Stokers

[BreathingOutOnTheWayUp]

Chortling away with his hands full & eyes firmly shut, Stripey had yet to notice that a cunning dockyard matey was robbing him of the greater part of his cold & greasy oggie.

Blinded by the cup of hot tea hurled at his face the photographer failed to record the subsequent bloodbath which cost poor stokes two of his badges and matey all of his teeth.

 

[Nippit]

I was thinking he looked about fiftyish and wondering if he was one of the legendary promised men, but then, as @Seadog observes, no gongs.

Few had gongs in the period 1946 to 1968 when this gentleman served. They weren't so readily available then.
He was clearly too fond of the oggies to have seen much active service . Had he behaved himself he might have eventually sported a Blue Peter. He epitomised the Barrack Stanchion.

 

[Nippit]

If you enlarge the photograph and look to the left of his top stripe, you can see a ribbon, or possibly dolphins - which would put Wrecks back in the frame.

Submariners didn't wear such embellishments when this photograph was taken. It was obvious if they were submariners as they smelt of shale oil among other things. Shale oil was put to good use by HMS Unbending inWW2 other that for her torpedos.

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

Few had gongs in the period 1946 to 1968 when this gentleman served

Yep, when I joined (1981) the only medals you regularly saw were LS&GC and maybe the odd GSM with a Northern Ireland bar.

 

[dhobyitch]

or possibly dolphins - which would put Wrecks back in the frame.

Submariners didn't wear such embellishments when this photograph was taken. It was obvious if they were submariners as they smelt of shale oil among other things. Shale oil was put to good use by HMS Unbending inWW2 other that for her torpedos.

I realised that, it was meant as a preamble to the side splitting last part... nah forget it.

https://www.navy-net.co.uk/community/threads/introduction-of-dolphins-in-the-early-70s.40230/

 

[WreckerL]

If you enlarge the photograph and look to the left of his top stripe, you can see a ribbon, or possibly dolphins - which would put Wrecks back in the frame.

And straight out of the frame again, dolphins weren't issued until 1970 and that photo looks a bit older.

 

[Nippit]

And straight out of the frame again, dolphins weren't issued until 1970 and that photo looks a bit kldedy.??:;

This is a WW2 submariners cuff badge

 

[WreckerL]

This is a WW2 submariners cuff badge

I know what they looked like, you also had to buy them yourself. Gilt Dolphins came in in April 1970.

Only know all that because the Submarine School at Raleigh has a small heritage site/museum and I researched the history of the submarine badges for if when I was an instructor there.

 

[Nippit]

I know what they looked like, you also had to buy them yourself. Gilt Dolphins came in in April 1970.

Only know all that because the Submarine School at Raleigh has a small heritage site/museum and I researched the history of the submarine badges for if when I was an instructor there.

Thanks for that information. So far as I recall that is the first time I have seen this badge. They were available from the Slop Room and had to be paid for as, in those days, KUA was in force.

 

[WreckerL]

Thanks for that information. So far as I recall that is the first time I have seen this badge. They were available from the Slop Room and had to be paid for as, in those days, KUA was in force.

There is a picture of it on the branch badges page in BR1938 Naval Ratings Handbook that we all got issued with at Ganges, although the book was only ever used as a template for folding your kit for the kitmusters.

Being an anorak, I still have my copy

 

[SONAR-BENDER]

Nice to see they had the foresight to use a nuclear boat.........

 

[Nippit]

There is a picture of it on the branch badges page in BR1938 Naval Ratings Handbook that we all got issued with at Ganges, although the book was only ever used as a template for folding your kit for the kitmusters.

Being an anorak, I still have my copy

Looking at the price on Amazon I'd hang on to it.

 

[WreckerL]

Looking at the price on Amazon I'd hang on to it.

Varies from £1 to £60 on E-bay!!, £25 on Amazon.

 

[Joint_Force_Harrier]

More importantly, why did they need stokers on the Victory?

 

[Sumo]

More importantly, why did they need stokers on the Victory?

Blame culture, training the branch to take the crap for everything that goes wrong?

 

[Joint_Force_Harrier]

Blame culture, training the branch to take the crap for that went wrong?

Or they were the original Dabbers

 

[Sumo]

Or they were the original Dabbers

With what looks like a boat on his cuff could be a torpedo, as a dabber, a torpedo man,but what would he be doing on the victory?

 

[Stirlin]

Or they were the original Dabbers

Wash your mouth out .

 

[Sumo]

Wash your mouth out .

with OM13 ?

 

[Stirlin]

with OM13 ?

Nope , OEP 69 ....slides down the throat easier.