Tag Archives: Cockade

Promotion Time 2

Posted on December 3, 2016 by irishroverpei

My second book covered the eleven years I served in the Royal Navy. Starting on 15th March 1955 when I entered through the gates of HMS Ganges, the Royal Navy’s Boy Seamen training establishment located in the village of Shotley, … Continue reading →

Posted in author of lily & Me, family, HM Submarines, HMS Cockade, hms ganges, military, The Royal Navy & Me, veterans | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Join The Navy & See the World

Posted on February 20, 2016 by irishroverpei

Many years ago I recall standing outside the Royal Navy Recruiting office at Donegal Place in Belfast. In the window was a tattered poster of a happy smiling sailor sitting on a camel with a pyramid in the background. The … Continue reading →

Posted in family, HM Submarines, HMS Cockade, hms ganges, The Royal Navy & Me, veterans | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Christmas 1957. A Quiet Affair in Singapore

Posted on December 16, 2015 by irishroverpei

Just before Christmas I was  assigned to act as a guard on the railway travelling between Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Penang. The old coal burning steam engines needed to stop often to take on water. These stops were tense moments, … Continue reading →

Posted in HMS Cockade, The Royal Navy & Me, veterans | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Not The Best Outcome

Posted on December 4, 2014 by irishroverpei

On the 1st Dec I posted a message from a young lady who was searching for her father. He had served at the same time as me aboard the submarine Alcide. Through the blog I contacted several shipmates without luck. … Continue reading →

Posted in family, soccer | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tattoo’s A Wiser Decision of my Youth

Posted on April 22, 2014 by irishroverpei

In 1956 I joined HMS Cockade stationed in the Far East, I was just seventeen years old and a very new sailor. It was a natural progression in the Navy to torment and tease the new young sailors. My career … Continue reading →

Posted in HM Submarines, HMS Cockade, veterans | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The March of Time

Posted on December 19, 2013 by irishroverpei

How sad the way time erases the past so cruelly. I join HMS Ganges in March 1955, a time when the mast was HMS Ganges point of pride. This wonderful mast(143 ft) could be seen from miles around. The spectacular … Continue reading →

Posted in hms ganges, The Royal Navy & Me, veterans | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Remembering My Old Shipmates

Posted on December 17, 2013 by irishroverpei

Thinking of all my old shipmates at this special time of year. I will tip a glass of Irish to you this Christmas day. How many days did we spend away from families and loved ones at Christmas whilst in … Continue reading →

Posted in HM Submarines, HMS Cockade, hms ganges, The Royal Navy & Me, veterans | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Memories!

Posted on December 1, 2013 by irishroverpei

This old black and white photo was taken in 1959 outside my home on Glencairn Street in Belfast. My father is partly out of the picture on the left. John aged about seven and Noel aged eleven behind him I … Continue reading →

Posted in HM Submarines, HMS Cockade, The Royal Navy & Me, veterans | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Battleship HMS Vanguard

Posted on September 5, 2013 by irishroverpei

So What does the Spinnaker Tower and the Royal Navy’s last Battleship have in common? Nothing really accept it spiked in me an old memory. The tower was not there during my Naval career, it was built in 2005 and … Continue reading →

Posted in HM Submarines, HMS Cockade, hms ganges, military, veterans | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

HM/SM Conqueror

Posted on August 28, 2013 by irishroverpei

This day (August 28th) in history Churchill-class nuclear submarine HMS Conqueror was launched on 28 August 1969 in Birkenhead. She remains the only nuclear submarine known to have torpedoed an enemy ship, the latter being the General Belgrano during the … Continue reading →

Posted in HM Submarines, The Royal Navy & Me, veterans | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment