Wednesday 02/11/1966 Joined HMS DARING [D10] (destroyer) at Devonport, Devon. She was a 'Daring Class' destroyer built by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson. Launched the 10th of August 1949 and completed 8th of March 1952. From 1958 to 1959 in refit at Devonport and then 2nd Destroyer Squadron for Home and Mediterranean service. January 1961 paid off into reserve for 6 years. In April 1963 Devonport Dockyard took the ship in hand for a long refit to complete in October 1964. However delay followed delay and it wasn't until December 1966 that the refit was finally completed. The biggest nightmare about this ship was that both funnels used to spew out clouds of thick black smoke regularly that included big smuts and a huge amount of minute particles of soot. Before the ship went to sea the engines were 'flashed-up' in the early hours of the morning and come daylight all the decks and paintwork would be covered in black soot. This soot had to be washed off before sailing, which meant we had to get up early and scrub down the decks and wash all the paintwork. Then we had to wash ourselves and then change into our best blue suit ready for 'falling-in' on the flag-deck. Sometimes the fumes were so bad you could hardly breath without it burning your lungs. What with all the manoeuvres and different speeds to get out of the harbour it caused yet more soot to cover the bulkheads (walls) and decks. Once again after changing into our No. 8's (working clothes) we would have to wash everything down again. I hated that more than anything else about this ship. Thursday 03/11/1966 Commissioning Day This was the day which was ceremonial in that the ship had now started her commission. We wore our Number 1's (best blue suit) and had prayers on the foc'sle followed by the ceremony of cutting the cake. Early Spring 1967 'Work-up' at Portland. This entailed many, many hours of hard work for everyone onboard with lots of sleepless nights and very few breaks ashore. The ship was on a war-footing and would be judged on how well we succeeded in carrying out the many tasks beset us. Those that failed would have to do it all again. Needless to say we didn't fail. March 1967 HMS DARING sailed with other ships to fire her 'big guns' at the oil tanker 'Torrey Canyon' which had run aground off Land's End. The Torrey Canyon was grounded and spilled 34,986,000 gallons of oil. It broke up into three sections and was eventually bombed by the Fleet Air Arm and the RAF. This was the first major oil disaster at sea. May 1967 Trip to Cherbourg. Didn't like Cherbourg very much, and neither did a certain Leading Seaman - no names eh Goody, in fact I don't like Northern France much at all. Very expensive and drab. At least the South of France looks and feels foreign! Monday 17/07/1967 HMS DARING sailed from Plymouth which was her 'home port' to foreign climes. A beginning of a year that would give us new places and people to see. Thursday 20/07/1967 HMS DARING arrived Gibraltar. Saturday 22/07/1967 HMS DARING left Gibraltar. This was the first time I had crossed the equator. The 'crossing the line' ceremony was duly held and everyone (except me) got a ducking from King Neptune. I hid away, however I have since regretted this as I would of had a nice certificate for the occasion as a memento! That'll teach me for thinking I had outwitted them! Saturday 05/08/1967 HMS DARING arrived at Simons town, South Africa. Whilst here we were asked to help the SPCA (Society for the Protection against Cruelty to Animals) to clean oil off of penguins which had suffered due to an oil tanker spillage. It was very cold here as it was winter. I made the mistake of sitting on a "Non-Blanc" (Black's Only) seat on the platform at Simons Town railway station, which caused a bit of a stir. The carriages in the train were segregated; cinema's, restaurants, buses, taxi's, parks, beaches and anything else you care to think of were segregated. I hated the racism out there; they called it apartheid. I called it bigotry, and was glad to leave. One of many penguins being taken care of Saturday 12/08/1967 HMS DARING left Simons Town to begin the Beira Patrol. The patrol was to stop merchant ships entering the Mozambique (then Portuguese governed) port of Beira where they would try and off-load their cargo for Rhodesia (now called Zimbabwe). Rhodesia had declared UDI (Unilateral Declaration of Independence) from Britain and so we were there to starve them of imports. We used to board the ships and check the cargo. We would stay at sea for up to 6 weeks at a time, replenishing our stores and fuel at sea. There were competitions and a "Sod's Opera" to keep us amused during these monotonous days at sea on patrol. Our letters would, very rarely, be sent on by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships, though incoming mail was quite frequent as it was dropped into the sea by the RAF Shackleton planes, and invariably arrived wet. The Beira Patrol, though successful, did not bring a sudden end to UDI, as the Rhodesians were very resilient in 'making do' and adapting what they could. We used to go to Mombassa in Kenya for a rest every now and then. Lovely white coral beaches at Silversands. When I first saw that beach I jumped from the bank onto it, it was almost rock hard and nearly broke my ankles! The monkeys in the trees would leap from them and onto your back and pull your hair, they could be quite vicious, but I loved it all. Managed a trip to the Tsavo National Park for a Safari. Saw lots of wild animals and took lots of photo's. Both food and locally made gifts were cheap to buy. I had a 'lobster thermadore' for the first and only time in my life, it was delicious. I bought lots of hand-carved wooden animals from the market traders. As woollen garments and soap were apparently in short supply, I traded my seaman's jerseys and some soap for some wooden animals. I didn't need the jerseys anymore as I was unable to wear them due to my allergy. If I got 'picked up' for not wearing them as 'rig of the day', I would rely on my 'excused chit' to get me off. Luckily I never needed to use that excuse much. Sailed to Diego Suarez in Mozambique where we stopped for a couple of days. Met some Foreign Legion soldiers ashore, first time I had seen them in real life. Leading Seaman Goodhew, who was on gangway duty, found a chameleon which he brought down into the mess (living quarters). I saw it change colour when put on the green curtain, then changed again when it clambered up the brown canvas hammock. We later found out that it must of either been very old or sick as we couldn't find anymore as tame as this one. After a few hours of wonderment it was then released into the bushes once more. We then sailed towards Singapore with a re-fuelling stop at Gan, a small island which is part of the Maldives. In fact it is so small that all that's there is a runway and a couple of buildings with a gorgeous beach and an oil tanker. When we stopped for the few hours to fuel from a moored RFA tanker, I was able to jump off the ship and swim in the sea. What an experience that was. The water was a clear blue and you could see coral and hundreds of many different varieties of fish in all shapes and colours. The only thing I can liken it to is a giant aquarium full of tropical fish. December 1967 HMS DARING spent Christmas at Singapore. Hot and humid and I loved it. The Far East was to be my favourite station whilst serving in the Royal Navy. We were billetted ashore in HMS Terror whilst the ship had a 'Short Maintenance Period'. I loved the climate, the people, the culture; it was so foreign and unlike anywhere I'd been before. Christmas was so very different because of all this. And the run ashore's, especially the night life was an education. Spent a couple of weeks in the jungle at KRANJI Wireless Telegraphy Station to do a communications course. The course was fine. However the mess was a good half mile from the main gate where we had to walk on this concrete path which had a deep ravine on either side. After dusk it was pitch black and there were no lights to see where we were going. I used my 'Wanchai Burbs' (the paper umbrella named after the Wanchai district in Hong Kong and the Burbs was short for Burberry which was the name given to the raincoat we used to wear on top of our uniform) to tap each side of the path so as to feel my way along it. The galley where we ate was by the main gate, this meant that if we wanted to eat we had to grope our way in the dark. This is worse than it sounds, as the next morning would reveal all the snakes, some of them highly poisonous each side of the path. Needless to say we never went out after dusk and remained mighty hungry. This was also the first time that I had encountered a mosquito net. That was quite a game getting into and making sure that there were no mosquitoes in there with me! In the heads (toilets) were lots of insects including the praying mantis (stick insect) which I had never seen before. Whilst sitting on 'the throne' I would be transfixed watching these insects swaying back and forwards mesmerising anything so foolish as to look at it.   January 1968 HMS DARING was at Hong Kong for the New Year celebrations. Daring had organised a New Years party at the China Fleet Club. What a fantastic place Hong Kong is. Full of colour and life. I loved it here. Had a pair of made-to-measure boots and shirts made for me - and so cheap too! Bought some presents which included a couple of oil paintings, silk paintings created by 'deaf and dumb' artists, a table lamp which had a picture painted on the shade and revolved round when switched on. Left Hong Kong in February. This was when I was old enough to be entitled to a 'tot of rum' each day. The grog was mixed with two thirds of water. Must admit I took to it like a duck to water! Until the 31st July 1970, with the exception of when I was living ashore, I participated in this ceremony with relish. It was the best of all the naval ceremonies. February 1968 Exercised along with the Americans. Arrived at Olongapo City (Subic Bay in the Philippines). A big American airforce and navy base. The huge B52 bombers would take off and land here on their sorties over Vietnam. They were so big that they would cast a large shadow when flying overhead. This was most noticeable whilst playing volleyball on the beach. When we went ashore we were confined to the main street in the town. Full of bars with bodyguards wearing pistols. The taxis were jeeps, called jeepneys, which had lots of chrome and decorations on them. From here we went on to Australia. Passed through the Timor Sea with the world's most poisonous sea snakes. First stop Darwin where I went ashore to deliver the hand-messages whilst the ship re-fuelled. I had to go through a woods which had a multitude of butterflies, so many that I had to keep pushing them away with my hand so that I could see where I was going! Next stop Brisbane, the best of the Australian cities. We were made most welcome and invited into peoples homes and gardens to partake in their barbecues. First time I had a barbecue in my life; had plenty of outdoor cooking when I was in the boy scouts but it wasn't called barbecues in those days. Our Yeoman of signals decided to get drunk onboard whilst at sea, went up to the bridge and started falling over everyone. The captain and other officers couldn’t help but notice. I hoped that by asking the Yeoman the combination of the safe that this would prove he wasn’t that drunk. Didn’t matter if he gave me the right or wrong combination, as I already knew it. Next thing we heard was the Captain piping for the Master-at-Arms to take the Yeoman to a place of safety; probably the tiller flat as we didn’t have any cells onboard. The Yeoman had a swift draft back to the UK and we then had Yeoman Dennis take over. Sydney had a very pretty harbour; we docked at Garden Island and could see the now famous opera house and bridge quite clearly. Didn't go ashore there as I was saving my money up for Melbourne where I was due a few days leave. Next stop Melbourne. I didn't like Melbourne at all. They weren't as friendly as Brisbane and the weather was feeling decidedly chilly, like the people. HMS DARING had a maintenance period for a couple of weeks and I had some leave. Wished I could of taken it in Brisbane. Whilst in Melbourne we saw our sister ship HMAS DUCHESS. When we sailed we passed King Island where the Emperor penguins breed. Passed Freemantle and sailed on towards Mauritius. Mauritius was a pretty place as it was still primitive and untouched by the tourist trade; trouble was that there were big political troubles going on and there was a curfew after 18:00 which did tend to spoil the otherwise beautiful island. Back to 'Beira patrol', Mombassa and then on to Simons Town again. June 1968 HMS DARING left Simons Town and made an unexpected stop at Freetown in Sierra Leone, to take off our Leading Radio Operator who was sick. The bumboats came alongside selling coral, shells etc. Next stop Gibraltar to get the last of the 'rabbits' (presents) and then on to Lisbon in Portugal. I confess I only went ashore to ditch the gash in the bins as I had no money left! Told about stories of the locals eating sparrows for breakfast in the cafes. Next stop the UK. A whole year away from the UK. The things I missed most was the taste of fresh milk and the smell of freshly mown lawns. We also wanted to catch up on the 'pop music' scene; it was good to be back home again even though we did enjoy most of the trip with its marvellous 'runs ashore'. Thursday 04/07/1968 HMS DARING arrived back home at Devonport. August 1968 HMS DARING sailed once again for Gibraltar where I had to do stints in the whaler with my '634 radio' and sub-machine gun patrolling the borders between Gibraltar and Spain. The Spanish did the same patrol, only in a bigger coal-burning boat which chucked out clouds of dense black smoke everywhere, just like the DARING. After a couple of weeks we then sailed towards the UK again, only this time we stopped briefly at Portsmouth for the weekend and then sailed on towards the North Sea. You'd think that we had done more than our fair share of being away from home and that we could stay in harbour for a while. The Lordships at the Admiralty decided that we wouldn't want to stay at home yet, and that we would like to partake of some more exercises with other ships and submarines. So off we sailed, doing exercises on the way, towards Stockholm. The weather was very cold and dreary for this time of year, more like the middle of winter. I knew I wasn't going to enjoy this trip very much. September 1968 HMS DARING arrived in Stockholm, Sweden. It was very, very cold. I hated the cold. Managed to go ashore and look around, everything was so clean and oh so expensive, so didn't stay ashore too long. Saw one of my mates ashore (Baz) who I first met onboard HMS TROUBRIDGE. He was now serving in one of the submarines; I was invited aboard. Don't know how they lived in such cramped conditions, sailors were even sleeping on top of the torpedo tubes. Those fortunate to have a bunk had to share even that. As one got out the other got in! After arriving back in Devonport we then started to wind down as the ship was being stripped of all her working parts. Life was much easier for the next few months and we were able to relax a bit. Tuesday 14/01/1969 Joined HMS TYNE (submarine depot ship) at Plymouth. Watch-keeping in the main signal office. Bought myself a caravan and lived on the caravan park at St Budeaux. October 1969 Drafted to HMS MERCURY, HMS VERNON and HMS LOCHINVAR (near Edinburgh) for training in minesweepers and minehunters. Spent a week at sea in a minesweeper (HMS LALLESTON) learning about minesweeping and minehunting.