Born in London just before the war (WWII), my earliest recollection of the Navy was the Path News Bulletins of the war.  My Uncle Bill, whom I had only met a few times, lived in Portsmouth told my father of his sea experiences who in turn related them to us kids (seven of us) in the air raid shelters.  I guess that's what prompted me a couple of years later to join the sea cadet unit T.S. Thunderer in London: I was 12. 

One of the big highlights of my sea cadet time was a summer spent on the battleship HMS NIGERIA in Rosyth, Scotland.  Scrubbing the wooden decks and polishing brass was the first order of the Day, 05:00 to be exact.  It was an experience I would never forget, it was then I decided the Navy was for me.  School in those days in London was very different, very much like the film "To Sir With Love" and the school leaving age was 14 to 15 years old depending on your birth date. 

I hated school and preferred to be a barrow-boy selling green grocery around London and hanging around "Rathbone Street" and "Petticoat Lane."  My birthday is in January so I left school at 14, I could not join the Navy till 15 so I had a summer and some of winter to hang around London as a Barrow Boy and work delivering parcels in London sitting on the back of a British Railway lorry.
 
 

I joined the boys training establishment "H.M.S. Ganges" as a Boy Seaman 2nd Class in March 1954 two months after my 15th Birthday.  The enormity of the total establishment and treatment as a Boy was beyond my imagination and I hated it!  Chief Petty Officers were very intimidating as were "Laundry Hill," the "Mast" and the morning "short arm inspections."  But like every thing else one got used to it and joining the Bugle Band was a great relief from the class room and outdoor activities.  There are many stories of my year in "Ganges" but I ended up enjoying it and even received numerous awards for my seamanship knowledge.  The real test of that knowledge was my first sea draft, a Daring class  destroyer H.M.S. DELIGHT.

 In June 1955 we said goodbye to Ganges and we were herded on a double decker bus to Ipswich station bound for Victoria Station London.  At the station we reported to the R.P.O. for our train tickets to continue on to our respective destinations, mine being Chatham in Kent.  On arrival in Chatham Dockyard the ship's company, including us Boy Seaman, lined the dockside with our kit bags ready to march on board the newly re-commissioned HMS DELIGHT, ready to do workups and sail for the Mediterranean for a nine month tour.  The Captain was Captain Torrence-Spence, a Naval Aviator, who led the torpedo attack on the BISMARCK; so of course us Boy seaman idolized him.  On completion of workups, prior to going to the Med., we were tasked to escort the Royal Yacht BRITANNIA to Stockholm, Sweden, for the Queen's royal visit.
 

HMS Delight

 HMS Vernon my first time of being treated like a man "Ordinary Seaman Wyss."  What a difference!  I could actually go ashore all night if I wanted to, not have a chief looking after me at all times and not be in by bunk by 19:00 every night.  The highlight of my first draft to Vernon was the opening of "GREASY" block.  We all had to parade outside and await the inspecting officer, to my surprise it was Admiral Greasy himself.  The Admiral was dressed in a Cornet hat and the 1900 century Admirals dress uniform with big bush sideburns; what a sight and he even spoke to me. On completion of my Underwater Weapons 3 (UW3) course I was drafted to HMS Dolphin, the submarine school across the harbour. 

I have always been fascinated by submarines and while on DELIGHT, us boys were given papers to give our preferences for future drafts, so I wrote submarines.  Much to my surprise, on completion of my UW course, I was drafted to HMS Dolphin for submarine training.  My service number was changed from "C" to "P."  I was now a Portsmouth rating opposed to a Chatham rating.  May 1956, I reported to Dolphin for Submarine training in the annex affectionately known as Dolphin two.  Nissen huts were the classrooms with a coal stove to keep us warm, it was a good time but I dreaded the escape training part.  Every submariner knows the Dolphin 100 ft tank.  I must admit my fears were unfounded, as when it was our classes turn for escape training I did enjoy it. 

My first draft was spare crew in Dolphin.  Almost immediately I got a pier head jump to HMS/M TRUNCHEON, a rivet hull WWII, boat for three weeks Portland running.  I was Tanky. On completion of the trip I was posted as a UW to HMS/M AMBUSH refitting in Chatham my old home port.  As an Able Seaman forendy, AMBUSH was heaven compared to the last boat I was on.  AMBUSH, was nearing completion, getting converted with a fin and a bigger snort mast.  Much to my surprise, she was going to Canada to rejoin the 6th Submarine Squadron in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
 
 

"T" Class

 Once again I arrived in HMS Vernon (1960) to qualify UW2.  This time it was quite uneventful and I sailed right through.  The course offered an additional qualification of an armorer and was to be done in HMS Raleigh, so for an additional couple of months I qualified as a Weapons Armorer then back to Dolphin.

 I was drafted to HMS Dolphin, Fort Blockhouse as a Main Gate Sentry and this was quite a good employment but short lived.  I was given a pier head jump to HMS/M FINWHALE, a new class (Porpoise) I believe, the second built from Liverpool.  FINWHALE was straight out of maker's trials and work ups so she was fully operational when I joined her.  The highlight of the commission was a trip under the ice cap toward the north pole. 

This trip was to test a number of items and equipment that were to be used in Britain's first nuclear submarine HMS/M DREADNOUGHT.  FINWHALE was fitted with the SINS, new periscope heaters, sleeping bags of all types and a reinforced fin.  HMS/M AMPHIAN was the safety boat and stood by at the ice edge exploding 1 lb. scare charges so we knew where the ice edge was while we submerged; it was a great trip.  Shortly after the ice trip we were once again required to do a long trip, this trip proved to be one of the most interesting in my submarine career.
 
 

"A" Class

I did not finish the commission on the FINWHALE because I got promoted to Acting Petty officer.  Consequently, I was drafted back to Blockhouse as Pier Head P/O.  Once again this did not last long.  I was drafted to HMS/M RORQUAL in Rosyth Dockyard.  She was refitting and destined for Singapore.  I reported to RORQUAL in Rosyth in Rosyth dockyard summer 1962, she was halfway through her refit alongside HMS/M ODIN who was just starting hers.  As a POUW2(A) I was 2nd senior in the forends.  This turned out to be one of my biggest challenges as the senior forendmans (TI) was a LSUW1, senior in trade junior in rank to me. 

Needless to say as the months rolled on we had several clashes resulting in me being posted to ODIN who had a CPOUW1.  RORQUAL finished her refit, successfully completed her workups and sailed for the Far East.  Unfortunately, on that trip she had an oil fuel separator explode killing and injuring a number of the stokers and was stuck in Africa for some time.  On ODIN I was happy and instead of working in the Forends, I was the refit cox'n.  In 1964 I was once again drafted to Vernon to qualify UW1.
 
 

Being vittled in the PO's mess in Vernon was a new experience, the luxury differed from the hands' mess which I was so accustomed to on previous courses.  The three's course was uneventful and on completion drafted back to Fort Blockhouse Pier Head P.O.  Once again this did not last long, as I was posted to a new "O" boat just out of Birkenhead HMS/M OPPORTUNE. In 1965 I joined the OPPORTUNE as the T.I.  She had several Canadian Navy exchange personnel, some whom I had met in other drafts and my exchange in Canada.

 The XO and Ops O were Canadian Navy, as were a couple of stokers.  I had a great time on OPPORTUNE visiting many foreign ports and of course many a story.  While on OPPORTUNE a new DCI was released that allowed RN personnel who were married to a commonwealth citizen could get a free discharge from the RN as long as they enroll in the Navy of the country of their spouse.  I therefore qualified to join the Canadian Navy.
 
 

"P" Class

I was bussed to CFB Downsview where I was given a battery of tests and I never knew what they were for or if I passed.  On completion, I was sent by train to Halifax, Nova Scotia for a WU three's course.  I arrived in Halifax and was billeted in "A" Block.  That was quite an experience in itself.  I was sent to the cell block to be employed as Stadacona working party.  That year the fleet was being reviewed which included a number of foreign ships and they all were at buoys in the harbour.  Because I was waiting for the course, I was seconded to drive a staff car for the Captain of the Swedish ship HALLAND, it was quite uneventful.

 In May 1967 I reported to the weapons' division to start my real Canadian Navy time.  The course was different to what I was used to and quite difficult, as some of the equipment was unfamiliar to me, such as the Mortar MK 10, VDS and 21B12.  Fortunately, there were a couple of submariners, and my next door neighbour on the course, who were a great help to me and I got through it surprisingly well.  On completion of the course, I was posted to HMCS ANNAPOLIS (one of those ships that could submerge during a nuclear attack).  However, before I finished the course, I was sent for by the Commander of the 1st Canadian Submarine Squadron, Cdr Ed. Gigg. 

Apparently the Captain of the Canadian Submarine OKANAGAN building in Chatham, Kent, England had asked Cdr Gigg to see me, to find out if I wanted to return to Submarines as his TI.  The Captain was my old XO of OPPORTUNE along with the OPS O.  When my three's course finished, I was back to UK to my old port division, Chatham Kent. 

Late in 1967, I arrived back in Chatham to join my first Canadian sea posting HMCS/M OKANAGAN.  It was like old home week.  The Captain, the XO, and an old friend who had been on AMBUSH in Canada with me the Coxn.  Also who joined was one of the submariners who was on my three's course, there was a bit of a conflict but it was soon resolved and I settled in as the TI to oversee the building and trials of the Forends and Fire Control Systems. 

The building of OKANAGAN was one of the best times of my life in any Navy, combined with a great crew, living in a pub (Heaven) and close to London my home town.  Workups were great and our final goodbyes in Chatham will always be remembered.  That evening we sailed on the tide to transit passage to join the 1st Canadian Submarine Squadron in Halifax. , Nova Scotia.

 We arrived in Halifax, the third and final Canadian Submarine, amongst the reception committee all the way from British Colombia, was the Chief of the Okanagan tribe who blessed the submarine and saved us from the OGO POGO.  It was a memorable experience my time on OKANAGAN. 

One such experience was while we were on exercise Maple Spring in the Caribbean.  We were at a jetty in Puerto Rico and as always were staying in a hotel.  I was showing off my diving skills diving in the pool from the bottom board.  I hit the water at a funny angle and dislocated by shoulder.  Puerto Rico is not the place to injure yourself and have to go to a hospital.  The MA on board grabbed a taxi and took me to a local hospital, it was not one of those posh ones you see in the soaps, we had to wait in the corridors on a gurney till it was my time to see a Doc (approximately 6 hours). The MA decided that was too long so he boldly declared he was a doctor and insisted he wanted to operate on me right away.  I was really scared at the prospect of the MA going to butcher me up.  Fortunately for me the local doc would not hear of a visiting Naval Doctor work in his hospital and insisted that he would do it himself.  Thank God.  We finally returned to the hotel with my arm all strapped and immobile.

 The MA wanted to send me back to Halifax, but the CO would not hear of it, so, I was destined to sail with one wing.  Not so, the CPO's mess did not want me on board, they figured I would be a liability, so they pooled together and bought me an airplane ticket back home.  My arm dislocated several time's after that, each time at sea giving the CERA several challenges, I stayed with OKANAGAN for a further 9 years and was promoted twice and became the Coxn.  It was a sad day when I finally had to leave OKANAGAN to become the Squadron Cox'n behind my old friend from AMBUSH.
 
 

Canadian "O" Class

As a Cox'n, people tend to look up to you, especially young Ordinary Seaman, and hang on your every word.  A young OD straight from Stadacona was sent down to report to me for work while he was waiting for a submarine course.  I was very busy at the time organizing Admirals rounds and I sent the lad home and told him to leave his phone number and I would phone him when to report back to me.  Admiral's rounds were completed and we received a BZ. 

About two months later I received a call from the Stadacona pay office that a certain OD had not been in to get his pay.  Well, I guess I must have turned a dozen colours when I realized it was the lad I had sent away.  I dug out the phone number and phoned him.  The number was an Ontario number and his mother answered the phone, she informed me that he was at work!!!! So I had her tell him to phone me when he returned.  The real hard job was to tell the Commander of my big blunder.  The Commander was, I suspect, very amused but outwardly showed his disapproval.  The lad did phone and returned to the squadron for his pay and the submarine course.  The commander reminded me of that story years later as I had conveniently forgotten it.  Other than the above story I enjoyed my posting and on completion I was posted to NDHQ as career manager.

Beaver Barracks was a depressing place to live but not far from where we were working the Ivory Towers.  An NDHQ Career Manager can be intimidating or rewarding but I found it quite rewarding.  I loved the people I was working with both the higher ranks and my fellow Chiefs.  We had a great in and out of office comradeship which we all enjoyed and I still maintain contact with them all.  After two years the Colonel decided I should become an Officer so nominated me for the CFR program.  After what seemed to be a short period of time, I changed the Chiefs Rank insignia to two gold stripes and posted to Esquimalt NOTC.

 My year in training was not without incident I found the training quite hard and difficult to concentrate as I was with a very young boisterous group.  I did not like being treated, one again as a boy seaman.  I requested to be reverted back to Chief and go back to my comfort zone submarines.  This of course was denied by the Captain Sea Training, who made me an offer that would make me more comfortable and asked me to continue the training.  This offer was reasonable and stood me in good stead for the rest of the training. 

For the MARS Phase IV, I was posted to HMCS YUKON, (one of those ships that
submerges) I was really looking forward to seeing the YUKON practice a Nuclear Attack.  It did not take me long to realize it was all a myth, what a let down.  The rest of the training on YUKON was done in New Zealand and Australia.  It was particularly significant to me as it gave me an opportunity to visit my brother who had emigrated to Australia shortly after I joined the RN.  On completion of the training I was once again posted back to the Submarine Squadron as the Submarine Personnel and Training Officer.  My two years in the Squadron were very  memorable especially if you have a great Submarine Commander. 

But as always, a good thing always comes to an end and I was posted to Regina, Sask.
 In July 1984, my first introduction to the Naval Reserves, HMCS Queen as Staff Officer Administration and Training (SOAT) a funny title for a submariner in the middle of the prairies.  There was not a lot to do when I first arrived at Queen as the reserves were away on summer training.  The winter was a different story, COLD!! But lots to do in the unit. 

When asked about Saskatchewan I always describe it as "Living in an oven in the summer and in winter, living in a deep freezer."  It was the first time after my MARS training that I was able to go to sea as bridge watch keeper and I was pleasantly surprised on how much I had remembered.  I gained a lot of respect for reserves and enjoyed the posting and saw a lot of Canada I would not normally have seen, but, I was itching to get back to the real world of submarines.  My three years were up and I was posted back to Ottawa in the Nuclear Submarine Program.

 I was ecstatic to be working again with submariners, most of them I had known for years and looked forward to working with them again.  The Canadian Submarine Acquisition Program (CASAP) was a daring program to acquire a small fleet of Nuclear Submarines to replace the "O" boats.  My official title in that program was the Infrastructure, Environmental and Training Officer.  Unfortunately the government cancelled the program, so I never put into practice the various coursed I had taken.  Back to the Submarine Squadron I hoped for - "NOT"- 12 Wing Trenton an Air force Base.

 CFB Trenton, Canadian Forces Training System, I had never heard of it.  The career manager told me the posting was like a career manager managing people and it was only for two years!  The real truth was to establish a validation cell.  I did the preparation work to set things in motion to establish a validation cell.  I was in the process of sending out questionnaires when I had a job change.  In the wisdom of the Commodore, I was given to another directorate who looked after Language, Leadership and Recruit Training.  My particular job was the Staff Officer for the Officers' development school in St. Jean, Senior Leadership school in Borden and all the Junior Leadership schools in the Forces.  This was a very challenging job and I started to enjoy it but was looking forward to my final posting (Hopefully back to the Navy.)  When my two years were up and I phoned the career manager to see when and where I would be going for my final posting, he informed me that I would be staying where I am.

January 1994, after 40 years I walked out of CFB Trenton as a civilian.  It was a big disappointment.  I would have liked to have spent my final year in a naval environment (submarines) to say my good bye's to my naval friends who I had spent most of my career with.  Instead, I attended the annual CFB Trenton CFTS farewell dinner with 10 Air Force retiree's, it was nice but not the same.  I have very little regrets in joining the navy, HMS DELIGHT my first sea draft was the only ship I ever served on as ships company,  Joining submarines was the best decision I made, I was fascinated with them and I still am.  I have never regretted emigrating to Canada and changing Navies, although I had to start again up the rank chain.  Canadian Submarines were by far the best and memorable years of my Naval career.