Royal Navy – Training
At the age of
16 I joined the Royal Navy at HMS Ganges, Shotley, Ipswich.
I had always said I would join up. I am unsure if this was
due to my brother John being in the Navy. He was in the
Engineering branch – known then as the stokers.
On arriving at HMS Ganges we were taken to a separate block
for new entries where all of your details were given to the
block instructors. They would instruct you on routines and
procedures. First there were haircuts – all cuts were short
back and sides. Once this was over we were taken to the kit
area where you were measured up for your first suit (off
the peg) and also issued with 2 pairs of boots – one pair
for general use, and one for best – 4 shirts, one night
dress (pyjamas were issued upon leaving), socks and
underwear. Next were the delousing stages. The following
day all of your personal gear was boxed and sent home.
Next we were all assembled and broken into groups. You were
issued with a “ditty box” for personal effects and letters,
a metal hat box for your best cap and a sewing kit
containing needles and thread. Each group was given a stamp
with your name carved into the wood. You had to stamp your
name on every article of clothing – for dark clothing a
white colour, and for your “duck suit”, black. The reason
for the stamp was that as you would be in the entry block
for a month to adjust. In that month you would stitch your
name into every article of clothing and your boots would be
metal name stamped. During this period you would be
assessed for class structure and you would be taught
discipline and sewing. You would also be assessed on
swimming. You would have to swim 2 lengths of the pool with
your duck suit on (which is like a canvas material). Well
after we had completed all of our drills we passed out. We
were affectionately still known as a bunch of “nozzers”.
After inspection all of your clothing, with your name
stitched inside, was properly rolled into lengths the width
of the seamanship manual with ties the distance apart of
one seamanship manual. Everything was displayed so you
could see you name clearly stitched on. We were then given
our class. I was placed into Advanced Class (A/C) 148. We
were shown how to place all of our gear into a kit bag
(which had your name on). During the time in new entry we
were assessed for a sport, where one instructor built like
a battleship, said “well a rugger player, left wing, three
quarter” and that’s where I played all of my time at
Shotley. We where then marched outside in classes with our
kit bags and introduced to our instructors for the next 12
– 15 months. One was Angus Walker (parade instructor) and
the other was CPO Tas Torpedos (Seamanship). They marched
us down to the long covered way and to what they called the
short covered way with the announcement that “this will be
your home for next few months”. It will be kept in tip top
condition – and spotless. You will now be allocated your
bed number and locker. When we went in the floor was so
highly polished with the instructions “No Boots are ever to
mark this floor!” You had to take off your boots and place
them on your locker floor. When they had explained how to
stow your locker they showed us how they wanted all beds to
be made up. All of the beds had to conform to each other,
including the correct folding of the blankets etc.
We had to take a cold shower every morning, and in the
evening it was always cocoa and a hard tack biscuit. This
biscuit was so hard you had to soak it in your cocoa to
soften it
Both instructors were very fair but very strict. After
about a week we were gathered up with a little bit of soft
soap (tact) they said that now we had all settled down we
would commence our training. Like a ship, a certain rating
had control when they were not present, so 4 leading boys,
and one head boy had been selected by them. They had all of
the instructors authority when they were not present. He
then named the boys. I was not one of them. They then told
us that after a week we could stitch on our A/C badge – a
red star. This would allow us to visit the canteen. The
canteen was by the mast in the parade ground, and we were
only allowed there after being given the following
instruction “You know where the quarter deck is so DO NOT
forget to salute on crossing it. Away you go and don’t
spend all of your sixpence at once.” Whilst on introduction
training we were bound to send money home, which was sent
to whoever was your guardian. The amount was 2/6d (2
shillings and 6 pence).
We had to learn to climb the mast. The mast was very
frightening – it was very high. In due course we all
overcame the fear and it was normal to go and climb up the
mast, the rigging and the rattlings. The main climb was
over the devils elbow. This was an angled out part of the
rigging between the lower and the middle mast. From there
you then proceeded up the rigging to the top mast where a
single Jacobs Ladder led to where you could stand on top of
the mast and become a “button boy”. I think the mast was
about 160ft tall.
Whilst at Shotley, comradeship was installed into us. You
all depended on each other. We were also all taught that
education was still part of our life as we attended classes
each day. The classes included seamanship, parade drill,
gunnery, sports, physical education and cross country
running. We were instructed in the art of boxing – my
fighting weight being Bantam – in which I did fairly god in
the competitions. We also learnt to use the Bosons Pipe.
This was used to hoist boats in noisy areas, to pipe aboard
a ships senior officer, and to draw attention to any order
or announcement.
For all of a ships company, swimming was a must. After
swimming in the nude you put on your duck suit (canvas
suit) and you had to swim 2 lengths of the baths – our
second test. Fortunately I was good at swimming and passed
my test.
We also had at the bottom of the short covered way, a large
dug out ditch, where we carried out a drill called
“seamanship rivers”. This was a competition between two
teams which consisted of taking a Field Gun across a chasm
in pieces and reassembling it on the other side. This was
in preparation, as we were told, that if we were sent to a
capital ship (Battleship) or cruiser we had to have
knowledge of how to land a mobile gun (cannon) by assembly
if required. So we were shown with models how to lash two
whalers on cutters (boats) to make a platform to take the
gun to shore. We were also shown how to get it over any
obstacles using sheer legs (posts) to make a bridge and
travers.
Many other lessons were given on the sailing of cutters and
whalers in the River Orwell. Racing crews were also
selected. This was the propelling of either boats by oars.
I was selected for a bowman for both crews. We gradually
became a very good united Class 148 - in seamanship (Bosons
pipe) all the class was awarded their Bosons Call and
Chain.
I really liked the physical training. We had a very good
team in the Box Horse and Groundwork (summersaults over the
box horse), also exercises on the wall bars. In time we
graduated to the high bar.
On the parade ground we were gradually whipped into a good
marching class. On the gunnery I was not much good as I was
left handed. On the sports side we had a very good rugby
team. The cricket team was also very good as 3 of my class
played for Shotley Rugby team. I also played for the base
cricket team. It was great when we played a team away from
base.
Education was not forgotten factor. We attended school
every day and our subjects were Maths, English,
Trigonometry, Naval History, Measurement, Navigation,
magnetism and electricity. So as you can see, we were still
learning! After 12-18 months of studying we all sat our
final examinations which we passed with flying colours.
The whole class was drafted to sea training. Before leaving
to join a destroyer for a week we were taught how to sling
and lash a hammock. On our return we were drafted to
Portsmouth to HMS Iron Duke, an old capital ship. To us it
was our first real ship. It was hard for the first month.
This is where we were introduced to the “Holy stone” which
was nicknamed the Holy Bible. It was an instrument for
keeping the wooden decks and the wooden covers for all the
capstans and bollards (forewires) scrubbed clean when in
harbour.
We had punishment drills for when you got out of line and
this was referred to as “Jankers”. Jankers would consist of
doubling (running) for about 30 minutes with a Lee Enfield
rifle, which in that timescale becomes very heavy indeed.
However punishment was accepted as being correct in those
days. We joined HMS Iron Duke with pyjamas! The
nightdresses had been withdrawn. Our week training in the
destroyer came in handy as we were each given our own
hammocks on joining the ship. The hammock was always lashed
up by seven half loop turns, and had to be secured by an
overlap, which made the hammock water tight. We were told
they could be used for damage control, in conjunction with
damage control mats, to block any hole sustained by a
collision, accident or when ships were hit in action. We
had been on HMS Iron Duke for about 2 months when most of
the class were drafted to capital ship HMS Royal Sovereign.
We stayed for a 2 month cruise around Scotland. During this
time we were made to take part in a drill which only
applied if the height of the ships mast was too tall to go
under a bridge. The drill was referred to as “Striking the
Top Mast” and was always used for passing under the Forth
Bridge. Pulleys and ropes are fitted so that they can be
manned by a number of men, and on hauling on the ropes it
is possible to lift the top mast out of its housing. A
piece called “The FID” is taken out and it allows the mast
to be lowered. Reversing the procedure places the topmast
back in its original location.
On leaving the Royal Sovereign (which we had nicknamed the
Tiddly Quid) we joined HMS Revenge, a battleship, where we
cruised around the Scottish Isles and Scapa Flow for around
3 months. After this we rejoined the HMS Iron Duke for our
final drafting after our time at sea.