A very different Christmas: You will understand why I act as I do now.‏

DECEMBER 1943: I was the youngest seaman aboard the destroyer HMS Matchless. Still very much a lad, I had barely started to shave. We were escorting convoys carrying war supplies to Murmansk for our Russian allies. I still recall the howling gales, mountainous seas, biting cold, freezing spray, 23 hour dark, sea sickness and the ever present German U-boats.  A ‘ping’ on the Asdic echo-sounder brought a sudden surge of power and a heel to port or starboard as we raced to drop a ‘pattern’ of depth charges where the U-boat was thought to be.
CHRISTMAS EVE 1943: Signal received, “Detach from returning ‘empty‘ convoy, and join Convoy JW55B (a Murmansk bound convoy, approaching Bear Island) at full speed”.  There was a full gale blowing. Pitching and rolling along at about 10 knots with the empty convoy was one thing: ‘Full speed’ (36 knots) was another!  Throwing herself through the mountainous seas, Matchless’s bow would rise in the air, hover for a moment and come down with a crash as though on concrete, enough to split the seams (though thankfully they did not). Violent seas crashing on to the upper deck had smashed to smithereens the whaler and motor boat (our lifeboats).  Christmas Day was spent thus, during which time the name ‘SCHARNHORST’ was passing round the ship.  The name was spoken with a mixture of excitement, awe and fear.  The Scharnhorst had a reputation - and had earned it!  She was a German battle-cruiser.
BOXING DAY: Signal “Leave convoy JW55B and join 10th Cruiser Squadron (HMS Belfast, Norfolk and Sheffield)”. They were in action a few miles away, and yes, it WAS the Scharnhorst! She had broken off the engagement and with her superior speed had got out of range and contact. Having joined the cruisers, our force headed North to protect the convoy, V/Admiral Burnett guessing this to be her intended target.  His guess proved to be correct.  About noon we met up with her and a short gun battle took place, during which the Norfolk was hit.  Scharnhorst broke off again and headed South for the safety of her Norwegian Fjord base.  Our force was outgunned by her 11” guns and, as said, with her superior speed she had the initiative.
However, she was heading straight for another British force, led by the battleship Duke of York, with her 14” guns.  We were aware of this, the Scharnhorst was not.  So, we took up a shadowing role.  By then the weather had eased a little; the twilight around noon had given way to the black of a winter Arctic night.  The shadowing was done by radar, ours being superior to the Germans.
At 5pm the blackness of the night exploded into light, star shells from the Duke of York and our force lighting up the Scharnhorst as bright as day.  For the next two and three quarter hours a running battle took place.  Shells from the Duke of York, cruisers and destroyers, torpedoes from cruisers and destroyers all hit the Scharnhorst.  She fought back magnificently but, outnumbered, outgunned and, most importantly, her speed reduced by damage, there could only be one end.
About 7pm Matchless came steaming in on a torpedo run, Scharnhorst to our starboard, we on her port quarter.  From my position as starboard bridge wing lookout, I had a perfect view at close range. That magnificent ship, the most successful, most feared, the bravest, and surely the most beautiful fighting ship of any navy, was listing to starboard, fires blazing aboard her, but still firing with such guns as were able to do so.  We did not in fact fire our torpedoes, as storm damage prevented the tubes being trained to starboard, so we hauled around and started a run to use them from port.
As we did so the star shells ceased, and we were in darkness for a few minutes, the Scharnhorst nowhere to be seen.  We slowed, hove to, and in fact found ourselves almost exactly over the spot she had gone down.  Using our our searchlight, we soon saw many floating men, most of them dead, face down in the water, bodies supported by their life belts – but some were alive.  “Scharnhorst Gerzunken?” called out our captain, anxious to know whether she was still a threat to us.  “Ja, Scharnhorst Gerzunken” came the reply. We threw scrambling nets and ropes over the side to haul the survivors aboard.  There were 36 all told, from a ship’s company of nearly 2000.  We on Matchless picked up 6 of them.
My main recollections of those days are the ferocious storms, the biting cold, the freezing spray which formed solid ice on the upperworks, the seamen on the upper deck looking like gnomes in their ‘goon suits’ (duffel coats were not enough under those conditions).
My main recollections of that particular Christmas are the full speed chase, the sight of that marvellous, magnificent ship, fighting to the very last, one of her 20mm guns (a pea shooter in comparison, which could have no part in this battle), firing a stream of tracers from the listing deck in a futile gesture of defiance right to the end, and the sight of so many who succumbed, floating in their watery graves.  Having picked up those six survivors, a signal came from the CinC “Join Duke of York to escort her to Murmansk”.
Voices were still calling for help from the black of the  winter Arctic night as we switched off the searchlight, hauled up the scrambling nets and steamed away, leaving the owners of those voices to certain death.
I’m sure Lt. Shaw, our skipper (the youngest of the flotilla), would have liked to disobey orders, as we all would.  It seemed wrong at the time but, harsh though they were, the orders were right.  Hove to, searchlight on, we were a sitting target for the U-boats in the area.  Staying a moment too long could have ensured that we joined those unfortunate men.
On New years Day 1944 we steamed into Scapa Flow to a Hero’s welcome from all the ships and shore bases there, and headlines in the newspapers.
THE LAST PART OF THIS POSTING HAS BEEN AMENDED SLIGHTLY, and IS NOW A PREFACE TO THE NEXT POSTING, ABOVE.

15th November 2009: Britain is getting worse daily!

So much is happening, so blatant the corruption, I don't have time to record it. Just a brief mention of the diabolical treatment being meted out to Maurice Kirk, Susanne Kelner-Johnson and myself though, unlike them, at least I am free - for the time being!

Will The Sun prove me wrong? (again!)

The Sun, Monday 1st December: Based mainly on the arrest of MP Damian Green, columnist Trevor Kavanagh was given most of page 9 to tell us "We are a police state here and now". I sent a message asking him to contact me if he wants evidence of State Crime (torture and murder!) INFINITELY worse than that which he describes. It was no surprise that he did not respond to my invitation. Yes, the 'News Media' will make a great fuss about comparatively minor stuff, but will not expose the REAL horror.

An open letter to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith MP.

20th September 2008.
Serious police crime covered up by West Yorkshire Police Authority.
The most telling thing - they did not DENY my allegation - nor did they ask me to submit evidence. IF they did not know, it was because they didn't WANT to know, and were determined that no-one else would know either!

An invitation came from West Yorkshire Police Authority (WYPA) to attend an ‘Event’ at the Bankfield Hotel in Bingley on Tuesday 16th September 2008.  The invitation said, "The event will be an interesting evening from(sic) which all participants will be able to share their views to tackle important issues".  I looked forward to it - and hoped to raise ‘important issues’.
The programme said that comments and questions were invited, and one of the ‘top table’ expressed the hope that there would be lively response from those present.
For half an hour or so there was a ‘Presentation’ of platitudes and propaganda, then a ‘group session’ at each table of 8 or 9 people. This lasted for an hour or so. Each table was presided over by some official person whose function was to come up with one very brief comment on which all agreed. It was more akin to kindergarten than a forum for serious debate.
When the time came for ‘Comments and Questions’, I was the third person to put my hand up. My comments were intended to be a preface to my question. After 30 seconds (timed) one of the top table ordered me to stop, and said "Will you ask your question please". Fortunately, I was using a recording machine (openly), and thus able to be precise about timing and words.  A transcript of the recording will be available as soon as I have time to do it.
I cut short my comment, did as ordered, and asked my question. The essence of it was, "Why do the WYPA not only turn a blind eye to brutal crime by West Yorkshire Police, but cover it up?" (I had with me cast iron evidence of such crimes). The top table refused to answer, and quickly tried to silence me by ordering me to sit down, and asking, "Next Question Please".
They were concerned only to silence me and made no attempt to answer my question, which I submit was infinitely more important than anything else heard that evening.  I said I would sit down immediately if they answered my question (even to deny there was such a thing as police crime), or showed some concern.  They did neither, but invited me to ‘discuss this outside’ - much like a bullying thug in a pub.  They were determined that the brainwashed people in this ‘open forum’ would not hear any more from me. One young thug had already made as though to attack me, so I declined the invitation, remained standing, and continued to repeat the question.  Quite properly, I demanded an answer to my question before others were asked. Fortunately, I have a strong voice.
No doubt they will claim that I was disruptive, but it was well justified when the WYPA were themselves blatantly committing the crime of ‘Misconduct in Public Office’.  Mark Burns-Williamson, Chairman of the WYPA was most offensive.  Terrified to address my question he chose to suspend the meeting, then to end it.
It could be said that I had achieved a small degree of success.  At least there were no more weasel words to the gullible from those who so abused their power.  I did hand copies of photographic evidence of police crime to Burns-Williamson and another man from the top table, but have heard not a word since.
Why do I risk my liberty and my life to take on these people when, at the age of 82 I should be in an arm chair watching TV or sleeping?  I do it in memory of my brave young shipmates who died around me in WW2 - and what we BELIEVED we were fighting for!
They died in vain. EVERYTHING we fought against then is here now, WYPA being only one bunch of the Nu-Nazis who now run the country.
I wonder, how many of them are Common Purpose 'Graduates'?
From Norman Scarth, WW2 Veteran, Parliamentary Candidate,
Investigative Author & Publisher, Human Rights Activist,
SUCCESSFUL Law Reformer,
Associate of the Article 6 Group
(International Human Rights lawyers),
Founder and Leader of the Anti-Crime Party,

Every day brings MORE to tell!

Every day brings MORE to tell - but less time to tell it!
Wed. 6th August 2008. See update about Electoral Commission IN CAPITALS (in blue) inserted after 'OUTRAGE', below.
PPS: Just realised that I have never told on this blog of the Mugabean treatment meted out to me when I was a candidate at the local elections on 1st May. I was assaulted, unlawfully arrested and incarcerated, it being SPECIFICALLY stated that orders had come from 'very high up' that I was to be held 'until voting had ended', when I was released without charge.
Politicians and our (so-called) 'News Media' scream 'OUTRAGE!' when these things happen in Zimbabwe, but not a single word when it happens in Britain! NOT A SINGLE WORD FROM THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION EITHER, THEY WHOSE JOB IT IS TO ENSURE THAT ELECTION ARE CONDUCTED PROPERLY, FAIRLY AND FREELY!!!

A Theatrical Production.

The resignation of David Davies MP caused the Haltemprice and Howden By-election in 2008: His pretence that he was against '42 days detention without charge' was totally false (see previous post). It was a theatrical production, Davis the 'star', Brown, Cameron, Government and Opposition all members of the cast, to convince the gullible people that we live in a 'Democracy'.

All those who gave their lives in WW II to preserve that precious thing have been betrayed. They have been equally betrayed by the so-called ‘News Media’, who tell only what they want you to know and  they DON’T want you to know the truth!

Every day Britain is getting more like Germany in the 1930s.     The German people refused to see the horror then – with the result we all know of.    It WILL get worse here, if the British people continue to turn a blind eye.   If it can happen to Andy McCardle, it can happen to you – OR YOURS!

World War 2 veteran to stand against David Davis.

I was proud to British until the age of 70, proud to have 'Done My Bit' to keep the Nazis from our shores.
Then came a succession of shocks, all my lifelong beliefs shattered, as I learned that Britain was not the land I believed it to be. I became (and am again) a whistle-blower, a writer, a dissident and a human rights activist.
In 1997 I stood for Parliament as an INDEPENDENT OLD AGE PENSIONER, and published the book CAUSE FOR CONCERN (with evidence of the corruption which is rampant in our courts).
In 1998/99 I won a case in the European Court of Human Rights (Scarth v UK 33745/96) - and did so SINGLE-HANDED!   It brought an important change in British law, incorporated into the 1998 Human Rights Act.
The change is much hated by lawyers and the all too many corrupt judges - and I am hated for it.
David Davies has caused this By-election because he CLAIMS  to be concerned that people might be locked up without charge for 42 days.  In consequence of my activites as above, after a Kangaroo Court 'trial' and four years in many different prisons,  I was ILLEGALLY dragged off to a so-called 'Mental Hospital', where I was locked up without charge, NOT for 42 days, but for TWO YEARS!
During this time I managed to send a desperate S.O.S message to David Davis, telling him not only about myself, but about Andy McCardle.  Davis contemptuously ignored it.  He might as well have spat in my face. He was certainly spitting on Andy's grave, and the graves of those who gave their lives in World War 2.  I never expected to be allowed out alive, but by some miracle I did manage to escape.
NOT SO THE VERY BRAVE WHISTLE-BLOWER ANDY McCARDLE - his sadistic murder completely covered up!