Jim Perks – Instant camaraderie

So, I met up with a cohort that I joined up with again, I went through the Officer of the Watch Course, again great friendships made, and quite a few Submariners on that course and then we all went off to Dolphin to start our submarine journey, and that’s when the friendship dial got turned up even more because now you’re in with other Submariners and you can really feel the camaraderie and of course Dolphin, what a place. I mean what a place and of course back in the day there was a whole load of ‘O’ boats parked right outside the Ward Room.

Simon: I’ve seen those photos, they’re incredible.

Yeah, stunning, and so the crews were all wandering around and the Ward Room Officers would be in the back Bar in the Mess and spinning dits, telling stories, laughter.

It’s one thing I really do remember, you know walking into the Bar just before dinner and the noise of laughter and fun and camaraderie, in little groups of … the boats would tend to stay with themselves and ah, absolutely brilliant.