The Old Grey Ghost

[jimmys]

"The Old Grey Ghost of the Borneo Coast" was off course the HMS Albion which patrolled a large part of the Far East in the sixties. At that time a helicopter and commando carrier.
She was well known around Singapore and was also in Aden and Trincomalee. The Merchant Navy as well as RFA took a lot of supplies out to her.
She slipped in and out of anchorage it was now you see her now you don't. Nobody knew where she was coming from or where she was going. We used to see her when I was on the cargo ships.
A lot of legends around that old ship, a wartime aircraft carrier.
I saw her often.
Does anybody else recall her.

regards
jimmy

[Albert Bishop]

Hi Jim, I was at the launch of the Albion in Swan Hunters in 1947. (10 years old) Never saw her again, but I believe she was eventually sold to the Aussies. Cheers Albi.

[Ronnie Grant]

Hi Jimmy. I was on Retainer 59/60 and we RAS ed a few carriers in the far East . Albion , Bulwark ark Royal? Centaur? I have a couple of pictures Ras ing alonside one of them with seahawks and gannets on their decks. Played football in Mombasa stadium against one of the carriers. My contribution was an OG in about eight seconds! Decided to pass back to the goalie ( give him a feel for the ball), he was leaning against the post studying his nails and I couldn't remember his name! That was the first time I experienced slo mo. Had a few since. I was heartily and effusively thanked by all members of the opposition team and we lost two or three one. We parked up at Johore Bahru RNAD HMS Terror for football and tiger tops. Sembawang and Neesoon village for more of the same and prawns fried rice. Met my cousin in Trincomalee off the Gambia by sheer chance. Went aboard Gambia and we then went to Loch Fyne to meet my cousins future brother in law. We had it all mate. Regards Ronnie ex Leith pool, Salvesens , Gibsons, Cairn line etc.,