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December 2005

A Story for Christmas from Down Under

Ah what a wonderful family we are!
Friends and ex-shipmates we will never forget, the memories go on forever.
Back in September I met up with some old Ganges boy classmates at our OZ reunion.........Derek Ernst, Richard (Taffy)Evans, Ken (Ginger) Russell all boy tels also of course another old mate Joe Hawkwood an ex boy seaman..
and one of the best!

Just to let you know the depth of feelings, loyalty and belonging amongst old Ganges boys I must tell you that on my arrival in Perth after a five and a half hours flight across Australia from Brisbane, I found myself with nowhere to go as our old classmate Stan Coulding with whom I was going to stay, had sadly collapsed and died the previous afternoon whilst meeting Ginger and Taffy, flying in from Singapore.

Wandering down to the baggage carousel my mobile began to ring. What a surprise, it was Joe Hawkwood and his daughter, who lives in Perth. They knew of my 'homeless' situation and had come to pick me up. Was'nt that a wonderful thing to do, Joe's daughter had never met me before but took me home and put me up, this is what I mean when I talk of our 'Ganges family'. Then Joe shared his weekend flat with me at the reunion, right opposite the venue. It was very conveniently situated as I was able to monitor a tipsy Joe guiding a much more tipsy Ginger home to his accomodation after a late session (or two).

After the week-end reunion and some drama, I returned home to the east coast followed by Taffy, Ginger and their two female bosses (just joking) to spend a couple of weeks before returning to Canada and Cunbria respectively.
We hired a people mover and did some local touring. I took them to a nearby pub to show them the Bosuns Chair which originally came from the old wooden walled Ganges. Taffy and I spent some considerable time trying to persuade the publican to sell it to us for the Ganges museum but I think he must have thought Taffy to be some kind of a 'shady' character as he would'nt budge or discuss an offer.

Next we went on a trip to the western Queensland Opal fields and did a bit of digging and visited an open cut opal mine owned by Theresa, a lady who we met at a BBQ the previous night, that was very interesting as is a lot of the characters who work and live in this tiny outback settlement. One tall elderly lady who lives there, digging opal comes from the USA, returning when the summer heat makes it too hot to dig at this place called YOWAH. This lady, in her younger days worked on the Alaska pipeline so is known throughout the opal fields as 'Eskimo Nell' and believe me she knows all the verses of one of our naval anthems! She is just one of the colourful characters out there, we met more.

After a few days we had to prepare for the two day eventful drive home. Within a couple of hours 'WHACK' we ran into a stupid Kangaroo, damaging our brand new hired Toyota Tarago. Sadly the Roo had a broken leg so we had to put her down with a pickaxe, also the baby Joey which I had to pull from her pouch. We stopped every couple of hours for a brew up etc and then pressed on.

Travelling up one particular straight stretch of road several miles long with nothing in sight but Kangaroos and Emus we came to a bend in the road and surprise! surprise! there was a police radar trap who informed me that I was doing over the limit as that stretch was 100 km per hour, five of us in the vehicle declared that we never saw any speed sign but it cost $150 anyhow! Good job my wife had stayed home, I would have probably got nagged for the next couple of hundred kilometres.

We arrive home safely and prepared for the next leg of our holiday.

I had hired a 6 berth houseboat for a few days navigating on the beautiful Noosa river, but sadly there must have something wrong with the steering as after our hourly 'up spirits' we just kept dodging submarines? we decided to let Ginger take the helm because he was the only ex chief amongst us, but he just starting behaving like any ole chief can be expected to and proceeded to go round in circles. Eventually we retired to 'up spirits' and let my daughter (who had flown down from North Queensland to join us) take the helm and would you believe it, like all females she 'fluked' it and kept a straight course. I managed with the help of Ginger's Wendy to put us on a mudbank where we had to 'upspirits' again and wait for a couple of hours till high tide. Twas something like the navy again .................but not exactly

Time was running short as my old mates and their ladies have to get back on that plane to Singapore and the cafe where Ginger had left his new digital camera three weeks before. Would you believe it, the man there recognised them straight away and gave Ginger his camera back! Lucky Taffy had a camera and all the holiday pics are on disc.

What a great time we all had despite the sad beginning. I would love to do it all over again.

By the way, I donated one of my small opal pendants (cutting opal is my hobby) to the reunion raffle and it was won by Ray from Torquay who came out for the reunion and is a friend of our old instructor Ken (Dusty) Miller...Sir. Small world is'nt it.

Hope to get to the friday while at Bournemouth next year, but who knows.
Good luck to all the Ganges family and a Happy Christmas to You and Yours
Dave (Sid) Langdown ........boy tel 1951.
<siddlang@bigpond.com>

The 2006 Calendar

RNA Uxbridge Oscar Deltas have produced a calendar of ourselves all with our kit off in the best possible taste in aid of the Tug Wilson wheelchair appeal. They are available from Slinger Wood (Chairman) <kevin.wood@blueyonder.co.uk> price £5.00 which includes postage.
Postal address: RNA Uxbridge
rear of 388 Long Lane
Hillingdon
Middlesex
UB10 9PG
Cheques payable to RNA Uxbridge with all profits to the Tug Wilson appeal. Limited stocks, so buy now if you want to own this collectors item.
Regards
Martin <Lydmart@aol.com>

This year HMS Ganges Association West London Division will not be sending Christmas cards but will be making a donation of an equivalent amount to the Tug Wilson Wheelchair Appeal.
We wish joy and happiness to all our friends in all divisions of the HMS Ganges Association and also to those members who may not belong to a division.
Have a very Merry Christmas everyone and may you all have a peaceful and prosperous New Year.
Chairman and all members of the West London Division,
HMS Ganges Association.

Pingat Jasa Malaysian Medal Award

Happy to report to the HMS Ganges Association we have at last won our case for the PJM medal. Its been a joint effort by veterans from all three services. We managed to persuade Jack Straw to ask the HD committee to review a five year rule inserted in 1994 to prevent the arctic Convoy Vets from receiving any more Russian anniversary medals. The HD committee breached their own rule anyway for British medals, when they issued the Canal Zone GSM/NGSM recently. Members of the HD committee, Rear Admiral Wilkinson and Sir Kevin Tebbit (MOD secretaries) were anti at first, but the other civil servants on the committee were sympathetic along with the Private Secretary to The Sovereign Sir Robin Janvrin. It was becoming an embarrassment to the Queen who had already given permission to both the Aussies & Kiwis to accept and wear the medal. Its only a formality now, we hope to have consent from Buck House before Christmas. The MOD just didn't want any more paper work to do, because it's they ( the MOD medal dept) who have all our records. Without MOD & FCO help the Malaysian government would not know who to award the medals to. Qualification period is 90 days irrespective of whether one has a previous British award or not. The issue of double medaling does not come into it as many who never received a British Campaign medal will be intitled to this new PJM medal.
George Fleming <george9.fleming@ntlworld.com>

HMS Victorious

I am sure that in the membership of the Ganges Association there must be some ex Victorious men.
Did you serve on the mighty Vic???
e-mail Mike or Richard for details at:- <michaelhumphries@btinternet.com> or <rejmwalker@aol.com>
Happy Christmas to you all. Mike.

Crossed The Bar

Regret to report that C/SSX899254 WILLIAM I R SMALLBONE crossed the bar on Xmas eve.
Bill joined HMS Ganges 6 Feb 51 Class 301 Anson 28 mess.

Paul Daykin <daikin@telkomsa.net>

Crossed The Bar

Melbourne VIC Australia 22 December: Vale Derek (Butch) BERRY AM WO RAN Rtd.
Today Derek (Butch) BERRY AM, passed away in hospital after a short illness.
Butch was a CPOGI when he left the RN in the mid-sixties and emigrated to Australia to take up a new job as Parade Training Officer at HMAS Cerberus. Here he struck fear and admiration into all who crossed "his parade ground". Butch epitomised everything about Gunnery Instructors. He was large, fearsome but likeable and became a legend in his new chosen Navy.
He was the first man promoted to the new rank of Warrant Officer in the RAN.
He was awarded the Australia Medal, the only non-commissioned person to be so honoured. The later awards to non-commissioned personnel was the Order of Australia OAM.
Upon leaving the RAN Butch took over curator of the HMAS Cerberus museum.
I once underwent instruction at Whale Island for guard duties in London, the instructor was Butch. A most likeable and respected giant of a man.
Ric 56 <malabar@aapt.net.au>
New South Wales

Derek Berry crossed the bar at 3 bells in the middle watch. Derek was an ex CPOGI of Field Gun fame, came to Australia in 1967 and his name has made many tremble at the thoughtof him on the parade ground! He joined HMS St George from the "Mercury" training ship (Hamble) in 1942. Whilst not an official member of the "Ganges" Association, he has always been a part of the Victorian Division. He was the Secretary/Manager of the Naval Memorial Club at Frankston which is the meeting place for both our Association and the RNA, as such he proved to be invaluable and although he served for many years in the RAN (retired as a WO) he was always interested and helpful in our causes.
Derek is survived by his wife Edna, daughter Lynne and son Nick.
We shall miss him indeed.
David Rees <daverees@satlink.com.au>
Victoria Division

Crossed The Bar

It is with Great sorrow I have to inform our members that Brian J. Cave P/J934286 who was at Ganges at the same time as I (Brian joined 09/02/1954) and was in Collingwood 381 class "passed over" 27/11/2005 after many years suffering with Asthma and Emphysema. Brian was laid to "Rest" at Sompting West Sussex parish church on 06/12/2005.
May he find a safe and peaceful anchorage.
Bill Rispin (54) <bill_rispin@hotmail.com>

Crossed The Bar

Bob Wise (Kepple 9 1961) crossed the bar on the 16th of November after some time of illness with heart problems.
Find a safe anchorage in still waters old Shipmate.
Stuart Turner (Drake 38 1959)
<stfr@o-turner.freeserve.co.uk>

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