Comments on: HMS Ganges – Suffolk

By: len Charrington

len Charrington — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:50:56 +0000

I joined Ganges in September 1966 in 87 recruitmentas a sonar rating. I had a great time there mostly. I swam for Ganges and played rugby so both summer and winter all my spare time was accounted for. I was housed in Exmouth 32 mess just off the parade ground in what was then known as the brick mansions. I still have vivid memories of the Friday night routines on my hands and knees scrubbing the parquet floor brick by brick with our boot brushes. Ganges was a great leveler because all started the same way with identical kit. I made some good friends at Ganges but am not in touch with any now. I do remember whole class punishments that seemed to occur nightly for some misdemeanour or another, this usually meant doubling up and down Faith ,hope and charity as the stairway to the fore shore was known.
I left the RN as a chief in 2003 and remember Ganges with some fear and as a place that gave me a good foundation for my naval career.

By: George Harris

George Harris — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:48:55 +0000

I was at Ganges in Blake Div in 60-62 Basher Briggs and CRS Messenger were our instructors. I have heard from a couple of lads from the mess since I moved to Australia in 1986, namely Colin Barber and Colin Dorsett they were due to come to Aus in 2009 on a cruise, but that was the last I heard, I was in the US when they first contacted me. My time at Ganges was —–THE BEST!!!!! I have great memories and some not so great i.e G.I. Thompson who put the fear of god in me. At 15 years of age he really pushed my buttons, I would freeze everytime I saw or heard him. We were RO’s and had some TO’s in our mess and would be glad to hear from any of the mess

By: Lionel B Martin

Lionel B Martin — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:49:16 +0000

On WWII armistice day, I joined the RN as a Boy. After a spell as a nozzer, I decided to go for visual signalling and cryptography. When I was transferred to the main establishment, I spent a year there (should not have been that long, but I took ill and spent some time in sick bay) initially under the wings of Chief Yeoman of Signals, Bunn and Petty Officer Telegraphist, Nicholson, in 48 mess at the North East corner of the parade ground, then 32 mess in the short covered way, under the tuition of Yeoman Barton. After Ganges, I spent time in HMS Ceylon and HMS Birmingham, in the East Indies; then HMS Flatholm, one of the two last coalburners in the RN, engaged in Wreck Dispersal; then the Frigate HMS Crane to Korea; then transferred to HMS Ocean; then HMS Sea Eagle, an anti-submarine shore establishment in Londonderry, then finally, HMS Roebuck in the Med………..Pincher Martin. P.S I went up the mast, but never got as far as the button – too scary!…….

By: TAFF BEVAN

TAFF BEVAN — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:27:19 +0000

ANNEX INSTRUCTORS..CCY OVENDEN AND JI PEPPERELL
JOINED GANGES IN FEB 1961 38 RECRUITMENT, EXMOUTH 45 MESS (I THINK)
INSTRUCTORS WERE RS GRASS AND CCY LUCAS. GREAT TIMES.
SOME CLASS MEMBERS

TAFF DAVIES LEADING JUNIOR
GRICE LEADING JUNIOR
HAFFENDEN
PULLEN
FLYNN
WILLIAMSON
MINSKIP
CRIDGE
WILDMAN

By: Alan Renwick

Alan Renwick — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:32:08 +0000

anybody know George MacDonald he was a OEM on the Ark Royal

By: John Palmer

John Palmer — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 18:58:13 +0000

I wondered what had happened to all the young lads that died at Ganges during the late 1890s and early 1900s. many are buried in the service personnels section of Shotley Chruch yard. Can anyone help or shed any light on this?

Thanks

By: albert sufferin

albert sufferin — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 23:15:02 +0000

Joined Ganges in i think it was may or june 1966. Exmouth ,cant remember mess number.My memory is shot to pieces.Was friends with a small lad named Glyn Humphries from Huddersfield.After Ganges went on to HMS Deadalus and finished up HMS Fulmar in Scotland.My CPO was called Kavanagh from south of ireland. Some bad memories of the old place but some great ones to.

By: steve Blakemore , Blakey .

steve Blakemore , Blakey . — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 14:51:03 +0000

I trained at Ganges March to May 1974 , i remember rpo swann / swanny , and po Holmes . I joined as a Jna2 and swapped to the seamans branch , tas rate after the schoolies refused to give me a 5 / 5 namet pass . i was one lousy point short . Did 4 years . Went to Raleigh , vernon , and then hms hardy , keppel , Jaguar and Ashanti . Ganges was a very strange place , we met some brilliant adults and some who would have been at home in a lunatic asylum . That said i wish i could go back and do it all again . As regards the Ganges association , we have aprox 4000 members , have a look at the website and join up , visit the museum at shotley . You may meet and old instructor or ex oppo , some of the artifacts may bring back a few memories . Do you remember the figurehead and those eyes .
best regards to all , Blakey .

By: Pam Coleano

Pam Coleano — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 08:30:14 +0000

I am trying to contact men who were at Ganges from 1952. My dad Philip Newton went there as a 15 year old, straight from school. I would love to be able to give him a present of old friends for his birthday. Here’s hoping!

By: patrick james mack

patrick james mack — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 09:39:16 +0000

Hi. This brings back a few memorys of the long covered way and 25 mess near the end. I was there in 1966. It was hard at first doing basic training in the annexe but it was better in the main establishment.