The Second HMS Manchester Association

Foreword:- For the benefit of those from the 2nd HMS Manchester Association who may not know me, I had the privilege and pleasure of being Commanding Officer of HMS Manchester 1988-89. The Ship's Company was quite exceptional. Nicely piratical at heart, but very professional, very efficient with an outstanding "can do" attitude and a very healthy disregard for red tape and bullshit!

Last year I was invited to contribute an article for this excellent newsletter and having met that request, I thought I had escaped, but some read it and commented favourable on it, and so here I am again!!

We left off the last article I think with Connie Francis and the Queen sitting on a bollard grating in BRITANNIA with HM trading a few jokes: apparently Connie learnt some new ripe words! Whenever we were deployed abroad on Royal Duty and wearing the Royal Standard the Yacht would put on a Sod's Opera - known in the Yacht as a Concert Party (couldn't have anything as coarse as Sod in the title). The Queen and Prince Philip always appeared to enjoy these events, staged on the focsle with full awnings and side curtains support. There was never any lack of volunteers for the acts and some, inevitably, pushed the bounds of what was appropriate for the Monarch! It was my job to try and ensure an acceptable standard by attending the dress rehearsal, which wasn't to say that the odd enterprising Yottie didn't add a touch of blueness after my approval had been given!

One particularly good act - not revealed until actual performance - was by stoker Nick Nicholson. With HM's connivance beforehand in her study he gave her a cheap and cheerful watch which she was duly wearing on the night as she took her seat, a nice comfy armchair on the focsle. On comes our hairy arsed Stoker and promising to perform a conjuring trick he "spots" the Queen's watch and asks her if he could borrow it to perform a miraculous trick. "It always works to perfection, Ma'am". The Queen looks suitably hesitant but Prince Philip, who was in on it all encourages her and with reluctance she hands Nick her watch. You've guessed the rest: Nick bumbles his way through a very clumsy performance and ends up smashing the "Royal" watch to pieces with his hammer when the trick goes wrong. Mock horror from the front row but a perfect example of just what a wonderful sense of fun our Queen had - how could we not enjoy the times she spent onboard with us?

On a more serious theme, the 50th anniversary of the midpoint of the Battle of the Atlantic took place off the north coast of Anglesey in the summer of 1993, chosen as it would offer a lee from the prevailing south westerlies. But even Her Majesty's Yacht could not ordain the weather!

With Prince Philip embarked and around 25 ships representing WWII allies and some 12 heads of state of wartime allied nations to be brought out to BRITANNIA for the ceremony and steam past we were faced with a full force 10 storm from the north east - no lee at all and no ship was able to operate helos or boats. How to get all the VIPs (including our First Sea Lord, almost the junior of the lot!) out to The Yacht?