We joined Ganges from all parts of the UK (usually by train). We were sent a travel warrant, an original of which is shown above (did it really only cost 5s and 3d to travel from Barnsley to Ipswich?). Steam trains and British rail of 1968 would appear to offer better value for money than the rail services on offer in the modern era!

Arriving at Ipswich - what colour was the bus?

It might sound trivial but these things are important to classmates. When we arrived at Ipswich railway station if you remember we were picked up by a Leading Regulator (don't call them 'boneheads', please) and taken to Shotley Gate by a bus; but what kind of a bus was it?

Terry Rice claimed that his was "definitely a big green double decker". It was of the same type we boarded on the parade ground prior to going on leave when we had to be at the gymnasium for 0300. 

Dennis Barnard remembered missing the bus as many boys clambered on it in front of him, and having to wait for a period of time. He recalls it being a single decker as "the mast was fairly close when we first saw it". John Nixon said "the bus that picked us up (Kevin Calvert, Pete Kerley and other Yorkies were on it too) was definitely a proper pussers blue single-decker". He remembers the deafening sound of the engine (which was in the bus with us next to the driver), the smell of diesel fumes, and something else unpleasant to do with people being sick on it after runs ashore. Mick Ross didn't described his bus, but it must have been full the Scottish contingent so it was bound to have been a noisy ride whatever colour it was!

Sending our civvies back home

The one thing we all seem to have remembered, just after arriving in Green Squadron (The Annexe to the main establishment on the other side of the road), was putting our civvies and other personal belongings into a brown paper parcel and sending them back home. John Nixon recalls his mother saying his mother cried when they arrived back home, which would have mostly been a similar experience fo all classmates' parents.

The Annexe

Colin Smith writes - "My first memory of the messdeck in the Annexe involved me asking, in my Lancastrian drawl, the lad in the next bunk “Were’ you from, mate?” This resulted in a reply in what I subsequently found out was Aberdonian, which was unintelligible to my Mother tongue. After a few “You what mates” from me the said lad’s mate, also from north of the border, joined in with the suggestion that I was “extracting the urine.” Although I didn’t understand the phrase or accent he used, I certainly got the general gist!  "I also remember walking in line in the mess hall with a Sick Bay Attendant (SBA) on either side sticking various needles in both arms, having a basin hair cut and being issued with more kit that I could ever imagine. Then came the exercise of chain stitching our name badges, dhobying (washing) every bit of kit and learning the precise skill of ironing it all and ensuring it met the exact dimensions of our ship’s book? Has anyone still got one?

"I remember a trip to the dentist who said to me 'You’re a lucky lad'? “Why’s that, Sir?” I replied. “You’ve never had any fillings, but guess what, your luck’s come to an end!” I still have nightmares about Annexe dentistry!

"It was a good feeling to pass out, especially after remembering the initial drill we were taught and that near enough everybody had two left feet - was it Pete Kerley who the instructor gave special attention to? Anyway, we marched over to the main camp as a well drilled unit if a bit naive on what to expect next".

An instructor's perspective of Ganges

PO Malcolm Allard, who would become one of our instructors in the main establishment, provided us with his summary of the aims and objectives of our time at HMS Ganges.

The role and responsibilities of an instructor as I understood them, and being an ex boy-entrant myself, were as follows:

1. To turn young boys into men who worked as a team, were professional, were responsible and suitably trained to take their place in the Senior Service.

2. Character and personal hygiene, which involved bringing out the individual's personal traits and using them to the best of their abilities whilst ensuring they understood the role they would take in their career, which included the need for daily personal hygiene.

3. Encouraging an ability to fit in and work within a group, even if not everyone saw eye to eye.

4. To implement professional training by providing the necessary technical instruction needed to give trainees the required knowledge and confidence to carry out their duties when they eventually went to sea. 

5. Academic training, to provide the necessary training to enable the correct educational skills to be reached for their chosen career path. (this was in conducted by class instructors in conjunction with the 'Schoolies' (Instructor Officers) who taught at the School.

6. The first two points above were the ones that class instructors would be more involved in, and took up more of my time as everyone in the class was an individual and each had different ideas of how they should be treated. In this regard it was clear that some people worked better with some and not with others, some were happy just to get on with things whilst others would question everything. Similarly, some trainees were keen on sport but some were not, but I always tried to get the best out of each person whatever their wills and wants.

7. Divisional rivalry was very fierce in all aspects, especially so in sport where each division wanted to be the best at everything, but this was encouraged by instructors as it helped to build a person's character, even if they lost.

8. Providing pastoral care and advice to juniors when they needed it as life at Ganges could be challenging for boys aged 15 or 16.