No-one here knows Gordon. he was a Fleet Signalman serving on Royal Navy Destroyers in the Atlantic during WW11.

I first meet Gordon just short of 3 years ago. He demobbed after the war and found it difficult fitting back into civialian life. After a few years Gordon realised that his greatest mistake was leaving the Navy. By this time he had a wife and young family to support so re-entry was not a consideration. Gordon then established an ex Navalmens association in our local Comrades Club which he managed until he was the last man standing. Always the sailor he enjoyed his pint (0ne only ) and always had the eye for a girl - many a night he stayed out late chatting to Lorna.

Saddly, Gordon suffered from old timers desease, on a bad day he would tell a story and then say "if I have told you this before please say so" and then repeat what he had just told you. Only a very unkind person would say so as Gordon got so much pleasure out of telling his stories. On a good day Gordon could tell stories of his time in the RN and experiences he had with great clarity and enthusiasm. He was the son of a long line of blacksmiths in the local area and his grandfather, a blacksmith and wheelwright was commissioned by Winston Churchill to rebuild Joan of Arc's carrage after it had been damaged during the bombings on London. On completion of the repairs Gordon's grandfather was presented to WC, a fact Gordon was hughly proud of as prior to the war his ambition was to be a master Blacksmith.

Gordon was about a quarter of the size of Jack Leurie Smith but by no means a lesser man.

He passed away on Thursday morning, aged 80, and I will miss him.

Mick Thompson

_________________
Mick Thompson
R43153
Ex-LT
19th Mobi intake
July 65 to Mar 92
23 years (20 out for 3 then signed on for another 3) paid off '92
Nirimba, Sydney, Anzac, PBF Cairns x 2, Watehen, Stalwart x 2, NSC Kuttabul, Vampire, Penguin and finally Nirimba.

A sad post, Mick. Thanks for sharing it with us.

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Chris O'Keefe
R43136
Ex WO Chippy
19th MOBI Intake
July 65 to July 85
HMAS Nirimba X 4 -Penguin-Sydney-Queenborough - Creswell - Moreton - Stalwart - Platypus - Coonawarra Reconstruction Team 76 - Platypus - Hobart - Cerberus - FHQ - Coonawarra.

Anyone can be ordinary. Shipwrights choose to be extraordinary!