Roger Walker TASO
wrote on the 14th October 2008
As for my own
recollections' there are so many. The first Summer of the
Commission, we were at times the only working destroyer in the
Western Fleet. It meant the program was non-stop. I am sure I will
remember more as time goes by but here are a couple.
During
a briefing for the Carysfort Wardroom by the Cdr of the Royal
Yacht before taking up duties as guardship.
"On the yacht
we do not wear hats aft of the mast"
Cheesed-off Simon
M who at this stage was getting bored:
"On Carysfort,
we don't wear hats aft of the mast, in fact we don't wear hats
forward of the mast or anywhere else either "
.... to the barely
suppressed giggles of the Carysfort wardroom - the briefing was
brought to a speedy conclusion.
The
Ship's equipment was extraordinarily reliable largely thanks to
the experience of Steve Bovey the Marine Engineer and the
drive, brains and bubbly personality of Les Ayling our WEO
but when, just as we were anchoring in a quiet bay in the Western
Isles, we were informed that we were to receive a visit from
a young Prince Andrew, sod's law took over.
The Captain was on
the bridge still. SSD were about to fall out. Britannia's
signal had a mixed reception. The Skipper (Dickie
Bates) had work to do so No. 1 was detailed off to arrange an
"interesting programme". A diver was paraded on the
Iron Deck with all his gear including his telephone. This
fascinated the young prince who demanded the diver be put into the
water to demonstrate how it worked. The diver duly obliged and the
sea took over.
The time-honoured
"How do you hear me ?" elicited no response and
the minutes dragged by. Finally an impatient young prince
seized the microphone and took charge.
"Diver, this
is Andrew over ?" and answer came there none.
Diver this
is Andrew, Answer me immediately !!" Titters from
the assembled company, still no answer.
"Well"
an embarassed XO offers " Shall we try something else
?"
Sensitivity
requires the story of the German loan officer and the Gibraltar
gas chambers to be kept for a future re-union as does the sad and
tragic end to Simon McCaskill's life. Your remarkable website
ought however to record that Carysfort's last commission was
another in a series of successful commissions and that she was
rightly known for that and for the morale of her crew.
I could go
on but in the weeks to come, I will look through the Photographs
and see what memories might be of general interest.
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