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T.S Jervis Bay - Unit HQ
Reading Sea Cadets has been in exsistence since 1909, when they were based on a wooden brig on the River Thames in Caversham.
After the unit paraded in sereval different locations including Huntley & Palmers and Oxford Road school it was moved its present location in Brock Barracks just after the second world war, where it was housed in a set of two nissoen huts. It remained in this location with only a small gap when he had to temporarily move home during the Korean War, then in 1976 the unit moved into a purpose built headquarters at the back of Brock Barracks, however in 1982 this building was devastated by fire...some would say this was a blessing in disguise, as it led to a huge fund raising effort which led to the brick build HQ in which the unit now parades.
The unit HQ recently went through a major refurbishment, with new electrics, toilets and kitchen.
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Who's Who at T.S Jervis Bay
Commanding Officer; CPO C. Greenaway
1st Lieutenant; TI T. Piller
Detachment Commander; Sgt G. Holland
Training Officer; Miss S. Coles
Admin Officer; Ms S. Hutchins
Stores Officer; PO C. Coles
Boats Officer; CPO P. Harris
Musical Director; Mr P. Border
Band Master; Sgt J. Holland
Range Officer; Lt Cdr M. Alder
Additional Instructional Staff;
TI W. Coles
TI P. Harper
Sgt J. Iveson
TI M. Rees
Civilian Committee;
Unit Chairman; Mr A. Wall
Unit Treasurer; Mrs M. Kurz
Unit President; Sir T. Durrant MP
Vice President; Mr M. Furness
Members;
Mrs J. Meek
Mrs V Williams
Mrs T. Gearing
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HMS Jervis Bay - the units namesake
HMS Jervis Bay was a British liner later converted into an Armed Merchant Cruiser, pennant F40. It was launched in 1922 and sunk on 5 November 1940 by the German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer.
The ship was originally the Aberdeen & Commonwealth Line steamer Jervis Bay named after the Australian bay (the line named all of its ships after bays). She had been taken over by the Royal Navy in August 1939 on the outbreak of the Second World War and hastily armed with a few World War I vintage 6-inch guns. She was initially assigned to the South Atlantic station before becoming a convoy escort in May 1940.
She was the sole escort for 37 merchant ships in Convoy HX-84 from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Britain, when the convoy encountered the Admiral Scheer. The Captain of Jervis Bay, Edward Fegen, ordered the convoy to scatter and closed with the German warship. The 11-inch guns of the German ship easily outranged Jervis Bay and she was sunk with the loss of 190 crew. However, while Admiral Scheer went on to sink five merchant ships out of the convoy, Jervis Bay's sacrifice bought enough time for the convoy to scatter, and the remaining ships escaped. Sixty-five survivors from Jervis Bay (Captain Fegen not amongst them) were picked up by the neutral Swedish ship Stureholm.
Captain Fegen was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross as a result of this action. The citation for the Victoria Cross reads "Valour in challenging hopeless odds and giving his life to save the many ships it was his duty to protect."
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HMAS Jervis Bay
HMAS Jervis Bay (GT-203) was a roll-on, roll-off passenger-cargo ship built by the State Dockyard at Newcastle, New South Wales as the MV Australian Trader. She was launched on 17 February 1969 and operated as a ferry in Bass Strait by the Australian National Line.
The ship was purchased by the Royal Australian Navy on 28 January 1977 for $5.07 million[1]. Jervis Bay was converted as the fleet training ship, replacing HMAS Duchess and commissioned on 25 August 1977. Jervis Bay provided basic navigation and seamanship training, and also provided logistic transport to the Army as required.
HMAS Jervis Bay paid off on 18 April 1994 and was sold on 7 December 1994[2] to Med Link Lines a Greek company, which operated the ship as a passenger ferry in the Mediterraneanand renamed M/S Agios Andreas. She was sold in 2003 to Ajman lines renamed M/S Ajman Leader and operated in the Persian Gulf out of Dubai. She was sold in 2004 for scrap, renamed M/S Ajman City for the delivery voyage to Alang India. She arrived at Alang in September 2004 and was pulled up the beach and scraped.
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Jervis Bay - First Military Catamaran
HMAS Jervis Bay (AKR 45) was a wave piercing catamaran built by Incat in Tasmania. During her career, the ship, built as Incat 045 has served numerous companies as a civilian ferry, but the most prominent role of her career was during her leasing to the Australian Government from 1999 to 2001, where she was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy as a fast troop transport. Although a purely civilian design, Jervis Bay had the distinction of being the first large catamaran in the world to enter naval service.
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About the Sea Cadet Corps
The Sea Cadet Corps is a nationwide voluntary uniformed youth organisation, open to all young people aged 12 to 18, Marine Cadets for young people aged 13 to 18 and with Junior Sections open to those of 10 to 12 years of age. It is Britain's most successful nautical organisation for the development of young people with Units run by enthusiastic adult volunteers.
With its beginnings dating as far back as 1854, the Sea Cadets probably has the longest continuous history of any youth movement in the UK. What started as an informal gesture by a well-meaning clergyman, concerned for disadvantaged boys orphaned by the Crimean War, has grown over the years to the point where just under 400 Units nationwide regularly welcome more than 13,000 cadets, nearly half of them girls.
The Sea Cadets offer a wide range of largely free activities ranging from sailing and canoeing, rock climbing, engineering, IT and communications, to music and cookery. The Corps aims to encourage good citizenship and provide worthwhile qualifications (including the Duke of Edinburgh award and BTEC), experience and adventure for young people. Cadets have the opportunity to learn life skills whilst having fun and making friends.
We have a rank structure modelled on that of the Royal Navy, giving Cadets an opportunity to progress and take up positions of responsibility as they acquire skills and seniority. On reaching 18, many Cadets choose to stay on as adult instructors, when their training and talents become invaluable.
The Sea Cadet Corps offers one of the widest range of activities of any youth organisations in the UK
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Highlights throughout the years
• 1951 - The unit provided a Guard of Honour for Princess Alexandra at the Palace Theatre.
• 1952 - When the film The Cruel Sea came out the unit performed a colours ceremony on stage at the Odeon cinema.
• 1966 - The units Band played at the Royal Tournament.
• 1967 - Four of the unit’s cadets sailed as part of the crew to Australia aboard the M.V Jervis Bay.
• 1969 - The unit provided a Guard of Honour for the Governor of Gibraltar, during a unit visit to the island.
• 1979 - 4 cadets and 1 staff member from the unit spent 3 weeks in California with the U.S Navy and American Sea Cadets.
• 1982 - The unit HQ burned down and was rebuilt within a year!
• 1984 - The units band toured Germany
• 2005/6 - having been disbanded in the mid 1990's the band was reformed, winning the Southern Area novice competition within the first year.
• 2006 - The unit’s electrics were condemned and it was forced to parade in temporary accommodation for 15 months.
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