H.M.S. St.
GEORGE

Photographs
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R.I.P.
Brian F. (Ginger) Trew 27th October 2002
HMS St. George - Bembow 265 Class Feb - July 1944 - 45
Brian devoted much of his time in
his later years in
order that Boys from HMS St. George who served, especially those who
sacrificed their
youthful lives in the Second World War, should have a lasting
Memorial at the
National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffs.
A Dedication Service followed by the Blessing of the Plot and the
Planting of an Oak Tree
took place on the 21st June 2001
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Dedication of the St. George Oak tree at the National
Arboretum at Alrewas,
Staffordshire in June 2001
( Picture - l to r)
A. Mackenzie, L.
Norcross, J. Evans,
W. Briggs, B. Trew, R. Ramson, J. Sanford
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REPLACEMENT
PLAQUE -
June 2006
The condition of
the original plaque
that was dedicated with the Oak Tree in June 2001 was
such that it needed to be replaced to ensure
that the ex St. George
Boys that it honoured
were still remembered with pride.
A new plaque, pictured above, has been placed in position on the Oak
tree.
It has been donated by ex St. George Boy William Briggs
and his wife.
Another ex St. George Boy Seaman, Les Wills
has provided the photographs of the plaque and Oak tree at
Alrewas and has been
most helpful in other ways.


Ron Cobby John Millest Roy Humphrys
William Briggs
(Bill)
Mr. Dunlop and Chief
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Anson 247 Class

William (Bill) Briggs - Centre, 5th from right
Exmouth
206
These pictures have been forwarded by
George Wilson.
He is the son of ex St. George Boy. George Wilson
who was a Boy Telegraphist in Exmouth 206 Division in 1940 - 41.
George Snr later joined HMS Euryalus and served in the RN until 1954
Members of
Exmouth 206 Division receiving their Bibles from the Padre

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Exmouth 206
Division 1940

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Exmouth 1st X1 40 - 41
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Exmouth 2nd X1 40 - 41
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Chief PO Tel Bundy
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'B' Division Howsdrake IOM
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At St. George 1940
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Photograph of George that he sent home
to his Mother
Special occasion perhaps ?
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Hawk 271
Peter Sampson HMS St George

Class Photo
Guard -
Class Hawk 271 Summer 1945
Field Gun Crew

Inspection by the King & Queen, July 1945
Whaler
under oars
VE Parade
VE Parade
HMS St George
Mother was never happy that I chose to join the Royal Navy, just before
she died at the age of 91 she told me that she had never wanted me to
go into the service; It was too late to discus the matter further.
Father however took a different view and signed the necessary papers
having first pointed out to me that it was a commitment for 12 years
from the age of 18.It was whilst I was farming at Burton Pidsey that my
call up papers arrived.
On the 4th September 1944 I left home and travelled to the Royal Naval
recruiting office in Manchester. I was 16 years and 7 months old and on
my way into the Royal Navy. Together with other boys we were sent to
Preston to spend that night in a barracks recently occupied by the US
army and for the first and only time had to sleep in a bunk which was
flee ridden. Because we has arrived late and missed dinner had both
dinner and tea served on the same plate. The following morning we went
to Fleetwood for the Isle of Man ferry and eventually arrived at
Douglas to begin enrolment into the Royal Navy. On arrival at HMS
St. George, we were allocated beds in the chalets of the New Entry
(Nozzers) lines. I was put in Rodney section 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 it had to be done
neatly. Medical inspections, vaccinations, identity discs and all the
paraphernalia completed my induction into the Royal Navy which included
making a will.
In retrospect I realise that this time was the beginning of being
changed from an adolescent into manhood and whilst we were paid as boys
there was no allowance made for age; we all grew and had to grow up in
a matter of weeks, if not in days.Six weeks after joining St George and
passing out from “Nozzers” I joined Hawk 271 class sharing
a cabin for 15 months with 3 other budding telegraphists under the ever
watchful eye of Petty Officer telegraphist Cotter and Lieutenant
Guritz. Petty Officer Cotter was a very reluctant overseer who resented
being drafted to the cushy number of training and had an earnest desire
to return to real active service, in consequence he would on occasions
make our lives difficult. Training was very intense and split into four
parts, seamanship, telegraphy, sports and schooling which meant a 2
mile march to a school at Ballakameen 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. We prided ourselves in
our uniforms and went to some lengths to look “Tidily”
using the mustard gas ointment in our gas masks to lighten the colour
of our collars, splitting the black silks in half so that they lay flat
onto the jumper and making the cap tally bow close to the HMS instead
of at the side of the cap which itself was bent to give it a peaked
appearance at the front. 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, writing material and cigarettes. There were several boys
who came from South Africa and Rhodesia and were we somewhat envious
that they should receive monthly parcels containing all these and other
luxuries. However I also had privileges and on occasions was granted
week end leave to stay with my aunt and uncle who lived in Ramsey where
I had spent many pre-war holidays.
On my first leave in December 1944 my cousin Joyce left the Island for
the first time and travelled home with me. It was a very rough crossing
to Fleetwood when most of the passengers were sea sick; an experience
which thankfully I never suffered. It was the first time that Joyce
heard the air raid siren in anger; doodle bugs on there way to
Sheffield and we dived into the air raid shelter when one’s
engine cut . On the return journeys we had to get a train from
Doncaster to Wakefield where we had to change stations and as the train
to Fleetwood was many hours later and the station was shut we used to
break into the station to await the Fleetwood train for the Isle of Man
ferry. Once a fortnight we were were given shore leave from 1 pm
to 8 pm to meander around Douglas where we could get tea and cakes at
one of the service facilities. Whist there was very little to do it was
a few hours away from the Indigineous HMS St George. The captain of St
George was Captain Bell ; referred to as “Dinger Bell” who
was the captain of HMS Exeter at the battle of the River Plate and the
subsequent scuttling of the German battle cruiser Graf Spey. Hawk 271
class. To qualify as a telegraphist you had to receive and
transmit messages at at least 30 words a minute, know how to address
messages in the many formats depending upon the urgency of the massage
and addressees priority, being able to code and decode the many cyphers
used by the Royal Navy. However after qualifying I was selected
to be trained as a Radio Mechanic (Air) and in January 1946 sent to HMS
Aerial in the village of Culcheth near Warrington, an event which was
to effect my life dramatically for it was there that I met Miss Anne
Jackson.
Hawk 130 Class - 1942 - 43

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Photos provided by Garth Ward
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Any familiar faces or news of the Class ? contact Garth at
sharkee@bigpond.com

(Garth is in the
back row next to PO
Tom Carlton)

Drake 186 - July 1944
Boy Seaman Thomas Stanley Butterworth is 2nd from the right in
the row behind the
Staff
If you knew Thomas
(Tom) or anyone
else in the photograph please contact Tom via his son,
mailto:david@david41.fsnet.co.uk
ROY COCKER'S
PICTURES

Roy Crocker
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Going On
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Reunion 1990
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144 Class
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Royal Guard
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Exmouth
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The funeral of Boy Brown who died
of Meningitus while at St. George - regret have no further information.
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Inspection of the
Royal guard (Exmouth 144 and 44 Classes) by King George V1 and
Queen Elizabeth in July 1945
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