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Pat Stokes - sailing her home
I was a 'Sparker' RO2(G) onboard from October 1967 to May 1969 and so was on board when we brought her home. I was drafted to her in the October from training at H.M.S. Mercury.
Whilst in the far east the Manxman as you know was a mine sweeper support ship. Still capable of laying mines which we used to do on exercise with the Ton class sweepers and sometimes with the American sweepers. During that time we visited Hong Kong on three occasions, also Japan and the Philippines. We were the first British warship to visit or re visit Indonesia after a conflict with that country.
On the trip home from Singapore we had to do three weeks on barrier patrol off of the coast of Rhodesia which involved the oil embargo. Nothing happened whilst on patrol - no boarding parties. Having been at sea for approx. 44 days after leaving Singapore including the patrol, we had our mail delivered by an RAF Shackleton from a base somewhere in Madagascar. They would fly very low and close to the ship, open the bomb doors and drop a canister containing the mail into the sea which was then picked up by Dory (small boat with outboard motor).
We then had a few days in Simonstown, South Africa. I cannot remember the name of our skipper ( Could the Skipper have been the late Cdr Gavin "whisky" Wemyss ? David ) but I do remember that prior to leaving Singapore he had broken his leg and was in plaster from his foot to his groin and therefore could not bend his leg.
The Storm
I worked in the main signal office and when on watch, I was constantly on the bridge. On that final leg home whilst crossing the Bay of Biscay we encountered a force eleven (yes eleven). As a result, we had to remove the canvas awning from the open bridge and because it was so rough the forward half of the weather deck was roped off out of bounds. If anyone had to go on to the weather deck to ditch the gash over the stern we had to go in pairs.
At the height of the storm whilst on the bridge with the skipper we were hit by a freak wave which bent one of the davits and smashed the launch that was attached to it. We had listed so far over that some of this wave went down the funnel. The result was that some of the stokers on duty at the time were splashed with hot oil. If my memory serves me correctly they were treated in sick bay for minor burns.
"A bit of rough" Photo from Curly Galbraith
Being on the bridge, it was very frightening seeing the ship list so far over that the skipper and I wondered if we were going come back up again. The amusing side to it was watching the skipper trying to remain in his high chair with his leg erect in its plaster.
There was 'scouse' AB (I cannot remember his name) onboard at the time who took some pictures of the smashed launch. I would love to get a copy of those photos if he should ever get in touch.
When we returned from Singapore arriving in December 1968 we came into
Portsmouth dockyard. Although still working onboard we lived in H.M.S. Victory.
As I type I am reading from my certificate of service. I see that I joined her
on the 31st October 1967 at Singapore. I was drafted from her on the 5th May
1969. I don't know what happened to her after that but when I left she was still
in Portsmouth dockyard.
"More rough" Photo from Peter Moss
Speed trial
In her day she could do 40 knots but she was not able to achieve that in later years. We did do a speed trial on a lovely calm day whilst in the far east where she achieved 28 knots which is still very fast for a ship of that size.
When I was onboard her forward funnel was a store for the CPO's mess. They used it to store their barrels of beer. I understand that one of her boiler rooms was removed some years before I joined her.
Historically, the navy has been a superstitious lot in that they would not sail on Friday 13th etc. However, on one of our trips to Hong Kong we did sail from Singapore on Friday the 13th and a small fire occurred in one of the engine rooms. Spooky, maybe it proved a point.
I do hope that these snippets interest to you. I hope that others who were onboard in the late sixties at the same time as myself will read this and get in touch.
Good luck. Pat Stokes. R.N.
