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"Life in a Blue Suit" by David Allport MBE - 24th February 2023

Published 15:28 on 6 Mar 2023

Life In A Blue Suit / The Royal Navy

Talk by David Allport MBE

Dave enrolled in Brighton in 1971 as a junior radio operator 2^nd class. He did his Basic Naval training at HMS Raleigh in Cornwall, as part of Anson 35 Division. Here he learnt skills such as sea survival and firefighting. After the first 6 weeks he got his first leave ashore, known as a Liberty boat.

Part 2 of his training was at HMS Mercury where he learnt Morse code, touch typing, navigation, voice procedures and fleetwork (warfare). He also learnt Navy "language" such as "dhobying" which is an Indian word for washing, and how the Padre is known as "the Bish".

After his passing out parade in 1972 he was posted to HMS Norfolk, a Destroyer, for his first deployment as part of the communications team. The Norfolk was sent to the south of France to take part in Exocet launch trials. Also on board was the young Prince Charles as Officer of the Watch.

Moving on to HMS Torquay, a Frigate, then HMS Danae, also a Frigate, he was deployed to South America. While in Brazil, the great train robber Ronald Biggs was invited on board!

In 1982, now a Petty Officer, he was sent to the Falklands, where he headed up his first Replenishment At Sea while on HMS Bristol, one of his favourite ships. After a spell in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, he went on an exchange to the Jamaican Defence Force, followed by a posting as a principal communications officer in Oman.

Dave then talked about the navy of the past and explained the origins of some common phrases, such as a "square meal" which came about because sailors' meals were originally served on square wooden plates. These plates had a "fiddle rail" round the edge and if the men took more food than they should it over-topped the fiddle hence the phrase "on the fiddle".

"Money for old rope" came about because poor people picked up discarded bits of rope and sold it to fishermen who used it as "caulking" to make their boats watertight. And most sailors could not write, but they knew what a pint or a quart of beer was, hence the expression "mind your Ps and Qs".

"Old fogy" is "For On Going Years". And "let the cat out of the bag" and "not enough room to swing a cat" both refer to punishment from the lash. "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" arose when one sailor agreed not to strike too hard with the lash, in return for the other sailor being kind when it was his turn to deliver the punishment. Sailors lived a grim life in years gone by.

Modern Navy Messdeck life is much more fun. In the 70s and 80s regular shows were put on by the Ships Own Drama Society known as SODS OPERAS. The sailors played various board games and film nights were known as REEL TO REEL evenings. And on 31 July 1970 the Navy stopped the serving of rum this was the last TOT Day.

Dave explained why all the sailors line up on the deck when entering port. If they were returning from active service, the Admirals ashore could count them to see how many had come back safely. And if they were entering a foreign port, this would show the people ashore that they came in peace because they were not operating their guns. The lining up is known as Procedure Alpha.

After leaving the Navy in 2006, Dave became a Vessel Traffic Services Officer for Portsmouth Harbour. He retired in 2022, but is now helping with Solent Cruises which operates 3 pleasure vessels from Cowes, so he is still on the water after more than 50 years!

Linda Fisher