[QUOTE=J Gowers;375332]I thought during the times on National Service when you got called up it was two years in the forces or if you opted for the MN you did five years. I served my apprenticeships as a mechanical fitter 1969-74 and a few of the journeymen had been in the Merchant Navy and they told me they did five years in the Merchant Navy as an option to National Service. I never knew if this was true or they were just telling stories.[/QUOTE
It was eight years in the MN, but if you joined at 16 that only brought you to 24, Nat Service finished at 26, so you could still be liable to be called up. If you left at 26 you went onto a reserve list until 36 in case of conflict. Sailed with a lot of people who joined the MN to avoid Nat Service, a lot of them hated it, as the sea wasn't for them, your bunk never stopped moving just because you knocked off work, a lot of them couldn't handle a 14 day stormy crossing, too bad, you'd signed 24 month Articles of Agreement before sailing, if you were lucky it could only be a 3 month trip, and with a bit of money in your pocket, and the threat of NS if you overstayed your leave, a lot went back for more misery. Most of us liked it, some didn't
