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H.M.S. Ulster
Memories of Ulster - Other Commissions
Ulster crew of other than 1958-60 can record their memories here for others to see and remember what was a great commission.
LM(E) Ray Lloyd
PERSONAL MEMORIES OF THE ‘ULSTER’
Roger Lippett 1958-60 & 1961-62
I found the article in latest Rum Tub relating to the fire in the 61-63 commission very interesting and I remember it well. It was a serious fire so much so that the aluminium trunking in the galley melted and the galley was totally gutted. As your other correspondent said, it delayed our sailing for several months whilst the damage was put right. My memories of it consist of waking up in my hammock in the ERA`s mess which was on the Burma road just aft of the galley, to the sound of big boots and shouting. There was no one else in the mess and it turned out I had slept soundly through the whole event! There were hoses and water slopping around and when I asked what was going on I was told "nothing much just the ship's on fire. “WISH I COULD SLEEP AS WELL NOWADAYS!
HMS Ulster – West Indies Station – 1960 - 1962
My first proper draft was as a replacement stoker on HMS Ulster. I was flown out by BA, 1st class, via New York and Bermuda to join in Curacao. That flight is a story in itself. Taking a taxi from the airport through the steaming jungle to the harbour, only to find no one was expecting me, was the first of numerous culture shocks I enjoyed on that commission.In no particular order:
Hurricane Donna.
Apparently, there were relief stores located in safe places for such eventualities, some of which we collected and towed on rafts to affected areas. I was in one of the away parties sent ashore to help after the hurricane passed. Most of the local people we met were just stunned by the scale of disaster. What we saw was beyond anything I could have imagined and that was on top of the poverty that pre-existed the hurricane. No electricity, food and water in short supply, most habitation simply destroyed. An example of the power of the wind was a decent sized fishing boat that had been lifted wholesale onto the top of a cliff, without any obvious damage. We set up an emergency generator and did what we could but it seemed pitiful against the bigger picture.St Petersburg
Who can forget St Petersburg? We sent a team to play the Junior St Pete’s Baseball Team and were soundly thrashed. Their youngest player was 75! You only got into the Senior team when you reached 85. And we went aground. Some of us think a contributing factor may not have been recorded in the log. We had a stoker, Polly Perkins, a guitar playing Romeo who fell in love at most places we visited, including St Petersburg. His lady turned up for our departure, distraught. She ran alongside the ship as we moved off shouting out her feelings for Polly and “tearing her hair”. Nearing the end of the jetty she dramatically ripped of a necklace and flung it at the ship crying “Give this to my man”. Most everybody on the upper deck was enjoying the fun. Is it possible that the bridge staff were distracted by the show and so missed the channel turn?Barbados
I had a bad experience in Barbados. It started with a Sunday Service and a visit to the local fire station, where I played table tennis with the local champion. As always, the hospitality was generous. Later in the evening some of us were in a night club and things became quite fractious, fighting broke out. The drummer was disabled and was using one of his crutches to hit our guys when they came in range and he had a knife. My recollection after this becomes hazy but at a subsequent hearing I was reportedly last seen running up the street, waving a crutch in pursuit of a local. My next recollection was waking in a bamboo cage over a storm ditch and I was sharing the cage with a ship mate. Eventually we were able to free ourselves and, in a dishevelled state, made our way down to the harbour. We had some difficulty convincing the harbour staff of our identity, our appearance was against us but worse, the ship we claimed to belong to was not there. She had sailed. A message was passed and thankfully she came back for us. So concerned were they that the ship sent the Coxswain himself to fetch us back on board. We explained that we had been captured and imprisoned by white slave traders and would like to see the Captain to lodge a complaint. The Coxswain assured us we would be seeing the Captain, which we duly did. Most people thought 28 days’ stoppage of leave each fair.Green Key
Part of our mission was to interrupt drug smuggling. Alongside in Bermuda we got notice of a gang of smugglers on a small island, Green Key I think, and we hared off, pretty much a full speed, to catch them. They were there when we arrived. Off watch stokers were watching events from the quarterdeck when there was some shooting. We rapidly repaired below to safety and I don’t recall the exact outcome.Belfast
Back in Home waters we were meant to visit Bangor but the weather was too bad to anchor off so we diverted to Belfast. Unfortunately, no shore electricity was available and we ran the ship’s diesels the whole time, which meant I was 24 about watchkeeping. What with that and all the pleasures ashore, which I enjoyed to the full, by the time we left we four watchkeepers we totally exhausted. We had a great time in that most welcoming of fair cities.For a first foreign draft you would struggle to beat the West Indies Station in those days. The ship’s company was a bonus. The branches mixed freely on board and ashore in a way I never saw in other ships I served on. I was very lucky to be there.
Webmasters Note: Ironically everyone who served on Ulster is of the same opinion
A Memory.-February 6th, 2012
60 years ago today HMS Ulster entered Portsmouth harbour in the afternoon, after exercising with HMS Illustrious in the English Channel, off the Isle of Wight. To a closed town, nothing open at all, no shops, pubs, theatres, cinemas. We spent a couple of hours stretching our legs, then returned on board.
Will it be the same do you think when Queen Elizabeth passes away,!!, I hope so, King George was so well revered that it was impossible not to show complete respect.
Ray Lloyd 1951-52
We spent some time at Dartmouth during the time I served aboard Ulster, loved the place, played cricket on the college sports field, not that good a player but enjoyed the companionship of being with people not normally associates, also I believe it was the summer of 1951, ran out of Bangor in County down, then with Illustrious, exercising in the Irish Sea, loved the town of Bangor too, we had complete freedom of movement then around the town, all pubs clubs and dance halls open to us, the only way we realised there was a problem was that there were two sides to a dance hall.
Ray Lloyd 1951-52
Whilst on HMS Ulster
HMS Ulster was crash boat for HMS Illustrious and later HMS Eagle, when Illustrious was decommissioned.
I have memories of manning the falls for the Whalers to pick up pilots that had ditched in the Ogwash, both Illustrious and Eagle were training pilots and a few missed the deck. That was not so bad during daytime, but not so clever when night time flying and us being dragged from our hammocks, to hoist the Whalers back aboard. I only ever knew of one lost pilot, and that was in the Med whilst working with HMS Eagle, we did get him from the water, but unfortunately to late.
Ulster was also a training ship for Dartmouth Cadets so we had a few of those aboard as well. I enjoyed our time spent at Dartmouth, lovely little town, the college sports grounds were where we had some recreation, I know I played cricket there.
Joined the Ulster after initial training (at 15) at HMS St Vincent and electrical training at HMS Collingwood.
Foreign runs ashore I recall were Malmo (Sweden), Hamburg, Belfast (some fighting ashore, ratings were instructed to wear uniforms on the 1st night, after the ‘fisties’ we were allowed to wear civvies!).
Spent plenty of time around the Scottish coast and lochs (Fort William etc.) with navigation training officers.
Seems such a long time ago now.
I was looking on the internet for some photos of my old ship 'Ulster' and came across your web site.
I served on the 1960/61 commission (the one after you) as an LME (or Killick Stoker if you like), and have attached a ships company photo taken in Hamilton, Bermuda around about that time.
Sadly, I don't possess any more photos of our commission or the ship itself, which is a shame as I am sure that there must be some still around out there.
I liked the photo of you standing by the LIMBO though that brought back some memories.
It’s a pity that our commission never kept in touch like yours.
I live in Torquay, which is a coincidence, as I note that you hold your reunions here.
Pete Schofield – 1962-64 Webmaster Note: Peter your email now invalid - please update me.
I was a Junior Seaman Gunner on the 62/64 commission. I wonder if anyone can remember the first night onboard?
I ended up in the early hours of the morning standing on the jetty in my underpants, Burberry and shoes with no socks. Two of us had to boundary cool the ships side as there was a major fire in the galley. Not a bad introduction to shipboard life for a Junior on his first ship. The rest of the commission was brilliant especially the year out the West Indies for a 16 year old boy. Who could wish for a better start to his naval career?
If anyone knows me, please get in touch at the above e mail address. I went on to spend 30 years in the navy retiring as a CPO(OPS)(M)
I served the whole of the 1961-3 commission as a Writer working with Leading Writer H.R.H. (Hubie) Miller.
I have details of the itinerary for the commission produced at the time by SA(S) Mick Kellett. I also have a number of photographs taken at the time including one in The S & S Mess featuring Birdie Avery, Mick Kellett and Doc White.
I left the Andrew in 1969, married and settled in Chichester.
Anyone out there who remembers me and would like to trade photographs?
Des (Paddy) McKay - H.M.S. Ulster 1967-70
I served 15 months onboard HMS Ulster between '67/'70, during that time we visited Flushing, (Holland) Hamburg,(
Germany) Ystad, (Sweden), Belfast and my home town Bangor in Ulster, we were also involved in the Icelandic Cod war and the Torrey Canyon disaster. I would love to hear from any shipmates I may have served with. I joined HMS Ulster around 1966/7, cannot remember exactly without looking in my documents. But we were mostly day running out of Portsmouth as a navigational training ship in which the Captain was Briggs, and spent six to twelve months upon her before joining HMS Kent.
There were two sad occasions for me whilst aboard Ulster, one was the passing of the Killick of my mess 'Bud' Colin Abbot who was rated to Petty Officer later on in the commission, who sadly died, and is buried at Weston Mill cemetery at Plymouth (military section). Colin was instrumental in me going for higher rate, and if it was not for him I would have remained a scabby AB. No doubt there will be those who will wished I had - cannot please them all.The other sad occasion was whilst in dry dock at Portsmouth, I think it was 'Frenchy' Quinell from Dover who slipped on his flip flops and went through the guard rails into the dock bottom.
There was also the time when HMS Ulster's Telegraphs got jammed into astern prior to me joining the ship, and smashed into steps at Devonport which needed a new stern which came off my first ship, HMS Urchin - what a coincidence.
If anyone from Ulster remembers me and wants to have a chat, please contact the webmaster who has my email address.Other than that, I enjoyed my time on Ulster.
HMS Ulster and visit to Grand Turk
I was an SSAB on HMS Ulster in 1971. I now live on Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands which I understand the ship visited. Any copies of photos of visit to Grand Turk and South Caicos would be appreciated by local Museum. Contact Webmaster for email addressPaul Day - D12XXXXS
John Locke 1948-49 - CTB December 2012
As soon as I was 15 I wrote to the recruiting office in Liverpool to join the Navy as a boy seaman, home life was difficult as my mother was not my choice of parent and we certainly did not get on. Whilst waiting call up I worked for a few months at the Ministry of Pensions at Warbreck Hill which now administers my state pension and is also in charge of veterans pensions and claims.
I joined the Royal Navy on 18th March 1947 as a Boy 2nd class at HMS Ganges, a “stone frigate” at Shotley near Ipswich, thus began the hardest 12 months of my life. Young men in prison are treated better than we were. Seamanship was the main study but surprisingly enough education was also a priority as many of my classmates were semi illiterate coming from deprived areas where education was minimal and teachers were mostly in the services. (See HMS Ganges web site)
After about 6 months we did some sea training on a Hunt Class destroyer HMS Bicester which was fun and in January 1948 I went to sea properly on a destroyer, HMS Ulster based at Rosyth. I’d been with her for a couple of weeks when we went to the Med to assist our forces in Palestine. The job mainly was to prevent Jews from getting ashore illegally as there was virtual war between them and Arabs about who owned the land. It was not very pleasant, shore leave was minimal because of the situation and we were glad when later in the year we went home. Since then the Jews and Arabs have waged a few wars and a lot of people have been killed, it still goes on. It was about this time that the Home Fleet “steamed past” the C in C aboard HMS King George V, I think it was the last time it ever happened and I was at the wheel!
After coming home I spent time at HMS Drake the naval base at Devonport training to be a Quarters Armourer which meant I looked after guns. Big and little. A couple of months on HMS Burghead Bay, a frigate, followed by a draft to an 8000 ton 6” cruiser, HMS Bermuda, fitting out for service in the South Atlantic. She was a bit of a rust bucket having been in reserve since the end of the war but by October 1950 she was ready for sea and off we went to the Med to work up. There I actually saw Prince Philip who was the captain of HMS Magpie, Princess Elizabeth was staying in a hotel on Malta.
Memory. Sunday morning in November 1950. The whole of the Med Fleet at anchor in Valetta Harbour, Flagship HMS Belfast. At least one American warship present. Sparkling sunshine glittering on the water reflected on the sides of the ships. Marine band and guard on Belfast's quarterdeck, 8 bells (8 am to you). Ours as well. USA national anthem followed by God Save the Queen. Guard on both ships present arms, all stand to attention, officers salute followed by the “Carry On”.
We worked up in the Med for a month or so in the most dreadful weather complete change from the day in the last paragraph.
We arrived at Simonstown, Cape Province early in December 1950 and spent Christmas in the sun. I and most of the unattached crew went swimming every day and had a good time in Capetown which was a few miles away on the train. Our pay was poor but South Africa was very cheap and compared with UK a land of plenty. Fresh fruit every day, sweets, chocolate and cheap booze, 3d was the price of a large glass of wine.. In fact it was so inexpensive I could afford to send food parcels home to my parents in Blackpool as rationing was still in force in the UK.
Over the next 2 years we sailed up and down the East Coast of Africa visiting Port Elizabeth, Durban, Diego Suarez, Madagascar and on the West coast Angola, Gold Coast (Ghana), Nigeria, Senegal, Fernando Po, (now called Bioko,- an island 32 km off the west coast of Africa) St Helena and Ascension Island and other ports which have long since had their names changed. At Ascension Island we disposed of tons and tons of munitions left over from the war. We (being in the Gunners Party) put them into a large crater and retired to a safe distance. The Gunnery officer lit the blue paper and Whoosh up it went, problem: we and that included most of the ships company were allowed to see the fun, unfortunately some were too close and there were quite a few burns.
Memory: The West African Frontier Force mutinied when we were in Lagos, we marched round the town and barracks, full drill – fixed bayonets. That quietened them down.
I did a lot of sailing crewing in a 27’ whaler and once winning a race of about 600 miles from Angola to Capetown. I was also a member of the full bore shooting team which meant weeks ashore practicing at the ranges above Simonstown called Klavar Camp. We also travelled to various towns in South Africa representing the Navy. The team was pretty good, especially our Royal Marines, and we lifted many team and individual trophies.
We came home at the beginning of 1953 and after 30 days leave once again the barracks-HMS Drake. Volunteers required for ships commissioning to go to Korea – anything to get away from Drake so off I went on HMS Cardigan Bay to an eventful few months at the back end of the Korean war. We banged away with our 4” guns at targets we couldn’t see, had the odd week on R & R in Hong Kong and then back to Korea. The American Navy had it easier as their R & R was in Tokyo, much nearer. The only things worth noting was being one of a small landing party surveying the coast prior to an American landing. We had been assured it was safe and there were no Chinese within miles. I’d been one of the gunners party protecting the navigating officer and his mates who was measuring the tides and depths for a couple of days and generally enjoying ourselves when we were shot at by the Chinese Army!! Shock, horror leg it back to the boat and get the hell out of it. It was a bit like an adventure story looking back at but they were lousy shots especially as they were running and we didn’t have so far to run. I think we did better than them as our casualties were nil and I’m sure we hit quite a few of them with our Lanchester sub machine guns. At the time I had no idea where we were but looking back through history it seems we were on the beach at Inchon measuring the tides prior to an American landing.
The other event was the ship actually being hit by a shell from a Chinese gun, it made a mess of one of our guns and killed some soldiers who were manning it part of an exchange as HK was very boring for them.
The war fizzled out so back to UK via Malaya where we patrolled a part of the coast to prevent arms reaching the Chinese guerrillas (them again!) We came home after a few months and another spell at HMS Drake. Then to the Clyde Reserve Fleet at Faslane up the coast from Glasgow (now well known as a nuclear submarine base base) I was drafted to AFD 33 a small floating dock at Faslane where we didn’t do much except dock landing craft now and again to have their bottomed cleaned. They were all fully provisioned “just in case” with the hatches secured by a small weld, one blow from a hammer and the goodies inside were ours, including the rum!
Onto HMS Onslaught a small destroyer which was due to be sold to the Pakistan Navy. It was worn out and so bad that one day I came down the ladder into the tiller flat and went straight through the deck because it was so rusty. How it ever went to sea was beyond me. Next HMS Tenacious, another destroyer for a few months. We were based at Oban and acted as a target ship for the 3rd submarine flotilla. Volunteers were sought for the Submarine Service, I tried it for about a fortnight aboard a T Class sub – No way was I going to live like that.
My last ship was HMS Laertes, on fishery protection duties in the north of Scotland. She was an 840 ton minesweeper which was far from suitable for the appalling weather in the winter of 1954/5. The mess decks were awash most of the time and all in all it was pretty grim although we did go to Ostend and were invited to the local night club to see Gracie Fields
I think it was this ship that finally finished me off as far as the Navy was concerned, also no promotion so I left after 10 years, went back to Blackpool, couldn’t stand it and in October 1955 I joined the Metropolitan Police.
This page last updated on November 25th, 2016
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