OA Sword - 2018
Lieutenant Lucy Robus Royal Navy - Citation
Lt Robus is an outstanding Officer with the ability to lead and inspire others. She delivers a consistent and impressive performance across all her areas of responsibility, guiding Young Officers through their fundamental training at a formative stage of their career. Joining the Maritime Warfare School in September 2017 from two highly successfully navigating officer assignments at sea she has displayed professionalism, coupled with unfailing enthusiasm and dedication.
The Course Manager and Lead Instructor for Initial Warfare Officers Course, she has been key to improving first time pass rates, which is testament to her exceptional knowledge and ability to mentor others. She has been fundamental to redesign of the course, expending it to include a greater degree of practical training and assessment. This is paying dividends for Officers joining front line warships. Additionally she led the redesign and refurbishment of 2 classrooms bringing them to the highest of standards for instruction.
Her infectious personal drive and passion attracts consistent praise from her students and positive feedback from the units they join. Engaging and personable, she genuinely cares for her students, interested equally in their personal welfare as well as their professional development. She is motivated to ensure they are as prepared as possible for their future careers and drives them to perform to their very best.
Outside of her core role, she is a qualified as a Trauma Risk Management advisor, providing non-medical support to those exposed to trauma and is also a Victim Liaison Officer for the whole Establishment. In addition, she is always ready to undertake for additional responsibility, running the Bridge Simulator for Open Day and volunteering for Ceremonial Duties both within the Establishment (Guard Officer for Divisions) and representing the Royal Navy at national events, such as the November Ceremonies in London.
Lt Robus is a dedicated young Officer with a very bright future. She recently completed her Junior Command Qualification Board, well ahead of her peers; an experienced Royal Navy examiner described her performance as one of the best he had ever seen. She is on the right track for future Warship Command.
An extremely loyal, trusted and capable Officer, Lt Robus represents the finest values and ethos of the service. She has my very strongest recommendation for award of the HMS COLLINGWOOD Officers’ Association Sword.
Lt Lucy Robus is presented with the OA sword by HRH The Princess Royal at Divisions on 20 July 2018.
A Short History of the OA Sword 2018
The original owner of the HMS Collingwood Officers’ Association 2018 Sword was Henry Antony Simpson. He was born on 15th November 1893. The sword was made by Wilkinson’s in 1913 so it is highly likely he was the first owner. His name is engraved on the sword.
H A Simpson was a Lt during WW1 and served in HMS Swift and HMS Moth. He was awarded the DSC. Research has uncovered the following information.
8 MAY 1917 - DOVER STRAITS ACTION
Honours for Service in the Action Between H.M. Ships "Swift" and "Broke" and German Destroyers on the night of the 20th to 21st of April, 1917.
..... award of the Distinguished Service Cross to the undermentioned Officers for their services during this action:
Lieut. Henry Antony Simpson, R.N. Executive Officer and Gunnery Lieut. of H.M.S. "Swift." He displayed great coolness and method in the control of fire which he had very ably organised and zealously drilled, and greatly assisted his commanding officer throughout the action.
Lt Simpson RN is on the right with Sub Lt Nicholson RN on board HMS Swift; a Destroyer Leader.
During WW2 there was a Captain H A Simpson DSC OBE serving at Port Said as Chief of Staff.
The sword has been kindly donated by Mrs Judith Turner, widow of the late Lt Cdr John Turner RN who owned this sword. A brief summary of John’s career is as below:
- John Richard Lindsay Turner
- Joined BRNC September 1962 with a Naval Scholarship. (Grenville Division)
- 5 years on the General List before qualifying as a helicopter pilot.
- Wasp conversion. Naval diver.
- Captain of HMS Bossington, coastal minesweeper; awarded the MBE for mine clearance in the Suez Canal.
- Senior pilot at Portland.
- Staff course at RNC Greenwich.
- Loan service to Qatar driving patrol boats.
- Hovercraft pilot at HMS Daedalus
- Hong Kong, driving hovercraft to stop illegal immigrants.
- HMS Canberra, the Great White Whale, during the Falklands campaign.
He retired in 1983 but continued to fly helicopters for a few years.
The late Lieutenant Commander
John Turner MBE RN on his
return from the Falklands War
Sub Lieutenant John Turner RN
at BRNC in 1965
holding his sword.
Judith is the sister of Linda Edmonds, who is the wife of Lt Cdr Mike Edmonds RN who kindly donated his sword last year (2017).
Grateful thanks to Captain John McGrath RN, a member of the OA who has kindly produced this summary of interest.
Brief history of Wilkinson
Name |
Addresses |
Dates |
Notes |
James Wilkinson |
|
|
Apprentice to Henry Nock |
Henry Nock & James Wilkinson |
10 Ludgate Street |
1785 - 1804 |
|
James Wilkenson |
10 Ludgate Street |
1805 - 1806 |
Gun maker to HM the King |
James Wilkenson |
12 Ludgate Street |
1807 - 1817 |
|
James Wilkenson & Son (Henry) |
12 Ludgate Steet |
1818 - 1824 |
|
Henry Wilkinson |
17 Pall Mall |
1825 – 1828 |
Gun maker to HM the Queen |
Henry Wilkinson |
27 Pall Mall |
1829 – 1848 |
Invented machinery for testing swords |
Henry Wilkinson |
27 Pall Mall & 18 St Mary’s Axe |
1849 - 1852 |
|
Henry Wilkinson |
27 Pall Mall & 18 St Mary’s Axe |
1853 - 1854 |
Began numbering swords in 1854 |
Wilkinson (Henry) & Son |
27 Pall Mall |
1855 – c1882 |
Wilkinson died in 1861, his business partner became the owner. In 1880 acquired factory at 8 Air Street to proof swords. A factory on Baldwin’s Place acquired in c1882 |
Wilkinson & Son |
27 Pall Mall |
C1882 - 1887 |
Factory on Baldwin’s Place |
Wilkinson & Son |
27 Pall Mall |
1887 - 1889 |
Factory (Oakley Works) on Kings Road, Chelsea |
Wilkinson Sword Company Ltd |
27 Pall Mall |
1889 - 1901 |
Factory (Oakley Works) on Kings Road, Chelsea |
Wilkinson Sword Company Ltd |
27 Pall Mall |
1901 - 1909 |
Factory on Southfield Road, Acton |
Wilkinson Sword Company Ltd |
53 Pall Mall |
1910 - 1949 |
Factory on Southfield Road, Acton |
Wilkinson Sword Company Ltd |
53a Pall Mall |
1950 - 1957 |
Factory on Southfield Road, Acton |
Wilkinson Sword Company Ltd |
16 Pall Mall |
1958 - 1969 |
Factory on Southfield Road, Acton |
Wilkinson Sword Ltd |
19 – 21 Brunel Road Acton |
1969 - 2005 |
Sword production ceased September 2005 and equipment sold mainly to Pooley Swords, Sussex, and WKC, Solingen |
Much more detailed information can be found at: Bezdek, Richard H., Swords and Sword Makers of England and Scotland (Boulder, Colorado: Paladin Press, 2003) pp.174 – 176.
The 2018 sword was refurbished by Crisp & Sons who took over Pooley Swords a number of years ago. www.crisp-and-sons.com