HAIR TODAY-GONE TOMORROW- By P.D.(David) Shuttler (Ex-A/LM(E)) D/SKX 894543

My association with sweepers began with being drafted to HMS Brenchley stationed at “Lochinvar” in May 1956. A far cry from my previous ships – “Eagle”, “Indefatigable” and “Gambia” being some of them.

Some interesting times were had, especially visits to Lubeck, Travemunde and Falmouth. These incidents, while memorable cannot be recounted due to self-incrimination.

Whilst on leave I received a recall to Portsmouth where we were undergoing refit in August and the refit had to be completed in minimum time as we were to proceed to the “Med” ASAP with two 60ft MFV’s in tow due to the pending Suez crisis. Stops along the way included Vigo and Gibraltar and finally arriving in Valetta and proceeding to Sliema. The decision was made there that these “Ley” class were not suitable for the job in hand and I was duly transferred to HMS Alcaston. Working trials took place off Malta and the back to Pieta Creek where the ships’ company was to be paid off and repatriated. However I volunteered to stay with Alcaston and we duly picked-up a new crew.

During the months prior to this I had grown a ‘set’ but shortly after the new arrivals, I had a run ashore and became clean- once more. At this time there were many ton class sweepers moored fore and aft and three abreast and when I returned aboard in the ‘wee’ hours I had the devil of a job to convince the QM that I was in fact on the correct ship since nobody had seen me "Bare"

Time came to depart for Suez and the combined English and French fleet arrived off there on November 5^th and commenced to sweep a channel 5 miles wide and 25 miles long with HMS Sefton in the lead and Alcaston in No 2 position. What a Guy Fawkes night we had due to the ‘softening-up’ bombing raids – the oil refinery was ablaze providing a beaut bonfire and also the bombers had hit an ammunition dump giving us a magnificent fireworks display.

Reading the account by Fred Sampson (Darlastons’ Suez Jaunt) reminds me that we were also inundated with “Pongoes” but I must take issue with him over the statement of going down in history as “being the first minesweepers to sweep a harbour” as Darlaston was not involved – the two lead vessels, Sefton and ourselves (Alcaston) being the only two that did the actual sweeping. Later, back in Malta we were congratulated by the C-in-C Near East on our efforts and the fact that there were no miss-haps.

The sweeper fleet were moored out on buoys in Port Said during the actual invasion but one day we had to shift alongside the water-tanker (one of the RFA vessels – I cannot recall which one) to replenish. This took longer than expected and it was decided to leave us alongside for the night. These RFA vessels had full bar facilities and the opportunity was taken to purchase many bottles of whisky which were duly suspended on strings below the hatch cover of the fresh water tanks. This was too great a temptation so one bottle was hauled out, tin mugs filled and a toast made to “White Horse” (about 2100hrs just after rounds).

The inevitable happened, one wasn’t enough so up came a second and a toast made to “Queen Anne”. Of course, many bottles and toasts later, by about 2330hrs the volume of the toasts had increased to the extent that the whole vessel was aroused and the CC sent to investigate. (14 days pay and leave for all hands).

Deciding that our presence was no longer required in Port Said we were dispatched off to Cyprus for a tour of duty there but on arrival it was found that we had “run” a main bearing in one of the main engines so it was off to Malta and dry-dock for repairs. Christmas time in Malta and nearly all of the shore-side personnel, including Army, Air Force and Royal Marines, had been drafted to Suez so we virtually (and I use that term loosely) had the place to ourselves.

HMS Blaxton was in Malta and due to go home but when inspection of our main engine (Mirrlees) was carried out it was decided that we be sent back to UK and the Blaxton was held back for a week so as to act as escort vessel, much to their disgust. Curiously though, Blaxton on her two M/E’s was unable to keep up with us limping home on one engine and each morning at daylight we had to heave-to and wait for her to catch up. Finally “Alcaston” arrived in Plymouth and was de-commissioned at the end of February 1957 and handed over to the dockyard for re-engining with “Deltics”.

I emigrated to Australia in 1958 and became involved with the Merchant Navy and, as Second Engineer, had epaulettes with three bars. HMS Alcaston was later transferred to the RAN and re-named HMAS Snipe and in the early ‘70s visited my home port of Hobart so I duly donned my uniform and paid her a visit. Nobody aboard knew that she had previously been Alcaston and when they heard that I had served aboard her I was treated like royalty and came away rather the worse for wear and her wardroom supplies severely depleted.

Just re-capping a bit, shortly after my arrival in Sydney in 1958 I was in the Lidcombe RSL Club when I espied a familiar figure that turned out to be none other than the P.O. Electrician who had been on loan to us from the RAN – I am told that we had quite a reunion but a word of warning to travellers, if it is still available there, don’t ever drink 'Millers Draft', it’s far worse than an acoustic hammer.

So many people, so many names. I'm afraid that as I approach my 'three score years and ten', my memories of people fade, but the capers that we got up to will never fade. Maybe some of your readers will recognise me, either by name or by deed, both good and bad but mostly hilarious.

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