THE COVENANTER
the old guy in the wheelhouse just kept more than five feet but the casing was not
shaking his head in disbelief. They probably very wide and there was no railing ,wire or
had many a drink in the pub on that story. anything to stop you going straight over the
other side if you got too enthusiastic and I
As soon as I was on board we were off was wearing Army boots with studded soles,
heading down the Clyde towards the sea. also the jump had to start from a standing
The sailors got themselves tucked in behind position with one foot on the bulwark of
the wheelhouse to shelter from the stiff and the tug and the other on the deck, too
quite cold wind blowing up the river and as timid an effort could land you in the water
we got ever further away from shore and the between the two boats. All this of course
boat started to pitch and roll a bit I began was under the interested gaze of the crew in
to wonder what I had let myself in for and the conning tower.
realised the old saying “Never Volunteer”
maybe had some merit. After about forty Sailors do this kind of thing all the time I
minutes of this the sailor nudges me and suppose but the honour of the Regiment
says “There she is “ pointing out to sea. and soldiers in general was at stake here so
Despite having excellent eyesight I had to as soon as the sailors had moved out of the
admit that I couldn’t see a thing so he had way I jumped, landed neatly and strolled
me look along his arm while he pointed after them as though jumping from boat to
to it and there was a tiny upright mark on boat at sea was nothing to worry about, but I
the horizon. I was well impressed with his hoped I wouldn’t have to do it again. One
eyesight but maybe its knowing what to of the crew had a hatch in the base of the
look for. tower open and I was quickly shepherded
down a short ladder and there I was in the
As the tug and submarine approached each control room of Her Majestys’ Submarine
other head on there was not much to see, Truncheon.
just the conning tower with some figures up
in it but then the sun came out and suddenly
we were alongside the forward part of the
boat and I could hear the noise of the diesels
and see the haze of the exhaust vents at the
the stern. The sea was washing through the
drain holes between the hull and casing as
the boat rose and fell on the swell , up in
the tower three crew members wearing the
iconic white rollneck woolen jumper of the
submariner, one of them with his naval
officers hat at a jaunty angle was a very
handsome man with a magnificent redgold
beard (who turned out to be the Captain).
The whole picture could have been a scene
from a movie or a navy recruiting poster
and remains fixed in my memory as though
it was yesterday.
Like everyone else I suppose, my only
The first sailor took his bag and his friends knowledge of submarines was gleaned from
and jumped nimbly across the gap between films and newsreel pictures and this was
the boats just at the right time as they rose about what I had imagined it would be like,
and dropped on the swell. The other one packed with machinery ,dials and gauges
who was a big lad took hold of my case and although surprisingly narrow and cramped
threw it to his mate who trapped it neatly; . There was a very fine looking mahogany
then jumped himself. They had probably chart table taking up a lot of the available
taken pity on me after the shambles on the space and beside it stood a little fellow who
harbour wall. Both of them made off to looked very like ORQMS Dickson back at
the base of the conning tower and it was my the depot except that he was dressed in a
turn. collarless shirt and what looked suspiciously
like pyjama trousers with carpet slippers.
The distance to be jumped to ensure a safe On top of this he had a well worn uniform
landing on the casing was probably no jacket which I suppose showed his rank. As
64
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109