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Thread: RNXS - Royal Naval Auxiliary Service

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    Default RNXS - Royal Naval Auxiliary Service

    During my time in the Merchant Navy I was also a member of the RNXS (Portland). I was the only member of the branch that was also engaged in a sea going capacity as well as being a member, so my attendance was limited to periods of leave. I happened to be home on leave when the Falklands war was declared. I'm wondering if any others here were members of the RNXS whilst also serving at sea?

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    Default Re: RNXS - Royal Naval Auxiliary Service

    Nigel I assume the RNXS is distinct from the RMAS, a totally different conception.?
    During the Falklands do, I was working for a Naval Party 1007. You can probably find this by googling it.
    A Naval Party also had nothing to do with the RMAS or the RNXS.
    We were also destined to go down to the Falklands
    with the fleet I was lead to believe, but as no one asked me if I was willing am. not too sure about this.
    Know we went down to Gibraltar on some supposed exercise about this era of instability.
    After the conflict another Diving support vessel had to be hired to recover some sensitive material from one of the sunk frigates.there is a post somewhere on site about it.
    I have aquaintances who went down there at same time as the invasion fleet, one was on a tanker in Capetown at the time and he and the rest of crew were approached by a company rep. For volunteers to go with the ship. Was told anyone who didn’t volunteer would be first on the redundancy list.
    We can look back at it now and say it was the right thing to do, but at the time it was fraught with the possibility of failure. Maggie Thatcher if remember, correctly was going through a bad time politically and probably had nothing to lose. It proved a winner for her as kept her in a job. The excuse given why we didn’t go down with the fleet was because the RN had no vessel at the time capable of taking survivors off a bottomed submarine and left the West Coast of Scotland no capabilities as such. Cheers JS
    Last edited by j.sabourn; 3rd December 2018 at 02:22 AM.

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    Default Re: RNXS - Royal Naval Auxiliary Service

    Quote Originally Posted by j.sabourn View Post
    Nigel I assume the RNXS is distinct from the RMAS, a totally different conception.?
    You are quite right, the role of the RNXS was to operate in the ports and anchorages of the UK in an Emergency. (Formed from the amalgamation of the Royal Naval Mine-watching Service (RNMWS) and Admiralty Ferry Crew Association in response to the perceived nuclear threat to British ports). We had our own vessels but in essence took over the role of RN personnel that were deployed outside of the UK in the event of an overseas conflict. Merchant shipping formed a large part of what we were involved in, not sure I can elaborate on that? (signed Official Secrets Act) but it was 'interesting' to say the least. I doubt the task we would have implemented in those days would work today since the UK fleet is minimal. The RNXS was disbanded in the mid 1990's due to government cuts.

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    Default Re: RNXS - Royal Naval Auxiliary Service

    In the early 60s courses on ABC warfare we were told that in the case of a nuclear attack and the failure of all recognised police ruling, the civil defence would take over. It was never explained who or what the civil defence was. Was it groups like the RNXS. ?. No ports were expected to be working after the first attack and any cargo worked was expected to be on and off the beaches. I obviously have heard of the RNXS before, but not really their responsibilities and duties. Cheers JS

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    Default Re: RNXS - Royal Naval Auxiliary Service

    I'm not particularly knowledgeable on the role of the Civil Defence (though my Father was a volunteer), but here's a a few lines I found on Wiki;

    The Civil Defence was the responsibility of the local authority. Volunteers were ascribed to different units depending on experience or training. Each local civil defence service was divided into several sections. Wardens were responsible for local reconnaissance and reporting, and leadership, organisation, guidance and control of the general public. Wardens would also advise survivors of the locations of rest and food centres, and other welfare facilities.

    The RNXS on the other hand was under the control of the Royal Navy.
    Last edited by Nigel Smith; 4th December 2018 at 10:54 AM.

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    Default Re: RNXS - Royal Naval Auxiliary Service

    That’s in line with the wartime ARPs, and put that light out. Maybe the instructors on the MN course were also thinking along those lines. Although in 1962 would have thought would have been a bit further forward. During that war were mainly old men like my grandfather who did such jobs as there was a shortage of younger ones. Cheers JS...

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