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The Navy's People

• Naval Lives

  • Edward Pitcairn Jones

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EJF Records

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Sports

Life onboard for Records seemed pretty relaxed and opportunities for fishing, football and shooting were plentiful.

Sport had a prominent place in the Navy and Records was a keen, and competitive, football player. He writes on Sunday 9 June -

'Our football team lost to Colombo 8-0. Last year we beat them 3-1. Apps and Edwards didn't play. Britt was out of position at R half, Stephens and Taylor played their usual useless game at forwards. Don't wonder at it. Forwards couldn't hold the ball to relieve the halves and backs.'

Naval football match c.1930s. (RNM)

Records' main passion was rifle shooting and he was very good. On Tuesday 11 June Records' entry describes how he excelled at a rilfe range ashore -

'Still chipping cabins. Am quite pleased over last night's shoot. The range has been open since 1931 and mine is the first possible they have seen on that range. At the present moment I think it easier shooting at the range 15yds than at the RN Depot. The bull is the size of a pin's head, but it lessens the error of the rifle in my opinion by being 10yds closer. They gave me permission to use their range Mondays and Fridays, and hoped I'd be able to shoot for them in some competition in September.'

Related External Links

• HMS London