Ron Gordon – Why I joined the Submarine Service

I tried to join the Merchant Navy ‘cos I wanted to be an Electrical Officer, but when I went down for the interview in London, another shock to the system, ‘cos my mother always said, “Beware of those English bastards, don’t trust them” and I found them very friendly (laughs).

I got down to London and I hadn’t done my homework. Then when they showed me ‘what ship of the line is this?’ I thought oh, I don’t know, and it was some of the photographs they’d sent me in the information. And then when they heard about all the sport that I was in to, badminton, rugby, football, anything sporting I would do, they said, “Well, it’s not for you because when you’re on a Merchant Navy ship, you’re away for months and you don’t get the chance to do any of that so you’re probably not the right career for you”.

So I went back and then I was just out walking down the little shore at Rhu one day and when HMS Vanguard, the Battleship was coming up the Gaer Loch, up the Clyde and up the Gaer Loch to go for the Breaker’s Yard up near Faslane, and I decided that’s what I wanted to do. The next minute I was up their Recruiting Office in Glasgow.

There was also a Submarine Base up there, a Submarine Depot ship up there called the Maidstone, and we used to see these sailors in uniform in Helensburgh and I never particularly liked them ‘cos they were always scruffy and smelly, but when I saw the Vanguard, I thought no, that’s got to be it.

I was desperate to get away from the village ‘cos there was no future there. I wanted something different so that’s why I went to the Recruitment Office.

And as soon as they heard I got eight ‘O’ Levels, they said, “Oh, do you want to go through for Supplementary Officer?” I said, “No” I said, “not with my background. My mum can’t afford anything like you know all the uniform and all the …” ‘cos I’d heard about what the life as an Officer required you to do, the Mess life, and I said, “No, we can’t afford that” so I went in as an Apprentice.