Memories and Loss

A couple of days before Christmas, some flowers were delivered to the Royal Navy Submarine Museum. Each year a lady leaves a floral tribute to the crew of HMS P48, a Royal Navy submarine sunk in the Second World War, and her brother in particular.

Coincidentally, another lady visited just after Christmas. Her god father was Able Seaman Miller who, along with Lieutenant Low was posthumously awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal (which later became the George Cross). An account of his actions on HMS UNITY can be found online:

"Lt. F. J. Brooks. RN (On the first day of his first patrol, on his first command) was lost in an accident in the North Sea, while operating out of Blyth. (ack. Ron Biddle). In collision with Norwegian SS Atle Jarl. At 1730 on 29-April-1940, Unity sailed from Blyth for Norway. The weather was poor, with visibility down to 300 yards as Unity moved out of the harbour; in the main channel, where the Norwegian ship Atle Jarl was proceeding inbound on her way from Methyl, Scotland to the Tyne, visibility was down to 100 yards: Neither vessel was aware of the other until the submarine spotted the ship at 50 yards and on a collision course. At 1907 a prolonged blast of a ship’s siren at 50 yards was heard on Unity's bridge. There was just time to shut the bulkhead doors and order the engines astern before the Atle Jarl smashed into the submarine. The order to abandon the submarine was given at 1910 and Unity sank only five minutes after the collision.
The order to abandon the submarine was given at 1910 and most of the crew made their way topside and were crowded on the bridge. HMS Unity had taken an angle of 25 degrees and sank within four-five minutes. Although all the members of HMS Unity, bar the 1st Lt., Lt JNA Low RN and AB Miller, escaped from the stricken vessel, Leading Seaman James Hare and Stoker 1st Class Cecil Shelton were not picked up by the crew of the Atle Jarl during the subsequent search. A subsequent investigation revealed a breakdown in internal communications between the Submarine and the fact that the Methyl-Tyne convoy had not been due off Blyth until at approx 1930.
Four men were lost - Leading Seaman James S HARE P/JX 145574; Lieutenant John N A LOW; Able Seaman Henry J MILLER P/J 55387; and Stoker Cecil SHELTON P/KX 91083.
Lieutenant Low and Able Seaman Miller were the two men on duty in the submarine control room. When the order to abandon ship was given by the submarine commander they were instrumental in helping almost every member of the submarine to escape. Lt John N. A. Low RN and AB Henry J. Miller were each awarded a posthumous Empire Gallantry Medal, later (Sept 1940) exchanged by their next-of-kin to the George Cross."
(Source: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-sea/20681-hm-submarine-unity-ss-atle-jarle.html)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Unity_(N66)
http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3385.html

As far as the ladies are concerned, it's touching that someone should be remembered for so long after their death. It also shows, perhaps, how traumatic, how scarring it can be to lose someone in such violent circumstances, and where there is no grave or memorial. The Area of Remembrance at the Museum takes on that role for many people it seems.

Having read of the actions of Lt Low and AB Miller, I find myself wondering if I could do anything as selfless and as brave. Of  course our actions are always tempered by the time and the environment and I'm sat at home watching telly. So who knows?

Christmas Under The Sea

As has happened for the past 50 years or so, there will be at least one British submarine at sea today. The ships' company won't get boxes from The Sun, a mention on the BBC or additional minutes on their Paradigm cards. If they're lucky they will get their 40 word Familygram from home, which may have been censored; they certainly won't get the chance to talk to their families. They will be at 15 minutes notice to fire their terrible weapons against which ever foe they are directed. Their routine will be unchanged from any other day.

Spare them just a fleeting thought.

To All My Readers

To All My Readers

Merry Christmas

Joyeux Noel

Vrolijke Kertsmis

Fröhliche Weihnachten

Feliz Navidad

ميلاد مجيد

Nollaig Shona

Christmas Amshamshagal

с Рождеством Христовым

З Різдвом Христовим

wesołych świąt bożego Narodzenia

Yep. I really have that much global reach!

(If you're not a follower, please sign up over there on the right at the top)

Ignorance and Want

"'Forgive me if I am not justified in what I ask,' said Scrooge, looking intently at the Spirit's robe,' but I see something strange, and not belonging to yourself, protruding from your skirts. Is it a foot or a claw.'

'It might be a claw, for the flesh there is upon it,' was the Spirit's sorrowful reply. 'Look here.' From the foldings of its robe, it brought two children; wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable. They knelt down at its feet, and clung upon the outside of its garment. 'Oh, Man. look here. Look, look, down here.' exclaimed the Ghost. They were a boy and a girl. Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish; but prostrate, too, in their humility. Where graceful youth should have filled their features out, and touched them with its freshest tints, a stale and shrivelled hand, like that of age, had pinched, and twisted them, and pulled them into shreds. Where angels might have sat enthroned, devils lurked, and glared out menacing. No change, no degradation, no perversion of humanity, in any grade, through all the mysteries of wonderful creation, has monsters half so horrible and dread. Scrooge started back, appalled. Having them shown to him in this way, he tried to say they were fine children, but the words choked themselves, rather than be parties to a lie of such enormous magnitude. 'Spirit. are they yours.' Scrooge could say no more. 'They are Man's,' said the Spirit, looking down upon them. 'And they cling to me, appealing from their fathers. This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased. Deny it.' cried the Spirit, stretching out its hand towards the city. 'Slander those who tell it ye. Admit it for your factious purposes, and make it worse. And abide the end.'

That's Not A Bad Christmas THIS Is A Bad Christmas

This year's Christmas won't be as extravagant as other years because of the lack of work. However, compared to the people in Cornwall and Stonehaven who've been flooded out of their homes, the friend of my wife whose father died 2 days ago and the old Naval friend who is going into hospital on Christmas Eve for an orchidectomy, and faces the prospect of chemotherapy, I would say it's going to be a pretty stonking time. And some people have a cold and bitch about it on Facebook.

Pass me another mince pie and a sherry. matron.

Tying Up A Loose End

I last had contact with  a particular friend about 25 years ago, just as his own career was beginning to take off. We went different ways and our paths never crossed again. Both our similar careers were on the up except that one was a much steeper curve! Last year I worked out where he was (or where I thought he was) and sent him a Christmas card, and he eventually received it in February, when he wrote back to me. Well, I mislaid that note but rediscovered it this Christmas, and vowed that I would make contact again.

Well, I made that telephone call tonight. For half an hour we had an excellent  chat and compared our summarised histories. Mt friend does not seem to have changed one iota, although he has done extremely well in his career. We've agreed to meet for a beer in the New Year and, I suspect, an even longer chat.

The thing is, once we hung up, I actually felt quite good. Inwardly I was smiling, and I felt rather pleased and calm. I think it was to do with tying up a loose end - a sense of completion, albeit a small one. 

Somebody Said It Couldn't be Done

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,
   But, he with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn’t," but he would be one
   Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
   On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
   That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you’ll never do that;
   At least no one has done it";
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
   And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
   Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
   That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
   There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
   The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin,


It Couldn’t Be Done by Edgar Albert Guest

This was spoken at tonight's BBC Sports Personality of The Year as the Team Award was give to Paralympics GB and Team GB.

I think it may be something to keep in mind.

To Delete Or Not To Delete

When friends die, they leave behind them little reminders of their presence; physical items, memories, photographs, entries in address books.  When those friends are also 'friends; on social media sites, then they also leave traces there-a page, a website, an account. And like a photograph, those electronic images often pop up to jog a memory, or sit as a constant reminder in the corner of the screen.

This year, 3 people I know as friends - 2 in everyday life and one as on-line 'friend' - have died this year (2 by their own hands, sadly).And yet, I've still to delete their names from my pages and on-line address books. Much like a couple of names in an old address book I have. There's a finality in making such a move so why am I, or are we, reluctant to take such a step?

When In Doubt, Drive Don't Fly

This past weekend, I had to travel up to Northampton for a committee meeting of the Royal Aero Club 3Rs. One of the other committee members suggested that I stay with him and his son the night before and we could then either fly up the next morning or, if the weather was unsuitable, drive up. After a very sociable evening, 2 bottles of wine and a good sleep, we reviewed the weather. It seems there was a lot of patchy cloud and at low level so the decision was made to drive rather than fly.

It seems this was a really good idea. We would have flown from Blackbushe to Sywell which is less than half an hour but instead chose to drive and our trip out and return by road were uneventful. The next day I got sent this email:

Pete,

You might recall that one of my concerns about flying yesterday was the forecast for temporary patches of low cloud or fog. It looks like someone got caught out yesterday and crashed, fatally, due to the fog so I'm pleased that I made the decision I did although I think it would have been ok here. 

This thread on the flyer forum ( http://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=80660 ) is regarding the crash yesterday and it's very sobering. The text below is from an experienced pilot who was also in the area at the time. Again, very though provoking!

"I was airborn out of Nayland with virtually zero wind.. I turned S W for maybe 10 mins then saw the edge of the bank of fog/cloud rolling towards Nayland.

I tried to beat it back and headed straight back to Nayland at 120knts and ran smack into it at 8.3 miles to run . The speed it came in was staggering, I have never experienced anything like it in all the years I have been flying .
At 4 miles to run smack on runway centre line I was down to180 feet and could not see a thing. I climbed back up through it into brilliant sunshine and stableised at 2500 ft. It was clearer towards the coast so I headed that way. I called wattisham and they were giving cloudbase as 100 ft or less.

At that point I saw someone else on top obviously looking for a hole next minute he headed down at a fairly steep angle at about 30 degree bank and disapeared from site into the cloud.

At that point I changed frequency to Tibenham and heard them flying, tried to raise them on the radio but failed which didn't supprise me as they usually use a hand held with limited range. I set course for them anyway.
I then retuned to wattisham ,just as the rescue helicopter popped out of the cloud in a pretty much vertical climb. One of the people with me knew its call sign and frequency so we tried to call it. At that point we heard that an aircraft had gone in and it was dispatching to the crah site. We saw it orbit and let down through the solid cloud bank.

Setting course for Tibenham at 120 knots we could see the cloudbank out running us and we again towards the coast to see if we could run in under the cloud. We were down to less than 300 feet with 9 miles to run and masts etc ahead.

Another climb back up to 2000 ft into clear sunshine. A call to Seething (10 miles towards the coast ) gave us CAV OK with the fog /cloud bank visable 6 miles to the east.

We touched down as 4 or 5 others were calling for diversions. Within a few minutes of landing we couldn't see across the width of the runway.

In all my years of flying I have never experienced a day like today . It was a lethal day.

Seething were wonderfull and even managed to make room to get me into the hangar whereupon the sun came out but too late for me to get back to Nayland. It could have so easily been me that went in. I had plenty of fuel on board and time to out fly the conditions but it took all my skills and could have been such a different outcome....What a day"

Fog bank close to the Blackbushe - Sywell track

Gregory Clipstone crash death pilot: 'Man of integrity' 

Dear reader, I think you'll understand how grateful I am that the right decision was made, when it could have been so easy to 'chance it'

Simon Hanson - Songs From the Silver Box

My friend, Simon Hanson, is incredibly talented, irritatingly. As well as playing drums for Squeeze on their current tour, he's recorded with Grace Jones, Iggy Pop, Liam Gallagher, Death In Vegas and others. He's a good looking sod, too. I hate him. Anyway, have a look at his showreel here.

Copyright Jon Gardner Photography

He's just created his new, and first solo album  and to get it released in the UK and the US he's seeking funding on Kickstarter. Have a look at his project here and then have a look at what you can afford to help get his new album 'Songs From The Silver Box' off the ground.

And his mum, Judy, will be very pleased, too. She's a nice lady.

www.simonhanson.co.uk

Seasonal Music

For the next couple of weeks leading up to Christmas, I'm planning to post some seasonal music videos on here and you'll find the link towards the top right of this page where it says 'Seasonal Music'. These will include some of the time-worn (and clichéd  ones, but also a few of my own  favourites which may be slightly less popular with others.

As a taster here's the first one:

I also found this slightly unusual link on the TuneIn website:

Christmas Vinyl and their website can be found here www.christmasvinyl.com

Make sure you become a Follower if you want to see what I like in Christmas music by clicking the link over here--------------------------------------------------------------------------------> that says 'Followers of 'Follow by email'

We'll Get Back To You Soon

I suppose this is something that almost all of us have said at some time in our adult lives. It's not a great thing to say because it doesn't specify a specific time but most of the time most of us will 'get back to you'. I'm sure a minority of us (including myself) will have failed to fulfil  that undertaking and that has to be disappointing, inconvenient or even upsetting for the other party.

For my part I've been on the receiving end recently where 2 different recruitment agencies have said exactly that but have failed to follow through. One instance came after having sent my CV in to a company and after the first call heard nothing else; not an unusual situation as recruitment companies do this all the time and it's hard to sustain contact with these companies when there's nothing substantial to discuss.

The second instance came after being contacted directly and being told that there was a role coming up for which I would be a good fit and that we'd chat again in a couple of days. After a week, I asked if there had been any progress and was told, "We'll get back to you soon". Well, you can guess the rest. Of course, this is disappointing but is harder to take when opportunities, interviews and work haven't been forthcoming in some time.

It's been a lesson for me. I shall try harder in the future always to agree a specific date and always to ensure I do 'get back', knowing that if I don't I shall also be inconveniencing or disappointing someone else.

Incidentally, my LinkedIn profile can be found here. I hope you get back to me.

It's A Small, Small World

Over the summer months I help the Royal Aero Club Records Racing and Rally Association (the 3Rs) run their series of handicapped air races as the Chief Marshal (www.airraceuk.co.uk). In the past we've held races on Menorca but also hold ones at Abbeville in France and on Alderney as regular and annual events.

In my other job as a guide on HMS Alliance, I was taking a group through the boat this afternoon. At the end I chatted to one gentleman who was Spanish and from Majorca. I replied that I only had ever been to one place in Spain which was Menorca and that wasn't a holiday but for air racing. We chatted a little more about his interest in submarines and military matters before he asked me if I had said 'air racing'. I replied that it was and he said that he had a friend who also air raced. "It's not Gabriel, is it?". Astonishingly,  this man who is a Spanish commercial pilot currently flying from Stockholm to Vietnam and SE Asia, and I both knew the same man who generally attends the 3 air races above. In fact this man, Onofre, and Gabriel have been friends since childhood and Gabriel was responsible for getting him into flying (and for helping him get a flight at 7 years old!).

A clip from the Schneider race on Alderney with Gabriel at the controls

I can't imagine what the probability of this happening must be as for one thing, our running order as guides is decided on the cut of the cards, and this guy could have appeared at any time during the day.

Peter's Immutable Law of Ironing

The crease that is accidentally made when ironing is a million times harder to smooth out than the ones created during the laundry process.

History Oozing Out Of The Bricks

RNSM Guides with Chris Donnithorne
l-r John Buffrey, Pete Chilcott, Chris, Dennis Wade,
Denis King (photo taken by Charlie Hayward)

Today, myself and some of the other guides form the Royal Navy Submarine Museum who undertake heritage tours of Fort Blockhouse, were taken around the site by Chris Donnithorne site so that we could improve our knowledge. Chris has done much research on the history of the site and has gathered together a lot of material from a  variety of sources.

There is a likely history of a presence on the site since Roman times with the first records coming from the 15th century and then pretty much constant development. As one walks around the site it soon becomes pretty clear that it's possible to pick out any feature and realise that there is some tale or historical fact related to it: it might be the origins of Petrol Pier, the unique saluting guns, the world's first Attack Trainer or the fittings for the harbour boom. A few myths got debunked too.

• The recognisable fortifications date from the time of Queen Anne
• When the casemates were built in 1802, they were the first ones to be built since Henry VIII
• The only other saluting guns of the same type were to be found in Hong Kong and were probably returned when HK reverted back to the PRC
• There never were stables at Fort Blockhouse/HMS Dolphin
• The original (and existing) jetties, including Petrol Pier, were built in 1906

It's a truly fascinating site. Through the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, it's possible to organise a guided tour, and every September tours are organised as part of the borough wide Heritage Days

Plaque at the site of the first (of four) main gates

.

The Next Tour Will Be At 1050

Hi everybody, I’m your guide and my name’s Pete
As you go on board mind your head, watch your feet
She’s really quite old, and has earnt her pension
Been here since ‘81 without much care
But you see the  scaffold’s there
And she’s getting well deserved attention

This end’s for escape, its the fore-ends and TSC
These white lockers hold escape gear and here’s the SSE.
Originally there’d be 12. Then that was 9 in ‘60
Down the loading hatch via the rails
Onto the racks or through the rear doors
Cuddling up to the spuds to the carrots and more

Over the sill, to the bunks that stay warm
In the mess for sleep, to eat, to play that’s the norm
Some quite low bunks and some more roomy
The next space has a battery
(In ‘71 we lost Chief Kimber)
The tower to the 4 inch gun is in the Wardroom

Ah - here’s the control room, oh so busy, so much to see
There’s the fruit machine, its face all black and dialled
We’ve got four wells although not four masts
Warner’s gone but there’s attack
Two-eyed search is further back
And rotating radar brings up the rear

The left hand side, is the side with tappers
One to steer, and heed voices from above
The man behind can be shallow or quite deep
His neighbour is the level headed one
All that brass lifts us up or drags us down
Two elements do the work although we might Q

Eyes left - radar, eyes right - comms and here’s the heads
Oh! the galley! Small enough for babies heads
The heads are quite modern these loos  flush
On Talent and others before  
If those steps weren’t followed
Getting your own back was your just reward


And through to the engine room we go
There’s the compressor in the corner
And here’s a lathe and a 6 valve chest
On the surface or just under
(Using snort and exhaust)
These 2 Vickers donks will drive us on

On we go, nearly done, past the screamers
To the switch gear and all that copper
Motors under here for when we’re sneaky
Through one more bulkhead
To the after ends we go
And this is like the fore-ends only less so

And that, everybody ends the tour
Thank you and if you’d like to ask some more
I’ll see you outside and what’s more
Buy me a cuppa and a cake
And I’ll ever be your mate

Especially if I get at least four stars and a good review on Trip Advisor.
(OK - it hasn't got a good cadence and the rhyming is rubbish but I'll chip away at it)

You only got how many votes to be a PCC?

The BBC is suggesting that the turn out for the English Police and Crime Commissioner elections will be in the order of 18.5%. I'm not sure how any candidate can honestly believe they have a true mandate. Technically, they do have a mandate because a very small proportion of the populace will have voted for them and the government argue that they have much more of a mandate than the unelected police authorities. Semantics.

On a personal note, this was the first time in my life that I chose not to vote in an election. There were 5 candidates for this area 4 of which had a political affiliation. Not one of those candidates had provided or published any material on which I could form a decision nor could I find any on the web after a cursory search. I had no knowledge of their backgrounds or their ability to be a 'super-bureaucrat'. I am concerned that these relative nonentities could be earning between £65,000 - £100,000 pa and have strong powers including the ability to summarily fire the Chief Constable.Sadly, the Secretary of State and her ministers see nothing wrong in this.

So you want to be a police and crime commissioner...

Yomp For Steve

This year after Steve Sharpe's death, (see my earlier post here ) his best friend, BJ (don't ask) organised the 'Yomp for Steve' as a way of bringing some of his friends together and to raise some cash for Shore Leave at Haslar. This was 8 miles from Titchfield Haven to Haslar - those who knew Steve will understand the significance.


Video of the 2012 event
Well, BJ has decided to do it again and has put next year's date in his diary and I'm asking you to put it in yours. 18th May. By coincidence, that's my birthday so please bring extravagant presents. You're asked to contribute £10 on the day and that will be passed to Shore Leave at the end. And they did a rather splendid barbecue for the walkers. No need to commit or part with money now - just mark the day and WTS.

Damned If You Do; Damned....

It's long been a CV cliché that people might get rejected for roles when they are considered to be overqualified; I've never really understood how one COULD be over qualified - one is or one isn't. However I've encountered another 'Catch 22'. My roles over the past few years have all been 6 month or less contract roles. While I've applied for full time roles, I've always tried to keep working to keep the money coming in. Permanent role applications often ask for a work history and to explain any gaps in employment and this is easily done as a contractor,and I've always believed it's better to demonstrate a willingness to work.

I received a comment on my CV recently where the reviewer suggested that my frequent short term roles might be held against me by a future employer where they would be looking at employees sticking around for 5 - 6 years, even though it's quite clear that these are short term contracting roles, not permanent ones. I suspect that this might be an area in which I'm not going to succeed.

Incidentally, if you're a prospective employer - my CV can be sent in an instant!

Original source:

Gosport - the south coast town thats full of surprises; from the Group Leisure website

Gosport - the south coast town that's full of surprises

Venue: Gosport

Date: 29 Sep 2012

Pictured: Enjoying a cruise of Portsmouth Harbour as part of our Gosport fam trip.

A familiarisation trip to Gosport gave readers the chance to get up close to a nuclear missile, cruise the Solent, step onboard a submarine and visit the world’s only museum of Hovercraft. Rebekah Tailor reports.

Legend states that the name Gosport is derived from God’s Port - as christened by the Bishop of Winchester back in the 12th century, after he was rescued from a fierce storm and brought ashore by local fishermen. A rather romantic notion, however the heavens were certainly smiling down on our recent Reader Club Trip to the south coastal town, located on the western side of Portsmouth Harbour, as blue skies and sunshine were the order of the day.

Visits to Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower, the Royal Navy Submarine Museum,Diving Museum and Hovercraft Museum would reflect upon the area’s rich maritime history and naval heritage; while a climactic cruise of Portsmouth Harbour - courtesy of Gosport Ferry Ltd - basked in the present, absorbing the picturesque hub of Gosport’s marinas, with fantastic views across to the iconic Spinnaker Tower and Gunwharf Quays.

The story of the submariner

Approaching via waterbus, it’s near impossible to miss the incredible hulk of HMS Alliance ‘parked’ alongside the Royal Navy Submarine Museum - yet I almost did.

I’d be forgiven for the fact it’s currently concealed under tarpaulin as it undergoes a major £6.75 million conservation restoring it back to its former glory - but that’s not why I almost glanced past it. The truth is, I hadn’t been prepared for the sheer size of this World War Two era submarine - the only surviving one which remains in the UK - and I was genuinely enthralled as I climbed up to the gangway, ducking through the hatch into the forward torpedo compartment.

Pictured: Submariner Peter Chilcott shared his experience of life beneath the waves.

While conservation works continue through next year in preparation for the re-launch ofHMS Alliance in 2014, it’s business as usual for the Royal Navy Submarine Museum - and this includes the chance to climb on board and take a tour with a real submariner. Our guide was Peter Chilcott, and it was a real privilege to listen and learn as he guided us through the cramped living quarters, control room and engine room, sharing his personal experience of the submariner’s lot and revealing what these men are tasked with in the service of their country.

The Royal Navy Submarine Museum offers discounted group rates for parties of ten plus, with free entry for GTOs and free coach parking. Welcome talks can be arranged on arrival, and additional attractions include the Royal Navy’s very first submarine Holland 1 and midget X24. Combined tickets with neighbouring attractions are also available, including the option to travel via Portsmouth Waterbus Service between Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower.

“We’ve had a wonderful day in Gosport - a place I’ve never ever thought to visit before. I’ve got loads of ideas for my group and we’ve been made really welcome by people from the tourist board and all the attractions. I think it’s probably a place that people have forgotten to visit and I would strongly advise that everyone visits Gosport as there’s lots to do.” - June Barnard, Shepperton Ladies Club

Breast Cancer's Not Just For Women

Okay. Seeing as the word is beginning to get around. I will give you some information which I have had to scavenge from dozens of different sources. I thought my medical encyclopedia would be a good place to start. The word man didnt appear once on the many paragraphs about breast cancer. All about women facts figures everything how what why. But nothing at all about men and breast cancer. Peed me off that was a soddin expensive medical dictionary, simple men have breast tissue as well as women. By us men it is redundant. It merely indicates that we too are mammels. Yes even submariners. The onset of breast cancer among men is about ten years later than women so normaly between 60 and 70 years old. It can occur earlier. I have read of (terminal) cases aged 42. the signs and syptoms are similar to womens but we dont have the menstruation to make things silly just like women do or should do.

Take three fingers and with the tips press the flesh firmly against the ribs starting from under your armpit across the breast running across the nipple. your misses can show you or even do it for you. breast cancer is normaly painless. What you are looking for is a (hopefully) small smooth ?, hard lump a bit like a rubber from the top of a pencil. By the time you get to altered nipples sunken areolas and discharges from the nipple you are in s**t street. It is easier to locate in men and easier to cure in the early stages BUT because we dont have lots of tissue around there the cancer spreads into the body quicker,. so if you do feel something dont hang about to see what it does. go and find out. If your doc doc says dont worry mention the word breast cancer because often they dont consider it. I know of two cases where the doctors fobbed the blokes off for 4 and 6 years. These gents are no longer with us. stage 4 secondaries all over the body.

In my own situation it may have been on the go for at least three years as during a rare intimate moment my lovely lady felt a small hard lump. It was a little sore when pressed i put it down to mastitis from nipple rub because i was in running training. As such intimate moments were rare due to her illness it was soon forgotten. I never checked again. So at least three years later I'm half asleep and got an itchy tit so gently with the finger tips I scratched it as you do being a bloke. I felt a smooth hard lump in the areola next to the nipple. it was painless. Aell I knew it wasnt mastitis as it wasnt sore and it didnt go all the way round. so I thought it may be a cyst. Waited a couple of days. went to see my g.p. Only when she said she didnt think it was cancer did I even consider it. I'm a doc. I even worked on the breast surgery ward in norwich. so what chance has a ordinary bloke have? I knew we could get it vaguely but no details. She sent me off for a mammogram anyway. That was fun. squash the booby. what booby? after which when I got home I took a good look in the mirror. And yes, a slight alteration to the nipple and slightly sunken areola. So I already knew the result it was when she said it had spread into the lymph glands. I thought oops. Scans came up negative for secondaries in my lungs liver and bones. After surgery it turned out I had 12 lymph glands affected. Basicaly another few months and it would have been too late.. stage 4. timex. So gentlemen check your boobies.there will be 370 blokes in uk diagnosed according to macmillans. 20% will be leaving and it wont be easy. You have more information here than I have found on any site so far. If you think that is wrong make a fuss

This was written by a friend Alan Herbert. he has been dismayed by the lack of information for men available from the main major charities, even being told by one that the incidence was so low in men that there was no point in producing anything. It his original text corrected to capitalise sentences only

Proper 'New Navy'

'...but fondness for the ancient order of things is still a feature of this Navy of ours.  There was never a ship like our last ship: no commission like the one before this one.  Gipses all: yet we would fain linger a little by the ashes of our camp-fire while the caravans move on.

The most indifferent observer of naval affairs during the last decade will admit that it has been one of immense transition. Changes, more momentous even than this business of the (...), have followed in the wake  of a great wave of progress. "Up and onward" is the accepted order, but at the bottom of the Sailor-man's conservative heart  certain reluctance still remains.'

I suspect that this is an accurate observation, not only of the Royal Naval Sailor-man, but of Sailor-men across the world. When reading different fora across the web, we'll all have seen matelots complaining about changes or how things were much better x number of years ago.  Indeed, our first ship was probably the best one, but certainly any ship was better than the current one. I'm guessing that this principle  extends much further than the world's navies

The interesting thing about this little extract is that it was written in 1916 in the preface to a book called 'Naval Occasions' written by the pseudonymous Bartimeus. The missing word above is marmalade and the Preface opens thus:

'I reckon that's proper 'New Navy,'" said the coxswain of a duty cutter to the midshipman perched on the "dickey" seat beside him in the stern.

It was 6 A.M.: the boat was returning from the early morning beef trip, and the midshipman in charge of her had seen fit to discuss with his coxswain the subject which at most hours, and particularly at this one, lay nearest to his heart--the subject of Food.

"Proper 'New Navy.'" repeated the petty officer with contempt. He referred to the recent introduction of marmalade into his scale of rations.  He spoke bitterly, yet his quarrel was not with the marmalade  which, in its way, was all that marmalade should have been.  His regret was for the "dear dead days" before marmalade was thought of on the Lower-deck.

That was ten years ago, but fondness...etc'
I think it's safe to conclude that nothing changes and that Jack is never happy unless he's dripping

Submarine Books

Have a look at some of the books that are available in the Gift Shop at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum. A lot of these books are privately published, are written by submariners or because of their subject matter, not readily available.

Submarine Books

Bogged Down Below

Forgotten Flotilla

Life is like an air bed...

....you can be lying there comfortably, and then a friend sneaks up and pulls the stopper out.  The next few minutes are spent struggling to get it back in so you can be comfortable again.

TOP RECIPES: Chicken Pasta Recipes: Tasty Varieties For Your Fa...

TOP RECIPES: Chicken Pasta Recipes: Tasty Varieties For Your Fa...: It is a joy for every hardworking mother to cook special, tasty dishes for her family. One such dish is chicken pasta, which even the most f...

Two Nations Divided By An Uncommon Sentiment

A strange thing happened to me last week. It was quite surprising although not unpleasant. Two merican gentleman had taken the tour on HMS ALLIANCE and in conversation afterwards, it transpired that they were over here for a month or so, visiting sites with a D-Day history and would finally end up in France. As we talked and I told them a little about the HOLLAND 1, they asked about the guides and I told them we were all volunteers. They asked how long I'd served in the Royal Navy and I replied that it was for 32 years. "Thank you for your service", one of them said.

A quite un-British thing to say.

We've just bought a fantastic new Zanussi fridge.

It cools all the way to absolute zero. How cool is that?

Generations

This past Sunday was a day of generations at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum. I worked with a man who was on board HMS BELFAST as it undertook the bombardment during the D-Day landings at Normandy in 1944; guided visitors on a Cold War submarine, talked to submariners who were on HMS CONQUEROR when it sank the ARA Belgrano during the Falklands War in 1982, and worked with a young man who's been patiently waiting to join the Royal Navy at HMS Raleigh for several months despite knowing that others who join up quit within the first week because they find the training too hard.

THE ROYAL NAVY SUPPORTING ALLIED FORCES 

IN NORMANDY, JUNE 1944. Starboard 4 inch guns of 

HMS BELFAST open fire on German positions 

around Ver-sur-Mer on the night of 27 June 1945.

Sharkey's World: "Black Buck" Documentary

Sharkey's World: "Black Buck" Documentary: “Black Buck” Documentary – “fiction, of course”. By Lester May (Lt Cdr RN – retired: HMS Hydra 1980-83) Camden Town, London. “Full ma...

Sunday Evenings

I'm beginning to dislike Sunday evenings now I've been out of work for so long. The weekend is always a 2 day haven of peace because during that time I know I shan't have to be too concerned about financial matters, I haven't had to concern myself with rejections as the agencies will all be shut, and the pressure to look for work is eased. But as Sunday darkens and the evening draws on unhindered, my nervousness starts to build up again, for I know all those things will have to be dealt with at different times in the next 5 days. There are occasional escape routes such as when I go out for a run or when I do my voluntary work at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum - but those are small oases of peace. Some 'easy listening' music on  BBC Radio 2 first and then bed. Oh well.

5HPDDQAP5FBF

The Green Man

Today was a good day. Many, many people came to St Luke's Church, at the Royal Hospital Haslar to say goodbye to Steve Sharpe. His family, friends, field-gunners, Commandos, Medical Branch staff and combinations of all those were there. There are few people who were as friendly or as generous, and this was reflected in his wife's tribute.

In a way, it was a good day for Steve.. The demons - let's not mess around - the PTSD that had been affecting him as a result of the action on RFA Sir Galahad in 1982, and later an incident in Norway, and had caused him to take his own life, can never affect him again.. In that way it's good and we can now associate Steve with the Green Man - not the green of the Commandos, but a symbol of rebirth, and believe he's happily bimbling around some wood or forest. But without a 'house' on his back and a PRR.

This was the closing poem - a favourite of his mum-in-law:

Do not stand at my grave and weep,

I am not there; I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow,

I am the diamond glints on snow,

I am the sun on ripened grain,

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circling flight.

I am the soft star-shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there; I did not die.

Moving on.....

Some Sunday Afternoon Thoughts

It's strange how the mind works. In this past week, I've finally sorted out my business accounts (with the help of a Quickbooks expert), I've attended one interview, have one booked and hope to get a third. And since all that has come to pass, I feel a little more relaxed, a little less anxious. Weekends are always easier but this is a much stronger feeling.  What a pleasant and novel sensation.

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I attended my interview as an London 2012 Olympics Games Maker yesterday afternoon - a volunteer helper in everyman language. My brief and easy interview was undertaken by a lesbian ex-Israeli army sergeant tank instructor who works for McDonalds. Who'd have thought?

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A friend ended their life this week. Whilst it became necessary for them to separate from their partner because of the effects of their troubling condition, their love for each other was, never  has been, in doubt. My friendship developed over a few short weeks, and was curtailed by 2 distinctly separate careers. We met a couple of times over the following 25 years and that friendship seemed to persist. I met the partner but once having tried to help at a troubling time. Since the suicide I see their posts on social media and I wish I could help more.
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I'm edging back into my running again, and it's almost enjoyable! (I have a place in the 2012 Virgin London Marathon). I seem to have got into a habit of running in the dark in the early evening. It seems to make the run shorter but sooner or later, as I up the miles, and as the days get longer, I'm going to have to venture, blinkingly, into the daylight. It just means a change of a barely formed habit. All do-able.
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Friendship's an odd thing. You can meet someone for a short period and then go your separate ways for many years and yet be permanent friends. Other friends come along and the friendship endures over many good years, and you see them intermittently but enjoy the time you spend with them, and wish those opportunities were more frequent. But then there are those people with whom one strikes up a friendship, who are likeable and whose company one enjoys and then you find out they're not quite who they say they are. It's clear it's a pathological thing that makes them fabricate but does that make them any less likeable? Time spent is enjoyable and a break from the routine and provided they don't perpetuate the stories they've spun, it seems churlish to cut the tie, even though one has been misled.

Stephen

CHILLY!!
He’d shout, when we’d meet
(And that wasn’t often)
There was such a grin on his face
And a welcome in his paw

We first met in that cold, grim place
And worked so hard to match the pace
Then. at night,  the bus to Plympton
To eat egg and chips and dhobi our denims

Later, he’d succeed and I would fail
And, after 30 miles, I'd smile from the back
As he donned the green felt
And stumbled away to faint

I saw him once (at the ferry).
We chatted, we parted.
I saw his note
And we chatted a lot more
Later, I saw him.
(I took Starbucks muffins)
We hugged as old friends do.

CHILLY!!
He yelled when we met
(And that was in Plymouth)
There was such a grin on his face
And, obviously, a pint in his paw.

Much later, came the message, the call.