Hallo my grand old mate Spud, have decided to revisit the Guestbook pages after a wee while away. Firstly, I received your chopper trying to land in a so called "difficult sea" which took me straight back to my days on the Dalrymple on the dreaded Rockall/Malin run up to survey the continental shelf from Bear island to the Bay of Biscay along with Lt Cdr Dick Dodwell, Jesus did it bring back memories, i think I was sick for the first week onboard!! Bloody awful weather and it was in July!!!
Secondly, I never thought for one minute that anyone in the Met Branch would ever mention sport at any level, so it is with great humility that I mention my participation in the sports of the RN.
Here goes:- after I left training I was drafted to Portland (the first ever met rating to go there off course) I then represented Portland at X-Country in the Pompey command cross country chanpionship at Dryad along with George Chilton we were the only two Wafoos who ran against 140 odd fish-heads. Portland finished runners-up to Victory A and I still have the trophy to prove it!!
Portland didn't have an Air Dept football team so instead I represented 737 and then 771 Sqdns and then Portland itself.
On the Ark I played for her at hockey in Singers and also for the Air Dept and 815 Sqdn at football, then at Lee I represented the base at both Football and Rugby plus the Air Dept at football. On to the London where I played football for the ship and also for the Seamens dept!! then to Brawdy where again I played both football and Rugby for the base.
Onto the Albion and played for the Air dept and 848 sqdn at football and also for the Albion plus we (Lt Geoff Roberts, me and Tim Preston took part in the first ever inter ship quiz against the Eagle (which we won 34-26) Geoff scored 17, yours truly got 16 and Tim scored 1)
Then back to Lee to finish off and played for Lee and the Air Dept at football and then I went outside.
Also represented the Fleet Air Arm at Field Gun Crew and the gun crew at both football and cricket.
That's it Spud, I was a sportsman
and still continued playing in civvy street until I was 47 at football, rugby and cricket. seems so long since but the memories and photos, trophies and plaques are still with me.
No-one believed I was Met, they all thought I was a chockhead or a bombhead because as far as "they" were concerned Met men didn't play sport. Even on the Gun Crew I was put down as a NAM!!
great to hear from you Spud,
mebbe we'll now hear how Brooker scored the winning goal in a Wembley cup final, a century at Lords and ran riot in the Met school at both Kete and Culdee!!!
All the best Spud,
Cheers
G.
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