34 years ago... where did the time go?!

[Waspie]

I joined in 81 D188*(% F.....remember Raleigh well I was in Benbow :smiling3: then off to Sultan in pompy left chief stoker 2003 :smiling3:
Brian

Methinks I was a wee bit ahead of you!! Ganges 67!!!! (Two trades in my 25).! Also left as a CPO. (Wafu). I was educated in the stokers mess though!!!
Blimey didn't realise so many ex pusser on here!!!

[Airborne01]

Methinks I was a wee bit ahead of you!! Ganges 67!!!! (Two trades in my 25).! Also left as a CPO. (Wafu). I was educated in the stokers mess though!!!
Blimey didn't realise so many ex pusser on here!!!

... and, let's be honest - it's certainly an education in the Stokers Mess| :tears-of-joy:
Steve

[Bri62]

and, let's be honest - it's certainly an education in the Stokers Mess| :tears-of-joy:

aye I certainly had some drunken night in the junior rates mess deck 3 tins per day per man LMAO we used to hide crates in the false deckhead
Brian

[Waspie]

aye I certainly had some drunken night in the junior rates mess deck 3 tins per day per man LMAO we used to hide crates in the false deckhead
Bria

OH!!!!!! I'm shocked!!! What would the Joss Man say!!!! Two days 9's and sit on the naughty bollard for a further two days!!!
We had a kind killick of the mess who used to less us amass our tinies on the days we couldn't have them. (Even Wafu's worked now and then) It wasn't all clickie beds and sun bathing!! Well ok - maybe it was sunbathing!!!

[Bri62]

Even Wafu's worked now and then

Yeah using all my fresh water to wash the bloody chopper
Brian

[Waspie]

Yeah using all my fresh water to wash the bloody chopper :smiling3:
Brian

We even did it rotors running too! Well - no windscreen wash on the Wasp was there!!!

[Waspie]

Today 34 years ago, I left the comfort if my parents house, school friends and started a journey that would develop me from the idiot I was in to the bigger idiot I am today.
Over the course of the next 5 1/2 years, I would go to places that I dreamed of, places I never knew existed, places I never want to see again! Done things that I never thought I'd do in a lifetime! Friendships were forged and continue today. Thanks to the Royal Navy for making me a near alcoholic but by Christ it was fun doing it![ATTACH=CONFIG]n1197147[/ATTACH]

The tender age of 16

Holding a proper 'bang stick' too!!

[Waspie]

What are you angry about Bri62??? We brought your mail aboard for you!!!! Even flew banyan stores ashore for you!!
Stokers - never grateful!!! :smiling5:

[Bri62]

LOL I do miss it :smiling3: wish I was 40 years younger and do it all again
Brian

[Lee W]

Holding a proper 'bang stick' too!!

Doug, just before the SA80 became mainstream.
I'm surprised you and Bri62 didn't have a real man's job like being a dabber! :tears-of-joy:
Do I see Fraggle Rock in the background of your wasp?

[Waspie]

Doug, just before the SA80 became mainstream.
I'm surprised you and Bri62 didn't have a real man's job like being a dabber! :tears-of-joy:
Do I see Fraggle Rock in the background of your wasp?

Yup, Thats Fraggle. SOP for joining aircraft joining from the North and West for runway 04! (Avoiding the breeding Terns on Chesil Beach).
Never saw the SA80 until the end of my time. And only to unload guys on IS duties!
Hey!! Even Woo's waved a paint brush at times!! Hanger and flight deck to keep clean for the club swinger!!!!

[Lee W]

Yup, Thats Fraggle. SOP for joining aircraft joining from the North and West for runway 04! (Avoiding the breeding Terns on Chesil Beach).
Never saw the SA80 until the end of my time. And only to unload guys on IS duties!
Hey!! Even Woo's waved a paint brush at times!! Hanger and flight deck to keep clean for the club swinger!!!!

Hated that place with a vengeance, lived there for 30 years. Glad I escaped!
SA80 didn't have the umph of the SLR.
The only time I saw a wafu with a brush was at a sods opera when they were taking the mick!

[Waspie]

Hated that place with a vengeance, lived there for 30 years. Glad I escaped!
SA80 didn't have the umph of the SLR.
The only time I saw a wafu with a brush was at a sods opera when they were taking the mick!

Fraggle! Still there!! Must admit if I was GS I would have probably disliked the place but as it 'was' a Woo's haven. Singlies living ashore in Weymouth.
I had a thing about us Woo's being 'unpopular'. So, whenever we embarked I made a point of changing it. We helped the S&S storing our gear. I used to be a regular in the galley helping out the cook dishing up scran. I was the Doc's number 2, amputations a speciality. Lucky my services weren't needed. Couple of the others on the flight helped the Fx party and Ax lot. But as a general rule of thumb, I got sozzled with the clankies!!!! You just had the wrong ships matey!!!

[Lee W]

Fraggle! Still there!! Must admit if I was GS I would have probably disliked the place but as it 'was' a Woo's haven. Singlies living ashore in Weymouth.
I had a thing about us Woo's being 'unpopular'. So, whenever we embarked I made a point of changing it. We helped the S&S storing our gear. I used to be a regular in the galley helping out the cook dishing up scran. I was the Doc's number 2, amputations a speciality. Lucky my services weren't needed. Couple of the others on the flight helped the Fx party and Ax lot. But as a general rule of thumb, I got sozzled with the clankies!!!! You just had the wrong ships matey!!!

I dont recall Leanders being wrong ships oppo, best ships of the fleet until we got rid of them in the early 90s!
I'll stick with being a dabber, started as a tas ape left as a gunner (missileman), I've worked Fx and Ax, stored ship at sea as well as alongside, as SoW I recovered a man overboard marker at Portland in December... oggin was a little bit chilly!
Drank down the strip on Portland and in Plymouth as well as hitting Jo's naval school of dancing in Southsea on regular basis, trained as boarding party member, drank down the clankies mess and the S&S mess... not a fan of Babysham! Lol
What do I miss from it? The banter, the camaraderie, the noise, the smell... if I had my time again, you can bet your last Blue liner and can of CSB (or red death?!) I would do it again!