It is with deep regret that I have to inform you of the passing of my Father, Chief Petty Officer Bob Hipwell, on 30th August 2003 and his beloved wife Nellie (Pat) on 8th October 2004.

My Father was born and grew up in Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire on 31st January 1920. His Naval career began 16 years later in 1936 as a boy seaman at HMS Ganges, the naval shore training establishment at Shotley.

Bob joined his first ship, HMS Iron Duke, in May 1937. Later that year he was posted to the recently commissioned HMS Glasgow and applied to become a photographer.

In September 1938 he was posted to HMS Excellent, the Portsmouth shore station, then to HMS Peregrine in 1939. March 1940 found my Father on HMS Guardian but in June he was posted to the Queen Elizabeth Class Battleship HMS Valiant then onto HMS Dunluce Castle.

April 1941 saw Bob promoted to leading photographer before returning to HMS Excellent with the rank of Petty Officer. In August 1942 he transferred to RNAS Condor near Arbroath in Scotland before moving onto RNAS Kestrel at Worthy Down in May of the following year.

In November 1943 my Father was attached to 809 Squadron in Andover where he met Nellie (Pat) Skinner, a WAAF Corporal in the Fleet Air Arm. The following February Bob and Pat were married at Woodhouse Eaves under special license from the Bishop of Leicester. A two day honeymoon followed before my Father joined the Escort Carrier HMS Stalker. In October 1945 Stalker returned from the Far East and 809 squadron was disbanded and my Father moved onto RNAS Siskin at Gosport.

Bob's last ship was HMS London. He joined her at Chatham in 1946 whilst she was being readied for a two year commission to the Far East. The London left Chatham in September 1947 with Bob now a Chief Petty Officer Air Photographer, arriving on station in Hong Kong on 10th November.

'Showing the Flag' cruises followed with visits to Saigon, Singapore, Shanghai, Nanking, Manila, Sarawak  and Borneo, Bob recording all on film.

On 21st April 1949 my Father was seriously wounded on HMS London during the Yangtze Incident. He sustained a serious head wound and was transferred to the United States Navy's Hospital Ship Repose, which was in Shanghai, two days later. The Repose took my Father and his wounded shipmates to the Royal Naval Hospital in Hong Kong arriving 1st May. He was later invalided home on the SS Lancashire to the Royal Naval Hospital Haslar.

Bob left the Royal Navy in 1950 to join the Admiralty Research Laboratory at Bushy Park, London, as a photographer. He went on to become Head of Photography at HMS Collingwood and then Head of Photography at the Ministry of Defence in London.

My Father retired in 1978 and he and my Mother moved to her home village of Hook in Hampshire. His main interest was his beautiful gardens (and a love of Gin and Tonic). His G&T's were legendary.

After suffering from Parkinson's Disease for sometime Bob passed away in August 2003. My Mother never recovered from the death of her beloved Bob and passed away in October of the following year.

May they rest in peace together for evermore.

Tim Hipwell.
2nd December 2004.