request from the UK
If you are able to assist with the following please contact Commodore Sym Taylor RN (Rtd) direct at his email address [email protected]
Please excuse this missive out of the blue from a pom in a very cold UK!
I hope that one or other of you may be able to help.
In 1982, at the height of the Falklands conflict, I was given a “pierhead jump” from my job as the RN exchange officer and Company Commander at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst to take the old frigate ZULU out of the Disposal List (where she had languished for a number of years), get her fully operational and run her until replacement modern frigates became available. In the event I stayed until the ship paid off about two years later. Although we had a scratch crew from those who were available and not already serving at sea, drafty and the appointers did a great job and there were quite a few old ZULUS amongst the team. Consequently, the team stayed together pretty well for the whole time. This was unusual even for those days.
As it is now 40 years since these events, I plan to host a gathering at home for the wardroom at some point in late August/early September. The problem, of course, is that I have lost touch with most but I have written to the RN NavSec in the hope that he may be able to get in touch with as many as possible. The reason that I have now come to you is that I had two RAN PWOs and I would like to get back in contact with them to let them know of this plan and to give them a chance to see if they are able to get to UK for the great ZULU reunion jamboree. The two officers
are:
* Lt Mick Stewart, who I bumped into about eight or nine years ago in the Russell Offices in Canberra when he was a Commander in the Defence Knowledge Staff.
* Lt Jan (Tony) Gerlach, for whom I have no further information.
Both of them were first-class PWOs – quite different but excellent in every respect as well as being great fun. I would very much value your advice on how I could find current email addresses for these two stars so that I can let them know that, even if they are unable to attend, they are not forgotten. I recognise that Data Protection rules will be a problem so I have attached a note that could be sent on to these officers if you have their details.
My former PWO Course chum (Chris Ritchie) managed to find an email address from Mick Stewart but it does not seem to be current.
With very best wishes and apologies again for being a pain,
Sym Taylor
