Follow-up

I FOuND the ‘drunken mutiny’ article (Peterborough) very interesting and, like the author, I, too, if I’d been faced with a Russian convoy, would have joined them!

Luckily, my service didn’t start until 1949 so the situation never arose, although while serving on HMs Indomitable we often visited Loch Ewe.

My story begins in singapore where I was posted to join the destroyer refitting party. with the Korean war raging, the admiralty had posted the 8th Destroyer squadron to the Far East, six in Korea and one in singapore being refitted, with civilians doing the refit.

My duties were not too arduous and I was finished by 11.45am each day to return to HMs Terror, the naval base, and collect the rum ration for the mess. There was also the occasional duty in the evening in charge of the Canteen Patrol, to make sure the small bar, where Tiger beer was available for 45 cents a pint, stopped serving at 11pm.

On the day in question when I was on duty, I expected it to be trouble-free as HM submarine Telemachus (whose crew had been living on the base), had set sail that morning for sydney, australia.

It was while we stood talking to the staff and the few customers finished off their pints that I knew any hope of a peaceful evening was doomed, as the door was thrown open and members of the submarine crew started filing in.

apparently, five hours out, one of their main engines had blown a cylinder and they had returned on one engine.

From now on any attempt to close the bar was met with a shower of pint glasses, so we retired to the parade ground to think out our strategy.

It was obvious; trying to close on time would result in a pitched battle in which we would be vastly outnumbered, so we might as well sit down with them and enjoy a pint.

who cared if the bar closed two hours late? Peace was restored and a good time was had by all!

Frank Skull, Swindon, Wilts.