The model submariner became a worldwide icon
The son of a man who became the face of the submarine service has made an emotional trip to Gosport.
Paul Read visited the Royal Navy Submarine Museum from his Jersey home to see the 'submariner' statue at Fort Blockhouse.
It is a copy of one in London's Westminster Abbey and was modelled on the 63-year-old's father Reginald Lawrence Read.
He was picked out to represent the service during the war, and statuettes of him have been sold worldwide ever since. Mr Read said: 'I've learned things here I never knew about my father. It's quite sad.
'He was a gardener when I grew up and when you think about his service he probably wanted to just get away from the water.'
The Gosport sculpture was originally designed as part of the memorial at Westminster Abbey, to commemorate the men of the submarine service.
It was unveiled in May 1948 with Winston Churchill reading the dedication and Mr Read said he felt proud to see it.
He said: 'It's humbling to think that there are statues of my father around the world. He hadn't mentioned his time, but I've learned so much about him today.'
Museum archivist George Malcolmson told Mr Read and his wife Annette – who first made contact – that Reginald Read had served with the navy submarine service from 1939 until he was discharged in 1947.
He was a Leading Electrical Mechanic (Leading Torpedo Operator) who served on five boats, but it is not known why he was chosen to be the 'submariner'.
Mr Malcolmson said: 'The story goes that he was a good looking man who was picked out because he had the strong jawline and heroic profile that the service wanted.'
His image went on to be reproduced in silver, porcelain and even the lead from the batteries of Holland I – the navy's first submarine in 1901.
The Queen was even given a silver replica of the statuette in 1958 when she presented the Queen's Colour to the Submarine Command.
Mr Read said: 'My father died in 1987 and it's taken years to learn this much about him. I wish I could have asked him what the story was when he was alive, but it's a comfort to know this much now.'
MUSEUM TOUR
Paul and Annette Read toured the submarine museum and saw documents relating to the memorial and the original drawings of Mr Read's father taken by Gilbert Ledward of the Royal Academy.
One of them was exhibited at the academy in London in 1947, the year Reginald left the submarine service.
After seeing the Fort Blockhouse memorial garden the couple were taken on a guided tour of the submarine HMS Alliance, which the museum is trying to preserve.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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