# The Searchers



## wireless man (Jun 16, 2008)

I have a book called The Searchers by Kenneth Macksey and was not sure of the uniforms til I joined SM and I guess they are MN. But can anyone identify the equipment


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## wireless man (Jun 16, 2008)

Sorry was referring to the picture on the front cover of the book


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

The Searchers? 

Do you mean as in "Sugar and Spice and All Things Nice?"


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

If this is the book
http://www.orionbooks.co.uk/MP-27566/The-Searchers.htm
Then I would think they're Wavy Navy (Royal Navy Volunter Reserve - RBVR).
Wouldn't have Merch sparkies doing that sort of work.
Besides the two ringer in the background should have a loop if he was a senior sparkie.
Cheers
Kris


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## wireless man (Jun 16, 2008)

Yep thats the book


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

Surely they were MN. The chap in the background has two zig zag stripes, whilst the one in front, one. A senior R/O would have a diamond between the zig-zags - wore them myself when in AEI 1961 - 1965!
I also remember that piece of gear they are fiddling with. The round things on top are plug in coils and are just there for storage. You took the two out you wanted and plugged them in the front lower down. I am not sure whether it was a DF receiver or now. We had one at Wray Castle in the Practical room, but it didn't work. It had the old directly heated triodes in it!
Bob

PS
In fact thinking back, long range HF DF was fitted on certain Merchant Ships including several Union-Castle liners during the war. Bet it was one of those!


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

Here's the type of HF DF unit that my college disposed of in the 60s.
http://www.mccullagh.org/db9/10d-15/hfdf-direction-finder.jpg

Kris


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## Bernard McIver (Feb 26, 2007)

I agree with Bob re the stripes, definitely MN. Wore them myself 1943-45.
The equipment bears a resemblance to the Telefunken equipment I was faced with on my first ship which was a Dutch tanker. Just two weeks out of Marconi school and I was faced with something I hadn't seen before.
My thoughts are that the picture was purely illustrative and has no relevance to the subject matter.
Bernard


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## McCloggie (Apr 19, 2008)

I can not really see the uniform clearly enough but as far as I know the RNVR stripes had a sort of "executive curl" in them which can not be seen here.

McC


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## holland25 (Nov 21, 2007)

The two rings without a diamond was what I wore as 2nd Sparks in BF late 50s. I believe you could wear it after so many years experience but not in charge.


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

Looks like I was wrong again. (Sad)
I promise to improve. [=P]


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

I think Bernard is probably correct, the picture is just illustrative and they used the first one that came to hand, but the zig zags are MN OK.


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## Shipbuilder (Jun 30, 2005)

Here I am with zig-zags in 1963 aboard Furness Withy iron ore carrier SAGAMORE.
Bob


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