Peter moss 1951- 1952
Aye Aye there - my name is Peter Moss
This photo of the Manxman was taken as we came down from Chatham (on the Medway) passing Sheerness August 1951. Photograph from Wright and Logon (see link page)
Ships Bugler
When the Manx recommissioned at Chatham in July 1951. I was at the time a member of the Blue Jackets Band in HMS Pembroke. I got a draft to join the Manxman in late May. I was supposed to be on stop draft, but as Korea had just got under way plus I had done a special course on the new Decca radar system I was drafted to the Manx - sad because I had just got married to a jenny Wren.
My first job on Manx. was ships Bugler with Tug Wilson ( he used to be the ships barber) on joining I was sent for by the Captain Trevor Lean the most senior captain in the fleet, a fantastic man and sailor. He told me that as I was a musician I was to be the ships Bugler, so I was sent over to Mary island every day to practice, I had two weeks to learn all the bugle calls.
We picked up 100 mines at Milford Haven Mine Depot during July and then went up to the Scottish Locks. We laid about 60 mines, they all had soluble time delay locks so that they would rise to the surface in years to come. We then went down to the Isle of Man to bid farewell to the U.K.
This is me playing the bugle for morning colours it
was the first day at anchor off Sheerness, just before we left to go to the Isle of Man and then on to Malta.
The Officer of the day standing alongside me is Lt Donaldson - he was from Canada and was on loan to the RN. he was also the
Quarter Deck Divisional
Officer.
As we approached Douglas the Skipper got all the hands on the upper deck
gave them flares (red, blue and white) to ignite one after the other as we
sailed into the harbour, it was about 9.15 in the evening, the next we new
the local life boat had been launched, they thought that we were sinking !
During the time we were at Douglas the Civil Council presented us with three Manx Kittens, one Rumpy and two Stumpy, named after past Manx kings. They came out with us to the Med.
We spent a week at anchor off Douglas it was during the week of the Manx TT motor bike races and then sailed down past the welsh coast. Near St David's point we stopped engines, a small motor boat came out with the Skippers wife he lowered a few going away presents down to her and then oft we sailed to join the fleet Med.
And so to Malta
During the time I spent in Malta I went to Riscali and picked up my Hook. My best mates were Jack Nayor ( who was also a Leading Seaman ) Roy Susans and Tom Baughen. I also formed the ships band .We had purchased instruments from a shop in Valetta. My job was to train the lads, but before it really found its feet I transferred to the cruiser "Birmingham" as she passed through on her way to Hong Kong 3rd Sept 1952.
This photograph taken as we entered The Grand Harbour Malta for the first time .I was the
duty Bugler standing on a part of the Bridge used by the signal men.
The officer in charge of the Top deck was
Mr Parham, who had the nickname of "TWO Sunset Parham " he had made a mistake with his watch
and thus made us sound off twice and have Sunset ,complete with the Ensign being lowered.
At the time of the "First Suez Crisis "we had to hurry on down to the Suez
Canal and provide an escort for King Farouks Yacht until it reached Italy - we then had to go back down to look after the Canal HQ
buildings. This also entailed providing crews to man the tugs and help the ships go down the canal
to the Bitter Lakes and bring up the convoys that had come from the Red Sea.
I was a RP3 on the radar mess deck where we had quite a few lads who had been recruited back due to being RFR ( Royal Fleet Reserve ) persons such as AB. Binks - Peter Jary - Curly Galbraith , plus the usual debtoes such as Sid Vary - LS. P. Jarman and LS. Hearn - do these names conjour up memories ?
A Sailor's Yarn
I will tell you my tale of the Suez, Rope, Paint and
Sheets and how I made lots of Money ! Then went to Vienna to spend it
all.
Don't tell a soul about it !!
Manxman and Apollo entering The Suez Canal
we went to Trieste for a rest, a chance came up for those who had the money to go to Vienna by bus and train. We were to stay at the old SS Barracks known as the Shonbraun barracks occupied by the Dorset Regiment, every thing was free once we were in the Barracks - even the local trams were free to servicemen - at the time we were there it was governed by the four powers English - French - US and of Course the Russian, we were not allowed to enter the Russian zone. When we went to the Opera House they all thought the RN Lads were Russian , they had never seen a British sailor. We met up with a very old Austrian professor who showed us all the best bits of the town, all we had to do was buy him his lunch, so three of us looked after him, Prof Kurt Fliethcher. He had written a guide book on Vienna and presented us each with a copy. One of our crowd had pinched a Russian Officers cap - as we left on the train we were searched and they found the cap - they wanted to take the sailor off the train -- but it was smoothed over -- thank god.
I joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Seaman in 1946 and left service in February 1957 as Leading Seaman RP3 - sent to Royal Fleet Reserve then served as Sub Lt Sea Cadets for two years - then as a warrant officer in ATC plus two years as Corporal in the TA Army Band ( Inn of Court ).
I hope I have stirred some memories for you - Aye. Peter Moss R.N. ( Mossy )
