"I was a member of TS Thunderer - a retired wartime Fairmile B or C Class motor launch - moored to the quay near the "Gap", from 1957-1961. I loved learning those knots, the seamanship, the drill on the quay and boat work in the whaler and a small GRP sailing boat.
We had lessons in the foc'sle or the engine room or, sometimes aft in the Ward Room. At our break - "Stand Easy" - we had tea and sandwiches served from the galley by one of the parents. Orders and announcements were preceded by a blast from an Admiralty pattern naval pipe - a sort of whistle.
One of my fondest memories is being ordered to take out the whaler - a wooden boat about 20' long - with a crew of younger boys, "pulling" in the harbour.
We would circle the harbour several times and went out as far as the bar, turning as quickly as we could to avoid being overturned by the swell coming in from Cardigan Bay.
Responsibility for up to 12 young lives by a lad of 15-16 years would not be allowed nowadays and, looking back, it was great to do it at the time. Those long summer evenings in a boat in the harbour with sunsets like firework displays were bliss - confirmation of divine order.
Most cadets went to Dinas Secondary Modern (now Penglais School) and relationships between us were less formal than they were at Ardwyn Grammar School (now replaced by Penweddig) where I was a pupil. It was assumed that cadets would join the Royal Navy as ratings.
Every Tuesday and Friday night, I would meet such interesting characters: Alan Carr who would go on to command the unit, Peter Wheal, "Perfume" who attended Ystrad Meurig School, Petty Officer "Chewey" and others. We were commanded by Lt Evans RNVR and, in later years, by a retired Chief Yeoman of Signals who delivered the post in those delightful Morris 1000 vans the Royal Mail used at that time. Lt Evans worked in Hodges Menswear in Great Darkgate St.
In bad weather, we had "Colours" in the engine room (the two big American petrol engines had been removed). We usually had this traditional naval ceremony on the quarterdeck with a Guard with fixed bayonets and the cadets lined up in divisions. I was privileged to command the guard as I grew in experience.
The chartroom was enclosed, with the wartime binnacle and secondary wheel still fitted on this double-diagonal wooden, 112' long ship when I was there.
You should still see this binnacle in the Sea Cadet building near Trefechan Bridge. The bridge was exposed. The main deck was still fitted with the mounting for a gun on the fore-deck and other mountings for either mines or another gun on the after deck.
All this armament was removed when the ship was decommissioned after the War. The ship's log lay on the chart table in the chartroom and, at every parade, someone was put on watch to enter into it the weather, sea state and other information.
After the "Sunset" ceremony, again with Guard and lined up in divisions, we dashed to the fish and chip shop in Bridge Street where I gulped down my fizzy drink and wolfed my scallops before catching the 9.25 Crosville bus home to Capel Bangor.
Thunderer now lies on the seabed somewhere in Cardigan Bay.
Happy Days!
Article by Gwyn Price-Evans
your comments
raymond blackburne aberystwyth
had some great times when sea cadets were on board t.s. Thunderer & Eben Jones was c.o. I remember George James(p.o.)John Watts ,Byron Gittins,Peter Wheeler,Pete Bowling,Mike Lloyd.One thing I do remember when you came down from into ship from top deck i would always have a shock off a light switch.GREAT TIMES.
Mon Mar 1 07:18:39 2010
tudor morgan, greywell, hampshire
What a great story from gwyn price-evans. I was a cadet from 72-77; awesome memories of rowing and sailing around the harbour and around the bay; western area 5 a side football; names of the instrutors, eben evans,horace blizzard, ex RM and customs officer smith, CPOs griffiths and james; PO haydn evans; great days and still sailing!
Wed Jul 15 09:58:10 2009
Mark Hughes from Rhydyfelin.
I was in the Aberystwyth Sea Cadets (TS Thunderer)from approx 1975 - 1983 and I am pleased to say that many of the activities and drills described by Gwyn were carried on. Alan Carr was the Commanding Officer and Lt Blizzard the Number One. I always looked forward to Tuesday and Friday Evenings especially when we had 'water' and were able to take the ASC's or Cutter out for a spin! Many a time my brother Nigel was at the helm of the Cutter and I was perched on the bow going through the numerous boathook drills! One of my fondest memories was when we were invited aboard a visit! ing Destroyer, HMS Fife, and sailed down the coast towards Fishguard. We were lucky enough to witness the firing of two Sea Slug missiles. I gather that HMS Fife was eventually sold to Chile in 1987.I enjoyed my time at the Unit before eventually going on to become a Flt Lt in the Royal Air Force. The Station Warrant Officer at Cranwell was impressed by my Seacadet pedigree but didn't appreciate my naval drill!
Tue Feb 24 09:13:54 2009
Peter Wilson, Llandyrnog, Denbighshire
I was in the Sea Cadets for a couple of years in the early 1950s, and like Gwyn, I can remember the 'Colours' and 'Sunset' ceremonies clearly. The Commanding Officer at the time was Lt. Evan Jones, RNVR, who had an electricians shop in, I think, Chalybeate Street, and the First Officer was Sub-Lt Phillips, RNVR, who had a bike shop in Queen's Street. We used to spend weekends on board the 'Thunderer', when we would stand the usual 'round the clock' watches, having to check the moorings periodically, and all the other numerous duties required. Some meeting nights, w! e would be marched to the Drill Hall, where we would be instructed on the shooting range, using the very heavy (for us young boys).303 rifles...(continued below)
Sun Feb 22 21:28:06 2009
Peter Wilson, Llandyrnog, Denbighshire
I vaguely remember that we had an elderly ex-master mariner (Merchant Navy) who used to help in our instruction, and on one occasion, when a Royal Navy destroyer was paying a courtesy visit to the town, we were supposed to spend a day on board, but we received a signal saying that they wouldn't be sending a boat to pick us up because the sea wasa too rough. The old Master Mariner who was with us, scorned this, and asked for volunteers to man the whaler, and he sailed out into the bay, around the destroyer, and back to the harbour, just to prove that the seas was no! t too rough for him! The 'bosun' at the time who used to 'pipe' all the orders was Haydn Evans.
Sun Feb 22 21:27:48 2009
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