Part FIVE
Christmas at the Cape.
 
The passage from Mauritius to Simonstown, South Africa, was a busy one. After we had given the CinC a good old holiday around the Seychelles and beyond, he decided to thank us by deciding to carry out his annual inspection, mutter, mutter!

The Naval Stores ran out of elbow grease and the lampshades were attacked with concentrated fury. Passageways were “Bourne polished” and then covered with miles of brown paper (protection). Stainless steel sinks in bathrooms were “Bluebelled”and the “heads” were forever closed, “due to cleaning!” But in the end we done ourselves proud -the Admiral told us so, so theres no need to be modest- and just to prove our armament was up to scratch, we crowned our efforts by shooting down a drogue on the first run. A successful bombardment followed.

PHOTO A shiney Leo bathroom

Friday 11th December, at 1600hrs we entered Simonstown Harbour. 

We remained at Simonstown over the week-end and spent the early part of the next week sprucing up for our official visit to Capetown.

17th December we berth at Duncan Dock in Capetown, just before noon, after a morning passage from Simonstown.
Quite apart from the entertainment provided, it was a delight to be able to step ashore straight into the big city instead of enduring the hour long train journey from Simonstown.

The Mayor, Mrs Joyce Newton-Thomas had arranged a first-class programme of entertainment, for both Officers and Ratings. At the official dance on the Friday evening she insisted on being introduced to every rating present. I have always wondered if she ever found her father!
Among the other entertainments was a memorable tour of the KWV winery at Paarl.50 men were to jump at this offer, jack tends to be very willing when anything associated with the demon drink is mentioned!

On arrival we were lectured on how the KWV was set up and that the farmers receive a set price for the grapes supplied, on a quantity-quality system. “Now”, he concluded, “we will walk round the plant and then come back and sample some of the produce.” With that we all filed out following him like faithful matelots with the scent of a free drink in the air.

We visited various warehouses where millions of gallons of wine was stored, was introduced to the laying down of the wines etc etc etc. By now our tongues are hanging out. The temperature of over 90 degrees was’nt helping either. At last we arrived at the tasting. As wine was poured into our glasses we were told a bit about it, it’s type and when it should be drunk ( wot yer mean, when it can be drunk, anytime is a good time for thirsty Jack). Cheese and biscuits followed each drink.
It was now time to move on “and if any of you would like another drink before you go please step up and help yourselves”.( Not a sole moved)” I have tried to give you an idea how things work around here, I hope you have more knowledge now, and what I said about helping yourselves I meant” There was a sudden movement forward and within minutes the Brandy had been consumed together with the remaining wines.
Some boarded the bus somewhat merry, others were pissed! Me! I do not recall, someone else related this story after the event! Most probably.
 
By way of returning hospitality, though in not quite the same vein, we gave a Christmas Party for 40 children from Nazareth House Orphanage. It turned out to the best childrens party that we ever gave, and was moreover memorable for the liberty- men fallen in and inspected by Father Christmas before they proceeded ashore.
 
Altogether our visit to Capetown was a great success, our only regret was that it hadn’t happen when we first arrived in South Africa.

22nd December. We bid farewell to Capetown and Table Mountain with its “tablecloth” on.
We took the opportunity to make our short return passage round the Cape of Good Hope to Simonstown a sort of unofficial Families’ Day for what we might now call our South African Families. An enjoyable day, was had by all. 

 
Robby G gives an "eyes right!" (was she or was'nt she?)
 
The Christmas period was to be 10 days recreational leave. One unexpected result of our visit to Capetown had been a sudden rush of invitations for ratings to spend Christmas day or even the whole of their Christmas leave with South African families-in fact many invitations had to be reluctantly turned down since every available rating had already been fixed up. This warm-hearted hospitality meant a great deal to us, so many thousand miles from home.

My hosts, together with “Jonah” Maltby, was with the Hopkins family at Mouille Point, Capetown. It was an invitation that will never be forgotten. Nothing was too much, we were treated like royalty. It was a friendship that was to last for many years and on later visits to the Cape they were always my first port of call. Sadly Mr and Mrs Hopkins are no longer with us but I still maintain contact with the rest of the family, which feels good after over 40 years.

The South Africans have given, I am sure, many fond memories to many far away from home, lonely sailors of the Royal Navy and for this I give them my warmest thanks.

To the unfortunate who had to remain on board over the Christmas period, this is the catering delights that were served up on Christmas day;

Breakfast
Boiled Ham  Fried Egg  Peaches Grilled Tomatoes

Dinner

 
Giblet Soup
Roast Turkey & Stuffing or Roast Pork & apple Sauce
Roast Potatoes Creamed Potatoes
Cauliflower and Sprouts
Christmas Pudding and Rum Sauce
Desert
Apples Almonds Apricots Peanuts
Oranges Plums Walnuts Bananas
Brazil Nuts Pineapple

Tea
Fruit Salad & Whipped Cream
Christmas Cake
Lemon Squash Orange Squash

Supper
Tomato Soup
Salmon and Green Salad
Mince Pies
Cheese & Pickle Cream Crackers
Coffee 

Meanwhile we had entered dry dock and a minor refit was well under way, continuing throughout the January of 1960. None of us are likely to forget the wind that tore relentlessly over Simonstown all that month and into the next. This wind is known as “The Cape Doctor “ *. It’s undoubted value though was to keep the ship nice and cool.
*"Cape Doctor" (usually The Cape Doctor) is the local name for the strong, persistent and dry south-easterly wind that blows on the South African coast in summer (around Christmas in this hemisphere). It is known as the Cape Doctor because it has long been held to clear Cape Town of pollution and 'pestilance'

Although the wind smites a wide area of the sub-continent, it is notorious especially in and around the Cape Peninsula, where it can be unpleasantly strong and irritating. The 'Cape Doctor' is to some extent an obsolescent term; many now simply call it the "South-Easter". An ironic fact is that the meteorological records for Cape Town show that the north-west winds of winter can be far stronger and more destructive than the south-easter.

Surrounding Simonstown Dry Dock, are painted the ships crests of just about all the British Warships that have visited here. It was customary for later ships to add their own crest and to touch /freshen up these pieces of history. Our crest was added with skill from L/Sea “Geordie” Coates. I wonder if they are still maintained, I doubt it!

One of my jobs at this time was “ships side party”. I spent most of the month , with “Jonah”, sitting precariously on a plank of wood, hung over the ships side ,supported by two lengths of ½ inch manila rope, chipping and scraping. No safety nets in those days to save you. Although the “Cape Doctor” was doing it’s business up and around the dry dock, here in the dry-docks protection the sun and heat beat down on our backs. By the end of the month our backs and shoulders were black and felt like leather. Nobody slapped us on the back for doing a good job, thank goodness!

Our cricket teams had a busy time of it in January with many good games around the Cape, the concert party gave a performance in the dockyard hall which raised £30 ( a fair amount in 1960) for the Simonstown Sailors’ Home, and on the  22nd January we held a very successful ships dance at Lakeside.
 
PHOTO Simonstown circa 2000                                             "

Although Simonstown boasted about three very good bars and a café, with an old jukebox but with up to date records, the run ashore was Capetown.
The journey by train took about an hour, a pleasant enough journey, following the coast line much of the way. But it had its rewards. When you finally arrived at Capetown, if you showed your return ticket at the liquor store on the station you could purchase a bottle of brandy at half price. This proved handy, as the night clubs did not sell spirit, and sporting a bottle at the door meant immediate access. A bit different today, today you would be refused entry.
 “Daryl’s,” “The Savoy” and the “Navigators Den” were the popular haunts, the latter being “out of bounds”. All the bars where “Men Only”, the only place to drink with a female would be at a hotel bar or night club. “Castle “ beer was the tipple or if you ventured further the Cape brandy with ginger ale (Horses Neck) was a sure winner!

It is said the Wardroom changed their normal drinkies of gin and tonic or pink gin to the wonderful “Horses Neck”! This fact was discovered after numerous cocktail parties that were held on board. The duty lads who were detailed to help the wardroom stewards clear away,after the party, use to do a “minesweep”, that is to accumulate all the half empty glasses, pour same into a rum fanny, and with the spoils smuggle down to the messdeck to have their own little cocktail party. If only they knew! Well they do now. 
  
One of our many tasks at the Cape was to assist in putting out the occasional bush fires. One evening we were called out to fight one such fire (pictured). The fire fighting parties, controlled ( for the first time, it is believed) by radio from the ship, toiled all through the night before the fire was finally put out. It is thought, that many of these fires were deliberately started by locals, who were then paid to put them out. The trick was to light, a well protected candle, and by the time it had burnt down to reach and set alight the shrub, the perpetrators were well out of the area, and awaiting the call as emergency firefighters. 

 But the activity which overshadowed January for all of us was the never-to-be-forgotten Tip-to-Top, surely one of the oddest escapades any warship ever engaged in.

PHOTO Fire on the Cape