chatham dockyard old apprenticesofficer daniel robbins moab police

dailyinfo[9]=' 3094 Rifleman James William NEWELL 2nd Bn. The following year a forge was built for anchor-making. The ground floor were built as offices, the first floor contained reception rooms with bedrooms above. [20], No 1 Basin was officially opened in 1871, with HMS Invincible being brought into No 5 Dock for repairs, with great ceremony. In the interwar years, eight S-class submarines as well as X1 were built at Chatham but this was a period of decline. Crash Out On Cavalier Overnight Stay Experience. Diamond, one of the Navy's Daring Class Destroyers which was in Dry Dock in one of the Basins. If either yourself, a friend or relative has a story they would like to share with us, we would love to hear it. Joe May, 86 shared his memories of the Dockyard, Keith Dowrick, 82 told reporter Molly Dowrick some of his memories from the Dockyard, Royal Navy joins European allies on crucial Baltic mission, Plymouth's nickname 'Guz' and the reasons behind it, Live: Huge fire breaks out at industrial unit outside Looe, As many as eight fire crews are understood to be on the scene, Woman fumes over Lidl store towering above her garden, The retired nurse said a Wickes DIY store is doing similar, blocking the sun and warmth. The Pay Office was moved here in 1750 from Hill House. Mr Elgar, 66, who lives in Hoo St Werburgh, was transferred to the naval base at Devenport after the Chatham closure in March 1984. dailyinfo[2]=' 353 Lance Corporal Eric Allan VANCE 2nd Bn. By chance, about 4 or 5 years ago, while on rota on the Visitor Operations team at The Historic Dockyard Chatham I had a conversation with a visitor who had been the Master of HL7025 in service. Lancashire Fusiliers who died 25/04/1915 HELLES MEMORIAL Turkey (including Gallipoli) ' He was Petty Officer Evan Thomas Ellis MZ205. Joe said: "You had to have a sense of humour to have our job - you had to watch your back all the time!". dailyinfo[14]=' 29919 Gunner Eric William BENJAFIELD 5th Bde. 1st Floor North, Fitted Rigging House dailyinfo[25]=' 1720 Private Sidney ORDERS 1st Bn. dailyinfo[11]=' Reservist Paul GROLIK 5./I.R.62 German Army who died 11/05/1917 EBBLINGHEM MILITARY CEMETERY France ' He very often told us grandchildren about the work and circumstances during the WW2. I later worked on such ships as HMS Lincoln, Warspite, Spitfire, Torquay, Hebe, Vidal, Hydra and many many more. Collections at The Historic Dockyard Chatham Chatham (1567-1983) Deptford (1513-1869) Plymouth - from 1824 known as Devonport Dockyard (1690-present) . In addition, the Medway had begun to silt up, making navigation more difficult (especially as the Navy's ships were getting larger). Ron Edwards. The weekend event was organised by Tony Gray, who at 66 is still working part-time as a consultant. n There was a great reaction to my picture here of some of the old Radio Victory presenters. dailyinfo[27]=' Flight Sub-Lieutenant Andrew John BODDY H.M.S. They are Bernard (Bernie) Olley, Tony Packer and Roderick (Ricky) Pond. Brian said: "Chatham was more strict, you'd have to do your tie up and you couldn't roll up your sleeves.". We are currently exploring alternative, hidden histories within our collection and looking at broadening the range of voices we represent. DavidWent to Navy Days, both as a toddler with my parents and later as 8-10 yr old with school friends. He said: "It was traditional in my day, if your father was in the dockyard, you'd follow your father into the dockyard.". The subalterns were given one room each, the captains two, and field officers four. dailyinfo[30]=' 35346 Private Stuart Bathurst Scott COATES 13th Bn. [47] St Mary's Island, a 150-acre (0.61km2), largely undeveloped area to the north of the three basins, was transformed into a residential community for some 1,500 homes. Old royal dockyard hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy 2 School of Navigation and Bomb Dropping Royal Air Force who died 22/04/1919 PENTON MEWSEY (HOLY TRINITY) CHURCHYARD United Kingdom ' Money was only made available for one such installation, however, and Chatham (as the principal building yard at this time) was chosen as its location. var year=mydate.getYear() Chatham Dockyard and its Defences is an outstanding example of a complete industrial military complex from the heyday of the age of sail (1700 - 1820) and the early period of the age of steam (1820- 1865). The records covered are for yards in the UK and abroad. They spent much of the time relaying fond memories of working and socialising together. var mydate=new Date() [19], Seeking to alleviate this less-than-satisfactory situation, the Navy Board explored options for developing a shore facility with direct access from the open water of the Thames Estuary. Those for the officers were placed in a single row on elevated ground to the east, accessed from the parade ground by way of a double ramp; they provided housing for two field officers, twelve captains and thirty-seven subalterns. The 'old boys' who were recorders in the Dockyard and still meet up for a pint. However, it was not unusual for officers to move between the the Navy Board and the Board of Admiralty over the course of their career. //-->, By The officers all had servants, who were provided with their own accommodation in the garret. Starts from. Apprentices and masters. It was used to house the, No 1 Boiler Shop and No 8 Machine Shop were originally built as slip covers at, Dock Pumping Station 1874: as well as serving to empty dry docks 58 when required, its. The yard would have received, stored and issued cannons and gun-carriages (along with projectiles, accoutrements and also all manner of small arms) for ships based in the Medway, as well as for local artillery emplacements and for army use. When the first Labour budget in eighteen . Initially a purpose-built 'steam factory' was planned, but following the closure of Woolwich Dockyard in 1869 a number of slip covers were removed from that site and re-erected at the head of the new dry docks to serve as factories for building and fitting engines and for boilermaking. Hawkins' chain was later replaced with a boom of masts, iron, cordage, and the hulls of two old ships, besides a couple of ruined pinnacles. Ten new community-led, affordable homes for local people. It also has been Grade I listed since August 1999. Some or all of the recommended publications below may be available to buy from The National Archives Bookshop. Buy from bookshop. The senior officers of a victualling yard were: The victualling yards reported to a Victualling Board, which in turn reported to the Navy Board. 'The apprenticeship at Chatham Dockyard is the finest in the world - if you stick to it, the world's your oyster' Robert Smith's dad told his teenage son. Built immediately to the north of the Smithery (the intervening space was later infilled with the Smithery extension of 1867). Thirteen of them spent the weekend together in Medway travelling from all over the country, including as far away as Scotland. We understand that memories of this nature can be challenging and sometimes uncomfortable to talk about. The largest groups were the fitters and turners and the electricians followed by the shipwrights. Although the yard focused mainly on refitting and repairs, some shipbuilding continued to take place. Nonetheless, the dockyard closed, as planned, on 31 March 1984.[40]. Under his supervision the site was developed to include sawpits, workshops, storehouses and a wharf with a treadmill crane (completed in 1580). Do you have an LGBTQ+ story or experience linked to the Dockyard, the Navy or the Medway Towns that you feel comfortable sharing with us? More recent records are available from the Ministry of Defence via their website. Lower Boat House circa 1820 built as a storehouse for squared timber, and later to store ship's boats. ). It was not until 1837, however, that steam power was first introduced into the ropery, and the smithery received its first engine (for blowing the forges and powering tilt hammers) in 1841. Something went wrong, please try again later. Chatham, The 1964 intake of Dockyard apprentices who built the old woman's shoe, of nursery rhyme fame, for Southsea Carnival. Just ties. Initial enquires are responded to within 28 days. dailyinfo[5]=' CH/316(S) Private Jack WILSON Chatham Bn. Former Royal Navy Dockyard located on the River Medway in Kent, Significant buildings within the Georgian Dockyard, Surviving structures within the Victorian Steam Yard, Flag Officer, Medway and Admiral Superintendent, Artillery/Engineer Barracks (Brompton Barracks), "20th-Century Naval DockyardsCharacterisation Report, Part 1", "Research guide: Royal Dockyard names and locations", "NUMBER 1 SMITHERY, Medway - 1378614 | Historic England", "NUMBER 1 WORKBASE, Medway - 1378631 | Historic England", "1814 voyage charted with sketches and maps in midshipman's logbook", "British Police History - Royal Marine Police", HL Deb, 18 February 1958 vol 207 cc775-81, "Chatham Dockyard: Lasting impact three decades on", "Economic impact of the Historic Dockyard Chatham", Papersafe UK, Berth 6, Basin 3, Chatham | STORAGE, "Peel L&P to close Chatham Docks in Medway in 2025", "Drill Hall: History of Royal Naval Barracks, Chatham", "Kent Film Office Les Miserables Film Focus", "Kent Film Office Call The Midwife Film Focus", "Kent Film Office Mr Selfridge Film Focus", "Kent Film Office Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Film Focus", "Kent Film Office Oliver Twist Film Focus", "Kent Film Office The World is Not EnoughFilm Focus", "Bridge Wardens' College Teaching and Meeting Rooms", "FORMER HOUSE CARPENTERS SHOP AND WALL TO FRONT YARD, Medway - 1246988 | Historic England", "Former Mast House and Mould Loft, Medway", "Former Commissioners House and Attached Staff Accommodation, Medway", "Former Assistant Queens Harbourmasters Office, Medway", "Queens Stairs with Overthrow Arch, Medway", "Steps from Quay, Chatham Historic Dockyard, Kent", "Thunderbolt Pier and Kingswear Castle, Chatham", "Former Captain of the Dockyards House and Attached Front Area Railings, Medway", "Former Storehouse Number 3 and Former Chain Cable Store, Medway", "Former Storehouse Number 2 and Former Rigging Store, Medway", "Engineering Timelines - Chatham Dockyard Machine Shops", "Chatham Royal Dockyard The Dreadnought Project", "Pay of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines", "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865", "1971 Admiral Superintendents become Port Admirals Portsmouth Royal Dockyard Historical Trust", "Command House and attached entrance railings, stable and carriage house and rear wall (1268227)", "Command House and Attached Entrance Railings, Stable and Carriage House and Rear Wall, Chatham, Medway", "Former Ordnance Store at Chatham Gun Wharf, Chatham, Medway", "Records of the hospital of Sir John Hawkins Kt in Chatham (1500) 15941987", "Brompton Lines Conservation Area Appraisal (Adopted Version)", "Details from listed building database (1410725)", "General report of the Commission appointed for improving the sanitary condition of barracks and hospitals", "Kitchener Barracks to be converted for housing", Treasurer of the Navy and Senior Commissioner, Comptroller of the Navy and Chairman of the Board, Comptroller of Victualling and Transport Services, Commissioners for Examining Accounts (Incurred), Resident Commissioner, Portsmouth Dockyard, Resident Commissioner, Sheerness Dockyard, Resident Commissioner, Devonport Dockyard, Resident Commissioner, Cape of Good Hope Yard, Resident Commissioner, Trincomalee Dockyard, Office of First Lord of the Admiralty and President of the Board of Admiralty, Office of the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty, Office of the Permanent Secretary to the Admiralty, Office of the Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty, Office of the Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord, Office of the Additional Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord, Gunnery and Anti-Aircraft Warfare Division, Naval Air Organisation and Training Division, Torpedo, Anti-Submarine and Minewarfare Division, Admiralty Central Metallurgical Laboratory, Admiralty Civilian Shore Wireless Service, Admiralty Marine Technology Establishment, Admiralty Naval Aircraft Materials Laboratory, Admiralty Signals and Radar Establishment, Admiralty Torpedo Experimental Establishment, Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment, Admiralty Underwater Weapons Launching Establishment, Architectural and Engineering Works Department, Air Equipment and Naval Photography Department, Boom Defence and Marine Salvage Department, Commissioner for Property and Income-tax for the Naval Department, Department of the Accountant-General of the Navy, Department of Aeronautical and Engineering Research, Department of Miscellaneous Weapons Development, Department of Naval Assistant (Foreign) to Second Sea Lord, Department of Personal Services and Officer Appointments, Department of Research Programmes and Planning, Department of Superintendent of de-magnetisation, Department of the Admiral of the Training Service, Department of the Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance, Department of the Chief of Naval Information, Department of the Civil Engineer-in-Chief, Department of the Comptroller of Steam Machinery, Department of the Comptroller of Victualling and Transport Services, Department of the Controller-General of Merchant Shipbuilding, Department of the Controller for Navy Pay, Department of the Deputy Controller for Auxiliary Shipbuilding, Department of the Deputy Controller for Dockyards and Shipbuilding, Department of the Director Contract-Built Ships, Department of the Director-General Aircraft, Department of the Director-General of Manpower, Department of the Director-General, Supply and Secretariat Branch, Department of the Director of Aircraft Maintenance and Repair, Department of the Director of Contract Labour, Department of the Director of Electrical Engineering, Department of the Director of Merchant Shipbuilding, Department of the Director of Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs, Department of the Director of Merchant Ship Repairs, Department of the Director of Naval Construction, Department of the Director of Naval Equipment, Department of the Director of Naval Recruiting, Department of the Director of Naval Weather Service, Department of the Director of Personal Services, Department of the Director of Physical Training and Sports, Department of the Director of Torpedoes and Mining, Department of the Director of Underwater Weapons, Department of the Director of Underwater Weapons Materials, Department of the Director of Unexploded Bombs, Department of the Director of Warship Production, Department of the Director of Welfare and Service Conditions, Department of the Director of Wreck Dispersal, Department of the Flag Officer Sea Training, Department of the Paymaster Director-General, Department of the Inspector of Anti-Aircraft Weapons, Department of the Inspector of Dockyard Expense Accounts, Department of the Inspector-General of Naval Hospitals and Fleets, Department of the Medical Director-General of the Navy, Department of the Physician General of the Navy, Department of the Storekeeper-General of the Navy, Directorate-General, (Naval Manpower and Training), Dockyards and Fleet Maintenance Department, Naval Personnel Services and Officer Appointments Department, Office of the Admiral Commanding Coast Guard and Reserves, Office of the Admiral Commanding, Reserves, Office of the Adviser on the Naval Construction to the Board of Admiralty, Office of the Assistant Controller Research and Development, Office of the Deputy Controller Production, Office of Extra Naval Assistant to Second Sea Lord, Office of the Senior Psychologist (Naval), Office of the Senior Psychologist of the Navy, Office of the Translator of French and Spanish Languages, Office of the Vice Controller of the Navy, Regional Organisation for Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs, Royal Naval College and the School for Naval Architecture, School of Mathematics and Naval Construction, Scientific Research and Experiment Department, Admiral Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlands, Department of the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty, Department of the Civil Lord of the Admiralty, Department of the Additional Civil Lord of the Admiralty, Office of the Judge of the High Court of Admiralty, Office of the Judge Advocate of the Fleet, Office of the Marshall High Court of the Admiralty, Office of the Counsel for the Affairs of the Admiralty and Navy, Office of the Deputy Judge Advocate of the Fleet, Office of the Receiver of Droits High Court of Admiralty, Office of the Registrar High Court of the Admiralty, Office of the Solicitor for the Affairs of the Admiralty, Office of the Solicitor to the Admiralty and Navy, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chatham_Dockyard&oldid=1145399440, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Preserved as a maritime heritage visitor attraction. Diners evacuated from busy Plymouth restaurant and bar, The venue thanked customers for their patience, Plymouth Argyle Home Park attendance figures this season second highest in 60 years, Steven Schumacher has paid tribute to the fans after the Pilgrims won 20 of their 23 League One games at the Theatre of Greens, Seven changes Plymouth Argyle and their fans will notice in the Championship, Steven Schumacher's Pilgrims have booked a place in the second tier of English football for the first time since 2010, Heartbroken family pay tribute to man killed outside Cornwall nightclub, Police have been allowed more time to question a man arrested on suspicion of murder. It was completed in 1903. [134] In 1865, following the opening of new and enlarged hospital facilities in Fort Pitt, the old Garrison Hospital was closed; its buildings (on what is now Maxwell Road) were converted into barracks and named 'Upper Chatham Barracks'[135] (later 'Upper Kitchener Barracks'). The northern building was used as a fitted rigging house, and a general store for equipment to fit out newly built ships. He says the dockyard here was a lot more relaxed than in Chatham. In 1665, the Navy Board approved Sheerness as a site for a new dockyard, and building work began; but in 1667 the still-incomplete Sheerness Dockyard was captured by the Dutch Navy and used as the base for an attack on the English fleet at anchor in the Medway itself. He says for the first three months of the apprenticeship he was given no tools and distinctly remembers the big 'awful sacks' [overalls] they used to wear. if (month<10) month="0"+month seaJane11 June , 2020 in Sailors, navies and the war at sea. Read the catalogue details for BT 19 to find related correspondence from various departments of the Board. Another member of the group, Brian Booker, 76, moved to Plymouth from Chatham in the South East and joined the dockyard in 1984, working there for six years before taking early retirement to care for his wife. This aerial photograph shows the dry docks at Chatham Dockyard. Remembered Today: Welsh Regiment who died 31/03/1918 KARASOULI MILITARY CEMETERY Greece ' This is a story of the creation of the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust and its history, from Elizabethan origins to fleet base and shipbuilding yard . Deep in the woods, the hidden remnants of a D-Day army, Fine German engineering was'captured' for Portsmouth after First World War 'Nostalgia, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, This website and its associated newspaper are members of Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Until 1814 timber was cut by pairs of men, one above and one below the log. Diamond, one of the Navy's Daring Class Destroyers which was in Dry Dock in one of the Basins. [10], From the very start of the 18th century, however, Chatham began to be superseded in both size and importance, first by Portsmouth, then Plymouth, when the main naval enemy became France, and the Western approaches the chief theatre of operations. Great days out, can still smell the hot dog stand with its fried onions. [20], View down the length of the former No 7 Dock towards No 1 Basin (now Chatham Marina), Remains of No 8 Machine Shop with No 1 Boiler Shop behind it, Dock pumping station (its 80ft chimney, formerly on the plinth to the right, has been removed), The Commissioner of Chatham Dockyard held a seat and a vote on the Navy Board in London. [20], In 1897 a new, even longer dry dock was opened on the north side of No 1 Basin: at its opening, this (No 9 Dock) was the largest in the world at 650ft (200m) long by 84ft (26m) wide. At around the same time, in the older part of the dockyard, No 7 Slip was extended to accommodate the building of HMS Prince of Wales (launched in 1902), and a new (uncovered) slipway was built a little to the north (No 8 Slip, completed in 1900); at 616ft (188m) this was one of the longest slips in the world and was designed for building battleships. dailyinfo[3]=' 3747 Flight Serjeant Reginald Tom PARRY Air Force Medal 15th Aircraft Acceptance Park Royal Air Force who died 03/05/1919 WELSH NEWTON (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD United Kingdom ' They were given a tour of Chatham Historic Dockyard, now an award-winning tourist venue, and visited the Royal Engineers Museum in Gillingham. Something that really sets our city apart is our historic dockyard and the thousands of amazing and hard-working people that have worked there over the years, each contributing to the largest naval base in Western Europe in different ways. North Mast Pond, 1702. [20] The docks varied from 160ft (49m) to 186ft (57m) in length. The Great War Forum Limited This page has been archived and is no longer updated. London Regiment who died 08/05/1915 PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL Belgium ' From 1844 St Mary's was used as an 'Invalid Barracks', accommodating soldiers having to return from service in different parts of the British Empire because of illness, injury or age. Australian Infantry, A.I.F. The group would welcome any recorder from the Dockyard who would like to join the group. The tarring process declined as, Iron Foundry 185561. dailyinfo[22]=' Major Thomas Archibald BATCHELOR Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Force Cross No. Do you remember Chatham Naval Dockyard when it was in its prime? [20], At the same time, moves were being made towards the application of steam power to ship propulsion. I later transfer to The Foundry and on it's closure I was sent to the training school in Kyber Road to train as a Engine Fitter. *Denotes starting price exclusive of GST. var day=mydate.getDay() It was somewhat unfortunate that, on the one occasion when it was required for actionthe Raid on the Medway, 1667the Dutch fleet were able to sail right past it to attack the English fleet and carry off the pride of the fleet, HMS Royal Charles, back to the Netherlands. R Cock and N A M Rodger, A guide to the naval records in The National Archives of the UK (London 2006). Brewer: August 1980 August 1982. [139], St Mary's Casemated Barracks were built during the Peninsular War and initially held French prisoners of war. Since November 2017 Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust has undertaken major conservation, repair and adaptation works to the Fitted Rigging House, the home of the Reading Room. 307th Bde. General Staff who died 12/05/1916 LE TREPORT MILITARY CEMETERY France ' Welsh Regiment who died 30/04/1916 MERVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY France ' In almost all cases you can only search by yard or ships name, not by a persons names. Posted 11 June , 2020 . Apprenticeship Home Rifle Brigade who died 09/05/1915 RATION FARM MILITARY CEMETERY, LA CHAPELLE-DARMENTIERES France' The victualling yards, however, continued to be practically independent. The Historic Dockyard Chatham: Views of a former apprentice 45 years on ! Paul Makin | Engine Fitter Apprentice else { document.write(fontstart+"No major events today"+fontend); } Today the range of buildings and structures . One of the boys' favourite moments is the time they bent the new uniform rules. [121] Most of the 18th-century buildings were demolished, with the exception of the Storekeeper's House of 1719, which survives as the Command House public house. [127] Externally, all the blocks were similar in appearance. How the military presence developed after 1820, showing how the need for housing gave birth to New Brompton, and showing roads and railways. The southern building, Store House No 3, completed in 1785, is subdivided with timber lattice partitions as a "lay apart store", a store for equipment from vessels under repair. Following the success of such early trials with screw propulsion, several older sailing ships were taken into dry dock and retro-fitted with propellers, beginning with HMS Horatio. My son got good qualifications and worked in Formula 1 racing. Fred Cordier has worked in the ropery at Chatham Dockyards for over 40 years. dailyinfo[23]=' 20589 Corporal Elias JONES Distinguished Conduct Medal, Military Medal and Bar 14th Bn. Published 12th Mar 2018, 19:00 BST - 2 min read. I spent a couple of nights in the dormitory blocks, before joining Diamond and had a lot of laughs. Another, Mike North, got in touch and sent me his cartoon of the staff who were there when the station closed. And if you had any personal issues there was always somebody there to support you. The indenture was a contract signed by the apprentice, the parent / guardian and the Admirality on satisfactory completion of a 3 month probation period. Honourable Artillery Company who died 29/04/1917 ARRAS MEMORIAL France ' And to celebrate their half-century landmark anniversary, they held a reunion at the former naval base in Medway. dailyinfo[7]=' 467436 Corporal Alexander CAMERON Military Medal 29th Bn. Anchor Wharf, The Historic Dockyard, The barracks for other ranks were arranged in three rows, west of the parade ground, with soldiers sleeping sixteen to a room in eight double beds, as was standard practice at that time. HMS Bee, launched at Chatham in 1842, was an experimental vessel fitted with both paddles and a propeller, each of which could be driven independently from the same engine for comparison. The Trust is preparing an application for the Dockyard and its Defences to become a World Heritage Site. We regret that The Historic Dockyard Chatham is unable to carry out personal research on your behalf. Use our catalogue to search within the records series listed below. [110], On 5 September 1971 all Flag Officers of the Royal Navy holding positions of Admiral Superintendents at Royal Dockyards were redesignated as Port Admirals. Apprentices of Chatham Dockyard - Particularly 1956 to 1961. dailyinfo[18]=' J/71444 Ordinary Seaman John Dolby DIAPER H.M.S. Regards Roger Haffenden. 3 Slip). [48], Chatham Dockyard has become a popular location for filming, due to its varied and interesting areas such as the cobbled streets, church and over 100 buildings dating from the Georgian and Victorian periods. They may still be with the rest of the modern Defence archives at Swadlincote. [20], By the late 17th century a number of prestigious new buildings were erected (including the officers' residences, the clocktower storehouse and the main gatehouse), several of which are still in place. Did you or your family, work there on the ships? Their website gives further information about the type of records they hold and how to search them. If you can help Terry, email your details to njordan@thekmgroup.co.uk or call 01634 227800. For a young lad it was always very impressive.Mon Mar 30 21:56:09 2009, Roger G.J.HaffendenI remember arriving at Chatham Dockyard in the Spring of 1954 to join H.M.S.