Sea Time
Back in July 1985 while working at HMS Daedalus Practical Aircraft Training Section (PATS) I was given the opportunity to do something that was extremely unusual for a Wren in those days. I was asked to travel up to Newcastle to escort the Fairey Swordfish that we had in our hangar as a display for all sorts of occasions like Air Day and Trafalgar Day. The Swordfish had been the first aircraft to fly from an aircraft carrier and they wanted to have ours plus a Sea Harrier on display on the flight deck of the soon to be HMS Ark Royal built by Swan Hunter in Wallsend. The ship was to spend five days at sea doing sea trials on her way down to be handed over to the Navy in Portsmouth. The fact that it wasn't actually a commissioned ship meant that we were allowed to sail on her. So Shirley and I set off by train to Newcastle to have some sea time. We were met at the station by a tilly (mini bus) and taken to a guest house in Whitley Bay (which is still there by the way) where we we...