Shipmate Jon Major holds the HMS Ardent Association standard strong and proud flanked by a sea cadet from T.S. Ardent on Remembrance Sunday in Bollington.

T.S. Ardent has been nominated to receive £3,000 from the Nat West Community Fund, all we need now are votes. There are three local charities vying for this award so we need all the support we can get. Due to local government cuts our core funding has been withdrawn with immediate effect, this means we are £2,500 lighter this year, so this would balance our books.


Please help us help the kids of T.S. Ardent by clicking this link: https://communityfund.natwest.com/Welcome and voting for us using the postcode SK10 5LY to access our voting area then selecting Bollington, the Sea Cadets are the first choice.

Voting ends at the end of November 2010.

Thank you

Sue Littlewood
Chairman of T.S. Ardent Management Committee

In the last newsletter Peter declared that he hoped to have a 30th reunion on similar lines to the 25th. He also particularly announced that it will be a good opportunity for the suave amongst us to put on our evening suits again.

Tony Ray thought it might be a good idea, if members wanted, to arrange for Ardent Cummerbunds to be produced for sale to members and had originally found a firm that would produce then to our design but with a minimum order of 20. However, Tony has now found another firm, run by a Falklands veteran, who will produce them individually. He already has the Ardent crest (shield shape) and Tony has already ordered one for himself and is really please with the work.

Costs including postage are £19.95 for the standard size and for the larger waisted amongst us the cost is £21.95. If you are interested please go to this website: WWW.ABSEMBROIDERY.CO.UK

You might want to get in early as the guy reckons he will be swamped with work in 2012.”

Cheers Tony Ray

The association has received the sad news that Sue, the wife of Frank Gilmour (Leading Writer), died peacefully in her sleep on Saturday 16th October 2010. Sue was diagnosed with cancer of the liver, spine, breast & brain a couple of months ago. Everyone at the assocation passes on their condolences and best wishes at this sad time to Frank and his family.

Sue’s funeral took place on Friday 29th October at The Church of Good Shepherd, Daybrook, Nottingham.

The latest issue of Ardlines is now at the printers and will be posted or emailed to members soon. Packed with all the news and reports from the May reunion it also has pictures of all key events.

This issue can be downloaded from the members area now, password required.

The annual Plymouth remembrance and reunion weekend was attended by over 150 people including the sea cadets of TS Ardent, members of the Assocation and honoured guests. It all started in HMS Raleigh when, watched by members of the HMS Ardent Association, the 1982 Commanding Officer of HMS Antelope, Nick Tobin unveiled a commemorative plaque on Thursday 27 May 2010 to mark the formal opening of HMS Raleigh's new accommodation blocks.

HMS Drake Remembrance Service Slideshow

Four new blocks named Antelope, Ardent, Sir Galahad and Conqueror have been built at the Torpoint based Royal Navy training establishment as part of a major upgrade of facilities. The blocks have been named after units which were part of the UK Task Force sent to recover the Falkland Islands in 1982. The operation was codenamed Operation Corporate. Following tours of the new buildings, Captain Tobin cut a commemorative cake during a reception assisted by trainee Logistician Natalie Skilton, aged 16, the youngest sailor undergoing specialist training at HMS Raleigh.

Opening of 'Ardent' Block Slideshow

Captain Steve Murdoch, the Commanding Officer of HMS Raleigh, said: "Corporate Squadron stood up in October 2009 and feedback from the trainees accommodated in the first two blocks to become available has been very positive. Although the rooms provide the trainees with a degree of privacy they still have to live side by side with their mess-mates as they will do at sea on board ship. Naming the blocks after some of the key units involved in 1982 is a fitting tribute to three of the fighting arms of Operation Corporate. The Corporate link is a constant reminder of those who took part in the action of 28 years ago. It encourages the trainees to learn about the Royal Navy's heritage and helps to instil the Navy’s Core Values in our young recruits. I'm delighted that so many members of the ship's associations were able to join us for the formal opening."

A small group of Ardent’s gathered at the Falklands War memorial on Plymouth Hoe on Friday 21 May 2010 to lay flowers and wreaths. It was a glorious evening as the Ardent’s gathered and they observed the new Type 45 destroyer “HMS Daring” enter harbour. The only thing missing was the piping of the still by the Daring as she passed the memorial and our shipmates remembered the last time HMS Ardent left Plymouth for the Falklands 28 years ago.

It is with great sadness that the association has heard our shipmate Tony "Brum" Wilkes lost his battle with cancer on 28 January 2010.

The funeral was held on the 22nd February at Weston Mill Crematorium.

The Association also learnt that David Stephen Trotter (Leading Cook in 1982) also passed away on the 8 February 2010 after a short battle with Motor Neurone Disease. His Funeral took place in Kirkaldy Crematorium Scotland on Wednesday 17th February 2010.

Our thoughts are with both Tony's and David’s families at this sad time.