40s and 50s Memories
construction on-going at that time in that region,
for example, at the Devonport submarine base,
at the Tamar bridge, and at over 200 miles of
motorway and trunk road construction, and
also with much major industrial and house
building. By this time employment law had
changed dramatically and trouble with unions
had vanished! I retired in 1998 have been
company services director for the previous
five years with a fascinating portfolio of
responsibilities leading a team of specialist
departments including capital engineering and
heavy workshops, geology and mine planning,
planning and estates, purchasing, health and
safety and with environmental management
added as a final make weight! I found this a
fascinating job and especially since I had been
on the receiving end of the services the central
departments supplied in my operational days.
Although I might now be classed as an industrial
dinosaur, having worked with the one employer
for nearly 40 years, I have to say it felt like no
more than five! Quarrying is a basic industry
and although it might be considered 'rape and
pillage' of the countryside it is a vital primary
industry fundamental to the nation's wealth like
so many other primary suppliers. Here endeth
the lesson.
Lesley and I have two sons both of whom went
to King's and are both in the marine industry.
Alastair is a large-boat yacht broker whilst
Robert is a super-yacht skipper in the south of
France. That's what comes of them having a
Mirror dinghy and Lesley and I being avid dinghy
sailers who now own a yacht that we keep in
Antigua. And it is there that we spend the winter
months away from home in Lymington.
So that's what has been filling my past half-
century "Life after King's!"
J. R. SMITH
King Alfred 1958
John Smith left King's in 1958, from Alfred
House, as a House prefect. He played all key
sports making the 1st teams in hockey and
rugby and the 2nd XI in cricket.
Of his later life he writes:
I left King's in April 1958 and immediately went to
the Britannia Royal Naval College at Dartmouth
and subsequently had a very satisfying career
in the Royal Navy lasting 37 years. I trained
as a marine engineering specialist at the
Royal Naval Engineering College in Plymouth
acquiring several qualifications (FIMarEST,
CEng, CMarEng) and subsequently served
in most types of surface ships, from 50 knot
fast patrol boats to the largest aircraft carriers,
as well as in shore appointments. Two of the
ships are still around - HMS Belfast in London
(my cabin was starboard side just aft of B Gun
Turret!) and HMS Scylla, now a divers' paradise
specifically sunk near Plymouth.
I served on HMS Victorious (1964) when
President Sukarno of Indonesia threatened
to sink it, and I served on HMS Eagle (1996)
when it provided sea and air support during the
withdrawal from Aden.
In 1969 I married my wife, Rosemary, and our
son Paul (OA) and daughter Jenny arrived in
1971 and 1973.
When General Galtieri invaded the Falkland
Islands (1982) I was a Commander serving as
the Marine Engineer Officer of HMS Illustrious.
At the time it was 6 months or so from completion
at Swan Hunter's yard in Newcastle. She was
completed only ten weeks later in June with
several new weapons systems fitted (some of
which had never been seen in the UK before)
and in the next 40 days and 40 nights finished
trials, stored, trained, embarked the air group
(10 Sea Harriers and 11 Sea King helicopters),
completed working up for operations and sailed
for the Falklands. This 40 day period normally
takes a full year. As with many aspects with the
Falklands campaign these were exhilarating
times. My Captain later became 1st Sea Lord.
In 1983 I became the 2nd in Command and
Executive Officer of the Royal Naval Air Station
Culdrose which is situated on the Lizard
peninsular. With 100 aircraft, 2400 naval
personnel and 600 civilians this was the largest
helicopter station in Europe and claimed to
have more aircraft movements per day than
Heathrow although, of course, the majority
of these were helicopters on training flights -
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