Latest news with #Turton
Daily Record
07-07-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Artefacts from WWI ship that sank in Orkney claiming hundreds of lives reclaimed after a century
A bell, a gun badge, and a tampion were recovered from the wreckage of HMS Vanguard and will be loaned to the Scapa Flow Museum More than 100 years after one of the Royal Navy's worst disasters, divers have recovered artefacts from a sunken ship. HMS Vanguard lies on the seabed of Scapa Flow in Orkney, a solemn relic from the tragedy that claimed the lives of 845 lives in 1917. The ship's bell, along with a metal badge from one of the ship's main guns and a tampion, a protective gun barrel plug, have been carefully brought to the surface after three years of planning. All three items were located just outside the wreck's exclusion zone and will be loaned to the Scapa Flow Museum once conservation work is complete. The discovery marks a significant step in preserving the memory of the men who perished in what is believed to be the greatest accidental loss of life in a single incident in Royal Navy history. HMS Vanguard, a St Vincent-class dreadnought and veteran of the Battle of Jutland, was anchored alongside the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow on July 9, 1917, when a catastrophic explosion in a magazine tore through the ship. She sank in moments. Only three of the 848 men onboard survived, one of whom later died from his injuries. The cause of the explosion remains uncertain, though it's widely believed to have been an accidental detonation of cordite stored near the magazines. The wreck now lies at a depth of 34 metres (110 feet) and is protected under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 as a Sovereign Immune Wreck. Special permission was granted to recover the artefacts, which were discovered during a 2017 survey led by diver Emily Turton as part of centenary commemorations. Turton's team spent more than 500 hours meticulously mapping the wreck site, which is spread across a large area on the seafloor. Naval historian Nick Hewitt, now culture team leader at Orkney Islands Council, believes the recovered bell in particular will resonate deeply with the public. 'A hundred years-plus ago your relatives looked at it, heard it ringing,' said Wendy Sadler, whose great-grand uncle Henry Metcalf was among those who died in the sinking. 'To think of what happened to them that night, losing their lives, and it is not seen for another 110 years, it is a privilege and an honour,' she told the BBC. 'We can't stop doing things like this, them fading into history, we've got to keep their memory alive somehow.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Sadler is currently leading a project to collect photographs of as many of HMS Vanguard's crew members as possible. Experts believe the tampion, possibly made from horsehair and leather, may have been preserved thanks to the silty conditions of the seabed. The ship's bell, now bent and warped by the explosion that sank her, was found some 200 metres from the original location of the vessel. The recovery effort has been a collaborative project involving the Ministry of Defence, the National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN), Orkney Islands Council and the Scottish government. After conservation, the artefacts will take pride of place at the Scapa Flow Museum, honouring the memory of those lost in one of the darkest chapters of British naval history.
Sydney Morning Herald
01-07-2025
- Climate
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Bomb cyclone' to intensify amid evacuation warnings and pleas to stay indoors
'The terrible thing is that the situation is going to worsen over the course of the next 24 hours, particularly later this afternoon and into the evening tomorrow. So once again, we're asking people to be as prepared as they possibly can be.' Authorities urged people to move their cars away from large trees as heavy rain hit saturated ground and fierce winds began to tear down branches and powerlines, cutting power to 30,000 people across the Hunter, Central Coast and Sydney, as of Tuesday night. Although much of the coast was on alert for minor to moderate riverine flooding, flash flooding unleashed by possible downpours of 200 millimetres posed the greatest threat, particularly between Newcastle and the Illawarra. The South Coast will encounter the greatest risk from flash flooding as the weather system continues its poleward crawl before spinning into the Tasman late in the week. 'The most intense impacts, including the heavy rainfall, are most likely across the Illawarra and parts of the South Coast [on Tuesday night],' said Miriam Bradbury, a senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology. What is a 'bomb cyclone'? Meteorological jargon used to describe the unusual low-pressure storm system has included 'bomb cyclone', 'bombogenesis' and 'explosive cyclogenesis'. These terms all refer to the rapid intensification of the weather system. A dramatic plunge in pressure – about 20 to 30 hectopascals over the past day or two – transformed the low into a severe storm system. Regions of low pressure in the atmosphere funnel air upwards, which triggers the development of storm clouds and powerful winds. The system the bureau called a 'vigorous coastal low' spiralled down the coast while generating storm-force offshore winds comparable to a category two cyclone, adjunct professor of environmental geography at CQUniversity Steve Turton said. 'That's certainly going to increase the wave energy and the swells and so on coming onto the coast. We're looking at over 5 million people likely to be affected by this system,' he said. Abnormally warm water off the NSW coast helped fuel the rapid intensification, Turton said. Warmer oceans turbocharge storm energy and supply weather systems with moisture for heavy rain. A region of ocean water brewing 1 to 3 degrees above the long-term average also contributed to Tropical Cyclone Alfred and May's flood disaster, Turton said. 'That pool of warm water off the coast will certainly be providing additional energy into this system and increasing the risk for more rapid intensification and flash flooding,' he said. About 90 per cent of the Earth's extra heat caused by the burning of fossil fuels is trapped within the ocean, he noted. NSW East Coast weather warnings A severe weather warning for damaging, locally destructive winds remained in place for Sydney, the Illawarra, and parts of Mid North Coast, Hunter, South Coast, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, Northern Tablelands and Northern Rivers as of 4pm Tuesday. Rock fishers, boaters and swimmers were urged to stay away from the ocean under a hazardous surf warning in place from the Hunter down to Eden. Coastal erosion and damage to infrastructure may strike the coastline between Seal Rocks and the NSW-Victorian border. Southern parts of the Mid North Coast, the Hunter, Sydney-Illawarra Coast and Snowy catchments were under flood watch for minor flooding, while moderate flooding was possible for the Hawkesbury-Neapean. Stay up to date with warnings here or on the Hazards Near Me app. Public transport warnings and flight cancellations Transport for NSW operations management executive director Craig Moran advised people to avoid non-essential travel, and if they did need to travel, to give themselves extra time and be prepared for disruptions. 'There may be sudden road closures or there may be sudden delays on the public transport system. Everything is holding up OK at the moment, but … just be prepared that circumstances can change,' he said shortly after midday on Tuesday. A number of low-lying roads were closed in the Shoalhaven area on the state's South Coast, which had received high amounts of rain overnight, he said. Sydney Airport switched to using just its east-west runway on Tuesday afternoon due to strong south-westerly winds, leaving two of its three runways closed. The agency said delays are expected, with passengers advised to check with their airlines regarding any changes to travel arrangements.
The Age
01-07-2025
- Climate
- The Age
At least 5 million in path of ‘bomb cyclone'
Over the weekend, the bureau warned NSW could be in for an east coast low, which refers to a severe weather system that dumps dangerous amounts of rain and inflicts widespread damage. BoM meteorologist Jiwon Park says the current complex low-pressure system probably qualifies as a low-end east coast low, but that doesn't necessarily warrant the term being used. 'We reserve the term 'east coast low' for the really high-end event that brings widespread major level flooding, and broad areas of destructive wind gusts.' The bureau has called the system a vigorous coastal low instead. But that shouldn't be seen as a downgrade, said Steve Turton, an adjunct professor of environmental geography at CQUniversity. He echoed warnings from the SES and the bureau that effects will be short, sharp, intense and unpredictable. 'Off-shore, the winds will certainly be storm-force, which is like a category two tropical cyclone in intensity,' he said. 'That's certainly going to increase the wave energy and the swells and so on coming onto the coast. We're looking at over 5 million people likely to be affected by this system.' The silver lining is that the low will move faster than a classic east coast low, limiting the amount of rain that will pelt the coast and lowering risk of major flooding. Abnormally warm water off the NSW coast helped fuel the system's rapid intensification, Turton said. Warmer oceans turbocharge the energy of a storm and supply weather systems with more moisture for heavy rain. A region of ocean water brewing 1 to 2.5 degrees above average also contributed to Tropical Cyclone Alfred and May's flood disaster, Turton said. 'That pool of warm water off the coast will certainly be providing additional energy into this system and increases the risk for more rapid intensification and flash flooding,' he said. About 90 per cent of the Earth's extra heat cause by the burning of fossil fuels is trapped within the ocean, he noted. NSW east coast weather warnings A severe weather warning for damaging, locally destructive winds is in place for Sydney, the Illawarra, and parts of Mid North Coast, Hunter, South Coast, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, Northern Tablelands and Northern Rivers. A hazardous surf warning was issued for the coast from the Hunter down to Eden, with rock fishers, boaters and swimmers urged to stay away from the ocean. Coastal erosion and damage to infrastructure may strike the coastline between Seal Rocks and the NSW-Victorian border. A flood watch for minor flooding is in place for southern parts of the Mid North Coast, the Hunter, Hawkesbury-Nepean, Sydney-Illawarra Coast and Snowy catchments. NSW SES is advising residents along Sydney's coast, from Collaroy in the north all the way to Wollongong in the south, to stay indoors. Stay up to date with warnings here or on the Hazards Near Me app. Flight cancellations Virgin is advising guests travelling in and out of Sydney and Newcastle that their flights may be affected by the wild weather, while a Qantas spokesperson says it anticipates more cancellations in and out of Sydney later today. Twelve Virgin and seven Qantas flights have been cancelled so far today.
Sydney Morning Herald
01-07-2025
- Climate
- Sydney Morning Herald
At least 5 million in path of ‘bomb cyclone'
Over the weekend, the bureau warned NSW could be in for an east coast low, which refers to a severe weather system that dumps dangerous amounts of rain and inflicts widespread damage. BoM meteorologist Jiwon Park says the current complex low-pressure system probably qualifies as a low-end east coast low, but that doesn't necessarily warrant the term being used. 'We reserve the term 'east coast low' for the really high-end event that brings widespread major level flooding, and broad areas of destructive wind gusts.' The bureau has called the system a vigorous coastal low instead. But that shouldn't be seen as a downgrade, said Steve Turton, an adjunct professor of environmental geography at CQUniversity. He echoed warnings from the SES and the bureau that effects will be short, sharp, intense and unpredictable. 'Off-shore, the winds will certainly be storm-force, which is like a category two tropical cyclone in intensity,' he said. 'That's certainly going to increase the wave energy and the swells and so on coming onto the coast. We're looking at over 5 million people likely to be affected by this system.' The silver lining is that the low will move faster than a classic east coast low, limiting the amount of rain that will pelt the coast and lowering risk of major flooding. Abnormally warm water off the NSW coast helped fuel the system's rapid intensification, Turton said. Warmer oceans turbocharge the energy of a storm and supply weather systems with more moisture for heavy rain. A region of ocean water brewing 1 to 2.5 degrees above average also contributed to Tropical Cyclone Alfred and May's flood disaster, Turton said. 'That pool of warm water off the coast will certainly be providing additional energy into this system and increases the risk for more rapid intensification and flash flooding,' he said. About 90 per cent of the Earth's extra heat cause by the burning of fossil fuels is trapped within the ocean, he noted. NSW east coast weather warnings A severe weather warning for damaging, locally destructive winds is in place for Sydney, the Illawarra, and parts of Mid North Coast, Hunter, South Coast, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, Northern Tablelands and Northern Rivers. A hazardous surf warning was issued for the coast from the Hunter down to Eden, with rock fishers, boaters and swimmers urged to stay away from the ocean. Coastal erosion and damage to infrastructure may strike the coastline between Seal Rocks and the NSW-Victorian border. A flood watch for minor flooding is in place for southern parts of the Mid North Coast, the Hunter, Hawkesbury-Nepean, Sydney-Illawarra Coast and Snowy catchments. NSW SES is advising residents along Sydney's coast, from Collaroy in the north all the way to Wollongong in the south, to stay indoors. Stay up to date with warnings here or on the Hazards Near Me app. Flight cancellations Virgin is advising guests travelling in and out of Sydney and Newcastle that their flights may be affected by the wild weather, while a Qantas spokesperson says it anticipates more cancellations in and out of Sydney later today. Twelve Virgin and seven Qantas flights have been cancelled so far today.
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Yahoo
Lecturer ‘forced out' after false racism claim seeks £450K compensation
A college lecturer was 'forced out' after a colleague was found to have spread false racism claims about her. An employment tribunal found in favour of psychology teacher Dr Sharon Turton, who was 'forced to take voluntary redundancy' from MidKent College due to undue stress. Her legal team told education publication FE Week that they are seeking up to £450,000. Dr Turton, 64, said: 'I will never be able to enter the workplace again. I cannot go outside without having a panic attack. 'My mother, who is in her 80s, has become my full-time carer, and I'm having ongoing therapy. It's not about the money. No money can compensate [for] what this has done to me and my family.' The lecturer, who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, severe complex post-traumatic stress disorder and ADHD, had been open about her health issues with staff and students. The tribunal heard how a fellow lecturer mocked her disabilities on several occasions by tapping her head to indicate her 'mental problems' and made derogatory remarks about her loss of memory. This was reported to the college by students who had recorded a lesson for their note-taking. An investigation was launched after one of them also complained the colleague said her coursework had been deleted because Dr Turton disliked her 'because of [her] family background and that all Gypsies should not be allowed to have an education'. The judge ruled this was 'fabricated information' of 'false racist remarks' concerning the student's Traveller heritage. After hearing about the rumours, Dr Turton posted on Facebook asking her followers if anyone had heard what was being said- which was later taken down at the college's request. She added: 'I needed to know if there were rumours about me being a racist, and there were. I was fighting a smear campaign against me. My first concern was for the student, and I asked for somebody else to cover her class. 'Then I thought, if they believe it, I could be sacked on the spot, lose my house and even get a criminal record.' Dr Turton was signed off sick with 'stress-related illness', returning in March 2022 and working mostly from home at her request to avoid the lecturer and another colleague. A confrontation took place at the Medway campus in April 2022 when she came across the two women in the staff room and they both shouted at her: 'Hello, Sharon.' Other members of staff described this as 'very confrontational' and 'excessive' behaviour. Of the six complaints, including harassment related to disability, direct disability discrimination and failure to make reasonable adjustments for disabilities, three were 'well-founded' and three were dismissed. In June 2022, Dr Turton and the two other lecturers were informed they were at risk of redundancy 'due to a reduction in student numbers'. While signed off work, she was invited to a redundancy selection interview but she accepted voluntary redundancy instead due to her health issues. The report said she felt that she had no option but to take redundancy saying she believed if she stayed she would have died. The tribunal found 'considerable evidence' that decision-makers considered Dr Turton to be difficult and internal HR emails suggest they may have seen redundancy as an 'opportunity' to dismiss her. Speaking at her home in Ashford, she said: 'I loved the job and had planned to continue until I was 71. I was given the option to postpone the hearing because I had more evidence, but this has gone on too long and I needed to get it over [with].' She said her aim was to make managers and HR teams aware of the problems facing disabled people in the workplace and to 'expose' the behaviour shown to her. 'It's no good knowing about the Equality Act if you don't know about hidden disabilities,' she added. 'People ask what proof you have, but a lot of it is verbal and you don't have any. 'Luckily, I have family in the legal profession who have helped me. But there are many in my situation who will not know how to get evidence together.' Simon Cook, the principal and chief executive of MidKent College, said the college takes the findings 'extremely seriously'. He said: 'Throughout this time, the college has continued to learn and grow, strengthening its policies and practices to foster a more inclusive workplace. 'We are reviewing our internal processes to ensure that all concerns raised by staff are appropriately addressed and that our commitments to equality, diversity and inclusion are upheld in all aspects of college life.' Dr Turton thanked her legal team for fighting her case through the tribunal and not accepting an out-of-court settlement. The lecturer has three daughters and six grandchildren, and an 11-month-old Doberman puppy to keep her company. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
