Short Bios (as of 2013)

Dennis Barnard:
Home town on joining Ganges: Birmingham

Roy Brook:
Home town on joining Ganges: Billericay, Essex
Ships Book Number: 369
Official Number: P105728
Green Sqdrn Tiger Mess, Drake 17 Mess, Drake 18 Mess, Drake 16 Mess, Drake 15 Mess and finally for the last 2 weeks back to 17 Mess.
HMS Collingwood, HMS Bulwark, HMS Victory, 551 Troop, Royal Austrailian Army (HMS Centurian), HMS Collingwood, HMS Hermes.
"I Left the RN in 1976 and worked for IBM for the next 15 years (I saw more of the world working for IBM than I did with the pusser!). 10 years ago I started my own computer consultancy company - still going strong. Best moment at Ganges - finally touching the 'button' one Saturday afternoon (I was and still am not good with heights) - but there were many good memories mainly because of the group of us who started out in 17 mess. I have read a lot on Ganges, and a lot of people say it was a harsh place with a lot of violence and bad feeling - I can't remember any of that, I believe that was due to the 2 EXCELLENT Instructors Malcolm Allard and Chief Jones - they were not only brilliant instructors, but invested their time in us as a team and made sure that we had the best introduction to the Navy that anyone could have.
Worst moment: having a fight with Jock Peattie."

Kevin Calvert:
Home town on joining Ganges: Doncaster

John Nixon:
Home town on joining Ganges: Barnsley
Mess (Annexe): Tiger; Mess (Main Establishment): Drake 24, Drake 17, Drake 15.
Ships Book Number: 391
Official Number: P105750
Best moment: collecting the trophy for best Division (Drake) from Captain Napper.
Worst Moment: Getting my teeth drilled at the Annexe dentist without anaesthesia (belt-driven slow running drills with no water jet)!
Career: REM's course 1969-1970; Bulwark 1970-1972; LREM's course then HMS Mauritius (shore wireless) 1973-1975; R Mech's course 1975-1978; HMS Falmouth 1978-1979 WEA1; L/A CCWEA HMS Kent 1979-1982; HMS Falmouth 1982-1983; Garnett Teacher Training College 1983-1984; Promoted S/Lt (Instructor Officer branch) and to Greenwich College for 8 weeks; RNSETT then HMS Sultan (teaching artificer apprentices and WEAs) 1984-1986; HMS Mercury 1986-1987 (teaching telecomms); promoted Lt.; HMS Sultan 1987-1989; NATO HQ Brussels (International Military Staff) 1989; HMS Collingwood 1990-1992; retired early.
Second Life: York University 1992-2013 (studied for PhD in health economics then research fellow/teacher).

Terry Rice:
Home town on joining Ganges: Birmingham

Mick Ross:
Home town on joining Ganges: Aberdeen
Worst Moment: arriving at HMS GANGES.
Best moment: leaving HMS GANGES!

Gerald Taylor:
Home town on joining Ganges: Wolverhampton
Official Number: D105748P
Best moment: Receiving the "Sailor of the Year Award" from Cap't Napper at Sunday Divisions for being unbeaten champion in dinghy and cutter sailing.
Worst moment: When we all turned up with wet whites for a PE lesson after just having been on a cross country run and only having time to wash but not dry them and we were sent, with full kit, up and down the "salt mines" as well as faith, hope & charity for what seemed to be the whole day. I don't think I would have liked to miss a minute of it, good or bad, I remember all of it as a good time.

Malcolm Allard:
Joined HMS St. Vincent as boy entrant (JEM2) 7th Oct 1958. After about 1 year went to COLLINGWOOD to complete trade training. Joined HMS SCOTT (Survey Vessel) from March 1960 to March 1961 surveying the east coast of UK from Dover to Grimsby. Joined HMS AISNE for refit in Chatham March 1961 and we then toured the Med and East African Coast until until Jan, 1964. After that Collingwood for LEM's Course, then onto WHALE ISLAND (Fraser Gunnery Range) to work on GWS 21 and later COLLINGWOOD for PO's course. Following PO's course HMS YARNTON in March 1966 (Gulf). Finally drafted to HMS Ganges as an instructor until I left the service in 1970. After that numerous posts with Marconi Marine involved with the Merchant Marine fleet and the oil Industory. Later I became a Maintenance Engineer with a local Photographic company but went on to the DOE/PSA or old Ministry of Public Buildings and Works until I retired early with ill health.