# Seeking ex-Sea cadets from Glasgow units



## ninabaker

Were you ever in a sea cadet unit in Glasgow, Scotland?

There is only one left nowadays but there used to be quite a lot. In the 1980s there was Glasgow Howe, Glasgow Anson and Glasgow Hawke. 
Anson became TS Graham but that shut in the late 90s and reopened in 2001 as TS Galatea, which is still going strong.

I am the chair of the unit management committee so i said I would put out a shout to see if there is anyone out there. It will be our 10th birthday in this incarnation but we are fairly sure there were units here before the war.

Does anyone have any memories or memorabilia, photos etc?

thanks


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## captain of the heads

ninabaker said:


> Were you ever in a sea cadet unit in Glasgow, Scotland?
> 
> There is only one left nowadays but there used to be quite a lot. In the 1980s there was Glasgow Howe, Glasgow Anson and Glasgow Hawke.
> Anson became TS Graham but that shut in the late 90s and reopened in 2001 as TS Galatea, which is still going strong.
> 
> I am the chair of the unit management committee so i said I would put out a shout to see if there is anyone out there. It will be our 10th birthday in this incarnation but we are fairly sure there were units here before the war.
> 
> Does anyone have any memories or memorabilia, photos etc?
> 
> thanks


I was a cadet in Glasgow Howe in the early sixties the unit was based in a school in Shawlands.I joined the RN in 1965 and have good memories of my time as a cadet.We used to go to Troon on a Sunday where we had a converted sailing boat,whaler and motor dorah. I remember a few names Holmes,Dunn,Nickolson. We had a instructor who came from Eaglesham.


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## ninabaker

Hi there. Thanks for this. i will ask the current CO, WO Frank Boyd, if your name rings any bells.

The unit currently meets on the Tallship Glenlee and keeps its various boats in the Kelving harbour next door.


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## captain of the heads

I visited the Riverside Museum when it first opened, there was an event in progress outside and Sea Cadets from various units were in attendance I spoke to a couple of Officers who I think were from T.S. Galatea about previous Glasgow Sea Cadet units but they did not appear to have any knowledge about the history of the Sea Cadets units in Glasgow. I joined Glasgow Howe at the age of twelve and enjoyed my venture into naval cadet life I went on a few courses one of them was to Whale Island (HMS Excellent) for a gunnery course and another was HMS Maidstone which was based on the Clyde for a seamanship course. If my memory serves me right I think T.S.Galatea would have started as Glasgow Anson at HMS Graham (RNR) Whitefield Road, Govan, Glasgow. It had quite a large number of cadets. Another unit with the same numbers was Glasgow Benbow. I don’t think Glasgow Howe would have made it into the eighties when I left the unit in 1965 the number of cadets was less than twelve.


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## submarine

Hi Nina, Found your thread by accident. Was in Glasgow Hawke about 1957 with about 30? cadets at that time. A C.O. one or two officers and at least one C.P.O. I was retired due to age and at that time a leading seaman. There were two or three weekends on MFV from Greenock to Gareloch ( HMS Forth ?) and then out on R. Clyde training. Courses, RNAS Ford , My first flight in a Dragonfly S51 A.S.R. good weather so we flew with doors open,interesting! Then there was a seamanship course on the frigate HMS Teazer which at that time was being used as a training ship with a mixed crew from RN,RNR,RNVR, and sea cadets. A good trip from Plymouth to Invergordon to act as flagship for RNVR minesweeper (Tons.) competition. Learned a few things.
My cousin Andrew Hossack was RNVR at HMS Graham and then he went on to become CO of the Clydebank cadet unit.
Try my memory if you have any questions, might get lucky.
Dave Hunter


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## Knightswood Boy

In the mid to late forties I was in a Unit "Benbow"they used to meet in Scotstoun or WHiteinch Such along time ago Believe it was paramilitary .Any help. Now living in Ontario Canada


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## petermac

I was in the Benbow unit, based at a school in Maryhill. We used to go sailing from the slipway at Rhu on weekends, which now has a sizeable Marina. Great days indeed. A few years later went to Rhu with the GCNS bosun and another Cadet fom our class, and sailed a lifeboat all the way up the Clyde to the college. The lifeboat hung there on the davits for years. I wonder if its the same one that hangs there now?


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## Roy Jones

*Erskine Lad*

Hi Nina, I have recently joined SN and came across the Glasgow sea cadet site while browsing . I was a member of Glasgow Hawke sea
cadet from 1949-55 . This was around the same period as Dave Hunter and there is a fair chance we met . I will jot down some of my
memories of sixty years ago and see if it rings a bell . The Hawke were based in a well equipped hall in Apsley Street , Partick . The hall
had a stage with a dingy mounted on davits which could be used to
practice boat drill . There a large model focsle which could be used
anchor work training . A mast with flag staff and more . There were two officers I forget the senior but the 2nd was a lieutenant retired
royal navy Mr MacDonald , a CPO called Watson and a couple of POs
My younger brother Russell was a member as were John and Andy
Spence a few more I can remember but will pass them on later.
We did the same trips on MFVs from Greenock to various destinations
We also had a Dory and a Whaler moored at a boat yard on the river Leven , also a large old cabin cruiser on shore in the boat yard which
could sleep eight and was used as a base. This was at Balloch Loch
Lomond. I left the Cadets around 55 Joining the RNVR at Whitefield
Road " HMS Graham " I was still involved with the sea cadets after
Joining the RNVR on and off. In 1957 I was aboard HMS Clyde a ton
class minesweeper from HMS Graham and taking part in the exercise
Dave Hunter spoke about when he was aboard HMS Teazer as flagship
My young brother Russell was also aboard the Teazer at that time and
remembers there was only 3 members of Glasgow Hawke aboard
when she sailed from Plymouth . I remember the name Andy Hossack
you mentioned from the RNVR but cannot put a face to him .
Roy Jones


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## ninabaker

Thanks Roy.
That certainly sounds like the "Good old days". The unit is currently homeless and having to make do in a church hall. This after the local RNR let us down really badly - we were meant to share their facilities so we left our old base on the Glenlee only to be told at the last minute that the RNR didn't want us!

nina


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## submarine

Hi, Roy, 
You got me thinking but names lost in fog.
The Unit was well set up with hands on equipment.
A derrick was mounted on the port side wall and this could provide entertainment for the crew if you got your hoisting orders mixed up, no mercy!
The dinghy was not just a show piece. When "Away Seaboats Crew" was piped (still have my Bosn's pipe) the crew for the night dropped everything and dashed to lower the boat. Don't get the swing out sequence fouled up. Lower to almost on the floor dolly then trip the Davis release.
Had one trip in the Dory to the Loch and back, Austin 7 engine? Boat must have been condemed not long after as we never went back.These boats were sheet plywood,flat bottom,hard chine, don't think they were for a long lifespan.
Never saw the Whaler at Balloch but we got a salvage/recovery job pulling a sunken whaler out of the Forth and Clyde canal up Maryhill way as it was declared a hazard to navigation. Lucky for us there was still a line coming ashore. Block and tackle, many hands and the job was done.
Russell's memory is right on, myself, Kenneth Duncan and ? Does he remember the wayward torpedo? fired OK but did not run straight and true. Took a bit of searching to recover.
Dave

Knightswood Boy, Were you close to 68 Polnoon Ave. Dave


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## Roy Jones

Dave, 
The dory was in as new condition when I first saw it and kept well for a wee bit we discovered the owner of the boat yard was using it to tow other boats and lay moorings etc. He was spoken to and said it was only a one of ( emergency )
and it would not happen again but it did . It was ideal for him and as the only
time we were there was weekends and as we needed the moorings we lived with it . Russell my younger brother who then was an apprentice motor mechanic was telling me that he and CPO Watson removed the engine from
the dory and took it to the cadet hall where they overhauled it . When they refitted the engine intending to go for a sail the other cadets who had been
standing waiting jumped in and water started to pour into the boat from a hole that appeared in the bottom . They discovered it had been moored on top of an anchor which had pierced the bottom and led to the dory having to be lifted out
of the water and left ashore in the boatyard. He is not sure what happened after
that but it may help to explain the condition it was in when you saw it. I was asking Russell ( that's his family name you may have known him as Bill ) I asked him about Teaser torpedo incident and he knew about it but said he was
on duty and did not see it. He remembers the train journey from Glasgow . He said you had food with you but within an hour and a half you had eaten it all and by the time you got to London were all starving . You met up with an officer


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## Roy Jones

Dave, I just had a senior moment , anyway he took you to the Union Jack Club
where you had a good meal and arrived at Devonport a bit late.
Roy.


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## jwhw

hi nina
once i work out how this work I will share my memories with you as I was in the
sea cadets "Glasgow Hawke" from 1956/60 cheers Jim Watt nz


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## Lyndsay Forrest

ninabaker said:


> Were you ever in a sea cadet unit in Glasgow, Scotland?
> 
> There is only one left nowadays but there used to be quite a lot. In the 1980s there was Glasgow Howe, Glasgow Anson and Glasgow Hawke.
> Anson became TS Graham but that shut in the late 90s and reopened in 2001 as TS Galatea, which is still going strong.
> 
> I am the chair of the unit management committee so i said I would put out a shout to see if there is anyone out there. It will be our 10th birthday in this incarnation but we are fairly sure there were units here before the war.
> 
> Does anyone have any memories or memorabilia, photos etc?
> 
> thanks





ninabaker said:


> Were you ever in a sea cadet unit in Glasgow, Scotland?
> 
> There is only one left nowadays but there used to be quite a lot. In the 1980s there was Glasgow Howe, Glasgow Anson and Glasgow Hawke.
> Anson became TS Graham but that shut in the late 90s and reopened in 2001 as TS Galatea, which is still going strong.
> 
> I am the chair of the unit management committee so i said I would put out a shout to see if there is anyone out there. It will be our 10th birthday in this incarnation but we are fairly sure there were units here before the war.
> 
> Does anyone have any memories or memorabilia, photos etc?
> 
> thanks


Hi all - My dad was part of TS Hawke in his teens and later on was part of TS Galatea - his name is Neil Murdoch. I’m hoping to find his colleagues from both to try and get a wee happy birthday video made up for his 60th - I know it’s a long shot but any help would be appreciated? he mentioned attending the CTC in Greenock which would have been in the late 60s early 70s?


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## ninabaker

Lyndsay Forrest said:


> Hi all - My dad was part of TS Hawke in his teens and later on was part of TS Galatea - his name is Neil Murdoch. I’m hoping to find his colleagues from both to try and get a wee happy birthday video made up for his 60th - I know it’s a long shot but any help would be appreciated? he mentioned attending the CTC in Greenock which would have been in the late 60s early 70s?


Lyndsay,
I was roped in at short notice to be the Galatea's management committee chair during the period when Neil was commanding officer. It was a period of considerable stresses for the unit for a variety of reasons. I recall that Neil had to resign as commanding officer when he went to work in Afghanistan.
I havent kept any of my files from that period as I passed them along to the next person who took over as chair, which I think has now had 2 or 3 people doing that job since then.
I have let the current chair know in case anyone can contribute anything.
regards
nina


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## Jamie Jamieson

Hello there I served in Glasgow Anson scc back in the 60s it was great and took me to places such as Hms Raleigh and Hms Excellent on Scc courses as well as a voyage on the Ts which name escapes me interestingly we even took part in a televised show from the Kelvin hall our 15 minutes of fame I guess not bad for a Govan boy I suppose and after all that I joined the Army because at the time there was a block put on Naval recruiting for several months it worked out ok though but I will never forget the Anson scc


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## Lyndsay Forrest

ninabaker said:


> Lyndsay,
> I was roped in at short notice to be the Galatea's management committee chair during the period when Neil was commanding officer. It was a period of considerable stresses for the unit for a variety of reasons. I recall that Neil had to resign as commanding officer when he went to work in Afghanistan.
> I havent kept any of my files from that period as I passed them along to the next person who took over as chair, which I think has now had 2 or 3 people doing that job since then.
> I have let the current chair know in case anyone can contribute anything.
> regards
> nina


Thanks so much Nina for your response - fingers crossed the current chair can help


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## MartinHenderson

captain of the heads said:


> I was a cadet in Glasgow Howe in the early sixties the unit was based in a school in Shawlands.I joined the RN in 1965 and have good memories of my time as a cadet.We used to go to Troon on a Sunday where we had a converted sailing boat,whaler and motor dorah. I remember a few names Holmes,Dunn,Nickolson. We had a instructor who came from Eaglesham.


 Five of us from Penilee Seconday School travelled every Friday night to the School in Shawlands to be part of T.S. Glasgow Howe. Myself, Martin Henderson, Gary Burleigh, Jim Demster, Stuart Gibson, and George Tucker. This was in 1965 and we were the total number of cadets for many months, and the unit was always under threat of closure. However, my memories of these times are good ones. Our cabin cruiser in Troon never sailed, but we visited it often in the C/OS car together with Mr. Sibbald in his car. There was also an Instructor who shouted a lot at us....but boy did we deserve to be shouted at! I was thrown out the Boy Scouts, the Boys Brigade, and then joined Glasgow Howe with my pals from school....I think they invited me along to make up the numbers. We went on sailing courses, diesel engine course in HMS Ganges. Learned to paddle a canoe, sailed mirror and wayfarer dinghies......and ironed the 7 seas onto my uniform trousers every Thursday night. Loved every minute of being in Glasgow Howe.


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## Royster1

ninabaker said:


> Were you ever in a sea cadet unit in Glasgow, Scotland?
> 
> There is only one left nowadays but there used to be quite a lot. In the 1980s there was Glasgow Howe, Glasgow Anson and Glasgow Hawke.
> Anson became TS Graham but that shut in the late 90s and reopened in 2001 as TS Galatea, which is still going strong.
> 
> I am the chair of the unit management committee so i said I would put out a shout to see if there is anyone out there. It will be our 10th birthday in this incarnation but we are fairly sure there were units here before the war.
> 
> Does anyone have any memories or memorabilia, photos etc?
> 
> thanks


Hi , I was a sea cadet from about 1963 to 1966 and we met on a Wednesday night at HMS Graham, Whitefield Rd. My contact was my probation officer, Mr Marshall who'd persuaded my father an ex-navy man himself that I should join after I got into trouble with the police in Easterhouse where I lived. It was the best thing that could have happened to me. Having to look after my full uniform, getting those creases into the bell bottoms and shining my shoes prior to getting the green bus into Glasgow followed by the old subway train from Buchanan St to Copland Rd was a full on evening. The trip back was helped by a bag of potato fritters from the chippy down on Govan Rd. The evening usually began with the raising of the ensign (with whistles) , a roll call whilst we stood all squared off and spaced out in a line (right arm, hand clenched to touch our right neighbour). What happened next is now quite vague due to time but I do recall the sectional torpedo in the hall and the odd visit to the gun room where you could climb over the Oerlikon gun plus the rest. I remember Mr Marshall taking a few of us down the Clyde in a diesel launch to Millport. we had to board at the watch tower at the end of Princes Dock (now the tower next to the Science Centre). As we approached Millport Mr Marshall decided to carry out a man overboard drill without telling us. He bawled us out for not seeing the life ring he'd thrown out on a length of rope which then got entangled up in one of the launch's propellors. Not a happy man as he had to dive overboard to untangle it!
Other memorable trips were the two week trips to various Naval bases and air stations. These were, Lossiemouth (up in a helicopter, visits to the Nuffield hangar for roller blade hockey, aircraft visits, the Gypsy Moth, Buccaneers etc. great grub and living in a Nissen hut with lads from all over GB) then next year I think it was to HMS Condor in Arbroath where I got a flight in a glider. The next trip was probably the best which was joining HMS Maidstone at Faslane to sail south through the Irish Sea where we stopped for a swim. I and others also got a shot at steering the ship but found it hard to keep a straight course, always over correcting until the Captain on the deck above had had enough and ordered me off and to back to the rating who'd let me have a go. Food was good, in fact for some reason I ended up on the rum ration issue which I gave away to the ratings. The destination was Rotterdam where we would be rendezvousing with the nuclear submarine HMS Dreadnought. We got shown around the submarine, saw through the periscope etc. Also we got allowed ashore on our own as well as bus trips to Gouda cheese market a visit to the tulip fields. The last trip was to RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall in 1966 (England was in World Cup fever although I'd no interest and it passed me by !) A trip up to HMS Victory in Portsmouth was arranged. The thing I remember most was that the man taking the money insisted I pay for all my party and get the money back later. I think I never really got much back. But on the whole I thoroughly enjoyed all of my time in the cadets.
The group photo below is the 1966 visit to RNAS Culdrose. I'm 5th from the left bottom row eyes shut !


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## Alistair Waddell

Royster1 said:


> Hi , I was a sea cadet from about 1963 to 1966 and we met on a Wednesday night at HMS Graham, Whitefield Rd. My contact was my probation officer, Mr Marshall who'd persuaded my father an ex-navy man himself that I should join after I got into trouble with the police in Easterhouse where I lived. It was the best thing that could have happened to me. Having to look after my full uniform, getting those creases into the bell bottoms and shining my shoes prior to getting the green bus into Glasgow followed by the old subway train from Buchanan St to Copland Rd was a full on evening. The trip back was helped by a bag of potato fritters from the chippy down on Govan Rd. The evening usually began with the raising of the ensign (with whistles) , a roll call whilst we stood all squared off and spaced out in a line (right arm, hand clenched to touch our right neighbour). What happened next is now quite vague due to time but I do recall the sectional torpedo in the hall and the odd visit to the gun room where you could climb over the Oerlikon gun plus the rest. I remember Mr Marshall taking a few of us down the Clyde in a diesel launch to Millport. we had to board at the watch tower at the end of Princes Dock (now the tower next to the Science Centre). As we approached Millport Mr Marshall decided to carry out a man overboard drill without telling us. He bawled us out for not seeing the life ring he'd thrown out on a length of rope which then got entangled up in one of the launch's propellors. Not a happy man as he had to dive overboard to untangle it!
> Other memorable trips were the two week trips to various Naval bases and air stations. These were, Lossiemouth (up in a helicopter, visits to the Nuffield hangar for roller blade hockey, aircraft visits, the Gypsy Moth, Buccaneers etc. great grub and living in a Nissen hut with lads from all over GB) then next year I think it was to HMS Condor in Arbroath where I got a flight in a glider. The next trip was probably the best which was joining HMS Maidstone at Faslane to sail south through the Irish Sea where we stopped for a swim. I and others also got a shot at steering the ship but found it hard to keep a straight course, always over correcting until the Captain on the deck above had had enough and ordered me off and to back to the rating who'd let me have a go. Food was good, in fact for some reason I ended up on the rum ration issue which I gave away to the ratings. The destination was Rotterdam where we would be rendezvousing with the nuclear submarine HMS Dreadnought. We got shown around the submarine, saw through the periscope etc. Also we got allowed ashore on our own as well as bus trips to Gouda cheese market a visit to the tulip fields. The last trip was to RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall in 1966 (England was in World Cup fever although I'd no interest and it passed me by !) A trip up to HMS Victory in Portsmouth was arranged. The thing I remember most was that the man taking the money insisted I pay for all my party and get the money back later. I think I never really got much back. But on the whole I thoroughly enjoyed all of my time in the cadets.
> The group photo below is the 1966 visit to RNAS Culdrose. I'm 5th from the left bottom row eyes shut !
> View attachment 687569


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## Alistair Waddell

Hi, I was a Cadet at Glasgow Anson in the early 1960s. I have several happy memories including a similar one to Royster’s HMS Maidstone trip. I was also able to steer the ship into a perfect anti - submarine zig zag. The helmsman however was not impressed. I also remember while having an excellent breakfast the ship being hit by a dummy torpedo. I was told that only the Maidstone had thick enough plating to act as a target as even the dummy torpedoes would tear through the hulls of the surrounding frigates. This still brings to mind my dad’s WW2 experience of being torpedoed, for real, 3 times in the Med. One of the ships was the Medway, Maidstone’s sister ship.
I also had the opportunity to steer a MFV through the channel between Bute and the mainland. Prior to spending the night tied up to the Tighnabruaich pier.
Then there were the parades carrying a vintage Lee Enfield 303. Pretty heavy for a young teenager.
Of course there were lessons on Morse Code, Flags, general seamanship and most useful to me now, Knots. The skill I learned then to iron the creases into my bell bottoms is still in use today.
I have kept my love of the sea ever since and regularly sail my Mirror dinghy or 26 ft yacht in my adopted home in NSW Australia.


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## Jamie Jamieson

Great memories 👍


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## Jamie Jamieson

My memories are fragmented after so many years but Anson was a great life changer for me as a govan boy born and bred but after doing his Raleigh and excellent courses and a show at the Kelvin hall which was televised on STV I joined the Scots guards and after that I transferred from army reserve to RAF defence force reserve so I have in fact worn all three service uniforms but it’s the sea cadets I have to thank for instilling that sense of adventure in my mind in the first place I would do it all again 👍👍


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## ryan1mcq

Not sure if this thread is still going but i was looking for something similar. I served at TS Glasgow Anson around 1989 - 1991. Have loads of great memories. Football tournament between Scottish sea cadet corps, sailing weekends at Blairvadach, other weekends at the old HMS Dalriada reserves building at Greenock and the trip that i often look back on with great fondness was taking the train from Glasgow Queen street to Oban then sailing from Oban around the west of Scotland with stops at Tobermory, Mallaig, Kyle of Lochalsh and Portree as well as a trip along the Crinan canal. Few times over the years i have googled to try and find any former pals from then but never had any luck.
Few names i can remember John Robertson (Robbo), Paul Middleton (Middy), Judith MacPherson Titch, Tina, Alan Johntsone

I ended up serving 6 years from 2000 to 2006 in the royal navy, starting out with a 2 year short engagement contract as a seaman (SES) doing fishery protection duties with my first ship HMS Guernsey (favorite draft), then once my 2 years was coming to an end i branch changed to stoker (MEM) and done my training at Sultan and passed out for the second time and joined HMS Ark Royal for 2 years, then HMS Illustrious for my last 2 years, bringing her out from refit in Rosyth (My least favorite draft).

Cracking memories


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## LTS

Not Glasgow but Stornoway SCC but the sentiments are the same
We had our own MFV which we went on a 'cruise' every year to places as diverse as Norway and France. It was on the MFV that I first developed an interest in engines and went on to spend 43 years as engineer in the MN
Another highlight was the courses. Back in the late 60's and early 70's travel from the Outer Hebrides to the South of England was like travelling to the Moon.
I was impressed by these courses. I would have thought that hairy assed matelots would have no interest in snotty nosed pimple faced 12 year olds but nothing could be further from the truth. These instructors were excellent and treated you like an adult and went out of their way to teach you
Some of the courses I remember were at Raleigh, Collingwood, Excellent and a fantastic engineering course at Sultan


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## bobbysimpson203

BOBBY SIMPSON
I was a member of GLAGOW BENBOW from 1957 to1963 we paraded a various schools in the west end of Glasgow. I was lucky enough to go many camps ie HMS LOCHIVAR, HMS CODOR HMS VANGUARD and the best of all a trip on HMS BELFAST to GIBRALTAR.
I cannot think of a better start to adulthood than the Sea Cadets, know it is a long time ago but I wonder if anyone remember GLAGOW BENBOW SCC.


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## johnfullerton1

John Fullerton , Glasgow Anson 80's loved it.


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