Captain Jim Boyd.

I had an E-mail on Friday telling me that Captain Jim Boyd had died of a heart attack whilst walking on the Cairngorms. Jim was my ex -Captain on Opossum. He had also been Commander of the Submarine School when it was in Dolphin, and Captain of a Trident boat.

A true Gentleman may he rest in peace. RESURGAM

 

A great Officer and a Gent.

 

Did a BSQ For'd walkround with him in 1987 when he was XO of Churchill - certainly one of the better XOs I've served with. He became Acting CO in early 89 when we had to leave the CO (Bill Pym) in Gib after the "Hi Ho" incident :thumright:

 

Go on notafourknotfudgepacker tell us about th Hi Ho incident some of us were long into civvie land and have no knowledge about this bit of submarine folk law.

Go on, go on, please tell all.

Nutty

 

As requested: Quick 24-30 hour stopover in Gib (yeah one of those) before going to Casablanca for fairly high profile port visit. WR starts pissing up at lunchtime (Jim Boyd's birthday), by early evening they are all in a bad way and Jim Boyd goes to a hotel for the night. No-one takes charge of the old man (Bill Pym) and he carries on. Sometime later on, outside the Horseshoe, Bill Pym (clad only in boxer shorts) is leading a Hi Ho routine, on his knees, in the gutter - shore patrol turn up. One of the other dabber officers gets "arrested" trying to protect (bit too late really) his CO, who is in such a state they cart him off to RNH. Boat sails following morning, with XO in charge and CO left behind. Casablanca ends up as a really great run (not) - anchored off for 6 days in Atlantic as King of Morocco does not allow DIPCLEAR (not related to Gib fracas). Couple of months later boat arrives at Rosyth for refit, day after Bill Pym's court martial. Scottish Sun headline that day "Hi Ho Hic - Sub Skipper.....etc. etc." so Rosyth dockies do the Hi Ho routine on the dockside as the boat comes alongside. Bill Pym was effectively "retired" somewhere and Jim Boyd (later drove Vanguard) made Captain.

 

PMSL :w00t: I do not suppose they make them like that anymore.

Nutty

 

Would that be the same Jim Boyd that was N.O. on the Repulse around 78/90 time?

 

Sorry, can't type (being ex LRO) - that should have read around 78/79 time. Jim Boyd was our Navigator on Repulse Stbd - just wonder if it's the same guy.

 

I believe he was also the CO of either Opossum or Sealion, but can't remember which
(a good skipper....I recall, for some strange reason that his cap always seemed to look
three sizes too big for his head). RIP.

 

Opossum

 

Whoah, was pretty sure he was CO of Vanguard when I was on it.

Can't believe he's died.

 

Sounds like our skipper on Sealion (name withheld out of respect), who was leading the lads in a sods opera in the casino. A mess-dressed Chief off the Brighton took exception to the performance, and not realising whom he was addressing (all in civvies) proceeded to rip the skipper off a strip, announcing that he was Chief Petty Officer so-and-so off HMS Brighton, and if he didn't get down from the table and behave, the shore patrol would be called, and he'd be arrested. A hushed silence descended over the crew, as the skipper poked this little Chief in the chest, pushing him right across the casino, informing him at the same time that if he didn't piss off, his "lads" would sort him out big time!
Fortunately, no shore patrol involvement occured, and the Boss got away with it, and his already high status among the crew soared to new heights.
I doubt that they make submarine officers in the same mould now, and who knows - that may be a good thing?