MWA Dit Session on board HMS VICTORY

27 Sep 2025 - Last night, MCDOA members Bill Kerr, David Sandiford, John ‘George’ Turnbull and Yours Truly (Rob Hoole), and their wives, joined fellow MWA (Mine Warfare Association) members for a ‘Dit Session’ on board HMS VICTORY in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

This superlative event was organised by Paul ‘Joe’ Lyons, whose birthday is today, and started with a gathering in the nearby Ship Anson pub before everyone proceeded by foot to Nelson’s flagship, launched in 1765 and the oldest ship in the world still in commission. She is currently ‘under wraps’ while being restored but she will be returned to her former glory in the next few years.

The evening included a tour of the ship for those who wanted it, plus drinks and a delicious buffet in what had originally been the ship’s wardroom but is now the combined ship’s company mess.

The evening was rounded off with a raffle that raised £155 towards the installation of a mine warfare memorial at the National Arboretum in Staffordshire.

Once again, many thanks to Joe Lyons for organising this event and the on-watch ship’s company of HMS VICTORY for hosting us so royally.