The grandson of a Royal Navy sailor who survived the Second World War has honoured his grandfather's shipmates during an exercise which is taking place in Norway.
Sub Lieutenant Alex Kopsahilis lays a wreath on the grave of Captain Warburton-Lee VC in Ballangen New Cemetery.
[Picture: LA(Phot) Ray Jones]
Sub Lieutenant Alex Kopsahilis, grandson of Harry Rogers, took part in one of two memorial services as HMS Ocean took a break from Exercise CETUS 06 in the Arctic Circle. The Devonport-based ship is taking part in the annual cold weather training involving Royal Marines and Royal Navy ships.
So, on Thursday 9 March 2006 Alex, currently serving on HMS Ocean, visited the grave of Captain Warburton-Lee to lay a wreath. A short service of remembrance was conducted by Reverend Mike Brotherton, HMS Ocean's chaplain. Alex laid a wreath on Captain Warburton-Lee's grave with the following words on the card:
"In memory of all my fellow shipmates on HMS Hardy, always remembered, Stoker Harry Rogers DKX 93434. Laid by his grandson, Sub-Lieutenant Alex Kopsahilis RN, HMS Ocean, 9 March 2006"
Reverend Brotherton said:
"In today's modern Royal Navy it is still very important for us to remember old shipmates of the past – our visit to Narvik gave us the rare opportunity to visit and pay our respects to past shipmates, all of whom gave their lives for our peace and freedom. It was a very special moment for us all."
NAAFI staff from HMS Ocean also laid a wreath at the grave of Joseph Mulligan, NAAFI Canteen Manager on HMS Hunter, who was killed during the same attack in 1940.
A short service of remembrance was conducted by Revd Mike Brotherton, HMS OCEAN's chaplain.
[Picture: LA(Phot) Ray Jones]
HMS Hardy ran aground off the Norway coast on 10 April 1940 after being badly damaged by enemy shell fire. Her Commanding Officer, Captain Bernard Armitage Warburton-Lee was mortally wounded in the attack and died during a brave attempt by members of his crew to get him to shore. The rescuers came under fire and after one was killed and one was badly injured they had to leave his body on the beach.
One of the men was the Leading Stoker Harry Rogers who was picked up by local people after walking miles inland and taken to a house not far from Ballangen. Some hours later, some of the men returned to the beach to recover the bodies they had left behind. Captain Warburton-Lee's body was taken to Ballangen, where he was buried. For his heroic efforts against overwhelming odds, Captain Warburton-Lee was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.
The Norwegians assisted many of the survivors in their escape into Sweden, although the wounded were left behind in Ballangen. Some days later, HMS Ivanhoe picked up the wounded survivors, including Harry Rogers, and returned them to England. Following the Battle of Narvik in April 1940, eighteen months later Harry Rogers was to find himself in the South China Sea onboard HMS Prince of Wales when she was sunk by Japanese aircraft on 10th December 1941. Harry Rogers is still alive and lives with his wife Eileen in Redcar, Teesside.
MoD News