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Alan Barsby 1956 - 1957
Hello, I also served on H.M.S. Manxman at the
same time as Tony Hills. The officers I remember were - Rear
Admiral Sir Holland-Martin Flag officer Flotillas, Captain David Tibbits, Lt. Commander Switinbank (First Officer), Lt Commander
Sutton (vitling officer), Lt. Hett
(the Navigating Officer), he was also Nav Officer on H.M.S Amethyst of Yangsy
fame. Lt. Fairfax, Lt.Tate Divisional Officer and
Commissioned gunner Barber. There was also a chief
G/I--- Gunnery instructor but his name escapes me, perhaps other ship mates will remember.
Alan Barsby aged 21 photograph taken 1956 Capri Italy.
We were based in Malta but visited many ports in the Med. Genoa, Civitavechia, Toulon, Gibraltar and Beruit.
With regard to service on board, this took the form of cleaning ship, painting and general maintenance, gunnery training, seamanship etc..
Weapon training
Her original armament was six 4 inch guns in pairs, four 2pdr anti-aircraft guns as well as eight 0.5 inch machine guns in fours. The rear turret was removed to make way for Admirals and offices quarters. Manxman's main armament crew were "The Gun Captain", two "Loaders," one "Trainer", two" Fuse setters" and two "Gunlayers" per mounting.
My gun was a twin water-cooled Bofor anti aircraft weapon. As for training, it consisted of live firing at a drone towed by a radio controlled plane. As I was a loading number I had to keep the "letterboxes" full of ammo. These were slots in the sides of the gun. This weapon had a good rate of fire so we were kept very busy. Ammunition was drawn from ready use lockers but was soon used, after that ammo came up from the magazine. This was then delivered to the gun by gash hands i.e., sick berth attendants cooks and writers etc.
We did lay mines and depth charges but not in anger, these were live, the mines were live too but were not fused and would be recovered after training. With regards to depth charges, this weapon was stored at the stern on rails and was rolled over the stern. On destroyers they were fired to port and starboard and over the stern in a pattern of three.
There was an Nato exercise C Med flex Dragon. I don't have the date for this but many ships took part. The one thing that stands out was a near collision with the French Dreadnought Battleship "Jean Bart ". I was on duty at the ship's wheel steering a course 30 degrees to starboard then 30 degrees to port i.e. zigzagging. On the port turn our bows just missed her port quarter. Nothing came down from the bridge, thankfully, but I did put on more helm than ordered !!!
This photograph is of Richelieu, Jean Bart's sister ship.
I was on National Service from 21st August 1955 to 21st August 1957, in 1957 I met and married my wife who was a regular in the W.R.N.S. We hope to return to Malta for our 50th anniversary!!
Our wedding at St Paul's Cathedral Malta G.C. 1957
Hope you find this of interest after all it was 50 years ago and memories grow a little dim.
Best wishes Alan Barsby R.N.
