View Full Version : RN Shore Training Establishment: HMS RALEIGH
These are my memoirs of my training at RALEIGH.
At the time we were all known to be called " 16 weeks wonders".
The first pic is of the whole base.
at the far top right ,was my hut ,that was next to the washroom/heads.
"note"the gym and the wren,s block ,are to the bottom right.
The very large building by the main gate was the cinema and lecture hall,,,,
where we were being told "how to be good sailors ashore "at home and abroad...and that you were not a island ,every one depended on each other .
,what ever situation you were in .
The second pic ,is the very first view of RALEIGH you saw,....and the last.
After you had done you joining routine,
It was full ahead both,..and crammed as much knowledge in to that skull of yours ,to take you along your new career.
in the first pic ,..is our class ..i am in the middle row ,second from the right .
in the second pic ,.... is our passing out parade ,taken in April 1966.
if by chance you recognize your self ,:o have a good laugh.
cylla
herakles
04-03-2008, 12:05
Nice posts cylla. I'm sure your time there is one of many memories. I hope all of them good!
Herakles,
the worst nightmare ,was learning to "lower and host " the sea boat at the bottom of the parade ground..........hydraulic davits and winchs were a no no.:(
cylla
herakles
04-03-2008, 12:28
cylla, I too have some teeth gritting nightmares of my training. One in particular. When the duty Sgt at Sunset, when the flag is lowered, it has to reach the base exactly as the bugle call finishes. I was always terrified it wouldn't when it was my turn. Similarly at Reveille, the flag had to be broken at the mast head. There was always the man who, having raised the furled flag, gave it a pull - and nothing happened! Thankfully this never happened to me.
I never had the task of being a "bunting tosser " it was getting used to the "bosun,s call"..i think i sounded like a cat on the tiles,i was useless hitting the correct notes,......well any way i never had to attempt it ,for another 3 years ,when i was bosun,s mate on the MOHAWK,...and then i only did that for only three months.
CYLLA
ceylon220
21-06-2008, 23:06
Main gate at the entrance to the Stokers training establishment, HMS RALEIGH 1953 situated across the water from Devonport on the Torpoint side. I remember going thro` that gate in 53 for the first time and seeing the sentry in full dress uniform and mouthing "Suckers" at us in the RN blue bus. Our billets were old wooden huts with the coke stove in the centre of the hut which we all crowded round it to keep warm in January, playing 3 card brag with our issue of "blue liners" and having to be in our mettle beds by lights out 22:00 and up again at 06:00, hearing the odd lad weeping being his first time away from home, seeing the odd escapes over the wire and getting your eyes open on the picture shows on the subject on VD by a Wren who operated the projector,quite a shock to the system those films to us youngsters in those days----would`nt have missed it for the world.
ceylon220
29-06-2008, 08:27
As a Stoker I never saw the insides of Ganges but looking at photos it must have been a holiday camp with all the brick built accommodations not like the coke fired wooden huts we had at Raleigh in 53, those huts were like an ice box in Jan/Feb,what a change it is today,not a wooden biulding in site.
Photo of the new intake at Raleigh in 53 (wooden huts in the background), we soon had the smiles knocked out of us in the next few days, everyone had to be called "Sir" even the civllian store man and the "Buff Stoker" who had just come out of training.
I`m the one on the extreme left ,back row,a young 17 year old and first time away from home.
ceylon220
29-06-2008, 16:27
What branches of the service train at RALEIGH and do they still do the "SQUARE BASHING" there,as the WRNS are no longer and women are classed as SAILORS do they still use the old WRENS quarters---these were out of bounds to trainees but one or two managed to cross the bridge to their quarters and live to tell the tale!!!!!!!
Photo of the new intake at Raleigh in 53 (wooden huts in the background), we soon had the smiles knocked out of us in the next few days, everyone had to be called "Sir" even the civllian store man and the "Buff Stoker" who had just come out of training.
I`m the one on the extreme left ,back row,a young 17 year old and first time away from home.
I went there in 1975 did 2 weeks in the huts and then moved to the new Anson Block. Wonder if the new Anson Block is there now, just had a look on Google Earth, looks like it.
Regards Charles
As a Stoker I never saw the insides of Ganges but looking at photos it must have been a holiday camp with all the brick built accommodations not like the coke fired wooden huts we had at Raleigh in 53, those huts were like an ice box in Jan/Feb,what a change it is today,not a wooden biulding in site.
Photo of the new intake at Raleigh in 53 (wooden huts in the background), we soon had the smiles knocked out of us in the next few days, everyone had to be called "Sir" even the civllian store man and the "Buff Stoker" who had just come out of training.
I`m the one on the extreme left ,back row,a young 17 year old and first time away from home.
I bet you never had those wonderful balmy winds blowing through you, all the way from Siberia did you?
cissystar650
11-07-2008, 13:00
Fantastic thread...thankyou all for sharing your memories and experiences!
cissy x
ceylon220
15-07-2008, 17:30
I remember having to attend film shows on VD etc with a wren projectionist in the same room, queueing up at the cinema and taking the micky out of the "Tiffy`s) from FISGUARD, doing the assault course and the CGI making you do it again when you failed to pull the trigger of the rifle and fire 3 shots during the assault and best of all the pay parade on the parade ground--what I did not like was having a haircut on the day that I entered the gates for the first time all because I had spent 1/6p day before when I left home on a haircut, apart from that I enjoyed my time at RALEIGH.
nigelweysom
06-09-2008, 19:08
not being a Navy man i never attended a training establishment ,
but i have visited Exbury gardens which was used to train landing craft crews
and was named HMS Mastodon
I was Jellicoe DO from Feb 67 to Feb 69 , if you was in my division I hope I treated you well.:p:p:p:)
Does anyone recognise themselves, I'm in the front holding my engineers dip stick.:):):):rolleyes:
Oldsalt,
here is a clip ,at Raleigh.....shiny boots,and blanco[ spelling]
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1Yxt_cajWLs&feature=related
cylla
alanbenn
17-10-2008, 18:15
There is a fanastic bit of footage of life at Hms Ganges including some of the Manning the mast routine here...
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=htmC__eg8hc&feature=related
Well worth a watch for 4 minutes of pure nostalgia.
Regards
Alan
Us Tiffies are a proud bunch, Dave (ceylon220). Across the road from Raleigh was FISGARD without the U. Rob T
ceylon220
21-10-2008, 14:48
Us Tiffies are a proud bunch, Dave (ceylon220). Across the road from Raleigh was FISGARD without the U. Rob T
Hi Rob --you "Tiffies" got some friendly name calling from us "Stokers" in `53 when you all marched from FISGARD (without the -u-) to the cinema in RALEIGH, a bit of badgering here and there but friendly-- inccidently where do the Tiffies do their 1st years training now as FISGARD (nearly put the U in again) as the old place is no longer with us -- yet mind you Rob mate the old RALEIGH is still going strong---tough bunch the stokers!!!!!!!!!!:)
ceylon220
21-10-2008, 15:05
This was during 1953/4 when we still wore black hats and the old place only took in new recruits to train as "Stokers" and the living quarters were old wooden huts with one stove set in the middle of the mess, now I believe that the old place now accommodates training for most branches of the service and the living quarters are bricked built----the navy must be getting softer-----
only joking lads!!!!!!!!!!:D:D
If you notice on this postcard is a postage stamp ,it was the very first of many that i sent home ,from all over the world.
And now they are all laid in a box ,
Dear Mum and Dad,
Here i am at Raleigh ......and just longing to get through my training and walk through these gates for the LAST time.....and getting off to sea.
cylla
alanbenn
21-10-2008, 16:25
Dave, just as a matter of interest is there any chance of a high resolution post of the 2 photo's of the passing out parade and the class photo.
I started collecting mess photo's some time ago, I now have around 40 or so of these. Most have no names attached but do have classes and years so perhaps people may recognise themselves or family.
I would like to add them to my collection...and if anyone else has old class photo's I would really appreciate having copies of them.
Regards
Alan
tonclass
21-10-2008, 17:06
Passing Out parade, HMS RALEIGH 1981. (I'm 3rd from the left - The lanky git):D
Batstiger
21-10-2008, 19:05
"Hello Sailor" a nice young bit of skin there Rik!
Bob.
Jan Steer
21-10-2008, 21:58
Just a thought but might it not be a good idea to combine the Raleigh and training estabs threads? Otherwise we might find ourselves with a separate thread for every training establishment there ever was! Even ones for those blokes who thought they were in the Navy but were in fact in the Fleet Air Arm!!!
best
Jan
astraltrader
21-10-2008, 23:33
That is a fair comment Jan. I will throw it open to Rik [ton ships] Bob [batstiger] and Richard [Herakles ] for their opinions...
Guys?
David Shipton
22-10-2008, 07:43
Jan
I hope you spat when you mentioned Waffoos!
Batstiger
22-10-2008, 09:37
As usual I will goalong with the general opinion.
Bob.
I am expecting some flak from this question ??
Were the lads at "GANGES" classed as BOYS
And the "RALEIGH " classed as MEN .......16 week wonders .
cylla
ps i was a 16 week wonder :)
alanbenn
22-10-2008, 12:13
Being an ex-ganges 'boy' that was the general concensus, Ganges 'boys' had to do about a year of basic training in my time 1971. Raleigh recruits did just 8 weeks. There was a lot of rivalry during my time, however and apologies to ex-Raleigh members, when we left Ganges to go to other shore establishments it was very evident who were ex-ganges 'boys' as their kit was generally smarter, their discipline was usually to the extreme.
My first day at Collingwood I ended up marching up and down the parade ground shouting 'I do not have to call petty officers sir.' But coming from Ganges everybody above me was a 'sir'
Took some getting use to.
Ganges motto by the way is........'boys to men'
Regards
Alan
David Shipton
22-10-2008, 13:31
I seem to remember that I only did 6 weeks in Raleigh in Feb/March 64. However, I was not a seaman and have a vague memory that Seamen did extra weeks learning seamanship in much more detail before they went to the other schools for specialist training - eg gunners went to Whale Island (just mentioning WH gives me goose bumps and I'm waiting for someone to ball at me "Double!")
Am I right in my assumption or has age and real ale caught up with me?
Hi all
Dave (Ceylon220) in posts 13 and 14 asked where the current stokers et al do their training. Well sometime in years past in a cut to follow a cut, FISGARD and RALEIGH merged under the latters name and on their site to become the first 'welcome' to those joining the RN. Why at Raleigh and not at Fisgard you may be asking, probably because it wouldn't cost so much to do up Raleigh than it would have been to do Fisgard. Also, but this is of course only conjecture, the MOD would get more for Fisgard's land than if they tried to sell off Raleigh. But I digress. I think you will find that all techy training for the new 'Tiffs is now done at HMS SULTAN, up Pompey way.
Mik
I seem to remember that I only did 6 weeks in Raleigh in Feb/March 64. However, I was not a seaman and have a vague memory that Seamen did extra weeks learning seamanship in much more detail before they went to the other schools for specialist training - eg gunners went to Whale Island (just mentioning WH gives me goose bumps and I'm waiting for someone to ball at me "Double!")
Am I right in my assumption or has age and real ale caught up with me?
David ,i myself being a seaman ,leaving as a "seaman gunner" we went off to "HMS CAMBRIDGE"" after our 16 weeks had been completed.
After that it could be any where in the world {in those days}..but i spent a month kicking my heels at "HMS St VINCENT"..
cylla
Raleigh was completely rebuilt in the 70's, prior to that all recruits except tiffies joined at Raleigh & did their fist 6/7 weeks there. Part 2 training was done by seamen and ER recruits. Now I think all training other than technical training is carried out at Raleigh. Sultan at Gosport was originally a Fleet Air Arm establishment called Siskin. In the middle of 56 , Mechanicians training, 2 year course was transferred from MTE in Pompey D/Y to Siskin. The Mechanicians were accomodated in Victory, which was Pompey barracks. Our standard of accomodation improved by a great deal. Incidentally, the Mech's trade test for 90 class at the end of 56 was altered to the same test ERA's did. I wonder if the blacksmith forges at Sultan are the same ones we built.:rolleyes::rolleyes::confused::)
Tiffs don't exist any more in the RN, so Dave, the stokers won! Apparently according to the Fisgard Association website, Tiffs are no longer necessary as engineering skills are not required to exchange assemblies, and the RN now relies on Mechanicians. Rob T
Well I suppose 'mechanicians' sounds better than 'mechanics' seeing as the main difference between a marine diesel engine and a truck engine is that the former is bigger.........!!
Mik
Do I detect some sour grapes, when I was a Mechanician, from 1957 till 1963, when I was promoted, Mechanicians faced the same Fleet Board exams & were interchangable for drafting. Today I am afraid I have given up on trying to understand the branch's in the RN, far too complicated for an oldie like me.:confused::confused::confused::mad:
No sour grapes Oldsalt and my most humble apologies if I have offended you. Just trying to introduce a bit of humour into things.
Mik
Thats OK Mik, I'm partial to a giggle.:(:o:):):):)
One of the Mech School tests in 1952 was to make a strap, block, gib and cotter as used in recip marine engines. Saw one in a museum recently and wondered if I should be in the case beside it.
The school was at Fanshaw and involved marching from Victory Barracks past the Brickwoods Brewery each day. Certain of the female staff would hang about one of the loading teagles on the third floor and comment in loud voices on our appearance, etc. As we were marching under the eagle eye of the Chief we were not really able to make suitable replies.
Ken
Thinking about Raleigh brought out a few mems, so i thought i would share my gang with you all.If anyone is on the photo would love to hear from you.
be good and keep taking the pills
Ron
Batstiger
25-10-2008, 21:09
I can't say I recognise anybody there Ron although the guy with the big head looks familiar!
Bob.
Alan.
I have 2 photographs of classes at HMS Ganges,there was 3 classes in the mess, but I do not have the 3rd photograph, I think it must have been damaged in the fire onboard HMS Victorious.
Regards
Harry24499
24500
alanbenn
29-10-2008, 18:47
Cheers Harry, they'll do fine once I've enlarged them a bit, hopefully more will be posted now everyone knows what I'm looking for.
Regards
Alan
Alan.
I can give you some names for classs Exmouth 332, but unfortunately the old grey matter won't function for all of them.
Regards
Harry
alanbenn
30-10-2008, 11:07
Harry, thanks that would be great, if you send them by PM.
I am most grateful for your help.
Regards
Alan
This is at St VINCENT,
At RALEIGH,we never had this training ..................:eek:
cylla
Batstiger
31-10-2008, 20:53
At Ganges we used to put them into the water!
Bob.
Didn't realise that you were THAT ancient Batsiger!!! Nice pic though, do you happen to have any details of the ships in the background?
Mik
This is at St VINCENT,
At RALEIGH,we never had this training ..................:eek:
cylla
Was'nt there a whaler and davits at the far edge of the parade ground, although I suspect its been a long time since the 3 in 1 or trinity boat was carried by a ship. Anyone remember hoisting boats by hand- "marry the falls".:(:(:rolleyes:
Sure do OLDSALT ,did far amount on the CHICHESTER, but thank gawd for the winch a midships.
If i knew they were going to do :seaboat drill : that day .i would make sure i was doing sumt else.
cylla
Jan Steer
03-11-2008, 15:20
Alan.
I have 2 photographs of classes at HMS Ganges,there was 3 classes in the mess, but I do not have the 3rd photograph, I think it must have been damaged in the fire onboard HMS Victorious.
Regards
Harry24499
24500
Wow! I must've been there around the same time. All these years on I can put names to a few of the faces and at the very least recognise a few more.
We were all so very young then, starting out in life at last and, thankfully, clueless about what the years ahead would bring. Thanks for the memories H.
Jan
billbuntintosser
02-08-2009, 11:44
Dave, just as a matter of interest is there any chance of a high resolution post of the 2 photo's of the passing out parade and the class photo.
I started collecting mess photo's some time ago, I now have around 40 or so of these. Most have no names attached but do have classes and years so perhaps people may recognise themselves or family.
I would like to add them to my collection...and if anyone else has old class photo's I would really appreciate having copies of them.
Regards
Alan
My class at Raleigh in 1972. Joined 2nd March 72 so this must have been about 6 weeks after that.
Class was Benbow 11.
billbuntintosser
02-08-2009, 11:49
Dave, just as a matter of interest is there any chance of a high resolution post of the 2 photo's of the passing out parade and the class photo.
I started collecting mess photo's some time ago, I now have around 40 or so of these. Most have no names attached but do have classes and years so perhaps people may recognise themselves or family.
I would like to add them to my collection...and if anyone else has old class photo's I would really appreciate having copies of them.
Regards
Alan
And without names if you'd prefer.
Bill
billbuntintosser
02-08-2009, 11:55
I was in the guard of honour on passing out too - dont ask me which one was me - couldnt tell ya, and being a photo from an Instamatic - it's never gonna blow up to any great resolution.
Dave Hutson
02-08-2009, 11:56
Nice one Bill, I was Benbow Div Chief in 1974/5 - still think the wooden hut era was the best but that is nostalgia for you.
Dave H
alanbenn
02-08-2009, 11:57
Cheers Bill, another one for the collection, I'm hanging on to them all as I'm sure future generations will be looking for them at some stage.
Regards
Alan
Dave Hutson
02-08-2009, 12:07
Yes Bob on #42 add 'and we had to haul them up onto the davits, empty the water, stow it correctly before securing'
'Marry the falls" and woe betide if it didn't come up level.
Life was good on the Orwell and the Stour in Summer, tho' a bit cold in Winter but wasn't that what turned boys into men - only Comms and Seaman in those days.
Regards ..... Dave H
According to my late father, Biff (or Pop) Harwood, Ganges, Excellent, and RNB Portsmouth had one thing in common - "Parade Ground, at the double!!!!!"
billbuntintosser
02-08-2009, 14:24
Cheers Bill, another one for the collection, I'm hanging on to them all as I'm sure future generations will be looking for them at some stage.
Regards
Alan
I just hope you make regular backups :0(
I was in the guard of honour on passing out too - dont ask me which one was me - couldnt tell ya, and being a photo from an Instamatic - it's never gonna blow up to any great resolution.
Just had a look at the photo, the Officer looks like Mike Foulkes, can you remember if it was him?
harry.gibbon
02-08-2009, 18:25
and mine 58-59 Ganges sparkers and buntins No. 7 mess (left in immaculate trim for next incumbents)!!!!;):D
Little h
billbuntintosser
02-08-2009, 18:29
Just had a look at the photo, the Officer looks like Mike Foulkes, can you remember if it was him?
Sorry Keith - I can barely remember my own name at the best of times.....:( an age thing I suppose.
Bill
alanbenn
02-08-2009, 19:11
Harry, thanks for the photo can you remember what the class number was?
Regards
Alan
ceylon220
02-08-2009, 19:12
6 weeks part 1 training, this consisted of rifle training, seamanship,marching, assault coarse, and kit inspections ---For Stokers in 1953
Then--
28 weeks engineering and damage control training before passing out parade and drafting to your first ship/shore base.
This was when RALEIGH was the training establishment for the Engineering Branch only.
harry.gibbon
02-08-2009, 19:16
Harry, thanks for the photo can you remember what the class number was?
Regards
Alan
386 = sparkers 294 = buntins (but not certain about buntins)
alanbenn
02-08-2009, 19:20
Thanks harry, that'll help anyhow along with the 7 mess.
Regards
Alan
Dave Hutson
02-08-2009, 19:23
Harry y Alan
Don't forget it was BLAKE Division
Dave H
Fairlead
02-08-2009, 20:32
Harry - Was your instructor Mike Baker? Looks very much like him
Fairlead
harry.gibbon
02-08-2009, 21:55
Yep Fairlead certainly was Baggsy; youngest PO Tel at the time and he started as an Instructor in square rig...
Met him at Portland in 73 or 74 having done a stint of unnanounced Comsec and went to see him with some 'startling' findings I had uncovered.
Had a good natter with him, Nice guy and a fine instructor.
He may not really have appreciated one of his flock by then a A/CRS(S) telling him some unpalatable facts !!!
Little h
harry.gibbon
02-08-2009, 21:57
Harry y Alan
Don't forget it was BLAKE Division
Dave H
Yeh up there Dave H "up yer pipe me old matey" comes to mind ... twas Keppel Division and for ever more twill be
alanbenn
02-08-2009, 22:44
Yeh up there Dave H "up yer pipe me old matey" comes to mind ... twas Keppel Division and for ever more twill be
There were obvious changes made to the divisions at ganges through the years as I mentioned before on the forum.
In my day 7 mess was definately 'Blake' division, but you were there Harry so you should know!!
I'll label the photo as you say.
Regards
Alan
harry.gibbon
02-08-2009, 22:56
Alan, (as a Ganges lad I wish this wasn't happening on a thread about Raleigh ooooohhhh deeear)
As I have also included somewhere else on the Forum I joined 58 and there were 8 divisions, We were in Hawke divn next to the Swimming Baths, in the tin huts (upstairs), then a change came to introduce 12 divisions and we were shuffled over to 7 mess Keppel Div'n... and I know it was different before I joined and there were Divisional Name changes afterwards.
Little h
TrotOneLower
03-08-2009, 05:46
Hawke Division. The Green, and sometimes Red Mansions. We were in Hawke 48 initially, then got moved upstairs to 49. Used to get a good view of the Baths on family's day.
6 weeks part 1 training, this consisted of rifle training, seamanship,marching, assault coarse, and kit inspections ---For Stokers in 1953
Then--
28 weeks engineering and damage control training before passing out parade and drafting to your first ship/shore base.
This was when RALEIGH was the training establishment for the Engineering Branch only.
In 49 as a Stoker my Part1 training was at Royal Arthur, Corsham, we were the last to join there. Does anyone know who was trained at Raleigh then apart from Stokers Part2.
TrotOneLower
03-08-2009, 16:00
Hawke 236 and 237 (Combined class). All RO(U). Instructors: CY Charlie Madden (Who some at least should know) and RS Daisy Adams. DO was a Wafu (ask not why, that's Ganges), Lt Cdr Styles RN. His wife very kindly donated a floor polisher to the Division, as she thought it a little cruel that we should buff the floor with our boot brushes. Nice thought, but we were forbidden from using the thing.
In the original two classes, we started off with sixteen in each. We acquired two "Backclassees", and the rest are those that made it through.
alanbenn
03-08-2009, 16:47
Trot, what year were the photographs from?
Regards
Alan
TrotOneLower
03-08-2009, 19:16
The Messdeck was throughout the year '65 and early '66.
First class photo was April '65, and post passing out parade picture March '66.
harry.gibbon
03-08-2009, 19:52
and mine 58-59 Ganges sparkers and buntins No. 7 mess (left in immaculate trim for next incumbents)!!!!;):D
Little h
and the Ganges mess pics... 1st Hawke divn 4? mess tin hut upper level and 2nd Keppel divn 7 mess
Is G-A-N-G-E-S the new spelling of RALEIGH ? :rolleyes::rolleyes:;)
TrotOneLower
04-08-2009, 15:39
Just like at Mercury; "Six Week Wonders" bluster in, and the next thing you know, the Ganges Boys are in charge. It's always been the way, easier to simply accept it.....
Batstiger
04-08-2009, 16:22
Are those "Brown Hatters" overalls that I see there?
Bob.
Dave Hutson
04-08-2009, 17:19
Hey Trot .......... now that is socking it to them .......... like your style ........
although I thought that Harry would have beaten us all to that one.;)
Dave Hutson
04-08-2009, 17:21
Don't know about BH ovvies .... that bed would have been turned upside down on my inspection ..... talk about a crabpit :(:(:eek:
astraltrader
04-08-2009, 17:28
Sorry Dave - we have to tone down the Jack speak and keep it in The Wardroom!
Many thanks for your co-operation.
TrotOneLower
04-08-2009, 17:42
Don't know about BH ovvies .... that bed wud have been turned upside down on my inspection ..... talk about a crabpit :(:(:eek:
Would not have done in 'awke 49. Charley or Daisy would have lifted it, and spun it around.
harry.gibbon
04-08-2009, 18:38
I believe this geezer was a transplant from Raleigh and we had inherited said being...
I was doing a bit of zooming in on that offensive article myself .. but being a believer in the power of free expression I waited for someone else to suss it out and comment openly on the appauling garb!!!!!!!
I expect it was bed over, bedding strewn and lots of deck polishing with the boot brushes that night!!!
:(:mad::eek:
Dave Hutson
05-08-2009, 12:17
Sorry Terry ... knuckles rapped .... and twice round the paradeground with broom above head [Ganges paradeground was bigger than Raleigh]
[Got it now Dave]
Batstiger
05-08-2009, 13:59
Here's a little reminder to the Ganges fraternity as to what the parade ground has become. I think I prefer to remember it as it was. This was obviously taken a fair while ago as the mast is now falling to pieces.
Bob.
Batstiger
05-08-2009, 14:02
Perhaps this is a good time to post the following newsletter re the Ganges mast.
NEWSLETTER #1
Babergh’s commitment
Babergh District Council recognises that as a listed building, the Mast and its condition – whilst predominantly the responsibility of the landowner – is a matter in which Babergh has an interest and a role.
The Council is very aware of the depth of feeling associated with the HMS Ganges Mast. Therefore, this regular series of newsletters aims to keep all of the key stakeholders up-to-date as to both procedures and progress regarding the repair and refurbishment of the Mast and the timescales involved.
What are Babergh’s objectives regarding the HMS Ganges Mast?
Fundamentally, as with all of the 3800 listed buildings in the District, Babergh wants to see the HMS Ganges Mast maintained in as good a state of repair as possible because of it’s value as an historic feature of regional interest .
In this particular case, Babergh is keen that the landowner, Galliard, fulfills the obligations imposed by listed building legislation and takes steps to maintain the mast in an appropriate condition.
What has Babergh’s approach been in working with Galliard?
Since late 2007, Babergh has raised concerns about the mast and has urged that it be repaired. The company then engaged consultants to carry out a “Condition Survey Report”. Babergh stepped up its pressure on the owners late in 2008. The Company has consistently advised that the mast will be repaired but the Council has not been supplied with a timescale for completing the work.
Why hasn’t Babergh made use of either Repairs Notices or Urgent Works Notices and why can’t Babergh itself contract the work to be done and then bill Galliard?
Babergh would only be able to intervene if the works that needed doing could be classified as being “urgently necessary for the preservation of the listed building”.
An Urgent Works Notice would only be considered if the Listed Building is severely at risk – a situation that has not applied to the HMS Ganges mast because it is not in imminent danger of collapse. In essence, the state of the mast may have to worsen before Babergh would be able to apply this Notice.
A Repairs Notice is a preliminary to compulsory acquisition and as a
consequence must be carefully considered. The likely cost of any basic repair work could run into a large five figure sum – which Babergh might not be able to recover from the company. This would leave all of Babergh’s Council Taxpayers out of pocket. Any such decision would need to be made by Babergh Councillors in light of other competing uses for the sum and against the backdrop of a worsening financial situation for all Councils.
What has been happening recently?
The good news is that in response to a letter form Babergh’s Head of Natural & Built Environment on July 2, Galliard’s Planning & Urban Design Manager replied on July 10 saying that the company “takes very seriously it’s (sic) obligations arising from ownership of a listed structure”.
At this stage, Babergh has no reason to think that this is mere rhetoric as the company has already commissioned a specialist contractor to provide a quote for the restoration of the Mast.
Furthermore, Galliard has indicated their willingness to put in an application for Listed Building Consent to fulfil the obligations imposed by legislation.
Babergh has written back welcoming this progress, but has requested that such any application be both appropriately detailed and be with the Council by no later than September 10. This is because Babergh’s Strategy Committee will meet on September 17 and will consider a report outlining the options open to the Council depending upon Galliard’s preceding actions.
Paul Simon
Communications & PR Manager
July 2009
(01473) 826634
Regards, Bob.
Please start a Ganges thread. :mad::mad::mad::rolleyes::rolleyes:
Gosh Bob,
I really do hope that they do get around to fixing the Ganges mast before it falls down...Sounds like it's done the rounds of who's responsible for what. Beaurocratic fun and games... so familiar around the world...a bit like a scene from "Yes Minister" I guess it will eventually be repaired "In the fullness of time..." maybe...:eek:
Hopefully they'll all eventually pull together in the same direction.
Keep us posted....I'm sure there'll be many, many interested people here...to help them stay on task :)
At least the Babergh's Council is aware of the significance of the HMS Ganges Mast...so that's definitely a positive. :)
Regards,
Bee
Batstiger
05-08-2009, 17:35
Keith, I'm not being sarcastic but have you ever tried the "Search" facility?
http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1268&highlight=ganges
Bob.
Please start a Ganges thread. :mad::mad::mad::rolleyes::rolleyes:
Hi Keith,
I just had a check and there is a Ganges thread that Bob started...under the thread title HMS Ganges. ( I found it by typing in Ganges)...then scroll down (it might be on page two) There is also a thread called Ganges Boys.
Actually it might be good if one of the kindly mods put all the Ganges posts together ?????
Cheers,
Bee
Snap! :)
tonclass
05-08-2009, 17:53
Bee, no sooner said than done!! Both Ganges threads merged.
astraltrader
05-08-2009, 18:08
Thanks Rik and Bee.
ceylon220
05-08-2009, 22:39
I was beginning to think that GANGES had taken residence in RALEIGH, glad someone has pointed out that there is a GANGES forum, what are you guys trying to do -upset us old Stokers!!!!!!!!
ceylon220
05-08-2009, 22:45
Is G-A-N-G-E-S the new spelling of RALEIGH ? :rolleyes::rolleyes:;)
My sentiments also.
harry.gibbon
05-08-2009, 22:55
So what ya saying now that a couple of you lads have Rallied together??? that you want the hon moderator to move all references of the Ganges contingent who have made this thread come alive:D:p over into the Ganges Thread....
makes the score as always Ganges more Raleigh less:D:D:D:)
Little h
My father was at RALEIGH, Benbow I believe, for 6 weeks in September 1966. Anybody from that era?
Doc
Bee, no sooner said than done!! Both Ganges threads merged.
Thankyou Rik,
'tis a lot less confusing now. :)
Cheers,
Bee
Thank's for giving we Westhos our own space. My connection with Raleigh is Stokers part 2 training in Dec 49, then in Feb 67 two years as Jellicoe Divisional Officer, still the old wooden huts. Whilst I realise no one had tougher training than the G....s boys I did punish hands in pockets by making the offender sew up his pockets (wasn't I severe). Did any G....s boys on this thread do their sea training in Wrangler sept50 to Apr51 if so we were shipmates. :D:D
TrotOneLower
06-08-2009, 19:26
So what ya saying now that a couple of you lads have Rallied together??? that you want the hon moderator to move all references of the Ganges contingent who have made this thread come alive:D:p over into the Ganges Thread....
makes the score as always Ganges more Raleigh less:D:D:D:)
Little h
That's the trouble with part timers 'arry. They tend to clutch too tightly at very flimsy straws.
billbuntintosser
07-08-2009, 09:42
All this inter training-ship rivalry:( - back to the job in hand - this is me and my old mate John Gandy with the figurehead at Raleigh May 1972.
Bill
ceylon220
07-08-2009, 15:56
GANGES is no longer where as RALEIGH still going strong, does`nt that say something to you. ;);):D
Dave Hutson
07-08-2009, 16:03
Yeah .... that they are slow to learn .
Dave H [Ganges '53]
TrotOneLower
07-08-2009, 16:19
GANGES is no longer where as RALEIGH still going strong, does`nt that say something to you. ;);):D
Yep it does. The quality of output is still, if not more, dismally low.
harry.gibbon
07-08-2009, 19:10
Yep it does. The quality of output is still, if not more, dismally low.
shouldn't that just be thru-put Trot... there never was any output:D:D
TrotOneLower
07-08-2009, 20:03
Okay, I'll go with that.....
It says a lot when a couple of Ex-Ganges boys can take over a thread dedicated to the half trained MEN that went to Raleigh!!!!!!
TrotOneLower
07-08-2009, 21:05
In just about everything; twas ever thus.
Dave Hutson
08-08-2009, 10:55
I am a Ganges boy thru' and thru'.
But with all this ribaldry and inter establishment rivaly I must never forget that these guys [and gals] are our future and at dinner last night I learnt that we have 7000 RN personnel serving in Afghanistan and that is not including those on ships. It seems the days of the three services doing their own thing are over and the troops deployed can be from all three in any theatre of operation.
Though I'm not sure about crabfats and pongoes on ships - they're not housetrained.
Food for thought lads [and lassies] but don't let it put us off our banter so that is now "three" Ganges boys - and in the words of Jimmy Cricket - there's more.
Dave H
alanbenn
08-08-2009, 11:18
Dave H, there's boatloads more...excuse the pun.
I'm delighted to say I was the 1st 'ganges' boy to infiltrate this thread....see page 1 post 11. Intended to show these 'Part-timers' what a real mast was like.:D:D
Regards
Alan
TrotOneLower
08-08-2009, 11:26
Yeah, so there.
It is true that the RN form the largest contingent in Afghanistan. But that is mainly made up of Bootnecks, Wafus and Medics. Not to mention of course a reasonable presence of the branch to which 'arry and I used to belong.
Of course, if most of them were Ganges Boys, we would only need three.
harry.gibbon
08-08-2009, 12:27
It seems the days of the three services doing their own thing are over and the troops deployed can be from all three in any theatre of operation. indeed so Dave it is something to which I alluded in another thread recently... perhaps more inclusive than the Canadian model eventually.
TrotOneLower
08-08-2009, 13:07
If that be true, and is going to be repeated more often in the future, then surely we only need one service? One that is inclusive, and has in the past, operated on it's own without other service support. Now which one could that be??
harry.gibbon
08-08-2009, 16:58
The senior service wot else ? I asks
you can't half tell Dave H was a Chief Tel';) always the understatement... or was it the last of his anti-boinics kickin in and he got the font size wrong!!:D
I think that he had more than one pint last night Perhaps a devon pint is the same as eight everywhere else. Although it wasn't when I was there
Dave Hutson
08-08-2009, 17:10
Your are rite there Dave boy ..... it was "Otter" a true local ale.
The font size was ok - I just 'it the button twice. Thought I would ram home the obvious answer.
harry.gibbon
08-08-2009, 17:59
Your are rite there Dave boy ..... it was "Otter" a true local ale.
The font size was ok - I just 'it the button twice. Thought I would ram home the obvious answer.
Did the Mekon have that excuse in his book of get outs .. before the screwdriver came down on yer knuckles..
Dave Hutson
08-08-2009, 18:04
No, but it hurt ....get back to yer rugby
harry.gibbon
08-08-2009, 20:09
No, but it hurt ....get back to yer rugby
I would but its gone
TrotOneLower
08-08-2009, 22:37
Yeah, GBR closed down several years ago.
harry.gibbon
08-08-2009, 22:48
I posted summat about the event reflecting the demise of the 6 or was it 8 tall masts.. its all on the web anyway!!
BuntingBob
08-08-2009, 23:37
It says a lot when a couple of Ex-Ganges boys can take over a thread dedicated to the half trained MEN that went to Raleigh!!!!!!
Please don't forget, gentlemen, that a lot of the Raleigh MEN finished playing Sea Scouts and Sea Cadets before they left school and decided to sign up to the big boys navy. When the Ganges lads turned up to start training 'proper', in Part II, we had to humour them. We were told to treat them kindly as they had, recently, been transferred from 'some naval training school'. Says it all, really.:p
harry.gibbon
08-08-2009, 23:47
Part II; wotcha on about there Buntingbob ... didn't you see our history sheets in the Comms thread ... we were 'trained' when we got to Merc's:) not just to march in step but in our trade...
It was just a holding pattern for us until the Raleigh geezers caught up and drafty could decide how many of the non Ganges qualifiers could be sent to sea "safely":D:D
alanbenn
09-08-2009, 00:08
Well, my so called 'part II' was at collingwood I was already trained as an Electrician at 'Ganges'..... Collingwood was to train me in Radio.
And while I was doing that, the Raleigh boys were too busy marching up and down the parade ground for turning out 'scruffy' at divisions.:p:p
Alan
TrotOneLower
09-08-2009, 12:15
'arry, don't think the Raleigh girls ever caught up.....too busy turning-to in the dogs having been picked-up at a kit muster, rounds, divisions, and failing another MRX/MTX/MKX/BKX/FRX. Shame really, it did take so long to get them in good order.
billbuntintosser
11-08-2009, 13:23
Me and my best mate John Gandy in front of the figurehead at Raleigh - and just for the record - the most I could be expected to climb each day - was into my pit.....given that mast - fink i might of s**t meself.....:D
One of my lads came into my office."Sir," says he, " We have just had a lecture on gas warfare & we had to make notes. One word in the notes was PERCUTANEOUSLY, what does it mean?" Rapidly thinking frantic thoughts & of course not to disillusion the lad, who obviously thought his DO was a font of knowledge. The gas refered to was nerve gas, so making a rapid connection & with fingers crossed , I said " it means through the skin" away went the lad, marvelling at the knowledgable DO. As soon has he closed the door behind him, out came the dictionary, thank God , I was right. The thought did cross my mind, how many hundreds of trainees had written percutaneously not knowing what it meant. This little ditty is not an invitation for the G....S clique to remind we stokers how they all knew what it meant straight away.:confused::confused::):):rolleyes:
Jan Steer
11-08-2009, 18:10
EVERYBODY knew that Keith!!
best wishes
Jan
I knew that as well!!!!
Dave
Ex-Ganges Boy
TrotOneLower
11-08-2009, 18:21
Me too, and the Mem Sahib.
harry.gibbon
11-08-2009, 18:22
Just a thought though!!! after reading the ditty about that 'young Raleigh bit of skin';) ... were we supposed to believe everything our DO's told us??:) oh I know only if they had originally been trained at Ganges:D
Little h
Francis Stanley
12-08-2009, 08:20
My first day at Collingwood I ended up marching up and down the parade ground shouting 'I do not have to call petty officers sir.' But coming from Ganges everybody above me was a 'sir'
Took some getting use to.
Ganges motto by the way is........'boys to men'
Regards
Alan
I remember being told by an AB on the Ganges Ships Staff "Don't call me sir, I work for a living!"
alanbenn
12-08-2009, 08:37
Nice one Francis, and how true. I also notice in my original post you quoted there a glaringly obvious mistake...which no one picked up on at the time......
Motto for 'ganges' is actually 'Wisdom is Strength'......the mission was 'boys into men'
Regards
Alan
Francis Stanley
12-08-2009, 08:53
I, obviously, am not that strong then, cos I never noticed!:)
By gum, you are a clever lot ! :):););)
Doc
I joined in Sept '66. But not at Raleigh. I was one of the chosen who went to Ganges.
You will find that there is a slight competitive edge when it comes to Ganges and Raleigh.
Dave Hutson
13-08-2009, 16:55
Yep, that gap is about the width of the Atlantic [oops I did it agen]
TrotOneLower
13-08-2009, 18:01
Thas coz we went to skool an lurnd loss of intrestin acdemic stuff. For we Kommyunikatorz we woz tort to spoke propur Inglund an all. Wonnit?
By gum, you are a clever lot ! :):););)
Especially at 16 yrs old. I can vouch that Boy Seamen can be as seasick as anyone, saw the evidence in Wrangler.
Guz rating
14-08-2009, 16:40
I felt I must come to the defence of the "Purple Empire" my old school mate Jlm,(The class of 1956/1957) and the never forgotten ITD. Who is currently on shore leave, on St Helana. He will be spitting feathers, when he discovers about the invasion of the Hobbits from Ganges.Ganges a specific kind of youth prison. Were the inmates are subjected to all kinds of abuse.climbing dangerous structures,Pitmans typing 45 wpm the little fingers worn to the bone. The old dot dash, and enough knob twiddleing to tune into AFN during the middle watch. And to reward them for all this abuse, They designed a badge for them to wear and the world to see, a shite hawk with a lightening bolt up its bottom.
Say no more.
The barsteward
PS signed as above, to many Alan's
alanbenn
14-08-2009, 16:54
And the 'stokers' got a propeller......just so they could recognise it when they see one......:p
Regards
Yet another Alan
billbuntintosser
14-08-2009, 16:55
And the 'stokers' got a propeller......just so they could recognise it when they see one......:p
Regards
Yet another Alan
he he he - snigger snigger...
During my sea training at RALIEGH, we picked up HMS ULSTER at Newcastle , and slowly cruised down the east coast , never felt sea sick once ,
And so i thought i would get away with it ,altogether.....during a trip to honk y fid , did we hit a very large swell, tail end of a typhoon they said,but i took it all in mi strid .......happy days .
cylla
Post #137
Hobbits twiddling with knobs???
Never saw it happen!!!!!!. If it did then it was our own knob that we twiddled.
Can't say what happened at the Granddads Establishment at Torpoint!!!!
billbuntintosser
14-08-2009, 17:04
During my sea training at RALIEGH, we picked up HMS ULSTER at Newcastle , and slowly cruised down the east coast , never felt sea sick once ,
And so i thought i would get away with it ,altogether.....during a trip to honk y fid , did we hit a very large swell, tail end of a typhoon they said,but i took it all in mi strid .......happy days .
cylla
My sea training was on the Bulwark in the Med - I thought, great, big ships - still proceeded to bring up those lovely runny fried eggs tho....:o
And the first two weeks at sea on the Lincoln - exercise in the north sea, I swear the wind didnt get any slower than force 8 - lived on 2 mars bars....
My sea training was on the Bulwark in the Med - I thought, great, big ships - still proceeded to bring up those lovely runny fried eggs tho....:o
And the first two weeks at sea on the Lincoln - exercise in the north sea, I swear the wind didnt get any slower than force 8 - lived on 2 mars bars....
Now if you were on the LINCOLN ,i was on the CHICHESTER, and if you had stabilisers of which we had , it didn't make a dam lot of difference.
cylla
billbuntintosser
14-08-2009, 17:10
Now if you were on the LINCOLN ,i was on the CHICHESTER, and if you had stabilisers of which we had , it didn't make a dam lot of difference.
cylla
And thats a fact.....
My sea training was supposed to have been on the Ulster. For some reason she was unavailable so we went on the Wakeful. Which was doing 2 weeks A.M.P. at Portsmouth. No sea time but got plenty of experience in painting, Washing paintwork, Brightwork, Scrubbing Decks!!!!
Didn't get a chance to find out if I would be seasick for another year when I joined the Undaunted in November at Portland. Spent the first day in the heads. Not a well little Junior!!!!!!
TrotOneLower
14-08-2009, 17:19
I felt I must come to the defence of the "Purple Empire" my old school mate Jlm,(The class of 1956/1957) and the never forgotten ITD. Who is currently on shore leave, on St Helana. He will be spitting feathers, when he discovers about the invasion of the Hobbits from Ganges.Ganges a specific kind of youth prison. Were the inmates are subjected to all kinds of abuse.climbing dangerous structures,Pitmans typing 45 wpm the little fingers worn to the bone. The old dot dash, and enough knob twiddleing to tune into AFN during the middle watch. And to reward them for all this abuse, They designed a badge for them to wear and the world to see, a shite hawk with a lightening bolt up its bottom.
Say no more.
The barsteward
PS signed as above, to many Alan's
Fishing's good. Someone's nibbling the bait.
My sea training was supposed to have been on the Ulster. For some reason she was unavailable so we went on the Wakeful. Which was doing 2 weeks A.M.P. at Portsmouth. No sea time but got plenty of experience in painting, Washing paintwork, Brightwork, Scrubbing Decks!!!!
Didn't get a chance to find out if I would be seasick for another year when I joined the Undaunted in November at Portland. Spent the first day in the heads. Not a well little Junior!!!!!!
Hi qprdave,
So reading your post, you dipped out of going to sea on ULSTER....tho your first draft...
being the UNDAUNTED being the same class.
Now if you knew on the ULSTER , what was to be expected on the UNDAUNTED , you could have enjoyed your self on the quater deck , in stead of being in the heads , most of the time .
On the chichester , being on the ar$$ end , when the screws were coming out of the oggin, and the O.O.W couldn't see through the bridge windows , due to large gofers, hitting the bridge head on.
Now that what i call sea training , painting and washing can be done any time , ....of which i did 80% of all my time on sea going ships.
cylla
harry.gibbon
15-08-2009, 12:53
Hey Cylla you are on the wrong thread my olde mate... this is not the Raleigh Lamp Swingers thread, this is the overspill avenue for the well trained Ganges boys who were taught at an early juncture, during night encounter exercises against bootnecks... that you take; occupy; and hold; all assets likely to be a benefit to the whole!!!!!:cool:
So abusing my mate Qpr is not a fit and proper thing for an adult product of the second class route into the pusser to be doing!!!:)
Little h
WHOOP,S ......cast me on a island... then HARRY ..
http://www.smileysnetwork.com/lol/lol7.gif
http://tinyurl.com/qrhr2x
cylla
Guz rating
15-08-2009, 13:42
Hi qprdave,
So reading your post, you dipped out of going to sea on ULSTER....tho your first draft...
being the UNDAUNTED being the same class.
Now if you knew on the ULSTER , what was to be expected on the UNDAUNTED , you could have enjoyed your self on the quater deck , in stead of being in the heads , most of the time .
On the chichester , being on the ar$$ end , when the screws were coming out of the oggin, and the O.O.W couldn't see through the bridge windows , due to large gofers, hitting the bridge head on.
Now that what i call sea training , painting and washing can be done any time , ....of which i did 80% of all my time on sea going ships.
cylla
Cylla, you should have been a steward. No painting plenty of washing. The best of food plenty of drink, and no mess bills.
The barsteward.
billbuntintosser
22-08-2009, 18:12
Just had a look at the photo, the Officer looks like Mike Foulkes, can you remember if it was him?
Just read this for the second time and yes I am pretty sure it was Foulkes.
Bill
billbuntintosser
23-08-2009, 18:42
When I trained at Raleigh - they still had the wooden huts.
Within our class we had this particular lad who could have slept for England (although I think he was Scottish). We tied ropes to the four corners of his pit and hoisted him up to the rafters whilst he was still fast asleep. PO Charlie Davis was not amused when he came in the mess in the morning.....cant imagine what would have happened if he had needed the head during the night.....:D
Bill
ceylon220
23-08-2009, 22:51
And the 'stokers' got a propeller......just so they could recognise it when they see one......:p
Regards
Yet another Alan
OK Alan me old mate if the stokers have the propellor, why has the weapons department taken it also---probably don`t know their arse from the elbow, believe most were Ganges boys at one time or other, can`t hold the old stokers down mate.
Regards.
Dave (ceylon220)
Just read this for the second time and yes I am pretty sure it was Foulkes.
Bill
Mike was very young when he died, a short time after he left Raleigh ,he died suddenly doing some decorating at home. After a pre- Christmas leave session, we had been invited into the Senior Rates mess, some joker changed over the spark leads on Mike's car engine which caused a lot of ferreting around the engine before boarding the Saltash ferry . Happy days.
I'm with you, we only did six weeks and then went on to trade training. The seamen needed the extra weeks to learn how to spell Wafu.
Keen on sport in those days and got my colours for x-country, rugby and pulling. Biggest mistake was sewing them on my running shorts, pulling didn't look right somehow:rolleyes:
Hi there,
The other month i was at CHATHAM DOCKYARD with a group of my mates,for the "40,s WEEKEND" of which we all had a great time .
While sulking around some sheds there , we came a across this model of the forecastle of any old ship ,and it took me straight back to my days of training at RALIEGH........i.e 1st piccy.
I just wonder where it originally came from , by the looks of it ,..it had seen better days .
After we came out , and wandered down to the CAVALIER, i remarked , that's where i learnt to do the job on here , that was for the wives who were with us. ..i.e 2rd piccy.
But learning "anchor,s and cables " and the going to a buoy , was only learnt by experience, can't remember having to do a double bridle thou.::::sorry i have i lost every one now.!!
I believe the upper scupper is slightly different these days , to my days .
cylla
Nice one Bill, I was Benbow Div Chief in 1974/5 - still think the wooden hut era was the best but that is nostalgia for you.
Dave H
Hi dave, i was at raleigh during 74/75.I will get my service doc`s out and get the exact dates. I can`t remember which mess/division i was in :confused:. i did the part 2 seamanship before going to vernon , 28 weeks seamanship training according to the joining papers !. Lost my class photo due to a leaky roof. I remember our class leader was a neil cox , he went to hasler to become a medical assistant, thats if my grey cells are working. I can remember either neil cox or another class leader being carried on his pit ,and given a cold shower in the early hours. Another mate who was called stonky adams, was always being pulled at the main gate for not saluting properly. I spotted him on tv outside the jossmans office, on the ark royal . He still had one of his teeth missing.
A polite request, I was Jellicoe Divisional Officer from Feb.67 to Dec.68, almost 2 yrs. While there I was Officer of the Passing out guard many times. However, due to circumstances I have lost all the photos taken of the guards, the photographer used to give me a gratis copy. If anyone out there has one of these photos in which I appeared, I would be grateful for a copy.
:):)
Laurie Fielder
16-02-2010, 05:32
I joined "Raleigh" 7 December 1953 as Jnr. Stoker for National Service
Thought the base was a chicken farm from the window of the bus !!
Our P.O.was a 3 badge Whale Island Gunner "Dodger" Long,
Who greeted us with "National Servicemen I Hate Em" Shades of things to come!
I was pleased to be sent on accelerated advancement to HMS Dunkirk then to Indefatigable to become a Leading Stoker
Tom Mann
28-02-2010, 01:22
I was a new entrant at HMS Raleigh 2 March 1970 had a good time, Class C09 PO Thompson was in charge of our class. After passing out it was off to Dryad to become an RP.
Tom Mann
28-02-2010, 02:48
I have a couple more photos to add. In the group photo that's me at the end of the top row on the left. In the other photo I am on the left, looking like a taxi with the doors open. Cannot remember my Oppo's name other than he was known as Rip. The "what next" balloon was put on the photo by my daughter, I thought that I would just damage the photo if I attempted to pull it off, as it was held fast. Cheers Tom
JAME LYON
22-03-2010, 18:45
My first attempt at posting a thread on this site so here goes this is a photie taken at the tail end of 1961 at Raleigh withbrand new shiny gold props and our instructor POME AMES they are from L to R back row
B)Jones-Sewell-Edwards-Smith-O'Driscoll-Murphy-Lyon-Oakley
C)Roden-MacWilliams-Mallam-Laney-Miles
F)Tomasso-Beattie-Ingles-PO Ames-Boutel-???-Lerougatel
we had not long arrived from Ganges for the second part of our training and after this we were drafted I to the Victorious and most of the rest to the Belfast.Ben Lyon
jame lyon,
I happen to notice that your instuctor had the same decorations as mine had ,thou there is some diffrence in years between our classes, i wonder if either P.O knew of each other.?
cylla
JAME LYON
24-03-2010, 10:27
Hi Cylla-I am afraid you have me on that one I have not any idea as to what the medals are that POME AMES has . It was so long ago that my recollections of Raleigh are at best vague, I know that the messes were wooden huts and I can't remember what mine was called I have a photo taken outside the door and the number 79, with a mate of mine Annie Oakley who is sporting a hat with HMS venus on the cap tally so we must have been sea training on her at that time.One other thing I do remember was that our DO was a gunnery Sub-Lieutenant called Johnson and that on a weekend jaunt to Cawsands he caught me and a mate Bungy Edwards with a couple of the local talent and threw fireworks at us,(we were supposed to be on night exercises which gave him the opportunity to play at soldiers in the woods) which caused our sphincter muscles to do a jig and after being invited to participate in an early morning swim in the cove there at Cawsands in the bollocky buff he later volunteered us for the boxing team but that is another story.
Sorry if I have gone of the thread a bit but these are the things that stick out in my mind of Raleigh All the best Ben Lyon
Hi Jame Lyon,
I have tried to work out which medals your instructor is wearing,.....i may be in-correct ...but they look like the "Korea Medal " and the "Korea Service Medal" the other one i have not a clue.
My instructor appears to have similar ones
Yep i remember that weekend at Cawsand,in some old building.
This was my class 649, i carnt remember the name of our hut either .
cylla
As a Part 2 Divisional Officer at Raleigh 67-68 I had on many occasions been to Pier Cellars. I used to sleep in the house up the hill, it was deserted & very basic. I have lots of memories of the place, one in particular concerns one POM(E) who was doing some cooking for the trainees - fatal- his idea of making custard was to empty the bag of custard powder straight into a fanny of boiling milk. The custard formed a solid lump which was thrown down the rocks to the sea.. Those rocks were swept by the tide twice daily but the custard resisted the attempts to dislodge it, it stuck to those rocks for months. :eek::eek::eek:
Dreadnought
24-03-2010, 17:15
My 19 year old Daughter Jessica has just experienced “Havoc” at HMS Raleigh as part of her training with the Birmingham City University Royal Naval Unit.
Havoc, as it is known, is the Royal Navy Damage Repair Instructional Unit, and is a multi-million pound simulator used for part of the nine week initial training course for RN recruits. Flooding aboard a ship at sea is one of the most dangerous emergency situations to be in, and training is vital.
The simulator is three stories high and is mounted on four hydraulic rams which rock the unit from side to side whilst filling it with water.Trainees must work together in a team to stem the flow of water through breaches in the hull using wooden wedges and hammers. They must then shore up the bulkheads with timber to re-establish the water-tight integrity of the ship.During the exercise the simulator fills with around 70 tonnes of water and can tilt up to 20 degrees from the vertical. At times the water is very high and the trainees may have to briefly work underwater.
When I asked Jess how it was, she replied with the usual “awesome”, so I guess she enjoyed it …!! In the first photograph, of her and her team, she is the one standing immediately to the left of the sign.
She seems to spend most of her weekends involved with activities with the URNU, having spent time at Britannia, Dartmouth, HMS Excellent, at Whale Island, climbing in the Lake District, rifle shooting at Cosford, and time at sea on HMS Exploit, one of the Unit’s P2000 Patrol boats. She is currently skiing in Bavaria. Once a week she attends a Parade Night at the RNR Unit HMS Forward in Birmingham.
Dave Hutson
24-03-2010, 17:35
Good for Jess Clive. She must have a good attitude towards any challenge.
We hear so much that is detrimental toward our youth these days that it tends to overshadow the fact that poor attitude [to put it mildly] only exists in a minority and areas where there is nothing for the youngsters to pursue or get excited about.
When you see groups of guys like Jess and her crowd it brings back the thoughts that maybe National Service wasn't so bad after all - They learnt as we did that Teamwork was what it was all about and respect for your compadres came naturally.
Dave H
Dreadnought
24-03-2010, 18:08
She does rise to any challenge Dave and thanks for you kind comments.
You are also absolutely right in what else you say. For fear of being controversial, it is at the end of the day down to the parents. Not that I got everything right (who does?), nor am I claiming full responsibility for how she is. I never forced Jess into anything. Throughout her school life I always just said two things to her ... "stick with the winners", and, "volunteer for everything", and she did. I then supported, encouraged and praised where due, and pulled her up here necessary. She ended up Head Girl of her Secondary School, Member of the Youth Parliament, Duke of Edinburgh Gold Medal award, completed the Three Peaks Challenge and was a Sea Cadet. She is now at University and doing well. She loves it and particularly loves being associated with the Royal Navy through the URNU and RNR. The heartening thing is, there are many many youngsters doing the same. Of course we don't hear so much about them do we.
I don't want to be guilty of going off thread here, but the training she gets at places like Raleigh, and all the other military establishments she is privileged to experience, trains her for life in my view - whatever she ends up doing. All kids should do it, whether termed as National Service or whatever. The best thing of all is, she loves it. Loves the discipline, the teamwork, the comradery and everything that goes with it.
A lot of youngsters out there deserve a lot of credit and praise for a change.
John C Hill
27-11-2010, 07:48
I have my Fathers photo album of his time during the war and just wanted to post this photo i found of him at HMS Raleigh, i believe it was taken about 1941.
Anyone recognise themself?
My Father is in the front row with white shirt and pipe.
Mr Frederick Hill
I was at HMS Raliegh from September 64 to February 65, photo 1 shows my class just out of New Entry, and our instructor CM(E) Anderson. I remember some names, Top Row, Left to Right, Britton, Truelove, Brooking(ME), Richardson, ?, ?, Armitage. Second Row Left to Right ?,?,?, Budd, Hewitt, Deakin, Archer,?, Alderson. Front Row L to R ?, Gummery, ?, Chief Anderson, Cordiner, Kinnimonth, Foster. Not bad for over 40 years. The Inspection was carried out by Captain Dennis Jermain. The Ceremonial Divisions is a General Division dont know where we were. All I remember was if we had passed out a week later we would have done Guard for Winston Churchills Funeral.
RichyB
JAME LYON
03-02-2011, 15:06
Looking at the photo you have posted Ritchy one face I do recognise is that of Pete Deacon who if my memory serves me right was from London and hind legs and donkeys comes into the equation when I remember him he could have talked for Britain but was a really nice guy.I met him on the Bulwark '66 and if the grey cells are still functioning he had volunteered for the Royal Yacht but the ships company were relieved in Singapore at the end of '67 when we flew back to the UK so I never saw him again and I don't know if he got his wish? I posted a class photo on page 7 thread 169 and am thinking there must have been hundreds taken with the big wooden guy with the beard peering over our shoulders, one name I do remember from the crew that relieved us was LME Ray because looking at your intro. you seemed to have joined the Rusty B in Oct.'67 so our paths may have crossed. Ben Lyon
Hello All
I was a Raleigh lad - September 17th 1980 - Frobisher Div.... all greenies then and it wasn't till I got to Collingwood that I found out that drinking vast amounts of beer and chasing the local ladies in Fareham did not do your brain any good when you had WEM(R) Finals to do following morning..... hence the cross branch to good old Bunting.....
HMS Raleigh had the nickname then of Moonbase Alpha due to the large white plastic walls of the main building housing the canteen and NAAFI etc...
The seaman stayed at the end of basic training to complete their seamanship stuff before moving on to learn their branch trade.... everyone else went their seperate ways at the end of basic training. I did go back in the late 80s to complete Leading Hand and PO Leadership course and had the joy of being told by instructors to go out one Friday to give the sprogs grief during Passing Out Divisions - with the immortal line of "Dont come back until you've bollocked a junior rate in public" ah the joys of leading a then normal life LOL
Danny
Forgot to add - Leading Rate Leadership Course HMS Raleigh.
Danny
Thought someone might be interested in a photo of Raleigh's parade ground taken in 67 or 68. Look closely you may spot yours truly.
oldsalt,
Fine photo , pity it was not larger, as i was trying to make out the huts in the rear of the parade ground .
I had left by April 1966.
cylla
Here's a bigger pic (I hope)
In 58 (19 not 18) I was acquainted with a Wren based at HMS Raleigh. Visiting on leave from Germany around Trafalgar Day, I asked if she could get a late pass as even going to the cinema was a non starter when Wrens had to catch a ferry for Torpoint to be back on board for 2200. I have vivid memories of being called over to Raleigh and towed by a WRNS CPO to the Wrennery to be interviewed by Madame Chief Wren (incidentally a ringer for Heather Chasen in the Navy Lark). My RE battledress certainly raised a few Matelot eyebrows. Oh! I was considered respectable enough and permission was granted. Around that time I got myself marooned on the Torpoint side when a gale caused the cancellation of the chain ferry. An AB and myself raided the engine room and refused to move so that we could keep warm during the night!
Ref to Ben Lyon's post 179, Yes Pete Deacon was from London, and he could "Rabbit", but under training was a hell of a nice bloke. I met up with him again in the early 70's at HMS Sultan, I was on GEC Course and Pete was on Mech's course. Yes, I did join Bulwark in October 67, and was rated Acting Local LM(E), and first job was F ACU Unit. ERA1 Howard was the tiff in charge, and one of the watchkeepers we relieved, I think was Artie Shaw, who was quite a good artist as well, at least his system drawings were a work of art. He left us with a set of drawings, and flashing up instructions for the plant. His first line was 1. Before flashing up Check that the unit is complete, as Tiffies sometimes try and start half a machine. That had always lef a lasting impression on me.
RichyB
After you had done you joining routine,
It was full ahead both,..and crammed as much knowledge in to that skull of yours ,to take you along your new career.
in the first pic ,..is our class ..i am in the middle row ,second from the right .
in the second pic ,.... is our passing out parade ,taken in April 1966.
if by chance you recognize your self ,:o have a good laugh.
cylla
Hi Cylla
I was seamans branch, in 66 and was a member of the guard, though I can't see myself in your picture, I joined in Feb 8th 66 so would have been in the April passing out. I have included a photo incase anyone recognises themselves. I am the cheeky chap at the back left side, (Dave Berridge) front right was Stewert Brown and second row left Dave Dale I hope others may recognise themselves.
forendy (dave)
Hi Forendy,
Thanks for the mention , don't get many of those ...i left Raleigh in 10 April 1966 ,that's what i have on my service doc,s.
By your aka "forendy" you have spent some time on "boats"....some thing i never wanted to do.I just longed to be on small ships , and i got my wish granted ,during the last years in the mob "h.m.s arlingham".
It will be nice to see your history in your profile once your print it off.
Have a great time on here,as i think you will.;)
cylla
Just a few memories from 1959, the passing out didn't seem to change much from the earlier photos i saw, If you see yourself please give me a call while we can.
Wellbran
29-11-2011, 20:36
My father was at Raleigh waiting to join HMS Exeter in 1941/42 He told me they had to help the women and children into the air raid shelters, He recalled that He carried a child down and the child was crying so he stayed and held the child for the mother who had other kids, after they came out and the mother thanked him and then she said the kid had measles! Dad was so scared that he would get it and not be able to join his first ship! sadly he did join it, and if he had got measles his whole life might have been different, but it is a funny tale.
bert-261
11-01-2012, 12:32
As a further to post 182 of this thread the date of the photo is sometime Nov/Dec 1966 as I am third from the right in the front rank. This was us (31 class) as Captains Guard.At the time I was J.M.E.2 B.J.Living P098261. Regards Bert-261
bert-261
11-01-2012, 12:44
Further to above, photo of the relevant class in part one traiing in all our glory. Bert-261
eskimosailor
11-01-2012, 13:21
oldsalt,
Fine photo , pity it was not larger, as i was trying to make out the huts in the rear of the parade ground .
I had left by April 1966.
cylla
Funny, I don't remember those huts. :confused: As I recall there was a drill shed either side of the parade ground, the roadway across the top, and the bottom edge looked out over rough ground, and down to some water. Perhaps the grey fluff is wearing thin:D
Steve
eskimosailor
11-01-2012, 13:25
In 58 (19 not 18) I was acquainted with a Wren based at HMS Raleigh. Visiting on leave from Germany around Trafalgar Day, I asked if she could get a late pass as even going to the cinema was a non starter when Wrens had to catch a ferry for Torpoint to be back on board for 2200. I have vivid memories of being called over to Raleigh and towed by a WRNS CPO to the Wrennery to be interviewed by Madame Chief Wren (incidentally a ringer for Heather Chasen in the Navy Lark). My RE battledress certainly raised a few Matelot eyebrows. Oh! I was considered respectable enough and permission was granted. Around that time I got myself marooned on the Torpoint side when a gale caused the cancellation of the chain ferry. An AB and myself raided the engine room and refused to move so that we could keep warm during the night!
As I recall, due to the hilly nature of the area, the WRNS quarters were approached via a bridge, known as "The Bridge of Sighs". There was a guard post at one end, and I believe the guard was attacked by inebriate WRNS on more than one occasion. I think the .22 indoor range was also on the same hill.
Steve
bert-261
12-01-2012, 12:38
I believe that the aerial photo in Post #1 of Raleigh dates from the 50's/60's,and clearly shows the huts. Bert261
I can just make out my old division Jellicoe. May I appeal to any ex Jellicoes who have passing out guard photos from Feb.67 to Dec.68 to show them here so I can copy. All my photos of that period went missing.
eskimosailor
12-01-2012, 19:09
I believe that this aerial photo of Raleigh dates from the 50's/60's,and clearly shows the huts. Bert261
Ah, yes. Additional to my memory:mad:. The huts are there but to the left as you look over the back of the parade ground, and further down is the water I mentioned earlier. Probably a branch of the Tamar.
So I'm not losing my old grey matter after all:):)
Steve
bert-261
15-01-2012, 13:42
Here are two more views of the picture in post #185,along with the Part 2 picture of the same class.
Bert, thanks for identifying your good self. In the second picture the Lt. with the beard is Mike Faulks, he died several years ago at an early age.
eskimosailor
16-01-2012, 13:10
I remember that there was a chief, I think in charge of the block, called Crummey. We made no jokes, he seemed like God in those days. Our class Petty Officer was called Boyson. A nice guy, still in square rig. There was an Irish POGI with a very strong accent, who's name I don't remember. He advised us he was not born, but laid by a shite-hawk in the corner of the parade ground. This was all in 1962/63.
Steve
Ex Raleigh and Ganges lads might like to view the various clips of their old establishments on this U Tube link. What a shame that the MOD has allowed the Ganges site to fall into such disrepair.
Fred.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=Fr12K2JpSXk&NR=1
I have just come across an article on Raleigh, it was interesting to be reminded of my training, which went like this:- Part 1 at HMS Royal Arthur, Corsham. Then to Raleigh which became a Stokers training establishment in Dec. 1947. The course was 15 weeks including 3 weeks in HMS Newfoundland moored in Trevol Creek. Weeks 9-11 were onboard Newfoundland, but being what was called a specially selected Stoker, with approx 14 others we stayed aboard Newfoundland to finish our training. We had to obtain ET1 (later ETLR) & a preliminary AWK course. We were then drafted to the Training Squadron, in my case Vanguard, to obtain a AWK (Auxiliary Watchkeeping Certificate), then drafted to other ships. I had forgotten most of what happened, but I don't remember it being a difficult time. It would be interesting to compare my training with the present method.
Old Salt,
You mentioned VANGUARD,
Was that the actual ship? or a vessel under it,s flag officer.
Wouldn't that have been one of the largest ships in the navy at the time [sea going]....not that you are so old .
cylla
Cylla, flattery will get you anywhere. The Vanguard I referred too was the Battleship & the largest ship ever built for the RN. I joined Vanguard in May 1950 & certainly went to sea in her.
Mitch Hinde
22-02-2012, 15:45
Hi All
I went to Raleigh in July 1958 and as an ex sea cadet I was reasonablu OK with drill and terminology and such, but we had one lad who was a terrible left arm, left legger when it came to to marching. Perfectly OK when walking about but no amount of extra drill or training had any effect on him so he was excused virtually all ceremonials. Don't know if it was a scam but it seemed to have worked.
Mitch Hinde
I must have posted this before, I was the Divisional Officer of the Part 2 Jellicoe Division, Feb 67 to Dec 68. I remember those poor uncoordinated lads, the GI's we had on the Parade Ground, with patience & compassion, soon put them on the right path. I could write a book on my time at Raleigh, it was a real eye opener. The establishment was exactly how it was in 49 when I did my training. I have been hoping that someone in the forum would have photos of passing out guards taken which include me, mine all disappeared during a divorce. I am still hoping.
bert-261
23-02-2012, 12:44
The 'patience and compassion' dished out by Raleigh G.I.s to the best of my reccollection consisted of doubling round the Parade Ground with a No4 at the slope bouncing up and down on your collarbone till you were able to complete the required evolution without cocking up. Maybe their mother's loved them, but I don't think many other people did. bert-261
Getting it right at last!!
Passing out Raliegh early 55
With best hut of the week trophy
Mitch Hinde
23-02-2012, 14:49
Hi Bonzo
Why was that dustbin not highly polished?
Mitch Hinde
The 'patience and compassion' dished out by Raleigh G.I.s to the best of my reccollection consisted of doubling round the Parade Ground with a No4 at the slope bouncing up and down on your collarbone till you were able to complete the required evolution without cocking up. Maybe their mother's loved them, but I don't think many other people did. bert-261
Getting it right at last!!
Tut, tut, my GI's were so gentle.!!:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:;)
Mitch Hinde
23-02-2012, 14:57
Hi Keith
The only gentle GI I ever met was Arthur Lacey at Mercury, but thats for another thread.
Mitch Hinde
bert-261
23-02-2012, 15:16
Do we get three guesses as to who was the POGIs bit of skin then Keith?
eskimosailor
23-02-2012, 17:23
Tut, tut, my GI's were so gentle.!!:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:;)
Our GI had one lad shift out a large garbage bin to the middle of the parade ground, get inside it with the lid on,and pop up and down every so often shouting "I am rubbish".
I dread to think how that would go down today:eek::eek:
Steve
Dave Hutson
23-02-2012, 18:56
Hi Keith
The only gentle GI I ever met was Arthur Lacey at Mercury, but thats for another thread.
Mitch Hinde
Jesus H Wotsit Mitch you were favoured mate.
Mitch Hinde
23-02-2012, 21:56
Do we get three guesses as to who was the POGIs bit of skin then Keith?
Hi Bert
He was my friend I saw him winking......................!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mitch Hinde
bert-261
26-02-2012, 12:57
Was he related to that mystical winking bird Mitch?
Mitch Hinde
26-02-2012, 23:19
Hi Bert
More a close relative of the Oozlam of disappearing fame.
Mitch Hinde
bert-261
27-02-2012, 11:21
Or maybe even that deck landing disaster the Oomie - Goolie bird, mayhaps Mitch?
While i was doing my training ,on the parade ground , i believe there was a H painted on it.
But i can not ever remember any time that a helo landed while i was there.
Was it ever used ???
cylla
jbryce1437
02-04-2012, 16:28
I drove down overnight to watch my son on his passing out parade, early 1980's. He could only get in on the Youth Opportunity Scheme and, despite only getting a fraction of the pay that the others were being paid in his class, he managed to be chosen as Class Leader and was picked as top recruit in the class. He later got the opportunity to transfer fully to the RN. The first photo is of me at Raleigh and the remainder are of his class, the passing out parade and the parade ground at Raleigh. You will notice that the buildings in the background are a far cry from the wooden huts that I lived in, in the summer of 1963. I can't remember it ever raining during my time at Raleigh, a far cry from the torrential rain during this passing out parade.
Jim
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