大象传媒

MY LIFE MY WAR

By
Bernard Hallas

Chapter 12b - Back on board (Cont.)

I shall try to describe the famous 鈥淐utter Race鈥� as it was at the time.

We were anchored off the coast of Mombassa
The crew were painting ship鈥檚 side,
We were having a rest from 鈥淭he Aussie Run鈥�
And were anchored, Kilindini side.

For months we had been living with tension
And now we had nothing to do,
So the Commander ordered a cutter race
He said, 鈥淚t will be good for the crew鈥�.

So the Top men, Foc鈥檚le and Quarterdeck
Old ones and some in their teens,
Trained alongside the Signals and Stokers
And of course, the Marines.

For the Royal Marines it was blood and sweat
For they were always expected to win,
So every morning, while others slept
They were getting their training in.

Now there are two cutters on every ship
For racing and provisioning with stores,
The one for provisioning is built like a tank
The racer is light, with light oars.

The bye鈥檚 and ties were soon over
The final race is on,
The Foc鈥檚le and the Royal Marines
Will decide, which is the one.

In a three mile race, 鈥淭he Racer鈥�
Was better by five or six lengths,
But the heavy 鈥淧rovisioning Cutter鈥�
Would tax even Hercules strength.

On the day the Marines were unlucky
They had drawn the heavy boat,
And the Foc鈥檚le crew kept a fairly straight face
It was hard for them not to gloat.

Mombassa went quiet as the crews lined up
All tense at the starting gate,
The gun was fired we strained at the oars
To a well timed 鈥楾wenty Eight鈥�.

After two miles we were neck and neck
Our 鈥淭ank鈥� was holding it鈥檚 own,
But slowly, ever so slowly
The 鈥淩acer鈥� went forward alone.

On top of the Warspite鈥檚 turret
The Major could see his crew鈥檚 plight,
That the weight of the heaviest cutter
Was taxing even their might.

He changed the drum beat to 鈥淭hirty鈥�
The drummer increased the time,
And we in the boat strained our hearts out
To reach that finishing line

The 鈥淩acers鈥� crew were now hard put
Some extra strength to find,
And the Royal Marines just crossed the line
A bare half-length behind

Meanwhile the Resolution
Had timed the winning boat,
And knowing that their time was faster
Sat back with a bit of a gloat.

They sent a challenge with five hundred pounds
To race the Warspites boat,
And please 鈥淲ould the Warspite cover it鈥�
Said the rather demanding note.

The Captain asked the Foc鈥檚le crew
As the champions of the ship,
If they would take on the 鈥淩eso鈥�
And stop them from giving their 鈥楲ip鈥�.

The Foc鈥檚le crew thought long and hard
And then said as one man,
Sir, if we had had the 鈥淧rovisioning鈥� boat
We鈥檇 have been an 鈥榓lso ran鈥�

So please accept the Reso鈥檚 bet
And cover it note for note,
But let 鈥淭he Royals鈥� take up the glove
And give them 鈥淭he Racing Boat鈥�.

We will not give up the championship
But, for the honour of the ship,
Just this once we鈥檒l all stand down
And the 鈥淩oyals鈥� can make the trip.

So the day of the challenge came round at last
The crews lined up at the flag,
鈥淲e鈥檒l tan the arse off the Flagships boat鈥�
The Resolution started to brag.

But then they saw our colours
The yellow, green, red and blue,
鈥淲e鈥檙e not racing the Foc鈥檚le boat
It鈥檚 a bloody Bootnecks crew鈥�.

The gun fired, we all strained backwards
The beat was again Twenty-Eight,
It didn鈥檛 take half of the three-mile course
For the Reso鈥� to work out their fate.

Ten lengths ahead on the finishing line
The Reso鈥檚 crew truly beat,
And to rub it in, on the Warspite鈥檚 mast
We were flying 鈥淭he Cock of the Fleet鈥�.

They towed our boat back to the Warspite
To the Major containing his pride,
The Foc鈥檚le crew came and shook our hands
鈥淚t was nothing鈥� we said, 鈥淲e just tried鈥�.

That night we went to the Naval canteen
Each man had to stand a round,
And thirteen bottles is a hell of a load,
To keep your feet on the ground

Our rival Marines on the Reso鈥�
Just to join in the fun,
Invited us back to their Sergeants mess
To make a hole in their rum

We came back to the ship quite 鈥榣egless鈥�
All this because of a be
And not able to walk up the gangway
They hauled us aboard in a net.

The Officer of the Watch was astounded
鈥淢y God, what have we here,
A net full of drunken Royal Marines
It鈥檚 Commanders report, I fear鈥�.

But 鈥淭he Major鈥� brought down from the Wardroom Mess
Turned out really 鈥淭rue Blue鈥�,
He said 鈥淪crub out the charge and put them to bed
They鈥檙e my Racing Cutters Crew.

After all the excitement had died down, we were informed that we were losing the status of being the Flagship and that we were to proceed to Durban. We were delighted, not that we were losing the Flag, but that we would be spending some time in a very popular port. Most of the ship鈥檚 company had friends ashore from previous visits. We were to be given one week鈥檚 leave to each watch and free travel to where ever we chose to go. I chose to go to Eshowe the Capital of Zululand, it would give me the chance to see the lovely Joy Bishop. Joy was a white South African and the post mistress in Eshowe. She was the official Miss Zululand 1940 and was a really outstanding contender.

Mrs Poynton, with whom I had spent a previous week鈥檚 holiday, introduced Joy to me. One day after lunch, she asked me to go to the local post office and ask for seven postage stamps. I entered the small office and there was the Post Mistress. I was lost for words but eventually managed to say, 鈥淐ould I have seven stamps please?鈥� She gave me a gorgeous smile and said, 鈥淗ello, so you are the boy that is taking me to the dance tonight, Mrs Poynton told me on the phone that my escort would be coming in for seven stamps, I鈥檒l be ready about seven thirty.鈥� From that moment on, we became very good friends and all in all we spent a wonderful week.

Life could be very difficult in those dark days of the war. I was engaged to Ruth in England and Joy was engaged to a soldier in the South African army, who was a prisoner in North Africa. It may be very hard to believe, but we both honoured our commitments, well, nearly. Both Mrs Poynton and Joy Bishop sent food parcels to Ruth and her Mum and for a short time, they became pen pals.

The short stay in Eshowe in Zululand was very pleasant, but we were all keen to get home, myself in particular. I had planned this as a very special leave. I knew that both Ruth and I were in favour of getting married and in anticipation of the event, I had had my banns read out on three consecutive Sundays. I knew that there was a problem for Ruth and that she would have to get a special licence or an affidavit from the Bishop, but I also knew that she would cope with the situation. The journey home only took a few days and I had already given the Pilot of our swordfish airplane a telegram that he would send when he arrived in Glasgow. It was plain and to the point, It simply said, 鈥淎rriving home Friday, wedding Saturday, Love Bernard.鈥�

I later learned that she coped only too well. The affidavit was obtained, the Vicar cajoled into an emergency service, she bought her own wedding ring and made all the invitations and the one hundred and one things that go into the planning of a wedding. For my part I could do nothing but wait. After a few nights ashore in Greenock, Friday duly arrived and I was on my way. Arriving in Manchester, late afternoon, I found it was too warm and took off my overcoat. In transferring the contents of my pockets, I discovered that I had no wallet. Where or how I had no idea. I had spare cash in my pockets but I knew that I would need more. I had a policy with Sun Life of Canada and I had an account with a naval tailor, Cooper鈥檚 of Harwich, and I was able to contact them both and explain my dilemma.

They were both very helpful and forwarded me enough ready cash to see me through. But as yet I am still on my way to see my future wife, and I duly caught the bus to Crawshawbooth. Arriving at the house, once again I was almost knocked off my feet by that five foot three of loveliness, tears and all, but they were tears of happiness.

Uncle Fred came out to carry my kitbag, but was not prepared for the weight and almost dropped it. I had had no time to tell him that I had filled it with several seven pound tins of emergency rations from the lockers on the sea boats (I knew that they would be replenished before we went back to sea). Before I had really got settled down I was informed that, much as we both disliked the idea, we only had a few minutes together. It was due to the old fashioned idea that you did not stay in the same house as your intended bride and you did not see her until she arrived in church.

Uncle Fred to the rescue again, 鈥淐ome on lad, there鈥檚 a do laid on for us at the Calico Printers Club.鈥� And so there was, and it was an enjoyable evening, after which, I went back with Uncle Fred and slept in their spare room.

Pr-BR

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