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As time went by, more and more of the buildings were completed and I was sent to a room with a Teleprinter in it. There was no further mention of a course and I had to learn to touch-type as best I could. Even the signalling procedures were a challenge because, very often, a single letter could represent a whole phrase. Some of the earlier messages must have been painfully slow.

We were working on secure land-lines and most of the messages and reports were secret at that time. Even things like weather forecasts could give the Germans an indication of future likely targets and intentions. Reports could tell him how successful his raids had been and in any case much was completely forgotten as soon as I came off watch so will concentrate, mainly on off duty memories.

More men were moving into the camp and then we had our first aircraft - Gloucester Gladiators and Grumman Martlets. The Gloucester Gladiators were bi-plane aircraft similar to First War machines. I wouldn't have fancied their chances against German ME109's or FW190's fighter planes.

Before the war the Navy had the bulk of any available funds, mainly to build battleships. It is sobering to think that if there had been a build-up of the RAF in mid 1930's it is probable that large numbers of Gloucester Gladiators would have been built, these would have been useless against the wartime German fighters. There appears to have been a certain amount of inter service jealousy and there seems to have been a concerted effort on the part of the Army and the Navy to keep down the size of the RAF, probably in the hope that one or the other would take over the RAF or split the service between them.

Back to Skeabrae, numbers of men had built up to around a thousand and rumour suggested we were to have a concert. Some said that Gracie Fields was coming to sing to us and there was an air of great anticipation. Came the night we lined up about six deep, several hundred yards long, waiting to go into the Airman's Mess Hall. After we were all seated the padre came on the stage and announced we were going to have a marvellous show because we would do it ourselves. There was no piano, no microphones, no curtains, no scenery, nothing at all to help. The Padre called for volunteers and a young airman went on the stage to sing. Half way through, realising very few people could hear him, he walked off.

Padre came back and asked for more volaunteers, with no response, until the miserable blighters from my hut started calling "We want Jack Farmer." Soon a thousand voices were calling and I just wanted to fall through the floor. On the stage I sang a 'then' popular song, called "Arm in arm together" and, second time round they joined in, front row, second row building up to a crescendo - it was quite an experience. Whilst singing, a number of men left the hall and I thought it can't be that bad, they can't even hear me! Shortly they came back carrying a variety of musical instruments and the concert got going.

During the time off duty there was little to do. One day I hitch-hiked into Kirkwall and went to the quay. Some soldiers were walking onto a ferry so thought I would join them. We went out into the Scapa Flow and pulled up alongside the Battleship -The
Prince of Wales. They climbed up a rope ladder and went aboard and being the only passenger left, I decided to climb and join them. A sailor examined my Identity card but made no comment.

It was a fantastic experience, the soldiers went on a conducted tour and I wandered round, joining them from time to time. The Battleship must have been launched a few months earlier. She was graceful, impressive, majestic, later I found that around one third of her 35,000 ton displacement consisted of stout amour-plating. She carried ten 14 inch guns in two four gun turrets, fore and aft, and a two gun turret above the forward main turret.

Thinking about it later, it occurred to me that the soldiers were located in small groups at very isolated Anti-Aircraft sites. There may have been some concern about mental instability and they were giving the soldiers a break. The sailors probably thought I was a 'nutter' and better to humour me!

The 'Prince of Wales' never had a proper 'shakedown' cruise and she still had civilians aboard when she fought her first battle against the 'Bismark'. Mechanical problems put several of the 'Prince of Wales' big guns out of action and she had to withdraw. Almost before she was battle worthy again she took Churchill across the Atlantic and she became known as 'Churchill's yacht'. She lost the opportunity for a proper working-up and never regained it.

The 'Prince of Wales' and the 'Repulse' went to the Far East in October 1941 and were sunk with the loss of many hundreds of men. This was just before the surrender of Singapore. There were only a few British aircraft there - Brewster Buffaloes - which were no match for the modern Japanese aircraft (The Zero's). Fifty Hurricanes had been unloaded onto the dock area but were still in their crates. Japan seemed to have large numbers of Zero aircraft and it seems to have been extreme folly to send warships to the war zone without adequate air protection. The news of the sinking of the 'Prince of Wales' was the most shocking news in the life of Winston Churchill and observers said it was the end of gun-boat diplomacy, where the use of armed vessels was enough to bring the 'natives' to heel.

At the beginning of 1941, I was granted fourteen days leave with a total of four days allowed for travelling from and to the Islands. Whilst home I learned that my brother, John, would be coming home on leave as well. John joined the Army early in 1940 and went into the Sherwood Foresters Regiment. We kept in touch with home but not with each other. It was good to see him again. Seeing John meant I was two days late leaving home for camp. By the time I got to the Orkneys I was seven days late and had to appear before the Station Commander for punishment to be awarded.

In years to come I was to learn that, on February 15, 1942, my brother, John, had been taken prisoner-of-war by the Japanes and will write more about him later.

Back to the Orkneys, due to Influenza, I was sent to the Toc H Convalescent Home on the Island for eight days in March 1941, We had a wind-up gramophone with only one record - Bing Crosby and Connie Boswell singing 'Basin Street blues'. Heard it so many times thought I would never want to hear it again but got to like it! Can remember we went for rabbits by digging along their runs until we caught up with them. They made a useful addition to our diet.

It would be difficult to describe the Islands, our camp was a hive of activity, but outside the bleakness was in total and absolute contrast to London or Blackpool. On the other hand there was a peace there that even war could not dispel. One day I walked to the Atlantic coast and was inspired to write as follows:

THE POWER AND THE GLORY.
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I stood high on the rugged coast and watched the angry waves pounding the rocks made smooth by the action of the sea, over very many centuries.

In a small depression I saw a crystal clear pool of water guarding an exquisitely coloured flower. Taking the flower from the water it immediately collapsed into a mere thread. Feeling remorse at this act of vandalism, I replaced the flower in the pool and it opened to it's former glory. It was an oasis of tranquility, a glorious peace and restfullness.

The rocks were stubbornly resisting the thunderous, powerful onslaught of the water, without success in places,for in former years, the sea had invaded crevices, created riverlets and had pounded the rocks into grotesque shapes and formations.

Standing there I marvelled at the immense power and energy in the blending of blue, green, grey and white of the tumultuous water. Suddenly, an extra large wave soaked me. The Ocean demanded my departure and I obeyed her command.

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