The Kent History Forum

Maritime History => Harbours and Dockyards => Topic started by: Dave Smith on December 26, 2019, 04:16:52 PM

Title: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: Dave Smith on December 26, 2019, 04:16:52 PM
Before WW2, every year, "The Yard", as it was known, had a week-end open to the public. There were always many ships & submarines on display that the public were allowed to tour. I well remember going below in a sub. in one of the basins. All the way from conning tower to forward torpedo tubes, as a young lad,probably 1938, it was the 2nd highlight, The first was when an aircraft-biplane I'm sure- flew over & the observer in the back seat leaned over & dropped bags of flour onto a sloop that was firing anti aircraft guns at it from one of the basins. I think 1/2 the Medway Towns turned out- very popular!
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: grandarog on December 26, 2019, 04:47:47 PM
The "Navy Days " at Charham Dockyard carried on for quite a few years after the War. Can remember going 2 or 3 times before I was about 12. Loved the Banks of 4 PomPom's firing at the Aircraft flying over.Also remember clambouring up and down the ladders on board and seeing the engines and inside the big gun turrets.Never went in the Submarine . But went inboard on HMS Seraph much later when I was in the RAF and she was being used as a Padded target for our Practice depth Charges dropped from Shackletons.
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: KeithG on May 10, 2020, 10:04:49 PM
I can remember being at Chatham Navy Day's when I was only about 6yrs in 1954.......went in the submarine and on my Dad' shoulders, remember it was fun ducking down.
There were some torpedo like things also in the basins shooting up and down in the water never did know what they were?
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: Smiffy on May 10, 2020, 10:36:43 PM
Lived in Chatham, dad and brother both in the RN, but I can't remember ever going to a Navy day!
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: Lutonman on May 11, 2020, 08:13:37 PM
I too remember going to a at least one Navy day. Dad was a rigger in the Dockyard. went into at least one sub. Would also have been in the mid 1950's
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: pete.mason on May 11, 2020, 10:24:57 PM
I can remember going to Sheerness Navy days too, we used to go to Chatham most years in the 70s. Did get a bit repetive though-how many times could the marines storm HMS Triumph? My main memory of Sheerness is of the water washing through the hulk of the Cornwallis
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: pete.mason on May 11, 2020, 10:26:16 PM
I can remember being at Chatham Navy Day's when I was only about 6yrs in 1954.......went in the submarine and on my Dad' shoulders, remember it was fun ducking down.
There were some torpedo like things also in the basins shooting up and down in the water never did know what they were?
Helicopter dropped Sonar Buoys?

Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: Lyn L on May 12, 2020, 07:17:53 AM
We used to go to Navy Day while late hubby Bob was in the RN and after he left ( 69) Handy sometimes as he often saw old oppo's on ships that weren't open to the public and we often went down to the mess with them. He had wanted to go on subs, but was too short ! so he plumped for the next best thing for him Sonar Operator. Had fantastic hearing right up until the day he died.
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: stuartwaters on May 12, 2020, 10:16:16 AM
I have a programme from a Chatham Navy Days dating from the late 1970s at home. I'll dig it out, scan it and post it.
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: shoot999 on May 12, 2020, 10:44:07 AM
I was on the Dockyard tugs in the 60s/70s. We used to maintain a 24/7 Duty Tug crew and not surprisingly us younger ones would always volunteer to cover the Navy Day Duty Tug period. 'Hello ladies; would you like to look around our tug?' :) 
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: Colin walsh on May 12, 2020, 11:01:48 AM
Navy days were usually about Easter time,I was a helth physics monitor in the nuclear complex,on duty in the cab of the big crane,(a very rare occasion) had the unique experience of looking down on two naval jets "attacking "the yard  ,came in over,the RE training hard. And departed over bulls nose 
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: castle261 on May 12, 2020, 11:41:42 AM
First to Colin Walsh.
I was in the Nuclear Complex on a crane on No 6 dock. The time when 2 subs were in 6/7 docks +
One sub all the wall of No 1 basin (we only had 4 hunter/killer sub`s then.) + a tank for water from
the sub I working on. Now Colin, I was in a fixed position, the crane was holding a job up, & I was
not too pleased, I asked for a health person to use the gieger counter over the tank.
He said `the reading was so & so `. My question ` what is a SAFE reading -- for that tank `. 
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: castle261 on May 12, 2020, 11:53:21 AM
Next to shoot999.


I was asked to go to relieve, a man who had injured his hand while working on Tug Emulous.
I spent most part of the day, chasing the tug around No 1 basin. Whenever he drew alongside
a ship, I was there, ready to climb aboard. The skipper kept waving me off, so it was in the
late afternoon, before I could board, using THAT long ladder. That meant the uinjured man
could not get off, either. I was on there greasing that tug -- for two weeks.
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: mmitch on May 12, 2020, 11:56:14 AM

I went several times in the 50's. Sea Hawks flying low while the guns fired at them. The unforgettable sight and sound of the Fairy Gannet making one pass with a prop stopped. Westland Hoverfly(?) scooping a casuality out of the water. And a submarine part diving so only the top of its tower was visible. The Royal Marines band doing 'Sunset' at the end of the day. Great day out!
mmitch.
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: grandarog on May 12, 2020, 12:00:25 PM
My cousin Mike/Mick Field was at the dockyard Nuclear Complex ,think he was a safety monitor or something similar. Some of you may know him . He moved to Hampshire when the yard closed.

Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: Colin walsh on May 15, 2020, 03:51:47 PM
Granderog,yes I knew Mick Field he was a Leading Monitor,part of the health physics team set up,he was assistant to the duty Health physics Inspectors,I think the basic requirement for the job was you had to be a time served yard tradesman prior to obtaining city &guilds stage I and 2 then pass a set number of verbal examinations ,
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: Colin walsh on May 15, 2020, 04:12:44 PM
Castle 261'the short answer to your question is no,there is no "safe"level of radiation,all radiation has an adverse affect ,The "safe"dose at that time was many,many times higher than the "safe"level today we used the REM system :-radiation equivalent man.today I understand it's the"sievert"mesurment some thing I have no idea about,much more could perhaps be said about how "business "was conducted in the nuclear complex,but we all signed the official secrets act.so it's be like. Dad keep mum.
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: Colin walsh on May 16, 2020, 02:11:12 PM
As a point of interest to me ,are there any members of health physics team 2 on the forum? There were originally 6 members, I now for certain at least 2 of those have shuffled of this mortal coil ,any one of the other three left? If so get in touch .n.hope this is in the right section ,
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: johnfilmer on February 24, 2021, 06:13:48 PM
As a child in the mid fifties I used to go with my NAAFI lorry driver father, frequently into the Yard. We went as a family to the Navy Days but I remember very little apart from a plane fire being extinguished and lots of bangs. No idea of the ships that we visited, but just about get a vague memory of inside a submarine.
However, what I do remember was the practice that went on before the show.
Clever marching and rifle drills done over and over. The Royal Marine bands were probably my favourite, as well as the dangerous field gun competition. Seeing one of the team stretchered off after coming off the cable carrying two(?) wheels stays with me.
The other brave (insane?) thing was the young rating standing on the top of the mast as the highlight(sic) of that display - button boy someone later told me.

We had a brass ashtray with " Navy Days - Chatham 1935" on it at home. I used to get the job of polishing as part of "Bob-a-Job" week.
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: jimawilliams on February 24, 2021, 08:16:30 PM
The term Button Boy was one that I had not heard of before. 
See
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v6uuyREePs
An impressive display that i am sure would have marvelled you as a youngster.


Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: Lyn L on February 24, 2021, 10:14:32 PM
I have to say that is the exact mast at Shotley, that late hubby Bob was button boy. He and his younger brother were both at the Royal Hospital School in the late 50s.
Bob told me that if he was really fed up on a Sunday afternoon, he would climb back to the button on the top of the mast  all 12 " of it !
So glad I never saw him actually doing it though.
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: Dave Smith on February 25, 2021, 12:29:26 PM
 jimaw. It makes me cringe to see that lad standing-in a wind!- on top of that mast. Nerves of steel. Lyn, you must have been proud when you knew what hubby had been & what that entailed? Johnf.I would have been at that Navy Day in 1935. I think everyone who worked in the Yard, like my Dad, went. I particularly remember the biplane coming over & dropping flour bombs on a ship in the basin that was firing its anti aircraft gun- much noise & smoke. Definitely the Royal Marine's band in white pith helmets & webbing plus gleaming brass instruments, made the day. Ah, "Bob a Job Week" brings back more memories.
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: Lyn L on February 26, 2021, 09:23:19 AM
I should have said in my post that both Bob and his brother were at HMS Ganges, Bob in 1958/59  so was just coming up to 16 yrs of age then. Don't think his brother ever went up the top though. We did visit  years later just before it was all change there, the poor old mast was in a state then sadly. Both went into mens service in the RN, as did their older brother , Father and maternal Grandad.
My family were a bit of a mix, Dad was RAMC, older brother Royal Marine band, and my other one Fleet Air Arm.
Title: Re: Chatham Dockyard Navy Days
Post by: castle261 on February 26, 2021, 11:57:35 AM
I put this out on the old site.

While prepairing for Navy Days - a Frigate moored in No 3 Basin was to demonstrate the power
of its - three barrel Mortar - the day before it opened. BANG, BANG, BANG, all three together -
The mortar bombs were supposed to land in the Basin by the store ship base. They landed
missing the Basin - they came crashing down - where the store ships usually berth.
A hurried council took place aboard the Frigate - a re-alignment of the mortars was now needed.
The next day the mortars fired safely into the Basin - (no one was injured)