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Jim Worlding | profile | all galleries >> In Box >> HMS GANGES and Shotley Gate >> HMS Ganges revisited 6th June 2015 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

HMS Ganges revisited 6th June 2015

After parking at the far end of the Parade Ground next to the PO's Mess and a quick look round Nelson Hall, we were given a guided tour of the Old Place, this included a stroll over the Quarter Deck. I took the opportunity to not only smoke a fag on it but also did the unthinkable with the dog end. Then followed Tea and Biscuits served by 2 Lovely Ladies who work for the site owners. After this a couple of us decided to try to find the location of our old mess decks. In my case I was looking for what in 1965 was Benbow 27 Mess situated at the very bottom of the Long Covered Way. The Photos in this collection are in the order I took them and our search started with the discovery of the rusty old kit locker this would have been close to the old Green Mansions. I will not caption all of them as I can't be sure I will get the location correct. Some of the Captions may be a little out with the location but I'll do my best.
Please be sure to visit the HMS Ganges Museums PBase galleries https://pbase.com/hms_ganges_museum/profile
Open Day DVD
Open Day DVD		 Mast
Mast		 Nelson Hall
Nelson Hall
Nelson Hall
Nelson Hall		 Looking round from the Parade Ground
Looking round from the Parade Ground		 Looking round from the Parade Ground
Looking round from the Parade Ground
Looking round from the Parade Ground
Looking round from the Parade Ground		 Looking round from the Parade Ground
Looking round from the Parade Ground		 Nelson Hall
Nelson Hall
Nelson Hall
Nelson Hall		 Nelson Hall
Nelson Hall		 A few Old Boys & Families had a guided tour.
A few Old Boys & Families had a guided tour.
A few Old Boys & Families had a guided tour.
A few Old Boys & Families had a guided tour.		 A few Old Boys & Families had a guided tour.
A few Old Boys & Families had a guided tour.		 A few Old Boys & Families had a guided tour.
A few Old Boys & Families had a guided tour.
Parade/GI's office at the end of Nelson Hall (I think)
Parade/GI's office at the end of Nelson Hall (I think)		 What was the PO's Mess & then the Senior Rates Mess
What was the PO's Mess & then the Senior Rates Mess		 What was the PO's Mess & then the Senior Rates Mess
What was the PO's Mess & then the Senior Rates Mess
Swimming Pool
Swimming Pool 		Swimming Pool
Swimming Pool		 Swimming Pool
Swimming Pool
Swimming Pool
Swimming Pool		 Swimming Pool
Swimming Pool		 CPO's Mess
CPO's Mess
Lane between Swimming Pool and CPO's Mess
Lane between Swimming Pool and CPO's Mess		 Swimming Pool
Swimming Pool		 CPO's Mess
CPO's Mess
CPO's Mess
CPO's Mess		 Swimming Pool. You can just see the oil storage tank that was used to heat the pool. No that's not a joke.
Swimming Pool. You can just see the oil storage tank that was used to heat the pool. No that's not a joke.		 Bowling Alley
Bowling Alley
Bowling Alley
Bowling Alley		 Ships Company Bar. (I think)
Ships Company Bar. (I think)		 Ships Company Bar. (I think)
Ships Company Bar. (I think)
Lane at far end of the CPO's Mess
Lane at far end of the CPO's Mess		 Lane at far end of the CPO's Mess. I think the lookout station was added by the Police or RAF when they used the old place
Lane at far end of the CPO's Mess. I think the lookout station was added by the Police or RAF when they used the old place		 Martello Tower
Martello Tower
CPO's Mess
CPO's Mess		 The old Coal Yard and the Pig Farm area.
The old Coal Yard and the Pig Farm area.		 Ships Company Mess
Ships Company Mess
Ships Company Mess and Marines Mess at the far end.
Ships Company Mess and Marines Mess at the far end.		 Ships Company Mess (I think)
Ships Company Mess (I think)		 Ships Company Mess (I think)
Ships Company Mess (I think)
g9/22/489022/2/160327209.He867A3b.jpg The old Green Mansions have long gone.
The old Green Mansions have long gone.		 Mr. Fisk, Photographer and the Barber would have been in this area.
Mr. Fisk, Photographer and the Barber would have been in this area.
Mr. Fisk, Photographer and the Barber would have been in this area.
Mr. Fisk, Photographer and the Barber would have been in this area.		 g9/22/489022/2/160327213.gFy5rtzH.jpg Looking to the coast, over what would have been messdecks
Looking to the coast, over what would have been messdecks
Looking to the coast, over what would have been messdecks
Looking to the coast, over what would have been messdecks		 The sign reads ASSEMBLY POINT
The sign reads ASSEMBLY POINT		 Looking across the Parade Ground to Nelson Hall, with the CMG roof visible on the left
Looking across the Parade Ground to Nelson Hall, with the CMG roof visible on the left
Looking across the Parade Ground to Nelson Hall
Looking across the Parade Ground to Nelson Hall		 The Mast
The Mast		 Looking towards the Main Gate
Looking towards the Main Gate
Looking across the Parade Ground to Nelson Hall, with the CMG roof visible on the left
Looking across the Parade Ground to Nelson Hall, with the CMG roof visible on the left		 Looking across the Parade Ground to Nelson Hall
Looking across the Parade Ground to Nelson Hall		 Parade Ground being used as a car park with the PO's Mess behind the trees.
Parade Ground being used as a car park with the PO's Mess behind the trees.
Parade Ground being used as a car park with the Swimming Pool
Parade Ground being used as a car park with the Swimming Pool		 Old Boys and Families walking up what was The Short Covered Way
Old Boys and Families walking up what was The Short Covered Way		 Old Boys and Families walking up what was The Short Covered Way
Old Boys and Families walking up what was The Short Covered Way
From the edge of the Parade Ground looking towards the SCW
From the edge of the Parade Ground looking towards the SCW		 The old cannon at the bottom of the mast, looking towards the Wardroom
The old cannon at the bottom of the mast, looking towards the Wardroom		 The old cannon at the bottom of the mast, looking towards the Wardroom
The old cannon at the bottom of the mast, looking towards the Wardroom
What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast		 What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast		 What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast		 What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast		 What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast		 What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast		 What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast		 What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast		 What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast		 What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast		 What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast		 What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast		 What's left of the Mast
What's left of the Mast
g9/22/489022/2/160327354.3kZ8G0xr.jpg On the Quarter Deck
On the Quarter Deck		 On the Quarter Deck
On the Quarter Deck
On the Quarter Deck
On the Quarter Deck		 On the Quarter Deck
On the Quarter Deck		 On the Quarter Deck
On the Quarter Deck
On the Quarter Deck
On the Quarter Deck		 On the Quarter Deck
On the Quarter Deck		 On the Quarter Deck
On the Quarter Deck
On the Quarter Deck
On the Quarter Deck		 Looking down what was once The Long Covered Way
Looking down what was once The Long Covered Way		 Looking down what was once The Long Covered Way
Looking down what was once The Long Covered Way
On the Quarter Deck
On the Quarter Deck		 On the Quarter Deck
On the Quarter Deck		 Laundry Hill
Laundry Hill
Laundry Hill
Laundry Hill		 Martello Tower
Martello Tower		 Laundry Hill
Laundry Hill
Laundry Hill
Laundry Hill		 Laundry Hill
Laundry Hill		 Looking over the Quarter Deck, back to The Mast
Looking over the Quarter Deck, back to The Mast
And a casual stroll over the Quarter Deck
And a casual stroll over the Quarter Deck		 And a casual stroll over the Quarter Deck
And a casual stroll over the Quarter Deck		 And a casual stroll over the Quarter Deck
And a casual stroll over the Quarter Deck
And a casual stroll over the Quarter Deck
And a casual stroll over the Quarter Deck		 2 Lovely Ladies who work for the site owners served tea and coffee all day.
2 Lovely Ladies who work for the site owners served tea and coffee all day.		 Nelson Hall
Nelson Hall
Nelson Hall
Nelson Hall		 Nelson Hall in the corner is one of the old blocks that had been the plinth for one of the figure heads. Date 18?? - 1905
Nelson Hall in the corner is one of the old blocks that had been the plinth for one of the figure heads. Date 18?? - 1905		 Parade Ground from Nelson Hall
Parade Ground from Nelson Hall
An old Kit Locker
An old Kit Locker		 An old Kit Locker
An old Kit Locker		 g9/22/489022/2/160327434.bjAhyCIf.jpg
g9/22/489022/2/160327435.BpwqX3np.jpg g9/22/489022/2/160327436.VQsbXkdY.jpg Possibly the Short Covered Way or Benbow Lane.
Possibly the Short Covered Way or Benbow Lane.
Possibly the Short Covered Way or Benbow Lane.
Possibly the Short Covered Way or Benbow Lane.		 g9/22/489022/2/160327467.fmKpGB81.jpg g9/22/489022/2/160327468.k8APw7JI.jpg
g9/22/489022/2/160327469.iGMOIkXb.jpg Under ground bunker, that I hadn't found in 1965
Under ground bunker, that I hadn't found in 1965		 Under ground bunker, that I hadn't found in 1965
Under ground bunker, that I hadn't found in 1965
Under ground bunker, that I hadn't found in 1965
Under ground bunker, that I hadn't found in 1965		 g9/22/489022/2/160327473.94AkfLfi.jpg g9/22/489022/2/160327474.XT6muHuo.jpg
Benbow Lane
Benbow Lane		 The steps at the bottom of Benbow Lane that lead down to the Enright Block
The steps at the bottom of Benbow Lane that lead down to the Enright Block		 This is or was, what I recall as Nozzers Lane, running from the bottom of Benbow Lane to the Bottom of the Long Covered Way.
This is or was, what I recall as Nozzers Lane, running from the bottom of Benbow Lane to the Bottom of the Long Covered Way.
g9/22/489022/2/160327480.qxHxpCJ8.jpg This just has to be the LCW now to find 27 mess
This just has to be the LCW now to find 27 mess		 g9/22/489022/2/160327482.MeaROXEH.jpg
g9/22/489022/2/160327483.MhbvEWu0.jpg g9/22/489022/2/160327484.L6YO4fQb.jpg g9/22/489022/2/160327485.59UgenUq.jpg
g9/22/489022/2/160327496.6z5TtRpp.jpg g9/22/489022/2/160327497.SqZvf73W.jpg Saw this at what I guess was three quarters of the way down the LCW.
Saw this at what I guess was three quarters of the way down the LCW.
and this is as close as I could guess to being the LCW outside my old home.
and this is as close as I could guess to being the LCW outside my old home.		 27 mess would have been close
27 mess would have been close		 27 mess would have been close
27 mess would have been close
This is were I would have expected to see a church
This is were I would have expected to see a church		 g9/22/489022/2/160327503.GKokAxEs.jpg g9/22/489022/2/160327504.7CHQ1bMH.jpg
g9/22/489022/2/160327508.Ld1cbUUb.jpg Looking across the Parade Ground to Nelson Hall
Looking across the Parade Ground to Nelson Hall		 From the edge of the Parade Ground, not a Mess in sight.
From the edge of the Parade Ground, not a Mess in sight.
From just outside the Main Gate
From just outside the Main Gate		 The Mian Gate felt much bigger when I was 15
The Mian Gate felt much bigger when I was 15		 Just outside the Main Gate is the old School Block, that is now apartments
Just outside the Main Gate is the old School Block, that is now apartments
Just outside the Main Gate is the old School Block, that is now apartments
Just outside the Main Gate is the old School Block, that is now apartments		 Just outside the Main Gate is the old School Block, that is now apartments
Just outside the Main Gate is the old School Block, that is now apartments		 Just outside the Main Gate is the old School Block, that is now apartments
Just outside the Main Gate is the old School Block, that is now apartments
Just outside the Main Gate is the old School Block, that is now apartments
Just outside the Main Gate is the old School Block, that is now apartments		 Just outside the Main Gate is the old School Block, that is now apartments
Just outside the Main Gate is the old School Block, that is now apartments

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Geordie Conway 14-Jun-2017 09:01
But we still have the memories. An era gone by and will never be the same again. Entered as boys, came out as men. Would do it all again. Joined 4th January 1959, 19 recruitment. Rodney 14 mess 314 sparker class. 18 months then straight to sea with the Dartmouth Training Squadron. A fantastic time in the mob.
Guest 29-Mar-2016 15:26
Devastating to look at these pictures. I joined in July 1957 and spent my days in Drake 40 Mess until July 1958, which was at the top of Short Covered Way next to the parade ground.
Now live in Cornwall and have always wanted to visit Ganges again but nothing seems to be left!
Nevertheless, we Ganges boys will always have fond memories of our days there, some really bitter but many sweet.
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