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1. Billy Mullen
 | Billy got as far as Port Said
My old friend Billy Mullen did most of his National Service in Port Said where cigarettes were "dirt cheap" (or should that be "cheap as chips"!) and fueled his habit which eventually stopped him reaching the 21st century. Incidentally, his real name was James but even his family called him Billy. |
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2. Dick Fawcett
 This was at RAF Cranwell
I was in Air Traffic Control. The clarinet had nothing to do with it. I was into jazz and bought the clarinet thinking I would learn but as soon as I was skint I sold it and never got another.
One of my mates at Cranwell was a Middlesbrough lad called Gordon Turner. After leaving the RAF he joined the Police Force reaching the rank of Chief Inspector. We could make him an Honorary Slaggy Islander as he was stationed in South Bank for a number of years - but some people who met him in the course of his work might object! It's a pity he wasn't a proper Slaggy Islander otherwise I would have put him in the Achievers page!
In his early days as a bobby Gordon was on his beat in the Boro when he spotted me standing outside Newboulds, laden with shopping while waiting for my wife who was inside the shop. I hadn't seen him when suddenly a hand clamped on my shoulder as he said "What's all this then?!"
With that he burst into uncontrollable laughter and rolled about Newboulds doorway. If you can picture a well-built, six foot three inch copper with his helmet increasing his height by a few more inches....
When he got his breath and wiped the tears from his eyes he gasped "You should have seen your face!!!" This policeman definitely had a sense of humour. |
3. Ray Ward and Keith Wild
 | | Keith and Ray in Hong Kong 1958 |
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4. Tom Crouchley
 | | Tom (on right) in Hong Kong 1959 augmenting his pay. |
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5. Defender of The Realm
 | Tom Crouchley on duty.
Sheila was so proud!! |
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6. It Wasn't All Laughs
 | Jeff Bray's grave in Wayne's Keep Military Cemetery, Nicosia, Cyprus.
While most of us enjoyed our National Service, in degrees, for some it had a bitter ending. Two South Bankers I knew didn't survive but are still remembered.
I had known Jeff Bray from my first day at Cromwell Road School and for his National Service he joined the RAF. I understand that he was stationed in Hong Kong and was due to be demobbed. He was flown to Nicosia with another couple of airmen and was to be flown to England in another three days. He arranged to meet the others in the NAAFI but was the first to arrive and so got a drink and sat down with it. At the time, there was a great deal of terrorist activity in Cyprus and a bomb, left under his chosen NAAFI seat, exploded, killing him on the 8th November 1958 aged 23.
Tony Carr on the otherhand lost his life through skylarking in the billet in Germany. This was a double tragedy for his parents who also lost a daughter when she fell through a greenhouse, severing an artery, and bleeding to death before an ambulance could arrive. The family had lived in Clarendon Street before moving to Keir-Hardie Crescent.
Jeff and Tony were two popular, goodlooking Slaggy Islanders whose lives were prematurely curtailed.
There were two other lads who were involved in motor accidents which they were lucky to survive.
Tommy Searle, also from Keir-Hardie, suffered a broken neck in Germany but returned home to dispel all the rumours that he had been killed - and he's still going strong. In fact, I was talking to him last night (19/6/2002) in the RAFA club in Redcar!
Then, some time later, Tony McElvaney who was a near neighbour of Tommy's in Keir-Hardie Crescent, was also badly injured in a motoring accident in Germany but lived to tell the tale. What was it about Keir-Hardie?
Photo's and comments would be appreciated. |
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7. Alan Winton
 | Alan Winton in Hong Kong 1959
Not much different to driving a Trolley Bus!
Alan was in the Northumberland Fusiliers, a great Geordie Regiment, and served with Jack Young (for a short while) and Woody Irvine. |
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8. Alan Harrison
 | Alan Harrison
When you were given an overseas posting that's exactly what you got - shipped out by sea, even if you were in the RAF like Alan Harrison, then of Pym Street. |
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9. Dan Pluck & Allan Thompson
 | Dan in Caen, France
Dan was at pains to point out that he wasn't National Service but a Regular, having signed on for three years instead of the normal two. He wasn't alone as some of us were in the same boat (so to speak!) and so I changed the heading from National to Military Service but I still maintain that those of us who did sign on wouldn't have thought of it if we hadn't been called up.
However, Dan joined the Coldstream Guards and got a shock when he was pulled up by a corporal - who was none other than Allan Thompson! Dan served briefly in Caen, France, but spent most of his service guarding Buckingham Palace and then was on the staff at The Tower of London when based in Chelsea Barracks. The Tower was known to be impregnable but Dan recalled one night when he had stayed out late and was locked out. To get back in he climbed some unguarded scaffolding that was in place at the time and returned to his quarters without anyone being any the wiser. The Tower may be impregnable - but not to a South Banker!
Another time when Dan's duties included hoisting the flag on the Tower at 9.00am prompt, a colleague agreed to perform the duty for him when he wanted to visit an Aunt who lived in Windsor. Dan returned to the Tower just before 2.00pm the next day and was horrified to see that the flag had not been hoisted. He quickly rectified the omission and waited for the flack to fly. To his surprise and relief nothing was ever said. No one seemed to have noticed that for the first time in hundreds of years the flag was not raised until 2.00pm!
Allan recalled a time when he was Corporal of the Guard at the Tower but had fallen asleep (on duty!). He woke in a hurry and roused the bugler who should have been out on the parade square. Being late, the bugler played reveille through the opened window of the guard room!
Anyone interested in history may be impressed to know that Dan was billetted in the next room to the one once occupied by Sir Thomas More who refused to give up his Catholic Faith and paid the price by being beheaded by King Henry VIII. He was later given Sainthood and in 1966 his life was celebrated in a film called "A Man For All Seasons" starring Paul Schofield. |
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10. John Healy
 | L-r: Rookie, Practising techniques!, Old hand.
John Healy, brother of Eddie, from Scarborough Street served his time as a bricklayer but finished at the age of 19 which resulted in an early visit from the postman with his call-up papers!
You know how it works - the Army was in need of bricklayers so John was enlisted in the Regimental Police. |
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11. Bright-eyes
 | Alec Power in Akabar 1956
Alec Power was known by everyone as "Bright-eyes" as can be seen on this great photo sent in by his half brother Alex Jinks residing in the land of Oz. (The family also had the fish shops on Middlesbrough Road.)
I first met Alec when I was ten and we were in the matinee at the Empire (see "Fleapits" on the Leisure page!). His sense of humour was evident then - but not for this page - and we became firm friends. |
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12. Green Howards
 | Akarit Platoon, Richmond, 1957.
Ann (Sleight) Breckon sent this photo in which was taken in Richmond showing her husband John second from left in the back row.
There are another two South Bankers in the same squad. Norman Conway is 3rd from the right in the 3rd row while Tom Crouchley is sat on the extreme right on the front row. |
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13. John Breckon
 | | Taken from the Akarit photo. |
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14. Norman Conway
 | | Left - at Richmond. Right - Hong Kong 1959. |
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15. More Tom Crouchley
 | Taken from the Akarit photo.
Yet another pic of Tom! With all that travelling and posing it's no wonder he's knackered now!! (Only joking Tom!) |
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16. Eugene Fisher
These details come from Eugene McElvaney in Oz.
Eugene Fisher (another Peter's student) got the Military Medal whilst serving in Ireland with the Green Howards in the Seventies. (Our Patrick reckons he should have got one that day as well, but they were only giving out two and one had to go to the Officer in charge who wasn't even at the scene of the fighting. Do all soldiers say that?).
Photo? |
17. Paul Collins
E-mail extract from Eugene McElvaney in Oz:
I'll try to hunt out a picture of my cousin, Paul Collins of 4 Jackson Street to send to you. Paul was a warrant officer with the Green Howards at the time and commanded a lot of Southbank lads during the Sixties, Seventies and early Eighties. Paul now lives with his wife Barbara in York. I bet Paul would have a few stories about some of the Southbank characters.
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18. Richie Sharples
 | | Richie sees the world |
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19. John Waterfield
 | John Waterfield
John served with the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment from 1958 - 1964. |
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20. Brian Briggs
 | Driver Briggs demonstrates car maintenance skills.
Brian Briggs was called up for his National Service and joined the Green Howards but transferred to the RASC as a driver at Aldershot.
Note: Car is a 1960 Triumph Renown owned by his father. |
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21. Sergeant John (Jack) Searle
 | Jack's Discharge Papers
Most of the entries for the Military Service page tend to be National Servicemen but here's a copy of the Discharge Papers of Jack Searle who served during the First World War, earning the Military Medal and reaching the rank of Sergeant.
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22. South Bank Home Guard
 | Photo from Simon Crozier
Note from Simon:
"Photograph of the Officers and NCO's of (I think) the South Bank Home Guard - obviously from during the war. My grandfather (Jack Harris) was a Captain in the Home Guard and is stood at the back 4th from left."
Simon later wrote again with further details which he had received from his cousin Peter Harris of Normanby:
The Unit was called Cleveland Works Battalion of the Home Guard.
Back row l-r: Overton, Myers, Ledgard, grandad Jack Harris, Wilson Wiles, ?, ?, ?, Gerry Rush.
Front row: The officer in the middle was called Major Sherwood.
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23. St.Peter's Army Cadet Force
 | Photo from Simon Crozier
Note from Simon:
"Photograph of what I think is St. Peter's Army Cadet Force (ACF), although the photo is marked "Home Guard". The "troops" look too young to be Home Guard so ACF is a sure guess. There is a note that St. Peter's won the cup but that is all I can say at the moment. Again my Grandfather is a Captain and if I remember rightly was the CO. He is on this photograph sitting 6th from the left."
A further note came from Simon to clear things up a bit:
"As with regard to identifying people on this picture, I can help with the following from dad/mam. I will work from the left all the time.
Rear rank 6th from left in glasses is Len Davies.
Middle rank 5th from left Ron Davies.(Brothers I believe.)
Front rank 1st Frank Wadwell,next Gerry Rush,next Jack Kelly, next Fr.Murphy,next Colonel Pennyman(This is a well known well off family in the area, and they used to own Ormesby Hall which is now part of the National Trust,and the woods around that area are still known as Pennyman Woods.Finally to the right of Grandad is Mr Skillen who was St. Peters Head teacher.
The Cup was apparently called The General Nation Trophy."
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24. A First World War Postcard
 | Jack Searle sent this to his wife Lizzie in 1914
Jack Searle joined The King's Royal Rifle Corps in 1914 and couldn't wait to tell his wife back in North Street about their uniforms.
His nephew Tommy Holvanhill had looked after the card since his mother Rene had died and has now passed it on to Jack's son Tommy who has allowed it to be reproduced here. |
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25. The Back Of The Card
 | | Jack proudly wrote to Lizzie... |
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26. Jackie Smith
 | Jackie on parade with fellow Red Devils
Jacqueline Smith was the first female to join the famous skydiving team of the Red Devils giving exhibitions of their skill all over the world. Here's an extract from one of her e-mails:
"Sometimes we would do 6 or even 7 shows a day. We would fly from wherever our aircraft was based (usually Farnborough) and jump into a show, say, at the Manchester Flower Show. We would land our parachutes in the arena, do a nice military style line up in front of the crowd, salute, meet all the dignitaries, hand over the football or whatever and then run to where our parachutes were laying. We had really tight deadlines to keep and therefore had to pack our parachutes as fast as we could and get back into the ground crew's vehicle (grabbing a drink and maybe a hotdog on way to the vehicle) and then drive to the closest airfield where our aircraft had landed awaiting us to board again for the next show. You can imagine how knackered we all were at the end of the day and then sometimes we had to drive all the way back to Aldershot for somewhere far away. We didn't smell very nice on the journey back to Aldershot I can say! But we were all in the same boat!" |
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27. The Fast Way Down
 | Jackie Smith from a Daily Express cutting
Jackie hadn't been with the Red Devils long when she suffered a slight mishap at an airshow - her parachute failed to open! It was at one of her first appearances with the Red Devils at an Army Tattoo at Swansea.
Her main 'chute failed to open at 2,400 feet but the watching crowds thought it was all part of a daring freefall. As Jackie hurtled down she pulled on her reserve 'chute - which ripped and opened inside out! It was torn but luckily it held together enough to check her descent and caught enough wind to pull her over the sea which she hit with a terrific splash, automatically inflating her life jacket which kept her afloat until help arrived.
Back on shore she made light of the incident and Sergeant Ted Lewington the team leader said admiringly "She's a cool one all right - she's just great."
Another team member was more impressed; "She was lucky," he said. "A chance in a million."
Lucky or not the very next day Jackie was back up in the clouds doing another jump with a smile on her lips. Tough these Slaggy Islanders! |
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28. John Ware
 | | John Ware, 2nd from right, in Hong Kong. |
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29. John Ware and Derek Mescus
 | Somme Platoon, Green Howards, Richmond 1957
Derek Mescus on left; John Ware on right. |
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30. John Chard
 | | John Chard (right) with two of his mates on bull parade |
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31. John Bullock
 John Bullock (left) with the Green Howards in Korea
Photo from Denyse McLeod (nee Bullock)
John (brother of Ronnie) Bullock lived in Cleveland Street and now lives in Church Lane.
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32. John Searle
 John Searle at El Bala Military Hospital, Egypt
Photo from Tommy Searle
John was in the Royal Medical Corps from 1950-52 and served in Egypt. He always said that Bobby Moore was stationed with him. |
33. Tommy Searle
 | Tommy was in the Royal Engineers. Did we all look so young?!
Somewhere on this site I think I told the tale of Tommy's accident while serving in Germany. In case I didn't I'll take the risk of repeating myself...
Tommy was involved in a lorry crash and suffered a broken neck among other injuries. The story flew round South Bank that he had been killed.
Some time later I was walking past South Bank Football field when I bumped into the lad himself.
"Bloody Hell, Tommy!" I exclaimed. "I heard you were dead!"
"Oh yes" he said, "but you didn't get a collection up for me did you!!"
Writing that reminds me of a tale Ray Ward told me.
A few years ago there was a Ray Ward listed in the "Deaths" column in the Evening Gazette - but not our Ray.
A few weeks later Ray was in Normanby and spotted a friend called Terry Magson sat in his car in a carpark so he walked over and tapped on the window. Terry looked horrified but then opened the window.
"Bloody Hell, Ray" he said. "I heard you were dead!"
"Well did you go to the funeral?" asked Ray.
Terry admitted he hadn't.
"Huh," said Ray. "And you call yourself a mate!"
South Bankers! |
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34. D-Day 60th Parade
 | We joined the parade in support of the veterans
l-r: Dick Fawcett, Tommy Searle (see previous story!), Jimmy Adams, Kevin Doyle. |
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35. Ted Fagan
 | 84 year old Ted Fagan, a D-Day survivor, was in the Royal Scots Fusiliers
When being ferried in for the landings a bomb dropped into the vessel carrying Ted but didn't explode having landed in the coal bunker.
Ted is an ex Slaggy Islander and used to live in Warwick Street but now-a-days lives in Redcar. |
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36. March Past
 | | Marching past the old Coatham Hotel a wave for my Grandson |
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37. March Past
 | A small detail of the D-Day Parade of Slaggy Islanders
Far column l-r: centre Kevin Doyle, right Joe Shackleton.
Centre column: centre Dick Fawcett.
Near column: left Jimmy Adams, right Tommy Searle. |
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38. L/Cpl P. Lawler
 | Taken at the South Gare in 1910
This photograph was printed on a postcard, signed "Merry Xmas, G.Jobson" and sent to Lance Corporal P.Lawler of 34 Jackson Street, South Bank with the stamp franked "Redcar Dec 24 10". It was redirected to 12 Upper Jackson Street.
However, P. Lawler is one of the squad (ringed) so presumably G.Jobson is either the photographer or one of his comrades. There will be more on this story later... |
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39. South Gare Squad
 | | Thought to be the same squad at the Gare in Dress Uniform |
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40. L/Cpl P.Lawler
 | | Taken from the first photograph |
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41. John (Shorty!) Chapman
 | Maureen Coxon's big brother John Chapman
Photo from Maureen Coxon nee Chapman |
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42. David McLay
 | Colonel David McLay USAAF
David is the younger brother of Joe McLay and I remember him as a slightly built, blond lad living in King Street and attending Sir William Turner's Grammar School (Coatham), Redcar.
I don't know where he first got the idea but, in those days of National Service, David joined the American Air Force where he did quite well.
He became a pilot, saw active service in Vietnam and rose to the rank of Colonel.
After leaving the Service he became an Airline Pilot and then Captain. He is now retired and living in California.
I hope that when he reads this David will furnish a few more details of his career which, by South Bank standards, has been out of the ordinary! |
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43. Slaggy Islander at War
 | History in a message!
Southbanker Ron Sowerby was working in Sands' Bakery when World War II started but he left the sweet smell of loaves baking to join the Royal Signals as soon as he could and travelled all over Europe - after a slight hiccup at Dunkirk.
He saw action at El Alemain with Montgomery and was involved in fifteen battles, not counting Dunkirk!
It was when he was in Salerno that a message was handed to Ron to transmit which was circulated around the world and entered the history books. Ron kept that little scrap of paper which is reproduced above.
Now scroll down to the next titbit... |
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44. Troops Morale
 | In El Alamain Montgomery set about boosting morale
When General Montgomery took over in the desert he quickly set about boosting the morale of his beleaguered troops and made everyone feel important by issuing a printed message to every man. Ron Sowerby kept his safe through many travels and battles. |
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45. Herbert H. Webster
 | Bertie Webster with baby son Mick!
I got an email from Mick Webster, ex Slaggy Islander and now ensconced in the Costa Blanca, Spain. He had come across some old documents of his Dad, Bertie, and kindly scanned them and sent them in.
The Service records will go on this page but Mick also included things from the opening of Smith's Docks Park which will be on the Leisure Activities Page and maybe on the Work page although I might be changing that and having a Smith's Docks page in which case...
Incidentally, Mick is now based in Costa Blanca and he has sent me a photo of his poster(!) which I'll put on the Ex-Pats Gallery page. |
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46. Bertie Enlisted
 | | Bertie's enlistment papers 16th December 1940 |
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47. Service Record
 | Bertie Webster's Service Record
After joining the Royal Artillery on 16/12/1940 Bertie was transferred to the Royal Leicesters four years later, finally being demobbed 22/12/1947. |
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48. Bertie's Last Pass
 | | Bertie's last pass book before being demobbed in 1947 |
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49. Bertie's Companion
 | | All good catholics carried their Army Issue prayerbook |
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50. Pay Book
 | | Soldier's Service and Pay Book |
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51. Pay Book (Two)
 | | Different Regiment, different Pay Book |
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52. Civvy Street
 | | Demobbed and back to Slaggy Island |
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53. Wilf Mannion
 | Wilf with his army mates
Photo from Paul Boden
The names written on the photo mount by Paul's father are as follows:
Back row: Wilf Mannion (England), Edelston (England), J.Hagen (England).
Front: Britton (England), Tommy Walker (Scotland).
Paul has no information on the photo or how it came into his father's possession.
The photo itself is very faded and badly marked but I've managed to get an image out of it and enhanced it with sepia toning. Dick. |
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54. Dick Fawcett
 | My early days at RAF Swanton Morley in Norfolk
In Story 33 I have a photo of my old friend Tommy (Nobby) Searle doing his National Service and said "Did we ALL look so young then?"
The answer is that we did! This was a photo taken in the billet at Swanton Morley in 1954 when I was just eighteen. I had forgotten that, when I went in, I didn't even shave at the time - but we were ordered to every day with "Get that bumfluff off your face, you 'orrible little man!!"
No wonder I now sport a beard!
Incidentally, you can see from the photo that I, and my colleagues, didn't really take Military Service seriously, resulting in several spells on jankers. |
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55. Faley and Norman
 | Felix "Faley" Hughes and Norman Foster
Photo from Sheri Freidman (nee Whitehead)
Faley and Norman during their National Service, probably in 1956. Can anyone provide any more details? |
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56. War Heroes
 | South Bank War Heroes Alf Ward and Maurice Norman
Photo from Eric Bailey
Alf and Maurice pictured at Kirkleatham Museum when the Standard of the Normanby Veterans was laid to rest and handed over to Coatham Church. |
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57. Tommy Wyke
 | Tommy Wyke 40 Commando Royal Marines 1957
Tommy was stationed in Bengazi in Libya in 1957 and this portrait is a small section of the photo in the next paragraph...
Coincidentally the day I put this on the site (8 April 2008) Tommy's old mob were on the TV news having just returned from Iraq. |
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58. Tommy in Bengazi
 | Tommy pictured with the local kids in Bengazi in 1957
Royal Marine Commandos were heroes wherever they went. |
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59. Pat McElvaney
On a visit to The Albion at South Bank I was talking to John Sullivan who reminded me of a tale about Pat McElvaney's National Service in Northern Ireland...
The squaddies had had pep talks about the dangers faced from the IRA and the correct protocol of "the challenge".
One night Pat was on guard duty and heard a noise in the darkness whereupon he issued his challenge "Who goes there? Friend or Foe?"
There was no reply but further rustling from the dark brought a second challenge from Pat. Again there was no answer but more rustling had the hair raised on the back of Pat's neck.
Mouth dry, Pat issued a final challenge to which there was once again no reply but when the rustling resumed the bold Pat fired into the darkness. This stopped any noise but everyone was alert and on tenterhooks until dawn showed up the body of a cow, laid on its side, felled by Pat's single bullet! |
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