Ship visited Gt Yarmouth in 1962 and my mum, girlfriend (now my wife Yvonne) sisters came onboard. My home town was Gt Yarmouth and still have family and friends there. Whilst onboard worked on Type 277/293 Radar & Displays, Type 275 Gunnery Radar, GDS5 and Flyplane 5. OA Wozencroft was a member of the team but he unfortunately lost his life due to an accident to do with the 4.5 Inch gun. The Ships Co auctioned his affects to raise money for his next of kin.

The Yarmouth was! a happy ship even then although we spent a hell of a lot of time at sea during this period. A lot of the crew I remember were southern Irish. The ship spent approx 3 weeks at sea at a time with 24/48 hours alongside in Derry in between. Derry was full of dance halls in those days the Embassy, Corinthium to name 2 of several. Ma Daltons, Joe Cassidy's and Peppys were popular watering holes. Ships Co had to change into civvies in the Derry dockyard before being allowed ashore. Derry was dry on Sundays so at times went across the border to Muff or Buncrano in southern Ireland for run ashore, however ships always sailed about midnight or 0400 in the morning to catch the tide up the Foyle. There was a canteen in the dockyard called the Foyle club were we regularly had Sods Operas between the 4 ships Co - great fun at times leading to snow ball fights in the winter months.

The skipper was a captain called Mansfield (a good un) and I believe the jimmy may have been called St John H! erbert. Have a photo the only one at home with myself posing on the focsule with Ken Wakefield (CREL), Taff Evans and Windy Wingate (REA's), Rems Geordie Hands, Willy Wilton. I was killick of the mess in those days. remember things such as escorting the Centaur down the Irish Sea (I believe at that time some stokers were killed onboard down the Engine Room because of a steam failure). Also escorted one of our subs to Plymouth, she could not dive and was in trouble making way on the surface in one hell of a gale. Except for a jolly to France, not many runs ashore during this period although we did go to Belfast and Bangor in NI Rothesay and Faslane, We saw more the rock, that is Rockall in the Atlantic!.

Whilst onboard an AB was sentenced to DQ's for tossing all the officers caps over the side when pegged up outside of the wardrobe on a Sunday morn I believe. I was detailed along with 2 AB's to escort him in handcuffs to Pompey. Left ship with him at about 1000 on a Sat train t! o Belfast, ferry, train to Pompey. Took us ages but arrived in Pompey early Sunday afternoon. We immediately thought we would miss the ship sailing (Due to sail 0400 Mon Morn) and would have a run ashore in the smoke. However on arrival at Waterloo we were met by a naval patrol, taking straight to Heathrow, plane to Belfast, car awaiting to transport us to Derry just in time with 10 minutes to spare before the ship sailed.

The Yarmouth was my fourth ship having served for periods previously on HMS Jutland, Dalrymple and Ausonia in the Med. Left the Navy in 1963 after 25 years, missed the RN terribly at first and although had a good job I found it so mundane and still do in some respects. I have never had the same comradeship since that during my career in the service. Looked at HMS Yarmouth's Web page but nobody from my era as part of the Ships Co then spotted, I guess it was a long while ago almost 40 years since I left her.

I will however endeavour to attend the next reunion in Great Yarmouth - as I still think of it as my old home town although I was born in Newcastle, mum came from Durham and Dad was an East Anglian.

Left the RN in November 1983 after 25 years. After the Yarmouth had various ships, HMS Chichester 1967 - 1969, HMS Mohawk 1971 - 1974, HMS Tarter 1977 -1979, HMS Aurora 1979 - 1980 plus shore time at RNWT station Kranji in Singapore 1965 - 1967.