[alirosdan]

My uncle was the token Sheffield lad on HMS Sheffield in the early fifties I would guess.

[Janner]

I expect the Sheffield you refer too was the cruiser, rightly called the SHINY SHEFF. The City had supplied the ship with stainless steel door and hatch clips. I believe the ships bell is in the cathedral.

[Puffin4]

Originally Posted by matsalleh

Snap except I was sent to the Air Radar branch (something I had no interest in) of the Fleet Air Arm, and must have been at Collingwood at the same time,I also went To HMS Ariel and Daedalus.I just wandered in to the RAF recruiting office in Sheffield and joined up as a Photographer, they must have been filling quotas or something as they put me down as ex merchant navy!I did 15 yrs in the RAF and funnily enough met quite a few guys from the RN in Singapore when the Aircraft carriers called in.

Hi,

I joined the RAF as a photographer in 1959, at the recruiting office in Cambridge Street. I stayed for 22 years and never returned to Sheffield to live again.

[G Harrison]

A lot of those shiny items that were given to the Sheffield were made at Firth-Vickers Stay-brite shop. My father worked there and was one of the people who made the presentation. He particulary enjoyed the splicing of the main brace that followed.
Wonder if there would be any newspaper articales or photos of the presentation?

[buck]

I joined in 1949 at Royal Arthur as an air radio mech. Completed training at HMS Ariel near Warrington. Then RNAS Lossiemouth and Yeovilton. I joined 826 squadron on Firefly 6s in 51 served with them on Illustrious, Indomitable, and Theseus. Later on 807 and 800 sea hawk squadrons aboard Albion, Bulwark, Centaur and the mighty Ark. Did two years at RNAS Halfar Malta, then back to Culdrose. Finally helicopter crewman aboard HMS Naiad my smallest and favorite ship. Bought myself out in 1966. CREL(Air) Wafoo(rtd) Thank god!!

[smileyjiver]

My ex-brother-inlaw - Keith Blackburn - was in the Royal Navy. When he was 21 there was a photo of him in the Sheffield Star. He was based on the Ark Royal and they had gone to Japan (I think) - Keith I believe was the youngest recruit on the ship and was holding a Japanese child.

[davidsheldon]

hiya a lad at work he was high rank mr paul wilson i dont know if u know him he left in 1979

[mrseggy]

My eldest daughter has just shown me this thread and i thought i would stick my "oar in" so to speak. My name is Steve Ibbotson, I joined the RN in Oct 72 aged 16 at Raliegh, went on to Mercury for radio operator training. I joined Hms Hermione in the far east straight from training, spent two years on her before doing brief stints at Cochrane, Faslane,Whitehall and then did two years on Hms Galatea. I bought myself out in December 79, it was a hard decision to leave but it was a time of great change, including the addition of women crew members!!( I think this actually happened in the early 80's but the rumour started around 1975 ) It may seem the norm now but at the time just the thought of it was traumatic. I enjoyed my time served and yes i do occaisionally regret not staying for the full 22 yrs, i have great memories even though the better ones i can't share with my daughters - they would not understand such places as the "Gut" in Malta or "Boogie" st in Singapore. I have not had any contact with anyone I served with since I left, I expect this was the same for everyone as the navy was bigger in the 70's and once you moved on from one draft too another you made new friends. Once you become a civvy you had to make a new life and actually think for yourself - god that was hard. I will keep an eye on this thread and share memories, you never know who might read it and reply.

[Jossman]

Having started this thread, I am pleased to see all the replies. Mrseggy, I joined the Andrew as a boy signalman doing partII training at HMS Mercury, a fellow communicator. I reached the dizzy hights of killick bunting then changed branches to regulating. I retired as the Jaunty of HMS Amazon. Too many runs ashore and too many "Blackcats" to recant on this forum, but as ex matelots we all know the score. Keep it rolling.

[landrover109]

my dad joined royal navy in 1957

[simonj]

Originally Posted by Jossman

Having started this thread, I am pleased to see all the replies. Mrseggy, I joined the Andrew as a boy signalman doing partII training at HMS Mercury, a fellow communicator. I reached the dizzy hights of killick bunting then changed branches to regulating. I retired as the Jaunty of HMS Amazon. Too many runs ashore and too many "Blackcats" to recant on this forum, but as ex matelots we all know the score. Keep it rolling.

Maybe a change of thread title and open this up to all of us ex and current matelots?

Joined '78 and also in the Comms Branch (sparker). Got flown out to Rio to join my first ship (Kent) and on walking onboard discovered that it was the ships first day of two weeks there Obviously left a lasting impression on me because I stayed in for 27 years I got to Chief Radio Supervisor and left slightly disillusioned once they compulsory changed my branch title to CPO (Communications) and professional/disciplinary standards had dropped considerably.

[ldgtel]

I agree SIMONJ it should have a new name. I joined Feb 48 and I hadn't a clue what I wanted to be but a mate's brother was called up during the war as a telegraphist so I said telegraphist. Trained at Cookham Camp at Rochester Chatham. Ships: Royal Arthur, Bicester, Tamar, Cossack(Korea), Lossiemouth, Gorregan (coal burning trawler used as inshore minesweeping, then Dalswinton. Any one served in the 8th destroyer flotilla we have a great reunion at Scarborough and take over the Spa Centre.

[quakawoot]

i've never actually been in the royal navy but worked the last 5 years on and off in the oz navy (ffg frigates mainly)the money they get now compared to your day i think you"d join up again .if you go to the persian gulf the lowest rating gets nearly a 1000 $ aweek on top of is pay tax free .on a 6 month deployment its not bad money. on the subs even more money.and they can't get crew .6 subs 1 opperational 1 in dry dock and the other 4 none opperational .i think they run them on a 2thirds crew.

[arrodbo]

Quite a few posts from JOSSMAN who to all of us who knew him was Peter Swan,an ex Hillsborough lad who loved life and often spoke of his Navy days. Pete sadly died a couple of months ago..

[lady_angel]

my other half was in the royal navy then the sea cadets when he came to sheffield.took him years to tell me what the golden rivet was lololol

[Janner]

Left Central Tech. 1949, joined RN Oct 49 as Jnr Stoker, left in 1972 as Engineer lieutenent. Largest ship HMS VANGUARD (Battleship) , smallest HMS HECLA ( Oceangraphic Survey Ship) As a rating I was in Devonport Division.

[desmitch]

Originally Posted by Janner

Left Central Tech. 1949, joined RN Oct 49 as Jnr Stoker, left in 1972 as Engineer lieutenent. Largest ship HMS VANGUARD (Battleship) , smallest HMS HECLA ( Oceangraphic Survey Ship) As a rating I was in Devonport Division.

I also joined in '49 ( had a look round the Vanguard whilst in Pompey) Joined as a JEM (Chatam Division)and left in '57 as a PO Electrician. Spent most of my time in the Med, Ships destroyer, HMS's Chequers ( prince phillip was 1st lieut.) I was cinema operator during the Queens visits to him. Cruiser HMS Birmingham (again in the Med) we made two films on board, I was an extra in both. "The baby and the battleship" "& the battle of the river plate" Sub depot ship HMS tyne. again in the Med. Aircraft carrier. HMS Glory,just one trip out to the far east.and training establishments HMS's Royal Arthur, Collingwood & Defiance Ended time preparing HMS Pincher in troon (scotland) for readiness for reserve fleet, left navy and rejoined HMS Pincher as civvy electrician.. and thats it!

[JRSMITH]

To mrseggy,
Great to see Steve Ibbotson's name on here. i remember him as well as anyone could after nearly 38 years! I joined the Navy on the same day as him 24.10.72. My name is Jeremy Smith and I was in his class/group for a few months before finding out I was rubbish at reading morse code and sent back a class. If Steve is reading this it would be great to get back in touch after all these years. Oddly enough I am in touch with a few of the lads we joined up with. Names Steve may remember are Hayward, Nelson, Black, Harding and Mellows. I left the mob in 1977 as it wasn't for me. Haven't regretted it for one minute although I do enjoy the annual Ark Royal communications reunions more than I should do!

[harvey19]

I was in the army but spent 9 months at HMS Fulmar training to be a photographer at the joint services school. I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with the Fleet Air Arm there.

[Doppo]

I joined in May 1965 at Raliegh and then onto to Dryad for radar training. Drafted to HMS Brighton about May 1966, we were heading for the far east but were put on Biera patrol first running out of Mombasa, what a great run ashore that was!!! we then spent a the rest of the year around Singers, Hong Kong, Japan, Thialand etc it was a hard life, we also had to go too Aden Mad Mitch and all that, after our return we formed the first NATO squadron in Portland with abot 4/5 other nations and went on a tour of USA east coast, Britain and Norway oh I forgot Bermuda, San Juan and the Virgin Isles, I told you it was a hard life. I then got drafted into Hunter Killler subs in 1969 serving mainly on HMS Warspite and Swiftsure, I left in 1974 not bad for a Killamarsh lad.