gets today compared to average Newham residents wages nowadays. 

I then toured the bombardment ship HMS M33 (centre) which is one of only 3 British ships to survive from World War One. It first served in the Gallipoli campaign, which my Grandfather, also took part in and as I clambered over the ship, I wondered if at the time he had seen it or heard its guns in action. 

Next I visited the National Naval museum followed by another boat tour to the Submarine museum at Gosport and did a quick tour of the second world war sub HMS Alliance, the first ever British sub HMS Holland and the museum.  

I missed out on the Explosion and Firepower Museum and boat trip. Next time... 

Portsmouth and the Wayfarers' Walk

 

To try and prove that I have a hinterland outside politics, unions, housing and pensions, below is another countryside walking post. While away for the weekend, Gill and I did this 6.5 mile circular route, in the rolling Hampshire countryside. 

It was a blue walk ("modest length, likely to include some modest uphill walking") from Jarrold, Ordnance Survey, Pathfinder series: book 12 "Hampshire and the New Forest". The weather was very kind and it was a lovely quiet walk through fields, lanes, woods, streams and a Roman Road. Overlooking Portsdown Hill and the historic "Palmerston's folly" Fort Widley.  

There was also the largest "Solar panel" farm I have ever seen and we even walked past a "Wanstead Farm" (many, many miles away from Wanstead flats which starts across the road from us). 

Very good free parking, benches to change footwear and WC facilities at the start in the car park at Purbrook Heath. Nearest public transport Purbrook. 

Check out further photos on https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=732243433&sk=grid

HMS Warrior: West Ham Iron Battleship

The first British Royal Navy iron clad ship now in Portsmouth harbour but constructed in Bow Creek, West Ham. 

 

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard 2018

Off message but last month as a birthday treat I went with Gill for a weekend in Portsmouth to visit once again its Historic Navy Dockside. It is well worth a visit if anyone is interested or curious about our naval history.

Many years ago I read all the fictional novels by Patrick O'Brian on the Royal Navy in the Napoleonic wars, so it is always a treat to visit HMS Victory (top of collage) which fought in the decisive Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Battleships at the time were floating gun platforms and needed a huge crew to fight the guns. By visiting the ship you can see for yourself the crowded, wet and dangerous living conditions of 850 sailors on board. It must have been dreadful with the pain dulled by the daily half pint ration of strong rum (or 8 pints of beer in home waters).

You can buy a ticket that gives you (nearly) unlimited access to the dockyard for a year. As well as HMS Victory, there is the Victorian Battleship HMS Warrior (see spectacular sunset photos bottom centre and right of collage) and the First World War Gun ship M33 (which fought in Gallippi). You also have access to the National Royal Navy museum, Royal Navy Submarine Museum, the Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower as well as a number of other attractions aimed at children and families.

Unfortunately the Tudor Battleship "The Mary Rose" is no longer part of the "all in deal" and you will have to pay extra to visit. 

One highlight included is a free 45 minute boating tour around the Port of Portsmouth during which you can see modern day Royal Naval Warships. The new Aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth was not in port but the modern Destroyer, HMS Diamond D34 was in the docks (see picture left of college).

When HMS Victory was built in 1762 it cost £63,176 and 3 shillings,[the equivalent of £7.92 million today). HMS Diamond alone cost the UK around £1 billion.  I have to say that I tried to work out how many homeless and overcrowded families we could house in Newham with £1 billion.

Portsmouth is lovely with plenty of things to do if you or your partner are not historically minded included a number of good value restaurants in Southsea.