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The Navy's People

• Naval Lives

  • Edward Pitcairn Jones

  • William Waller

  • Loftus William Jones

  • JT Cull

  • A C Green

  • Philip Needell

  • Astle Scott Littlejohns

  • EJF Records

  • Clifford Simkin

  • Frank Clements

  • Margaret Hodgson

  • Charles Sheppard

  • 'Buster' Crabb

  • Sir Frank Twiss

  • Jeff Tall

  • Phil Macquaid

  • Julia Massey

  • Nick Vaux

  • Wayland Austin

• In Focus: Women in the Navy

• In Focus: Recreation and Time off

• In Focus: Discipline and Punishment

Learning

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EJF Records

Article highlights

• The career of a seaman diarist

• Recording history

• Living and working aboard

• Off duty

• Shore leave

• Sports

• World news

• Thoughts of home

Shore leave

Although Records may have lost out financially some months, it seemed he had enough to enjoy a few evenings of entertainment. On Monday 30 September Records writes -

'Went ashore with intentions of having a few quiet drinks and a yarn or two with the soldiers and then go to the pictures... Landed up by getting well sozzled and got to the ship 3am. Sat in rickshaws at the head of the pier for an hour and more talking with a soldier, what about I don't know. We went to the "Popular" a restaurant belonging to the GOH to get supper but it had closed 15mins before it should have done. I hammered on the door and two natives and a burga came and said they were closed. I consulted the soldier about the closing hours and then went back to hammer on the panel again. I saw two panels and hammered on the wrong one. Put my fist through a window. Departed hence.'

HMS Endeavour, survey ship. (RNM)

On HMS Endeavour drunkenness seems to have been prevalent and many entries are concerned with alcohol and its consequences. On Sunday 21 April Records writes about a colleague who was punished for being drunk -

'West and a few others got special leave from 1 o'clock until 5pm. Ship sailed at 6pm for Butangs. West was drunk. While fell in for inspection, Captain came up gangway dressed in #4s, sports jacket, a white sweater, with a dark blue V and a bag of golf clubs slung on his back. West went to the guard rail and said, "Here look at this big game hunter coming up the ladder." Of course the fellows laughed, they being as drunk as West. Consequently West has been put down below for being drunk and incapable. The bag flat where he was put is without fans and any ventilation. He point blank refused to be down there unless paid tropical pay. He said if he wasn't out by 9.30, a half hours respite, he'd get up on his own. His request was in order. With no fans or ventilation he is entitled to tropical pay if working in a confined space. I don't know how a man under "close arrest" gets on. Anyway 1st Lt allowed him on the mess deck and he turned in.'

A similar incident of drunkeness is recorded in his entry for Sunday 9 June -

'Brenam was apprehended by the police last night. The patrol landed to bring him off and had to send off for another suit. The only thing that wasn't useless was his boots. Suit torn off his person and even his socks ripped off. Inspector of Police in hospital. Apparently Lt Seymour asked the GOH people not to let Brenam in. Police got into it somehow and there was a grand finale in the street at the entrance.'

The next day Brenam was charged today on three counts and fined 100Rs (roughly £7 10s 0d). According to Records he 'Got off light' - '50Rs breaking his cell up, 50Rs assaulting the police, wash out insulting language'.

Related External Links

• HMS London