- Home
- HMS Devonshire
- HMS Devonshire 1st Commission 1962-64
HMS Devonshire 1st Commission 1962-64
- By Robby G
- Published 05/6/2008
- HMS Devonshire
- Unrated
SOME LIKE IT HOT
All acceptance trials completed and a few missiles fired and the ship is ours. After a week in Portsmouth topping up with stores and saying goodbye to the Admirals, we sailed on April Fool’s Day for Gibraltar, Malta and the first batch of our Machinery Trials. We spent the first weekend in Gib. where some of the younger members made their first visit to the Troc, a rather different Troc to that of the balmy old days. In fact, Gib. was pretty chaste all round.
On, on to Malta with a little three watch cruising on the way. Malta was much the same as we’d all known it. One or two dghaisas had outboard motors, the fares had gone up and, in the process, their owners had got a lot fatter. We spent the first few days in Grand Harbour, then with the Flag Officer Flotillas onboard, we went to visit Barcelona for four days. This was our first big run ashore, and very successful it was, too. The ship was berthed slap in the middle of the town, and it was literally two minutes to the night life. Some people flew off to Madrid, where they were entertained by the British Community, very well, it was reported. On the Sunday, there was a bullfight in Barcelona, which was well attended. It was most interesting for beginners for the variety of uncommon things that happened, a badly gored matador, a rejected bull and a really good fight. Anyway, everyone appeared to enjoy the visit, there are some, who still think it was the best of the whole commission.
On Friday, 26th April, we went alongside H.M.S. AUSONIA for fourteen days self-maintenance after a week or so at sea doing machinery trials and weapon training. Back in Malta, we took part in the Fleet Athletics and did quite well, considering we’d had no training. Some had an opportunity to go ashore in Malta for the first time and many to renew old acquaintances. Dozens of visitors from local establishments came to look round our new ship, just as they had in Portsmouth.
Photo.
HMS Ausonia
Self-maintenance over, and back to sea, refreshed both man-wise and machinery-wise, for more trials and weapon training. Then just as everything seems to be going so well we have a machinery failure (the wardroom was watching a film about castaways on a desert island at the time it was particularly apt) and are forced to return to Malta, and alongside H.M.S. AUSONIA again. A week later after Devonshire had bought the exclusive rights of “Moonriver” in every night club in the island, we leave Malta for Gibraltar (first stop) and England. A little shopping in Gib. where the bargains are not what they used to be and the rabbits have disappeared into their holes, the rest of the comprehensive blast trials which seemed to do less damage than everyone expected, and we arrive back in Purtsmouth on the 8th June.
In Portsmouth there are two kinds of sailors, those who go native and those who don’t. Those who “go native” are seen about the ship with a look of “we’ve never had it so good” on their faces; those who “don’t” count the hours to the next tide. Both sects however are quickly amalgamated into one by the thought of a return to Aberporth and all its frustrations weather-wise.
But before Aberporth came successful basin trials and then return to sea on Thursday, 29th August, to try out the engines. All went well and with tails up we sailed to complete missile firings. The fascination of British weather lies in its diversity, but on this occasion we are in no mood to stand any of its nonsense. The result is successful missile firings. The pudding had been eaten. We now knew that we had a ship which was capable of doing everything we asked of her.
So, here we were, with a clean slate and all set to go to the States. Engines doing their stuff, two successful missile firings under our belt, and everything just straining to go. Back to Portsmouth for storing, pick up the Marine Band and do a few last minute preparations, then off to Plymouth to collect our outfit of missiles. Those last few days were pretty hectic. Among other things, we had to practice in the dockyard our march through Philadelphia as there was unlikely to be any time later. Eventually all was ready and we sailed from Portsmouth on Sunday. 22nd September.
All acceptance trials completed and a few missiles fired and the ship is ours. After a week in Portsmouth topping up with stores and saying goodbye to the Admirals, we sailed on April Fool’s Day for Gibraltar, Malta and the first batch of our Machinery Trials. We spent the first weekend in Gib. where some of the younger members made their first visit to the Troc, a rather different Troc to that of the balmy old days. In fact, Gib. was pretty chaste all round.
On, on to Malta with a little three watch cruising on the way. Malta was much the same as we’d all known it. One or two dghaisas had outboard motors, the fares had gone up and, in the process, their owners had got a lot fatter. We spent the first few days in Grand Harbour, then with the Flag Officer Flotillas onboard, we went to visit Barcelona for four days. This was our first big run ashore, and very successful it was, too. The ship was berthed slap in the middle of the town, and it was literally two minutes to the night life. Some people flew off to Madrid, where they were entertained by the British Community, very well, it was reported. On the Sunday, there was a bullfight in Barcelona, which was well attended. It was most interesting for beginners for the variety of uncommon things that happened, a badly gored matador, a rejected bull and a really good fight. Anyway, everyone appeared to enjoy the visit, there are some, who still think it was the best of the whole commission.
On Friday, 26th April, we went alongside H.M.S. AUSONIA for fourteen days self-maintenance after a week or so at sea doing machinery trials and weapon training. Back in Malta, we took part in the Fleet Athletics and did quite well, considering we’d had no training. Some had an opportunity to go ashore in Malta for the first time and many to renew old acquaintances. Dozens of visitors from local establishments came to look round our new ship, just as they had in Portsmouth. Photo.
Self-maintenance over, and back to sea, refreshed both man-wise and machinery-wise, for more trials and weapon training. Then just as everything seems to be going so well we have a machinery failure (the wardroom was watching a film about castaways on a desert island at the time it was particularly apt) and are forced to return to Malta, and alongside H.M.S. AUSONIA again. A week later after Devonshire had bought the exclusive rights of “Moonriver” in every night club in the island, we leave Malta for Gibraltar (first stop) and England. A little shopping in Gib. where the bargains are not what they used to be and the rabbits have disappeared into their holes, the rest of the comprehensive blast trials which seemed to do less damage than everyone expected, and we arrive back in Purtsmouth on the 8th June.
In Portsmouth there are two kinds of sailors, those who go native and those who don’t. Those who “go native” are seen about the ship with a look of “we’ve never had it so good” on their faces; those who “don’t” count the hours to the next tide. Both sects however are quickly amalgamated into one by the thought of a return to Aberporth and all its frustrations weather-wise.
But before Aberporth came successful basin trials and then return to sea on Thursday, 29th August, to try out the engines. All went well and with tails up we sailed to complete missile firings. The fascination of British weather lies in its diversity, but on this occasion we are in no mood to stand any of its nonsense. The result is successful missile firings. The pudding had been eaten. We now knew that we had a ship which was capable of doing everything we asked of her.
So, here we were, with a clean slate and all set to go to the States. Engines doing their stuff, two successful missile firings under our belt, and everything just straining to go. Back to Portsmouth for storing, pick up the Marine Band and do a few last minute preparations, then off to Plymouth to collect our outfit of missiles. Those last few days were pretty hectic. Among other things, we had to practice in the dockyard our march through Philadelphia as there was unlikely to be any time later. Eventually all was ready and we sailed from Portsmouth on Sunday. 22nd September.