Submarine appeal launched

TUESDAY MAY 23.

A RETIRED Much Hadham submariner has launched an appeal to raise £20,000 to improve the submarine museum in Gosport, Hampshire.

Bryan Smalley is organising the museum's appeal in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Essex, to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the launching of the first British submarine.

It is also part of the Millennium programme to stimulate the renaissance of Portsmouth Harbour which, along with Gosport, has become a high profile, prestigious tourist centre.

Mr Smalley's task is to raise the money over the next two years, and he starts the fund-raising drive with two major events.

The first is a Royal Marine Band concert in the grounds of Haileybury, just outside Hertford, on Sunday, July 23, and the second is a public opening of the Henry Moore Foundation estate in Much Hadham, on Sunday, July 30.

Mr Smalley said: 'Residents of Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire may think that they are too far from Gosport for this project to be of interest to them, but I would like to remind them that in the first 100 years of the submarine service, 5,178 submariners gave their lives defending their country and 169 boats have been lost.'

He added: 'In more recent times the submarine service played a significant role in winning the Cold War with its deterrent ballistic missile submarines on patrol.

'I therefore think that it is important that we all play our part in protecting the heritage of this most silent service, its men and its machines.'

If you would like to help with the events, ring Mr Smalley on 842185.