Please note.  Your horizontal scroll bar [left-right] is showing because there are some rather large and lovely pictures towards the bottom of the page.

Much has been written about HMS Mercury over the years and particularly since its closure in 1993.

Above all else, Mercury, with its family [branch and sub branches] atmosphere, its beautiful location and being away from the pressures of sea-time, was a delightful establishment to serve in and to be associated with. The communicators' alma mater holds many happy memories for thousands of people [and I dare say some unhappy ones for a small minority] and the period 1941 to 1993 lives on in our recollections. Its undoubted success as a fleet establishment was wholly due to the personnel who served in it, and here I include everybody, civilians and service personnel alike. There are too many people with diverse personalities to mention, and sadly, many of them are now in a higher place, but given the opportunity, I am sure we would thank them for their contribution towards the previously mentioned success story. In all organisations, success or failure always comes top-down, and we all know that a happy ship has a good commanding officer.  HMS Mercury has been blessed by having twenty five good commanding officers, and since it is they who represent the personnel serving in the establishment, they, collectively, deserve a long overdue salute.  That is the purpose of this simple page. Please join me in that salute.

The table below shows [unless indicated otherwise] the photographs of our commanding officers over the fifty three years the establishment was operational.  Ultimately, each captain will be shown posing for his own 'command' photograph, and that I hope will come about from you, the readers, who may well have the very picture I seek to replace photographs of our captains taken with groups of other people, which is not what I desire nor which you want to see.  Please have a rummage around your archives, and many thanks in anticipation for doing so.

August 1941 to December 1943 Captain Gerald H Warner Royal Navy   Captain Warner second from left front row. See Note 3 below. Captain Warner's appointment was in continuation, he being the last Captain of the Signal School when in 'K' Block RNB Portsmouth.	December 1943 to December1945 Captain Alan K Scott-Moncrieff Royal Navy   My apologies for the quality but it is the best I can find, anywhere. Below is a smaller picture with a better resolution.   See Note 4 below	January 1946 to April 1948 Captain Charles L Firth Royal Navy   See Note 5 below	April 1948 to September 1950 Captain John H F Crombie Royal Navy   Difficult to read the text so look here   See Note 6 below	September 1950 to October 1951 Captain John G T Inglis Royal Navy   See Note 7 below. For some inexplicable reason his command of HMS Mercury is not mentioned.
October 1951 to October 1954 Captain Peter Dawnay Royal Navy   Rear Admiral and then Vice Admiral Sir Peter Dawnay became the FORY and remained in that appointment until January 1962. He retired the following month. Picture of Captain Dawnay when CSS,  from the book 'SIGNAL' by Captain Barrie Kent RN See Note 8 below	January 1954 to May 1955 Captain John R B Longden Royal Navy	May 1955 to March 1957 Captain Alexander H C Gordon-Lennox Royal Navy	March 1957 to January 1959 Captain Charles B Brooke Royal Navy	January 1959 to August 1960 Captain John A C Henley Royal Navy
August 1960 to December 1961 Captain Peter N Howes Royal Navy     and this taken from his time in HMS Devonshire [1962] during seaslug test firings [not a thumbnail]. and see Note 9 below. This letter was written by Captain Howes to the Communicators' of HMS Mercury. Look below.   Some of the Navy Lists are not available to my source of information and it could well be that Captain Howes qualified in Signals during the missing years. We know that earlier he undertook a Gunnery Course and that later on he was appointed as a Flag Lieutenant. I did a little more research and found this interesting article which is shown below as Note 13. I am sure that it will be of interest to all R.N., Signal's Officers and to all Communicators irrespective of rank.	December 1961 to December 1963 Captain David E Bromley-Martin Royal Navy	December 1963 to April 1966 Captain David V Morgan Royal Navy	April 1966 to April 1968 Captain J Rae McKaig Royal Navy	April 1968 to April 1970 Captain Sir Peter Anson Bt Royal Navy       This picture of Sir Peter in the uniform of a Rear Admiral wearing his CB was sent to me by Sir Peter      See Note 2 below
October 1970 to October 1972 Captain Barrie H Kent Royal Navy	October 1972 to April 1975 Captain Roger C Morgan Royal Navy	April 1975 to January 1977 Captain Derek A P O'Reilly Royal Navy	October 1977 to October 1978 Captain John M Tait Royal Navy   Captain Tait was a TAS specialist.   See also Note 10 below.	October 1978 to January 1981 Captain Sydney D S Bailey Royal Navy     Captain Bailey was a Whale Island gunnery specialist and had [has] his own lovely house in the village of East Meon as well as the Captains House residence in the establishment. I once attended a Garden Party in East Meon given by Captain and Mrs Bailey for HMS Mercury's warrant officers. See Notes 2, 10 and 11 below.
January 1981 to January 1983 Captain Gerald A Plumer Royal Navy   Captain Plumer CSS on left. Taken in July 1981 when HRH The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer visited HMS Mercury shortly before their wedding.     Captain Plumer was a non communicator and  a 'salt-horse'. He was the last Commander of HMS Ganges when it was a training establishment for juniors closing as such in 1973.	January 1983 to 1985 Captain William W F Chatterton-Dickson Royal Navy           See Note 2 below.	1985 to 1988 Captain Francis D Lowe Royal Navy   See Notes 1 and 2 below. Captain Lowe has found this photograph, taken he believes in the 1982-1985 period when he was SM10 at Faslane. His face will not have altered between Faslane and Leydene!   Captain Lowe was the only submariner to be appointed CSS.  He was a former commanding officer of a Polaris SSBN submarine, HMS Revenge [Port Crew].	1988 to 1991 Captain Anthony J C Morrow Royal Navy       Captain Morrow, as  Commodore Morrow CVO, has something in common with Vice Admiral Sir Edward M Conolly Abel Smith GCVO. Admiral Conolly Abel Smith was the first commanding officer of HMY Britannia [53-58] and Commodore Morrow was the last [95-98]. See Notes 2,12 and 14 below.	1991 to 1993 the last CSS. Captain Paul R Sutermeister Royal Navy.       Captain Sutermeister has something in common with Captain Angus E M B Cunninghame-Graham who was the last Captain of the Signal School in 'K' Block RNB Portsmouth which was established in 1906. In the same year HMS Dryad, the Navigation School was established in the old Naval College [Academy] in Portsmouth Dockyard. See Note 2 below.

Note 1.

I regret that despite much searching I have been unable to find good quality pictures of all of our captains at Leydene. I publish these as the best option at this time, but if any of my readers has a better picture please tell me and I will do some swaps. I am in touch with Captain Lowe, who tells me that some years ago his house was flooded and he lost many personal effects including his photographs taken when CSS at HMS Mercury.

Note 2.

My huge thanks go to the following people/organisations without whose help this page would have not been possible; I am indebted to you all.

Rear Admiral Sir Peter Anson CB for his colour photograph and his entry in Who's Who [1990].
Commodore Anthony Morrow CVO Royal Navy for his own picture and his career details. Also for the pictures shown below in Note 12.
Commodore Paul Sutermeister DL Royal Navy for his naval career details.
Captain David Bailey Royal Navy for his own picture and career details plus the picture of Captain John Tait [see Note 10 below]. Also for the dynamic picture shown in Note 11 below.
Captain William Chatterton-Dickson Royal Navy for his own picture and his career details.
Captain Francis Lowe Royal Navy for his own picture and for his naval career.
Lieutenant [CS] Dennis Alderson Royal Navy for his pictures of  Captain C B Brooke, Captain P N Howes and Captain J H F  Crombie.
FCRS Peter [Stan] Snape for the group picture which was originally used showing Captain Bailey - now withdrawn.
FCRS John Eilbeck for the loan of his collection of 'The Communicator' Magazine which were published from 1947.
FCCY David Morris for the original group picture showing Captain Chatterton-Dickson - now withdrawn.
CRS Mick Puttick for the photograph of Captain Paul Sutermeister.
The career details of WW2 officers from the UnitHistories website.
Career details of officers not self submitted or taken from the UnitHistories website, which came courtesy of Mike Coombes from the Navy Research website.

Note 3.

Note 10.

This picture shows Captain John TAIT [right] handing over his Command of HMS Mercury and CSS to Captain David BAILEY on the 6th October 1978.  Captain Tait was a TAS Specialist and Captain Bailey was a Gunnery Specialist.  By this time the die had long been cast, and many senior officers found themselves Commanding "parts" of the navy  out of their specialisation. A good example of this was the appointment in 1967 of Vice Admiral Michael Pollock, a Gunnery Specialist, as FOSM, and at a time when Polaris was being tested and Faslane was being re-built for the nuclear age. Two years later he became Sir Michael Pollock with the award of the KCB.

Note 11.

A typical wintry scene at HMS Mercury.  Captain David Bailey greets Admiral Sir David Williams Commander-in-Chief Portsmouth who has arrived to inspect Divisions of HMS Mercury in February 1979. Thank goodness for the shelter provided by the Drill Shed and the Recreation Centre!

Note 12.

These, to say the least, are wonderful pictures of the Wardroom [Main House] HMS Mercury which compliment and add to my story. They were supplied to me personally by Commodore Anthony MORROW CVO Royal Navy and for the purpose of this web site and web page, the Copyright for them belongs to the Commodore.  Enjoy them certainly, but please do not copy them.  Thank you.

First off, picture one of two of the Leydene House grand staircase, originally owned by Lord and Lady Peel. A must to behold. Stunningly beautiful and shown as a large picture on purpose to do it justice. Whilst the centre iconic part of the wardroom, only officers of lieutenant commander and above could use it as a thoroughfare.  However, it wasn't always the case as this little story, taken from the Communicator Magazine of Easter 1949 clearly shows.

WINTER 1948_49 WARDROOM HMS MERCURY.pdf

In this picture, notice the 'honour boards' in the passage way on the upper floor and the pictures of officers who had either served in the Establishment or who had been connected with it - the name Lord Louis Mountbatten comes to mind for example.

Next comes two stunning pictures of the Main House complex which at one time housed the wardroom, the sick bay, the dentist, accommodation for WRNS [Stewards], all senior officers offices whether executive or training appointments, lesser offices running the training administration, the pay office, and the Captain's Office [secretarial].  Because the Captain had his  own office in the complex, all requestmen and defaulter musters were also held here. The setting is nothing short of idyllic. Centre stage is the Main House and Wardroom showing the well known and resplendent rose garden and the patio which led down to it from the Wardroom.  The mast and ceremonial pond [or pool] is clearly visible and over to the left, under the part of the building clad in ivy, is the fire suction point, the STATIC WATER TANK. Before the swimming pool was built in front of Mountbatten Block, this [painted blue] tank was used in the afternoons [sunny ones that is] for females and backward swimmers [both genders] and in the dogs for males.  These pictures were taken in the summer of 1958.

Note in the picture above [taken in the dogs] two very large masts. Well the one at the back [to your right] stopped a low flying private small plane in its tracks and of course prematurely brought it down to earth. This was on Friday 25th July 1958, when a Tiger-Moth [callsign G-AMHI] en route to the Isle of Wight was in collision killing the aircraft's passenger, one Brian Shersby.   HMS Mercury's fire and emergency party were the first on the scene. The other mast was taken down as a precaution.  The only mast in Mercury that the majority will remember, was at the top of the steps leading from the front entrance to Mountbatten Block up to Droxford Road, opposite the Post Office, itself an integral part of the Supply Block which replaced the buildings used for the New Entry Division.  This mast was directly associated with the ICS Wing part of Dreadnought Block onto which wire MF and  HF broadband aerials were mounted.  Over the top of the trees [looking north] are the fields of the Meon Valley with the tiny village of East Meon nestling in the folds of the valley below and off screen. The two green roofed Nissan huts you see upper middle left form the Establishment Church.  Virtually all of the buildings beyond it are owned and used by the PSA or the DOE civilians on site, except that somewhere in that lot is an indoor .22 shooting range.

Here is a good close-up of the patio I mentioned above. I can just imagine stepping out of that open double door with a good stiff G&T going off to smell the Roses, which Arthur, the head gardener, for so many years lovingly tended.  In the Summer months being in and working in Mercury was a joy, but in the Winter months, well, let's just say it wasn't as good. Note in this picture the white post on the grass and shrub bank [which is a loudspeaker in disguise]. Well just in front of it and to its right is the saluting dais, used throughout the week either for New Entry Divisions or less frequently for Ship's Company Ceremonial Divisions.  The parade commander stood on the dais, forward of the steps leading to the mast, adjacent to the pool/pond. I'll wager that the lone sunbather got a shock when this photographing helicopter hove into sight.  Can you spot her? Look to the second block, to above the two sets of wide white doors to the verandah above, left hand edge. The only other living person in sight is the RPO stopping vehicles which might upset the Commander: he is framed between two conifer trees on the top road. This little snippet tells of the progress made in the Wardroom Mess.

Finally in Note 12, two pictures of groups taken at a time when Commodore MORROW was the CSS at HMS Mercury and a text snippet.

A mixed group of senior officers, junior officers, warrant officers, senior rates, junior rates, WRNS and civilians taken in the entrance hall of the Main House. Occasion was in the period 1988-1991 when the CSS was Captain Anthony Morrow [who kindly loaned this picture for this web page] but the reason is not known - yet!

Awaiting occasion. CSS, Captain MORROW, seated front row third from right [who kindly loaned this picture for this web page]. A group of mainly senior officers, some from allied navies [NATO ?] and taken during the period 1988-1991.  I am researching the name of the Admiral of the Fleet. From my calculations, there were eight Admirals of the Fleet alive in this period {see ADMIRALS_OF_THE_FLEET } and because I believe this group to be communication officers, I will go for Admiral of the Fleet Sir Edward Ashmore!

A little snippet from 1949, about the progress being made to make the Wardroom Mess a more fitting place for Signal Officers.

Note 13.   An interesting article about the origin of the appointment of Flag Lieutenant. Click on this link SIGNAL OFFICER - FLAG LIEUTENANT.pdf

See also this page http://www.godfreydykes.info/JUST_A_BIT_ABOUT_RN_COMMUNICATORS_AND_THEIR_THINGS_PART_TWO.htm - re the Captain's House at Leydene, by scrolling down to Story Line 138. This is also an interesting page because it shows the full staff of the Signal School at Portsmouth before its move, and also the full staff at Leydene on commissioning HMS Mercury HMS_MERCURY_AND_THE_STAFF_OF_THE_SIGNAL_SCHOOL

Note 14.

Rear Admiral R.N. Woodward was the last FORY. He was succeeded by Commodore A.J.C. Morrow Royal Navy who was the only officer to hold the title of Commodore Royal Yachts [CORY] before HMY Britannia paid off. DCI RN 83/95 refers. He had the sad task of bringing Britannia home to Portsmouth dockyard [South Railway Jetty] for the last time, escorted by the destroyer Southampton. He rang down "finished with main engines" at 1135 on the 22nd November 1997 to end Britannia's forty four year fabulous career. She had steamed 1,087,623 miles. Nineteen days later, the Britannia paid off in the presence of HM The Queen who was piped ashore at 1500, no doubt feeling very low and thoroughly disappointed. Early that day, the media caught HM wiping away a tear from her eye, and given that Royalty never show their emotions in public and keep the stiff upper lip, that equates to floods of tears: our hearts, minds and emotions were fully with Her on that sad sad day.

Note 15.   The closure programme for HMS Mercury was announced under DCI[RN]310/92.  On the 31st August 1993 C.S.S. finally relinquished Command. 

Note 16.  From the Navy List of late 1939, I have taken the Staff of the Signal School in RNB Portsmouth

1939[1] A very busy HMS Victory Left Hand Column] with the Royal Navy Barracks starting in Right Hand Column

1939[2] The business continues but still no mention of the Signal School

1939[3] Signal School and Signal School Experimental on this plate

1939[4] Note -top of page left hand column, the Tactical School and Lord Mountbatten's name, otherwise nothing for Communicators on this page