大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War website by a volunteer from Lincoln CSV Action Desk on behalf of June Portus and has been added to the site with her permission. Mrs Portus fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

I remember my dad telling me that HMS Proctor, Proof and Prowess as well as the Probe had to wash their flags. The ships had to be clean because of my christening. One of the crew painted my vellum and the ship鈥檚 cook made my cake.

When I was about 12 years old my dad tried to find out where the Probe ended up as he was going to try and get me the ship鈥檚 bell which I would have loved but he had no luck in finding anything.

This is a transcript from the local paper at the time

On board HMS Probe in Alexandra Dock (Grimsby), the ship in which her father served, the baby daughter of Seaman Gunner John South and Mrs South of Cleethorpes, was christened at noon yesterday.

In the presence of the commanding officer and the ship鈥檚 company and also of the commanding officers and companies of HMS Proctor, Proof and Prowess, the child received the name of June.

The Rev JHC Laughton, chaplain, RNVR, officiated and the ship鈥檚 bell was used as the christening bowl鈥︹�︹�︹�︹��.

鈥︹�︹�� On behalf of the ship鈥檚 company, the commanding officer of HMS Probe, Lieut. C. Bellman, RNVR, presented the mother with an illuminated vellum for the child to commemorate the occasion.

In doing so, he quoted the inscription on the vellum; 鈥淢ay you always said through untroubled waters, and may the sunshine of happiness be ever with you鈥� 鈥︹�︹��

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