# Oldest Qualifying RO



## Norm (Jun 21, 2006)

Following on from the thread to find the oldest living RO, I would like to know the age of the oldest students at radio colleges who qualified and went to sea. I don't think it was entirely a young mans domain.


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## expats (Mar 9, 2013)

Norm said:


> Following on from the thread to find the oldest living RO, I would like to know the age of the oldest students at radio colleges who qualified and went to sea. I don't think it was entirely a young mans domain.


Southampton 1962....We had an ex-RN telegraphist in his early 40's....there was talk of him teaching morse at the college....so I'm not sure if he went to sea...


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## richardwakeley (Jan 4, 2010)

On my 1st Class term at Bristol Tech in late 69, there were two older guys but I don't think they later went to sea. One was an ex-RN operator who was working at Portishead radio, the other from Falkland Islands. Both taking the cert for purpose of staying in their respective coast stations.


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## Ancient-Mariner (Mar 30, 2009)

After 9 years as a civil servant with the MoD working on military avionics at 30MU RAF Sealand, decided on a career change.

So in Jan 1975 enrolled at Riversdale half way through the second year of an MRGC course. DTI Radar March? 1976 followed by C&G Marine Electronics Sept 1976 to Easter 1977.

Just prior Easter 1977 diagnosed with gallstones! Just what I wanted with the ME exams a couple of weeks away. Anyway managed a full set of Distictions and then after surgery (the old fashioned way - disembowlment, no key hole then!) got an interview with Cunard's Radio & Electronic Services and joined mv Mahout/GHZU on 26th July 1977 which was 11 days after my 28th birthday, as Jnr. R/O Senior R/O was Elwyn Hughes. I took early retirement/voluntary redundancy 31st July 2002.

My wife and I celebrate our 40th wedding anniversay this coming 14th July.

Cheers!

Clive


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## Gareth Jones (Jul 13, 2007)

when I did my PMG in the early 60's at Newport - we had a retired Army General on our course - he fancied a few years at sea after leaving the army - unfortunately the technical side was a bit beyond him and he left early on - I believe he was then in his sixties - unfortunately i cant remember his name.


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## Naytikos (Oct 20, 2008)

At Plymouth in 1964 there was a chap who had been a fighter pilot in the RAF and shot down during the Korean war. He was full of metal plates and moved awkwardley. He also had a very short attention span and so took several years to get his ticket. 
The story has a sad ending because a couple of years later he was killed in a car crash.


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