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NAVY NEWS, DECEMBER 2008 17
You’re a
sprog, dad!
AT HMS Raleigh, Trainee
AET Tony Clifton took a cer-
tain amount of glee in wel-
coming a new recuit – his
No new beat
Picture: Dave Sherfield
dad Tim.
Tim, a former submarine Chief for Laura
Petty Officer, left the Royal Navy
NEW recruit Laura Downer,
last year after 27 years of service,
who has just passed out from the
but leapt at the chance to return
Cornish training base, is actually
to the Senior Service, even if it
not so new...
meant a couple of days at HMS
Laura knows the parade ground
Raleigh freshening up his skills. at Raleigh particularly well – just
Tim said: “It’s great that Tony three months earlier she was a
has settled in so well. Because regular there providing the military
I joined after him he called me music at the weekly ceremony.
a sprog – Naval slang for a new But after six years in the Royal
recruit. Marines Band Service Laura has
“So I had to point out that I’d set aside her clarinet and violin
be leaving Raleigh and be out for a to transfer into the Royal Navy to
beer a long time before him. follow her dream of nursing.
“I did miss the Royal Navy Laura said: “I was really proud
when I’d left and it’s brilliant to to be on parade with the Royal
be back. As soon as I got into Marines band playing at my
my cabin at HMS Drake I found
● Son Tony and his dad CPO Tim Clifton Picture: Dave Sherfield
passing out. It brought back some
myself back with some of my old enjoying it and it’s been great of completing my training.” great memories of my time with
friends.” meeting so many new people.” So while dad Tim returns to a the Band Service.
Son Tony is now the third Tony added: “I just want to life beneath the waves, AET Tony “I have enjoyed my basic train-
generation of the family to join do the best I can and have set will be at HMS Sultan learning ing and am really looking forward
the Royal Navy. He said: “It’s myself a goal of being at least a how to keep the Navy’s aircraft to the next phase of my training.”
been really good so far. I’m really leading hand within two years fighting fit. She added: “I hope to be a
good nurse, and to go on to have
a successful career.”
Laura is about to begin a
three-year nursing course at the
University of Central England.
● Naval Nurse Laura Downer
with friends from the Royal
Marines Band at HMS Raleigh
● Peter Bailey and John Louth join a class of new recruits during navigation training at HMS Raleigh
Picture: Dave Sherfield
Future in their hands
ALMOST 50 years later, two old
boys of HMS Raleigh returned to
their alma mater.
Peter Bailey and John Louth,
who met as young chefs at Raleigh
48 years earlier, stayed good
friends throughout their Naval
careers and beyond.
And both men seized the chance
to return to the Cornish training
base to meet today’s recruits and
find out how the RN now trains its
people for Service life.
Mr Bailey, who left the Navy
after 22 years service as a CPO,
said: “For many years I have
thought of Raleigh as my spiritual
home.
“I’ve always had questions about
what the Navy is like today.
● AB Carly Shillito, AB Alexandra Turner and AB Megan Turner “Returning to Raleigh, talking
to the new recruits, and being
Sisters in arms
shown around by some superb
instructors was a revelation.”
He added: “The Royal Navy
is now so professional, although
SHE may be the little sister, but she’s catching up fast... I’d like to think it was the same
AB Alexandra Turner is following in the footsteps of her in my day.”
two sisters, having just completed her basic training at HMS Mr Louth’s Naval career
Raleigh. extended over 27 years with his
Her eldest sister AB Carly Shillito joined the Navy in 2004 last post as a CPO new entry
and is currently to be found on board helicopter carrier HMS instructor at Raleigh itself.
Ocean. He said: “Back when we used
Her other sister AB Megan Turner is serving on board HMS St to have an intake of 200 per week.
Albans having joined up in 2007. I used to live with the recruits for
The three sisters were reunited at HMS Raleigh at Alexandra’s their first week, teaching them
passing-out parade. basic marching, hygiene, etc.
She said: “I’ve enjoyed every minute of my training so far. “They’d come in all shapes and
I’ve met lots of new people and am really pleased that even sizes, but by the end of the week
though I am still very young I’ve managed to cope with such a they looked like sailors. I loved
hard course. it.”
“It’s been my life ambition to join the RN and I’m now proud to He concluded: “Visiting Raleigh
say that I am no longer a civvy and will be a sailor forever.” again was the icing on the cake.
As it happens, all three sisters were recruited by the same I’d wanted to go back for a long
man, PO Ian Taylor, a careers adviser in Sheffield. He said: “In time.
my seven years as a careers adviser this is the first time I’ve “Meeting some of the young
recruited three people from the same family. sailors I thought that if this is an
“The girls are not only a great asset to the Royal Navy, but example of what they are turning
they are also a credit to their mum Louise.” out today, my Navy – as I knew
it – is in very good hands.”
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