HMS ECHO - CREW LOSS
My memorial to two shipmates lost from HMS ECHO whilst working in the Thames Estuary in 1964.
It also recalls a Royal Navy Hydrographic Service dedication at the National Memorial Arboretum in the early days of the arboretum's existence.
(See also ORGILL/O'ROURKE 1961-2 HMS COOK (New 1/4/18)
Petty Officer GEOFFREY ORGILL |
Leading Seaman FRANK DUNHAM |
LOST FROM H.M.S. ECHO
1 APRIL 1964
+Often in my thoughts but especially so today 1 April 2019 +
1 APRIL 1964
+Often in my thoughts but especially so today 1 April 2019 +
At about 1130 on Tuesday the 31st of March 1964 the three inshore survey ships of the Royal Navy, 'ENTERPRISE' (Squadron Senior Officer), 'EGERIA' and 'ECHO' moved from the berths they had occupied in No3 Basin at Chatham Dockyard and entered the North Lock. Together the three ships spent the next couple of hours being filmed by the BBC, with, of course, the less bashful among the ship's companies finding many reasons why they should be on deck.
In 'ECHO' as well as signalling the end of our Easter Leave period and the start of the 1964 surveying season it was, for 33 year old Lieutenant Commander P.G.N. CARDNO RN, his first command appointment. He had joined the ship a fortnight earlier and was now about to take her to sea for the first time.
With ego's boosted we locked out together at 1400 and made our way down river to Sheerness and out into the Thames Estuary where each of the ships carried out training and familiarisation before going to anchor for the night near the Knock John Tower at about 1930.
In 'ECHO' as well as signalling the end of our Easter Leave period and the start of the 1964 surveying season it was, for 33 year old Lieutenant Commander P.G.N. CARDNO RN, his first command appointment. He had joined the ship a fortnight earlier and was now about to take her to sea for the first time.
With ego's boosted we locked out together at 1400 and made our way down river to Sheerness and out into the Thames Estuary where each of the ships carried out training and familiarisation before going to anchor for the night near the Knock John Tower at about 1930.
Wednesday the 1st of April dawned cloudy with the wind Light to Gentle (4-10 knots) from the North East and Poor to Moderate (2-5 miles) visibility. The air temperature was around 40„aF (4.5„aC) and was to change little during the day but the wind would strengthen dramatically with the rise of the tide. High Water Dover was at 1431. The weather forecast for the day was: -
"Southern North Sea/Straits of Dover/English Channel (East) - Cloudy, Occasional Rain or Drizzle, Wind North-east Moderate or Fresh (11-21knots), Moderate visibility, Sea Moderate". There was no forecast, nor actual, significant change of barometric pressure and it stayed around 1010mbs with no frontal weather changes.
We were, then, ready to start our surveying season in earnest and at 0730 'ENTERPRISE' weighed anchor and went off training helmsmen in the art of 'Decca' steering whilst 'ECHO' moved over to 'EGERIA' to exchange some stores before heading off to the Shingles Bank a couple of miles away. On completion some ten minutes later 'EGERIA' moved off to the East to go about her business.
By 08.05 'ECHO' had anchored at the northern end of the South Edinburgh Channel which runs roughly North/South along the eastern side of the Shingles Bank and measures something like 2 by 0.5 nm. The position is around 9 nautical miles North of Reculver in North Kent, 20 nm East of Southend on Sea and the nearest land to the North, at Frinton on Sea in Essex, is some 17 to 18 miles away. With Sheerness and the entrance to the Medway 20 nm to the West-south-west it can be seen that 'ECHO' was, to all intents and purposes, in the middle of the Thames Estuary.
"Southern North Sea/Straits of Dover/English Channel (East) - Cloudy, Occasional Rain or Drizzle, Wind North-east Moderate or Fresh (11-21knots), Moderate visibility, Sea Moderate". There was no forecast, nor actual, significant change of barometric pressure and it stayed around 1010mbs with no frontal weather changes.
We were, then, ready to start our surveying season in earnest and at 0730 'ENTERPRISE' weighed anchor and went off training helmsmen in the art of 'Decca' steering whilst 'ECHO' moved over to 'EGERIA' to exchange some stores before heading off to the Shingles Bank a couple of miles away. On completion some ten minutes later 'EGERIA' moved off to the East to go about her business.
By 08.05 'ECHO' had anchored at the northern end of the South Edinburgh Channel which runs roughly North/South along the eastern side of the Shingles Bank and measures something like 2 by 0.5 nm. The position is around 9 nautical miles North of Reculver in North Kent, 20 nm East of Southend on Sea and the nearest land to the North, at Frinton on Sea in Essex, is some 17 to 18 miles away. With Sheerness and the entrance to the Medway 20 nm to the West-south-west it can be seen that 'ECHO' was, to all intents and purposes, in the middle of the Thames Estuary.
On the Shingles Bank was a tripod that had been erected some years earlier, by surveyors, to provide an essential surveying reference point. In its exposed position on a bank that is washed by the sea twice a day it was necessary to check and reinforce it at the end of the winter. That was the task the five men including the ship's CO - more than one third of the ship's company - left 'ECHO' to perform on this first day of April 1964. The first team (4) left the ship in the ship's Dory at 0820 to go onto the Bank and soon after 0900 the fifth man and all the gear they required for the tasks had been landed.
While they were getting into their work on the bank, 'EGERIA', out to the East, came upon the wreckage of a small yacht at 0900. She immediately commenced a search of the area eventually recovering a nameboard, which she went off to land arriving off Margate at midday.
Meanwhile work on the Shingles Bank and the strengthening wind with rising tide were increasingly coming into conflict as the morning progressed. From the bridge of 'ECHO' - now commanded by our lone officer Lt. M D Wodehouse-Easton - it could be seen that as the tide began to rise the wave height was increasing and the water disturbance around the edge of the Bank was worsening whilst efforts by the shore party to refloat the Dory to return to the ship were started. By 1030 we in the ship and the shore party realised that they were unlikely to succeed in doing so unaided. 'ECHO', then rigged lines with pellet-floats attached to them with the aim of floating them down to the shore party to enable us to haul the boat, with them, off the bank. We tried a few times unsuccessfully and then decided to weigh anchor and manoeuvre closer to the Tripod and try again but the pellets continued to be deflected around the bank without going near enough to be recovered by the shore party.
At about the same time as 'EGERIA' arrived off Margate, midday,'ENTERPRISE' anchored a couple of miles east of Knock John Tower quite unaware of the situation 'ECHO' was trying to resolve just a couple of miles to the South. It was 1220 when we again anchored up wind and tide and as close as we could get to the Tripod. We were now within 400 yards or so off the Tripod and, we thought, in the optimum position to get a line ashore. We tried and tried again but it was impossible. The shore party had by now been on the rapidly diminishing sandbank for coming up to four hours and would inevitably be cold and increasingly concerned at the degenerating situation they found themselves in, as we were.
While they were getting into their work on the bank, 'EGERIA', out to the East, came upon the wreckage of a small yacht at 0900. She immediately commenced a search of the area eventually recovering a nameboard, which she went off to land arriving off Margate at midday.
Meanwhile work on the Shingles Bank and the strengthening wind with rising tide were increasingly coming into conflict as the morning progressed. From the bridge of 'ECHO' - now commanded by our lone officer Lt. M D Wodehouse-Easton - it could be seen that as the tide began to rise the wave height was increasing and the water disturbance around the edge of the Bank was worsening whilst efforts by the shore party to refloat the Dory to return to the ship were started. By 1030 we in the ship and the shore party realised that they were unlikely to succeed in doing so unaided. 'ECHO', then rigged lines with pellet-floats attached to them with the aim of floating them down to the shore party to enable us to haul the boat, with them, off the bank. We tried a few times unsuccessfully and then decided to weigh anchor and manoeuvre closer to the Tripod and try again but the pellets continued to be deflected around the bank without going near enough to be recovered by the shore party.
At about the same time as 'EGERIA' arrived off Margate, midday,'ENTERPRISE' anchored a couple of miles east of Knock John Tower quite unaware of the situation 'ECHO' was trying to resolve just a couple of miles to the South. It was 1220 when we again anchored up wind and tide and as close as we could get to the Tripod. We were now within 400 yards or so off the Tripod and, we thought, in the optimum position to get a line ashore. We tried and tried again but it was impossible. The shore party had by now been on the rapidly diminishing sandbank for coming up to four hours and would inevitably be cold and increasingly concerned at the degenerating situation they found themselves in, as we were.
At its highest point the bank rises less than 1.5 metres above sea level at low water and most of it shows rather less than a metre added to that it is prone to shifting. With a tidal range of around 4.5M, by 1130 there would have been in excess of 1 knot of flood tide running round the edges of a fast diminishing visible bank. The tide was flowing into the Thames that means North and West around the Shingles Bank. With the wind blowing in the opposite direction across its northerly flow it gives rise to very disturbed seas that break heavily and grow steeper as they start to roll and deepen across the banks and shallows. East to North-east winds always produce the worst conditions in the Thames Estuary.
The shore party was left with no options other than to climb the tripod they had earlier strengthened. All five were now standing on horizontal bracings attached to the legs of the tripod about 9' (2.5M) in the air with their backs to the wind and sea and the Dory was tied, awash, beneath them. The water now covered the Bank but it was not deep enough for the ship to get near them.
The shore party was left with no options other than to climb the tripod they had earlier strengthened. All five were now standing on horizontal bracings attached to the legs of the tripod about 9' (2.5M) in the air with their backs to the wind and sea and the Dory was tied, awash, beneath them. The water now covered the Bank but it was not deep enough for the ship to get near them.
We in'ECHO' having been unsuccessful in attempts to aid the stranded men now sought the assistance of the other ships of the squadron and communications with 'ENTERPRISE' was established at 1310. She immediately left her anchorage and arrived on scene within 25 minutes to be joined by 'EGERIA' at 1400. All three ships were now feverishly trying everything, including liferafts, to get to the five who were, even at the top of the tripod, being drenched by spray. 'ENTERPRISE' launched a liferaft with two crew in it and a safety line attached to the ship but as they attempted to paddle down to the Tripod the safety line was snagged and parted and they themselves had to be rescued by 'EGERIA'. A second liferaft was holed whilst being redied to launch.
With the tide almost at its highest and waves washing over the Tripod, at 1445, two of the shore party were seen to fall into the sea. Nothing else mattered now but to get the two from the water and the others off the Tripod but then a third man was in the water. 'ENTERPRISE' drove in and plucked one off the Tripod and one from the water followed closely by 'ECHO' who took the remaining man from the Tripod. 'EGERIA' meanwhile was downtide looking for the men in the water. Both 'ENTERPRISE' and 'ECHO' had grounded heavily in going in to the Tripod and it was apparent by heavy vibration in 'ECHO' that we had sustained some damage but a quick inspection showed there was no water coming in.
With the tide almost at its highest and waves washing over the Tripod, at 1445, two of the shore party were seen to fall into the sea. Nothing else mattered now but to get the two from the water and the others off the Tripod but then a third man was in the water. 'ENTERPRISE' drove in and plucked one off the Tripod and one from the water followed closely by 'ECHO' who took the remaining man from the Tripod. 'EGERIA' meanwhile was downtide looking for the men in the water. Both 'ENTERPRISE' and 'ECHO' had grounded heavily in going in to the Tripod and it was apparent by heavy vibration in 'ECHO' that we had sustained some damage but a quick inspection showed there was no water coming in.
We now, about 1500, knew we had rescued Able Seaman Ryder and that Lt. Cdr. Cardno and L/S Gotts were safe in 'ENTERPRISE'. Inevitably we also knew that PO Orgill and L/S Dunham were in the water somewhere close to us and the three ships concentrated all their efforts in trying to find them. At 1520 one of them was sighted from 'ECHO' but while 'ENTERPRISE' tried to recover him he was lost beneath the surface. That event forced the Senior Officer to despatch the formal signal, originated at 011426z, From 'ENTERPRISE' To 'FLAG OFFICER MEDWAY', which said simply, "A/PO ORGILL & A/L/S DUNHAM missing presumed drowned"
On scene of course, we continued to search and hope that our resolve might bear the reward of finding our two shipmates. A RAF helicopter from Manston, the Trinity House Vessel 'VESTA' and then MARGATE Lifeboat joined the search, which we continued until dark without catching any further sight of the missing men.
Finally and despondently, at 1930, 'ECHO' with her sisters 'ENTERPRISE' and 'EGERIA' had to call off the search. We had set out that morning on a routine task that should have set us up to survey the area as had been done so many times before. The survey would ensure the buoyage around the notoriously mobile Shingles area was in the right place to allow vessels safe passage and thus preserve life. In attempting to do that we had lost two of our own crew.
On scene of course, we continued to search and hope that our resolve might bear the reward of finding our two shipmates. A RAF helicopter from Manston, the Trinity House Vessel 'VESTA' and then MARGATE Lifeboat joined the search, which we continued until dark without catching any further sight of the missing men.
Finally and despondently, at 1930, 'ECHO' with her sisters 'ENTERPRISE' and 'EGERIA' had to call off the search. We had set out that morning on a routine task that should have set us up to survey the area as had been done so many times before. The survey would ensure the buoyage around the notoriously mobile Shingles area was in the right place to allow vessels safe passage and thus preserve life. In attempting to do that we had lost two of our own crew.
As darkness - and the wind - fell we set course for Sheerness, the River Medway and Chatham from where we had sailed, so full of optimism and excitement, less than 30 hours ago. We arrived back at Chatham at 2335.
As is customary the kit of Geoff Orgill and Frank Dunham was auctioned in Chatham Barracks (HMS PEMBROKE) on the 24th of April - in the presence of the Squadron ship's companies and others - with the proceeds later being passed to their families. As if the deaths were not tragic enough for the two families, their bodies were never found.
Geoff ORGILL was married with five children the eldest of whom was eleven and lived in Minster, Isle of Sheppey. He was 33 years old. Frank DUNHAM whose parents lived in High Wycombe was single. I guess Frank was around 25. Both of them were experienced members of the Surveyor Branch. Alan (Ayjay) GOTTS passed away in 1998 and would, I think, have been in his 60's. I am afraid I have no further information on Bill RYDER but would be very pleased to hear of him.
Lieutenant Commander P.G.N. Cardno, Royal Navy, Commanding Officer, HMS ECHO subsequently faced a Court-Martial at Chatham on the 5th of May 1964.
He was acquitted on charges of neglecting to perform his duty by failing to ask for outside assistance to secure the recovery of the party under his command and for failing to give instructions for a careful watch to be kept on the weather.
He was found guilty of negligently performing his duty in landing a party without making proper provision for their safety by failing to ensure they all had lifejackets.
Lieutenant Commander P.G.N. Cardno, Royal Navy, Commanding Officer, HMS ECHO subsequently faced a Court-Martial at Chatham on the 5th of May 1964.
He was acquitted on charges of neglecting to perform his duty by failing to ask for outside assistance to secure the recovery of the party under his command and for failing to give instructions for a careful watch to be kept on the weather.
He was found guilty of negligently performing his duty in landing a party without making proper provision for their safety by failing to ensure they all had lifejackets.
From the survivors the court heard from Bill RYDER that he had offered lifejackets to everyone before they landed but they had been refused and that he was the only one who had one. He felt that his lifejacket might have saved him had he been forced into the sea. He also told the court "Leading Seaman DUNHAM grabbed hold of ORGILL but he was dragged off the tripod by his weight and disappeared".
Alan GOTTS said "We were unable to get off the bank because of the wind and tide were against us. Finally we had to climb up on the tripod and were there for two hours. Waves were breaking over us and finally two of the party were swept into the water" Of Geoff ORGILL'S condition he said "It deteriorated more than the others. When he fell off the tripod the captain jumped straight in after him"
Peter CARDNO told the court "While ORGILL was on the tripod I tried to hold him with my hands under his armpits but there seemed to be very little go in him at all. He was unable to make much effort then a large wave came and he was washed off the tripod. I went in after him but I couldn't see him in the water"
"My own life was saved by pure chance because I came up alongside the boat, which had been lashed to the tripod. I grabbed hold of it but almost immediately it overturned. I clung on and was then washed off ". I then half surfaced and found a line from the 'ENTERPRISE' which I got hold of. There was a lifebelt at the end of it and I managed to stick my head through it"
In response to questions regarding the need for life-jackets he said "I did not consider at the time and do not consider now that they would have been of any value in the operation. Events showed that at no time were life-jackets required until conditions had deteriorated to a very much worse extent than I had expected but even then they would have been of no value at the last moment and they would have hampered us in our work. Had we been wearing them we would have had difficulty in holding on to the tripod"
The court sentenced Peter CARDNO to be reprimanded on the one charge he was found guilty of.
Alan GOTTS said "We were unable to get off the bank because of the wind and tide were against us. Finally we had to climb up on the tripod and were there for two hours. Waves were breaking over us and finally two of the party were swept into the water" Of Geoff ORGILL'S condition he said "It deteriorated more than the others. When he fell off the tripod the captain jumped straight in after him"
Peter CARDNO told the court "While ORGILL was on the tripod I tried to hold him with my hands under his armpits but there seemed to be very little go in him at all. He was unable to make much effort then a large wave came and he was washed off the tripod. I went in after him but I couldn't see him in the water"
"My own life was saved by pure chance because I came up alongside the boat, which had been lashed to the tripod. I grabbed hold of it but almost immediately it overturned. I clung on and was then washed off ". I then half surfaced and found a line from the 'ENTERPRISE' which I got hold of. There was a lifebelt at the end of it and I managed to stick my head through it"
In response to questions regarding the need for life-jackets he said "I did not consider at the time and do not consider now that they would have been of any value in the operation. Events showed that at no time were life-jackets required until conditions had deteriorated to a very much worse extent than I had expected but even then they would have been of no value at the last moment and they would have hampered us in our work. Had we been wearing them we would have had difficulty in holding on to the tripod"
The court sentenced Peter CARDNO to be reprimanded on the one charge he was found guilty of.
A final irony on that fateful day came when the Dory the shore party used to take them onto the Shingles Bank was recovered by 'EGERIA' during the afternoon but broke away as it was being prepared for hoisting inboard. As 'EGERIA', for the second time, set of in pursuit the Guernsey registered ship 'GOLDEN COMET' ran the dory down and so it, perhaps fittingly, remained with those it had taken ashore and lost.
For us, in her, 'ECHO' was never the same after that and nor were we. You never live in a ship without becoming part of the family of the time and in a ship so small it is close family and yes, of course the event still returns and still hurts.
Repairs to the ship were completed on the 15th of April and by 1740 that evening we anchored once more off Knock John Tower ready to restart our surveying season next morning.
Peter Cardno continued his career which included promotion to Commander and command of HMS VIDAL. Upon
retiring from the navy he went to the Malaysian State of Sarawak, Borneo - where he had surveyed whilst in the navy - in the role of State Hydrographer. He died there in tragic circumstances in 1982 when the wooden floor of the old office building he was vacating gave way under him resulting in splinters penetrating his chest.
Writing in 2001 Cdr John Mackay (The previous CO) said " The loss of Geoff Orgill and Frank Dunham was very sad as it was for Pete Cardno. Geoff and Frank had been in my sounding boat crew in VIDAL and Pete had been a great companion, with Colin Weeks" (Sqdn. Senior Officer and CO ENTERPRISE at the time of the loss) He went on to say "I think if one does not risk accidents (even death or groundings) one does not achieve much. There were many dedicated surveyors but Pete was the most exemplary and he was great company".
For us, in her, 'ECHO' was never the same after that and nor were we. You never live in a ship without becoming part of the family of the time and in a ship so small it is close family and yes, of course the event still returns and still hurts.
Repairs to the ship were completed on the 15th of April and by 1740 that evening we anchored once more off Knock John Tower ready to restart our surveying season next morning.
Peter Cardno continued his career which included promotion to Commander and command of HMS VIDAL. Upon
retiring from the navy he went to the Malaysian State of Sarawak, Borneo - where he had surveyed whilst in the navy - in the role of State Hydrographer. He died there in tragic circumstances in 1982 when the wooden floor of the old office building he was vacating gave way under him resulting in splinters penetrating his chest.
Writing in 2001 Cdr John Mackay (The previous CO) said " The loss of Geoff Orgill and Frank Dunham was very sad as it was for Pete Cardno. Geoff and Frank had been in my sounding boat crew in VIDAL and Pete had been a great companion, with Colin Weeks" (Sqdn. Senior Officer and CO ENTERPRISE at the time of the loss) He went on to say "I think if one does not risk accidents (even death or groundings) one does not achieve much. There were many dedicated surveyors but Pete was the most exemplary and he was great company".
In November 2006 I received an email from Chris Hearne who said "…..I am the nephew of Frank Dunham, and came upon your website when assisting my son with his homework, investigating his family tree. I was interested to see that a memorial has been erected and I wondered if you could forward the address \ directions of were to find it so I can pass it onto to other parts of the family." Within a few days Chris had been in touch with other members of the family and then sent me a photo of Frank telling me Frank had a brother.
Three days later the following email arrived from Jim Dunham "I have just been referred to your web site by my nephew which he came across during his research into our families history. It was my brother Frank who died with Geoff Orgill in 1964. I would just like to thank you for making such an interesting record of their sad demise on your web site. I was in Kuching, Sarawak at the time as part of naval party Alpha off the Ark Royal so I was not really fully aware of all the facts only those which my father could relate at the time.
Jim exposes here another irony in being in Sarawak at the time of the loss of his brother as that was where our CO Peter Cardno lost his life 18 years later.
Not only was this development - six years after first publishing this page in November 2000 - a surprise, it was also very pleasing & rewarding to learn that Frank's wider family and particularly his brother, Jim, had discovered and been able to gain something from it. Isn't that exactly what the www is for? Coincidently in the same week I received an email from one of Geoff Orgill's daughters.
I have long wanted a picture of Geoff Orgill and, in March 2008, another of Geoff's daughters, Lorraine Bartlett, has been in touch and kindly sent me the photo now included at the top of this page thus making it complete.
Three days later the following email arrived from Jim Dunham "I have just been referred to your web site by my nephew which he came across during his research into our families history. It was my brother Frank who died with Geoff Orgill in 1964. I would just like to thank you for making such an interesting record of their sad demise on your web site. I was in Kuching, Sarawak at the time as part of naval party Alpha off the Ark Royal so I was not really fully aware of all the facts only those which my father could relate at the time.
Jim exposes here another irony in being in Sarawak at the time of the loss of his brother as that was where our CO Peter Cardno lost his life 18 years later.
Not only was this development - six years after first publishing this page in November 2000 - a surprise, it was also very pleasing & rewarding to learn that Frank's wider family and particularly his brother, Jim, had discovered and been able to gain something from it. Isn't that exactly what the www is for? Coincidently in the same week I received an email from one of Geoff Orgill's daughters.
I have long wanted a picture of Geoff Orgill and, in March 2008, another of Geoff's daughters, Lorraine Bartlett, has been in touch and kindly sent me the photo now included at the top of this page thus making it complete.
SURVEY SHIPS ASSOCIATION / RN HYDROGRAPHIC OFFICE MEMORIAL DEDICATION IN 2000 AT THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL ARBORETUM AT ALREWAS
Guests at the Dedication including some of Geoff Orgill's relatives.
In the Staffordshire countryside, only a little removed from the busy A38 and just south of Burton-Upon-Trent, millions of tons of gravel for the minerals company 'Redland Aggregates Ltd' have been excavated from a site that has since been filled, levelled and landscaped for a very special purpose. Here is a development that is being funded by National Lottery Awards and public donations. Given by 'Redland' in return for a peppercorn rent but subject to a definitive use it is, the 'National Memorial Arboretum' at Alrewas, Staffordshire. It is fast becoming a place of peace and beauty in which to remember people, events and milestones we humans have created in our pursuit of the illusive Utopia.
At the start of the year 2000 the site is in its formative stage with modern buildings, including a Hall of Remembrance, going up and there are already memorial plantings by many organisations from Merchant Shipping Lines to Military Units and along with those tranquillity is growing there.
I, with my wife, Brenda, had the privilege of attending a new tree planting and dedication there, on the 2nd of May 2000, to the men of the Royal Navy's Hydrographic Service who had given their lives in both war and peace time in pursuit of making navigation of the worlds seas less dangerous. The 'Survey Ships Association' and the 'UK Hydrographic Office' mutually undertook the memorial and dedication service. Attended by members of both organisations, it was conducted by the Association's Chaplain the Reverend Albert Braithwaite RN.
For my wife and myself, and, undoubtedly, for Geoff Orgill's eldest son, one of his daughters and Geoff's two brothers who attended the ceremony, it was an especially poignant day as we remembered the tragedy that overtook HMS ECHO in the Thames Estuary on All Fools Day 1964.
On that day, following news reports that two men from the ship had died, my wife sat at home in Chatham wondering if I was going to come home - I did. The same anxiety existed in other homes but in two of them, one in Minster, Isle of Sheppey and the other in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, Geoff Orgill, a father of five, and Frank Dunham, who was single, were never again to turn the key in the lock. We remembered them, prayed for their families & relatives and looked around this most fitting of memorial sites located, as it is, in the centre of the country as far from the sea as you can get.
At the start of the year 2000 the site is in its formative stage with modern buildings, including a Hall of Remembrance, going up and there are already memorial plantings by many organisations from Merchant Shipping Lines to Military Units and along with those tranquillity is growing there.
I, with my wife, Brenda, had the privilege of attending a new tree planting and dedication there, on the 2nd of May 2000, to the men of the Royal Navy's Hydrographic Service who had given their lives in both war and peace time in pursuit of making navigation of the worlds seas less dangerous. The 'Survey Ships Association' and the 'UK Hydrographic Office' mutually undertook the memorial and dedication service. Attended by members of both organisations, it was conducted by the Association's Chaplain the Reverend Albert Braithwaite RN.
For my wife and myself, and, undoubtedly, for Geoff Orgill's eldest son, one of his daughters and Geoff's two brothers who attended the ceremony, it was an especially poignant day as we remembered the tragedy that overtook HMS ECHO in the Thames Estuary on All Fools Day 1964.
On that day, following news reports that two men from the ship had died, my wife sat at home in Chatham wondering if I was going to come home - I did. The same anxiety existed in other homes but in two of them, one in Minster, Isle of Sheppey and the other in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, Geoff Orgill, a father of five, and Frank Dunham, who was single, were never again to turn the key in the lock. We remembered them, prayed for their families & relatives and looked around this most fitting of memorial sites located, as it is, in the centre of the country as far from the sea as you can get.
Tree planting and plaque (centre) later replaced with the metal one.
The tree was planted by Joe Erskine, Chairman Survey Ships Association and Rear Admiral J P Clark, CB, LVO, MBE, RN, Hydrographer of the Navy, on a fittingly calm sunny and dry day after weeks of rain and wind.
This HMS ECHO CREW LOSS page was published online in November 2000 and was, then, intended to be the first and only one! Like all the others that followed it has been revised from time to time since. Les Burrill
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