merchant navy defence course

[Colin Wood]

I was there in 1956, enjoying a fine summer. The shell for the gun was specially weighted to weigh the same as a real one. We were told by gunnery instructor to ram the shell in hard or our hand would get hit by the breech mechanism. So I rammed it in hard and it bounced back and jammed the breech. Laughs all round. Also shown some films, all marked secret or restricted and included a helicopter rescue. Had to laugh as had seen the film previous evening at flicks as an advert for Senior Service cigarette. Great summer doing courses for Decca Radar, Radar Ticket Sperry and Browns gyro. All on full pay. Some of the best tmes I had with Furness Withy and Prince Line.

[j.sabourn]

#11... Did you do the Browns course at the factory at Watford Junction Colin if so probably stayed at same hotel. Although think it was 1957 that I did. Think there was an electrician did the same course at the time from the same neck of the woods I was from who married a friend of the wife’s, who was then just a girlfriend. Think he was out of Furness Withy. JS.