Wee Mac
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Melville Barracks Gate CrestsMy first trip to Deal was in the late 60's. As a Marine Cadet from Chatham, we had travelled to Deal , to watch the Massed Bands dress rehearsal. My mother and Grandmother, had repeatedly related tales of them going to watch my Grandfather at the Sunday Church Parades and other stories of Melville Barracks. Twice a week, i would walk along Dock road on my way to HMS Pembroke, to the cadet unit and imagine what it must have looked like before the barracks was closed.
When i walked past the NAAFI in Deal for the first time, I spotted the two crests at the entrance and told my Gradfather this on my return to Chatham.
Are the crests still at Deal, or have they been moved?
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admin
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I don't KNOW but I don't remember seeing the gates on North Barracks
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Wee Mac
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They were not on any gates, the crests were on each side of the entrance, into the Naafi.
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RAB
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| Wee Mac wrote: | | They were not on any gates, the crests were on each side of the entrance, into the Naafi. |
I've got footage of the front of NAAFI in Deal from the 'attrocious' year Mac.. I'll check it out for you when I find time (or soberiety) lol
 ..Or is it sobriety..?? Never good with English.. 
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Nick B
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The NAAFI block has been completely demolished and is now a housing estate. I don't know what has happened to the crests. 
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Dan A
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i remember knocking to smalls balls of the laurels on those carvings with my knife after scran!!!...I am sure some scumbag will have razzed them..
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Hornblower
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| Wee Mac wrote: | | They were not on any gates, the crests were on each side of the entrance, into the Naafi. |
Totally agree Mac and above the entrance was the year 1950, remember?
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Wee Mac
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Many thanks to you for your help. I think i'll get on to the RM Historical chaps, see if they know?
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StickyBlue
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I went into the Barracks after it closed on a couple of occasions to take photos as I have been researching and compiling the history of the Deal Barracks for the past 10 years or more. The main Gates had the Deal Crest on them presented by the Mayor and people of Deal on the RM's Tercenenery. I remember the bronze globe and busters on the wall either side of the NAAFI entrance with the plague as The Depot RM was mainly occupied from the RMLI from Chatham Division and it seemed the obvious place to put them when Chatham(Mellville) Barracks closed and was demolished to make way for the NatWest Bank Building, but sadly they were one of the first things to go missing after Deal was closed. Whether they were 'razzed' or removed officially for preservation I don't know. If anybody does know of their whereabout please let me know for the sake of my book and research.
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RAB
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| StickyBlue wrote: | | . If anybody does know of their whereabout please let me know for the sake of my book and research. |
And the kin reward no doubt Tommo..... 
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sticky blue
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| RAB wrote: | | StickyBlue wrote: | | . If anybody does know of their whereabout please let me know for the sake of my book and research. |
| Quote: | | And the kin reward no doubt Tommo..... |
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You got the wrong Sticky Blue Rab - I'm sticky blue, John is stickyblue 
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Hornblower
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| StickyBlue wrote: | | I remember the bronze globe and busters on the wall either side of the NAAFI entrance with the plague |
Waaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh were they catching then JC? I'm surprised anyone touched them!!!!!
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StickyBlue
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Hornblower
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| StickyBlue wrote: | | |
Read what you wrote John!
Apparently there's a plague near the NAAFI entrance...
Oh, forget it.
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Nick B
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| Hornblower wrote: | | StickyBlue wrote: | | |
Read what you wrote John!
Apparently there's a plague near the NAAFI entrance...
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And a queue at the Sick Bay!
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townsergeant
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| Nick B wrote: | | Hornblower wrote: | | StickyBlue wrote: | | |
Read what you wrote John!
Apparently there's a plague near the NAAFI entrance...
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And a queue at the Sick Bay! |
No.....the queues were next to the Snooker Table! 
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StickyBlue
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With ya now Stu, Doh, never was much good at spolling, only got 5-5 in NAMET test and it was very early in the morning after trying to finish me bottle off before it went bad, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
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Hornblower
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Good excuse actually!
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Wee Mac
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Stu Doh. Did u mean Studio? Isn't stu doh what you make dumplings with?
Sorry chaps. I have Bronchitis and i'm trying cheer my self up! 
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StickyBlue
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Wee Mac, whilst researching the History of the Depot RM it often leads back to Chatham and Woolich Division were most of the ranks came from, looking at your earlier posts I think I found a photo of you outside Melville barracks, is it you ?
Cick image:
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Wee Mac
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Not me I'm afraid, too tall!!
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StickyBlue
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OK Mac,
What about this one, the little boy straw hat next to L/Cpl Jim Trewern, in front right hand flank, is that you ? Victory Parade by RM & RN after the relief of Ladysmith and Mafaking:
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Wee Mac
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Sorry to disappoint you John, It's not me! On that particular day, I had to look after my siblings, because my dad was shagging some slapper in Harlow.
Also,.... it's not Jim Trewern, it's Ron Mansbridge.
I think that the lad wearing the straw hat, is Pedlar, picking the pocket of the boy next to him!
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Wee Mac
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Somewhere in the history books, there is a story that goes back to the Boer war, i think, about a mother who was informed of the death of her Son, a young Marine from Chatham.
Still mourning the loss of her son, she went to Melville Barracks and watched as her dead sons fellow Marines, marched back into barracks, on their return from the war.
Doing this, really made her feel better, especially as marching proudly with the returning Marines,..was her still, very much alive son.
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Cheshire Cat
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Certainly not Jim Trewern ..... too tall for him !
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