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- HMS Devonshire 1964- 66 Commission
HMS Devonshire 1964- 66 Commission
- By Robby G
- Published 05/6/2008
- HMS Devonshire
- Unrated
The ‘Dead’ Period and After
On our return from Australia the ship entered Singapore Dockyard for the “Docking and Essential Defects” period. This entailed all living ashore and unfortunately a shortage of accommodation in H.M.S. Terror resulted in only a few Officers and the Senior Rates living there. The Commanders set up residence in the Guest House at J.B., other members of the Wardroom tried various hotels in Singapore while the hulk of the Ship’s Company settled down in Simbang.
For everyone there the change in surroundings—green fields and trees —was a tonic, only marred by the six mile bus journey to and from the Ship each day. The food was good and the excellent facilities provided by the Royal Marines were open to all. Mosquitoes were somewhat of a problem. They were big, quarrelsome and hungry and nets were a necessity but it was a pleasure to have a change from the air-conditioned atmosphere of the Ship.
This period was used to give station leave and parties went to Sandycroft and Frasers Hill while others took lower deck leave at Simbang—who wouldn’t with Lobster Thermidor on the menu! We took some time to settle down to “modified tropical harbour routine”—the broad idea being that if we worked hard all morning then we had the afternoon free to swim, sleep, play golf or indulge in some other energetic pastime.
Some were lucky enough to have their wives join them—and the “R.A.s’ rush” became an established routine. Others—the “airy fairies” flew back to U.K. to join their families at home—and returned as pale as the day we left Portsmouth
Floodlit soccer matches were a big attraction during the evenings and our contribution to Exercise Millstream was to compete in Millsports.
Our entries in the “Non-standard Bolas heaving line competition” attracted some attention—particularly Lt. Wright’s infernal machine “The Ballista” which was officially recorded as having thrown the heaving line minus three feet!
Time passed quickly and we returned to the Ship at the end of February. There was a lot to do in preparation for the busy programme ahead— Flag-showing cruise, missile firings, inspection—the mind boggled.
Borneo
On Saturday, 12th March, after a week of trials following the D.E.D. period we hoisted the Flag of P.0.2 F.E.S. — now Rear Admiral Mills —and sailed for a whistle stop tour of Borneo.
Our first stop was near Kuching. We anchored at Sejinkat with the distinction of being the largest ship ever to go so far up river but we didn’t stay long for as soon as the Admiral had completed his programme of visits by helicopter we sailed on. At Labuan we went alongside to pick up 200 officers and men from Army and RAE. units stationed there for Exercise Sea-Day, during which we baffled them with the intriccies of the Ops. Room and the M.C.R., fascinated them with a Witch’s Ride and horrified them with a rapid open fire exercise with the 4.5-in. The brief run ashore in the evening and indeed, the whole visit, was marred by the unfortunate death of Petty Officer Cullum.
Jesselton will be remembered for the Children’s Party to which we invited 80 little guests—about 300 turned up—and we managed to squeeze 180 of them into tea in the dining hall!
And so we steamed on—Kudat, Sandakan (we could have done with more than three hours there) and finally Tawau. Our departure from Tawau was marked by a Naval Gunfire support exercise—the accuracy of which astounded the spotters ashore (and delighted the gunners on board). However, this had to be curtailed as we dashed to the aid of the S.S. “Carina” aground on a reef and in danger of being looted by pirates (still active in the Borneo-Philippines area). A boarding party established that the stricken vessel was held fast on the reef and too badly damaged to be salvaged and thus the main task was to transfer the crew, and all their possessions, to H.M.A.S. DERWENT who had joined us on the scene.
Again, time was pressing—we had to carry the flag on to Subic—and we left the vessel and its deck cargo of cattle as well as the pirates in the experienced hands of our Australian friends and steamed on northward.
Subic
We stayed a mere twenty-four hours but this was time enough for the Golfers to play a round and have a few drinks in the clubhouse—”no studded shoes on the furniture, please”—and for all to visit that outpost of the U.S. Colonial Empire—Alongapo! It was with some regret that we departed, but we had work to do off Okinawa.
Okinawa
We carried out our successful Seaslug firings, described elsewhere, with the minimum of delay and thus had time for a brief introduction to “The Happy Hour” routine at Whitebeach before we left the range area and cruised round to Naha. There, the favourite occupations were Happy Hour, selling/swapping DEVONSHIRE Caps, playing golf and preparing for the next operational visit—to Japan.
Yokosuka
A little bit of America in Japan, seen in cherry blossom time—bitterly cold and raining most of the time! However, a most enjoyable stay— some took the opportunity to re-visit Tokyo—others spent all their money in the “P.X.”—and others spent it in the usual places!
Back to Singapore
The trip back was one of frustration. We steamed through the T’ai’wan Straits but the weather was so had that the island was a dim outline through the rain when visible at all, and we called at Hong Kong to disembark the Admiral and his staff and to refuel, but didn’t get any leave—on Easter Monday, too!
It
was a compensating thought, as we left, that we would be returning within a fortnight but there was much to be done in final preparation for .
The Inspection
The Sea Inspection followed the usual pattern of gunnery firings, A/S exercises, damage control exercises and the like. All the “funnies” were successfully accomplished—possibly the Chief M.A.’s interpretation of “An Alongapo Run Ashore First Aid Kit” was the most successful of all—it had everything!
Following the departmental inspections came the final crunch—the Harbour Inspection. It was sweltering on the Upper during Divisions, and the hydraulics of the Whaler hoisting system went beserk during the Admiral’s tour of the Ship, but we survived. We sailed for Hong Kong well pleased with ourselves following the receipt of a signal from Admiral Mills:
“Harbour inspection completed. I was very pleased to walk round such a clean and smart Ship which reflects great credit on you all. Appearance at Divisions was good. Well done.”
Hong Kong
And so to a well-earned rest. Everybody soon got themselves into the routine established on earlier visits, although shopping was now high on the list of priorities. Sport too was a favourite occupation—the Devonshire Open Small Arms and Golf Meetings were held and competition was keen. Hardly a day passed without a banyan to the islands taking place but time passed quickly and soon it was time to leave. A last run down Wanchai, the final rabbits stowed away, and we sailed to join the SEATO Naval Forces assembling in Manila Bay.
Sea Imp
Typhoon Irma caused us to take a circuitous route and after we had eventually anchored in the Bay we waited a day or two before the liberty boats could proceed inshore safely. However, when we did eventually get ashore we soon realised that Manila had its limitations and it “bucketed down” most of the time.
There was much to do—the organisation involved in getting an exercise off the ground is considerable at any time but when it involves ships, submarines and aircraft from The Philippines, United States, Australia and Britain it is a major task at all levels. One ship that we were delighted to see was HAMPSHIRE—destined to take our place in the Far East Fleet.
Eventually all was ready and we steamed out of Manila Bay—into tropical storm Judy—later to develop into a typhoon and give us a few days “roughers”. During the following ten days we dealt with the usual submarine and air attacks, we replenished, transferred and manoeuvred —we even cleared the upper deck for a Fleet photograph!
The “war” was complex. We were reputed to have been “sunk” once, we “shot down” everything in sight, civil or military, and the Flight Deck (despite the absence of the Ship’s Flight on Tidespring) was a hive of activity with one thing or another.
Finally it was all over—both sides won—and we steamed towards Bangkok.
Bangkok
The trip up river gave us the opportunity to review units of the Royal Thai Navy—an interesting diversion.
Bangkok—the most enchanting name in the lists of runs ashore on the Far East Station—and probably the most disappointing. Nevertheless, the bars, bath houses and massage parlours did a roaring trade. Large parties toured the canals and visited the Floating Market or went on a Wat-run. Our stay was short and as soon as the post exercise conferences had been completed we were in a hurry . . . in a hurry to get back to Singapore.
Singapore
There we had one frantic week—loading up the Ship with bicycles and rattan furniture. Our final farewells, last visits to the Blue Light or Paris Bar in Sembawang, sonic anxious hours with trouble down below but, on 17th June we made it. To the strains of a Royal Marine Band (we were so prompt that they almost didn’t make it in time!) we slipped from 7 berth for the last time, having our last view of the dockyard, the Terror Club, the golf course, the floodlights
And so to Pompey
Probably the hardest worked department on the trip back was the Doctor and his staff—trying to get everybody fit to face the rigours of leave in the U.K.! Stopping only briefly at Aden and again in the Red Sea, to render repairs to a Lighthouse, we made the transit of the canal without incident—apart from a swim in the Bitter Lakes. No doubt at some future date a wandering Arab will be puzzled at finding a few worn out “Winston 4” golf balls in the desert (just)—evidence of a variation (a successful one, too) in the old potato throwing contest.
And so we entered the Mediterranean—and on to Malta. A brief run ashore to old, familiar (but now rather different) places and on to Gibraltar. This had changed too—a cable car to the top of the Rock and a Casino to extract the money one would have spent over the border in earlier days—and notices, “Servicemen welcome” in the bars—oh, for the days of a Combined Fleet Meeting!
The last “leg” was uneventful. Everybody was writing out customs declaration forms and realising that 19 days’ leave wasn’t going to he much use if the Customs Officers took their full due. They settled for £6,000 at Devonport after a long and arduous day at the end of which we steamed slowly to Portsmouth having landed our ‘First Leave West
Country Natives’. -, -
The great day dawned—a salute to the Commander-in-Chief—a noisy Chinese firecracker display to let everybody know that we were back— alongside—re-union-—and leave (for some)…..
POSTSCRIPT
At the time of writing we have yet to complete the commission. In the words of the Captain, “Our most important task is to come”. However, when we do enter Portsmouth again in October it will mark the end of a Commission which will have given us all many experiences and memories, good times and bad times, laughs and “drips”—and we will have established DEVONSHIRE as a successful operational D,L.G.— even if we were known as “The Fairy Queen of the Far East Fleet!”
On our return from Australia the ship entered Singapore Dockyard for the “Docking and Essential Defects” period. This entailed all living ashore and unfortunately a shortage of accommodation in H.M.S. Terror resulted in only a few Officers and the Senior Rates living there. The Commanders set up residence in the Guest House at J.B., other members of the Wardroom tried various hotels in Singapore while the hulk of the Ship’s Company settled down in Simbang.
For everyone there the change in surroundings—green fields and trees —was a tonic, only marred by the six mile bus journey to and from the Ship each day. The food was good and the excellent facilities provided by the Royal Marines were open to all. Mosquitoes were somewhat of a problem. They were big, quarrelsome and hungry and nets were a necessity but it was a pleasure to have a change from the air-conditioned atmosphere of the Ship.
This period was used to give station leave and parties went to Sandycroft and Frasers Hill while others took lower deck leave at Simbang—who wouldn’t with Lobster Thermidor on the menu! We took some time to settle down to “modified tropical harbour routine”—the broad idea being that if we worked hard all morning then we had the afternoon free to swim, sleep, play golf or indulge in some other energetic pastime.
Some were lucky enough to have their wives join them—and the “R.A.s’ rush” became an established routine. Others—the “airy fairies” flew back to U.K. to join their families at home—and returned as pale as the day we left Portsmouth
Floodlit soccer matches were a big attraction during the evenings and our contribution to Exercise Millstream was to compete in Millsports.
Our entries in the “Non-standard Bolas heaving line competition” attracted some attention—particularly Lt. Wright’s infernal machine “The Ballista” which was officially recorded as having thrown the heaving line minus three feet!
Time passed quickly and we returned to the Ship at the end of February. There was a lot to do in preparation for the busy programme ahead— Flag-showing cruise, missile firings, inspection—the mind boggled.
Borneo
On Saturday, 12th March, after a week of trials following the D.E.D. period we hoisted the Flag of P.0.2 F.E.S. — now Rear Admiral Mills —and sailed for a whistle stop tour of Borneo.
Our first stop was near Kuching. We anchored at Sejinkat with the distinction of being the largest ship ever to go so far up river but we didn’t stay long for as soon as the Admiral had completed his programme of visits by helicopter we sailed on. At Labuan we went alongside to pick up 200 officers and men from Army and RAE. units stationed there for Exercise Sea-Day, during which we baffled them with the intriccies of the Ops. Room and the M.C.R., fascinated them with a Witch’s Ride and horrified them with a rapid open fire exercise with the 4.5-in. The brief run ashore in the evening and indeed, the whole visit, was marred by the unfortunate death of Petty Officer Cullum.
Jesselton will be remembered for the Children’s Party to which we invited 80 little guests—about 300 turned up—and we managed to squeeze 180 of them into tea in the dining hall!
And so we steamed on—Kudat, Sandakan (we could have done with more than three hours there) and finally Tawau. Our departure from Tawau was marked by a Naval Gunfire support exercise—the accuracy of which astounded the spotters ashore (and delighted the gunners on board). However, this had to be curtailed as we dashed to the aid of the S.S. “Carina” aground on a reef and in danger of being looted by pirates (still active in the Borneo-Philippines area). A boarding party established that the stricken vessel was held fast on the reef and too badly damaged to be salvaged and thus the main task was to transfer the crew, and all their possessions, to H.M.A.S. DERWENT who had joined us on the scene.
Again, time was pressing—we had to carry the flag on to Subic—and we left the vessel and its deck cargo of cattle as well as the pirates in the experienced hands of our Australian friends and steamed on northward.
Subic
We stayed a mere twenty-four hours but this was time enough for the Golfers to play a round and have a few drinks in the clubhouse—”no studded shoes on the furniture, please”—and for all to visit that outpost of the U.S. Colonial Empire—Alongapo! It was with some regret that we departed, but we had work to do off Okinawa.
Okinawa
We carried out our successful Seaslug firings, described elsewhere, with the minimum of delay and thus had time for a brief introduction to “The Happy Hour” routine at Whitebeach before we left the range area and cruised round to Naha. There, the favourite occupations were Happy Hour, selling/swapping DEVONSHIRE Caps, playing golf and preparing for the next operational visit—to Japan.
Yokosuka
A little bit of America in Japan, seen in cherry blossom time—bitterly cold and raining most of the time! However, a most enjoyable stay— some took the opportunity to re-visit Tokyo—others spent all their money in the “P.X.”—and others spent it in the usual places!
Back to Singapore
The trip back was one of frustration. We steamed through the T’ai’wan Straits but the weather was so had that the island was a dim outline through the rain when visible at all, and we called at Hong Kong to disembark the Admiral and his staff and to refuel, but didn’t get any leave—on Easter Monday, too!
It
The Inspection
The Sea Inspection followed the usual pattern of gunnery firings, A/S exercises, damage control exercises and the like. All the “funnies” were successfully accomplished—possibly the Chief M.A.’s interpretation of “An Alongapo Run Ashore First Aid Kit” was the most successful of all—it had everything!
Following the departmental inspections came the final crunch—the Harbour Inspection. It was sweltering on the Upper during Divisions, and the hydraulics of the Whaler hoisting system went beserk during the Admiral’s tour of the Ship, but we survived. We sailed for Hong Kong well pleased with ourselves following the receipt of a signal from Admiral Mills:
“Harbour inspection completed. I was very pleased to walk round such a clean and smart Ship which reflects great credit on you all. Appearance at Divisions was good. Well done.”
Hong Kong
And so to a well-earned rest. Everybody soon got themselves into the routine established on earlier visits, although shopping was now high on the list of priorities. Sport too was a favourite occupation—the Devonshire Open Small Arms and Golf Meetings were held and competition was keen. Hardly a day passed without a banyan to the islands taking place but time passed quickly and soon it was time to leave. A last run down Wanchai, the final rabbits stowed away, and we sailed to join the SEATO Naval Forces assembling in Manila Bay.
Sea Imp
Typhoon Irma caused us to take a circuitous route and after we had eventually anchored in the Bay we waited a day or two before the liberty boats could proceed inshore safely. However, when we did eventually get ashore we soon realised that Manila had its limitations and it “bucketed down” most of the time.
There was much to do—the organisation involved in getting an exercise off the ground is considerable at any time but when it involves ships, submarines and aircraft from The Philippines, United States, Australia and Britain it is a major task at all levels. One ship that we were delighted to see was HAMPSHIRE—destined to take our place in the Far East Fleet.
Eventually all was ready and we steamed out of Manila Bay—into tropical storm Judy—later to develop into a typhoon and give us a few days “roughers”. During the following ten days we dealt with the usual submarine and air attacks, we replenished, transferred and manoeuvred —we even cleared the upper deck for a Fleet photograph!
The “war” was complex. We were reputed to have been “sunk” once, we “shot down” everything in sight, civil or military, and the Flight Deck (despite the absence of the Ship’s Flight on Tidespring) was a hive of activity with one thing or another.
Finally it was all over—both sides won—and we steamed towards Bangkok.
Bangkok
The trip up river gave us the opportunity to review units of the Royal Thai Navy—an interesting diversion.
Bangkok—the most enchanting name in the lists of runs ashore on the Far East Station—and probably the most disappointing. Nevertheless, the bars, bath houses and massage parlours did a roaring trade. Large parties toured the canals and visited the Floating Market or went on a Wat-run. Our stay was short and as soon as the post exercise conferences had been completed we were in a hurry . . . in a hurry to get back to Singapore.
Singapore
There we had one frantic week—loading up the Ship with bicycles and rattan furniture. Our final farewells, last visits to the Blue Light or Paris Bar in Sembawang, sonic anxious hours with trouble down below but, on 17th June we made it. To the strains of a Royal Marine Band (we were so prompt that they almost didn’t make it in time!) we slipped from 7 berth for the last time, having our last view of the dockyard, the Terror Club, the golf course, the floodlights
And so to Pompey
Probably the hardest worked department on the trip back was the Doctor and his staff—trying to get everybody fit to face the rigours of leave in the U.K.! Stopping only briefly at Aden and again in the Red Sea, to render repairs to a Lighthouse, we made the transit of the canal without incident—apart from a swim in the Bitter Lakes. No doubt at some future date a wandering Arab will be puzzled at finding a few worn out “Winston 4” golf balls in the desert (just)—evidence of a variation (a successful one, too) in the old potato throwing contest.
And so we entered the Mediterranean—and on to Malta. A brief run ashore to old, familiar (but now rather different) places and on to Gibraltar. This had changed too—a cable car to the top of the Rock and a Casino to extract the money one would have spent over the border in earlier days—and notices, “Servicemen welcome” in the bars—oh, for the days of a Combined Fleet Meeting!
The last “leg” was uneventful. Everybody was writing out customs declaration forms and realising that 19 days’ leave wasn’t going to he much use if the Customs Officers took their full due. They settled for £6,000 at Devonport after a long and arduous day at the end of which we steamed slowly to Portsmouth having landed our ‘First Leave West
Country Natives’. -, -
The great day dawned—a salute to the Commander-in-Chief—a noisy Chinese firecracker display to let everybody know that we were back— alongside—re-union-—and leave (for some)…..
POSTSCRIPT
At the time of writing we have yet to complete the commission. In the words of the Captain, “Our most important task is to come”. However, when we do enter Portsmouth again in October it will mark the end of a Commission which will have given us all many experiences and memories, good times and bad times, laughs and “drips”—and we will have established DEVONSHIRE as a successful operational D,L.G.— even if we were known as “The Fairy Queen of the Far East Fleet!”