大象传媒

I was at school when war broke out and, having achieved a scrape 鈥� through school certificate, my thoughts turned towards joining up. In the meantime, the job of ARP messenger had to service as war service but although we were only a comparatively short distance from Coventry we saw little action in Warwick.

At seventeen it became possible to volunteer for the Royal Navy under the 鈥榊鈥� scheme. A notice to report for a medical arrived and I duly reported at Sibres Hall, Coventry, where a team of six doctors checked our hearts while others our lungs, eyesight and hearing etc鈥� It was while I was at the 鈥榟earing鈥� section when the doctor walked behind me and in a low voice, whispered; 鈥淗ow old did you say you were?鈥�. Feeling very conscious that I did not look my age I blurted out 鈥淚 am seventeen and have my birth certificate to prove it鈥�. Steady on old chap鈥� was his response 鈥淚 am only checking hearing and yours is certainly very good.鈥�

Only a short time later I received my call up papers and with only a few fast to go before the date given for me to report at HMS Royal Arther, otherwise Butlins Holiday Camp, Skegness, I went to the cinema to see an 鈥楢鈥� film. The cashier looked at me and refused to take my money on the grounds that she thought I was under sixteen! Why did I have to leave my call-up papers at home?

The fateful day soon arrived and, after travelling in four trains, I eventually turned out of my compartment at Skegness to be met by a petty officer shouting, 鈥淵ou new lot, fall in over there3 鈥榝ree fick鈥欌�� at once proving that he was a cockney. The 鈥榊鈥� scheme had been designed to select chaps for a commission and, inside what had once been a luxury holiday camp, we fell in once more to be addressed by a lieutenant. 鈥淎t this stage of the war, all those who intend signing on fall in on my right and those who wish to remain 鈥楬ostilities Only鈥� fall in on my left. The result was that, to a man, we fell in on his left. The bombshell then fell as he told us that as 鈥楬.O鈥� ratings we would not progress even to training to be officers. As we all had school certificates it was announced that after basic training, we would be sent to the Isle of Mann for Radar Training.

At HMS Valkfire, the radar establishment in Douglas, Isle of Man, we had two weeks of intense theory of radar at the end of which we had written examinations lasting a whole day. Being in uniform there was never any question of my age being questioned and I soon began to take advantage of this in the local pubs, including the evening before the exams when I had a 鈥榮kinful鈥�. Feeling very light headed, I set about the exam papers and, in due course, handed in my effort.

Following the written exams we were then marched to Douglas Head each day for practical radar training while still awaiting the results of the exams and then, after about a week, my name was called out to report to the training commander. 鈥業鈥檝e blown it鈥�, were my thoughts as it was only to be expected because of my physics master at school had always treated me as a complete dim-wit. 鈥淩emarkable鈥� he said, looking at his papers, 鈥淵ou have achieved the highest mark recorded here: 99 per cent. You will now have a chance to take up a radar mechanics course, which will entail going to a technical college for a year as a civilian.鈥� 鈥淏ut I joined the Navy because I wanted to go to sea鈥� was my reply. My first bad mistake.

A decision had to be taken as to whether we wished to continue in Radar as Plot ratings or Radar control ratings and this was my second bad mistake in one week as I selected the later: Gunnery Control. The result was that the potential radar Control rations were sent to the Devenport Gunnery School where, as a starter, we were sent to a place called Irewol Rifle range on the Cornwall side of the Hamoage, there we were trained in small arms of all descriptions but, everyday, we had to complete an assault course and undergo unarmed combat training . My mistake became apparent because when a ship is alongside the enemy or is close in short, the Radar Control people are supernumerary and become the boarding party or landing party.

At the end of this part of the course we were taken back by launch to the barracks for the main gunnery training and, seeing a new frigate lying in midstream as we passed on our way back up the Hamoage, I noticed the ships name: HMS Porlock Bay. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the type of ship I want to serve in鈥� were my thoughts 鈥渘ot too big or too small鈥�. By the strangest quirk of fate, when our time came to be allocated to ships and we reported to the DFDO 1 (the detail for drafting office), I was told to report to none other that HMS Portlock Bay. Of all the hundreds of ships around at the time the one that I hade already 鈥榮elected鈥� for myself turned out to be my next home.

I am completing a book about my experience in 鈥減ortlock bay鈥� but, after five years in the writing it is still not complete as, some fifteen years ago, I contacted as many of my old shipmates as possible and formed the HMS Portlock Bay Association of which I am currently Chairman. It is therefore a continuing story.

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Jim Salveson from the CSV Action Desk on behalf of Roger Smith and has been added to the site with his / her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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