ROY COCKER P/JX
581653
My Life in Exmouth 144
On the 4th September 1944 I left
home and travelled to the Royal Naval recruiting office at Green Lane Derby. I was 15
years and 10 months old and on my way into the Royal Navy
At Derby
we were told we could have the evening off, as we would be travelling to the Isle of Man
the next day. I was dressed in my Sea Cadet uniform and met a boy dressed in the uniform
of T.S.Mercury. He came from Nottingham where
his parents kept a pub. We decided to go there for the evening and had a great time
swaggering around Slab Square like a couple of `Old salts`
The next day we
travelled to the Isle of Man. First a train from Derby to Manchester, change and train to
Preston. Free tea and sticky buns at the WVS canteen then another train to Fleetwood. Onto
the I-O-M Steam packet boat for a fairly calm crossing to Douglas.
On arrival at HMS
St.GEORGE, we were allocated beds in the chalets of the New Entry (Nozzers) lines. I was
put in Rodney 1 and shared a cabin with three others.
We were issued with our kit and began the laborious task of sewing our
name into every article using red silk and the chain stitch. The final results were to be
inspected so had to be neatly done with no `Homeward bounders`
After a couple of
days we had to go for a full medical examination where it was found that I needed an
operation for the removal of varicose veins from a very sensitive area. I had had these
for ages and being naïve, thought everyone had them.
I was sent to R.N. Hospital where they operated and kept me for a
couple of weeks until well enough to go home on sick leave.
I had two weeks leave as a proud young sailor with HMS on his cap tally but
unfortunately, could not show off my war wounds.
On return I had
been back classed to join up with the next lot of New Entries and thus had extra time to
get my kit sewn and my boots polished to mirror brightness.
On passing out from
Nozzers I went to the other side of the parade ground to Exmouth Division where we formed
44 and 144 classes. I shared a cabin with three others, WISE. CHARTERS and FRANKS. We
shared that cabin for a year and all got on well with each other. Tommy Wise became my
chum and we would share most things. I used to
receive a regular parcel from home containing a jar of jam and a packet of Woodbines with
a half-crown smuggled inside the packet (we were not allowed to receive money). We would
sneak dry bread out from the mess hall and make jam sandwiches till it ran out. We would
go into Douglas on afternoon leave and spend the half-crown on a trip to the pictures and
more food. At that age and with all the
exercise we got it was nigh impossible to satisfy ones hunger.
The training was
very intense. The days were split into three
parts. One for Seamanship, one for School and one for Sport and Games. In Summer months the sport was carried out in the
evening whilst in Winter it was in the afternoon. School and Seamanship were alternated
week about which meant that the 2 mile march to and from school at Ballakameen was carried
out in the dark in winter months. As half the camp was at school at any one time, we were
marched there and back, usually to the beat of a drum and with Chiefs, POs, and Boy Pos
shouting orders and trying to prevent all the skylarking that went on. It was God help
anyone who was caught! And usually the whole class who would be punished.
Wednesday was
pay-day. We used to line up, off caps to the Paymaster who would place your weekly
allowance on it. As a Boy 2nd class we received 2 shillings and as Boy 1st
class 2 shillings and sixpence. Out of this money we had to buy small luxuries like
toothpaste and writing material. Tom Wise and myself once devised a plan to save on
writing. I wrote to his parents and he wrote to mine each saying the other had broken his
right arm and could not write for a few weeks. During confirmation classes with Sniffy the
camp Padre, we had to attend confession prior to being confirmed. I got rid of my guilt by confessing this to him and
being the man he was, thought it very amusing.
When we were
allowed ashore it was for the afternoon only. We would either go down into Douglas or, if
penniless, go for walks. I recall being in Douglas one Sunday afternoon. Walking along the
front passed HMS VALKYRIE 1 and 2, which were groups of seafront hotels converted into
Radar Training establishments, towards Onchan. As I neared the Villa Marina end of the
front I heard a choir singing. It was a fine sunny day
and there on the front, in another group of hotels, were German POWs who were all singing
and enjoying the hospitality of the British whilst their friends were in full retreat in
France. Not many of them would have thought about escape although one once did and caused
tempory mayhem on the Island.
Great delicacies of
the I-O-M were the Manx Kippers. I once ordered a box to be sent home to Mum and Dad. They were on their own, as my brother was away
serving in submarines out the Far East. They, of course, didnt have refrigerators or
freezers in those days so had to consume them pretty quick. Mum said they were wonderful
and I suppose with years of rationing they were something special. I think it was a long
time before they ever had Kippers again! But I bet they could taste them for months
afterwards. I dont suppose that they have Manx Kippers anymore, with all the Nuclear
submarines operating in the Irish sea and the Nuclear Power Stations sending waste into it
the Herrings will probably be caught ready smoked with a fluorescent sheen!
May 1945 and VE Day
arrived. Tommy and I decided that we would go out and join in the celebrations in Douglas.
We made up our beds with coats etc. to make them appear to be occupied. We went under the cabin and over the wall at the
back avoiding the barbed wire on top. We had a great night until we returned in the early
hours to find Petty Officer Laws had caught us out. We
were taken before the Officer of the Day who put us on Commanders report. Next day we were
put on Captains report and were brought up in front of Captain Bell (of HMS EXETER fame),
who gave us a severe lecture and 14 days Jankers.
We had to get up in
a morning and report to the quarterdeck where we were given work to do till breakfast. At
lunchtime we had half an hour to eat then report for more work. In the evening came the
punishment of an hours work followed by an hour of running round the parade ground with a
rifle bouncing off your shoulder and being constantly sent to change into other rigs such
as pyjamas boots and gaiters, or white duck suit and gym shoes. Then back to night
clothing fully booted. After two weeks we were fitter than Joe Louis.
I enjoyed all
sports except Rugby, which I could never enjoy. I
was once sent for to play in the St.George 2nd eleven at cricket. We went to
Castletown and played against a college side. Well
into the game, the captain threw the ball to me and said have a go. My first
ball, a leg break, clean bowled the batsman. My second ball was an off- break and the
batsman was caught in the slips. The umpire at
my end was a Lt.Schoolmaster who turned to me and said Half a Crown if you get the
hat-trick Full of determination I ran up and bowled. The new batsman at the other
end took an almighty swipe and knocked a magnificent six. Disappointed I finished without
any more wickets but had become a fairly regular selection for the team.
In July1945, the
King and Queen visited the island and 144/44 classes were selected to be The Royal Guard. CPO.Kelloway was our instructor and trained us to
perfection. PO.Boy `Bunny` Austin was guard
commander and by special permission of the Palace, was allowed to present the guard to the
King. He is the youngest person ever to be given that honour.
About the end of
October we completed our training and were sent to Draft Division under Lt.Cdr `Danny`
Enright who gave me my first write up which said Cocker by name and Cocky by
nature. I suppose I was lucky my name
was not Pratt.
Tommy Wise and myself
were in a draft to HMS Victorious for passage to Australia. I was by then 17 years old and
so proud to have become a sea-going sailor. I was sent to join HMS Argonaut in Yokohama
and enjoyed being a `Conquering Hero` in Tokyo, never having seen an angry shot fired.
mailto:roycocker@onetel.net.uk
(See some of Roy's photographs on the Photos
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