Naval hero is guest speaker at aTrafalgar Day commemoration

Royal Naval veteran Harry Waddingham served throughout World War Two and, as detailed in last week’s Observer, survived having two ships sunk beneath him due to enemy action. Two days before his 100th birthday, Harry delighted East Sussex Sovereign Harbour Unit Mess of the MVS with a variation on the traditional toast to the Immortal Memory of Admiral Lord Nelson that was all his own. Witty, concise, controversially challenging in that he revealed the Admiral’s weaknesses as well as his strengths, and packed with historical detail, the centenarian delivered it without notes or microphone. Nelson was both vain and a gambler, Mr Waddingham said. The four huge stars he wore on his uniform had been purchased in Naples for a guinea a time. He had a complete disregard for accepted tactics, scoring victories by taking such chances as allowing the enemy to “cross the t” (thereby bringing its maximum number of guns to bear). But Nelson’s victory at Trafalgar led to the Pax Britannica, Royal Naval superiority which “kept the whole world in order” for a century Mr Waddingham was accompanied at the function hosted by Bexhill Sailing Club by his wife, Colette. He had been introduced by Chief Volunteer Greg Darby on behalf of Head of Unit Keith Johnson. The singing of sea shanties, led by Chief Volunteer Frost concluded the evening. The MVS Sovereign Harbour Unit began as the Bexhill Unit, formed when the Bexhill Royal Naval Auxiliary Unit was axed in the 1994 defence cuts. It is now based at Eastbourne’s Sovereign Harbour, where East Sussex 1, its 16-metre ex-RN Kiwi Class harbour patrol vessel, is moored and its six-metre rigid inflatable and hovercraft kept. Members train weekly in seamanship, engineering and marine operations. It offers training in maritime skills to local youth groups. MVS membership is open to over-18s. Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live. Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on. 1 Make our website your homepage at www.bexhillobserver.net 2 Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bexhillobserver 3 Follow us on Twitter @BexhillObs 4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here. And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out! The Bexhill Observer – always the first with your local news. Be part of it.