Midge Ure – Volunteering to join the submarine service

I didn’t even get interviewed, I got selected, I got asked if I wanted to do it, put my hand up and off we went.

I did have a few other friends who probably peer pressure put their hands up as well and said they wanted to do it and I remember one young lad, same age as me, he volunteered to do it ‘cos he was in our group.

We played football, we went out drinking, we enjoyed ourselves together. He put his hand up and said, “Yes, if you are all going, I’m coming with you.”

He then went home and told his mum and dad that he was going to submarines, and his Dad was actually a Coxswain, or a Master of Arms in the Navy, in the Royal Naval Police, and he put his foot down and he said, “You are definitely not going submarines, you will definitely go back to work and tell them you’re not going” and I think before this young lad came back he was off the Submarine Course ‘cos I think his Dad had some influence there.

That should have told me something. That someone who had served in the Navy didn’t want their own son to do it.

I think it was geographical.