Detention Quarters

[Ronnie Cassidy]

I actually done two stints in DQ,s, 28days and 60 days, was fit as a flea each time I came out. Went on to finish my time and left the mob amicably.

 

[Topstop]

 

[SONAR-BENDER]

^^^^^ I watched that movie - very interesting, but also very tree hugging. They obviously went out looking for lads that felt aggrieved about DQs. We all knew what DQ was for and like - it was a deterrent. So a poor and biased movie as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Topstop]

A lad I joined up wanted out and slapped in to leave but was talked out of it, "this is training it will be better when you've finished etc" things got worse at Collingrad, slapped in again but was by now passed the cutoff was always in the shit but passing the modules(just) and blatantly unsuitable for service life ( had 2 fleet baths to my knowledge) . Went on the trot on the Friday (no W/E pass) was picked up on the Thursday Charged with AWOL +"Letting his kit falling into an insanitary state" 28 days outside. the real kick in the bollocks was if he had come in on the Monday morning his discharge papers had been raised and where waiting for him, by that evening he would have been on the ferry back to Ireland. this was 74 I think if this had occurred 5 years earlier he would have been a statistic. Glad I lived in different times.​

 

[John Coyle]

I was in DQ's sentenced to 9 months by Court Marshal for striking a Rpo and a Provost Marshal in 1968 , i watched the movie and i found it true to form , i done wrong and exspected a hard time , i got on with it , but because i hit a officer , the Chief Of Staff , pulled me to one side and told me , he did'nt like me and was taking a special interest in me , so he kept on my case for quite a while ,but still i got on with it , until one day , when visited by your so called friend , in my case a priest , he asked me how it was going , i'd been in for about 3 months then , i told him if the Chief Of Staff dos'nt get off my back , i am going to flatten him , by this time i was very fit , it worked , he had a word with the CO , who told the C O Staff to lay off me , not long after i was made a trustee and aloud a shore every Saturday in uniform with half a quid ,only matelot in Pompy in uniform except for the shore patrol who did'nt like me because i hit there boss , everyone knew me in Pompy , i got rat arsed in the Golden Fleece, Shipwrights Arms , Lennox and Railway Carriers until it closed when the floor collapsed due to all the scrumpy being spilt , we ended up in the cellar ! with Olive and Ron Dainty who ran it , went back to DQ's had to be back by midnight and still had half a quid , but DQ's was bad , i remember the press trying to get access when i was there but they had no chance , and i was told if i spoke to anyone about DQ's when i was ashore and they found out i would lose my remission , the food was crap and full of cockies and never gave you enough ,could'nt talk unless asked a question by staff , did'nt speak for 3 month's , wooden bed with wooden headrest 1 blanket until made trustee then i got a mattress with 2 blankets , luxury !! But what a SHIT HOLE , The day after i got out after 6 month's , i took the prisoners in and the Provo who i hit was my new boss , i was now working for the Provo Staff what a great guy , Lt Ginge Darling i will never forget him , he said to me when i met him after DQ's , with a fist like that , i want you on my side, went on to join Glamorgan and because i was so fit , joined Glamorgan's rugby team , but looking back it was rough and a few guys attempted suicide , one guy in paticular cut his wrists , he survived , me being a trustee i had to go into his cell and clean up all the blood, it was everywhere , all over the cell walls , i saw his wrists , big gaping holes , horrid ! but yes as i said before i deserved to go to DQ's but not to be put through all that Shit !.

 

[dave_the_scot]

UPDATE! I've just watched that You Tube video about Pompey DQ's and, as I was in there around the same time as this documentary was made (November/December 1969 and I totally remember most, if not all of the DQ staff that were in there at that time, especially the RM C/SGT (Palmer comes to mind) who, to me, seemed like an extremely decent person. I find it totally unbelieveable that some ratings tried to commit suicide, crying, the food was rubbish, the staff were inhuman etc, etc. I came out in late December 1969 and, as the documentary states, TV's and mattresses were just being introduced.

As stated, I served 28 days in Pompey DQ's and, I don't remember seeing any of what was shown in that video, happening. I can only speak for myself when I say that, I was never treated unfairly at any time, by any members of the staff, nor did I see any of the incidents that were shown in that video!

----------->

Hi, yes I awarded 42 days in Pompey DQ's for striking a PO whilst out drinking in Plymouth (not proud of that) but, got 14 days off for good behaviour (remission) so served only 28 days! To be honest, I'm not proud of it and I also forfeited 42 days of my RN Service time which was recorded on my RN Record, which I've still got! No doubt about it, I definitely deserved to be in there!

The first thing that happened was a trip to the barbers (butchers) for a No.1 right down to the wood!

You had a cell of your own and slept on a solid wooden bed with an equally wooden pillow for a headrest which was screwed down and, if memory serves me correctly, one blanket but, if it was below a certain temperature, you might have been given another! Talking to other ratings was not allowed and, if caught some, or all of any remission time, if any, would have been taken away! Was it comfy? Hell no but, it was my fault that I was in there, you were fed every day and kept fit so, you just had to get to get on with it!

With reference to toilet facilities, you had a bucket (with water, I think) in your cell and after unlocking every morning, you were all called out of your cell and stood still on the balcony awaiting further orders! You then went downstairs to 'slop out', get a mug of water for shaving, washed and returned your clean bucket to your cell before going through the breakfast routine!

TBH, I actually found my time in DQ's pretty easy and, with all of the exercise we got, we were definitely kept fit! The food was pretty good and you had PT and 303 rifle drill every week day and I think 'lights out' was around 21:00! No drill or exercise on Saturday or Sunday, you had more time to yourself was yourself but, you were kept locked up longer periods. After Church on Sunday, the Padre would read out the news headlines followed by the football scores!

After my 28 days were up in late December 1969, I left just before Christmas and, as I was going through leaving routine, I noticed that they were introducing TV's and mattresses! I was given another hair cut and a one way travel warrant, then had to travel down to Portland by train to where my ship was berthed!

Did I learn anything? Not really, but I was already disciplined and handled DQ's very well! I made a stupid mistake and I paid for it!

When I left the RN, I worked in Pompey dockyard for 10 years and every time I walked/drove by RNDQ's, I was always reminded of my 28 days in there!

 

[mitch in the north]

Did 28 days in 1985 for breaking a suspended sentence(smoking special baccy in St Vincent was the suspended one) then being caught shit faced whilst serving the drinks on an open day on some Leander in Guzz ! Not the proudest day in my Naval career.
Anyway it was not as bad as it was in the 60-70s if previous posts are correct,witch im sure they are,i recall the small cell with a bed and table and lights out at ?8pm,but we were given writing material and a pencil, although i would sleep between the mattress cover in order not to spoil my bed block ! Also the regime was quite brutal ie; constant drill, running, no speaking only when when were allowed, 2 cigs aday and up at 6am i think?
The staff were all old salts who had done 30 yrs plus and couldnt give shit as long as you towed the line, i remember the odd trip out swimming at Pitt st naval baths,i think, where we had to to swing across the pool on a trapezium!!
Also the scran was good ,a small mess outside the main block with class food , unless i was so hungry owt seemed good.
I had a canny little job inside nearer my release cleaning the officers mess although all the bar was locked but managed to pinch a few fag ends to smoke!
An experience to say the least,, i hasten to add i never put another foot out of order for the rest of my days in the mob!!
Any one got any photos of the DQs? none on google i can find, i remember having me own mug shot taken! love to find that.

 

[taffscrivs]

I always enjoyed the trip to Pitt St Baths, did silver and gold personal survival badges there, only good thing I did in Deeks. I remember one time when we were marching back we all started whistling and the Staff said 'Right then clever dicks, double march!' We all took off like the clappers trying to leave the old git behind, he didn't even try to keep up. 100 yards down the road the PTI was waiting, and he doubled us right back into DQs, and kept us going round and round till one by one we dropped. Then him and the old staff informed us that our little escapade had been tried dozens of times and the result was always the same, you can never beat the staff in DQ's. Lesson learned!

 

[db90]

Just wondering if any of you who have been through DQs/Collie ended up doing time after in a civvie nick or did you stay out of trouble afterwards?

Am asking because I am in that situation now where I am looking at prison time. If anybody did how did you find civvie nick? I am thinking it must be easier after having been through DQs before?

 

[Scran_Bag]

Just wondering if any of you who have been through DQs/Collie ended up doing time after in a civvie nick or did you stay out of trouble afterwards?

Am asking because I am in that situation now where I am looking at prison time. If anybody did how did you find civvie nick? I am thinking it must be easier after having been through DQs before?

Much dry bumming happen in DQ's,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,?

 

[janner]

It depends to a great extent on why you are being locked up and the length of service. What's the offence, Kiddie fiddling if frowned upon but drug dealing not so much.

 

[huwshpis]

Just wondering if any of you who have been through DQs/Collie ended up doing time after in a civvie nick or did you stay out of trouble afterwards?

Am asking because I am in that situation now where I am looking at prison time. If anybody did how did you find civvie nick? I am thinking it must be easier after having been through DQs before?

I doubt it’s easier. I have no experience of DQ’s apart from delivering a chap there once, but have been a visitor to a number of civvy jails in the course of my work as a Barrister. There are far fewer staff per inmate, more shared cells and more opportunities for violence.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SARKING]

Much dry bumming happen in DQ's,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,?

If any of the er..guests had energy for dry bumming,the staff weren't doing their job right...

 

[taffscrivs]

DQ's is/was a proper place of detention, run with adherence to a strict set of rules, with no leeway expected or given. This is the way civvy prisons should be run, if they were Her Majesties Prison service would not have so many problems.

 

[Scran_Bag]

If any of the er..guests had energy for dry bumming,the staff weren't doing their job right...

Errrm, it was meant to be a "tongue in cheek" rhetorical question.............pun intended.

 

[db90]

It depends to a great extent on why you are being locked up and the length of service. What's the offence, Kiddie fiddling if frowned upon but drug dealing not so much.

Charged with GBH. Back in court in 2 weeks

 

[Bobyoung]

My dad was sentenced to 90 days in Jerusalem in 1941...absent from ship.....he served 60 days...from an expert I know he feels dad was slightly unlucky to some extent as if the ship had not been under sailing orders the absence would have been recorded as adrift from leave punishable by the CO with stoppage of pay or leave depending on how late his adrift was. I wonder if anybody can add anything to this? I would love to know the Jerusalem DQ..thank you

 

[Topstop]

My dad was sentenced to 90 days in Jerusalem in 1941...absent from ship.....he served 60 days...from an expert I know he feels dad was slightly unlucky to some extent as if the ship had not been under sailing orders the absence would have been recorded as adrift from leave punishable by the CO with stoppage of pay or leave depending on how late his adrift was. I wonder if anybody can add anything to this? I would love to know the Jerusalem DQ..thank you

You may find something in this lot.

(569) - Army lists > Quarterly Army Lists (Second Series), July 1940-December 1950 > 1941 > Third quarter > Volume 2 - British Military lists - National Library of Scotland