Page 5 - tmp

www.ilkestonlife.com ILKESTON LIFE August 2021 5

CHURCH IS SEEKING CONTD. centuries with baptisms and My
St. Andrews is precarious. weddings, support to those
A sub committee has been suffering bereavements,and brother
formed to examine how a source of love and com-
overheads might be re- munity through two world
duced. At the same time, a wars. We want to fight for also had a
sub committee which was the future of this wonderful
formed just before lock- place of worship, so your frightening
down (to look at ways of in- support in whatever form
creasing revenue) and which would be most valued and a experience
has had to go ‘on hold’, re great encouragement.
convened on the 15th July. Now back to the present at sea
More of this later. We are and what the sub committee
aware that, in common with have decided, just to start Reading the article in
many churches, we are an with! Ilkeston Life last month,
ageing and inevitably dwin- There will be a ‘pop up’ The Worst Journey in the
dling congregation. Let’s be cafe in church, starting on
frank, if the village church Wednesday 4th August and World, reminded me of my
is to survive, we need help! repeating on each succes- brother, also in the Navy
That help could be financial sive Wednesday i.e 11th and when his ship got blown up.
but just as importantly, we so on. Tea, coffee and cake I do not know which ship it
need ‘hands on’ help when available between 2 and 4 was, I must have been eight Harold’s heroic wartime service recognised
running events. Clearly, pm. years old at the time.
any help would be invalu- There will be a pet blessing He managed to get aboard a Following on from last month’s article The
able, whether from inside service on 26th September small boat with three or four Worst Journey in the World – which is how PM
the Stanley community or at 5 pm. Bring your furry or other sailors and was on the Winston Churchill described the wartime passage
outside. Could you spare a non furry pets along for a water for six days before of the allied seamen through the stormy waters
couple of hours occasion- short service and a blessing, being picked up. of the Arctic Ocean – we have a photograph of
ally to help? We would like (subject to no re imposition I lived in Ilkeston then. Harold Straw receiving the Ushakov Medal from
to form a register of those of Covid restrictions). He had a girlfriend in Mid- a representative of the Russian Government at
willing to help the church by Normal services will be on dlesbrough and got mar- Derby Council House. The other picture shows
giving a little of their time. 8th and 22nd August at 11 ried. His name was Walter Harold with his nephew Tony Leivers at the
If you can spare some time am. This pattern will contin- Emmerson. He survived the event.
then please contact Ivan on ue for the time being. ordeal but passed away 28 Ilkestonian Harold, who celebrated his 100th
0115 932 2184. Many thanks from all at St. years ago. birthday on 20th June, was among the lucky
We at St. Andrews are Andrews for taking the time ones to survive the tempestuous journey aboard
trying very hard to ensure to read this, we wish you Violet Disney, SS Temple Arch while under constant threat of
the future of this ancient site all good health and God’s Fleet, Hampshire. being attacked by German U-boats and aircraft.
of worship but we can’t do blessing. Thousands of other seamen lost their lives. Har-
it alone! There has been so Richard Hancock, old tells the story of his naval service in his book
much joy to celebrate over Stanley St. Andrews PCC Unsung Heroes, available in Ilkeston Library.