with the "Old Bill" has not been without incident! Detailed to patrol a small country house called Sandringham - an establishment wholly owned and operated by Monarchs R Us - our hero was fascinated to discover a large letter 'H' painted slap bang in the middle of the carefully manicured oceans of grass. Producing a magnifying glass as all good coppers do to investigate further, our hero somehow failed to notice a fast approaching large angry palm tree! Unfortunately, said palm tree was being driven by one, who among his adquals on his SC has "Passed for King" recorded! Moral of the story, if you want to get noticed, get noticed by people at the very top! Meanwhile, Dave is continuing his search for the other missing 25 letters of the alphabet and would be delighted to hear from old shipmates who may be able to help! Dave also learned about the 2nd HMS Manchester Association from another of Norfolk's finest, P.C. Slinger Woods. How lucky the good denizens of Norfolk are to be guarded by matelots off the Manch!...which may also explain the current mass migration to Suffolk!
Steve HENSHAW
Joined 23rd June 2007
(Kim)
82 - 85
In the Pusser for just a dog watch - well 7 years actually, Steve joined the "Mighty Manch" as a flag wagger for the first commish, which included a Falklands deployment. An exponent of the art of semaphore signalling, his ability to wave his arms around erratically also earned him the position of ships goalkeeper...although rumour control and goals against suggests he would have been better off employed as a linesman! With his Naval career now far behind him, when not relaxing in Beds, he works as an equity trader in the City, (still waving your arms around then!!).
Paul "George" HILLAN
Joined 4th March 2021 (352)
Tim (Don) HILLER
(Caroline)
Ken HINCHCLIFFE
May 84 - Dec 86
Was a WEM(O) onboard from May 84 to Dec 86, which makes him another Global 86 vet and a decent one too!! He didn't hang around to bore post deployment new joiners completely sh*tless with Global 86 dits!!! Ken, who now resides in the Surrey stockbroker belt, failed miserably in his attempt to join the Diplomatic Corps in Dar-es-Salaam, whilst at the the same time securing his place in the ships' boxing team.
Abi HIRJI
Joined 29th July 2009 (206)
88 - 90
Abi Hirji joined Pusser (Air) UK Limited in 1970, and in a pensionable career he successfully metamorphosised from REM(A) to SMR during which time he cracked four sea drafts and shxtloads to Culdrose and Yeovilton! Abi's first venture onto the grey and crinkly stuff was on the old fixed wing flat top Ark Royal, followed by Sheffield (1982) and Fife, before he won the jackpot with a draft to the Mighty Manch (88 - 90). Very much a destroyer preferee - the fewer Wafoos onboard the better (couldn't agree more!) Abi's best run ashore was Singapore on D95 where it is rumoured that he learned from previous run ashore experiences. Twas in Malta - with the Ark Royal anchored off - that our avionics artisan first rose to fame. Having trapped and got all nighters ashore, he awoke in the morning to learn that the ship was sailing in minutes few!! Arriving breathless on the jetty to get a good stern view of the last ship's company liberty boat, our hero then surreptitiously managed to cadge a ride on a late "officers only" craft, which included the added bonus of a free salute from the QM when he sauntered up the gangway, and the admiration of many for being a Wafoo up so early in the day!! Meanwhile, on D95 Abi is fondly remembered for his selfless site surveys for possible public conveniences in Gibraltar for run ashore returning matelots, which drew much critical acclaim - unfortunately from the Gibbo Fuzz! Outside since 93 - his last draft was working with the Real Air Force some where in East Anglia - Abi now works for his local Fire and Rescue Service. Abi learned about the 2nd HMS Manchester Association from Slim Richards, Aircraft recognition from I-Spy - and most importantly, how not to bang your head in the Quasi Shack from Ian Poulter!
Mark "Ginge" HISCUTT
Joined 4th June 2007
(Melanie)
82 - 83
Ginge Hiscutt was an AB(M) who joined the ship in Barrow having just survived the sinking of HMS Sheffield. Like all first commishioners, his "firsts" include the first swimmer of the watch drills in the river at Barrow and he also won the first beard growing competition onboard. Now clean shaven - wife's directive - he left the Mighty Manch after the 83 Falklands trip. Ginge now works for BP - the company who transported him home from his first trip to the Falklands (British Esk). (He is also the first former Reggy to join the Association!).
Mark HOUGHTON
Joined 15 May 2013 (285)
George HUBBARD
Late 80's
George was a staunch member of the white mafia, a PO plate layer and pillow fluffer. A man of many talents, among George's many claims to fame was the time he grippoed in Mombers when in deepest darkest Africa for a little R+R. Keen to impress his host with all his deep sea experience whilst lolling around on host's floating gin-palace, George's first trick was to genuinely demonstrate the art of spewing up over the side without messing up the paintwork!! A very genuine social hand grenade - amongst his run ashore oppo's was BTC!! George left the mob in 97 and has since emigrated to...Scotland!! George also has a starring role on the website of another ship - HMS Yarmouth.
Bob HUBBLE
88 - 90
Bob was the most under employed man onboard on account he was the helo pilot and the aircraft was invariably AOG! Undeterred, our hero assumed the role of Fleet TV critic and could invariably be found in the "Bunhouse" dressed in his goon suit watching hours and hours of CCTV, multi repeats included. Such was his prowess at this new pastime, his favourite seat - which he rarely vacated - was known to his oppo's as the Hubble Space Telly Scope!!! Bob, who now flies for a world famous airline known locally as BA (Bob's Airline!), heard about the Association from Al Denham.
Mark ILES
Joined 10th February 2012 (260)
Alan IVISON
(Alison)
88 - ?
Alan Ivison joined Pusser UK Ltd in 1972 as a JEM2, and after the obligatory inconvenience of basic training at Raleigh, he was off to Collingrad for Pinky Faggot Indoctrination. Our "crusher of crystals" early ships included Gurkha (refit, Fife (refit), Ark Royal (alongside the wall somewhere) and the Shakey Blakey, and so with the vagaries of drafting and ship's programmes he cracked four ships in his first seven years in the mob...but less than two years actual sea time! (He claims to have visited China, Russia and the USA during this time...probably courtesy of HMS Thomas Cook!). Then came "the wilderness years", nine years away from the grey and crinkly stuff with drafts to Neptune, Collingwood (for Tiffy Training, yawn!), Mercury and Whitehall - where lodging allowance was surprisingly far greater than sea going pay! A bitter pill for our hero to swallow! Indeed, the only ships our electronics expert ever saw were from the balcony of his pad in Gibraltar! Yep, he was forced to suffer a foreign married accompanied too!
And so to 1988 and Alan actually arrives at the top of the sea roster (Shock! Horror!, Where's my counsellor?) Drafty - as always full of compassion, understanding and not wanting to disappoint, hands our hero a draft to Her Majesty's Finest, the Mighty Manch. To lessen the shock of having to become a real sailor, he is drafted as the SCOT maintainer - except that it isn't fitted - so Alan resigns himself to a life of being hostage to the bar...and his pit!
However, his dedication to service life is worthy of an award, and on one of those days when he wasn't ashore retrieving his spex from some den of iniquity where he had left them the night before, (It's lucky you don't wear glasses, Wayne!), our hero is summoned to the bridge for the prestigious award of his Lack of Sea time and Golden blanket Certificate. Lenny Bilton, the official ship photographer was in attendance, and all concerned smiled, posed and looked the part as Lenny happily snapped away. Unfortunately, and here is the sad part of the story, such happy scenes are not recorded for posterity as, ahem, Lenny never actually loaded a film! Oh dear, how sad, never mind!
