HMS Ceres ( Wetherby )1956/57  Royal Naval Supply School, I was in 45S Class. 

Photographs wanted of the classes or buildings, especially Moorlands?

Me on my first leave from HMS Ceres Christmas 1956

Baby Airy Fairies, learning their trade.     Gamecock Barracks on a Winter's Day.

HMS Gamecock 1957,  Royal Naval Air Station Bramcote, Fleet Air Arm Training Establishment. Photograph wanted, I was ship's company.

Royal Navy: 1946 – 1959

The Royal Navy took over Bramcote Station on 3 December 1946. It became known as Royal Navy Air Station, Bramcote ‘HMS Gamecock’. The ship’s badge was ‘a gamecock proper’ on white background with the motto ‘spurred for the skies’
At the commissioning ceremony, captain G N Brewer DSO, Officer Commanding, remarked to the assembled gathering “you have seen the white ensign hoisted for the first time about as far from the sea as it is possible in England. You are serving in the most inland ‘stone frigate’ in the country”.

The main function of RNAS Bramcote was to be the technical training for Naval Airmen Aircraft Mechanics.

About one thousand men were under training at any one time. After completing new entry and airmanship courses, the trainee then joined an aircraft carrier for one month’s sea experience.

HMS Gamecock was also a centre for the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (Air branch) and was used by 1833 (RNVR) Squadron. This squadron started its flying at Bramcote with Seafires (the naval version of the Spitfire). The early 1950s saw an expansion of the RNVR and in 1954, 1833 squadron got its eagerly awaited Sea Furies. There were also a small number of Firefly aircraft and on 15 February 1954, this element was formed into 1844 squadron, which concentrated on anti-submarine training. Both Squadrons were distinguished by having their spinners (propellers) painted red – this being the unofficial station colour. All aircraft based at Bramcote, were identified by the letters BR painted on the tail fin.

On 23 October 1955, 1833 squadron were moved to RAF Honiley – near Coventry – as they were to be equipped with jet aircraft as Bramcote had grass runways.
In March 1956, 1844 squadron re-equipped with Grumman Avengers. They no longer had red spinners but the cowlings now bore a red diamond with a squadron crest on a white inner.

HMS Gamecock, as the name implies, suggests an association with the game bird and it is believed that a cock-fighting pit did exist within the station perimeter – not far from the Officers Mess. It is not surprising to find therefore that the Navy had a mascot – yes – a gamecock. The first one was ‘Wallis’ – to be followed by many more and he was paraded in his spherical cage at ceremonial parades.

With the run down of the RNVR (Air Branch) Bramcote eventually became surplus to requirements for the Navy and the training was transferred to Arbroath. During the long run down the local press headlined the question “what is to happen to HMS Gamecock? Their fears were alleviated by the announcement that the camp was to receive new tenants.

The Army

HMS Tracker  (LST(3) 3522) Tank Landing Ship.1957.

The second ship to bear the name,

HMS Tracker was one of the many Landing Ship, Tanks (LST's) constructed in the latter stages of the Second World War.

The hull was built by Davie Shipbuilding, Lauzon and engined by C.P. Rail.

She was launched on the 9th June 1945 as L3522.

She was named HMS Tracker in 1947.

In 1952 HMS Tracker acted as the hospital ship for the first British atom bomb test off the North West coast of Australia.

In 1957 she became a harbour accommodation ship for the pre-commissioning crew standing by HMS Victorious.

She became a net and boom carrier in 1964. 

She was sold in 1970 and scrapped in Valencia Spain in 1971.

Were you a part of Tracker '57 crew standing by for the Victorious?, did anyone take any photographs?

I know we had some good laughs and runs ashore, we also worked bloody hard.

I was only sixteen when I joined her and I had to work like a mule, talk about slave labour.

It took us a year, to store the "Mighty Vic".

Humping 144lb bales of rags, sacks of soda, spuds, 5 gal drums of Teepol etc. lorry load after lorry load.

It was all carried over the gangway and through the decks, because the miserable "B" of a flight deck commander didn't want his flight deck dirty.

How simple and easy would have it have been, to hoist the lorries on board by crane and lower the supplies down the storing hatches.

The way the ship was designed to be stored; and was, when she commissioned and went to sea.

A sign of the times I suppose, the OSHA safe carrying weight now is 20 kilos 50 lbs.

photo courtesy of " To Sail No More part four, Ian Buxton,

published by Maritime Books, isbn 0--907771-77-7 Lodge Hill, Liskeard Cornwall, UK, 01579-343663

HMS Victorious ( R38 ) Aircraft Carrier. 1957/60,   http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Ships/Victorious.html

Royal Naval Barracks Chatham, HMS Pembroke Royal Naval Supply School 1960/62.

Chatham Barracks is now the University of Greenwich.

I was small ships support team.

Including E.C.E.S.U. (East Coast of England Survey Unit) HMS Echo, HMS Enterprise, HMS Egeria.

HM Ships Echo, Enterprise, Egeria, Chatham 1962

HMS Osprey, Helicopter Station and Naval Base 1962/63,

  Photographs wanted, I was Small Ship's Support Group.

 HMS Rooke Gibraltar1963/65,   

I was Small Ship's Support Group, mothballed Ton Class Minesweepers

 HMS Rooke swimming pontoon and a Ton class minesweeper with mothball arking off the foreshore.

and HMS Grenville.

H.M.S. Grenville

HMS Fittleton, except they all had cocooning on, made them look like Noah's Ark

Does anyone have photographs of the Ton Class mothball fleet in Gibraltar, I think we had thirteen, can you remember their names???

We would bring one alongside every month and change the provisions, survival packs, fresh water etc.

I remember one Winter's day, the wind was howling through the two moles, directly on to Coaling Jetty, where we had the sweeper, she was swaying, side to side so violently, I had to go ashore in case I was seasick. Luckily we had a married quarter in Cormorant " O " Block, at the shore end of the Jetty.

Rifle Match results in Gibraltar Daily Paper

We drove home overland to the UK April 1965, I hadn't finished my Foreign Service Leave, when I got a telegram, telling me to join HMS Tiger at Guzz. I was back in Gib twenty eight days after leaving, no tropical kit, it was all en route to the UK, we probably passed it in the Bay of Biscay, I had to go ashore to HMS Rooke to get kitted out, all the Jack Dusty's got a laugh when I turned up.

That first night in, we were playing tombola in the fleet club, a sparker from Rooke, asked me if my missus had let me out for the night.

HMS Tiger ( C20 ) 6" Cruiser, 1965/66.

I was the LSA (S) in charge of the Permanent Stores Ledgers and Loan Lists, under CPOSA (S) Dennis Deighton;

a true naval gentleman, where are you now Dennis.???

Tiger Class Light Cruisers

Displacement: 9,550 tons standard ; 11,700 tons full load
Dimensions: 538 pp, 555.5 oa x 64 x 18 feet
Propulsion: 4 shaft Parsons geared turbines, 4 Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 80,000 shp. = 31.5 knots
Range: 2000 miles at 30 knots, 6,500 miles at 12 knots ; 1,940 tons fuel oil
Complement: 716
Armament: 2 dual 6-inch / 50 Mk 26 DP rapid-fire ; 3 dual 3-inch / 70 Mk 6 DP rapid-fire
Armour: 3.25 to 3.5 inch belt ; 2 inch deck ; 1 to 2 inch turrets ; 1.5 to 2 inch bulkheads
Radars: Air Search - Type 960 ; Surface/Low-level Air Search - Type 992 ; Height Finding - Type 277Q ; Gunnery - Type 903 (MRS3 director) per mount
Helicopter Cruiser conversion as above except:
Displacement: 9,500 tons standard ; 12,080 tons full load
Dimensions: 538 pp, 556.6 oa x 64 x 18 feet
Complement: 885
Armament: 1 dual 6-inch / 50 Mk 26 DP rapid-fire, 1 dual 3-inch / 70 Mk 6 DP rapid-fire, 2 quad GWS22 Seacat SAM launchers
Aircraft: 4 Wessex / Sea King HAS
Radars: Air Search - Type 965 ; Surface/Low-level Air Search - Type 992Q ; Height Finding - Type 278 ; Gunnery - Type 903 (MRS3 director) per mount

These three ships were laid down as Group 2 Swiftsures with Superb. All were suspended at the end of war, work not restarting until the mid 1950's. They were then completed to a modified design utilising the new 6-inch and 3-inch rapid-fire DP guns designed for the abandoned 'Minotuar' class. These guns gave the class the greatest fire-power of any cruiser the Royal Navy had ever built, with the water cooled 6-inch and 3-inch guns capable of firing 20 and 90 rounds per minute per gun respectively (although this rate of fire would empty the magazines in a few minutes). Unfortunately the guns suffered reliability problems.

Shortly after entering service, Tiger & Blake were converted to ASW Helicopter Cruisers embarking 4 Sea King or Wessex anti-submarine helicopters, with the aft 6-inch twin turret replaced by a hanger and flight deck and the two amidships 3-inch twin turrets replaced by Seacat point defence SAMs. Due to the high manpower they required all three ships spent several years in reserve, with Lion only serving 4 years before being paid off.

Blake was the last cruiser in the Royal Navy and in December 1979 ended a 100 year tradition of RN Cruisers.

HMS Tiger (C20)

(ex Bellerophon)
Built by John Brown, Clydebank. Laid down 1 October 1941. Launched 25 October 1945. Completed 18 March 1959. Converted to Helicopter Cruiser at Devonport, 1968-1972. Paid off April 1978. Put on the Disposal list 1980. Broken up by Desguaces Varela, Spain, 1986.

HMS Lion (C34)

(ex Defence)
Built by Scott's, Greenock. Laid Down 24 June 1942. Launched 2 September 1944. Renamed 1957. Completed 20 July 1960 by Swan Hunter, Wallsend. Paid off 1964. In reserve 1964-1972, then placed on disposal list. Broken up by Ward, Inverkeithing, 1975.

HMS Blake (C99)

(ex Tiger, ex Blake)
Built by Fairfield, Govan. Laid Down 17 August 1942. Launched 20 December 1945. Completed 18 March 1961. Converted to Helicopter Cruiser at Portsmouth, 1965-1969. Paid off December 1979. Placed on disposal list 1981. Broken up by Shipbreaking (Queenborough) Ltd., Cairnryan, 1982.

 HMS Belfast/Bellerophon, Reserve Fleet Portsmouth, 1966/67

H.M.S. Belfast (Bellerophon), Whale Island, S&S Cricket Team 1966,

Sorry guys, I can't remember any names, I'm 2nd from left front, I assume the eleventh man took the photograph, any ideas.?

H.M.S. Belfast Association, Honorary Secretary, Mr. Ted Hill (tel: 01708 341 803).

H.M.S. Belfast    Imperial War Museum  http://www.iwm.org.uk/belfast/index.htm

Two of my granddaughters, Madison and Liberty Pickett, August 17th 2004.

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Download your ship' commission book from this site, if it is not there, send David a copy and he will convert it to Adobe .PDF file for downloading.

http://www.axfordsabode.org.uk/comishbk.htm?refresh=0.18759828884163848

An excellent site for Naval history lists all Royal Naval Deaths, search by name, date, ship,

http://www.naval-history.net/index.htm

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BROTHERS

Comrades in arms, friends and brothers of the Sea.

Whose sacrifice will as a light, most clear and brightly shine.

We honour the memory, of these ones brave and fine.

And coming from their homelands, both far very far and near.

Those who know much of honour, and who hold it dear.

Bagpipes sounding clear and sad, making tears to flow.

Heard even in heaven, where these brave ones did go.

Words soft and proudly spoken, to angels’ bended ear.

In this hallowed place, their spirits gather near.

Far from Britain’s most fair shore, these have come to rest.

And here they will be honoured. Who gave their very best.

Comrades in arms and friends, brothers of the sea.

Who very long ago achieved, their own victory.

The flowers they are just a sign, of a new rebirth.

Of these now gone beyond the sky, who have proved  their worth.

The men of San Delfino and of the Bedfordshire.

Have made for us a sacrifice, of which there is no higher.

Johnnie Baum / 2008

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Barbados (Royal Navy) Stamps issued May 2003, worth including in any collection, order direct from the Barbados Post Office.

http://bps.gov.bb/index.php?ZZZ=1_1055_10_0_0_&YYY=17_46