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Curly Galbraith 1951-1952
Hi All,
I had been an H.O. (Hostilities Only) rating the latter part of W.W.2 and served
in the Pacific aboard H.M.S. Belfast. After 'demob' in 1947 I happily returned
to civilian life. April, 1948 saw the beginning of Soviet harassment of Western
movements into Berlin followed by a complete blockade of all transport. From
June, 1948 the Berlin airlift started. In this atmosphere of international
tension and in a sudden fit of patriotic fervour I joined the Royal Fleet
Reserve. North Korea invaded South Korea in June, 1950 and on a refresher course
at H.M.S. Dryad in February, 1951 warning was given of an impending recall to
the Royal Navy. In April I was back in Chatham Barracks being handed a draft
chit to join H.M.S Manxman on her return from the Reserve Fleet.
On Commissioning in July, 1951 we set sail to Portland for compass calibration and I was sea sick for the first and only time in the R.N. Then onwards to Milford Haven to take aboard mines and then on to the Isle of Man for the freedom of Douglas and Manx hospitality. We proceeded to Gibraltar and arrived in Malta G.C. berthing in Lazzaretto Creek opposite the islands' isolation hospital.
Shortly afterwards the Egyptian Government abrogated the 1936 Anglo-Egyptian Treaty which agreed to the British having a military base in the Suez Canal Zone. Riots began and harassment of British troops and civilians started in the zone.
In October, after all night loading of stores in heavy rain the 'Manxman' set sail for Tripoli, Libya where in company with H.M.S. Liverpool we took aboard the 3rd battalion of the Grenadier Guards for trooping to Tobruk. After their disembarkation we proceeded to Port Said and joined Task Force 52 together with H.M.S Gambia, a Colony Class cruiser, the destroyers 'Chevron' and Chequers' and the frigate 'Peacock.' Speed had been of the essence and paint had flaked off the funnels because of the intense heat generated. What followed was strenuous activity, berthing merchant ships, providing armed guards for Royal Fleet Auxiliaries and patrolling the waters to keep the Suez Canal open. I remember the goodwill shown by Polish merchant crews who, after we had berthed them to buoys, would lower a bucket containing lager with the greeting of "Good Luck Comrades." All this at a period of the cold war when Poland was politically on "The Other Side." Memories of W.W.2 were still strong.
With no shore leave we were rewarded with a visit to Trieste en route to Malta G.C. in December.. The seas were rough in the Adriatic and 'A' gun mount was dislodged. From Trieste some members of the ship's company elected to go skiing with the Army in Austria. I chose for leave in Vienna, then under three power control (U.K., U.S.A. and the Soviets). Travel was through the beautiful Austrian/Italian Tyrol, first by coach to Klagenfurt and then military train to Vienna with accommodation courtesy of the Dorset Regiment in the Schoenbrunn Barracks. Initial reception by the Viennese was cold. They assumed we were 'Ruskies' but when they realized we were British immediately thawed and were friendly. Probably pleased with the Allied presence. Russian troops had been misbehaving and all had to be back in their barracks by 6 p.m.
Carol singing.
In Malta for Christmas the First Lieutenant (Lt. Cdr. Main) organised a carol singing group and together with our Skipper and 'Darby' Allen, our star singer(and a good boxer too) toured the Admiral's Residences singing "All Come All Ye Faithful' etc. Only to those who offered us refreshment got the bonus of "Bless This House!!!"
We were back in Tripoli early 1952, when Libya became an independent constitutional monarchy under King Idris. Whilst there, went on cultural visit to to the Roman settlement of Sabratha. Covering the independence celebrations was a press pool photographer who decide to accompany us and seeing me behind one of the many headless statues took my photograph. A week later the picture appeared in the 'News of the World.' Seven days later, they printed a similar picture, same location, same statue but a different head. This time it was a Miss Penny Calvert an entertainer who later married Bruce Forsythe. This was my allotted 15 minutes of fame!
Besides exercises with NATO ships, when steaming line astern the 'Manxman' rescued a lucky sailor who had fallen from the ship immediately ahead of us, HMS Glasgow, He hadn't been missed. I also recall visits to Port Sudan and Jedda in Saudi Arabia. There was also a hot and sweaty simulated atomic exercise in the Gulf of Aqaba where we closed up wearing uncomfortable gas masks and clothing. Other activities included visits to Cyprus, Athens and Corfu where at his request the ship was inspected by King Paul I of Greece. This inspection was arranged at short notice necessitating us seaman going over the side in a hurry to paint the Starboard Side, the side he would see when he approached.
Ship Mates
21 Mess HMS Manxman 1951. left- Tubby Purdy and Curly Galbraith. right- Pete Moss, Ernie, lofty and Tom.
I have warm memories of life aboard H.M.S. Manxman, especially 21 Mess. Leading Seaman Hearn, Pete Moss, Tommy Baughan (does he still like Elizabeth Schwarzkopf?) 'Lulu' Stevens(did he ever learn Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue to completion?), Peter Jary, John Binks, Vary, Jarman, also Vic Head. Ldg. Signalman, Jimmy Wayne, Telegraphist. 'Dolly' Gray, 'Tish' Millet (Two Good Scousers) Les King and many, many others.
I must mention the Skipper. Captain John Trevor Lean who understood Man Management and was respected. Also Mr Parnham, Commission Gunner.
Eventually the eighteen month service recall drew near to completion and I left the ship to join H.M.L.2357 which was being returned to the U.K. The journey took three weeks calling at Algiers, Gibraltar, Lisbon, Santander and finally Sheerness. But that is another story. A brief stop at Chatham Barracks and I was a civilian again.
Best wishes. Fountain Galbraith. R.F.R. (Curly)
