News: WA Bulletin 2011/30 Wednesday 23rd November 2011

WA Bulletin 2011/30 Wednesday 23rd November 2011

• Contents : Recruiting New Members; Letter in Lloyds List (Michael Grey); UK Christmas Lunch 3 Dec; Sea Vision UK; Ice cream at Brixham; In Memoriam; Where in the World is this?; Reminder to amend subscription Bankers Orders; Website Usage; Website Tips.
• Current total number of WA members worldwide: 439
• Broken website links: Should you come across any website links which do not work please notify me by email >> Chris Clarke
• To use the links below, first login then press the Ctrl key on your keyboard whilst you click the link in this bulletin.
• Thumbnail pictures: click on the picture which will cause it to load up full size in another window.
• Please read "Website Tips" at the bottom of this bulletin and if in difficulty go to the online Help Forum.

Recruiting New Members

In 2009 and 2010 under the stewardship of Jim MacIntyre we recruited about 200 new members, doubling our previous membership total. For perfectly understandable reasons I shan't bore you with, in 2011 up to the date of our September AGM in the UK we had recuited only 21 new members. However since the AGM things have started to pick up again.

In spite of disruptions due to the floods in Bangkok where he resides at present, Alan Jordan has continue his sterling detective work, searching online around the world to great effect. Also Jim now has three members assisting in the UK, Tony Catesby, Tony Griffiths and Roger Roach contacting potental new members. In the past 2 - 3 weeks we've had about 8 new joiners so well done to our intrepid team of detectives.

However its an enormous task as there are thousands more potential new members worldwide. That includes about 3,500 ex-cadets between 1939 and 1971 whose names we have, thousands of ex-cadets since 1971 and thousands of senior students and staff from 1935 to the present time whose names we don't even know! This presents a hge opportunity and we sorely need others to join Jim's team searching and making the initial contact.

My if not most members should be able to provide a current or old clue about one more ex-Warsash people e.g. year at Warsash, where they live/ used to live, who they work/ used to work for etc. If you are interested in tracking down potential new members or just have some information however sketchy, which may help please do contact Jim MacIntyre (1959) asap. Its a very rewarding pastime. The next bulletin will highlight how we go about this fascinating task.

Role of the Merchant Navy in emergencies (Lloyds List - Michael Grey)

Columnist Michael Grey, who was guest of honour at the UK 2011 Social Event dinner in September, has highlighted the dilemas posed by the UK's declining maritime importance Lloyds List. In the article he refers to a newly published book he recently read entitled "They Couldn't Have Done It Without Us - the Merchant Navy in the Falklands War" by John Johnson-Allen and published by Seafarer Books, ISBN 978-906266-23-3, price GBP 9.95. Use this link to read more >>Forum Home > Books and articles.

(My thanks to Neil Martin for providing this information)

UK Christmas Lunch Booking

It's still not to late to book for the UK Christmas Lunch. Use this link here >> UK Christmas Lunch for details and the forms needed to ensure you don't miss this year's lunch at The Royal Naval and Royal Albert Yacht Club in Portsmouth on 3rd December. Please respond to WA Secretary John Turner as soon as possible.

Sea Vision UK

Have you heard of Sea Vision UK? You may well have but I hadn't until David Baker (WMA Cadet liasion officer) posted a message on Facebook today. I'm sure you will approve of their objectives which are as follows: "Sea Vision UK is a national campaign to raise young people's awareness and understanding of the sea, maritime activities and the maritime sector. It particularly focuses on those aged between between 13 and 22 years old.".

So visit the Sea Vision UK website and see what you think of the organisation and their initiatives.

Ice cream at Brixham

What we usually tell our children about sail training on Moyana or Halcyon are stories about the rigours, the hairy passages we made, Captain Stewart's tough discipline, climbing the rigging and the cold, bleak forepeak accommodation. Well apparently it wasn't like that for everyone at Warsash! This photo in the Gallery Ice cream at Brixham suggests it was just a leisurely holiday for some! Do I hear "Not in my day"?

The photo was I think sent to me by Steve Pink. Can you put names to any of the faces? If so you can preferably create a Comment after loading the photo and I will add the names to the photo description, or alternatively email me >> Chris Clarke

In Memoriam

It is with sadness we have receved news that the following members have crossed the bar earlier this year. Keith Trayner (1946) and Keith Davie (1954). Their obituaries will appear on the website shortly.

Where in the world is this?

Visit this gallery Where in the world is this? to identify the latest picture added.

If you want to upload an appropriate 'mystery' photos to this gallery for the rest of us to guess the location please do so. But make sure the name of the uploaded file doesn't include a clue otherwise members can see it by downloading it, somehwat defeating the objective!

Reminder to amend annual subscription Bankers Orders

Annual subscriptions were increased to GBP15 at the WA 2011 AGM on 10 September. We are moving to a position where all annual subscription will in future fall due on the 1st January. There no longer is a joining fee to cover the purchase of a WA tie. Optionally a tie can be bought for GBP10 from the WA Membership Secretary.

WA Membership Secretary Reg Belcourt has explained the reasons for the increase in a letter sent with two forms to all members except those belonging to the Australian Branch, the New Zealand Branch and those living in North America where a new branch is being formed. In case you have not yet received the letter but should have done so, you can download these documents from the links below. Except for the aforementioned Branch members, will those required to make this change who have not yet done so please complete and return the forms as soon as possible to the WA Membership Secretary whose address is on the letter.

Branch committees will seek ratification with their own members shortly.

Letter 17 September	From Membership Secretary
Bankers (standing) Order form	Complete and send to your bank
Confirmation of Standing Order	Sign and post to Membership Secretary

Website usage

• The average daily number of unique visitors to the website so far in November is 102 (120 in October).
• The Warsash Association website now contains: 4,128 names, 156 News articles, 26 Events to date, 1,373 photos in 240 Galleries and 2,520 Forum posts
• Website uptime in the month of Ocober was 100% (independantly monitored). There were no outages of the host server (computer) in the month.

Kind regards,

Chris Clarke (1959)

Website Tips

Your first actions after logging in:

• List recent messages and photos created on the website using the function "View" in the top right corner of your screen.
• Click on "View - Posts since last visit".
• Click on "View - All photos last 4 weeks".

Lost your password?

• Generate your own new secure password via the website click "About this website/ Unable to login?" in the drop-down menu.
• This will email to you a link to change your email address and then another email to let you know the new password which has been generated.
• Remember - passwords are case sensitive.

Gallery hints:

• The pictures you see in the galleries are only thumbnails. Hover your cursor over the thumbnail and the caption appears.
• Click on the photo and it'll load up full size showing the caption and ID (Username) of member who uploaded it. Click Username and the member's profile loads up.

Step by step website instructions

• Click here >> Forum Home then place your cursor on the forum "Help".
• Lessons from the "Help" forum are sent out periodically from the website.

Maintaining your own personal details

You will recall our website is what's known as an 'interactive' site, which allows members to create and maintain their own content e.g. personal details, Forum messages, Gallery photos. As an organisation with 430 members worldwide run solely by a handful of volunteers it is important that online members maintain their own personal details.

Each of us from time to time will change our home and email addresses. To help our Membership Secretaries, if you are able to please keep your personal details on the website up to date. Instructions are in the Forum (hover over the 'Help' link and select 'Member's Profile'). If not please remember to let the WA Membership Secretary or Branch Membership Secretary know whenever your details change.

Several email addresses have recently 'bounced' which means those members will not receive website bulletins and other information until they are corrected. Please always keep your email address in particular up to date on the website. If you have any difficulty let me know at wawebmast@warsashassociation.net and I will help you.