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friend in HMS SURPRISE, the Mountbatten’s yacht, and we decided we would gatecrash the event. The fleet was at anchor and we took a pinnace from SURPRISE to the port side of GLASGOW while all the posh guests were arriving on the starboard side. No problem. Having got on board we thought we should join the line-up and were duly announced, greeted and wished a pleasant evening by the Mountbatten family. A memorable evening.
My replacement, Jimmy Atkinson, arrived in July and we enjoyed a lot of excursions – Venice and the Dolomites – before a big exercise in September. Jimmy, from West Hartlepool, became a highly successful and respected citizen, Deputy Lieutenant for Yorkshire, with a large and loving family, before tragically dying suddenly in December 2007. I extended by 2 year National Service call-up by one month so that I could take part in a large exercise with the Mediterranean Fleet in September/ October. The Fleet was at anchor in the Bay of Naples. A total of 21 ships with Mountbatten flying his flag in HMS GLASGOW – a wonderful sight. B Troop embarked in HMS MEON and the Fleet sailed for the island of Maddalena, just north of what is now known as the Costa Smeralda, NE Sardinia, for the fleet exercises and live firing. The newly-commissioned HMS DARING did a lot of shoots with a high rate of fire, but not always very accurately. My first correction for her opening round was “go right 4 miles”. Also firing were HMS CLEOPATRIA (8x5.25”), a squadron of Battleclass destroyers, (our most elegant looking ships with their low aft deck) including ARAMADA,
MALTA IN THE 1960S
By Lt Col John Adams
Lt Col John ‘Chunky’ Adams retired in 1997 but served in the NGS world in the early 1960s – hence this interesting snapshot of how things were then in Malta. Reorganisation in the 1960s appears to be no different from today. A unit’s shape may change but the role remains unchanged. In this case 3 Troop, with just eleven personnel, assumed the roles and responsibilities of a Battery resulting in a busy, but fulfilling time.
A number of changes to the ORBAT of 95 Amphibious Observation Regiment (as it was called in those days) occurred in the early 1960s. 3 Troop, based in Hong Kong, became 20 Battery and 148 Battery, based in Malta, withdrew and moved to a temporary home in Bovington before moving into Hamworthy leaving 2 parties in Malta, which became 3 Troop. 148 Battery’s move coincided with the move of the Royal Marine Commandos from Malta to be replaced by an Infantry Battalion, later reinforced with a second Infantry Battalion. The new 3 Troop moved into HMS PHOENICIA, a stone frigate. Their offices were collocated with the Joint Tactical School, the Fleet Communications Training Establishment and the Fleet Diving School. Living in members drew their daily tot (not
GRAVELINES and VIGO. HMS CHIEFTAIN, CHILVARIOUS, LOCH DUNVEGAN, LOCH LOMOND and MERMAID also fired. Night firing, with one ship firing HE to coincide with star shells from a second ship, really taxed both ships as well as the B Troop observer. Thank goodness for our Naval Telegraphists, Hinks and Moore, whose morse and procedures were of the highest standard. Returning to Naples and Trieste, I said my farewells and went back to Fremington to be demobbed on 9 October 1952. Earlier in the year both the regular and TA COB Bty RA had been retitled to become 266 and 881 Amphibious Observation Batteries. With no wife, family or mortgage, I have always considered my National Service as, undoubtedly, the two most enjoyable years of my life and probably the most interesting as well. As one door closes, another opens, and on being demobbed, I transferred to 881 Amphibious Observation Bty RA TA based in Windsor where I was privileged to serve for 15 years.
Postscript: On the disbandment of 881 Bty in April 1967 Pat was promoted to Brevet Major and commanded the remnants of the Bty as they reformed in CVHQ RA to continue the Bombardment role as the NGS Troop RA(V). His service in the NGS word ended in 1977 when he was posted as an FGA GLO with 6 (Jaguar) Sqn RAF; in 1978 he waswith4FdRegtRAasaparaOPofficer,andin1982he was with CVHQ RA as a Watchkeeper. Finally in 1986 he was appointed to the TA Pool of Information Officers as an Escort Officer, retiring in 1992.
withdrawn from Naval issue until 1970). Daily physical was volley ball in the ramparts below PHOENICIA or, in summer, a swim. There was a 25 yard range within the complex but the rifle ranges further away. The NGS range was Filfla, an island off the west coast of Malta with the OP on the high ground above the Blue Grotto. An official RN Form was completed for every mission. Response times were recorded and the location of each round plotted. To assist with the accurate plotting of each round cameras were deployed to 3 locations, one at Halfar, one with the OP and a third on Dingli cliffs. The RN photographers produced negatives of each round from each location and these were used to plot the fall off shot on a board and from there onto the form. Not only was there changes in the ORBAT but the Naval presence in Malta was changing too. 7 Destroyer Squadron departed and was replaced by 23 Escort Squadron. No longer Destroyers, with 4 x 4.5 inch guns but now a mix of destroyers and Frigates, with 2 x 4.5 inch guns. RN ships traversing the Mediterranean were required to conduct either Communications Exercises or live firings so we were kept busy.
In addition to RN ships we conducted firings with other
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