Born in Yorkshire - Made in the Royal Navy

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There's a Royal Navy recruitment video around at the moment that when I saw it made me stop and think. Whoever thought up the 'Made in the Royal Navy' tagline deserves a pat on the back. It was certainly true in my case, and I expect there are few armed forces people who would disagree.





It made me think about who I might have been had I not had a sudden change of mind and gone down the planned career route instead of the one I actually took.

I may have been a successful artist, graphic designer, art teacher or may have left art college and been forced into some other pathway.  Would I have stayed in Lancashire or moved away in the pursuit of a better job in another part of the UK? Who knows.  I do know however, that joining the WRNS at age 17 had a significant impact on my confidence, self esteem and ability to challenge myself. I doubt very much I would have had the opportunities to experience a fraction of what I have over the years years had I not seen the 'Join the Royal Navy, See the World' pamphlet in the pokey careers corner at school.

Basic Training taught me to push myself harder and further than I thought I could go physically. Who knew you could fit so many activities into 24 hours with just a couple of hours sleep!  I met and made friends with people who because of that bond, I still class as 'proper' mates.  I learnt a trade I would never have considered before, and enjoyed it mostly. Who would have expected me to be an aircraft engineer and then produce training aids for Admirals and Royal Princes.

I learnt to take care of myself - how to iron a shirt and pair of trousers properly. How to get from one end of the country to the other with a rail permit. How to mingle with other forces personnel on trains and cadge a free drink or two. How to pace myself on a pub crawl - and why you should always have your toothbrush in your pocket. I learnt how to give as good as I got verbally from working in a male dominated environment. That in itself was worth its weight in gold at times - although it doesn't weigh anything....but you know what I mean! Not being in the catering branch however, I never did learn the art of cooking - nor had any interest in doing so, but that's why we have takeaways and restaurants. 



The real selling point though was how I learnt that I really can do anything if I put my mind to it, face my fears and just get on with it.  Basic Training, Engineering Training, Leadership Training. Each of these pushed me to what I thought was my limit, and then a bit further and a bit further still. Running up hills, down hills, across bogs, carrying big logs, heavy rucksacks, climbing up and down mountains, abseiling, pot holing (eek!) circuit training, assault courses, public speaking, rounds, musters in No2's, PT Kit, No1's, PE Kit... all in the space of a day and that was between classes, washing and ironing and bulling shoes...and a quick pint in the bar!
Who needs sleep when adrenaline is powering you 24/7?

And I learnt to shout at people. Not very well mind you - and usually involved a lot of "Still can't hear you Wren Wilkes" bawled at me by the drill Petty Officer, but I did my turn as class leader, barking instructions at my platoon as they wound their way around parade grounds and camp roads. Comes in useful with the family these days.



A lot of lessons were learnt. 
  • Don't question an instruction, just do it - even if it involves painting grass green or polishing an already highly polished bell. 
  • Don't take things personally - sometimes you need to be told you're a hopeless lazy lumpard to push you further - especially when you have to make a certain time or you will be back classed.
  • Remember to eat the left over takeaway you drunkenly pushed under the bed the night before before it starts to smell funny.
  • Don't let being skint stop you going out. Forces folk look after each other, and someone will always stand you a night out, because one day they will need the favour returned.
  • Don't drink two pints of cold milk to quench the thirst of a bad hangover. It turns you into a cottage cheese dispenser!
  • Don't volunteer for anything unless the alternative is likely to be worse than what you are volunteering for or if it will be highly beneficial and lead to an easier life.

Last October I trained for and completed a 10K Mud Run Challenge. I surprised myself how well I did on the day. The adrenaline kicked in, just as it did years ago and I went for it, gave it 110%. For the first time in decades I felt a huge sense of achievement just as I did after completing Leadership Course in 1988. It felt amazing!






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