Time of extremes by Mr T Joseph (From Penarth Times)

Time of extremes by Mr T Joseph

October 1941

Butlins Holiday Camp, Skegness, AKA HMS Royal Arthur, Naval Training Establishment.

Me: 20-year-old conscript, married, two babies. Six months' training as a wireless operator through the bitter winter of 41/42 - freezing, but nothing compared to what is to come!

Dots and dashes thumped home until it became (still is) a second language.

Class W116 - test after test - whittled down, disbanded and dispersed to various ships and establishments. Good friends made and lost.

April 1942

Clydebank, Scotland, HM Destroyer, AKA HMS Beagle - en route Murmansk - again and again (and I thought Skegness was cold!).

Russian convoys well documented and, believe me, not exaggerated.

Then to warmer climes - North Africa and the Allied landings. Very hot, and not just the weather! But, once again, nothing to what is to come!

Then home for a well earned leave with mess decks decorated with green bananas from Gibraltar - a luxury at home!

Discharged from Beagle for a new draft. More good friends made, and lost!

Didn't know then, but I wouldn't see my family for three years

May 1943

Aberdeen, HM Frigate, AKA HMS Helford, en route Middle and Far East via Capetown. What a country! What a city! What hospitality!

A short stay, then north, Red Sea, Persian Gulf and the hothouse Aden - and I thought North Africa was hot! (People actually go there for a holiday)

The sounds and smells of Bombay, especially the smells. Grafitti, everywhere telling us "Brits" to "Quit India" - we did, willingly, to the Pacific with the Yanks and news in 1945 of VE Day.

Wishing we were there but we were still "at it" and kept "at it" until VJ day. Then Brisbane and goodbye to Helford - again good friends made and lost.

August 1945

Naval establishment Sydney, AKA HMS Golden Hind, awaiting transport home - a long, long wait until...

November 1945

HMS Aircraft Carrier, AKA Unicorn - homeward bound!

April 1946

Naval Barracks Devonport, AKA HMS Drake - Demob!

My demob suit didn't fit but I didn't care. I was seeing my wife, babies and family for the first time in three years!

I had survived. I was lucky - and I still am! Wife, two children, five grandchildren, three great-grandchildren!

Someday I'll write a book, you'll see.