President: Admiral Sir Raymond Lygo KCB

Winter 2010 Edition No. 49 - hmsstvincentassoc.org

“God bless us, every one” Letter from the President Admiral Sir Raymond Lygo KCB

Association Officers

President: Admiral Sir Raymond Lygo KCB Vice President: Lt. Alan Dobson RN Rtd Chairman: Ken Cast 01329 668464 Secretary: Vacant and awaiting a volunteer! Membership Secretary: Joe Cornish 01480 414152 Treasurer: Tony Dewhirst 02380 770555 Public Relations: David Coleman 01305 260761 Newsletter Editor: Phil (Darby) Allen MBE 02392 556810 AGM and Reunion Organiser: Vacant and awaiting a volunteer! Standard Bearer: Mick O'Keefe contact via the Chairman Padre: Phillip Hiscock 02392 346881 Slops Manager: Dave Hazlewood 02392 580218 Archivist: John Clifford 01329 282152 Almoners: Henry De Silva – Northern Area 01624 880863 Tony Hoare – Southern Area 01403 267833 Ray Churcher – Western Area 01275 543603 Raffle Organiser: Vacant and awaiting a volunteer! Webmaster: Roger Lyons contact via the Chairman

A comprehensive stock of glorious goodies is organised and held by our Slops Manager, Dave Hazlewood, who will be happy to supply a list , to take your order and, of course, your money!. Dave can be contacted at 02392 580218, or [email protected] D.N. Hazlewood, 10 Weymouth Avenue, Gosport, Hampshire. PO12 4NR

Nozzer (Elvis?) Reality (Ugh!) Tomorrow? Less hair maybe, but still all my own teeth! My dentist praises Pusser’s fillings, saying that they last a lifetime! I wonder if that is because they red leaded them!

Hello my Hearties! Some of you that attended the AGM/Reunion noticed my table and back drop and have responded to my plea for material and as a result I have a few more members‟ articles in this issue, sincere thanks. One of the unforeseen pleasures of my task, in fact, now I come to think of it, probably the only one(!), is receiving informative letters, e-mails and telephone calls from nice people, so do keep „em coming, it will not be long before I run out of material and am able to indulge myself again! Incidentally the size (A5), and the thickness (max 28 pages) of recent editions, are dictated by cost. It means we can use the cheapest postage and keep our printing expenditure down. Including competitively priced printing, postage and envelopes etc, each copy posted to a UK address costs about £1:60p, considerably more abroad. Sadly less than 50 of our 280 e mail address holders opt for the e-mail version. It has been agreed that your “thrice” yearly Magazine will be published in mid December, mid April and mid August so if you haven‟t received them by the end of those months start screaming. E mail recipients will obviously receive them somewhat earlier. I felt privileged to march in our Cenotaph Platoon again this year, it really is a stirring occasion and the Princess Royal gave me a lovely smile when I gave her my “eyes right!” As a bonus we were on TV too! I have just attended a “Pickle Night” for the 1st time in a few years, this time in HMS Sultan, what a laugh! More about that in the next edition. Do have a happy Crimbo and do join me on New Year‟s Eve in raising a glass to all fellow “Vincentians” (any other name suggestions?), including those who have crossed the bar ahead of us. Stay Happy, Keep smiling and Carpe Deum. Darby Allen (Hawke 192 & 223, 1/59). Ed. P.W. ALLEN M.B.E, 23 Cambridge Road, Lee-on-the-Solent,Hants, PO13 9DH.Telephone 02392 556810. E mail; [email protected]

Kenneth Cast (Duncan 540, 11/62) It was good to see you all at the AGM, and considering there wasn‟t to be a reunion dinner this year, the turnout was much higher than I could have anticipated. So well done to all those who made the effort, which was greatly appreciated by your Committee. As you all know, it was a fairly complex meeting with discussion on the Membership categories, subscriptions and the reunion dinner for next year. So again thank you for your understanding and input which has allowed us to widen participation and maintain the numbers joining the Association. It is an honour to become your elected Chairman. Thank you all. As you are now aware, we WILL be holding a reunion dinner in 2011, which will be held at the Royal Beach Hotel in Southsea (just opposite the entrance to the pier). So book your weekend for the 8th. October 2011!! The AGM will still be held at St. Vincent as usual with tea & coffee served all day plus a fish & chip luncheon with wine…..all included within the tariff. Booking forms will be distributed shortly. It also includes coaches to and from the hotel to keep you all out of mischief. This year we had thirty members attending the Remembrance Service and parade at the Cenotaph and it was a very proud moment for me to lead them all down Whitehall. We have also had Andy Poulton leading the West Country Members at the Bristol Remembrance service and parade and „Hookey‟ Walker leading our team for the parade at Gosport War Memorial. A special thank you to all those who took part, and especially to the area organisers, without whom this would be impossible. Well done. In late October I was able to represent the Association and accepted the invitation from the Mayor of Stone to attend their annual Trafalgar dinner. My good lady and I travelled to Stone, were made very welcome and had a wonderful evening as their guests. I was asked to propose the Loyal Toast which I duly did and we also had a speech from a member of the 1805 Club which was very entertaining. I am also delighted to announce that as of December, the office of the Mayor of Stone will become an Honorary Association Member, along with our office of President, Vice President and Association Padre. Another pleasurable moment for me was, on the behalf of the Committee and Association, to present Diane and Malcolm Smith with a decanter for their sterling work and dedication to the Association for these past eight years. Especially to Diane for the organisation of our Reunion and AGM functions. I‟m sure that you will all join me in wishing them well in their „retirement‟ and we hope to see them at the AGM Reunion next year. It has always been a pleasure working with them both. With regard to subscriptions (which are mentioned elsewhere in this journal), it would appear that a considerable number of you have yet to change your Standing Orders to £12.50. So bear with us and me when I ask you to double check your Standing Order and if necessary, make the required changes to the correct amount without delay please? Thank you all in advance and with your help we can maintain the sanity of our overworked Treasurer and Membership Secretary!! (If you have any queries, please don‟t hesitate to contact us and all will be explained.) Whilst some of the subscription difficulties are yet to be finally resolved, we have progressed considerably and I am pleased with our overall result of many changes and once again your Committee have provided their valuable time and huge effort to maintain the smooth running of the Association and I certainly look forward to its future and growth of membership. Their efforts on your behalf are greatly appreciated by me and I feel sure, they are with you all. To end on a high, Christmas is just around the corner once again so the season of goodwill and cheer will be with us shortly. A Happy Christmas to you all. May I wish you a safe and healthy New Year. I look forward to 2011 and to seeing you all once again at our AGM and Reunion next October. Booking forms for the 2011 AGM will be mailed out to you in January. Take care. Ken

Joe Cornish (Duncan 111, 2/58)

The past few weeks have been an interesting time, the changeover to a common payment date of the 1st October and an increase in our annual subs has had varied success. Some members have got it right and my thanks to all of you that have made the change successfully, in particular the use of your ships book numbers on the standing order mandate have been very helpful when trying to interpret the banks description of an individual. Unfortunately quite a few members did not get the changeover right, and with help from other committee members we are in the process of sending emails where possible or inserting a letter with this newsletter to those that need it. At the 2009 AGM it was agreed that we would change to a single payment date of the 1st October each year for all members, starting with 2010. It was also agreed that the subs would increase to £12.50. At some point there had to be a cut off date and the 1st May was felt to be the fairest, therefore all those with an old payment date before the end of April would be asked to pay their £10 as normal and then pay £12.50 on the first October, all those with an old payment date after the 1st May would not pay anything until the 1st October and then pay £12.50. Please bear with us as we contact those members that did not get it right and I apologise if the procedure was not made clear to you. On a different subject I made a statement in my AGM report regarding the membership list, this has been completely updated and is available preferably by email to any member on payment of a modest £5.00 fee. Can I please ask again that you keep me up to date with changes to your email addresses as well as changes to home address or telephone numbers? Our membership numbers have remained fairly steady with a few new faces and sadly some losses, the numbers are: Full 569, Honorary 11, Associate 7, Non/Late Payers 67.

Lest we forget” Crossed the Bar Name Division/Class Joined St. Vincent Crossed the Bar Paul Vergen Not Known Mid 1962 04/11/2008 Anthony Carter Foretop 40 Not Known Notified 2/2010 Michael Stevens Blake 54&175 06/04/1953 Notified 8/2010 John Dinnewell Duncan 69 01/04/1954 25/07/2010 Harry Nicholls Hawke 121 11/01/1947 23/04/2010

New Members

Name Division/Class Date Joined St Vincent Robert Duffy Anson165 03/06/1952 Peter Townsend 66th Pilots Course 12/06/1944 Edwin Filer Duncan 353 11/10/1966 Peter Birks Blake 22 01/02/1957 Peter Milford College Staff 1987-2000 As always if you have any queries regarding membership please do not hesitate to contact me at: [email protected] Telephone 01480 414152 or J. Cornish, 8 Buzzard Close, Hartford, Huntingdon, Cambs, PE29 1XB

National Defence Medal. Stop Press. Peter Wyatt (Anson 6/53) e mailed - When our servicemen and women take the oath of allegiance to the Sovereign they are likely at any time to be called upon to make personal sacrifices in the service of the Nation. Over the past 60 years many hundreds of thousands of veterans believe the service they have given has been completely ignored. Join veteran icons, such as Vera Lynn, in her support for the National Defence medal. Write to your MP and local newspaper calling for MOD to recommend to Her Majesty the Queen the award of a UK National Defence medal. Did you know that both the Australian and New Zealand Governments have already obtained agreement from Her Majesty the Queen to award a Defence Medal to their respective Armed Forces and veterans?

If you were fortunate enough to have purchased the “Schoolboys to Shipmates” DVD, do take care of it as it is now a Collector’s item! None of the 350 printed are left. Thank you to those lucky people who supported the late Ernie Smith’s “Bucket List” brain child from which the HMS St Vincent Association’s coffers benefitted.

D‟ya „ear there “Mail is ready for collection” From Malcolm & Diane Smith

Dear Mr Chairman,

On behalf of Diane and myself I write to thank you, and through you, the Members of the HMS St Vincent Association, for the beautiful surprise gift of the decanter jug and tray, presented to us recently. It was a lovely surprise and now has pride of place in our home. It will remind us for many years to come of all the friends we made in the Association whilst having the pleasure of arranging the various functions. With Kind regards and best wishes to you all for Christmas and the New Year. Malcolm and Diane

Sunday 14th November - Our Day at the Cenotaph By Event Organiser, Malcolm Smith B.E.M. Blake 226,5/1959)

The weather was not good when we boarded the 0729 from Portsmouth Harbour to Waterloo to take part in this year‟s Remembrance Day Parade at the Cenotaph, but our spirits immediately rose when we were all upgraded to first class seats, with no extra charge, by the kind guard, he being so impressed with the smartness and all the medals of us HMS St Vincent Boys, the Fleet Air Arm chaps and the Submariners. We know how to travel! The day improved even more when my son in law joined the train at Havant with a bagful of hot sausage sandwiches. Well done Bruce! Sadly, by the time Peter and Linda Gale joined the train at Petersfield, all the Bacon Butties had gone, but they were not to know! We eventually arrived at Waterloo, despite there being no „Trolley Dolly‟ on the train and, with the help of the Northern Line, arrived at Admiralty Arch to find all our chaps waiting for us. For my part it was most comforting to see so many old friends. We found our marker, Mickey Ellis, on Horse Guards Parade, and fell in, in good time, ready to march off into Whitehall. Then the rain started, and steadily grew worse. After the Service, and, the wreath laying by HM the Queen and other Members of Royal Family, and others, we marched off and under the direction of our Chief GI Peter Gale were in step and gave a smart „eyes left‟ at the Cenotaph, that our drill instructors would have been proud of all those years ago. We then returned to HGP via Birdcage Walk, and performed an equally smart „eyes right‟ for HRH the Princess Royal, who was taking the salute from the Veterans. Like us, she was thoroughly wet through, but stood there and returned our salute whilst scrutinising every platoon. Once back on “the Square” we joined in the applause for those following on behind us. Getting drenched was a small price to pay for such a very important day. We eventually repaired to the Two Chairman public house, where we had a very enjoyable get together, including some of our ladies, and some of us even met old ships from the PT Branch.

I do hope that everyone enjoyed the occasion and it was so very lovely to see so many wives accompanying our members and looking so radiant. Thank you all for coming and we now look forward to our next muster in 2011. Please do not be shy in applying to me if you want to be included next year, application details will be forthcoming in a subsequent Newsletter. This occasion is open to all the Association Members. Malcolm.

“Idle on Parade?”

Shown below are some of the Association platoon (having stowed their hip flasks!), waiting to be called onto the Parade Ground. Just like the good old days!

Clever Ray Churcher managed to get this shot of the smartest squad on Whitehall direct from his TV, Cheers Ray!.

Drenched but proud, members Gerry Harris, Wally Morris, Peter Guinness and Ken McIntosh, with Standard Bearer Hookey Walker, representing us at the Gosport Remembrance Day Parade

The “West Country Group of St Vincent Old Boys” will be holding their annual shindig in Torquay over the weekend commencing 11th February 2011. A full weekend of fun and activity is on offer for a very reasonable price. Details from Gerry Vincent on 01202 746777 or direct from the Inglewood hotel on 01803 293800.

A somewhat dryer Andy Poulton kindly E mailed the above photos, taken by his wife, Wendy, at the RBL Bristol Festival of Remembrance, Colston Hall on 6/11, where Mike O‟Keefe paraded our Standard (Mike can be seen with a microscope, centre stage but right at the back!). The Band of Brothers are members Andy, Exmouth 491, 8/62: Ray Churcher, Duncan 194/Anson 196, 3/55: Pete Burnett, Anson 87, 5/50: and Vincent House, Blake 128 8/48. Pete was struck down with pleurisy immediately after the Festival but is well on the way to a full recovery now – what did I tell you about wearing your thermals Pete?

David Ashley (Cornwallis 533 10/62) e mailed this thought provoking and original take on his first Reunion/AGM:- A Nozzer at the AGM

Approaching Gosport from the West I to the day. Memories came flooding back, had a distinctly apprehensive feeling. I many good, and some bad. had joined the association just a few Turning my car through the gate, weeks previously, hence my status as a almost knocking over a builders ladder, „Nozzer‟. This was to be my first AGM. (the gate is apparently being refurbished), From information gained in those few another change of emotion, this time to weeks I was aware that there was one disappointment. Those huge, imposing, association member who had been in my divisional accommodation blocks and the class and another who I had spent some wardroom that had provided a distinctive time with in HMS Tiger when she was still backdrop to the parade ground and one a Cruiser. We were lucky enough to tour hundred and twenty foot mast had gone, South America. Would I recognise them? replaced by college campus buildings. Would they recognise me? Apprehension soon turned to nostalgia as that symbolic Victorian gateway appeared on the left of Forton Road with the sports field on the right, recognisable even without the sick bay. It was October 15th 1962 when I had first passed through those gates, forty eight years ago, almost Which, I have to say, looked in need of company of this man and the rest of our some tender loving care. I parked my car class. Sadly, between us we could identify and wandered for a while until I found the whereabouts of very few, of those; myself at a point which I estimate was three had crossed the bar at a very early around the centre of the old parade ground. age while still in the service. One other that I wondered at the effort that must have my class mate was aware of and had been employed to pull down the old communicated with, had not enjoyed his buildings. They were certainly built of much time in St Vincent and did not want to be sterner stuff than the new ones. Happily the reminded of it. swimming pool was still there although now So, into the AGM. Very formal parading unused. I had joined as a non swimmer. of the colour, rightly so. This building held many memories, good or All partners left outside in the reception bad? I shall leave that to you. area. I asked myself, is this a 21st Century So in to the reception area to be issued approach? These partners who have with my membership card. Yes I am that clearly supported various members for a new. A decent cup of coffee in hand I considerable period of time must surely stationed myself at the end of the room to have a view and be able to add some view the activities. I was impressed by the value. This became more apparent to me number of people dressed in blazers and as the meeting went on. There was a long association ties. My open neck shirt and and sometimes emotional debate on types sports jacket was clearly not in keeping of membership. with most of the rest but everybody was Re-election of the committee went polite enough not to point this out to me. through. Again, questions in my mind as The „slops‟ area looked busy. I wonder if there seemed to be no opposition. It would the takings reflected that. Many seem that committee members do a very conversations, some jovial, some more good job, but, despite some criticism, are serious going on between people who there un-apposed, perhaps because clearly had not seen each other for a year nobody else wants the job. So much for the or more. Good to see many members had longevity of the association. also managed to bring along their partners. A brief mention of the web site met with Conversations with a number of little interest. Thoughts again on 21st members soon confirmed my „nozzer‟ Century. This is surely our shop window status. There were very few who had been and probably the first place potential new in St Vincent after me. Suddenly there was members would look. my ex-shipmate. I had an advantage as he Debate around pensions. I think it is fair was wearing his membership card in a to say that if you went to work in the public prominent position so I was quickly able to sector on leaving the service, (Post Office, identify him. I think I would have recognised Police, Prison Service, etc), your time him, but I would say that wouldn‟t I? A served with the Royal Navy may count whole number of memories shared both towards your pension. If you went to work from home and abroad. Some names and in the private sector then generally events that had lain dormant in my memory speaking your time served will not count. were stirred. Don‟t want to steal the thunder of the Moments later I came across my old Almoner here. class mate. I used the same advantage. He A short, sharp, debate on the venue for was wearing his membership card. I had the next meeting. Overwhelming vote for spent many days and weeks in the the AGM to stay in St Vincent. I wonder if 10 the Association could use one of the old me with more questions than answers. I buildings that still exist. Is this nostalgia would be pleased to receive feedback on setting in again! Finally, a proposal from a my comments and will attach my e mail member that a group should be set up to address to facilitate this. It may be that explore in depth the membership issue. some of the points I have made, have What a good idea. been, or are being addressed. I am also a So, after a good helping of fish and great advocate of the management phrase chips, some more anecdotal exchange with „don‟t bring me problems, bring me old shipmates and some time spent solutions‟. I have the wherewithal and the browsing the archives in the museum it was capability to address the points I have back into my car and heading off to the made, if required, and would be pleased West for home. My day had been to lead or contribute to any working group. interesting and very enjoyable but had left Cheers! DavidAshley By Ed ; thank you David. Some very interesting points - constructive thinking indeed, the Association needs more like you. Hopefully someone will be in touch before too long.

Gerry Gerhard (Duncan 29, 2/47) wrote a kind letter from his home in Western Australia expressing his thanks for the newsletter content and to the Committee for their hard work. Although he has been battling cancer for the past 11 years he says he will not give up, much to the Devil’s disgust! Like so many others, including my Brother, Gerry was invalided out having contracted TB, in his case in Korea, but not before having half a lung chopped out. His Dad is buried in a War grave in Haslar Cemetery. Gerry travelled the world FOUR times to get the photos for his book “Preserved Warships of the World” which I have pleasure of advertising below. Thank you Gerry and may the Devil take the hindmost!

11 Phillip Day (Duncan 59-1/54) kindly sent an e-mail enclosing the following transcript of an article that appeared, presumably in the Portsmouth News, sometime in the 60s. I do not know the heading but my guess it would have been something like:-

PEEPING TEENAGE “TEASECATS” FAIL THEIR SWIMMING TEST!

Some teenage girls peeped at sailor boys IN BED – by pressing their noses to the windows of the boys‟ dormitories. The girls were returning from a Royal Navy indoor pool at 9:30 p.m. when the sailor boys, aged fifteen to seventeen, had gone to bed. To get to the pool the girls had to walk between rows of sailor boys‟ dormitories. That was when some of the girls did their “window gazing”. And that is why the Navy said yesterday that the indoor pool at H.M.S. St. Vincent, Gosport‟s Navy training base is banned to girls in future. It is the only indoor swimming pool in the district. Because of that the Navy has allowed civilian youth clubs and swimming clubs to use it. Bad Behaviour Lieutenant Commander Roberson McDonald, physical training officer at the base, said yesterday: “The reason for the ban is the domestic layout of the base. What brought it on was the behaviour of some of the girls.” “It was none too good.” The letter telling of the ban, which affects scores of clubs, said: “It is inconvenient to admit ladies in the evenings.” Men and boy members of clubs are not affected. Comments from teenage girls: Marian Nodes, of Gosport: “Unfair to the majority – but some girls did behave badly.” Janet Rudd, of Gosport: “WE got wolf whistles from the boys. That didn‟t bother US.”Comment from one of the sailor boys: “Some of those girls were teasecats – but we‟ll miss them going past.”By Ed: Cheers Phillip, hilarious! “Sailor boys indeed!” The fact that we have female readers prevents me from stating the obvious alternative word to “Teasecats” that I believe the average matelot would have used! Does anyone remember the incident or when Lt Cdr McDonald was the Club Swinger? Phillip Day at the 2010Reunion/AGM, to which he travelled from his home in Ontario, Canada. Photo by Ed. WHY HMS St. Vincent? In the last edition I asked Why HMS St Vincent? The first print, from the summer 1934 St Vincent magazine, shows action from a battle fought off Cape St Vincent (Clue 1!) in 1797. Admiral Sir John Jervis (2nd print) afterwards Earl St. Vincent (clue 2!) - defeated the Spanish Fleet, comprising of 27 ships, with a mere 15 of his own. He was a strict disciplinarian, hanging offenders by the dozen, some for trivial offences, and an early advocate of a regimented training regime. It was of no surprise, therefore, when their Lordships decided to name the first designated training ship after him. Fortunately for us, we were more liable to suffer „Cuts‟ or „Shuffles‟ than hanging! Sir John is interred in Stone Churchyard, in his family Mausoleum, just a few yards from the brass bell which once adorned HMS St. Vincent.

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Bill Keeble continues to send in his very welcome and informative letters from his home in South Africa. Incidentally he has been informed that he need not worry about future subscriptions as life membership continues to be granted to those members on reaching 90 years young!

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Ian Bevon (70th Pilot‟s Course, 7/1944) writes from Pwllheli in Welsh Wales, which will always be remembered by me for Billy Butlins, our first family holiday whilst on leave halfway through my unwelcomed and unaccompanied draft to HMS JUFAIR, Bahrain in 1968. Although Ian wrote praising the Newsletter, that is not why I am printing his submission, it is because I believe you will find it interesting! Short bits of my service life after returning as a failed pilot, so long ago by Ian Bevon

For myself life was rather good and I had a short spell at HMS Daedalus as the “Non-Conformist Chaplain‟s Yeoman”, which enabled me to get full use back of a leg I damaged when trying to learn to fly. I then returned to sea and spent the rest of my 18 months or so before demob serving on a Submarine Depot Ship based at Malta. I even found out what it is like to be on the receiving end of a depth charge attack when two of us were taking passage on a boat, but that‟s history. (By Ed:- History we would like to learn more about Ian!) By chance, my knowledge gained at St. Vincent came in very useful when one black night at sea, while doing a spell as Bridge Lookout, I spotted a blue light flashing us and reported it. Out of habit I read the signal, shouting it out. Fortunately, as at that moment the duty signalman was not on the bridge! Next day I was questioned as to how I had come to read morse, and my training at St Vincent became known. From then on my skills with a chipping hammer and paint brush were forgotten and life became more interesting! Returning to civvy street was a bit flat after the Navy- and banking again - left some gaps, so I ran an Admiralty recognised sea scout troop and ended up an Assistant County Commissioner for two Counties in charge of all water activities and also a qualified sailing instructor in my own right, just to keep my hand in. Years later, we returned to this old corner of Wales and joined the local RN Association at a time when 30 members had served at sea in the war and 3 of us were also failed FAA pilots – now I am the only one of the 30 who has not “crossed the bar” and find myself glancing over my shoulder just to check that the “grim reaper” is not there! Service life caught me up twice after leaving the RN , the Army needed a part time job doing and in the middle of the cold war I was happily working in my garden, the kids up the village playing with their pals and my wife working as a nurse, when an Army vehicle stopped on my drive and a “bod” with a clip board approached me, identifying me by quoting my Naval service number at me, I never did find out the connection, but they were re-mustering an Army unit, a part time commitment and they wanted me to join. In the end I agreed and about 6 months later was “commissioned” as part of a “ghost” asset, all the officers trained but no men, an odd idea involving a lot of planning and training. Then they shelved that ideas – and several of us were trained up with “NUKE” problems in mind – we were classified as Civil Defence Personnel and my rank was a “Scientific and ? Officer” and we were eventually trained to Home Office Staff College standard – and that is as far as I can tell you because we were covered by the Secrets Act. I was still working for the Midland Bank for my sins, when one afternoon the phone rang and a voice that I knew told me “This is not an exercise, you are to report to my place of duty forthwith.” I did and for a day or two things looked very black – but thankfully did not go “Bang”, and when we were stood down and “surfaced”, the birds were still singing and we returned to our normal lives – feeling a lot older. Fortunately, shortly afterwards, my firm promoted me to another branch and I was glad to have to move from the area and handed my other job to another man, and kept my head down, enough was enough. We eventually retired and I did my own thing – keeping a few sheep as a registered small holder – became a professional hand weaver until that old wound made it impossible to catch a weaving shuttle and finally retired again. Looking back I had a relative who served on a 14 destroyer in World War 1 at the Battle of Jutland, an Uncle who died in the Royal Flying Corp, a father who was a soldier and wounded in the Battle of the Somme and now I have a granddaughter who is a RAF bandsman, who tells me she is a dab hand with a machine gun etc. Recently one of the clan of our kids asked me “Did you kill anyone in the war Granddad? This made me think a bit “War was not fun at times!”

Maurice R. Dawe (Blake 1-1946) very kindly sent the following, by e- mail, from his home in Canada. SERVICE LIFE On the spur of the moment I am going to try train from Plymouth to Liverpool as we and relate my life from when I drove were taking passage on the troopship "Or- through the entrance of "St Vincent" in Feb- bita" which had been built in 1914 at ruary 1946. Along with a group of other Harland & Wolfe’s shipyard in Belfast and Irish boys who had signed on in Belfast, in in fact my Grandfather had worked on it. my case around October 1945, we had made This was all very exciting stuff for a 17 year the trip across the Irish Sea to Liverpool for old. The Orbita had been torpedoed during our medicals and then on down to London to Euston and across to Waterloo Station for the train to Pompey. We were met at the Harbour Station by an Instructor, then on to a truck and across the harbour to Gosport and finally our home for the next year "St. Vincent" I am not going to go into the details of that year except to say I hated every minute of it the war and refitted in the USA so the ac- as did most of the guys in my class Blake 1. commodation for service personnel was all Finally relief came in 1947when I was open canvas bunk space, the bunks had no drafted to Guzz barracks which, because it mattress and our pillow was a life jacket. was so full of personnel at the time, all boys Going through the Bay of Biscay I had my on draft were sent home on indefinite leave. first taste of sea sickness then we were soon About three weeks later I was recalled back round the corner at Gib into the Mediterra- to Guzz bar- nean to Port Said where I had my first shore racks and was leave in a foreign port, then through the told I was Suez canal to Aden, then Mombasa and fi- drafted to nally disembarked at Durban and by train to HMS Nigeria Capetown where we were picked up by on the South truck to Simonstown. When we got there we Atlantic Sta- discovered that the "Nigeria" was away es- tion based in corting the homeward bound "Vanguard" Simonstown, with the Royal Family on board after their South Africa. South African tour. So we were accommo- Our draft was dated onboard HMS Norfolk, which was re- then sent by fitting in Simonstown after being on the East

15 Indies station and upon completion of refit was heading for the UK. Soon the "Nigeria" returned and we went onboard and settled in under the watchful eye of our two instructors, one a PTI the other a killick seaman. During the next six- teen months we made a couple of West Af- rican cruises and a couple up the East coast of South Africa as far as Lorenzo Marques in Portuguese East Africa. However the grated to Australia. In early 1950 this re- most memorable cruise was our emergency quest was granted and I found myself in dispatch to the Falkland Islands where we Pompey barracks on draft to HMAS Sydney called at Port Stanley and then on down to which arrived in July 1950. the Antarctica where the Argentineans and After exercising around the UK and em- Chileans had been invading some of the barking new aircraft from Short & Harland's British scientific bases there in Deception factory in Belfast we sailed from Pompey Island, Melchoir Bay and Admiralty Bay. for Australia in early October 1950. I spent After handing out letters of protest from the the next two years on the "Sydney" then was British Government to the Captains of a drafted to a small shore base in Port Ade- couple of Argentine ships and freezing our laide, South Australia, this base was used parts off we returned to Port Stanley then mostly for training reserves and the Jimmy sailed for South Africa calling at Tristan Da himself was a reserve and a real ignorant Cuna on the way. By the time we got back and arrogant individual -, in fact believe it or to Simonstown the commission was nearly not I nearly had a fist fight with him in his ending, so around the beginning of June office, however that’s another story. Relief 1948 we moved round to Capetown and came in the way of a draft chit to the TAS took on a load of gold bullion destined for school in Sydney where I stayed for nine the Bank of England, this was stored in the months finally being drafted to the anti magazines etc with an armed RM sentry at submarine frigate HMAS Murchison where each hatch. I spent the next three years, which included Arriving in England we paid off. I went on a nine month deployment to Korea and the leave and then was drafted into Guzz bar- Far East, this was my second trip up there racks. I volunteered for the "Vanguard" as it having been there on the "Sydney" in 1951- was scheduled to go on a world cruise with 52, the Royal Family and I had relations in Aus- In early 1955 HMAS Murchison was tralia I wanted to see. However this cruise assigned to operate out of Darwin in was cancelled in November 1948 when the Northern Australia and Manus Island in the King took ill so the "Vanguard” was dis- Admiralty Islands off New Guinea, patched to the Med in January 1949 as Flag- Murchison was a modified river class frigate ship of the Med fleet for six months. Around built in the 2nd World War and the purpose this time I had requested a transfer to the of being stationed in this area was to keep Royal Australian Navy as the remainder of any eye on the Japanese pearling trawlers my family in Northern Ireland had emi-

16 who had a habit of trying to poach in Aust- themselves under the table so to speak and ralian territorial waters. the ringleader a big Killick stoker from On the Easter week end we were berthed Brisbane had also passed out. The seven alongside at HMAS Tarnagau the Australian were placed under arrest and a radio mes- Navy shore base on Manus Island. Good sage to Naval Headquarters in Melbourne Friday being a holiday a lot of the ships informing them off the problem, we were company were ashore in the wet canteen on ordered back to Sydney for an enquiry. Sub- the base. Late in the evening the ship was sequently six of the stokers involved ac- ordered to sail immediately to the Nimigoe cepted Captain's punishment and went to islands as a medical doctor was urgently DQs for ninety days, the Killick stoker a guy name McGegor elected to be court martialed and received a sentence of 1 year's impris- onment and a bad conduct discharge. When we arrived in Sydney we entered harbour wearing No 8s and very nearly had a colli- sion with the Manly ferry boat and upon going alongside at Garden Island dockyard we requested permission from Captain F to commence shore leave right away, this was “A drop of “Roughers!” denied so we set up a slip ashore scheme required. We had cleared the lagoon and where anybody who wanted to go ashore were heading into some roughers when word slipped off the ship one by one out of sight came to the duty watch that there was of Captain Fs ship. I was discharged from trouble in the stokers messdeck which was the RAN in July 1956 and immediately located up forward under the main seaman's made plans to emigrate to the USA. I had mess access which was gained by down a booked a passage to San Francisco but as ladder of a hatchway, this hatch was my American visa was slow in coming normally kept open, It turned out that about through I had to disembark at Vancouver seven stokers had taken over the mess and where I got a job on Vancouver Island as also gained access to the depth charge skipper of a small tug towing rafts of trees magazine located directly under their mess from up the coast to the timber mill in where was also stored a load of booze, Cowichan Bay. After a short time doing this whisky, brandy etc which was to be finally my US visa delivered to some Australian coast watchers caught up with me located on several small islands around the so I quit and went area, they then dropped the hatch to their down to Seattle mess and the party was on full swing. Our where I enlisted in Jimmy appeared on the scene and ordered the United States crow bars to prise the hatch open which only Air Force, then on led to a barrage of bottles being thrown at to San Antonio the opening and some choice language Texas to Lackland telling the Jimmy what they thought of him! Air Force Base for Nothing could be done until they drunk basic training, 17 qualified for the Air Police (Military Police) sage on from Sydney to Vancouver. For the and was drafted to McDill Air Force Base in next five years I worked and sailed on Pas- Tampa Florida. I was there for nearly two senger Liners, cargo ships and my favourite, years and then sent to McGuire Air Force oil tankers, until one day upon arriving in base in New Jersey for onwards passage to Rotterdam instead of going on to the UK we Burtonwood Air Force Base near were told we had been ordered to Stockholm Warrington Lancs. UK and from there to and then to South America, so most of us RAF Brize Norton near Witney where I who had been on this banana boat for about remained for just over a year. Upon six months said thanks but no thanks and discharge from the USAF I returned to Bel- packed our bags and walked ashore. I im- fast for a visit but after only a week or so mediately made arrangements to go back to decided to go back to sea in the Merchant the USA but decided to call into Toronto Navy so I did a short training course at the and see some old friends, I met up with an MN school in Belfast and then joined my old flame got married and nearly forty six first ship the "Orcades" in Tilbury, which years later am still in Ontario! just happened to be the ship I had taken pas-

Many thanks Maurice - just the job. What a life! RN, RAN, Tug Boat Skipper, USAF, Merchant Navy. Kipling would be proud of you – “If you can fill the unfor- giving minute with sixty seconds' worth of distance run, etc!” And how honest to admit to us all that you did not enjoy St Vincent – I suspect there are many more like you out there! Personally, I am still undecided! Ed.

Not a lot of people know that ...... Two future Kings were trained at St Vincent!

In April your Editor visited Osborne House, now an English Heritage property, and to his amazement, was greeted in the entrance hall by a photo of a couple of royals standing in the doorway of a building with a large “St Vincent” sign over the door! It turns out that Princes Edward and George received their introduction into naval life at the first real naval school which was launched at Osborne House, the home built for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in the 1840s on the Isle of Wight. After her death a portion of the estate was turned into the Osborne Naval College. The Princes, Victoria and Albert's great grandsons, the future Edward VIII and George VI, attended Osborne as cadets, living in dormitories that were once their great grand parents' stables. They were both allocated to “St Vincent” house. The cadets received their initial training beginning at about age 13 at Osborne before graduating to Dartmouth College. Despite his impassioned pleas he was not allowed to take a photo (of the photo!) so, for the time being, you will have to take his word for it but, do not despair, he has a cunning plan...... ! 18 BOOK REVIEWS by BOB JERRARD (Duncan 972, 11/56)

Having previously read some autobiographies written by WRNS Officers, I thought, as Anne Glyn Jones did (Chapter 20, „Mutiny at Gibraltar‟) that it might be another, „Ra Ra, Jolly Hockey sticks account of life in wartime WRNS, as if everything was superior, eminently harmonious and satisfactory – it wasn‟t‟ – and luckily for the author and the reader, Anne Glyn Jones and others contributed to this very varied book of accounts by ex- WRNS. Some became Stewards, Cooks, Coders, Plotters, Stokers, Boating Wrens and countless other jobs, which these young women tackled. As Chapter 15 declares „Wrens can do anything‟. I lost track of the various employments WRNS undertook, because as well as those already referred to there were Japanese Telegraphists, Radar, assisting with Perisher‟s Courses, Armourers, at Whale Island, Bletchley Park and other secret establishments such as Eastcote in Middlesex and all over the world as time went on. I have only touched on the list of work undertaken. I am sure that if it were today and not the forties, Wrens would have a T Shirt „WRENS Do it all over The World‟, or something less modest! After reading this book, if a woman I meet says that she was in the WRNS during WWII I would have a lot more questions to ask. The subtitles is „Redoubtable WRENS at War... their trials, tribulations and triumphs‟ as it certainly is and the narrative holds the attention from start to finish and is a credit to the young girls who served their country in wartime. One thing is certain, it wasn‟t all Ra Ra, jolly anything at times for many of them and this book conveys their story in fine detail. In spite of the bad times there was a lot of fun and parts of the book will make you laugh, which is right and proper because one saying you always heard a lot of in the Royal Navy was „If you can‟t take a joke you shouldn‟t have joined‟. There were some of the usual, being sent to get red oil for the port lamp and to fetch a long weight/wait. Of course only green oil is available and „short waits‟. Perhaps being sent for a pint of maiden‟s water may have been tumbled? There of course there are the friendships that still endure today. A super read.

AL MURRAY AND CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER IN NEW JOKE BOOK TO GIVE UK TROOPS A BOOST The Chancellor George Osborne, Al Murray and Alan Titchmarsh are among the contributors to a new charity joke book in aid of the British Armed Forces

PROJECT 65 – The Veterans Charity has created and compiled The Laughing Soldier: The British Armed Forces Jokebook which will go on sale at all good bookshops and online retailers from 26th November, pub- lished by Casemate (www.casematepublishing.co.uk), ISBN 978-1-61200-038-1 and priced at £6.99. Hun- 19 dreds of free copies are also being sent to troops serving in Afghanistan. The book features over 180 jokes, each sent in with a message of support for the members of our armed forces serving around the world. Jokes have been sent in by politicians, comedians, celebrities and dozens of ex-forces veterans and relatives of those serving today. Forewords have been written for the book by top British comedian Al Murray and triple amputee former Royal Marine Mark Ormrod. CEO of Project 65 – The Veterans Charity, Danny Greeno said, “the idea for The Laughing Soldier came from a love of the legendary military sense of humour, the unique ability to find humour in the toughest of situations but also for inspiring some of the sharpest humour there has ever been. I know from the work we do with veterans of all ages that a good sense of humour is vital to keeping morale high and to lift spirits in tough times. I hope the many messages of support will also show our troops just how proud we all are of the incredi- ble job they are doing.” The charity, which was founded in 2008, has been asking people to submit jokes through a dedicated website over the last few weeks and has been inundated with jokes and messages of support from all over the world. Business Development Director for Casemate, Simone Drinkwater said, “we are extremely honoured to be working with Project 65 – The Veterans Charity on The Laughing Soldier. As a military history publisher, we are of course very aware of the sacrifices our troops make on all our behalf and hope that this book goes some way to show how much we appreciate their efforts.” A donation from the sale of each book will go to PROJECT 65 – The Veterans Charity, helping them to continue their work in funding the vital care and support of armed forces veterans and forces families and establishing new initiatives to offer more support to those who need it most.

Ship’s Operatic and Dramatic Society (More commonly known in Matelot parlance as SODS Opera!)

Your jack of all trades Editor was persuaded to tread the boards for the first time in order to appear in the SODS Opera at the Kings theatre, Southsea during Navy Days weekend. Against his better judgement he appeared as Windsor Davis with his oppo Don Estelle (Luvverly boy), and performed the 1975 hit “Whispering Grass” from the popular TV show “It ain‟t „alf ot Mum”. St Vincent‟s very own Comedian extraordinaire, George Saunders, helped to compare the show, together with HMS Ganges‟ Shep Wooley. The Ganges 20 strong choir also performed. Perhaps we can match them at the next performance in 2012, if anyone has a suitable act please let me know. The show, sponsored by Pussers‟ Rum, raised over £8,000 for Service charities and the DVD of the 3 hour how is available from Portsmouth TV live. Photo by Ed.

AFTER THE KOREAN WAR by John Wyeth (Duncan 57& 66, 12/48)

The Korean War began in June 1950 and raged until July 1953. It is often referred to as a forgotten war. One of the reasons is that this country had been involved in a world war for six 20 years and therefore many people were not too interested in another war just five years later, especially as it was at the other side of the world. I have often been asked if the Koreans appreciate what the twenty two nations did for them. The answer is a definite yes and here are a few examples of their kindness. Some years ago the Koreans living in this country invited British Veterans to attend annual events which included entertainment and food. These took place in the town halls of Wandsworth, Wimbledon and Chelsea. During the past ten years the Korean residents of Kingston have organised a British Korean Festival on a sports field and in the afternoon the Veterans paraded round the field to the rapturous applause of the residents. Then after inspection and speeches a lavish meal was provided. For the past 5 Years we have been invited to a Korean Church Service at Raynes Park. Once the service is over we are entertained by children of al1 ages. They sing, dance and play musical instruments, and on leaving the Church each Veteran and Spouse is handed a gift. We then move to the Church hall for an excellent Korean meal. Of course, the Koreans always thank us and bow. Over the years I have twice been a guest of the Korean Defence Attaché for a meal in a Korean restaurant in London. Moving on to Trafalgar 200 and the Fleet Review for which the Koreans sent over two of their ships, a destroyer and a supply ship. Two days before the review, l50 British Veterans were invited to meet them. We were taken into the dockyard by coach from the Harbour Railway Station Pompey to Fountain Lake Jetty and arrived in time to see the two ships come alongside and secure. The Ships Company then gave us three cheers and we returned the compliment. The gangway was lowered, a red carpet was rolled out and chairs were placed on the jetty for our comfort. The young officer cadets gave a twenty minute rifle drill display, the best I've ever seen. After the display we went aboard for a Korean meal and what a blow-out is was! A guided tour of the ship followed, then back to the quarter deck for more entertainment including singing, music and fantastic drumming. We thought it would never stop. Three hours had gone by and it was time for us the board the coaches. As we got to the gangway to leave the ship the Korean Admiral thanked us and shook everybody’s hand, we were then handed a baseball cap and a bottle of Korean alcohol! It was a truly remarkable afternoon. One day I will write about my revisit to Korea. John Wyeth By Ed, thank you John. It is very sobering to realise that here we are, 60 years later, and so close to another major confrontation.

ST VINCENT’S FLAG STILL “FLIES” Just up the road from St. Vincent’s main gate stands the Forton parish church, St John the Evangelist, also once known as the Garrison Church. They held a “Forton in the Fifties” afternoon in November and I visited it for the first time since my Nozzer days in 1959. To my delight I discovered this framed flag and plaque. The plaque reads: “This flag was presented to St John's Church Gosport by HMS St. Vincent, January 1968”. The church windows are not part of the design but are unavoidable reflections! I managed to have a chat with the Vicar, Mother Carrie Thompson and discovered that she is a townie of mine, she is from Streatham and I am from Camberwell, small world. 21 The Beginning – Royal Navy – HMS St. Vincent (Part 2 of 2) by David Parsons (Hawke 150 1/50) Having reached the dizzy heights of Boy 1st Class, David continues ever upwards! Boys‟ training in the early fifties was a great deal tougher than anywhere else in the RN. Climbing a 130 foot mast in gym kit at 0545 at all times of the year was not a lot of fun. A popular saying amongst ex-Boy Seamen was “if you didn't go to St. Vincent or Ganges you weren't tough, you only smelt strong”. Although easier than in new entrants, life on course was still quite hard. Of the five weekday mornings one was early morning baths, one early morning dhobeying, one early morning gym – mainly rope climbing - and one was to climb the mast. Last one down did it again. This left one day plus Saturday for normal reveille at 0615. On Sunday it was 0645. The early morning bath consisted of a lukewarm shower followed by a dip in the cold plunge. In winter the ice had to be broken first. Then await the Petty Officer to check to see if your hair was wet! The one morning, for which there was no early morning rising, there was a kit inspection. For the kit inspection there was a formal layout procedure and everything had to be meticulously in line. There was punishment for any infringement. Before breakfast each morning it was clean ship with each boy having an allocated task. After breakfast all divisions fell in on the parade ground and classes were marched off to whatever instructions they were due – Seamanship, Gunnery or School, repeated again in the afternoon and in the early evening. Two afternoons each week were devoted to sport and one morning each week was for boat training, pulling and sailing. After supper there was a couple of hours free time before bed and lights out. However if you were a duty cook or scullery boy there was little time left after you had cleaned up the mess hall and the scullery. There was a library and on Sunday evenings a cinema show. Saturday mornings was for cleaning ship followed by formal rounds. Sunday mornings was formal divisions and inspection by the Captain or Commander followed by church. Shore leave was allowed on alternate Saturdays and Sundays, depending on your class, from 1330 to 1945. Seamanship training included boatwork, anchors and cables, compass and watches, signals, rule of the road, damage control, bends and hitches, knots and splicing, nautical terms and customs, and logs and loglines. Boatwork took place in Portsmouth harbour. The boats and the boathouse were located at Clarence Yard on the Gosport side. There was also piping but I failed to qualify for the pipe as I was unable to roll my tongue and warble. Gunnery covered parade training, small arms, communications, gun instruments, L.R.A.A. (long range anti aircraft) (4inch gun instruction), C.R.A.A. (close range anti aircraft) (Bofors and Oerlikon), Surface and Radar, General Gunnery, and Other Weapons. At school we covered mathematics, English grammar, magnetism and electricity, and mechanics. Two of us, Boy Blick and I, received separate tuition with the possibility of re-taking the Dartmouth entry examination. However nothing came of this. Shore leave was generally spent at the local Forum cinema in Gosport with occasional trips across by ferry into Portsmouth. Local girls included „Dirty‟ Daphne and „Poxie‟ Pam among others. During my time at HMS ST Vincent we had leave at Christmas and Easter with short weekend leave mid terms. During these leaves I went home to Salisbury. One weekend we sailed a cutter across to the Isle of Wight and spent the night there camping. The NAAFI was available at times when we were not on in classes or otherwise on duty that took up most of the day. We could spend an hour or so in the NAAFI in the evening or at weekends. 22 Sports competitions were held between the various divisions and winning a cup would result in a voucher for „big eats‟ in the NAAFI. I won vouchers for hockey, racing cutters crew and water polo. There was also the annual „Commando Cup‟ challenge, an arduous obstacle race, and the „Hotham Cup‟. This latter was an even more arduous event named after a boy who had been killed at St Vincent and presented by his parents. We all had to pass a swimming test and for those who were unable to swim there were backward swimming lessons. Punishment was liberally handed out for quite minor offences and usually consisted of extra work and one hour‟s parade training, usually running around with an iron bar the weight of a rifle. But although corporal punishment was officially abolished in the RN in 1948 (which is about the same time that it was abolished in Borstal!), it was still administered in HMS St. Vincent and HMS Ganges during my time and for long after. The period of training was for nine or ten months depending on whether you were General Course or Advanced Course. During this time the class was, for one week, a duty class when there was no training as such. The class was used to work on various tasks throughout the establishment assisting the ship‟s company on their duties or the civilian staff. At the end of the training we passed out and were drafted to the training flotilla. Before passing out examinations were held in School, Seamanship, Gunnery and Religious Knowledge. I was fortunate in coming top in School, Seamanship and Gunnery but achieved little in Religious Knowledge. Following on from this I was awarded the Second St George‟s Prize for the Best Performance by a Boy during the year. Petty Officer Boy T J Sex of Duncan 148 winning the First Prize, he was first in his class in School, Seamanship and Gunnery but also a Petty Officer Boy. An ex TS Mercury boy he later gained a commission and wrote several books on sailing. Prior to passing out we were all measured and fitted with our „sea‟ suits. These were a more tiddly version of our Number One uniforms. They did not go as far as we would have liked but at least we felt more in the navy when dressed in them than we had in our first issue uniforms. We were also issued with our hammocks and had to get them ready for use with their clews and lashings. The latter had to be pointed and grafted. My class was drafted to HMS Widemouth Bay at Rosyth, she was the Flotilla Leader of the Forth Training Flotilla. We were to complete our training here by the practical application at sea of all that we had learnt at HMS St Vincent. Usually the class was marched through the assembled divisions and out through the main gate preceded by the Royal Marine band playing “Auld Lang Syne”, only to return via the rear gate and embark upon lorries already loaded with their kit etc! Unfortunately because we had to journey to Scotland we had a very early morning departure and did not get this traditional passing out ceremony. David Parsons.

By Ed; Many thanks David, excellent ditty. Just as I remember it, except that, unfortunately, I never got to hear about Dirty Daphne and if I had bumped into “Poxie Pam” before we had received our VD lecture from the embarrassed Doc, I may well have been visiting “Rose Cottage” and been on a charge involving self inflicted injuries! 23 Jonathan Gibson (Exmouth 473, 1/62) e mailed the following chapter in his eventful life (to date!)

Rub your Boots with Wax mark 2 Life after St Vincent - On draft to HMS Condor Home of the Fleet Air Arm‟s Air Engineering School It was a cold and dark when we were taken 2) Flying It could be said that my Naval to the Gosport Ferry for the start of our journey Career was full of ups and downs, in more to Arbroath and HMS Condor. “Do not forget ways than one! At HMS Condor we were Lads you will need money to get a taxi across introduced to Naval Aviation by having a jolly London.” Said the drafting RPO. We arrived at around the airfield in a Sea Prince. The Sea Waterloo and immediately proceeded to the Prince was a twin piston engine aeroplane underground only to find ourselves fighting the which was introduced into the Fleet Air Arm in masses three sailors with full kitbags and 1949. hundreds of commuters coming in the other 3) Mk 1 Gannet direction… Now at Kings Cross we boarded This aircraft had a crew of three and I would the train to Edinburgh. The winter of 1963 was to have been launched of the flight deck of an exceptionally cold and this was the case of our aircraft carrier. The reason for this strange train. The compartment was like an ice box and dream is the occupant of the rear seat faced it was over an hour later when we arrived at the rear and you would have had a wonder full Peterborough before the train‟s heating system view of the flight deck as you gained height. stared to work When we arrived in Edinburgh After passing out from HMS Condor I went the heat was enough to cook us. to HMS Fulmar, R.N.A.S Lossiemouth where I At HMS Condor we found ourselves in a joined the Station Flight. Which consisted of strange situation, because the majority of the three Mk7 Whirlwind helicopters? These lads were six week wonders, those who had aircraft made up the SAR flight The theme of signed on at HMS Raleigh, were as we were this article is the ups and downs of service life. old sea dogs having almost a year‟s service One day the flight was asking for volunteers to under our belts. What else did we discover at take part in a demonstration in a life boat HMS Condor? Wrens! Mind you it was a hard exercise in Peterhead Harbour. No prizes for job trying to chat them up; if you were under 18 guessing who volunteered. The next thing I years of age a small white square of material knew I was in a wet suit in the back of a had to be sown on your no three uniforms and Whirlwind Mk 7 and flying to Peterhead. Upon the white square gave away your age Guess arrival at the harbour the aircraft when into a what being under 18 meant no booze. 10 foot hover and I was being unceremoniously Just like St Vincent divisions were held chucked into the sea. The lifeboat would come every weekday and even to this day and the alongside and pluck me out of the sea and uniform worn by a Wren Officer is incredibly then I would be winched back up to the aircraft. smart. The whole operation was repeated again but it The highlights of basic training were three was good fun. When I became qualified to things: maintain and sign I was transferred to 809 1) Motor cycles I have admired motor Squadron which was a Buccaneer Mk 1 cycles and part of our training was to strip and training squadron. What happened after reassemble a motor cycle engine. For me it Lossiemouth? I was sent on draft to 801 was fantastically enjoyable experience and Squadron on board HMS Victorious. The given half a chance I would have loved to have squadron was on a one third change over been a motor cycle mechanic and raced motor every three months. Why? HMS Victorious was cycles. in the Far East and based at Singapore and the Squadron went ashore to RAF Tenaha and

24 the ground crew were billeted in Nee Soon were issued with drill immersion suits which transit camp. The camp had its fair share of were supposed to keep you dry but the rubber luxuries, mosquito nets, showers which seals let more water in then kept out. I can consisted of a piece of pipe. At the time we assure Portland Harbour is cold in March and were on full alert because of the Indonesian when we had finished we were not only cold confrontation. I can remember the time when but half drowned rats. The role of the Rating there was a curfew on it was case of being Aircrew man was to sit in the back of the escorted under armed guard to and from the aircraft and operate the winch. When the winch airfield. was being used the aircrew man would give instructions to the pilot on where to position the aircraft. The second Aircrew man would then be lowered down to the sea to pick up the body in the water. On this occasion we had three trainees in the back of the aircraft. The first trainee operated the winch, the second to go down on the end of the winch, and the third acted as the body to be rescued. The conversation would go something like this - Pilot “Down wind and running in” When over the survivor in the water the winch man would give instructions to the pilot such as “Winch operator go right one yard steady etc.” The winch would be operated and My first tour of duty overseas was on 801 the strop was lowered to the poor body that Squadron Mk 1 Buccaneers and we were was in the water, when the survivor was safely attached to HMS Victorious. The Navy allowed in the strop he was brought back up to the you to do unusual activities and the opportunity aircraft. Sitting on the edge of the cabin floor arose to take part in trial dives with the ship‟s looking down at the sea it looked a long way divers. My first dive was in the cold waters of down. The next thing you knew was that you Hong Kong Harbour. Kitted out in a dry suit were travelling through the air at a rate of over the side we went. We did not spend to knots, and hitting the surface of the sea. To long under water but it was long enough to what depth I went I have not got a clue but it have another go. The second dive was when was only a matter of seconds and you were on the ship was alongside in Singapore Dockyard. the surface again. The life jacket was inflated This time we had a lightweight diving suit which and there you were back on the surface made moving around underwater much easier. bobbing about on the surface waiting to be Did I ever go diving again? The answer is no. winched up into the aircraft. It could only be During my second dive I became disorientated described as good fun and every time I watch a and through panicking I lost my nerve. rescue programme on the television my mind After my first tour of duty overseas I joined goes back to the rating aircrew course. Did this HMS Osprey, R.N.A.S Portland and started, take in the warmer waters of the Med no but did not finish, the Rating Aircrew course. Portland Harbour in March and the water was My second sea going draft was to a small ships cold. The exercise was completed where we flight. The aircrew man on a Wasp flight was had taken our turn as body, winch operator, undertaken my by a member of the ground and winch man. Why did I fail? I am partially crew. After successfully completing the two day dyslectic and we had to read Morse code selection course I was off on my course at which was sent by Aldus lamp at a speed of six R.N.A.S Portland. Before we could go flying we words a minute. I would start to miss words had to practice our escape drills and learn how and then panic and then mistake after mistake to inflate and board a one man dinghy. We was made. So much so it was good bye flying and back to ground crew duties. In the long 25 term the failure was a blessing in disguise website and click on Pete Prescott‟s article because it made me study for and pass my about HMS Zulu‟s Wasp. technical examinations. Years later I and found myself in a Tesco, the supermarkets group have played photograph in the Navy News sitting in the left an important part in my reminiscing. In 1973 I hand seat. We had left the ship to go ashore to joined Colman Foods and was responsible for R.N.A.S Portland to borrow an aircraft and on calling on branches of supermarkets. Every the way back took part in a publicity exercise; time I went to Tesco in West Hendon, London when I saw it in the Navy News I could not the staff used to fall about laughing. One day I believe it. plucked up the courage and asked the question “Why are you laughing?” “It‟s the way you walk! “Came the reply “You look like Donald Duck. “ Yes it is true and the walk I was mimicking a Gunnery Officer. In 1975 I joined Whitbread Take Home Division selling a range of beers and lagers to the branches of multiple supermarkets and wholesalers. Around 1979 I was making a call on Tesco in Wellingborough and immediately asked the question I know you and the other person asked me exactly the same question. It was my fellow classmate from St Vincent, Leighton Price. Did I enjoy my time in the Navy, on the In June 2008 I was in Sheldon, on the whole yes but there were lots of ups and outskirts of Birmingham, in again in Tesco downs but more about that next time. when of all places when I came across a In my previous article I wrote about Jack, gentleman collecting for the restoration of a the Gunnery Instructor, I had met whilst Helicopter. I looked up and there in the car rehearsing for the Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta park was sight which made my day, a Wasp the Mikado. The show was put on in 1999 at Helicopter. The helicopter they were collecting the Garrick theatre, Lichfield. for was a Wasp Mk 1 of HMS Zulu flight. I was If the question was asked who did you fear on that Flight from 1968-1969. Renewing my the most in St Vincent? Then the answer would relationship with that aircraft was just like most probably be Gunnery Instructors. My pal meeting an old long lost girlfriend, beautiful. Jack had a fine base voice needless it was fine This aircraft was fantastic to work on and tuned by barking out orders, using his deep wonderful to fly in. bass voice, on the parade ground to the Just recently I was travelling south on the assembled sailors. Regretfully he crossed the M6 and what did I see going in the opposite bar about six years ago. direction on the back of a lorry. Yes a Wasp For the past two years I have played in 474 belonging to HMS Zulu Flight .I Cinderella and Aladdin. What parts did I play? subsequently found out that the aircraft was off In Cinderella it was Fruity. An Ugly Sister. Who to Tesco Birkenhead for more fund raising. The said I was type cast? In Aladdin I played the original HMS Zulu flight‟s aircraft was part of Widow Twanky. In the latter my dyslexia destroyed in a rather bizarre accident and this took charge and I forgot the “T” in “Twankey”. one was its successor. Why not read the full The result was the cast falling about the room story of how a Wasp helicopter was wrecked laughing their heads off at my embarrassment! by a pot of custard, yes custard. If you would This year I will be Captain Flint in Dick like read the full article go to the Aircrewman‟s Whittington! Many thanks Jonathan – what a dull life I feel that I have led, compared to yours! PS. I was on the Vic 63/65 – shipmate? 26 As we rejoice in the news of the forthcoming Royal wedding of Prince “Crabfat” William and “Queenie” Kate in April 2011, I thought it relevant to include this particular excellent revelation from Peter Shore (Duncan 148 1/49)! Don‟t forget to buy his excellent book (proceeds to charity) which is full of similar ditties! Details from Peter on 0117 9623048 or at [email protected].

A Queen is crowned - Tuesday 2nd June 1953

Getting down to the serious chore of “splicing the mainbrace” firstly means ceremonials and its inevitable rehearsals. The Royal Navy, being Senior Service, meant we always got the front row seats. Endless drill with polished rifle and burnished bayonet, blanco-ed gaiters, best flat hats (no bow waves!), with cap- tally bows officially tied over the left ear, not over left eye and wearing super- shiny boots and freshly-ironed white fronts. We were to fire a “feu de joie” which takes much concentration if it is not to sound like drunken fire-cracker display on Guy Fawkes Night. The Naval Guard of Honour was made up from “Birmingham” “Crane”, “Whitsands Bay” and “Opossum.” Marching with Enfield .303 rifles AND fixed bayonets was always a problem for Jack, rarely allowed to play with such dangerous toys of war - particularly in public, so we spent much time in cussing, ducking, diving and swaying to keep our eyes, ears and virginity intact. The ceremony held in Statue Square, Hong Kong, would be inspected by H.E. the Governor Sir Alexander Grantham, and also present would be the Royal Welch Regiment with its regimental mascot a white goat called Taffy IX, the R.A.F. and representatives of Merchant Ships, and the Royal Hong Kong Defence Force. The Square was generously festooned with military, naval and national flags of every country, and jam-packed with thousands of excited flag-waving servicemen, civilians, dignitaries and bystanders of every race, colour, age, creed or persuasion. It was a unique exciting occasion, with everyone wanting to be part of it, for we had a new attractive young Queen of whom we were very proud. Earlier everyone had eagerly listened to the London BBC World Service, vividly full of explanation, interviews and pomp and glory music, as news readers related to the world the days exciting happenings in London. I remember that day, how proud I felt to be part of such a large historical occasion, and to see, for the very first time, the reverent lowering of the Union Flag, to be replaced by the unique dignified Royal Standard. It was an emotional moment of heart-stopping proportions. There wasn‟t a dry eye to be seen – just surreptitious sniffing and nonchalant flicking of damp handkerchiefs amongst the Officers, Chiefs & PO‟s whilst we Matelots just snorted wetly onto our sleeves. For Great Britain and the Royal Navy, internationally acknowledged as the world‟s policemen, were instrumental in keeping the seaways of the world free for everyone; having recently served in Korea, and so helping oppressed societies ensure unequivocal expressions of freedom. You could „feel‟ that certain tension in the air, the whole of Hong Kong: military, civilian, tourist, resident, passer-by even the stone lions and stoned beggars in Aw Boon Par Gardens - everyone who lived and breathed in the Colony wanted to share the moment.. Our Feu de-whatsit of course went off with a bang! and not a completely be-feathered pigeon or Chinese shitehawk was to be seen or heard off for weeks to come. That night we were able to savour the night-life of the colony – I say night, but it could have been mid-day, for I recall every street, hovel, hotel, esplanade or courtyard brilliantly illuminated, picked-out with searchlights or framed with light bulbs or candles. There were skyrockets, flares, floats, bands on dragon processions. Even lights in the girlie-bars, the cafés, hotel reception areas, tailors emporiums and pawnbrokers murky dens seemed to glow, the sounds of the hawkers and the interminable clicking mah-jong players, all appeared to have a regal swing to it whilst their caged song birds seem to sound more tuneful, more cheerful, somehow - more royal. 27 You‟d better believe that Hong Kong and Mrs Shore‟s 21 year old little boy Peter were both well and truly „lit up‟ that memorable unique night in June! By Peter Shore MBE

By Ed. Cheers Peter – Brilliant as ever! I remember the Day well. We had a much more exciting time than you – I was 9 and we had JELLY and BLANCMONGE at our street party! However it wasn‟t all good because I cried my eyes out with the humiliation of losing the “Round the prefabs” race to a GIRL, when my shoe came off. My Dad hired a Tele for the week and there were 127 people watching the Coronation in our parlour which is amazing „cause it was only 10ft x 8ft and my parents had very few friends!

Season’s Greetings to One and All!

“Would you like an old St Vincent boy in your stocking, young lady?”

Who, what and where? I know – bet you don’t! Answers on a Crimbo card to the Ed! 28