THE COVENANTER
back then it was very surprising. the depot who had come over on the frigate
and I didn’t really bother since they might
The Park itself certainly lived up to its be doing official things and I was quite
reputation, more like a large botanic garden happy floating around. When I got back to
it had a lot of (very expensive) restaurants the boat I was told that they had orders to
but also a great deal of free entertainment go straight back to Portsmouth which was
ranging from acrobats and jugglers to open going to cause me a little problem of getting
air theatres, folk singing and dancing etc back to Lanark. My mates in the fore-end
and ponds for boating. Best of all there thought it was no problem at all, I could just
was a large night club which provided go with them and once in Portsmouth we
sandwiches; if you bought a plate of these would have a grand piss up. I could stay a
that was a licence to drink all night as long couple of nights in the naval barracks and
as they remained on the table in full view the boats Admin Officer or whatever he
of the management. There was non stop was called could give me a travel warrant to
entertainment by various groups, comedians Glasgow.
and so on and it was set to be a pleasant
evening but our little group was joined be I explained that my CO back at the barracks
sailors from the other subs and soon we wouldn’t take too kindly to me awarding
had about fifteen around a big round table. myself another weeks jolly, They reckoned I
They managed to get three girls to join the could just say that I hadn’t known the boat
company but sadly the combination of was going to Portsmouth until we were at
navy rum and swedish beer caught up with sea and of course you can’t just tell a boat to
them rapidly and one guy actually threw let you off at the next bus stop. I couldn’t
up on the carpet before collapsing under have considered anything like that anyway.
the table. The girls departed rapidly and the I had only been able to bring a few pounds
management appeared with some very large along on this trip and now I had barely five
back up. The table was cleared of everything shillings to my name. So it was arranged
on it by the waiters and we were told our that I would make the return trip on the
custom was no longer acceptable, shown to frigate. Early next morning I took my kit
the door and advised to get the drunk back over to the frigate after having said goodbye
to the ship before the police laid eyes on to the friends I’d made and thanking the
him. Captain for having me on board during the
trip.
We did have one other little discipline
problem in Gothenburg. I watched from the rail of the frigate with
It seemed that the widely believed story some sadness as HM Submarine Truncheon
about Sweden, free love and all that rubbish slipped quietly down the river and out to
didn’t apply to passing sailors (although sea
there were a fair amount of the gay brigade I’d never see her or her crew again but she
hanging about the docks.) and they had left me with memories I’d
Some rather disappointed sailors thought never forget
it would be a great idea to shove all their Jimmy Quinn.
unused condoms down the toilet, set the
pressure very high and fire the lot off.
Random Recollections
The result was a huge burst of floating
white balloons above the dockside which
Responding to the editor’s plea for sundry
eventually ended up floating along the
recollections of service to be considered
streets and canals much to the displeasure of
for inclusion in the final edition of THE
the local police and civic authorities. Jolly
COVENANTER I decided (aged three score
Jack Tar can be just as good as the Jocks at
years and twenty) to search into my distant
dreaming up daft things to do.
past. Readers will forgive me for any errors
and omissions in the piece as I have forgotten
The next day my friends were on watch so
many names, ranks and exact locations.
I took myself for a walk around the shops
Nevertheless, fond memories are there.
where I managed to get a small gift for my
Conscripted into National Service in 1947
wife Rose without actually breaking the
I reported to Dundonald Camp, Troon to
bank and spent some time in a museum full
begin two years service before returning to
of viking stuff. All this time I had never
civilian life reading chemistry at Glasgow
seen Iain Collinson and the other guys from
University. A rotund major in Royal Signals
71
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