You’re In the Navy Now

A recent meeting of Largs Probus Club was all at sea when member Ray Young stepped in to speak about his seven years’ service in the Royal Navy, helped by photographs kept by his family of his time at sea.

Ray joined the Senior Service as an Artificer Apprentice in 1965 at the age of 16, training at HMS Fisgard in Devon, a shore establishment specialising in mechanical engineering and basic naval training, including participation in the Dartmoor Ten Tors challenge. After a year Ray moved on to HMS Caledonia at Rosyth to train for three years as a Marine Engineering Artificer, which included practical training on HMS Saintes and HMS Rapid.

After qualifying he went to sea on the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle, which was undertaking  sea trials for the new Phantom jet aircraft on the way to America, using a unique arrested deck landing system. There he spent time at Norfolk in Virginia before the ship visited New York and Boston. The highlight of the day was receiving the rum ration, which was to sadly stop on 31 July 1970. 

Returning to dry land, Ray went back to HMS Caledonia to attain further qualifications which allowed him to go to Dartmouth Royal Naval College in 1970. From there he embarked on the guided missile destroyer HMS Norfolk as a Midshipman where he shared bridge watch keeping and other duties with Prince Charles, who was also undergoing Officer training. Trips to Izmir, Genoa, Malta and Gibraltar were enjoyed, as were scary Force 10 storms when exercising off Norway.  Family issues led to him leaving the Navy in 1972 after seven years’ service to start a 36-year career in local government – but that’s another story!