T.S. Vindicatrix
		Association HQ

Welcome to the official website of T.S. Vindicatrix Association.

    Our association was founded in 1993, offering membership to former "Vindi Boys" and Sea School staff. Its purpose is to enable us to rekindle memories of that period of our young lives and to make contact, where possible, with former friends and shipmates.

    Although the training period was a maximum of twelve weeks, it had the effect of setting us on a course for life, and this fact is now very much appreciated.

    If you were a "Vindi Boy" at any time during the school's existence, this is your association and we invite you to 'sign on'.   

    Throughout this site, you will find many hyperlinks, which are normally red and underlined, which will either take you to another page on this site, to another site altogether, or to an e-mail address.   If you have lost or mislaid your Membership Card, your number is always to be found on address label of the envelope in which your copy of the Vindi News arrives.  Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater, in your eagerness to read the latest edition.

About us		Archive (where to look for MN Records)
Branches		Contacting us.. (the Admin. page)
"Crossed the Bar"		Ditty Box
Guest Book		Join the TSVA
Looking for...		Medals and Memorials
Memorabilia-Books		Memorabilia-TSVA
Reading List		Squad Photos
The Vindi's History		Downunder Reunion 2009

 

The date of the next Reunion at Sharpness is the weekend of 7th-8th-9th August, 2009 and Details of the 2009 Down Under Reunion is Friday 6th - Sunday 8th November 2009 to be held at Golden Beach, Caloundra, Sunshine Coast, Queensland. are now to be found in its page link, above.

“THE VINDICATRIX” A tribute by Capt. Joe Earl (an `Indefatigable` Boy) Have you heard of Mrs Drysdale? - no reason why you should, Unless you were a Vindi Boy recalling pretty good, She’s the smartly painted figurehead from your training ship, Which started life in `93 down a launching slip.   Many thousand old boys have memories of her, Men from Vindicatrix I’m sure will all concur, Training there was tough, discipline a blast, But the making of a seaman from boy to man at last.   They came, perhaps, from cities, a village or the plough, And grew aboard the Vindi - with Drysdale on the bow, Learning by the hard times, the hunger and the strife, The hale and hearty culture and friends made there for life.   The lads were taught seafaring ways, `afore they went abroad, Instilled in them the values, that helped them stand assured, Eventually they sailed away, each with doughty crew, Plying trade around the world where the `duster` flew.   They joined the ranks of steadfast men, who kept our commerce flowing, Withstanding foe and stormy seas when the winds were blowing, All for one and shipmates - when the devil knocks, Stemming from their early days hard by Sharpness docks.   A kindred spirit bonds them, by sailing `neath the stars, The sea their life and laughter when living under spars, Boldly then, they stood the worst, in peace, or war convoys, Nothing less would one expect - from Vindicatrix boys.

 

The 1st February 2009 sees the start of 16th year of the TSVA at which point all Membership Subscriptions will be due. To remind you, the rates are as follows

For any Gravesend lad who has happened to chance this way, I am happy to point them in the direction of these three sites, where they will be welcome to join the N.S.T.S./C. Assn.  Gravesend 1,  Gravesend 2 and Gordon Tumber's site.

Copyright 2009, T.S. Vindicatrix Association. No part of this site may be reproduced, in any way or form, without the express written permission of the Executive Committee of the  TSVA.

Website design by Angelina Cosgrove
Edited by Robin Hurst