When I was on the Tartar - Black Cat Stories as told by Jack
By Michael Payne 1999 UK price £19.99,
When I learnt that the author of this book followed a very similar career path to me, I looked forward to reading a book that covered the next decade after my service. I served 1956-1968. He joined in 1969.
We both started as Junior Seamen in the Radar Branch and left after (nine years from 18) as RP2 (second class) leading seaman.
To those unfamiliar with the RN that seems the same, however, in 1956 when I joined we were 15, not 16; as boy seaman, (the term junior seaman had only just been taken up) we did a full year's training at HMS St Vincent
It is not widely known just how many boy seamen lost their lives at sea in both world wars, EG, about 42 went down with HMS Barham on 25th November 1941.
It is interesting to read that in Michael's time they were given a chance to change their minds, not once, but twice, what luxury, we were never ever asked, "you'r in mate". Roll on my 12. A few made it, you could wet the bed, some of the poor sods couldn't help it.
At HMS St Vincent my entry consisted of three classes, one seaman and two of junior electrical ratings, we trained a full year with them. We had the same education and sport, we attended school in our own class, but took the final exams together. I came top of my entry in School, I have a lot to thank the RN for, the year's education at St Vincent was the best I had had up till then, we didn't join with GCE's as they did in Michael's time, it was a case of being shown the door at my School: exams, what exams? Career guidance, no such thing.
We were all boys of 15; in the same boat if you will pardon the pun, I therefore never, referred to an electrical ratings as "Greeny" or regarded them as wimps. If you were an officers' steward do not read this book. Come to think of it the "pigs" get a rough time too, serves them right for having such comfortable cabins and giving us such a hard time.
I am tempted to say, don't read this book if you were not in the seaman branch, because just about everybody else is insulted in it - a few manage to escape, but not many.
If you have delicate eyes beware of the very strong language, but take some of the stories with a pinch of salt, you forgot a bit Michael, after "fridge greenhouse" you should add as we did, "permission to steer by magics" ("Bridge Wheelhouse, permission to steer by asdics")
Does this really represent the Royal Navy of 1969 to 1980? if so I'm glad I did my time when I did -yes we had a bit of fun winding people up - yes, we got drunk and, caused trouble at times, but I do not really recall it being to the extent this book suggests.
Many of the "sea stories" (I have never heard the expression, black cat!); we passed on to those who followed us: as it was all handed down to us, but discipline seems to gone along the way, because with most officers or petty offices you couldn't take it too far; and didn't the leading hand of his mess have any control?
At HMS St Vincent in 1956 many of our instructors had come through the war, piss taking wasn't high on their agenda, they wanted us boys to survive; and have good training and education. My instructor had been in/on HMS Exeter at the Battle of the River Plate,
The Royal Navy has changed because the world changed, people who served before me will say just the same, however in 1956 I joined a Royal Navy that could still term itself reasonably large, we had the opportunity to serve on cruisers, aircraft carriers, destroyers, submarines, and various other ships, the author served in/on 4 frigates, two type 81 general-purpose frigates and two type 12, HMS Plymouth and HMS Londonderry. He refers to HMS Tiger and HMS Blake as scarce ships: I am very proud to have served in/on HMS Lion
I also served on HMS Belfast
It was not his fault; that was all that was left in the Royal Navy, mostly frigates, gone were the real destroyers, albeit a few of the (Beautiful Battles) were left, I served in/on HMS Aisne:
One thing that does puzzle me? Why would a type 81 general-purpose frigates carry so many RP's that they needed their own mess? (page 60), does he mean the junior seamen's mess? Juniors always had their own mess, we were kept well away from the influence of older ratings and, why would a type 81 carry so many RP's? I served in/on HMS Chichester
The term "Hands to dinner, RP's to lunch" came from the WW2 HO ratings, it was then, "Hands to dinner, HO's to lunch". It implied that they were a cut above the others, that's how I heard it anyway, (other stories say it was the WC, sorry CW candidates it referred to), it would have made matters even worse if we had our own mess. It was a fact that the top boys/juniors were chosen for Radar, in my class at St Vincent it was the top 5 in School, we, myself and 4 others went to HMS Dryad.
When I was on the Tartar, black cat stories as told by Jack is still worth reading, I don't wish to give the impression I did not enjoy this book, the great thing is that Michael Payne has at least sat down and written a book about his time in the Royal Navy, it is about the 1960s and 1970s if you served in the Royal Navy during that period you will probably recognise it more than say; I did.
I served from 1956 to 1968, those who served even earlier will be less familiar with its contents or ship types, the names of course may well be familiar because it is not uncommon for the Royal Navy to use the same names over and over, for instance he served on HMS Zulu, there was HMS Zulu of World War II fame.
I served in the Royal Navy as a Radar Plotter, the same as he did, and, achieved the same dizzy rank of leading seaman. I am glad he sent me a copy of the book in order that I could read and review it, we all served our time in different ways in/on different ships and, by the sound of it in different manners, (or in different public houses) I for instance do not recall drinking alcohol until I was 18 years of age, perhaps this was a sign of the times and our upbringing.
As I say before we all enjoyed a good drink, and we had fun, but we tried not to take it too far, I was fortunate to serve in/on HMS Chichester as my first real ship, this was an air direction frigates and we went off on a world tour in 1958, something the modern navy probably never does.
It is highly unlikely that in the Seventies they went "around the world". In my first ship (Chichester) we were away from home for ten months and the thing I remember most about it was not drink, not alcohol, but the wonderful places we visited, the things we did and the people we saw. To arrive in Australia at the age of 17 in 1958 was a dream come true, the boys I joined HMS St Vincent with were very much like me, from fairly poor backgrounds and from secondary modern schools where education consisted of the very basic that was on offer. We all left school at 15 and joined Royal Navy, as Michael says, we joined to see the world, I can say without any doubt whatsoever my generation in the Royal Navy certainly did see the world.
Rob Jerrard, L/Sea Retired.