HMS Pembroke

2nd Clarinet · HMS Pembroke

JC started with his piece on Depot RM Deal.

So, I thought, why not do it for all our old and current bases including the steel ships as well as the stone ones.

Please feel free to add, correct or contribute to this thread and or start your own for where you served.

This will add to the historical data we already have on here letting current and future and past members see where we served and as a reference for visitors to the forum.

I served in HMS Pembroke from 1972 to 1981

It was the base for the following band over the years.

Western Fleet Band
C-in-C Fleet Band

HMS PEMBROKE Main Gate.

Changed a bit in this picture from when it was an operational base, In the middle was a small gate house/sentry box which controlled the barriers into and out of the camp. This also housed the tannoy system for annoucments and bugle calls and pipes when required.

To the right was the church (same design as Deal) and on the left was the guardroom, and cells, which a couple of our chaps became temporary residents of, during the years I was there.

2nd Clarinet

Officers Mess/Wardroom

Main entrance to Officer Mess/Wardroom and accommodation block.

Played many a tune while the ossifers ate a hearty meal and ran up their mess bills

Up in the minstrel’s gallery from which, if you were lucky, you could catch a glimpse of a Jenny getting changed in her room. The room where we played overlooked the WRENS accommodation.

View from other side of the block.

2nd Clarinet

Parade ground.

Parades/Divisions in the mornings and on Friday afternoons (just when everyone wanted to get away for the weekend).

In the distance is the tunnel from which we would start our march on with the Naval guard.

Last building on the left is the gym (Played in there for a few RN boxing matches).
Preceeding building is the swimming pool (with a sauna).

Buildings on the left were Dockyard buildings, but was, in earlier times, the drill shed.

You can still see the white line where the Naval guard would line up on and where the Drum Major would march us along, on the march past. (Sometimes at a very fast beat if the heavens were dowing it upon us, or it was freezing)

The steps on the right led up to the main road and accommodation blocks.

2nd Clarinet

Saluting Dias and steps.

Looking from the parade ground.
(Just where the band would be formed up).

The dias, was (in my time) a platform dias on the parade ground level with 3 steps leading up to it.

The band practice room and barber shop were in the accommodation block on the right of the picture.

2nd Clarinet

Anson Block

Nelson Block

WRNS accommodatikon block!!!!!
(Strictly out of bounds to all ranks - even Dusty Millar, lol)

Granville Block

This was my first accommodation block when I was posted to Pembroke.

All the band inliers lived in the attic at the far end.
This block was also where the Pembroke Club was situated and the disco nights here, were great.
Grenville Block also housed the NAFFI Club.
The NAFFI Shop (a prefabricated building) was also between this and another building.

Buildings I cannot find pictures of:
Mountbatten Block - New accommodation which was falling down within six months of moving in.
Small drill shed - where we used to play 5-a-side football every lunchtime (trying to kick Dave Dawson (Drum Major)
Galley - great meals as this was the RN cookery school and we got to eat all their pass out food in the galley.

Nick B

It all sends a few shivers down my spine Bob! I was there for the dying embers of TF and the hand over to Ted Whealing. Evening Soirees in the wardroom, Port and Starboard Band, Rivs Howgills' missing seg on His shoe, clopping down the colonade and the smell of a Drum Majors pipe!!

Pat and I lived in Royal Sovereign Ave. and had many a good night in the Pembroke Familys' club. I'm sure many an inlier was glad of the 'Gate' close by when shore leave had expired!!

joe90

2C, I think you may find we were in the attic in Duncan Block (no longer standing nor is Hawke - Pembroke Club and NAAFI). I'm sure Grenville block housed the galley. In '68 when I first arrived in Pembroke there was a half building in between the two that I think housed the coal shed. I'm up at Rochester Cathedral tomorrow for a graduation ceremony and may be able pop into Pembroke before coming back down to Canterbury. Hopefully get some piccies (if it's not raining)

MrJpig

I know these are posted elsewhere but here they are again ..

euphless · Re: HMS Pembroke

It was the base for the following band over the years.

Western Fleet Band
C-in-C Fleet Band

In the 50's it was home to the Nore Command Band which had the last 2 members of the Chatham Divisonal Band.

Hornblower

OMIGOD!!!!!!!

That last photo! I'm in it and didn't have a 'kin clue!!!!!

Stupid boy's got a stupid grin all over his stupid face....

Jumpy - you HAVE to e mail me that pic (please?)

Brill - I love it.

Bob. the NAAFI shop was in the end of ANSON - See the door at the end of the block? That's the very door you went in. Then they built the larger one in between the two blocks.

I admire the way you put your head on the 'block' with this one. I wouldn't dare try to rely on my memory, I'd be shot to bits by you lot...

Eric Hayward

The Band of CinC Nore Command based at HMS Pembroke under the Direction of Lt. Tom Merrett ceased to exsist in 1961 on the closure of the Command. This was also when the last two members of the Chatham Division Band retired. They were Sgt Vic Chandler and Cpl Ernie Rann who was the Drum Major for many years and who taught me how to perform the same duties. These two members were not allowed to wear the old Division cap badge but actually did so on he last day of their service. Well at that time they couldn't be charged could they.

Eric Hayward

I forgot to say that I served in the Nore Command Band from '56 to '61 and your pictures have certainly brought back memories. The WRENs moved into the block next door to the Officers mess the year before the closure of the command and it somehow promted almost the full band to volunteer for Guest Night orchestra in the gallery. Also there were many times that I left through those gates with my heart in my mouth and two or three hundred "Blue Liners".(duty Free cigs) in the tool box of my side car combiation.

MrJpig

2nd Clarinet

Hornblower

Hornblower

Just had a sudden flashback - the block that we were in was HAWKE block.

There was us 3 newbies - Geoff Truss, Bob and me - in the outer attic room and in the inner room we had Alick, Taff Cox(?) Taff Kinsey(?) Jack Frost, Twig Tray, Andy Mytum, Mick Murray, 'Drone' Smithson, Percy Pinder(?) Charlie Ankers(?)

Alick, I'm sure you'll be able to edit this list to come up with the right names.

You 'old sweats' were fresh off HMS Victorious and HMS Eagle as I recall?

The rest of the existing Chatham inliers were in the attic of another block that Rab used to reside in.

Then, after a few months, we all moved into the brand new Mountbatten block which, as Bob rightly states, was condemned as uninhabitable and used as a transit block.

We all moved again into one of the refurbished accomm blocks to find that we were no longer confined to the 'penthouse suite'.

Halcyon days.

2nd Clarinet

Great recall Stu.

Andy Mytum = press ups, sit up, health foods (before it was vogue) his tatts, and, after he married and moved to Dargets Wood, his remote TV aerial.

lol............

Also, days when sugar, coffee and 'condensed milk' was mixed in yer mug before the addition of hot water.

Condensed milk? you ask.....yep, and it was great.

RAB

Len

sticky blue

StickyBlue

After passing out of training I spent many years at Deal before being sentenced to the penal colony in Chatham in 1978 and then on to RAF Northolt, not my first choice of a draft, but I have to say, looking back on it, perhaps through rose coloured spectacles, I made the most of a bad job and enjoyed myself there. I've got some more old photos I will rake out later but for the time being here is one of the band marching out of the main gate:-

2nd Clarinet

Some more 'old' pictures of HMS Pembroke

HMS Pembroke from the air.

HMS Pembroke main gate.

[u]HMS Pembroke Mountbatten Block.[/u]

StickyBlue

Another photo of The Band in front of the Main Dock Yard Gates. Not sure when it was taken but must have been early 70's as Pete Sumner was DOM

RAB

I THINK that's me on pot on the right, and Eric McKone on the other side. I also THINK it's Cpl. Duggie Drysedale second from right in Bulgers...
That would date it late '69 - early '70.

But I could be wrong... AGAIN..!!!

StickyBlue

It would appear for those of us that served at Chatham, that it was nothing new in the way we behaved, we were following an old tradition of cricket and beer from the 1890's as this old news paper clipping says :-

Cheshire Cat

Is that Dave Dawson as Drum Major leading the Band out of the Main Dockyard Gates at Chatham ?

2nd Clarinet

Certainly is Dave Dawson.

That would make it after Drummy Andy Croft's time, RAB.

The buglar on right 'looks' like Addy Harper and the second right, front row, looks like Mr Adamson (without 'tache).

The occaision would probably have been the exercising our Freedom of Chatham, with;
Swords drawn, drums beating, bands playing, Colours flying and bayonets fixed.

StickyBlue

2nd Clarinet

I was probably on that one, freezing me crown jewels off!

Definately MBT with 'bone slanting down, (he was only a little chap and it got heavy towards the end of Divisions).

Because of the weather, the picture looks as if it was taken in the '30s, good piccy Sticky!

Anyone got pictures of the Attics?

MrJpig

I remember that day....covered with snow down one side after standing in it for so long

RAB

2nd Clarinet

I, like many others from that era and place, don't want to remember HIM.

Mr Bass Trombone

Certainly is Dave Dawson at the head of the Band (Andy Crofts left a couple of years into my time there) so it would be in my time at Pembroke72/81, and as previously stated the right gig as well, probably late 70s looks like Charlie Miller on Bass on the dockyard gate side of the of the band, may even have been the one where dear old Rivs Howgill upset during the morning and I played half a beat behind him( Bass solo of Trafalgar included)all the way from Gillingham to Chatham made his hands bleed that he did not upset me again before a marching gig. I think it may have been almost his last one before he became TFs desk jockey and also fellow FM.

2nd Clarinet

StickyBlue

I can't remember if you were still there in 1981 Bob the old grey matter is dying off rapidly, but as I/C Corps of Drums I got a request for a Bugler for a Burial of an old shipmate from the main gate staff via the Band Sec.
Nothing unusual in that I hear you saying, but this particular 'Funeral' made the National Press, (the Sun, Star and Mirror)

euphless

OK.
Which of you drunken dogends ran over Charlie!!!

sticky blue

It twern't me

sticky blue

Brian Peever was the D/M back in the early 70's on my first visit to Chatham Band.

2nd Clarinet

sticky blue

I don't put milk in coffee, I don't drink coffee that offten, Tea's for me

Mr Bass Trombone

I will provide you with an answer Bob.
My Spanish son in law his mother and sisters still put condensed milk in their coffee. So there is at least one answer you have had.
Adios, Hasta Octubre????

RAB

HMS Pembroke

Re: HMS Pembroke