HomeRNA 10 Area. Dave Tollerton - Area Chairman.
I joined the RN in February 1961 as a Junior Mechanical
Engineer, and did my basic training at HMS Raleigh. I really wanted to be a
cook but the Navy in its wisdom thought I’d make a better stoker than a chef. I
was glad that I stayed in the Engine room branch, because I soon realised that
this was THE elite branch of the service. (Anyone can cook egg & chips, but
not many can turn seawater into fresh or make blocks of ice when east of Suez.
A great form of currency)
I joined the Ark Royal as a junior stoker in 1961; my first part of ship was arrester gear with the flight deck engineering dept. this was a tough introduction,’ watch on – watch off when flying (6 hours per watch) After six months I joined ‘B’ Unit, Boiler Room/engine room/gear room/Distilling plant (Evaps)/diesel and gas turbines. I stayed there for the next 2 years and loved every minute.
Off to the Far East in March 1962
until December then back again in ’63 for a similar period. While the Ark was having a refit in 1964, I spent the next 12 months in Guz where I
was double-bottoms party, salt water/fresh water tanky, and oil fuel tanky and
occasional diesel and avfuel tanky for the aircraft.
This was a great job change, as we had a good crew and our own mess. On leaving the Ark, I was horrified to learn that I had been drafted to HMS Dolphin. For part one of submarine training. Now at this time you had to have 3 years very good character and conduct assessment, but a little incident with a overturned van in West Bromwich, ending with a charge and conviction for careless driving and driving with a provisional licence, meant my character/assessment was downgraded to just good, so I was returned to general service, a happier if not wiser man!
By a twist of fate, my next ship
was HMS Tyne (’66) a submarine
depot ship. I loved the work; changing cylinder heads and grinding valves in
setting injector pressures and putting it all back together again.
I was passed over for my hook because of the van escapade, so now I
always hope that West Brom get beat.
In February 1968, the Eagle came out of refit, and after 5 years on the Ark, I decided to volunteer for her crew, so in March 1968 I joined her, but of course there is always a down side, I was to join the flight deck crew on the bow cat. I enjoyed this a lot better, second time around, running the steam accumulator room for the bow cat as I was left alone. The high light of the Eagle was the trip to the USA, and coming back into Liverpool, there is nothing like sailing up your own river and seeing your city welcoming you.
After the Eagle, and again passed over for my hook, I was drafted to Faslane and HMS Neptune in September 1970. I worked in the Technical Information Centre, special duties, which meant lots of hours in, but also lots of time off. Lt Cdr dragged me through for my hook, in a vain attempt to get me to sign on, I was tempted but by now I’d had enough, so left Neptune and got demobbed in September 1971, 18 months on reserve and that was me finished.
Sometimes I wish I had stayed in and made PO, but knowing me I could have lost everything as quickly as I got it, the s*** was never far from me.