Hi, I am an Author doing research for a book. Part of which takes part at the start of WW2 and focuses on a 15-16 yo boy in the Navy. I have come across some great bits of research about HMS Ganges. Does anyone have any stories or information that I would be able to use? I also believe that all boys were moved to the Isle of white from the training annexes for safety reasons when the war started. Does anyone have information on this? Many thanks.
make sure you check your spelling before you publish Isle of Wight HMS Ganges - photographs of HMS GANGES HMS Ganges
I work with a chap - ex Navy - who was a Button Boy at HMS Ganges very post War. Rather him than me. He says they used to climb the Mast as 'something to do during our lunch break'. How times have changed.
I trained at HMS GANGES in February 1976 - the ensign was lowered for the last time in June of that year.
Have a read of 'Heart of Oak' by Tristan Jones, which is his biography of his time in the Navy during WW2. From memory, i'm pretty sure he did his training at Ganges and it's well covered in the book.
Ganges Mast pics. Like the how many on a tank thread how about, How many up a Mast thread!!! Sad to say that the mast is in a sorry state now.
A chap that I used to know in BT was also a 'Button Boy' at HMS Ganges. He went on to be SBS during WW2. I can only remember him as Jim. He was a Clerical Assistant to Telephone Engineers in the early 1980's. I wish that I had asked him more as he was still a tough guy and spoke about being landed on the Cherbourg peninsula five days before D-Day. He was shot in the mouth and had to wait several days before being treated at an American aid station by a nurse. He was stitched up without anaesthetic. I don't recall if he said much more about it. i wish that I had taken more interest. He sported quite a scar.
I'm sad to hear the mast has been allowed to fall into a state of disrepair. I understood it to be a Grade Two Listed Structure. I began my Police Training at Shotley Gate in January 1988. The mast was out of bounds then. Our passing out parade was held around the base of the mast in April of that year. A proud moment for my Mum.