大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Jenny Ford on behalf of Ivor Walter Chappell and had been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

I took part in a war, I was 18 years old! Not too worldly wise, a bit naive. I got called up, luckily I'd chosen the Navy, so the big boy's had sent me to Cambridge for a medical. I passed eight doctors A1 fit! I got called up to fight for my country in early March 1943, six weeks training in seamanship, passed out with flying colours. Six weeks in the wilds of North Wales, a place called Pwhelli, a pre-war Butlin's holiday camp, it became H.M.S. "Glendower" named I believe after a Welsh folk hero.

Then I was sent to Liverpool in the dock area to learn all about gunnery. One half of an elderly Victorian hospital became my next home for six more weeks. The name of this war time naval barracks was H.M.S. "Wellesley". Here we fired all kinds of guns, stripped them out, reassembled them, did aircraft recognition, many things!! I'm skipping a lot of things to eventually get to my main point, you'll see! So I passed out on gunnery with flying colours, at the end of this I became a war time rank of Acting Able Seaman, Seaman Gunner. With badges and certificates to prove it for what good that was!

Now a skilled man I transferred to a floating barracks called H.M.S. "Chrysantheum" on the river Thames at Blackfriars, London. One sunny evening, complete with kit, i.e. two filled kitbags, a rolled up hammock complete with lashings and a hand held attache case, not forgetting our big heavy overcoat! We (about 25 ratings) piled up into a naval lorry to be taken to (I think) King's Cross Railway Station. Here onto a train, through the night and arrived at Glasgow Central at about 6.30 a.m. on a cold and frosty morning. Breakfast in the local Y.M.C.A. Back to the station, onto a local train and came to a stop right alongside a quay onto a gigantic bay. Here there were various ships of war anchored, plys flying boats etc. right in the middle of all this, majestically stood a very large three funnel troop ship. This was my first introduction to a lovely lady of the seven seas named, "The Queen Mary".

After some waiting we went aboard a ferry and we were taken out to her. We climbed up a gangway at her side, looking up it took your breath away the massive size of her! Inside we were allocated our quarters, stowed our gear away, found the mess deck, two sittings, so many people of all ranks. On the starboard side she was, so it was said, carrying 1000 German P.o.W. so that was out of bounds to us. She was our home for six days, we did lookout duty on her stern in four hour watches. I actually liked it, my very first deep sea trip, of all things on the "Queen Mary", wonderful!

We did gun drill on the 6 inch anti submarine gun right on the stern. I used to lean right on the stern rail and look at the great white wake she'd leave as she zig zagged, each zig zag took a mile I was told, as she went along at 20 to 30 knots speed. Came the time we entered New York harbour. On the river Hudson we tied up alongside the French luxury liner, "The Normandy", another pre-war liner. U.S.A. here we come! The start of more adventures for my and many others. Farewell my never to be forgotten Queen.

So down onto American soil we went, one last look at this giant of the sea and now onto other things. Very many years later in peacetime, my wife and I were on holiday on the Isle of Wight, we were up on the cliffs strolling along and we'd sometimes stand and watch the beautiful looking cruise liner sailing out, all lit up, we'd hear music playing, lovely! As were passing by a 'pay as you view' telescope on the cliff top, a chap put a coin in and was looking at the ship down below us. He, a bit excited turned to me and said, "Have a look mate, you'll never see the likes of this ever again!" So I put the 'scope to my eye and there she was again after all these years! The old Q.M. on her last voyage, bound for retirement in U.S.A. The man said, "There; what do you think to that?" My mind went back quite a few years, I said, "She's a wonderful old Girl, she's done us proud." The sun was over the in the west, shining on her, lighting her up in all her glory; I stood there remembering my first trip on her all those years ago! I was so young, on the way to great adventures. A callow youth with a lot to learn and now looking at this grand old lady! Ah, you can't take away my memories!

As I watched, she slowly and steadily disappeared down the Solent on what was to be her last real deep sea voyage! But then on the cliff top lookiing at her! 1943 and me, I remembered. Farewell mighty Queen, out into the Atlantic to once more fight those rolling seas, to take on the might of Mother Nature one last time!

I can turn around today many years later and proudly say, "I once sailed on a great luxury liner, she was a magnificent ship called "The Queen Mary" once world famous! I have to admit it wasn't a cruise we were on at that time we had other things to occupy our minds. An 18 year old boy, thrown out into a man's world, but where better to start on a three year Naval career and now I can say I once sailed across the Atlantic in war time on "The Queen Mary". Plus, I was a gunner on the six inch gun on her stern, not too many people can say that! Although she carried thousands through the war, I'll never forget my first sea voyage on the old Q.M. now a long ago memory of when I was young!

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.