I Think I Prefer the Tinned Variety

When my dad set off on his long journey to Sierra Leone in October 1943 he noted in his diary that he'd thrown a coin into the river for luck when crossing the Forth Bridge by railway on the way to Liverpool Docks for embarkation. Wednesday 13 th October 1943 "Left Dunfermline on the 4.45 for Glasgow . As we went over the Forth Bridge threw a halfpenny over for luck, although I reckon that won’t be much good if we get “tinfished” in the Bay." Tinfished meant being torpedoed. When I found the poem by Rudyard Kipling about "pack drill" which I referred to in a previous post I also found this poem entitled "Tinfish" written by Kipling during the First World War. "Tin Fish" The ships destroy us above   And ensnare us beneath. We arise, we lie down, and we move   In the belly of Death. The ships have a thousand eyes   To mark where we come . . . But the mirth of a seaport dies   When our blow gets hom

Sometimes at HMS Spurwing (Royal Navy air station at Hastings, near Freetown, Sierra Leone) there was entertainment provided by E.N.S.A but at other times they made their own entertainment. My dad wrote in his diary about preparations for a concert and despite his reservations it must have gone ahead because he had some photographs of the show. Friday 14 th April 1944 "Should have been dress rehearsal for concert at night but when we arrived at the Robangba Theatre found it occupied by a crowd of pissed up R.A.F chaps. Great difficulty in clearing them out but finally succeeded but the whole action made us so late that we didn’t finish until 23.30. Thursday 20 th April 1944 "Again seem to have got a day or two behind. Nothing much doing all day (as usual). Should have been a rehearsal in afternoon. But no-one turned up. As the entertainments officer, who is compering the show, has gone up country, perhaps it will die a natural death. I hope so anyway.

HMS Spurwing based at Hastings, near Freetown, Sierra Leone. This is a photograph of the playing fields at H.M.S. Spurwing situated at the village of Hastings, near Freetown, Sierra Leone. In his diary, in 1943, my dad wrote: "The first object that catches the eye is the range of mountains from which Sierra Leone takes its name ( Lion Mountain ). The reference to Lion is obscure as there is no visible resemblance, but a possible explanation is that the thunder in the rainy season is like a lion’s roar." Charlie Perry and Dick Treadway, Norman Buckle Norman Buckle is the tall chap on the right; the other two are Charlie Perry and Dick Treadway but it isn't clear from his diary which is which. They are standing outside their accommodation at H.M.S. Spurwing "Mess No. 4". Mess No. 4 This blurry photo is of the interior of "Mess No 4" which was where they were accommodated. Note the mosquito nets. Bathing facilities