LOTS OF SUBMARINE CALLSIGNS ON THIS PAGE WHICH TAKES ME BACK TO MY TIME IN BOATS.

 

INTERESTING CALLSIGN IS "GGSC" = SHIPS IN COMPANY.

I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF IT!

Jim Dell an ex WORS in the RNZN  sent me the following message

I note on your website that you hadn't heard of the callsign "GGSC". That was used in all our training sessions at the Comms School for years as "All Ships". We had all these "Z" callsigns for NZ ships but our collective was always GGSC !!

 

 

A 'SAD' CALLSIGN AND ONE OF A FEW MENTIONED IN THESE MANY PAGES IS THAT OF HM S/M SIDON {MKKS}.  IN 1955, WHILST ALONGSIDE HER MOTHER SHIP HMS MAIDSTONE IN PORTLAND HARBOUR, SHE BLEW-UP. THE DEATH TOLL WAS TWELVE [11 CREW PLUS 1 NATIONAL SERVICE DOCTOR WHO VOLUNTEERED TO GO BELOW AFTER THE EXPLOSION]. THEY ARE ALL BURIED AT THE NAVAL CEMETERY ON TOP OF THE HILL OVERLOOKING THE HARBOUR AND THE SITE OF THE ACCIDENT.

 

SHIPS OF THE SECOND TRAINING SQUADRON BASED AT PORTLAND USED TO WORK WITH  MAIDSTONE'S SUBMARINES IN LOCAL EXERCISE AREAS [AN EXERCISE CALLED A CASEX].  AS A BOY TELEGRAPHIST IN HMS TINTAGEL CASTLE IT WAS PART OF MY TASK TO TALK TO THE SUBMARINES USING MORSE CODE.  ALSO, AS A MEMBER OF THE SHIPS COMPANY, I WAS ONE OF MANY RATINGS WHO LINED THE ROUTE FOR THE FUNERAL PROCESSION WHICH WAS MOTORISED, AND WITH MANY FUNERAL CARS, WOUND ITS SAD WAY UP THE STEEP ROAD TO THE CEMETERY ENTRANCE WHICH IS JUST BELOW VERNE PRISON.

THIS EVENT, WHEN I WAS AGED 16, WAS TO HAVE A GREAT AND LASTING EFFECT ON ME.  IF YOU VISIT THE CEMETERY WHICH IS IMMACULATELY KEPT, THE GRAVES ARE JUST INSIDE THE GATES, IN A GROUP SIDE BY SIDE.