- Home
- HMS Devonshire
- Devonshire's Last Commission 1976 - 78
Devonshire's Last Commission 1976 - 78
- By Robby G
- Published 05/18/2008
- HMS Devonshire
-
Rating:
WEAPON ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
FROM THE BILGE TO FLIGHT DECK TOO
W2 SECTION
W2 Section consists of the somewhat peculiar combination of the 901 Radar and Control Systems, Internal Comms and Navaids. On the one hand the complexity of part of the ship's prime weapon system and on the other more basic equipments but equally vital to the everyday life and efficiency of the ship.
Home for the Internal Comms is M2 Breaker Room, a treasure trove of microphones, inserts, loudspeakers and 'come-in-handy's'. Tucked in the corner behind his desk 'father' is often to be seen quietly teaching his workers the skills of their craft. It was once rumoured that to improve the modest furnishings the Fairy Queen brought a wardrobe by night. Alas, come midnight the wardrobe turned into a box for the Quartermaster. At times an outsider might be led to believe that the only duties of this diligent team is finely tuning the Main Broadcast or taking turns to realign gyro repeats, but it is never long between the unwelcome bids to further service of 'Gyro Alarm', 'Steering Gear Breakdown' or 'Telephone EM, Gangway'. An Internal Communicators lot is not an 'appy one.
The stars of the Section, however, are the Seaslug TS crew. For countless weeks they busy themselves with the routines required to keep their system on top line and practising the skills of target acquisition. Only rarely does the great day com around when all the practice is put to the test and the reward paid with the cries o 'intercept' and 'target destroyed'. In the past two years a total of 12 Seaslug Missiles have been fired by the ship, the last in May 1978 on the Atlantic Weapon Range near Puerto Rico. The success of the TS crew is very dependable upon teamwork and every team requires a good leader. As such CEA Hambrook' example was faultless - he was never there to be faulted: Notable for his absence for various reasons during the first three exercises this past year he condescended to join his team for the fourth when he emerged as the Byron of the TS. As yet h has not found a publisher for his limericks but it is hoped that by printing on below it will start him on the path to fame.
There was a green MCO
Whose finger was quick on the go
The missile had fired
And all it desired
Was 800 yards more to go.
BIRD AWAY
'Lap, Leap, Lege; the lore of the liveliest section of the ship is soon to be rewritten by the planners and the guts of the ship, that shwerpunkt of a County Class Destroyer's conception, the Seaslug Magazine, is to be eviscerated in a civilian dock.'
Who is to blame the Seasluggers if they cannot think of the impending changes as giving the ship a new lease of life? In this commission alone they have seen as a result of much hard work some spectacular missile firings:
Aberporth '76
Exercise Springtrain '77
Hebrides '77
Exercise Springtrain'78
Roosevelt Roads '78
None of these would have been possible without the team work of the members
of W3 section . . . The AB(M), S(M), and OEM who in a very short stay in the
MQP becomes a competent maintainer and able to
operate a complex equipment;
the long suffering Petty Officers Bob Harvey, Andy Moss, and John Crook who
know only too well the extent of the preparation needed for firing; the Section
Chief Rick Broniman; and the Section Officer Mike French.
They have looked after equipment that once made up the latest Naval Surface
Weapon - A magazine occupying virtually a complete deck of the ship; a
high capacity hydraulic system with which to shunt missiles around like rolling
stock in a marshalling yard; a fully automatic (and fully occupied) missile testing
facility; and a still up to date launcher control system.
It was with some sadness then that the section heard the cry over the intercom
'Bird Away' that told them that they had done their job for the last time.
RADIO & RADAR MAINTENANCE
W4/5 RADIO DEPARTMENT 1975-1978
(Or . . . There's got to he an easier way!!)
The commission has been long and reasonably varied, and on 18th July 1978 the 150 week work-up will be over. The exercises came thick and fast but as usual we survived and gave a good account of ourselves.
Under the leadership of S/Lt Barley and FCREMN Barrie (The Lip) Jones, we succeeded in just about everything we did. Portland was 'no sweat', even when Messrs Green and Ruddick 'borrowed' the Admiral's flag we still survived, and the staff complimented us on the standard of our junior rates. (Obviously they like a joke too!!) (JOKE fellas).
The Russian trip was probably the highlight of the commission and the 'troops' amazed us all by working even harder and longer, scrubbing out, without getting 'bootfaced' about it.
On the domestic side, we had very little trouble. The only anxious time was when 'Wee Jock' Norrie fell from Greenacres on to the Port waist in 'roughers', luckily he's OK now. (Although it's hard to tell with him!!) REMN 2 'Taff, Morgan had sleepwalking problems and was found on the Flag Deck hiding from 'The Reds'!! (Keep taking the pills Taff.) REMN1 'Tansy' Lea's wife had another baby, she's since had him tattooed 'Dangerous Animal'!!! LREM Bob Pennycook got married, poor lad. Still he seem's to be doing well on it!
We have kept the whole ship in stores for three years and kept the ship's company entertained via CCTV and SRE (we do maintain it you know!). Even the Sluggers had to rely on the Radio Department, in the impressive shape of REA1 Cliff Le-Good, to get them through their firings, much to the annoyance of CREL Dave (Looby Lew) Lewis!!! The troops always seemed to be stores party, RAS party or some party or another and still did their normal work cheerfully and well. We have done our 'bit' and more.
CREA Len Rogers
PS: By the way, Im still looking for the sadists who had Apprentice Hardy searching for the safe-to-rotate keys for the ANEMOMETER, for two hours!!!
W6 SECTION
For the uninitiated W6 Section of the Weapon Engineering Dept has responsibility for the maintenance of- two 4.6 inch MK6 MOD 3 Turrets, controlled by an MRS3 MOD 1 system. Two GWS 21 (Seacat) systems. One medium range Sonar set 177M. A Torpedo decoy system 182. Air launched weapons MK46 and MK44 Torpedos. Two close range 20mm QF guns, all the ship's small arms (SLRs, SMGs, LMGs, Pistols etc). Diving gear and Damage Control BA.
Now the men, working almost permanently, we have 10 Senior Rates, 20 Junior Rates and myself (Sub/Lt (E) (W) J. M. McGuiness). We probably have more than, our fair share of characters, from an Irishman who watches war films backwards to prevent his being surrounded, to a trombone playing, bee-keeping, CCEA.The long and never ending cosmetic maintenance task is verbally co-ordinated by a PO(M) who likes to be called GI. (Anyone wishing further information on British Punative
Expeditions, Old War Medals, Tree Surgery and old Hotspur Comics ring the GI Ext 240. He is sure to be there).
That in a Nutshell or should I say a Nuthouse is the W6 Section, let's not forget that without the Seaslug and W6 Section equipment Devonshire would be wearing a Red Ensign and carrying bananas.
FROM THE BILGE TO FLIGHT DECK TOO
WE WORKED 18 HOURS ON MANY A DAY
BUT IT STILL WASN'T ENOUGH FOR YOU
THERE WERE FIRE PUMPS AND OVENS
AND FANS THAT NUMBERED MANY
WE WERE THERE TO FIX YOUR DEFECTS
THOUGH YOU GAVE US NOT A PENNY
WE FLOODLIGHT UP IN LONDON
AND GUADALOUPE TOO
IN ALL WAYS WE SUCCEEDED
ALTHOUGH WE WERE SO FEW
YOU REALLY GAVE US ROCKS
AND PUT US TO THE TEST
BUT NOW ITS DONE YOU MUST AGREE
W1 SECTION WAS THE BEST,
W2 SECTION
W2 Section consists of the somewhat peculiar combination of the 901 Radar and Control Systems, Internal Comms and Navaids. On the one hand the complexity of part of the ship's prime weapon system and on the other more basic equipments but equally vital to the everyday life and efficiency of the ship.
Home for the Internal Comms is M2 Breaker Room, a treasure trove of microphones, inserts, loudspeakers and 'come-in-handy's'. Tucked in the corner behind his desk 'father' is often to be seen quietly teaching his workers the skills of their craft. It was once rumoured that to improve the modest furnishings the Fairy Queen brought a wardrobe by night. Alas, come midnight the wardrobe turned into a box for the Quartermaster. At times an outsider might be led to believe that the only duties of this diligent team is finely tuning the Main Broadcast or taking turns to realign gyro repeats, but it is never long between the unwelcome bids to further service of 'Gyro Alarm', 'Steering Gear Breakdown' or 'Telephone EM, Gangway'. An Internal Communicators lot is not an 'appy one.
The stars of the Section, however, are the Seaslug TS crew. For countless weeks they busy themselves with the routines required to keep their system on top line and practising the skills of target acquisition. Only rarely does the great day com around when all the practice is put to the test and the reward paid with the cries o 'intercept' and 'target destroyed'. In the past two years a total of 12 Seaslug Missiles have been fired by the ship, the last in May 1978 on the Atlantic Weapon Range near Puerto Rico. The success of the TS crew is very dependable upon teamwork and every team requires a good leader. As such CEA Hambrook' example was faultless - he was never there to be faulted: Notable for his absence for various reasons during the first three exercises this past year he condescended to join his team for the fourth when he emerged as the Byron of the TS. As yet h has not found a publisher for his limericks but it is hoped that by printing on below it will start him on the path to fame.
There was a green MCO
Whose finger was quick on the go
The missile had fired
And all it desired
Was 800 yards more to go.
BIRD AWAY
'Lap, Leap, Lege; the lore of the liveliest section of the ship is soon to be rewritten by the planners and the guts of the ship, that shwerpunkt of a County Class Destroyer's conception, the Seaslug Magazine, is to be eviscerated in a civilian dock.'
Who is to blame the Seasluggers if they cannot think of the impending changes as giving the ship a new lease of life? In this commission alone they have seen as a result of much hard work some spectacular missile firings:
Aberporth '76
Exercise Springtrain '77
Hebrides '77
Exercise Springtrain'78
Roosevelt Roads '78
None of these would have been possible without the team work of the members
of W3 section . . . The AB(M), S(M), and OEM who in a very short stay in the
MQP becomes a competent maintainer and able to
the long suffering Petty Officers Bob Harvey, Andy Moss, and John Crook who
know only too well the extent of the preparation needed for firing; the Section
Chief Rick Broniman; and the Section Officer Mike French.
They have looked after equipment that once made up the latest Naval Surface
Weapon - A magazine occupying virtually a complete deck of the ship; a
high capacity hydraulic system with which to shunt missiles around like rolling
stock in a marshalling yard; a fully automatic (and fully occupied) missile testing
facility; and a still up to date launcher control system.
It was with some sadness then that the section heard the cry over the intercom
'Bird Away' that told them that they had done their job for the last time.
RADIO & RADAR MAINTENANCE
W4/5 RADIO DEPARTMENT 1975-1978
(Or . . . There's got to he an easier way!!)
The commission has been long and reasonably varied, and on 18th July 1978 the 150 week work-up will be over. The exercises came thick and fast but as usual we survived and gave a good account of ourselves.
Under the leadership of S/Lt Barley and FCREMN Barrie (The Lip) Jones, we succeeded in just about everything we did. Portland was 'no sweat', even when Messrs Green and Ruddick 'borrowed' the Admiral's flag we still survived, and the staff complimented us on the standard of our junior rates. (Obviously they like a joke too!!) (JOKE fellas).
The Russian trip was probably the highlight of the commission and the 'troops' amazed us all by working even harder and longer, scrubbing out, without getting 'bootfaced' about it.
On the domestic side, we had very little trouble. The only anxious time was when 'Wee Jock' Norrie fell from Greenacres on to the Port waist in 'roughers', luckily he's OK now. (Although it's hard to tell with him!!) REMN 2 'Taff, Morgan had sleepwalking problems and was found on the Flag Deck hiding from 'The Reds'!! (Keep taking the pills Taff.) REMN1 'Tansy' Lea's wife had another baby, she's since had him tattooed 'Dangerous Animal'!!! LREM Bob Pennycook got married, poor lad. Still he seem's to be doing well on it!
We have kept the whole ship in stores for three years and kept the ship's company entertained via CCTV and SRE (we do maintain it you know!). Even the Sluggers had to rely on the Radio Department, in the impressive shape of REA1 Cliff Le-Good, to get them through their firings, much to the annoyance of CREL Dave (Looby Lew) Lewis!!! The troops always seemed to be stores party, RAS party or some party or another and still did their normal work cheerfully and well. We have done our 'bit' and more.
CREA Len Rogers
PS: By the way, Im still looking for the sadists who had Apprentice Hardy searching for the safe-to-rotate keys for the ANEMOMETER, for two hours!!!
W6 SECTION
For the uninitiated W6 Section of the Weapon Engineering Dept has responsibility for the maintenance of- two 4.6 inch MK6 MOD 3 Turrets, controlled by an MRS3 MOD 1 system. Two GWS 21 (Seacat) systems. One medium range Sonar set 177M. A Torpedo decoy system 182. Air launched weapons MK46 and MK44 Torpedos. Two close range 20mm QF guns, all the ship's small arms (SLRs, SMGs, LMGs, Pistols etc). Diving gear and Damage Control BA.
Now the men, working almost permanently, we have 10 Senior Rates, 20 Junior Rates and myself (Sub/Lt (E) (W) J. M. McGuiness). We probably have more than, our fair share of characters, from an Irishman who watches war films backwards to prevent his being surrounded, to a trombone playing, bee-keeping, CCEA.The long and never ending cosmetic maintenance task is verbally co-ordinated by a PO(M) who likes to be called GI. (Anyone wishing further information on British Punative
Expeditions, Old War Medals, Tree Surgery and old Hotspur Comics ring the GI Ext 240. He is sure to be there).
That in a Nutshell or should I say a Nuthouse is the W6 Section, let's not forget that without the Seaslug and W6 Section equipment Devonshire would be wearing a Red Ensign and carrying bananas.