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HMS Ulster

1962-64 Ships Company

Officers Chief Petty Officers Petty Officers
Leading Rates Able Rates Ordinary Rates Juniors
  Commissioning Pamphlet West Out Post

Ships Company as listed on inside front & back covers of original commissioning program

‡ Names of crew not listed on pamphlet but supplied by one of ships company, M(E) Michael Johnson. Additional memorabilia from Michael on next page.
If any surfer can supply a detailed list of ships company with initials and trades it would be most appreciated.

Thanks also to Ken Jones who I met recently [by accident] for additional information

* Also served 58-60 Crew
 

Leading Rates
Avery, J.		Farrell, E		Nichol, J.
Bailey, D.		Gardner, V.	LM(E)	Parker, G.
Bolton, J.	LM(E) Ω	Green, J.		Perry, A.
Bush, R.		Hazleton, J.		Prescott, W,	LS GA1
Costello, J.		Lodge, P.		Robinson, A.
Cotteri1l, L.	LM(E)	Martin, J.	LS RP2	Rowe, E.
Dallas, D.		McGrath, N.	PTI	Shiels, D.
Daly, A..		Millar, A.		Thomas, T.	LM(E) Ω
	Ω	Rated Acting  POM(E)

‡ Added by ME Johnson

HMS Ulster

1962-64 Commissioning Program

Order of
Ceremony and Service
At the
Commissioning of

Her Majesty's Ship UIster

Commanding Officer
Commander R. C. Mayne, R.N.

Devonport, December 16th, 1961

Conducted by

The Reverend Clifford Davies, O.B.E., Q.H.C., A.K.C., R.N.
and
The Reverend R. G. Williams, O.B.E., B.A., R.N.
(Church of Scotland and Free Churches)

Prayers for the Roman Catholics will be concducted by
The Reverend G. E. C. Pitt, Ph.L., S.T.L., R.N.

Above on Front Cover of original

The Chaplain shall address the Ship's Company in these words:

Brothers, seeing that in the course of our duty we are set in the midst of many and great dangers and that we cannot be faithful to the high trust placed in us without t.he help of Almighty God, let us unite our prayers in seeking his bless ing upon this ship and all who serve in her, that she may sail under God's good providence and protection, and that there may never be lacking men well qualified to offer in her their work and skill for his greater glory, and for the protection of our realm and dominions.

Then shall be sung the hymn:
 

Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us O'er the world's tempestuous sea; Guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us, For we have no help but Thee; Yet possessing every blessing lf our God our Father be.	Spirit of our God, descending, Fill our heart with heavenly joy, Love with every passion blending, Pleasure that can never cloy; Thus provided, pardoned, guided, Nothing can our peace destroy.
Saviour! breathe forgiveness o'er us, All our weakness thou dost know, Thou didst tread this earth before us, Thou didst feel its keenest woe; Lone and dreary, faint and weary, Through the desert thou didst go

Chaplain: Thc waves of the sea are mighty and rage horribly.
The Ship's Company: But yet the Lord who dwelleth on high is mightier.

PSALM 107, VERSES 23 - 31 AND 43
They that go down to the sea in ships: and occupy their business in great waters;
These men see the works of the Lord: and his wonders in the deep.
For at his word the stormy wind ariseth:
which lifteth up the waves thereof.
They are carried up to the heaven,and down again to the deep:
their soul melteth away because of the trouble.
They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man: and are at their wits' end.
So when they cry unto the Lord in their trouble: he delivereth them out of their distress.
For he maketh the storm to cease: so that the waves thereof are still.
Then they are glad, because they are at rest: and so he bringeth them unto the haven where they would be.
O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness: and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men.
Whoso is wise will ponder these things:
and they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord.

Then shall the Lesson be read:

ST MATTHEW, CHAPTER 8, VERSES 23 - 27

And when Jesus was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

And behold there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying. Lord save us: We perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. And the men marvelled saying. What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?

The Captain will then call on the Ship's Company to ask for God's blessing on the ship using this ancient call:

THE GAELIC BLESSING, 1589
The Captain: I call on you to pray for God's blessing on the ship. Bless our ship.
The Ship's Company: May God the Father bless her
The Captain: Bless our ship.
The Ship's Company. May Jesus Christ bless her.
The Captain: Bless our ship.
The Ship's Company: May the Holy Spirit bless ·her.
The Captain: What do ye fear, seeing that God the Father is with you?
The Ship's Company: We fear nothing.
The Captain: What do ye fear, .seeing that God the Son is with you?
The Ship's Company:We fear nothing.
The Captain: What do ye fear, seeing that God the Holy Spirit is with You?
The Ship's Company: We fear nothing.

THE BLESSING

The Captain: Our help is in the Name of the Lord.
The Ships Company. Who hath made' Heaven and earth.
The Captain: The Lord be with you.
The Ship's Company And with Thy Spirit.

The Chaplain:
O Thou that sittest above the water floods and stillest the raging of the sea, accept we beseech Thee, the suppllcations of Thy servants for all who in this ship, now or hereafter, shall commit their lives to the perils of the deep. In all their ways enable them truly and godly to serve thee, and by their Christian lives to set forth Thy glory throughout the earth. Watch over them in their going forth and in their coming in, that no evil befall them, nor mischief come nigh to hurt their souls. And so through the waves of this troublesome world, and through. all the changes and chances of this mortal life, bring them of Thy mercy to the sure haven of Thine everlasting Kingdom; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God. for the sake of His Son through the comfort of the Holy Ghost, save and sanctify you, and carry you on with favouring winds and comfort over the sea and into harbour, according to his own good will which thing we desire from Him saying:

Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom .come. Thy will be done, in earth as it is in Heaven .. Give us this day our daily ·bread. And forgive us our ·trespasses; As we forgive them' that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory. Forever and ever. Amen.

Then the Chaplain will speak to the Ship's Company; and afterwards pronounce this blessing on the ship:

O Lord God Almighty who blesseth those who put their trust in thee, let thy blessing be upon this ship, and upon all those who serve and sail in her: May good success and .thy protection and the guardianship of thy Holy Angels be with them always. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Then the Chaplain will say the ·Prayer for the Navy, followed by one for  craftsmen:

O Eternal Lord God, who alone spreadest out the heavens, and rulest the raging of the 'seas; who hast compassed the waters with bounds until day and night come to an end: Be pleased to receive into thy Almighty and most gracious protection the persons of us thy servants, and the Fleet in which we serve. Preserve us from the dangers of the sea and air and from the violence of the enemy; that we may be a safeguard unto our most gracious Sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth and her Dominions, and a security for such as pass on the seas upon their lawful occasions; that the peoples of our Commonwealth may in peace and quietness serve them our God; and that we may return in safety to enjoy the blessings of the land, with the fruits of our labours, and with a thankful remembrance of thy mercies to praise and glorify thy holy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, the creator and upholder of men, who hast in every age inspired thy servants with courage and skill, we give. Thee hearty thanks for the example of those who have gone before us and into whose heritage we have entered; for the seamen of past genrations, for all who in great or small ships have braved the perils of the deep; for all who have given their lives for their country. More especially at this time do we thank Thee for those whose .skill is displayed in this ship; for the designers, craftsmen and all who have laboured in hero And we pray that we may be worthy of the trust committed to our charge, that we may be a terror to all that is evi! and bitter, and that by watchfulness and vigilance we may bear ourselves as those who serve Thee who art unseen; through Thine only Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Then shall be sung the hymn:

The Chaplain will then pronounce the blessing as follows:

Go forth into the world in peace: be of good courage; hold fast that which is good; render no man evil for evil strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak; help the afflicted; honour all men; love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.

And the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, the Sonl, and the Holy Ghost be upon you, and remain with you forever. Amen.  

Then all should join in and sing:

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN

Key Outpost

I have extracted relevant article from page 1 & 2

Click on image to enlarge

Transcript of above

Commodore J. E. L. Martin, D.S.C., Royal Navy, Senior Naval Officer, West Indies, arrived in Key West on Thursday, February 14, embarked in HMS Ulster (F-83), for a three day operational visit in this area.

The 363-foot Ulster, the first ship in the Royal Navy to bear that name is commanded by Commander R. C. Mayne, RN. Ulster was originally built as a destroyer and was completed in June 1943. After service in the English Channel she went Mediterran at the end of 1943 and remained until May 1944, when she returned to Home 'Waters to .take .part in the Normandy invasion.

At the end of 1944, HMS Ulster was sent to :the Pacific and participated] in operations against Okinawa 'and Sakashima Island's on ,March 31, 1945, but was ·severely damaged during air attack on the Fleet. She then ·returned to the United Kingdom to be repaired and refitted. From 1946 to 1953 .she was in commission as training Ship in Home waters. She was reduced to Reserve at the beginning of 1953 at Devonport -where she remained until mid 1955 when she was taken to H M Dockyard Chatham to be converted to a fast anti-submairine frigate. This conversion necessitated the stripping down of all the old armament, surperstructure and living accomodation and new aluminium upperworks .being of builit. The ship is therefore virtiually new, except for her hull and main machinery. This is HMS Ulster's forth commission on the Wes:t Indies Station.

The ship's crest, "The Red Hand of Ulster" or "Bloody Hand of O'Neill" has an. interesting background. According to an old  legend, the island of Ireland was promised to the first man to touch the shore from an expedition of raiding Norsemen. One of raiders, an O'Neill, seeing another boat about to outstrip his own, off his left hand and hurled it onto .the shore. Thus O'Neill succeeded in becoming the ruler of UlsIter, but his birothers ruled. over Southem Ireland. From this O'Neill, the princes of Ulster were descended and to this day, the motto of the O'Neills is "Lamh Deargh Eirin" (Red Hand of Erin). The official description of the badge is: "A sinister hand, erect, open and couped at the wrist."

Commodore Martin was born at Cheam, Surrey, England. He joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet at RN. College Dartmouth.in 1932

A Navigation Specialist,Commodore Martin in Minesweepers, Minelayers rt and Cruisers World War II.  He was awared the Distinguished Service Cross for service in Minesweepers in support of :the First ·and Eighth Armies in North Africa.

Since the War he has served as the Staff Navigating Officer on the Staff of the Flag Officer Sea. Training .in the battleship HMS Nelson, and later in the aircraft ,carrier HMS Victorious. In 1950 and 1951 he was Navigiating Officer of the training cruiser HMS Devonshire and twice visited the West Indies. His last appointment was at the Admitralty in :the Manpower Department.

In 1942, Commodore Martin married Rosemary, daughter of S. F. Deck, Esquire, of Suffolk, England. They have two sons bom 1945 and 1949, 'and two daughters born 1943 and 1947. Mrs. Ma:rtin and their two daughters Penelope 'andi Elspeth, are living in Bermuda while he holds :the appointment of Senior Naval Officer, West Indies.

Commander Mayne entered the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, as a Cadet and went to sea as a Midshipman in 1941. Except for his first year at sea as a Midshipman, Commander Mayne has always served in small ship. In 1957 he was appointed in command of HMS Eastbourne and immediately prior to his present appointment was Chief Staff Officer to :the Flag Officer, Middle East.

Commander Mayne previously visited the West Indies when First Lieutenant of HMS Ernard Bay 1952 and 1953, when that ship was employed in Cadet training with HMS Devonshire.

HMS Ulster with her 12 officers and 180 men will depart the area on February 16, 1963.

New Submission from ex M(E)1 Michael Johnson

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