THE LAUNCH AND COMMISSIONING

During the crisis of 1938 when Royal Naval Reservists were mobilised, four local Reservists met on Ware Railway Station. In the course of their conversation it was mentioned there were a number of ex‑ Royal Naval personnel in the area and it was decided to attempt the formation of a local Branch of the Royal Naval Old Comrades Asso­ciation. A meeting at the Bell Inn, St. Andrew's Street, Hertford was attended by 17 persons where it was decided to form a Branch. The Commissioning Ceremony took place at the Bell Inn on 21st November 1938. It was the 80th Branch to be formed in the country.
A permanent meeting place was established at the White Hart Hotel, Hertford, where monthly meetings were held.
New Shipmates continued to be enrolled and the Branch was still growing in numbers when war was declared on 3rd September 1939.

HOSTILITIES

The first meeting after the declaration of war was poorly attended as many of the members were Naval Pensioners or Reservists who had been called to Active Service. It was decided that the monthly meetings should continue during hostilities but would be held on Sunday mornings.
At these meetings a welcome was extended to all Serving Members on leave and contact maintained with all serving Shipmates. Comforts parcels were sent to branch members.
As an increasing number of men were called for service the membership of the Branch increased. In July 1943 membership reached 100 with 76 of these serving in the Naval Forces. With such a large membership Shipmates came from not only Hertford but also the surrounding towns and villages. Because of this, in September 1944 Headquarters approved an application to change the name from Hertford Branch to Herts. Branch.
About this time a fund was started to enable the Branch to purchase its first Standard.

AFTER THE WAR.

With peace returning to the country, it was reported at the first meet­ing held after VJ Day that 103 members were on Active Service, 6 had been killed in action and 3 were prisoners of war.
In 1950 the Association was re­designated The Royal Naval Association, with H.M. King George VI as Patron.
During 1953 the Branch helped to organise the celebrations in the town of the Coronation of H.M. Queen Elizabeth and the Branch Standard and Shipmates attended the Royal Review by H.M. the Queen in Hyde Park
On 15th July 1954, H.M. the Queen granted a Royal Charter to the Association and Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Cunningham GCB was invited to become the National President with Admiral of the Fleet The Earl Mountbatten as Deputy.
In 1957 the membership was 126. By the AGM in 1958 it had increased to 136.
In 1958 a local detachment of the Sea Cadet Corps was founded. Members volunteered their services as Officers and Instructors; this link with the SCC is still maintained today.
Until 1961 membership had been confined to former and serving members of the Royal Navy. But during the year it was agreed that Associate Members could be admitted.

The beginning of 1971 was again a sad time for the Branch with the death of Shipmate Eric Knight; he joined the Branch in 1940 and became Secretary in 1947, a position he held until 1969 when he was appointed Branch Chairman, an Office he held until his death. He was elected to the National Council in 1957 and became National Vice Chairman in 1966; in 1968 he was elected Chairman of the National Council and was also President of No. 6 Area. To perpetuate his memory the Branch instituted the Eric Knight Award, replacing the Shipmate of the Year Award, which is an award given annually to an outstanding Shipmate.

In 1973 No. 6 Area purchased a Standard in memory of Eric Knight, and this was dedicated at a Drumhead Service in the Grounds of Hertford Castle in the presence of civic dignitaries and several hundred Shipmates and friends from Branches all over the country. Herts. Branch presented an orthopaedic bed, bearing a suitable memorial plaque, to the Hertford County hospital.

For many years the Branch had co‑operated with the Hertford Old Contemptibles Association, organising joint fetes in the Castle Grounds and attending Church Parades together. Because of advanc­ing years and the reduction in numbers, it was decided to disband the Old Contemptibles in 1976. The remaining 'Chums' of the Association were then invited to become Associate Members of the Branch.
1978 was a notable year for the Branch; not only was it the 40th Anniversary of the Commissioning, but the first female application for membership was received from a serving member of the WRNS. A special 40th Anniversary Dinner was held at the Castle Hall, Hertford, when the Branch honoured the three surviving Founder Members and was attended by over 200 people.

In 1981 the Deputy President Rear Admiral M.D. Kyrle Pope C13, MBE, DL arranged a meeting of local ex‑service organisations to explore the possibility of forming a United Services Club in Hertford. Unfortunately, little interest was shown by other organisations; however, resulting from this meeting, enquiries were made on the feasibility of holding Branch Meetings in the TA Headquarters in St Andrew's Street, Hertford. Permission was given by the Officer Commanding and the first meeting held there was on 20th May 1981.

On 22nd November 2008 we held our 70th Anniversary Dinner and Dance to which we invited the widows of all members who had crossed the bar and a daughter of one of our founder members and the son of another.

During the Branch’s existence stress has always been laid on upholding the Motto of the Association, 'Unity, Loyalty, Patriotism and Comradeship’. Herts. Branch Shipmates have held the office of National Council Chair­man, served on the Standing Orders Committee and been the Deputy National Standard Bearer. In No. 6 Area they have been President, Vice President Chairman, Secretary and Area Standard Bearer.

Rear Admiral Michel Kyrle Pope MBE DL became the Branch President in 1984 Kyrle Pope. He served in submarines during the war and was taken prisonr by the Japanese after his submarine was sunk in the Mediterranean.

The current President is Cdr.Bryan Smalley RD DL RN who is another submariner. His last submarine before retiring was the VALIANT.

Our present Chairman is Shipmate Maurice Stratton who joined the Branch in 3rd October 1956.

Currently we have 43 members which includes 16 associate members.