Melbourne Bar Derwent 1975.ABWM 'Shorty' Mackintosh. Shorty was something of an occupational hazard for us 'Bar Hoppers' for he was proun to flaking early. We then had to physically carry him with us wherever we went after that. Unlike other navies this was not considered an offence and as long as his mates were looking after him our patrols left the 'flakers' alone. If they were asleep in a bar alone then they would be taken into protective custody.  I have seen the US Armed Forces Police actually belt sleeping sailors with night sticks, they got very dark on sailors who caught a few zzzs slumped over a bar table. It was also considered taboo to leave a sleeping mate behind if you all left the bar. If you couldn't get him to move or carry him then you would have to stay put     . ABQMG Rodney Ross and girlfriend in the Kangaroo Bar. (Stuart 1974) The man on the right is my long time mate and whom I helped make rich, William Tan Wah Eu, 'The Wang's Photy Man'. William used to roll up to the 'strip' every afternoon and go to work with his Polaroid. He captured alot of wierd and wonderful happenings in his time some of which cannot be shown here. He would also do 'trick' photography such as double exposing to have you pouring yourself a beer or head swaps etc. He was a talented man and also very astute at business. Blessed with a sense of humour and gift of the gab he was hard to refuse. His camera was sacred and no-one was ever allowed to touch it. I felt very privileged when he allowed me to take this photo of him. Which, by the way I had to pay $S3.00 for.

Kiwi ordering another round on my cheque in the Golden Hind Bar, Sembawang, (Stuart 1973). The Golden Hind was a quieter style of bar where one could get a feed plus the heads were clean, with proper toilet bowls and paper! The Malay boy named Paul, sitting in the corner on the right, was the leader of the local Malay Gang. His gang, were at that time, constantly at 'war' with the local 'Chokey' (as they called them) Chinese Gang. They would also give the odd Pongo or Matelot a 'bamboo massage' too if they thought he deserved it. They carried out their own protection scheme and vigilante duties for the bars, taxi drivers and girls etc. Paul and his 'boys' did come to my assistance on a few occasions when things got ugly, especially with the Kiwi Pongos who went beserk on the piss after coming back from a month or so at Kota Tingii, the jungle training location in the middle of the rotting, festering, Malay jungle. We were around the same age and became firm friends. He stepped up a cog, when he got involved with the wrong crowd and ended up in Changi Prison for his part in the armed robbery of the Cold Storage Milk Bar located over the road from the bars, inside the gate on the right.   The Nelson Bar, Sembawang. (Stuart 1974) The Nelson Bar was actually two bars combined, one upstairs and one on ground level. Well known for it's darts competitions and illegal 'Crown and Anchor' games held upstairs. (Hasler and Cunningham, a couple of enterprising Leading Gunners used to run a pretty good game). The grey headed bloke with the Lychee nut skin on his nose is CPOFC 'Growler' Grimmond a well known RAN Character whose name became synonomous with being niggardly and 'one way'. Growler would carry two packets of smokes with him at all times, one visible, with one smoke in it and one full packet hidden! So he wouldn't have to give anybody his last one. He was able to peel an orange or unwrap a sweet packet in his pocket and surrepticiously eat every piece, slyly, without anyone noticing. Also here is my old mate Tony Newlands, still on stoppage of civvies!     Back To The 'Up Top' Main Page. more bar cards Previous Page