A happy 50th to all 47ers
Ed Cole
I must admit that my thoughts did dwell on that day 50 years
ago. I remember getting off the train to be met by a very polite PO(GI) who conducted us to a coach and pointed out the
delights of
Peter Payne-Hanlon
Was that not after the lovely Afternoon Tea
we got before we signed on?? And that 1st haircut! Terry Warburton
discovering a mole on the back of his head he'd never seeen
before…
Rex (Dodger) Long
My own recollection, being a Guz
local, I had made my own way to the ferry and had the luxury transport in the
back of a pussers 3 tonner for my journey up to
Fisgard and then on to the NAAFI. We were met by what seemed a very nice
Gunnery Officer, who offered us tea and politely invited us to read our
contracts and almost immediately told us to sign at the bottom.
But I must say after 32 years in the mob I have no regrets - maybe a few on
those first few months on the freezing parade ground!! I can remember not being
able to close my fingers together for saluting practice.
Yours aye,
Ed Cole.
I seem to
remember catching the Steam train at
Peter
Payne Hanlon was in the same Hut and he had a job sewing his name on everything
with the red silk, as his name ended up on his sleeve as it was too long to go
the space provided!
Roger
Dawkins
Peter Payne Hanlon was in the same Hut and he had a job
sewing his name on everything with the red silk, as his name ended up on his
sleeve as it was too long to go the space provided!
Weren't half as bad as poor Shufflebottom! I recall him getting an extra two weeks to complete…
Rex Long
Don't
recall a Shufflebottom in Frobisher. I do remember
being ribbed for putting my name on my name type.
Tony
Egerton
Its funny how memories differ. I caught
the steamer from
Clive Percival
50 years ago. My my how time does fly. Memories : embroidering name on the back hem of a seaman's jersey, so that I could be easily identified by any GI, RPO, Schoolie or ship's company AB, as I tried to make a quick exit. Stamping my name in white or black paint on seaman's shirts, (presumably for same purpose of easy identification of miscreants). Also memory of being chased around a boxing ring by someone who knew how to box properly, (me never but once hitting anyone in the face before in my life). Ah happy days? : Chris Medway Exmouth, (47 entry - dipped back sick 1 class)
Hello
guys
I'm
sure we had a Shufflebottom; didn't we call him
"pushbum"
best regards
No - Shufflebottom was Series 49. Frobisher
I remember a lad called Scantleberry and his naming tasks were made all that more difficult when he was convinced that he had to sew his name into the top edge of his boots. The GIs were not impressed either.
John Lunn (Hawke) S 47
I don't remember anything spectacular with my journey but I
only had 40 mile to come to Fisgard, I do remember the cold morning divisions
where if someone had forgotten their gloves everyone had to take theirs off,
the name sewing, "bulling" our boots, then of course who could forget
us "sprog" duties.
Best regards
Ian (Soapy) Watson
Who
started this ball rolling?
I've got vague memories of a Shufflebottom, but the
one that stands out as far as sewing on names goes is Martin-Woodgate. I think he was allowed to shorten it to M-Woodgate.
All the best to everyone.
Terry
Delves
It
was bad enough having a 10 letter surname and 2 initials; but what made it
worse was the guy in the next bed was Dave Holt a re-cat. Not only did he have
a short name and one initial, but most of his kit was already marked and his
boots already bulled up. To make matters worse Dick Kefford
who was also a re-cat was on the other side of the T3 mess.
We
did have someone and I don’t remember who, that tried to sew red silk into the
money belt.
Derek
Titheridge
Ah yes...."sprog" boxing !!
Managed to windmill my way through the first two rounds, but came up against Roger Field on the semi finals / finals night.......he could box and he absolutely hammered me !!
Tough bugger, he came from
Thousands of memories, but very few regrets !!
Ian Churchill, Anson Division
I guess we all remember sewing our names in our uniforms, but spare a thought for poor old Abe. He was a Nigerian in Anson and obviously something was lost in translation because he tried sewing his name with red cotton into his boots!!
David (Dhobey) Washer
I remember you and Dave Holt well, Derek.
You're right, I was a recat so joined Fisgard as a JEM2, in uniform amongst all these civvies so I was instantly appointed class leader - an 'honour' I could have done without as I was expected to know everything about the Navy after my few short weeks in Raleigh and Collingwood. I soon managed to resign from that job.
One of my memories of that time was when we had prayers during divisions. We were all asked if we were 'C of E or Catholic' ready for the 'Fall out Catholics' command. One brave guy piped up with 'I'm a Free Thinker Sir.'
'No such thing lad, you're in the Navy now and the Navy will
tell you what to think. I'll put you down as C of E.' says the
Happy days!
Richard Kefford
I don't remember the gloves, but I do remember wearing our pusser's pyjamas under everything for Sunday
divisions.....until the GI staff caught on and made everyone lift their blue
trousers up !
It was "Ambe", the Nigerian in Anson
Division.....which reminds me, does anyone else from Anson remember Dick Daws and the paper man, who's name escapes me, stealing
His name was Walter, and the whole of Anson had to turn out to take him back on
a low trailer the next day. The Division was inspected by the
Still got some pictures somewhere !
Anyone got any stories from "The Rendezvou"
cafe in Torpoint ?
Ian Churchill
Paul,
Very
interesting to see the replies from various people, some who I have not been in
contact for ages. Particularly Ian 'Soapy' Watson who I knew from Collingwood
and who left voluntarily before completing training, Dave 'Dhobey' Washer who I have been in e.mail
contact with over the past 2 years and now living in
Dave
Washer recalls one of the Nigerians, Vedan Ambe, there were I think three others, Sam Ajayi, Dave Ayeni and ...Raji can't recall his surname. I remember the first time we
had snow shortly after joining Fisgard, the Nigerians all thought it was great
as they had never seen it before. It soon dawned on them however, that it
was also flipping cold and I think they really suffered during the first 4
weeks which seemed to be mainly spent on the parade ground.
Whilst
I did not have a long journey to join coming from Millbrook approx 5 miles
away, there were at least 2 from Torpoint, Graham Nicholl
and Mike Finch.
Like a
few others, the most harrowing recollection I have was being 'herded' into
the dining hall and being told to sign away 12 years of your life. The pardre, Rev Arthur Nunnerly was
in attendance perhaps to convince us that it was the right thing to do!!
The ex
Anson's may recall the time when the
It would
be great if a lot of our entry could join the Fisgard Association and get
to the Green and White in September for a class reunion as there is so much to
reminisce.
Best
Regards
Trev 'Janner' James
Does anyone else remember the "Mega" snowball fight we
had on the parade ground shortly after we had signed on the dotted? I clearly
remember returning to the hut freezing cold, soaking wet but very happy.
P.S. Does anyone
have any idea what happened to Joe Pennington, (S 47 Anson), after he left the
Mob?
I remember a torrid evening in the Game Cock Vaughan. I think I proved that my drinking skills were severely lacking, which made for a rather subdued following morning. Your Dad was a supremely hospitable host.
Hoping to get to the get together, all the way from NZ.
David (Dhobey) Washer
Whato !
My
dad's pub was The Game Cock in
We
had several gatherings there over the years. Sadly dad is long gone but he
always remembered with a huge grin those early Navy years, when as young bloods
we tried to impress others with our drinking skills.
Cheers
all and lets get cracking on a get together