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Dads Navy Days | A brief history | Documents (Page 1), (Page 2), (Page 3) | Maps (Page 1), (Page 2) | HMS Gambia - ship (1950), (1951), (1952) | Collision (Page 1), (Page 2) | HMS Gambia - crew (Page 1), (Page 2), (Page 3), (Page 4) | HMS Gambia - places (1950), (1951) | HMS Gambia - visitors | HMS Warrior - ship (1953), (Vietnam), (1954), (Equator), (Life), (More 1954) | HMS Warrior - crew | HMS Warrior - places (Page 1), (Page 2) | HMS Warrior - planes (Page 1), (Page 2), (Page 3) | Other ships (Page 1), (Page 2), (Page 3), (Page 4), (Page 5) | Before & After | ARA Independencia (Page 1), (Page 2), (Page 3), (Page 4), (Page 5), (Page 6) | Spithead '53 (Page 1), (Page 2) | HMS Chevron (Page 1), (Page 2) | HMS Liverpool | HMS Cook | Peanut Club | Other Sites
Some notes on these pages :
In March 2001 I received an email from Military.com . It appears that " Our editors have selected your site as one of the best military sites on the Web. Military.com recognizes your website as a valued resource for the military community. We salute you and your efforts. In appreciation, we would like to present you with our Distinguished Military Site Award."
When I was a child every now and again we (my sisters, brother and I) were allowed to look at our dads collection of photos taken whilst he was in the Royal Navy. He died on 13th July 1994 and the collection came to me. Looking through them now I realise that they are important documents, both in terms of what they show and what they stand for. They were important to dad in the fact that these are the only photos that he kept as a collection. Even photos of us, his children, are now scattered around the family or lost, but the 'Navy Days' pictures, several hundred of them, are still complete and in their original albums nearly 50 years after they were taken.
All of the photos cover the period he spent on HMS Gambia (1950 - 1952) and HMS Warrior (1953 - 1955). I've split them roughly into three for both ships :- the ships, his mates and other personalities and the places they visited. For HMS Warrior I've also included a section on the planes - some of the photos of which are truely amazing.
Apart from small notes in the albums none of the photos are documented or even dated. Where possible I've included some background information as to what is happening.
In November 2000, I received an email from Mr Tony Pearce who was one of the two meteorologists on board HMS Warrior during the Koean cruise. He supplied me some very useful information about the cruise and also told me of the two official photographers, Kingsley Jones and Norman Ford, who were also on board and took many of the photographs. I also received an email from Mr Carlos Rufino from Argentina, who gave me information and photographs of ARA Independencia.
In October 2001, I received an email from Mr Steven McAllister. His Grandad Alan "Striker" Goodwin served on HMS Gambia from 30th December 1949 to 29th September 1952. My thanks to Steven for permission to put the information and photographs he provided onto these pages.
In November 2001, I received an email from Mr Ray Holden, he served on HMS Liverpool and provided a picture of HMS Kenya as well as some very useful information. Ray also provided the information for the Spithead 1953 and HMS Chevron pages.
In January 2002, I received an email from Mr Des Johnson who had information regarding the sinking of the Breconshire. I also received an email from Mr Paul Stanley who kindly the supplied the photograph of the "Stirring of the Christmas Pudding" from 1955, and which can be found on the Gambia Crew pages.
I can't thank Mr Vic Flintham enough for naming the aircraft that appear on the HMS Warrior pages. Vic writes the Post-war Military Aviation site.
In January 2003, Mr Victor Driussi of Argentina sent me more photographs of ARA Independencia.
Dads Royal Navy Service :
Dad was born on 21st October 1930 and volunteered for 12 years service in the Royal Navy on 3rd February 1948, he was accepted for Special Service, whatever that was, and started training on 13th May.
In November 2001, Ray Holden very kindly sent a photograph of HMS Kenya (which appears on Other RN Ships ) and the following information :-
"If your father was Special Service then he signed for seven years with the Fleet and five years in the RNR always on immediate call. Duncan Sands the defence minister in about 1958 gave everyone in the RNR a voluntary discharge but placed them in another reserve the only difference was that we didn't get paid the princely sum of one shillings and sixpence a week which we got in RNR."
He also introduced me to the following site about the Royal Navy and WWII :- Kemble Kollection
From his Certificate of Service he trained on HMS Royal Arthur, Raleigh and Drake as a stoker, from there he went to HMS Wrangler as Stoker Mechanic in 1949, joining HMS Gambia in 1950 for two years. In 1953 he joined HMS Warrior, becoming an Engineering Mechanic. He also spent nearly a year, between his time on HMS Gambia and HMS Warrior, on HMS Orion, but I've got no information on this at all except that like HMS Gambia she was a cruiser.
His time was spent with the Mediterranean and Far Eastern Fleet, as a result he visited most of the Southern European nations, France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Sicily, Germany and Austria, the countries along the Adriatic coast - obviously not Yugoslavia (it was communist) but Greece, Crete and Malta. Through the Suez Canal to Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Around the Indian Ocean to Pakistan and India, Ceylon (Sri Lankra) and Thailand. Into the Pacific and the Sea of Japan for Hong Kong, Korea, Vietnam and Japan. He also took the long way around Africa, Crossing the Line on the way round the Cape.
He became a Royal Navy Swimming Instructor in 1951, got his first Good Conduct badge on 21st October 1952 and on 20th July 1955 received the UN Korea and Korean medals for his service there.
Although he signed up for twelve years, defence cuts meant his service was reduced and he was discharged from service on 21st October 1955 having spent very nearly 7 and a half years in the Royal Navy.
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