大象传媒

This contribution is taken from the archives of the McLean Museum, Greenock, Inverclyde Council

Mr Munro

Skegness, bathed in wintry sunshine, looked good, smelled great that March morning 1941, the squalling gulls adding to the din, as men turned boys, milled around as elderly P.O.s vainly trying to be heard, finally maintains order, conducts us into buses, the drive along the sea front, on our left the grey blue sea, shimmering and sparkling, now buildings appear to our right the main gates, past the sentries, the white ensign proudly flying above, this then is HMS Royal Arthur, into another world.
Into this new life come others, English, Welsh, a few Irish, intermingling boisterous ones, quiet ones, making friends in a stranger鈥檚 sea of faces. HMS Royal Arthur, in fact our old friend of earlier days, Butlins holiday camp, has seen better days, the gay colours have gone, grey meets the eye, duck boards cover the mud 鈥榯ween the rows of chalets. Firstly the routine, the grouping in to classes, allocated to ours, Ginger a three badge leading-seaman, did he hope to make us sailors, if ever a man suffered, certainly earning his money.
Mess, chalet, blankets drawn, marched here, double there, Official Number in brand new pay book, now that鈥檚 something, Doctor, Dentist, Naval Stores, the final articles, us, the misfits.
Now bothered and bewildered, firstly the M.O., his inoculations plus bitter cold weather, not forgetting the chalets, remember they were holiday huts, you could bloody near crawl through the gaps in the doors, beds boarded down the middle.
Warned under dire threats not to remove boards, I wonder why? Boards removed, willing to chance anything, four blankets between two shivering mortals only results unable to remove jumpers, then back to normal.
Easy to see why left arm receives punishment, it鈥檚 carry on regardless, salute, be safe, salute everything that moves, flutters.
Messing in Kent House, a big spacious dining hall, heartbreak house more apt to us ravenous mortals, good food but never enough. Come, watch it, we鈥檝e finished dessert, all eyes glued on one object. Suddenly the swing doors open, and the bravest man I鈥檝e seen shouts 鈥淎ny extras鈥� holding his tray out. Its special today, slab duff, whoever wins the resultant stampede, and shares his lump, a hero, a friend for life. Another calamity at this time, the air raids, oh no, not the death roll, nothing so simple as that. The order under threats, that ratings doubled smartly to the shelters whenever sirens went, leaving their dinner behind. Probably the all clear sounded in minutes, enough time for someone to scoff your pudding, preferring shot than starved to death.
Never fitter before, doing seven mile runs, PT, football, boat drill, rifle drill, gradually taking shape, looking the part. Only Ginger worried us now, we gave our best but alas not enough to stop the grey hairs, you see its this form fours, ach you know the routine, well it didn鈥檛 work for us. Something like this 鈥�
Ginger 鈥淣umbers鈥�
Us 鈥� One, two, three, four, six鈥�
Ginger louder 鈥淣umbers鈥�
Us 鈥淥ne, two, three, four, five, six, eight鈥�
Ginger(getting redder) Numbers
Us Third time lucky
From there the same old routine, two men stepping back where there鈥檚 only space for one, oh we varied it, everybody seemed to take turns. The Navy stepped in, saving Gingers sanity just in time, about then they changed to columns of three.
Each morning, six thirty prompt, wakey wakey, rise and shine, the P.O.s voice thundering everybody awake, his big stick banging doors, the noise rising and falling round the rows of huts. Another day, dress, hot cocoa in the mess, 鈥渢hey say it鈥檚 doped鈥� this the stuff sprinters are made of. Detailed sweeping up, fall out, back to hut, wash, shave, sweep hut, make beds(fold blankets regulation manner, or else), time for breakfast, bangers and red lead, always plenty bread anyway.

Divisions

Standing about shivering, the wind belting through us, look there, these officers, greatcoats, gloves, all right for some. What鈥檚 this he鈥檚 at poor Tubby, everybody(at least among us) know Tubby鈥檚 not well, coughing, spitting blood since he came. Have you doctor鈥檚 permission to wear that scarf?
No Sir.
Take it off.
The scarf unwinds, finally to reveal Tubbys comfort, a long football stocking.

Sunday Divisions, its pomp and ceremony, the big occasion, proudly each division parades, every man jack, striving for perfection, the band leading, loud and clear, each rank鈥檚 commanded eyes right, the Captain taking the salute, his ramrod figure etched into minds forever.
Our allotted time soon to expire at HMS Royal Arthur, arrangements made for farewell dinner at hotel, made Ginger guest of honour, presented him with small gift for tireless effort on our behalf. Address from Captain, pleased with progress, words of warning and wisdom, on draft next day.
Germany claimed twice having sunk HMS Royal Arthur. During bad floods in England, one newspaper printed a picture of Butlin鈥檚 camp Skegness with these words 鈥� 鈥淪unk at Last鈥�

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