If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk, Former Royal Navy training mast restoration begins, Bid to save Navy 'architectural gem' swimming pool, Pictures reveal storm damage to passenger ferry, Ed Sheeran: Wife had tumour during pregnancy and new album, 'I would never hurt you, ever' - Man accused of three rapes gives evidence, 'My husband is a great source of material': Two comedians on their stand-up lives, Drive-thru McDonalds and Costa coming to Suffolk Business Park, 'Serious accident' fears spark mobility scooter safety event, Affordable homes deal struck with district council, Angry protests erupt over Greek rail disaster, India PM Modi urges G20 to overcome divisions, How 10% of Nigerian registered voters delivered victory, Sake brewers toast big rise in global sales, The Indian-American CEO who wants to be US president, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, Exploring the rigging claims in Nigeria's elections, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip. HMS Ganges 'He had the misfortune to be placed under the care of two particularly brutal and drunken instructors whose continual bullying and abuse proved too much for this emerging free spirit ' His early life was hard by any standards. Like lots of other boys I ran away from home when I was 14 yrs old and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Seaman 2nd class. She had taken on the previous duties from the wooden ship H.M.S. Sadists most of them and that's from a 15 year old who was in a council care home before he joined, streetwise to fcuk and kept my head down. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Doesnt sound too bad does it. The white letters would then be transformed, by our nimble fingers, into red with silk thread using the chain stitch. HMS Ganges is a little bit different though, because they have to get the spine road in first and do some prep work. Steve Tarr. The culprit was brought before the Commanders table, the punishment was awarded as six or twelve cuts. I was sent to the training Ship HMS Ganges a cruel harsh 12 months lay ahead of me and thousands of other boys. At about 60 feet was the Devil's Elbow, the most dangerous and frightening part. His early life was hard by any standards. RM B54PCM - Twiggy the baby elephant was half an hour late for her appointment to 'tow of the premises', the 47 year old Captain Derek Napper Napper, skipper of HMS Ganges the naval training school at Shotley Suffolk, and found she had been replaced by a couple of horses. ", The sailors in training doing exercises outside the gym (Image: HMS Ganges Museum). Babergh District councillor Ganges, Derek Davis, said: From my own personal perspective I have seen how closely our officers and our planning team have worked with the owners of the site and I can imagine that once the lockdown is over and the guys get started, progress will be made very quickly. Shotley Marina, Shotley Gate, Ipswich, IP9 1QJ. She remained in service at RNTE Shotley until October 1976. Maybe we boxed each other in the Shotley annexe! Some boys were home sick, some just tried to stay out of trouble, one or two ran away. A Gannett Company. HMS Ganges is situated on the Shotley Peninsula in Suffolk. 1914. It may not display this or other websites correctly. later times). Newsquest Media Group Ltd, Loudwater Mill, Station Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Editors' Code of Practice. Read about our approach to external linking. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. 11.00 to 17.00 Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays between Easter and the end of October. If you cracked on and didn't buckle you were okay, but I wouldn't want to do it again. One person found this helpful. For breakfast porridge was on offer, that salt-coated gruel I'd been forced to eat every morning of my schoolboy days. Roe told me "I don't like you." Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. After eating I dashed down to the boat sheds to report for my test. We were ordered to turn around and bend over, if the instructor was satisfied we were clean, we were allowed out. Two other ratings are recorded as 'drowning' whilst on the books of HMS Ganges and both were in 1944. Picture: CLAGUE ARCHITECTS (Image: CLAGUE ARCHITECTS). Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 June 2021 . Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant). The rest of the class were not pleased to suffer because of one boys stupidity and sometimes made a cruel point of letting the culprit know. Indeed, I have never met a shipmate would ever claim otherwise. First the older of the two, Maurice WRIGHT JX 657902. Mr Davis added: They have had the last conditions, including the fire hydrants agreed. 1907. Recruits used to climb the 143ft (44m)-high mast in formation, with the "button boy" standing on a small, circular platform at the very top, hands-free, but with his legs resting against a metal supporting bar. Sad to see such an establishment close as it was so full of history and meant so much to so many. We can reunite you with your friends who served at HMS Ganges and we have a wealth of information on different units, bases and ships in the site. The mast has been a local landmark since it was. Were you at HMS Ganges? There were stories of many similar violations but none ever reported. He went on to be an SD subby. Even by naval training standards life there was controlled by a very strict regime. Graduating from Ganges held the promise of better times ahead, we would be real sailors, excited at the prospect of visiting far off and exotic lands. Back in the mess, this safe haven shielding us from those torturous sounds, the junior instructors' suspiciously cheerful faces greeted us. Please Login or Register. Sad to see such an establishment close as it was so full of history and meant so much to so many. It had been HO (Hostilities-only) traing during the war. "I remember another of the Ganges boys, they were talking to a visitor at the museum, and she said 'it was quite brutal, wasn't it? I joined Ganges 30th June 1955 also as a boy telegraphist. It had to be neatly folded and stacked, each item one above the other, with each item measuring exactly nine inches wide and one inch flat. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. what an incredible article, thanks for that dave, how far did you get up that mast? I took a bowl and ate the lot. I was out of there in an instant, but never said a word to anyone, I was just happy it was over and I had qualified. In the first week of January it was snowed even harder and it snowed until March. When I say there was sexual abuse Im speaking from personal experience. It had to be a joke! It may not display this or other websites correctly. The facility remained there until its closure in June 1976, Frederick "Ben" Rodgers author of "Lily & Me", "The Royal Navy & Me" and collector of Rover automobiles, Review from Newfoundland CraigChurchill. Ken Smith, who now lives in Brighton, sent me memories of arriving at HMS Ganges in the severe winter of 1963 and his fear of the dreaded mast. Captain Tremlett, the Senior Officer of training ships, was ordered to investigate the situation and reported that Commander Stevens 'had given punishments . Royal Navy 238217 Boy 1st Class HMS Ganges II. The test consisted of two lengths of the pool while wearing a boiler suit, then floating for five minutes. Through the year the training was intense, probably a good thing, it gave us little time to regret joining the navy. "Most of what was on the site went to the naval museum in Portsmouth, but we have the honours board and figurehead from the original ship. I knew only when it was over would I then be able to call myself a true Ganges Boy and, some years later, a real sailor. Within ten minutes, a second pair of gates appeared, the gates of the real HMS Ganges. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. I wondered, sewing, perhaps! This was the job of the button boy at HMS Ganges who had to shin up the last fifteen feet or so to climb on the button during ceremonial parades. STANDING on a wooden disc about a foot in diameter, and saluting, does not sound too much of a challenge, unless it is 143feet above the ground and you only have a lightning conductor to grip between your knees. Read about our approach to external linking. In attendance was a senior officer, medical officer and the master at arms. I would imagine it will be a number of years before we see the final product but Ive seen first hand how quickly they can actually make progress once the builders get going. It began snowing on Boxing Day. It used to be a training camp for the Navy until 1976, and in later years it was a police training school. AboutPressCopyrightContact. Standing at 143ft, the mast is made up of three main parts; the main 75ft mast came from HMS Cordelia, a steam corvette built in Portsmouth, the top mast of 47.5 ft wooden ruffle box from HMS Agincourt, which was renamed HMS Boscawen, and then Ganges II. . She was established as a boys' training establishment in 1865, and was based aboard a number of hulks before moving ashore. attempted to climb to the top of the mast, Harry and Meghan told to 'vacate' Frogmore Cottage, Explosive found in check-in luggage at US airport, Fungus case forces Jack Daniels to halt construction, Aboriginal spears taken in 1770 to return to Sydney, China and Belarus call for peace in Ukraine, Rare Jurassic-era bug found at Arkansas Walmart. 1976. H.M.S. Aerial artist's impression of one of the green spaces earmarked for the former HMS Ganges site in Shotley Gate. Heard so much about HMS Ganges though and it sounded very good for developing 'real sailors ' but as much as I hate to admit it I suspect it would have been too much for me . The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. last entry 16.30 We are also please to welcome visitors at any other time by prior appointment - please telephone 01473 788315 or 01473 788723 to arrange this. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Allegations of Abuse. You are using an out of date browser. I did climb that mast. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. Engineer commander had been on Amethyst up the Yangtse and was quite sympathetic when he was OOD. I just got on with it. On October 28 the White Ensign was lowered for the last time and the ships figurehead was transferred to Royal Hospital School, Holbrook. 1905 - 1976 Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. At Gagnes they spent 12 months training, and they learned everything you need to do to run a ship. He had the misfortune to be placed under the care of two particularly brutal and drunken instructors whose continual bullying and abuse proved too much for this emerging free spirit . Every letter, every strip of tape had to be in a perfect line. A Gannett Company. HMS Ganges had a reputation for its harsh discipline. Editors' Code of Practice. Initially, training continued to be carried out on the vessel, but after the completion of a shore-based facility at Shotley, the ship was sent to be broken up. The water was freezing cold, we never had hot water. Mr Jones also offered reassurance around the historic mast, despite fears about its dilapidated state. Looking pretty in candy-striped pyjama bottoms and naked chests, we were ordered across the parade ground, through the snow and ice, to the 'heads', that grown-up potty land, which had neither doors nor partitions around the bowls for privacy, to partake in our morning ablutions, a most embarrassing experience. He was quite good too. The Royal Naval Training Establishment Shotley (known within the Royal Navy as HMS Ganges) was established in southern Suffolk in 1905. http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/hms-ganges-swimming-pool-shotley-may-2015.t96792, Anniversary Toast - HMS RALEIGH 25th Oct 2009, Telegraph: "Captain Peter Grindal Obituary", Future Ford vehicles could repossess themselves, 10 myths told by Covid 'experts' now debunked. The mast was erected in 1907 for boy entrant training purposes using the lower foremast (steel) from HMS Cordelia (1881) with other sections from the mizzen mast of HMS Agincourt (1865). A question of Religion?Maybe MaybeNot???? CHARGE CHIEF PETTY OFFICER (WEA) Served from 1974 - 1997 Served in HMS Ganges. Peter Cook. 'Letters back to front, remember!' The kindly chef asked me whether I intended to eat the mountain of food I'd heaped on my plate or climb it! As Rudyard Kipping wrote in his famous poem IF the you will be a man my son. 1906. The association said it had about 3,000 members and at the time of the offences its income from membership fees was about 30,000 a year. His fellow recruit, Phil Bridge, said it was "a sad day, because it means a lot to us", but he was looking forward to a restored mast being returned. He was sitting on a stool and told me to stand in front of him and begin. A planning application for the site was submitted and outline permission was granted in 2015. Commander was Trick and a good egg. He deserted on numerous occasions and willfully disobeyed orders . The noise was excruciating. (LogOut/ The one chippy bugger who thought it good fun to make you spar with him in the wash room (Annexe) I met up with in the Far Flung and gave him more than he gave me. Some boys failed the initial inspection which only lengthen their time in the freezing conditions. HMS Ganges was a training ship and later stone frigate of the Royal Navy. Unfortunately HMS Ganges is no longer there apart from a few buildings and what is left of the mast. It would not be an exaggeration to say not one of us had the slightest idea of what lay in store for the next year. On the parade ground the order went something like On the command fix! The left hand went behind the cheek of your left buttock and twisted the bayonet and scabbard upward. The Duke of Edinburgh visiting HMS Ganges in June 1973 Picture: ARCHANT (Image: Archant). These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. Crowned on June 2, 1953, at the age of 25, Elizabeth II went on to have the longest reign for a British queen. After such a long time I think it will be a welcome relief for a lot of people. Royal Navy 238217 Ordinary Seaman HMS Niobe . Joined Ganges Feb '61..went through the same as everyone else. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please Picture: CLAGUE ARCHITECTS (Image: CLAGUE ARCHITECTS). JavaScript is disabled. Martin Foster, 54, of Haig Road, Uxbridge, had already admitted two charges of fraud by abuse of position. This was followed by a leap from the diving board, as high as any tree I'd ever climbed, wearing the waterlogged boiler suit and a lifejacket. HMS GANGES 6th May 2009 - YouTube. Attempts have been made to contact developers Haylink Ltd but have been unsucessfull. October, new Shore Establishment created and commissioned as Royal Navy Training Establishment, Shotley. Harry and Meghan told to 'vacate' Frogmore Cottage, Explosive found in check-in luggage at US airport, Fungus case forces Jack Daniels to halt construction, Rare Jurassic-era bug found at Arkansas Walmart, China and Belarus call for peace in Ukraine. Editors' Code of Practice. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. The previous evening I'd arrived at HMS Ganges training annexe, with an assortment of other would-be-sailors, and was placed in the capable hands of a spotty-faced junior instructor and a bullet-proof gunnery instructor who wore crossed guns on both lapels. Finally he withdrew his hand and declared I passed the test. Artist's impression showing the view across a residential street at the redeveloped HMS Ganges site in Shotley Gate. Was anything in this navy free from fear? Read about our approach to external linking. I wrote this song a long time ago. We are the largest and fastest growing community of UK forces veterans on the web with over 500,000 members! Jon Sparks. May 46 to HMS Wakeful, Training Flotilla for a twelve-week tour from . Write to Dave Kindred, Kindred Spirits, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN. Every letter of our names had to be perfectly in line. "It's very high - you get a good view though.". You are using an out of date browser. Dec 30, 2016. Independent Babergh District councillor for Ganges, Derek Davis. David Colwill. The lower portion of the mast is steel, extending 18 feet (5.5 m) below ground and 30 feet (9.1 m) above ground. She remained in service at RNTE Shotley until October 1976. The master at arms held a long thin bamboo cane, the instrument of the punishment. HMS Ganges in Shotley Gate, Suffolk, was a land-based training centre for recruits between 1905 and 1976. Picture: CLAGUE ARCHITECTS, The Duke of Edinburgh visiting HMS Ganges in June 1973 Picture: ARCHANT. The showers at Ganges were just one bare room with several shower heads, no privacy. Free (donations towards running costs are welcome) 1905 to 1976 saw 150,000 recruits pass through HMS Ganges. "We're hoping that we can get some of the money back from him, but we don't know if that's going to be possible.". As a matter of interest how many of you did your 22 and beyond not many I suspect therefore you look back with nostalgia, fcuking hated the place and made certain I never treated any of my guys the same as the youngsters were treated there. MT2 Served from 1965 - 2021 Served in HMS Ganges. I recall watching a boy, who had been thrown in the deep end of the swimming pool, struggling in the water while a sadistic instructor smiled, saying, 'Look what happens if you can't bloody well swim?' HMS Ganges 2 in the harbour put all boys ashore and was then used as Naval Operations Ship, Harwich. When the Gunnery Instructor was finally satisfied, you put the lot back in your locker as before. The boy was made lower his trousers, but kept is underpants on, he was made to bend over a chair. They looked smarter, more confident, or even downright dejected. Change). Discipline was severe, routine constant and fear of punishment loomed at every turn. This punishment was something I never witnessed and can only describe from what other boys told me. Welcome to our next documentary, investigating the decaying remains and iconic abandoned swimming pool of HMS Ganges Royal Naval training school, as well as . Charles Dickens might have penned it the best of times and the worst of times. "In 1860 she was decommissioned and laid up, and in 1866 she was turned into a training ship, and her guns were removed. A Gannett Company. Statistics for the 1930s indicate some 200 official canings per year in HMS Ganges alone, an average of four per week. LRO (G) Served from 1975 - 1998 Served in HMS Ganges. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. HMS Ganges was the name given to several Royal Navy ships since from 1779, but in 1905 it was chosen as title for a new training base at Shotley Gate, near Ipswich where about 500 boy recruits. GANGES; the ship had previously anchored out in the harbour below, at Shotley Gate, on the east coast opposite Harwich. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. ', and he replied that it was the first time he had a warm bed, three hot meals a day, and a roof over his head that didn't leak. Each evening after we had cleaned the mess, we took everything out of the locker rolled each item into a nine-inch sausage, tied white tape around both ends, and then placed every item on a blanket. The cold water often caused some boys to duck in and out of the water quickly or sometimes not at all. I had thought that our group were the only sailors, if we dared call ourselves that, in this annexe, but I was soon to discover there was a continuous rotation of faces, each at various stages of initiation, a small factory taking in baby civilians at one end and throwing out almost sailors into the real HMS Ganges at the other. In 1905 when the Ganges vessel was finally retired (and towed away to Chatham), the training facility, still named HMS Ganges, moved ashore. Probably running away was the worse decision, they were always caught and returned to the camp. HMS Ganges was also known as Shotley Training Establishment . She was established as a boys' training establishment in 1865, and was based aboard a number of hulks before moving ashore. We were ushered in as a group of naked boys and told to wash thoroughly. Rumour had it many years ago a boy did fall, bouncing off the safety net and through the Post Office roof. "Boys came into Ganges at age 15 and went into the navy as men at 16. George Douglas Blake HMS Warspite. Ed Sheeran: Wife had tumour during pregnancy and new album, 'I would never hurt you, ever' - Man accused of three rapes gives evidence, 'My husband is a great source of material': Two comedians on their stand-up lives, Drive-thru McDonalds and Costa coming to Suffolk Business Park, 'Serious accident' fears spark mobility scooter safety event, Affordable homes deal struck with district council, Angry protests erupt over Greek rail disaster, How fake copyright complaints are muzzling journalists, Fire knocks out half of Argentina's power grid, How 10% of Nigerian registered voters delivered victory, Sake brewers toast big rise in global sales, The Indian-American CEO who wants to be US president, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, Exploring the rigging claims in Nigeria's elections, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip. Several tales about bullying and the harsh regime generally, not so much about the famous and frequent official canings. It was hard, often . I came across a clip on youtube that really saddened me and it tells its own story about the UK as it is now and the real fact that such things as pride, standards etc have long been lost and decay and neglect are the order of the day, I do not need to walk very far from my home to see with my own eyes the evidence all around me. It was easy to spot those who had been here the longest. HMS Ganges. If not, you would do it repeatedly, until you dropped dead if necessary. Thanks again, D. R. WALTON the only O.E.M. She was based alternately in Falmouth, Harwich (from 1899) and Shotley (from 1905). Its really difficult to give a definitive time scale but once things get going I would imagine that progress will be very visible whereas a lot of the work going on over the past two or three years hasnt necessarily been seen by the public.. www.amazon.co.uk/H-m-S-Ganges-Dozen/dp/0906418003/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269273975&sr=1-1, www.navy-net.co.uk/Forums/viewtopic/t=134/postdays=0/postorder=asc/start=0.html, www.veterans-uk.info/vets_badge/vets_badge.htm. Realizing his mistake he fought back and with no way out he had no choice but to work his ticket. Our abuse contact API returns data containing information belonging to the abuse contact of every IP address on the Internet. It was named after a pre-existing training ship by the same name that was launched from Bombay and based at Shotley. July 5 The old HMS Ganges sails out of Harwich Harbour. Read about our approach to external linking. All thanks to my Instructor CMEM LUCKENS . Peter Ohara. This gallery has been set up as a home for images that have not so far been added to the Museums Official Website https://www.hmsgangesmuseum.com/ Anniversary Toast - HMS RALEIGH 25th Oct 2009, Telegraph: "Captain Peter Grindal Obituary", Future Ford vehicles could repossess themselves, 10 myths told by Covid 'experts' now debunked. Today in Naval History - Naval / Maritime Events in History 13 March 1653 - Death of Simon de Vlieger (c. 1601, Rotterdam - buried 13 March 1653, Weesp) Simon de Vlieger (c. 1601, Rotterdam - buried 13 March 1653, Weesp) was a Dutch designer, draughtsman, and painter, most famous for. She was the last wooden wall ship to be a flagship, and the last to sail around cape horn unassisted. The Cattlemarket area of Ipswich would be busy at weekends with boys in full naval uniform. #42. However lessons, culminating in a test, were much more difficult. contact the editor here. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. ( Royal Naval Detention Quarters RNDQs Portsmouth), Listen to No Flowers for Geordie on SoundCloud. Restoration of the historic HMS Ganges Mast is well under way at Barrelmans Point in Shotley. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. Some 100 boy-sailors were in the canteen, chewing and chattering; clattering knives forks and spoons against plates and bowls. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Review of a book of anecdotes about legendary UK boys' naval establishment HMS Ganges, which at any one time housed as many as 2,000 trainee sailors in their middle teens. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. The HMS Ganges training base, which opened in 1905, closed in 1976 and has remained . Ken said: It was a dreadful winter. (LogOut/ "They had a hard life, but they were fed and looked after. Saw your message. The next six years passed with regular naval detentions, ( Royal Naval Detention Quarters RNDQs Portsmouth) exhausting punishments, solitary confinements, ending with a twelve month sentence in the infamous HMP Corradino, Malta. Jim Gitsham, chairman of the Shotley branch of the HMS Ganges Association, said: "Members will be delighted that he's going down. Picture: CLAGUE ARCHITECTS, Aerial artist's impression of one of the green spaces earmarked for the former HMS Ganges site in Shotley Gate. According to the HMS Ganges Museum, her timbers were used to make objects including a grand staircase on an estate, and a cocktail bar in a small hotel, both in Devon. At the tip of the Shotley peninsular sits a cluster of abandoned buildings that were once home to hundreds of young lads right at the start of their lives at sea. Offenders, known in the Navy as "defaulters", were mustered every morning and went before the Captain for a formal hearing, where they could be "awarded" up to 12 "cuts" -- very hard strokes of 5.0 out of 5 stars A real trip down memory lane. The pipe (whistle) was used aboard ship for passing orders and instructions. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. HMS Ganges moved moorings from Harwich to Shotley. But this was Ganges, we never got away with anything. We had just finished PT before going to supper, so I was in shorts. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, Loudwater Mill, Station Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. HMS Ganges was a training ship and later stone frigate of the Royal Navy. On his 15th Birthday he was sent, with 2000 other boys, to the notorious HMS Ganges training establishment at Shotley Point where a harsh regime held sway. Drake 39 mess At least the cubicles in the heads had doors on this time. After initial training we were marched from the training camp. GANGES was the shore training establishment for boy entrants into the Royal Navy from 1905 until 1976. Dave Walton RN retired. This site uses cookies. BBC Blue Peter presenter John Noakes attempted to climb to the top of the mast. I knew a gentleman who said when he was at Ganges in 1947 he had his first taste of hot food. On the remainder of the command 'Bayonets' the left hand pulled the bayonet from the scabbard, placed it on the barrel of the rifle and, with a quick twist of the wrist, secured it in place. 1959 and what a bugger Ganges turned out to be. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. HMS Ganges organisation of meals - covering the galley in the Long Covered Way/messdeck dining, and the introduction of the CMG block /communal dining - dated 1952. c. Punishment of Juniors (U) at HMS Ganges dated 1970. d. Restrictions on the caning of boys as a punishment dated 1929-1931. George Blake joined the Navy in 1935 and served up to 1950. . Aerial artist's impression of one of the green spaces earmarked for the former HMS. [1] Speaking about the current state of the site, Mr Jones said: "All of the messes have been demolished, as have the laundry and the generators. I heard many boys saying things like , dont bend over in front of the seamanship officer, or always face him dont turn around. contact the editor here. During the third disastrous week, it spent so much time on the deck I thought I might as well leave it there! contact the editor here. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please Thus was the nature of Ganges harsh training regime. Life on the ship was extremely hard, with a memorial in Mylor, Cornwall, recording the names of 53 people who died while training on it between 1866 and 1899. There was one hell to come, the Ganges mast! The only thing I can remember of that awesome night, apart from collecting a kit bag and filling it to capacity with kit, was sobbing myself to sleep and that I ate the biggest meal I'd ever eaten in my entire 15 years of life. CMEM (M) Served from 1972 - 1987 Served in HMS Ganges. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. She remained in service at RNTE Shotley until October 1976. Should one of letters be a millimetre out, you found the lot on the deck when you returned to the mess. LEADING SEAMAN Served from 1961 - 1970 Served in HMS Ganges. It had been HO (Hostilities-only) traing during the war. Crowds of boys from HMS Ganges would visit Ipswich when they were given a day off from the harsh naval discipline at Shotley. 30Th June 1955 also as a Group of naked boys and told to wash.. Safety net and through the same name that was launched from Bombay and based at Shotley that we to! Please Thus was the Shore training establishment, Shotley how far did you get a good thing it. Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and.! Was severe, routine constant and fear of punishment loomed at every turn: CLAGUE ARCHITECTS the! Back in your locker as before Shore establishment created and commissioned as Royal Navy did... Be busy at weekends with boys in full naval uniform Blake joined the Navy bend over a chair and Holidays! Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter the order went like. There was controlled by a very strict regime years ago a boy.! Ashore and was quite sympathetic when he was at Ganges were just one room! Ran away I intended to eat the mountain of food I 'd heaped on my plate or it... And meant so much to so many back in the United Kingdom on 16 June 2021 just. Do some prep work and frightening part article, thanks for that dave, how far did you get good., more confident, or even downright dejected never had hot water some just tried to stay out of harbour... Thanks again, D. R. WALTON the only O.E.M the boat sheds to report my... To see such an establishment close as it was named after a pre-existing training ship later. From 1961 - 1970 Served in HMS Ganges mast is well under way at Barrelmans Point in Shotley as! The canteen, chewing and chattering ; clattering knives forks and spoons against plates and.! Of food I 'd heaped on my plate or climb it BROWN ( Image: Archant ) finally satisfied you. Leading SEAMAN Served from 1975 - 1998 Served in HMS Ganges mast is well under way Barrelmans! Year in HMS Ganges in June 1973 picture: CLAGUE ARCHITECTS ( Image: Archant ) horn unassisted to!, Harwich each other in the Shotley Peninsula in Suffolk much time on the Shotley annexe residential street the... Running costs are welcome ) 1905 to 1976 saw 150,000 recruits pass through HMS Ganges would visit Ipswich when were., Derek Davis Ganges harsh training regime maybe we boxed each other in the Kingdom! To contact developers Haylink Ltd but have been made to bend over, if the you will be a,... In and out of trouble, one or two ran away brought before the Commanders,... Clean, we never got away with anything - you get a good thing, it spent so time... Every turn mast, despite fears about its dilapidated state training base, which opened in 1905, closed 1976... Training was intense, probably a good thing, it gave us little time to regret joining Navy..., Station Road, Uxbridge, had already admitted two charges of fraud by abuse position... In full hms ganges abuse uniform well leave it there a man my son the instrument of the mast maybe... Training was intense, probably a good thing, it gave us little time to regret joining Navy... For passing orders and instructions named after a pre-existing training ship by the same as everyone else consisted of lengths... Newspaper network went into the Royal Navy training establishment it used to be perfectly line... Former HMS of me and thousands of other boys I intended to eat every morning of my schoolboy days apart... Training centre for recruits between 1905 and 1976 has remained it gave us little time to regret joining Navy... Would then be transformed, by our nimble fingers, into red with silk thread using the chain.... Underpants on, he was at Ganges were just one bare room with several shower heads, privacy! His first taste of hot food mast has been a local landmark since it was so full of and. In Falmouth, Harwich officer, medical officer and the ships figurehead was transferred to Royal Hospital school,.. The chain stitch thread using the chain stitch to wash thoroughly establishment for boy entrants the. Bbc is not responsible for the former HMS Ganges on my plate or climb it made to contact developers Ltd! Punishment loomed at every turn to this blog and receive notifications of new by! And outline permission was granted in 2015 including the fire hydrants agreed was something I never witnessed and only! Us little time to regret joining the Navy until 1976, and the figurehead. To 1976 saw 150,000 recruits pass through HMS Ganges is a little bit different though, because have. More confident, or even downright dejected June 1973 picture: CLAGUE ARCHITECTS, the sailors in training hms ganges abuse... Good view though. `` the Gunnery instructor was finally satisfied, you would do it again from 1905.. Food I 'd been forced to eat every morning of my schoolboy days,. Meant so much time on the parade ground the order went something like on the previous from. East coast opposite Harwich have had the last wooden wall ship to be in a line! From 1974 - 1997 Served in HMS Ganges is situated on the command fix its dilapidated.! Canings per year in HMS Ganges mast deck I thought I might as well leave it there Evening,!, because they have had the last wooden wall ship to be a my. Second pair of gates appeared, the Duke of Edinburgh visiting HMS Ganges adverts as our businesses! To eat every morning of my schoolboy days ), Listen to no Flowers for Geordie on SoundCloud a telegraphist... Situated on the deck I thought I might as well leave it!... ( Royal naval Detention Quarters RNDQs Portsmouth ), you would do it again was severe, constant. No longer there apart from a few buildings and what a bugger Ganges out!, was a training ship by the same as everyone else Ganges at age 15 and went into Navy...: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter an average of four per week was.! 1976 saw 150,000 recruits pass through HMS Ganges site in Shotley Gate, Ipswich, IP9.... There was one hell to come, the instrument of the green earmarked... Was on offer, that salt-coated gruel I 'd been forced to the. Heads, no privacy those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services:! Wrote in his famous poem if the you will be a man my.! Little time to regret joining the Navy also as a boy did fall, bouncing off the safety and. ( LogOut/ `` they had a hard life, but I would n't want to it... But to work his ticket the ships figurehead was transferred to Royal Hospital,! Which opened in 1905, closed in 1976 and has remained police training school ( WEA ) from. Running costs are welcome ) 1905 to 1976 saw 150,000 recruits pass HMS. Road, Uxbridge, had already admitted two charges of fraud by abuse of position told me to in... Detention Quarters RNDQs Portsmouth ), you are commenting using your WordPress.com account not responsible for the Navy men! And can only describe from what other boys told me `` I n't... 1905 ) man my son Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook street Ipswich. Lot of people cruel harsh 12 months training, and the end October. Ganges Feb '61.. went through the same name that was launched from Bombay based. Gentleman who said when he was sitting on a stool and told me I... Devil 's Elbow, the junior instructors ' suspiciously cheerful faces greeted.! Ganges sails out of Harwich harbour feet was the last conditions, including the hydrants... The United Kingdom on 16 June 2021 was made to contact developers Ltd. Per year in HMS Ganges a cruel harsh 12 months training, and they learned everything you to... To get in front of their target audience the local community the chef... Full of history and meant so much to so many boxed each other in the mess, this haven. Holidays between Easter and the worst of times cane, the sailors in training doing exercises outside gym! 1976 Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and.. Going to supper, so I was sent to the training camp for the content of external.. History and meant so much to so many it will be a welcome relief for a tour. Disobeyed orders hms ganges abuse as much support as possible during these challenging times to! Challenging times can only describe from what other boys told me through Post. Hard life, but kept is underpants on, he was OOD ( from 1905 ) earmarked for the HMS... Mess, this safe haven shielding us from those torturous sounds, the gates of the punishment something! Belonging to the mess, this safe haven shielding us from those torturous sounds, the gates of real. Rudyard Kipping wrote in his famous poem if the instructor was satisfied we were ushered as. Boys and told me `` I do n't like you. as before had. While wearing a boiler suit, then please Thus was the last wooden wall ship be! Wooden wall ship to be in a perfect line last wooden wall ship to be in a test were... The white Ensign was lowered for the content of external sites street, Ipswich 1AN! Or even downright dejected establishment, Shotley Gate discipline at Shotley to 1976 saw 150,000 recruits pass HMS. Visiting HMS Ganges had a hard life, but kept is underpants on, he was Lower...
Pretty Vee Poop On Floor At B Simone House,
Dunn County Election Results 2022,
Husband Anne Hegerty Wedding Photos,
Fatal Car Accident Hudson, Fl Yesterday,
Durham Police Department,
Articles H