The WHS Story

The Sea Cadets . . .

Chris Snuggs - Berners/Halls 58-65: "I was not a member of the Sea Cadets at WHS from 58 to 65 and I don't even remember how one could join. What I DO remember is thinking at the time when I saw them marching around the school what a fine and noble tradition it was that they were continuing.

Having before I went to WHS read all the wonderful "Hornblower" novels (You must see the superb tv series with Ioan Gruffud) and seen "Mutiny on the Bounty" with the incomparable Charles Laughton and Clark Gable, I had great admiration for the British Navy. Rather sadly, the Sea Cadets folded in 1965, but the memories linger on. It would be nice to see some kind of memorial to the passage of the LNS through Woolverstone Hall - a plaque somewhere, perhaps?"

Michael Handley - Hansons 51-56: "I was in the sea cadets - colour guard too. Mr Matthews taught us knots, navigation, etc - good fun."

Simon P. Jones - Johnstons 60-65: "Ah, the Sea Cadets! As if there weren’t enough rules to follow for WHS’s school uniforms, etc., being in the Sea Cadets at WHS brought a whole added dimension to having to wear the accompanying uniform! Uniforms were provided from ‘the stores’ and needed to be prepared and worn in a certain way to ready for the regular inspections. This included:

• Ironing the uniform which included ironing your trousers to include seven alternating horizontal creases (which meant also
ironing some with the trousers inside out!) – these creases were meant to represent each of the Seven Seas.
• Wearing the uniform correctly including the collar, vest, lanyard, etc.
• Blanco’ing the belt, gaters and hat.
• Polishing your boots ‘til you could see your face in them’!!
• Keeping your rifle clean.

A bit like being in the Boy Scouts, there were badges to be sewn on and worn depending on skills and rank (Ordinary Seaman, Able Seaman, Leading Seaman, etc.) for which tests/exams had to be taken.

With HMS Ganges at the end of Shotley peninsula, there were occasional activities associated with the facilities there.

Woolverstone’s Cadets had access to a ‘whaler’ rowing boat which was also used by the Sailing Club on the River Orwell.

One of the main advantages of the joining the Woolverstone’s Sea Cadets (run then by Mr Poole) was that it also might give you access to join the School’s Sailing Club – especially in the summer which was a far more attractive proposition than having to play cricket or participate in athletics!!

(Not sure when and how long I was in the Sea Cadets - probably 1962-64, and no idea what I had to do to join!)"

Dennis Alexander - Orwell/Hansons 57-64: "When I came to WHS in 1957 it was compulsory to join the sea cadets, but I think when you reached a certain age (14?). But before then there were "lessons" on the sea cadets that we had to attend. This compulsion was stopped during the interregnum when Leslie Johnson was acting headmaster and I was saved from ever having to join."