大象传媒

I joined the Royal Navy at HMS ST.Vincent at Gosport Hants on the 26th April 1937 when I was 15 years and 6 mths old. I was the last of a family of 11 children. There were 8 sons and 3 daughters. Father had been a Shepherd but had been crippled for several years. All my brothers except one had joined the RN and I was the last one to join. Between my brothers and I we managed to complete 107.5 years service in the RN. One of my brothers had completed 9 years service in the Army between WW1 and WWII and Joined the RN in Jan 1940 was killed at Portland 4th July 1940. This then made a total of 116.5 years service to the Country and the Crown, if you count the further 18 years served in the Admiralty Police. This makes a grand total of 131.5 years service.An impressive record for any family, I am doubtful if there is another family with such a record. Is there?

The race is not to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong,Neither yet bread to the wise,
Nor yet richess to men of understanding,
Nor yet favour to men of skills,
But time and chace happeneth to them all.

I shall be contributing the history of this family in greater detail later on.