HMS Ganges now

[Chris Clark]

thought i would just post a few pics of HMS Ganges training camp as it looks now. luckily i am still able to gain access on the odd occation.

[Chris Clark]

few more pics

[Chris Clark]

another. nice to know even though the camp is falling apart the cannons still in place under the mast.

[Riley1965]

That training site should be protected as a National landmark. It should not be allowed to continue to fall apart. GREAT pics and History!!!

Doc

[Ralph A]

Some "treen:"

[Graham Stewart]

HMS Ganges, brings back a few memories as I was in one of the final recruit classes through there in November 1975. I can still remember the huge gun sheds where drill was practised during wet weather and all around the shed walls were the figure heads of masted ships long gone. I can also recall above one of the walkways a large carved motto - "Fear God, Honour the King", and I remember being very impressed by it and wondered how many other trainee sailors had passed beneath it. Perhaps one of the scariest duties there was down at the laundry come drying room, which hadn't changed since the turn of the century, the frightening part being it was also doubled as the morgue.

Graham.

[Chris Clark]

the second photo i changed from colour to black and white which i think came out very good. the drill halls were still used as drill halls when i was in police training in 1991. the base no longer a police training college hence the neglete it now suffers. i did hear that the sight was going to be developed into a housing complex but the mast has a presavation order put on it now so that cannot be touched. just hope they maintain it and dosn't rot away

[Chris Boonzaier]

Just where is this?

The mast is very imposing, the drill square looks as cold, miserable and wet as any other in the world :-)

[Simon F]

My uncle Andrew was a button boy at that very same mast in 1972!

[Chris Clark]

its at SHOTLEY suffolk

button boy well thats one fine feat as i have seen pictures of that and the button boy was extremly high

[JimZ]

First I ever heard of a "button boy"..... may I ask what that is?

Jim

[Simon F]

When the lads used to man the mast, the button boy had to shin up to the very top and used to stand to attention on the button and salute.

[Jim Maclean]

Anyone that has been 'button boy' has my undying admiration . I did some time on a sailing ship and changing the masthead lamp bulbs seriously made my bottom pucker and that was with a safety harness.

Edited April 4, 2007 by Jim Maclean