Rear Admiral hands over HMS Orkney artefacts
By Brian Flett
(from The Orcadian dated 4 May 2000)

The bell, name board and honours board from the ship which the people of Orkney came to look upon as their own, HMS Orkney, have been presented to Orkney Islands Council exactly a year after the former fishery protection vessel paid her final visit to the county before being decommissioned.

The vessel’s insignia was handed over to OIC vice-convener Councillor Jim Sinclair at a ceremony in the council chamber last Thursday afternoon, attended by the Lord Lieutenant George Marwick, council directors and other invited guests.

The presentation was made by the most senior naval officer (Flag Officer) in Scotland, North of England and Northern Ireland, Rear Admiral Mike Gregory OBE.

Rear Admiral Gregory said that he only learned of the significance of HMS Orkney to the islands when he had made his first official visit a year ago for the farewell visit by the fishery protection vessel bearing the county’s name. But also something which he was reminded of, only a few days before the ceremony, was the islands’ significance to the Royal Navy. He remarked that Orkney was always such a popular place to visit because of the warmth of welcome afforded to various crews over the years.

Rear Admiral Gregory said: “I thought that it was terribly important before the bell, name board and honours board disappeared, because nowadays these things when ships pay off into either scrap or sale, tend to end up in an auction room in London and are bought by dealers, and then, you could argue are in the wrong hands because they are just people who like to have smart things. So I thought it was terribly important at the time that these particular artefacts should come to Kirkwall where they would be appreciated by the right people and hang in the right places.

“It was just as well I did that before HMS Orkney paid off otherwise they would have disappeared and getting them back from an auction room would have meant me having to pay quite a lot of money to get them back. So it’s an enormous pleasure for me, and I think it’s very formative to be able to give the council these artefacts. It’s a great pleasure and a great honour.”

Accepting the ship’s bell, name board and honours board, Councillor Sinclair said it was a real privilege to do so on behalf of the council and the people of Orkney.

He explained that HMS Orkney had had a special place in the affections of Orcadians.

“We always enjoyed having the ship here and entertaining the crew and they entertained us on occasion,” he said.

He went on to relate that his boyhood ambition was to join the Royal Navy and so he had a fascination for warships. Councillor Sinclair said that his first encounter with a warship was HMS Nelson in Scapa Flow, which his family had the privilege of supplying with eggs and milk. He said that that contact increased his determination to become a sailor, but he then discovered he became seasick when the sea was rough, so he gradually “amended” his ambitions.

Councillor Sinclair said that he well remembered the thrill of going on board HMS Orkney for the first time. “But it’s a matter of some regret that as yet there is not another ship to continue the name.

“Her bell will be given pride of place, possibly alongside that of the MV St Rognvald which hangs in the foyer of the council offices.”

The significance of the ship’s bell was explained by Lieutenant Commander Gordon Ivol.

“Inside it, you’ll see the names of children who’ve been christened while their parents were serving aboard HMS Orkney. The bell was turned upside down, and used as a font for the christenings.”

Two names were especially clear - “Jonathan Parker” and the date “23.9.77”; and “Alayne Liann Bowring 18.9.88”. Others were too badly faded to be distinguishable. Those people, and the ship on which they were christened, will have a permanent memento of their links with Orkney, on show for all to see within the heart of local government in the islands.