The Second HMS Manchester Association

Call on Izzie Bent and Wiggy Bennett, two Leading Seamen in the Yacht who had been the coxswains probably for ten years of the Nelson 34ft boats we carried: in fair weather or foul, North Atlantic, South Pacific, North Pacific, Indian Ocean, North Sea - they had done it all by day and night. Using their immense experience and boat handling skills they managed, alone of the warships present, to operate a ferry shuttle out to BRITANNIA whilst we in the Yacht helped them by operating special doors and ladders as they made their alongside, with the Yacht yawing sometimes as much as 60 degrees in the storm. Not a VIP even bruised! One or two a touch green though! Everyone else had power on their main engines as they frantically tried to hold onto their anchors as we clawed our way between the review lines, Prince Philip being able to host his guests as if all was quiet and normal, though fresh Royal Standards had to keep being broken out as the gale steadily shredded it's way through them.

There simply was not a ship in the world who could rival BRITANNIA for worldwide seamanship experience and pizazz, much of it carried out in the full glare of publicity because of the Royal passengers who were embarked. The beautiful stately Royal barge was another arrow in our quiver, her coxswain, a CPO, a massively skilled, practised and capable boat handler. The Yacht was a masterpiece of a vessel, who brought untold billions into the Treasury by way of international trade deal opportunities she hosted. Her decommissioning, left both the Royal Navy, whose ensign she so conspicuously flew, and the United Kingdom, immeasurably the poorer. And Connie, the shy boy from MANCH, was the Buffer of this gem!

"Fez" Parker joined Pusser UK Limited as a young stoker in 1965, and in a pensionable career he visited the main machinery spaces of Wizard, Albion (twice), Norfolk (GMD), Dundas, Blake and Cardiff, before drafty rewarded him for his service with a draft to the brand new Mighty Manch. As with all First Commissioners, Fez has his own individual "first", and he was the first to step forward to be President of the Petty Officers' Mess. His prominence for this role, greatly assisted by his messmates stepping back one step en masse at the same time!

"Fez" recalls Manchester as the best run ashore during his time on board and also remembers the time the ship took 12 visiting Policemen on an overnight jolly from Pompey to Liverpool. Having enjoyed the obligatory tour of warship wonderful the "old bill" were naturally keen to demonstrate their own trade skills and they immediately threw a cordon around the PO's Mess bar! This obviously was a cause for concern for the Mess members - who to a man - elected to stay and drink CSB so that not all of the bar stock would fall into the mouths of the law! The siege was finally broken when the ship arrived in Liverpool!

Outside since '87, "Fez" worked part-time as a security officer for Hull Tigers, whilst continually looking for coppers to buy him a beer!

Bungy Mark Williams and J. J. Fialho represented 2MA at "Fez's" funeral in Hull on Friday 13th January, 2023.

2MA made arrangements for a Royal Marines bugler to play the Last Post.

Rest in Peace, "Fez", a very popular shipmate.