Profile: Bill (Albert Charles) Ford

Our profile in this issue is of the indefatigable Bill Ford. Whether it is on Ransa 1, in the Whaler Bar or busy at his desk in RANSA, he is always ready for a chat. A member of RANSA since 1963, Bill carries in his head a great deal, not only of the Club’s history, but the history of the , which he joined as a shipwright apprentice at the age of 15. Bill became a member of the RNSA Squadron Committee in 1964, and was Vice Commodore for two years before serving as Rear Commodore from 1970 until 2000. Currently, Bill is a Life Rear Commodore, holds the position of Bookkeeper on the House Committee, and serves onboard the Start Boat in the Winter Wednesday Series and the Twilights. So it was with great anticipation that the Newsletter set about questioning the great man on his life and times in the navy and at RANSA.

Newsletter: Tell us about your early life Bill.

Bill: I was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire UK in the middle of the First Great War, 21st June 1916. I joined the Royal Navy at the age of fifteen as a Naval Shipwright Apprentice and spent five years in the RN Dockyard, becoming a ‘Jack of All Trades’. At the age of twenty I entered into uniform and became a shipwright petty officer. In January 1937, my first commission was in HMS ‘Suffolk’, a County Class of 10,000 tons, which left Portsmouth and sailed to Hong Kong to join the China Fleet.

HMS Suffolk I spent two years on the Station, visiting most of the ports on the eastern seaboard. My favourite city was Shanghai which at that time was split up into foreign concessions; British, American, French and Italian. It was known as the Paris of the East because of its variety of entertainment, theatres, night clubs and shops. The chief attraction for poorly paid British sailors was the devaluation of the Chinese currency, the Yuan, which allowed us to enjoy the many attractions that the city provided.

In August 1937 I was taking passage from Chefoo to Hong Kong aboard a HMS ‘Diana’. The Sino-Japanese war was in full swing at that time when we received a signal to proceed to Shanghai to evacuate the family of Sir Hughe Knatchbull Hugessen, who was governor of the British Concession. As we sailed up the Huang-Pu river we encountered several Japanese warships anchored on the port side, firing point blank at the Chinese Army on the opposite shore. Fortunately the Japanese ceased their bombardment as we passed between the opponents and even dipped their ensigns as a mark of naval courtesy as we passed.

HMS Diana

We reached Shanghai safely, apart from a few bullets fired by the Chinese. Taking the Governor’s family aboard we again ran the gauntlet of the opposing sides and made it to Hong Kong much to everyone’s relief.

In January 1945 I was aboard the HMS ‘Indomitable’ when we sailed to Sydney to join the British Pacific Fleet. We berthed at Woolloomooloo and among the crowds that welcomed us was a fellow Naval Shipwright who invited me to a party that evening in Double Bay. On arrival I was immediately interested in an attractive auburn haired young lady, Joan Gladesbrook. After a few leaves on which we spent time together we became engaged. When war ceased with Japan I received a signal to say my promotion to Warrant Officer was due and I was to return to the UK for the necessary training. I left Sydney and returned to the UK where I went on leave to Slough where my family had been evacuated. I was aghast at the dire shortage of food, coal for heating and the damage inflicted by bombing raids. Then returning to Barracks I was laid low with the flu and spent a miserable week in a Naval hospital.

It was then I decided to leave the Navy as I couldn’t see bringing someone from sunny Australia to poor old UK. So I returned to Sydney on the carrier HMS Formidable, which carried a large number of English lasses, married to Aussies.

HMS Indomitable

Newsletter: How and when did you get involved with RANSA and sailing?

Bill I became involved with RANSA around 1963. I received a phone call from the Chief Steward on RMS ‘Stratheden’ inviting Joan and me to dinner on board to meet a lady passenger who had travelled from UK to Sydney with her two children. Her son Robert was going to join Scots College where my son Peter attended. Subsequently I found she was Capt Bob Scrivener’s wife and we became good friends.

Bob eventually returned to Sydney and invited me to RANSA for drinks. I was unaware of RANSA’s existence and lacking a decent watering hole, I was happy to attend the club. After a few visits Bob said “Give me £1 and sign this”. He then said “You are now a member”. I’m not sure this is correct but I would imagine my application went through the usual channels.

Newsletter: Can you paint a picture of what sailing was like in the early days of RANSA?

Bill Sailing in the early days of RANSA was a unique experience. Fate again entered my life, when one Saturday standing at the bar with “Scriv”, Max Kean approached and said “I’m looking for crew for the afternoon race”. I said I wouldn’t mind joining him and he asked me if I had any experience and I said truthfully that I had none. With that he disappeared but returned empty handed and said “OK you had better come”. I had a great day on “Roebuck”, the club’s Bluebird yacht. I must have performed reasonably well because as a shipwright I was familiar with all the parts of yacht, but not how to handle them. Anyhow, Max invited me for the following Saturday race and this was the beginning of my love affair with sailing and a lasting friendship with Maxie.

Bill and Max

In the early days RANSA had no regular races and we sailed with the “Amateurs” who has a Bluebird Division, and on Sundays with the CYCA. RANSA had two yachts “Mavis” & Schwabe”, the latter being a war prize taken from Germany after the 1939-45 war. The club also bought a Yachting World Diamond class yacht named the ‘Endeavour’ and two Bluebirds, ‘Roebuck’ and ‘Berrimilla’ as well as an Endeavour 25, ‘Investigator’. These yachts were available for charter by RANSA members at a very low cost. Each yacht had a charter secretary, who in return for maintaining his yacht was allowed to skipper it when racing. I was charter secretary of all three RANSA boats at some time. As more members acquired yachts and were looking for crews, charters became so infrequent that they became a financial burden and RANSA was forced to dispose of the 3 yachts.

Newsletter: Was most of your sailing in the harbour, or did you venture offshore quite a bit?

Bill: I crewed on a succession of yachts; first John Barry’s Duncanson 30 ‘Manukai’ where we raced in the CYC short ocean races. One of my scariest experiences was during the 1976 Gosford to Lord Howe Race. We reached Lord Howe about 4pm the following day. But before we could close Ball’s Pyramid, a mark of the course at that time, we were beset by a howling N Easter and forced to sail up and down all night. Nobody was game to go below and we all huddled in the cockpit copping the wind and rain. Fortunately we had Mike Calder aboard as navigator and at first light we sighted Ball’s Pyramid and later followed a lead boat, supplied by the Islanders, and reached the safety of the inner harbour.

After a few days enjoying the friendly atmosphere we took part in the inaugural race from Lord Howe to Coff’s Harbour and ‘Manukai’ took out the trophy, thanks again to Mike Calder who skippered the yacht through more atrocious weather.

Leaving Coffs we motor sailed back to Sydney and it was while I was keeping the middle watch when we were abreast of Long Reef, that I suddenly saw a black object which at first I thought was a whale, suddenly emerge on our starboard side. It was only when a searchlight played on us that I realized it was a submarine. Then a figure appeared with a loud hailer calling “Did you fire off a green flare, if so raise your arms in affirmative”. Being alone on deck I called to Mike Calder below and said “There’s a sub alongside wanting to know if we have fired a green flare”. Mile rushed up on deck and raising both arms, said “No it wasn’t us! It took a while before the sub came near enough to hold a conversation and we could clear the matter up.

My next crew job was in Peter Duncan’s Compass 30 ‘Sassafras’, when I experienced my worst moment sailing. It was a Friday twilight race about 1980 when we were manoeuvring for the start. I was sitting on the coachouse, when the boom suddenly jibed, hitting me on the forehead and knocking me face down into the water, unconscious. I don’t remember a thing until I woke in St Vincent’s intensive care unit.

I can only recount later reports from onlookers. Evidently Ian Gordon who crewed on ‘Sassafras’, dived in and kept my head above water. He was assisted by Judy Duncan who also hopped in and held me up until the workboat came and got me aboard. I was very fortunate to recover without any apparent after effects. I must have a jolly hard head, as I left an indentation in the boom where it came into contact.

In 1982 I joined ‘Spitfire’, a traditional 30 ft yacht owned by Haydon Skudder. The yacht was aptly named, as Haydn was a Spitfire pilot who fought in World War II. I spent many happy years crewing and sometimes skippering on Spitfire. We raced every Wednesday and in the RANSA Friday Twilights and won our division quite a few times.

A contemplative moment onboard RANSA 1

Newsletter: Do you have any thoughts on the future of harbour racing?

Bill: I think harbour racing will always be popular and RANSA’s success in running the Wednesday Winter Series and the Summer Twilights will always attract competitors. The CYC Sydney races have always attracted large fleets and I can’t foresee any change there.

Newsletter: Are you, or have you been, a member of other Sailing Clubs? How do they compare with RANSA?

Bill: I was a member of CYCA for a few years, but resigned as I was so involved as Rear Commodore with RANSA and preferred our laid back atmosphere to the direction the CYCA was taking.

Newsletter: Are there changes you would like to see made at RANSA? Any advice for the RANSA Sailing Committee?

Bill: I would like to see more Navy interest in sailing but realize the present structure of the RAN doesn’t encourage sailing. However it’s in the club’s interest to attract members of the Services, serving and retired as we are indebted to the RAN for our occupation of the Boatshed and moorings in Naval Waters. I believe that the current committee is performing well and we are very fortunate to have a Vice Commodore such as Peter Edwards to run our sailing facilities so successfully.

Newsletter: In your opinion, what are the qualities of a good skipper?

Bill: They are all excellent if there is no swearing, overacting and generally understanding the potential of ‘new sailors’. Everyone is doing his/her best and it is understandable that the best of us make mistakes.

Newsletter: Boats and rigs have changed over the years. What changes have you noticed during you time sailing?

Bill: Sailing in small boats such as Hoods, Bluebirds and Endeavours in the sixties was a pretty basic affair. Very few yachts had any go fast gear, like running backstays and no instruments showing wind direction and strength. We relied on pieces of wool attached to the port and starboard shrouds for help. Racing rules were also basic. There were no penalties offered to absolve an infringement and any yacht seen to miss or hit a mark was told ‘go home’ and they did!

Newsletter Can you tell us about some of the interesting RANSA characters you've known?

Bill: Lieutenant Commander Haydon ‘Hoc’ Farr (Retired) , owner of ‘Walkabout’ and Treasurer for RNSA Sydney Squadron as it was then known was a character. He would never see a chap standing on the jetty without asking him to come aboard. It happened to me one day. I finished up sitting alongside him at the tiller when he suddenly said ‘Here take over’. I’d never sailed before and was scared stiff but managed to hang on until we had to tack. Hoc liked his beer and would prop up the bar après racing until his good wife Althea rang and we would pass on the message ‘The war office in on the phone’. ‘Tell her I’m on my way’ was the answer, which allowed him another quick one. Another interesting character was Harald Kramm. He was borne in Hamburg, Germany in 1928 and when he was sixteen in 1944 became a crew member of a U Boat where he served until May 1945 when all action ceased. He migrated to Australia in 1955, came to Sydney and raced with the CYC. Through his sailing he became a regular visitor to RANSA and was invited to become a local member of RANSA where he proved to be a popular character and participated in all the sailing and social activities. He became a member of the House Committee when I was Rear Commodore and loaned his station wagon when we went shopping at Campbell’s wholesale store. Mostly for grog! Unfortunately he developed prostate cancer in 1992 and in 1994 he realized time was running out and decided to see Germany after fifty years absence. He asked me to accompany him and we planned a trip which ultimately became an ‘around the world’ and lasted two months. He died in March 1995 and was farewelled at the Naval Memorial Chapel HMAS Watson, where I had the honour of giving his eulogy.

Newsletter If you had your sailing time over again, would you do anything differently?

Bill: I wouldn’t change a thing in regard to my sailing experiences. I was very fortunate to have been introduced to sailing. I’ve enjoyed many happy times afloat and made many good friends. Unfortunately the older you get, one loses many good mates and I was moaning about the fact recently to a fellow member who replied ‘Just think of all the new friends you are making’.

Newsletter: Any advice for the younger sailing generation?

Bill: Start sailing as early in life as you can. It’s a sport for all ages and not over physical. Be competitive but don’t overdo it. The water is there for all to enjoy and sailors are generally good sports and make great friends.