Climbing to the very top of the mast and standing upright on the tiny button approx 1 foot in diameter with only a lightening rod to grasp between ones legs, was something I never found the courage to do. I shinned up the last section of the mast and touched the button with my hand. I was thus able to say I had reached the button. The birds eye view photo is unique showing the tops of hats on the young sailors on the yard arm directly below. The button boy smuggled the camera up, but when I think of him looking down to snap this shot I still get dizzy!!
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Like you, touching the button was my best effort also. I was in Ganges Jan 1953 to April 1954. Boy Tel then went to Implacable at Portland. Sent to Boats, Dolphin April 1st 1957 right after the Suez do which I spent in Cyprus. Went to Forth in the Med for 12 months came backandJoined Aurochs for the refit on return from Aussie, was group writer inPompey dockyard until April 59 then worked her up and sailed to Canada until Jan 62. Returned to Canada as an immigrant in June 1964 and am located in Moncton NB, retired and living happy everafter???? pearsonn@hotmail.ca
is my e-mail. Your have some great stuff on your blog. Keep it up, NevillePearson
Hi Neville so nice to hear from you, it seems we old submariners pop up in so many different places. It was through my cousin that I ended up at Ganges. He joined in 1954 and after meeting him on leave decided it was the life for me. However he had been less than honest in his account of Ganges. Told me it was a frigate and a great life, he was wearing a bo’sun chain and told me it was a chain of honour!!!Still,I’m not mad at him it was a great life and I have no regrets.I doubt you would have known him at Ganges, his name was Hugh Arlow. I lost touch with him and our paths never crossed whilst in the Navy We sailed with Aurochs in Australia in 1956 to visit Adelaide, there is a photo of the boat on my blog with the old conning tower and gun. There was a Ganges reunion held in Halifax a few years ago, it was poorl;y advertized so I never made it, did you go? If you are ever over to the island look me up.
Yours Aye Ben
Thanx for the prompt reply. There is another ex Submariner, Tony Whitchurch, who I am in constant contact with. He has written but not published his memoires. I have forwarded your webpage to him so he may contact you. He now resides in Dartmouth, NS. He married a WREN in Halifax. way back when. He was not a Ganges boy but a sparker and spare crew most of the time in Halifax. I did not hear of the Ganges reunion in Halifax. My wife and I owned and ran a 12 bed seniors home in SHEMOGUE NB from March 1997 until Jan 2010 then retired.
We are retired too, ran a coffee shop in Charlottetown for many years “Linda’s Coffee Shop” we live on a 15 acre hobby farm in a wee place called Ebenezer. We moved to the farm in 1985 when my daughters were into horses. They grew up married and moved on leaving me stuck with barns-horses-manure spreader etc. We have the property listed as we would like to move to a smaller place, maybe in Halifax as we’d be near family and grandchildren. I have published two books and just completing my third, this time a work of fiction, not sure how it will go over??