R. Sigs afloat on HM Fearless ships & Matelots

Were any serving Royal Sigs blokes on these forums ever serve afloat with HM Fearless ships with the R Navy? I was just curius as to what R Sigs Trade group would ahve been drafted to serve, for how long and what were the general duties like?

Did the R Sigs only send Radio/Teleg Ops on the Fearless deployments, and did they work alongside the R Navy Signals blokes?

Any information that can be researched into these deployments, and does the R Sigs still deploy on royal Navy ships?

I believe it was Radio Relay det`s that were on Fearless and Intrepid (661 Troop)

Did they have to take their turn in the barrel as well?

I have already asked that question on another site..Will keep you posted

Answer received from an ex scaley sailor

Quote :

the barrel was in Nelson's days. The mate a lots on Intrepid would permit any gullible scalley to bend down and examine the golden rivet.

unclevanya 621 troop HMS Fearless........661 troop HMS Intrepid

Ach so! It's too late therefore for Brum to transfer to the R Signals!!

Would he want to? He is a proud Cavalryman

Not quite what you had in mind, but while I was serving with 18 Inf Bde in Malaya, I and five others were detached to the frigate HMS Modeste for a few weeks cruising around the South China Sea. We also sailed up a river in Borneo, visiting Serekei, Sandekan and Sibu. It was more of an R&R exchange than a working detachment, but to qualify for the daily rum issue, we had to call it temporary duty. All well and good. We got the tot, but were suckered into 'paint ship routine.' No great hardship, even though we were on the Equator and overall, it was a blast. That's where I spent my 21st birthday, with 'sippers' all round (the stokers' mess deck) and I spent most of it unconscious under 'B' gun.

weedo wrote:

and I spent most of it unconscious under 'B' gun.

Bloody heavy things, them guns !

[quote="Guest"]Answer received from an ex scaley sailor

Quote :

the barrel was in Nelson's days. The mate a lots on Intrepid would permit any gullible scalley to bend down and examine the golden rivet.

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It is understood that the members of the Andrew ( RN types for the uninitiated)
might murmur "Only the roll of the boat !" if there was surprised reaction. It is recorded that, once, a Scaley responded with " Bloody 'Ell ! I thought it was a roll of linoleum !"

And maybe not so grand as being seconded to Fearless, but when Gunner ack-ack units were at the Todendorf range on the Baltic coast, there was much competition between Regt. Sigs. to be selected to man a WS 19 (the old, old days), on the safety boat and maintain comms with a station on the firing point. To be aboard this Kiel based craft, which some said was an RAF rescue launch from WW2, the lucky sig. was treated to an all expenses paid cruise for the duration of firing camp. Good number in the summer months, more dodgy during the preliminary event in cold, sea- freezing February.