MYSTERY PLAQUE/WOODEN NAME PLATE

Received the following e-mail from Mr. Peter Lawrence on Wed, 23 Nov 2005 17:32:36.

Chuck,

My name is Pete Lawrence and I live in Devon, South West England. Whilst out collecting driftwood at the weekend I came across this piece on a little beach called Broadsands near Thurlestone and wondered if it was any interest to you? If it is and you want me to post it to you let me have a postal address and I will send it over.

Many regards.

Pete Lawrence
Coach / Facilitator
BigBlueStuff
website: www.bigbluestuff.com

I promptly answered Mr. Lawrence and said we were definitely interested in his great discovery and would he please send it to me. It came in the mail on Saturday, 3 December, 2005. The measurements are as follows, 12 inches long, 1 3/4 inches high. Approximately 1/3 of the plaque has been broken off. The plaque is much lighter in color than the images of the plaque that I have posted because they have been enhanced by me.

It is a mystery on how this plaque ended up on a beach in England, but I have a theory. It you look closely at the hull number you will see that in all probability the plaque must have came from the LSD-46 because the numbers 46 fits the plaque a lot better than the numbers 26. I suspect that the plaque may have been made in the Tortuga wood shop and may have been accidentally broken and was discarded somewhere at sea. Will contact the Skipper of the 46, CDR Mark Scovill and ask him to place a notice in the plan of the day to find out any information regarding the plaque. Plan on preserving it and having another plaque made with a brass inscription explaining the organ of the plaque. In the meantime, if anyone from the 46 or the 26 views this page and has more information, please contact me. Depending on where the plaque came from, may donate it to the LSD-26/46 association unless the crew of the 46 wishes to have it.

Did a quick search and located a lot of information about Devon, South West England. It is a very beautiful place, note, the two pictures at bottom of page. Devon has miles and miles of beaches. The north coast faces the Atlantic; the south coast faces the English Channel. Devon has nine Blue Flag beaches in 2003, and 32 Tidy Britain Seaside Awards.

Chuck Westbrook
TT Webmaster.

ttwmaster1@yahoo.com
Chuck's E-mail

pete@bigbluestuff.com
Peter's E-mail

A big thank you to Mr. Lawrence for sending it to us from across the "Big Blue Pond".