I'm back

[Dave 54]

Yep j.w. that is little old me as a young man , I remember joining her one late night in 1974, getting out of the taxi I looked up and though OMG this ship is huge how the hell do I find my way about her but within six months I knew quite a bit of her and after a year I knew virtually every inch of her dthanx to my job as a Damage control watch keeper working in HQ1 the main fire and damage control centre.
She was so big I bumped into a friend from school who had joined the same year as I did but we never met each other until a year on
I was shocked seeing the state of jock my mess mate and was acctually in the regulating office reporting the state of our messdeck with one person missing , I'e the guy I was looking at open mouthed (thinking god this poor bugger is in it big style) and he was !!!...

Dave

 

[Big Lou]

Movie star Dave!

 

[j.w]

Yep I can tell by that look on your face that you were never gonna do what he did
I watched the whole thing and some of those young boys were in bad shape after their fun time on shore. And that one kid almost didn't make it back on the ship. Kelly drank nine pints of Scrumpy, whatever that is but he was a quiet drunk

 

[Dave 54]

Movie star Dave!

In my next episode I was in the ships radio room being told my last surviving Grandma had passed away two months prior to the radio link up which rather made me pissed as my father should have know Being ex RN himself that all he had to do was send a letter BFPO shipsto let me know sooner , after that I walked away from the Man and his wife as it was obvious they didnt really want me living with them , sad thing was niether did my then step dad

Dave

 

[j.w]

Sorry Dave that was sad to hear.

 

[Big Lou]

Very sorry Dave.

 

[Dave 54]

Sorry Dave that was sad to hear.

Scrumpy j.w. is a rough cider and at that level of drinking 9 pints a pretty dangerous game to play as where you bought it from was a really rough place called he Star of the West a pub that was infamous for its clientel with some of the most well known names both prostitute and fighters that would cause trouble in Union Street the main drag famous throughout the Navy's of the world , just ask any sailor who ever visited Plymouth .

Dave

 

[Dave 54]

Sorry Dave that was sad to hear.

Its water under the bridge nowadays my Father never bothererd to find out where I was , it caused me years of mental health issues on top of the PTSD I suffered and its Val and our koi I can thank for turning my life around (perhaps even saving it .
So you see things worked out well in the end "God works in mysterious ways".
The episode my phone call was made was "Homeward Bound".you can watch it but I wont be putting it up on site
No need to be sorry guys that which you survive makes you stronger
Dave

 

[Big Lou]

Thank you for sharing Dave. Most of my PTSD was caused by my parental situation. Like you, my dear wife, a wonderful therapist, pond and pet were paramount in my recovery. God bless you brother.

 

[Dave 54]

Thank you for sharing Dave. Most of my PTSD was caused by my parental situation. Like you, my dear wife, a wonderful therapist, pond and pet were paramount in my recovery. God bless you brother.

We have one of alott in common brother my PTSD was in part caused by my parents, in part by the IRA,
You see I missed the Birmingham bomb blasts by no more than one hour when they bombed a pub most servicemen use whilst in transit to home 21st November 1974,
This was whilst taking early Christmas Leave so that married men aboard the Ark Royal could spend Christmas with their family's before she sailed on a January deployment to the US Caribbean and other places.
So you see I have a wonderful guardian angel but for her our train wouldnt have been delayed by that hour and I would have been in the Tavern in the Town Pub at the time of the blasts.
First we knew about things going on was when got to Birmingham but it was only when I got to my mothers that the full horror of what I missed hit home ,

http://www.itv.com/news/central/update/2014-11-21/video-report-the-night-birmingham-changed-forever/

In the end it took till the mid 1990's to get my head straightened out thanx in part to a brilliant Clinical Phycologist who gave me moths R.E.M. therapy, a brilliant Councelor who undertook over 2 years of talking things through and the strength of Val who stuck by me
This December saw mine and Val's 26th year as a couple

 

[Big Lou]

I am so touched and overwhelmed by your path to torment. You were surely saved for a higher purpose. Thank God for all those who were there for you Dave. We have much different causation yet we both greatly suffered then through true grit, love and care recovered. This past October 25th we celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary.

Happy life and ponding Dave.

 

[j.w]

Glad both you @Big Lou and @Dave 54 made it through all the anguish and both found wonderful wives to support you. May you have happy lives w/your wives for many,many years to come

 

[Big Lou]

Thank you dear lady.

 

[Dave 54]

Thank you dear lady.

I'll second that Big Lou

Dave

 

[Dave 54]

I am so touched and overwhelmed by your path to torment. You were surely saved for a higher purpose. Thank God for all those who were there for you Dave. We have much different causation yet we both greatly suffered then through true grit, love and care recovered. This past October 25th we celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary.

Happy life and ponding Dave.

Thank you Big Lou , I dont know your childhood trauma but if you can overcome them as have I you too were saved for a higher purpose well done on achieving your 35th wedding anniverary.
You have one hell of a strong Lady and an equally strong foundation to your marrage and relationship thats for sure.
Happy Life and ponding to you also

Dave