Hughie Porter and Alan Eling Meet Again
HANDS
ACROSS THE SEA - THE 25th ANNIVERSARY OF THE FALKLANDS REUNITES OLD
SHIPMATES
Two
Shipmates who served on board HMS Spartan during the Falklands conflict were
reunited when HMS Lancaster, the first Royal Navy warship to come alongside the
new cruise liner jetty in Grand Turk in Turks and Caicos, docked at the Island
for a two day visit. During the two
day visit the cruise liner Silver Shadow came alongside.
On board was Alan Eling an ex Petty Officer Sonar and now the Liner's
Security Officer. During his time
in Spartan he had served as an Able Seaman Sonar alongside Leading Marine
Engineering Mechanic Hugh Porter, now the Executive Warrant Officer in HMS
Lancaster.
This
is the first time the two had met for some twenty years and although many waves
had broken over the casing, the memories of their time in Spartan were as vivid
as ever and many a 'dit' (stories) were exchanged into the wee small hours. They remembered 'old shipmates' and their time together
during the conflict. It seemed very
fitting that the two comrades should meet up again on the 25th commemoration of
the Falklands War, a tot of rum was taken for absent friends, those who gave
their lives to liberate the Islands so far away.
Hugh and Alan have renewed an old friendship and they intend to keep in
contact by using the HMS Spartan Web site, created by ex serving members on her
decommissioning in 2006.
Carib stopover reunites war veterans
TWO Falklands veterans were reunited for the first time in 20 years
thanks to a one-in-a-million chance meeting thousands of miles from home.
Hugh Porter, a warrant officer in HMS Lancaster, could hardly
believe his eyes when he spotted his old shipmate Alan Eling during an
unscheduled port call in Barbados.
The Portsmouth-based frigate had made a quick visit to the Caribbean island
after rescuing a stranded Belgian yachtsman who needed hospital treatment.
While it was docked in Bridgetown, the island's capital, WO Porter was stunned
to see Mr Eling on the jetty helping passengers off a luxury liner.
A stunned WO Porter said: 'I was chuffed to bits to meet an old mate after all
these years.'
The two men served together as young sailors during the 1982 conflict in the
nuclear-powered submarine HMS Spartan, which was decommissioned last year.
WO Porter was a marine engineer in the S-boat while Mr Eling was a sonar
specialist who left the navy as a petty officer.
They lost contact a few years after the Falklands War, but were able to enjoy a
long overdue reunion when Lancaster and the cruise liner, Silver Shadow, both
berthed at nearby Grand Turk.
Lieutenant Commander Mark Sheldon, Lancaster's weapon engineer officer, said the
pair had a great time meeting up again.
He said: 'Memories of their time in Spartan were as vivid as ever and many
stories were exchanged into the wee small hours.
'It seemed very fitting that the two comrades should meet up again on the 25th
commemoration of the Falklands war.'
Lancaster was the first Royal Navy warship to berth at Grand Turk's new cruise
liner jetty and spent two days there.
Passengers from Silver Shadow had a look around the frigate while envious navy
personnel were treated to a tour of the liner.
18 January 2007