My Father Was the Captain of the Eddystone Light

Encountered a Mermaid One Fine Night

Yo Ho Ho Let the Wind Blow Free

Oh For A Life On the Rolling Sea!

 While Hugh and Janet jet-off for Oman to celebrate their 30th Wedding Anniversary, I too am reminiscing today over the past 53 years (where the hell did they go). It was on this day, all those years ago, that as a fresh faced 15 year old I joined the Royal Navy.

A CLASS of '61

My last year at school was at Broadwey Secondary Modern, Weymouth now known as Wey Valley, 12 months I would just sooner forget. However, it was along with some fine Classmates, with my best friends then being Alan Evans (3rd from right) and John Lowman between Alan and myself. Alan died as a result of a motorbike accident and I don't believe I've clapped eyes on any of the others since.

From Broadwey School to the gates of

 HMS St VINCENT

Boy's Training Ship in Gosport, Hampshire.

 The austere Victorian Barracks that would be 'home' for the next year.

 437 Class

New Entries

all lads from a similar, humble, background as myself.

 Time doesn't allow to describe how anyone gets from Schoolboy

to wearing this uniform correctly.

PAINSTAKING

comes nowhere near!

 SUNDAY 'DIVISIONS'

The whole ships company on parade.

 MAN (BOY) ING the MAST

a compulsory and important part of character building.

 Long way down Son!

 Main Course

Anchors and Cables Training

I have only ever encountered 2 of this 'mottley crew' since those days. Clive (Topsy) Tone, 6th recruit from left, who attained his Yacht Masters Ticket, pushing Sail Training Vessels around the world for most of his working life while a resident of Weymouth. Mick (Huck) Hutley, the black lad behind the capstan, who I served, both at Vincent and 2 sea-going ships, with for a total of 5 years becoming inseparable 'shipmates' in the process. Fortunately, I still see Huck when both of us are on home soil.

 First Leave

Back in Weymouth for Christmas after 4 months,

it was to be my last in England for 5 years.

 A First Achievement 

having mastered the skill of passing 'orders' by means of a 

Bosun's Pipe 

we were then known as 

'Call' Junior Seamen.

Among much other training there was

 SAILING

on this occasion to the Isle of Wight

 and

GUNNERY

on leaving St Vincent I qualified as an ASDIC (now SONAR)

Operator and while ashore I was mostly a

 MOD

(wouldn't want to be one of those 'smellie' Rockers would you?)

with my Aunt in Nottingham

 With the eldest of my 2 sisters on

Weymouth Seafront,

 and with my Mother and both sisters.

I later became the 'Hairless Hippy', the Service was extremely

strict reference 'haircuts', and later the

HIPPY at Marks and Spencers.

13 years ago my then Lady Friend made me this cake

to celebrate 40 years at sea.
Finally, in this section at least, I am only too happy to promote
the Blog of my Mate and fellow Wildlifer
STEVE SMITH'S BLOG 
 I promise you will enjoy a look BUT....
NO DEFECTING!!

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Learning to Fly - Pink Floyd

Learning to Fly LINK 
Listen while you Look
While we avoid advertising at all cost, attention is drawn to the 
'PULSE' DVD
from which this track is taken. 
Part of the Pink Floyd O2 Arena concert in 2011.
It is thought worthy of being part of everyone's record collection
if only for the cameo appearance of
Lead Guitarist Tim Renton ex of Sutherland Brothers and Quiver.
He is dressed in white and plays a matching Fender Stratocaster Guitar in this clip.  
Into the distance, a ribbon of black
Stretched to the point of no turning back
A flight of fancy on a windswept field
Standing alone my senses reeled
A fatal attraction is holding me fast,
How can I escape this irresistible grasp
Despite the Bournemouth Air Festival, which has been a resounding success,

 COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC

has been flying as usual.
Looking at Roy Norris' 'comment' and Janet Read's e-mail seems I made
yet another Foxes Paw of identifying the aircraft on the last Post, even though
I had that little extra help from the younger and keener generation. Never mind,
rather than loose the will to live I will leave things as they are for now!

Among the MILLION or so advantages I could tell you about visiting

Parley Court Farm

one is, no matter where you perch it will be a Pole Position for the

AIR SHOW

 With the imminent arrival of the 

VULCAN

we all took our cups of tea to the 2 bedroom balconies looking along

the course of the River Stour and onward to the town of

BOURNEMOUTH

just below the pylons in the far distance.
 Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earth-bound misfit, I

 Hogging the Sky once again the

 RED ARROWS

 but only 8 of them! It is unbelievable to think that one of the Pilots

was allowed 'leave' from performing before his pay masters (you and me)

to attend the birth of his child?
Ice is forming on the tips of my wings
Unheeded warnings, I thought, I thought of everything
No navigator to find my way home
Unladened, empty and turned to stone
A soul in tension -- that's learning to fly
Condition grounded but determined to try

Anyway, our attentions were soon distracted as the rumble of the mighty

 VULCAN

became audible.

Modern science allowed for a continuous update of its position

as it flew from its base in Doncaster, not programmed to land at Hurn this year.

The first report was from Shoreham followed by an update of

Milford on Sea both coastal towns some miles East of Parley.

Finally, it emerged from behind the trees and although views were limited
it was considered better than facing the traffic between here and
Bournemouth Sea Front.
Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I

As if it weren't bad enough here but, apart from sticking up a barrier

the full width of the runway the local Gendarmerie were cutting the 
General Public a 'bit of slack' allowing parking on the grass verges.

We on the other hand decided to decamp to the redundant
Maize Field on PCF land which affords a view straight down the throat
of the Airfield.

Again the 'Arrows' looked spectacular this being the closest any of us

had ever got to watching them land!

Plenty of billowing smoke, engine noise

before forming an orderly queue

to taxi to the

holding bay.
Above the planet on a wing and a prayer,
My grubby halo, a vapour trail in the empty air,
Across the clouds I see my shadow fly
Out of the corner of my watering eye
A dream unthreatened by the morning light
Could blow this soul right through the roof of the night

There was little in the way of waiting before
Big Brother
arrived in the shape of

the US FLYING FORTRESS

SALLY B
Without his binoculars Hugh had to ask me if that was the

EURO FIGHTER TYPHOON
looking menacing at the far end of the runway. It was, and as it turned
to shape up for take-off

on came her lights

with ALL of these images being take over a 10 seconds period.
Returning to Harbins (yet another cup of tea) we discussed the events of what has been a
SPECTACULAR WEEKEND
Everything had been exhilarating and exciting but
"it would have been the 'cherry on the cake' had we been able to see the Vulcan just a little closer.
THEN THIS HAPPENED
DIRECTLY ABOVE 'HARBINS' FARMHOUSE

 As if in some sort of salute to US and maybe

 Bournemouth International Airport firstly the

 AVRO VULCAN

 presumably on her way back to Doncaster
and then the

 EURO FIGHTER TYPHOON
bound for who knows where?
There's no sensation to compare with this
Suspended animation, a state of bliss
Can't keep my mind from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I 

Trivia - the name Pink Floyd is derived from 2 of the band's favoured Blues artists Pink Anderson and Floyd Council.

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