As an Ordinary
Seaman my first sea posting, along with about another 80 young and
eager 'ODs' was the converted Aircraft Carrier, now Fast Troop Transport,
HMAS SYDNEY. Much to our disappointment Sydney was high and
dry in Cockatoo Island dockyard at the time and it was due to stay
there for at least another three months.
The majority
of us ODs were under 17 and a half years of age and that meant what
is known universally in navies as 'Cinderella Leave.' (meaning:
You had to be back onboard ship before 2359 or one minute to midnight).
In typical matelot fashion we soon learnt where we could go to get
a drink and generally have a good time. Needless to say every day
there was an ever increasing line of defaulters (law breakers) to
front the Skipper after having been 'run in' on all manner of charges.
All of which were alcohol related.
In an effort
to keep us young sailors off the demon grog, it was decided by the
powers above, the next weekend, all non-duty Ordinary Seamen that
were not 'Sydney Natives' (Sailors whose families reside
in Sydney) would go on a compulsory supervised bus
tour to HMAS Albatross ( The RAN's Naval Air Station, a couple of
hours South of Sydney). We were told under NO CIRCUMSTANCES would
we be allowed to consume any alcohol. The next Saturday morning we
were mustered and fallen in on the wharf, where names were checked
off, then herded onto two light blue Royal Australian Navy buses for
the day trip to to Albatross. The trip down was most uneventful. We
had lunch and were then given a tour that gave us a wonderful insight
into the Fleet Air Arm.
The two Leading
Seamen (Killicks) in charge of us were also the bus drivers. At the
end of the tour and on the journey back to Garden Island Dockyard,
after constant badgering pleading and bribery, the two Leading Seaman
in charge stopped the buses somewhere around Bulli Pass, with the
instructions that this was a strictly twenty minute stop for a quick
refreshment. There is a Pub at the top of Bulli. The Killicks joined
us.
Two hours later
and being well lubricated with larakin juice we cheerfully staggered
back onboard the buses. We were having a bawdy sing song of all the
favourite pussers sea shanties including the one about Charlotte someone
or another, when all of a sudden, the leading bus stopped. Yep! You
guessed it, the following bus ploughed fair square, smack up the arse,
of the lead one.
Sadly some of
our 'tourists' were injured and transported to hospital. The rest
of the merry mob sat on the side of the road and watched as the two
buses were untangled and towed away. Sometime later a much larger
and more well appointed 'coach' came and managed to return us safely
to HMAS Sydney.
That was the
last I ever saw of the two, I guess, former Leading Seamen who took
us on that memorable tour. Rumor had it that they spent a bit of time
at Holsworthy (1MCE - Australia'a Military Correctional Establishment).
It was also the last compulsory tour for the young Ordinary Seamen
of HMAS SYDNEY in 1967.
