The HMS Ganges site was initially opened in 1904 acted as a boys training facility for the Royal Navy. Each of us was required to construct a printing block using letters carved in wood. The Royal Navy training mast in Shotley Gate, pictured in 1936, was erected in 1907, A photograph of the base taken sometime in the 1950s (left), with recruits on the mast in 1937, with one recruit just about visible near the very top, John Youngman said his training at the site stood him in good stead for the rest of his life, Warning: Third party content may contain adverts, A pupil band from The Royal Hospital School performed at the event, It is expected to take at least a year to restore the mast at the tip of the Shotley peninsula, across the water from Felixstowe and Harwich. 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. I would like to see the mast and museum moved to the safety of HMS Raleigh though to ensure its upkeep and maintenance. the reason i remember the date is that it was my 15th birthday, We got shipped out to Suez in October 1956 cutting short our training by a couple of months. For breakfast porridge was on offer, that salt-coated gruel I'd been forced to eat every morning of my schoolboy days. My DO was so unforgetable I can't remember his name, but he ponced around with his handky up his sleeve and a curled lip. This page is dedicated to the memory of Tony whose commitment to the Royal Navy and especially HMS Ganges was unlimited. 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. Editors' Code of Practice. But this was Ganges, we never got away with anything. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can Recruits are shown how to stow a hammock - date of photograph unknown. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. HMS Ganges was a training ship and later stone frigate of the Royal Navy. Editors' Code of Practice. He went on to be an SD subby. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's It was hard, often . joined in '63 Dreadnought in the Annexe and Duncan in main camp, Went swimming at Vincent before colling-grad got its pool, and sailing if my memory is not totally shot, I sometimes considered climbing to the top of the mast a tossing myself off. Abuse Details. During Ganges's time in Cornwall allegations of harsh and brutal treatment were reported to the Admiralty.One wardroom steward shot himself over the matter, and the reports aroused indignation in the local community. My instructors were Nobby Clarke and Ted Roe. #42. A history of the Royal Navy Training Establishment HMS Ganges. The facility remained there until its closure in June 1976, Welcome to Forces Reunited the place where you can find information and friends from HMS Ganges. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please His early life was hard by any standards. A Gannett Company. The cold water often caused some boys to duck in and out of the water quickly or sometimes not at all. We caught up with Jim Dines, Director of TS Rigging, whose team. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant). Mr W Im sure the surprise and very welcome CD that popped through my letter box today was from you dear sir, so thanks very much and Im looking forward to listening to it very soon. An appeal by Woolverstone Parish Council was turned down two years later. For spite I think, because it wasn't compulsory. While I was going through the various calls I felt his hand slipping up the back of my shorts. The lower portion of the mast is steel, extending 18 feet (5.5 m) below ground and 30 feet (9.1 m) above ground. Ganges Tales of the T.R.O.G.s Print length 264 pages Language English Publisher Second City Publishers, Penmarth, Cornwall Publication date 22 Nov. 1995 ISBN-10 090681605X ISBN-13 She was based alternately in Falmouth, Harwich (from 1899) and Shotley (from 1905). The mast has been a local landmark since it was erected a century ago this year at the end of the Shotley peninsular. Engineer commander had been on Amethyst up the Yangtse and was quite sympathetic when he was OOD. Free (donations towards running costs are welcome) Mr Jones said: "There is a lot of truth to the statement that you entered as a boy, but left as a man. ", The sailors in training doing exercises outside the gym (Image: HMS Ganges Museum). Ken said: It was a dreadful winter. Sad to see such an establishment close as it was so full of history and meant so much to so many. contact the editor here. LEADING SEAMAN Served from 1961 - 1970 Served in HMS Ganges. Martin Foster, 54, of Haig Road, Uxbridge, had already admitted two charges of fraud by abuse of position. Observer career path/ real life experience. Find out more about HMS Ganges at www.hmsgangesmuseum.com, or visit the museum, located at the end of King Edward VII Drive, in Shotley, IP9 1QJ. Shotly Jan 7 1967 , 4 weeks in the annex, 11months in the main establishment,left the RN after 26 years, as C.C.MEA(P) and you could tell Ganges trained men a mile off, Regrets not a bit.Sorry for the lad in my class that drank a pint of pussers disinfectant (The black stuff that turned white when you added water) I believe he got his Discharge. You are using an out of date browser. I shuddered to the bone, as I'm sure did other boys. later times). I had already taught myself to swim. 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. The kindly chef asked me whether I intended to eat the mountain of food I'd heaped on my plate or climb it! HMS Ganges was a training ship and later stone frigate of the Royal Navy. 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 . Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. She remained in service at RNTE Shotley until October 1976. The skipper was HS McKenzie who went FOSM. HP10 9TY. H.M.S. CPO (OPS) (EW) Served from 1966 - 1991 Served in HMS Ganges. 1959 and what a bugger Ganges turned out to be. Change). 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. It was as we crossed the parade ground the whole bunch of us suddenly froze and spun to face a huge aircraft-hanger-of-a-building running along its length. Download Citation | On Feb 1, 2023, Olivier Champagne and others published Future change in amplitude and timing of high-flow events in a Canadian subarctic watershed | Find, read and cite all the . Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Crowds of boys from HMS Ganges would visit Ipswich when they were given a day off from the harsh naval discipline at Shotley. She was based alternately in Falmouth, Harwich (from 1899) and Shotley (from 1905). A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing is due to take place at Portsmouth Crown Court on 23 January. We were ushered in as a group of naked boys and told to wash thoroughly. Former recruit John Youngman said it would be "nice to see it restored to its former glory". John Garrett. Royal Navy 238217 Ordinary Seaman HMS Niobe . Report abuse. These were all regular happenings at Ganges. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. The site was closed in 1976 and was used as a maaried quarter estate by the RAF. Name Hetzner Online GmbH - Contact Role. . She remained in service at RNTE Shotley until October 1976. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. Editors' Code of Practice. After sewing on a tag and sporting a proud smile as I offered it up for inspection to that gorilla-of-gunner, I was sent scurrying away, ears ringing from slaps and vehement words, asking myself, 'How the hell did I mange to sew the tag on upside-down?'. "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? Who would have believed us, this was 1955 words like pedophile and sexual abuse were unheard of. (LogOut/ ', 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. HMS Ganges being broken up after training was transferred to the land base at Shotley (Image: HMS Ganges Museum). Ganges training establishment. The showers usually took place at the crack of dawn, summer or winter we ran from the barrack towel around our waist to the showers. 1905 - 1976 In 1907, its famous training mast was erected on the parade ground. We are the largest and fastest growing community of UK forces veterans on the web with over 500,000 members! Sailors' uniforms were a familiar sight in our area until HMS Ganges closed in June 1976. 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. Reaching high into the sunlit sky stood the mast; its yardarms spread wide like a giant crucifix. Back in the mess, this safe haven shielding us from those torturous sounds, the junior instructors' suspiciously cheerful faces greeted us. 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.. He was an Electricians Mate Class 1 and served in, 12/03/35-09/01/36 HMS Ganges. GANGES was the shore training establishment for boy entrants into the Royal Navy from 1905 until 1976. HMS Ganges is a little bit different though, because they have to get the spine road in first and do some prep work. HMS Ganges (1821) This page summarises records created by this Organisation The summary includes a brief description of the collection (s) (usually including the covering dates of the. Realizing his mistake he fought back and with no way out he had no choice but to work his ticket. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. They faced what was without doubt the most severe punishment, cuts. In 1905 when the Ganges vessel was finally retired (and towed away to Chatham), the training facility, still named HMS Ganges, moved ashore. We had no one to confide in, our instructors would more than likely told us not to tell tales. Were you a 'button boy'? Posted on February 5, 2019 by irishroverpei. Did my intro to Pusser at HMS Raleigh in ' 52 . HMS Ganges was a "stone frigate" or land-based institution for the Royal Navy, and between 1905 and 1976 was one of the key training bases used to prepare sailors to defend Great Britain. I was ordered to report for my test one evening after supper. Even by naval training standards life there was controlled by a very strict regime. After such a long time I think it will be a welcome relief for a lot of people. 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. Steve Tarr. Developers Wavensmere Homes and Galliard Homes plan to build almost 300 homes on the site and include a restored mast in the development. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's He was subsequently dismissed from the service and returned to civilian life. 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. A question of Religion?Maybe MaybeNot???? Roger Jones, chairman at the HMS Ganges Museum said: "HMS Ganges was originally a ship of the wooden wall, launched in 1821. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. they said. It closed in 1998 or something. If you cracked on and didn't buckle you were okay, but I wouldn't want to do it again. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. We were ordered to turn around and bend over, if the instructor was satisfied we were clean, we were allowed out. The 142-foot high (43 m) mast was erected in 1907. All thanks to my Instructor CMEM LUCKENS . The HMS Ganges Museum previously said restorers would remove the wooden part of the mast for refurbishment off site and they would then check the condition of the steel lower mast. It was a facade hiding unknown treasures unknown tricks for us to perform, the first of which was to mark our kit with our names. It was named after a pre-existing training ship by the same name that was launched from Bombay and based at Shotley. 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). Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Charles Dickens might have penned it the best of times and the worst of times. He was the officer that tested us when we endeavoured to qualify with a bosuns pipe. 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?' Within ten minutes, a second pair of gates appeared, the gates of the real HMS Ganges. The mast has been a local landmark since it was. At 14 he ran away to join the Royal Navy and 'signed on' for 12 years. She was established as a boys' training establishment in 1865, and was based aboard a number of hulks before moving ashore. ", The honours board from the HMS Ganges, showing the victories of all the Royal Navy ships bearing the name (Image: HMS Ganges Museum). 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. It had to be a joke! 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. The boy was made lower his trousers, but kept is underpants on, he was made to bend over a chair. From the annexe, I had sometimes seen it, partly hidden by snowy skies as it towered above the buildings, and it looked frightening then, but now, marching beneath its cobweb rigging, it looked truly awesome. To get out of the showers we had to stand before our instructor legs apart arms raised for inspection. Martin Foster was treasurer for veterans who served at HMS Ganges training base in Sufffolk. 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. 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