Introducing our founder - Isaac
I joined Minerva in Chatham at midnight on 2nd January 1970, having received a telegram at home to come off leave 2 days early. We sailed the next day. The first Soviet carrier, Moskva, had emerged from the Black Sea, and we were required to chase her round the Med. Mine was a pierhead jump to replace Mick Lansley, from whom I had an hour or two's handover before we sailed. I believe we called in at Portsmouth to pick up the crew who had failed to return from leave early. Minerva had just completed a long refit, and many of us still had to find our sea legs - I was almost immediately seasick. I was vitalled in the forward PO's mess, where we had a sergeant of the Black Watch, one of 20 or so soldiers we were transporting to Gibraltar. It was interesting that he was one of only two people who could stomach being that far forward for the first days at sea. (But his first tot of neat rum was a joy to behold - we thought he was going to explode!)
That commission of Minerva was the best time I've had in the RN, mainly because the mess gelled together so well, and I have many memories. I have put this site up so that I can share some of these memories, and maybe jog some memories of my readers. I hope you find this site interesting and useful, and maybe find shipmates you have long since lost touch with. If you can help fill in the years since I left (June 1972) please let me know. Photographs are especially welcome. If you can name any individuals in the picture, and put a date on it, that would be even better.
The Sprog of the Watch
As a relative youngster (60 this year) I offered to take over and host the site after a rebuild and refresh. I hope you all like it and continue to contribute.
A little bit about my time on Minerva. I joined in 81 and it was my second sea draft, first was Cleo which I also loved dearly. Had some great trips to start with and after returning from Aarhus in Denmark spring of 82 I was medevaced after developing a mystery illness, the ship would have been quarantined otherwise. Turns out it was what is known as the kissing disease aka Glandular fever. So there I was in Drake sickbay getting dabbed with calamine lotion and looking forward to a couple of weeks sick leave when suddenly I'm told to report back to the ship, seems something was happening down in the South Atlantic, and the rest is history.
After getting sent back down again in the same year, I decided to wrap my hand in so handed in my notice. Eventually a bit of pressure from my peers and the obvious disappointment from my Dad I decided to withdraw it. I put down my drafting preferences as Honkyfid, Gib or Bermuda (pigs might fly). Drafty must have been having a giraffe and redrafted me back to Minerva! So a 3rd trip down south ensued.
Some who served onboard at the same time as me may remember the little newspaper I put together called The Daily Min, I would often make up some stories just for a wind-up. Anyway I hope that has left me in good stead to administrate this new site and look forward to seeing more stuff, photos, dits etc.
All the best
Ginge Hogan (Bunting Tosser)