The latest reunion of the Type 21 Club took place in Plymouth on Saturday 8 October 2011 and was a great success.  There were a few more Ardent’s attending than last year – Jan Joyce, Kev & Linda Johnson and Steve Palmer, Tony Ray as our rep was also there and reported back that… ‘It was a good night.’
 
Alan Joyce has kindly volunteered to take over from Tony Ray as the Ardent’s ship rep for the 21 club so a big thank you to Tony for his work on the Type 21 committee.

HMS Ardents canteen manager John Leake, pictured here onboard Ardent during the Falklands War, medals will go to auction in September 2011 and are expected to fetch around £50,000. John was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal - one of just 12 awarded for action in the war - after he went from serving the crew as the NAAFI Manager to serving as a gunner during the 1982 conflict manning the Starboard GPMG assisted by Petty Officer (Cook) Cliff Goldfinch.

A citation in the London Gazette recorded that 'throughout the air attacks he remained cool and calm and even though the ship was being hit by bombs and canon fire. He fired large quantities of accurate tracer at the attackers and inflicted damage on a Skyhawk. His courage, steadfastness and total disregard for his own safety undoubtedly saved the ship from many further attacks and was an inspiration to all those in the vicinity.'

John passed the bar in February 2000 but is fondly remembered by all his surviving shipmates and members of the HMS Ardent Assocation.

The new Ardent name plaques for our fallen shipmates have arrived safely in the Falklands Islands. It is planned that they will be placed after the main November 2011 remembrance day Sunday service at Stanley cathedral where six Ardent’s hope to attend on behalf of the Assocation. The plaques were blessed at the 2010 service of remembrance, they will be planted next to the trees for the fallen in the Falklands war memorial wood.

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Conyers Leach, GCB, DL (18 November 1923 – 26 April 2011) was a former First Sea Lord of the UK's Royal Navy. Leach was the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff between 1979 and 1982, being the professional head of the Navy at the time of the Falklands War.

He was instrumental in convincing the Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher that retaking the Falkland Islands from Argentina was feasible. For his determination in the Navy's ability to retake the Falklands, Andrew Marr referred to Leach as Thatcher's "Knight in Shining Gold Braid".

Leach was the third son of John Leach, a naval officer. He was educated at St Peter’s Court, Broadstairs. He entered the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth as a cadet in 1937. He married Mary McCall, an admiral's daughter, in 1958. She died in 1991. He is survived by their two daughters.

Henry Conyers Leach, sailor, born 18 November 1923; died 26 April 2011

The May 2011 issue of Ardlines is now available for download from the members area and has been emailed to those who subscribe for e-delivery.

The newsletter has also been sent to the printers for posting but may be delayed because of the extra bank holidays affecting delivery dates.

Updated 27 April 2011

Shipmate and one of the founding members of the Assocation Tony Ray became an HMS Ardent Association septuagenarian as he celebrated his 70th birthday with ex-shipmates, friends and 3 generations of family at the Royal British Legion in Crownhill, Plymouth.

He is pictured here cutting his celebration cake while posing for photographs with his wife Carol.

The cake on the right was an extra one celebrating Tony’s long service with the Royal Navy.

This will take place in the King Malcolm Hotel, Laburnum Road, Dunfermline, KY11 8DS on Saturday 18 June 2011 from 1900.

Full details in this PDF flyer including how to book

Ardent Association shipmate Rear Admiral Richard Ibbotson has been awarded a KBE (To be an Ordinary Knight Commander of the Military Division of the said Most Excellent Order) in the 2011 New Years Honours list.

Congratulations from all of the assocation Sir Richard.