HMS MERCURY

[NozzyNozzer]

This is a Forum created for all you ex-Mercury trainees, staff and ship's company.

 

[andym]

OMG dont remind me of the worst 10 months of my Naval Career!

 

[radar.uk]

Happy memories of the Mercury club both as a sprog and when back on killicks course. Is it still there I know they transferred all training down to Collingwood I think

 

[brigham600]

Many happy times spent at Mercs. Was a great and relaxed place once you had completed 'nozzers' training and ever went back as ships company.

Mercury club was brilliant and I used to get back early on Sunday evening for the bops. Thursdays was the usual Hordean and Clanfield ladies invite.

Accommodation was arse though, even in the ships company blocks.

Some great pubs in the area and many a drunken evening spent in either 'The Royal Oak, G and D, Izzack Walton, Rising Sun to name but a few.

Been up there for a look around since it closed down in 1993 and it is a weird feeling stood where the QM's caboosh was, looking around at what is now left. Basically, only the Kelly accommodation and a couple of stores blocks, bank etc, not that they are open for business! The old sick bay is now some sort of 'green' hippy type place. Almost shed a tear.

 

[Always_a_Civvy]

Some Mess Dinner Menu piccies from ebay...

 

[Squirrel]

Passed through Mercers in the early 90s as a sprog RO, returned a few years later on transfer to the CT branch but by then, only the crescent road was open. My last visit there was in 1997 to do a CT type PJT. I've been told that only Leydene house still stands now. Everything has indeed transfered to Collingwood, C School teach Comms and what was the SCU north of the road is now in Leydene building at Collingwood.
Oh those cold nights on stick-patrol!!
however, the bops were top-notch.

 

[HORNBLOWER]

:grin: Went back after it closed and it was a real sad site to see but fond memories of the burger van, running around the camp when fire party with that stupid fire tolley thing, not being able to see more than a few feet in front of you when the fog came down, fleetwork trainer (FCCY Brasey) kicking arse ! Biffers, North camp training in mid winter (freezing) on black post war type writers, those 'orrible morse headsets which crushed your skull and of course, the agromat. Marvellous. :grin:

 

[Scribes]

I remember that stupid bloody Fire Party trolley! They'd run you ragged dragging the thing around from hydrant to hydrant setting up branch pipes etc. Then on the one occasion when there actually was a fire they told us to get back and not go anywhere near it until the Fire Brigade arrived. Proof positive it was "makework" duty if ever there was one.

Accomodation was a bit spartan though! I remember turning up on the bus from Raleigh and seeing the place for the first time. "Oh my God" probably sums up what I was thinking. Kelly Club was always packed on weekends, used to get people turning up from as far afield as Sultan and Collingwood for the Mercury Bop. That sort of thing never happens anymore, everyone goes ashore now.

Anyone ever end up doing the Crescent Road Mattress Race at Call the Hands?

 

[writerken]

Operation SEAL and SOBERTON patrol, and those creepy night patrols. I loved the cinema. And the bloody night bus back from Pompey. Anyone recall scrubbing it out if you threw up on it.

There in 64 and many times after.

 

[janner]

Fireparty at Mercury was good stuff, for some reason I was made throttle man on the pump, had to be the best job, just run on behind leaning on it.

I remember one drill, can't remember the timings, you had so long to pump water from the time the shout went out, this particular night the shout was to the front of the Main House. Fire Party running late threw the suction hose into the ornamental duck pond, sucked it dry and left all of the duck stood in the duck crap that filled the bottom of the pond.
Enter stage left, The Commander, not noted for his sense of humour on a good day, at that moment in time he had lost it completely.
Result Fire Party spent the rest of the evening well into the night, cleaning the duck pond and then re filling it

 

[Always_a_Civvy]

:grin: Went back after it closed and it was a real sad site to see but fond memories of the burger van, running around the camp when fire party with that stupid fire tolley thing, not being able to see more than a few feet in front of you when the fog came down, fleetwork trainer (FCCY Brasey) kicking arse ! Biffers, North camp training in mid winter (freezing) on black post war type writers, those 'orrible morse headsets which crushed your skull and of course, the agromat. Marvellous. :grin:

Not the heavy bakelight and steel things the Observer Corps used to use on monitoring posts by any chance? The metal top bit used to scalp you if you had forgotten your beret! I wondered where we got such antiques from! :shock: :grin: :lol:

 

[KLNA-Cessna-Jockey]

I did my basic RO training at Mercury in late 83/early 84 when we had really heavy snow and we had to clear the roads so people could get in and out.

Scary sh!t on stick patrol in the woods at night ! Scared the sh!te out of me as a youngster anyway.

Loved the galley boys - great lads when I was doing number 9s, courtesy of, I believe, Capt W W F Chatterton-Dickson. Made that ships bell shine well though.

Anyone remember RS SM Moultry?