SERIES 31.

For larger views of the pictures below, please click here

Sunday 17 December 2006
Hi Dirk
This morning I took my camera up to Fisgard and have taken a few photos which may or may not stir the memory banks. You asked if I could take a picture of the old gateposts but when I got there I found to my amazement that some time in the last month they had been demolished to re-open the old entrance to Fisgard as part of the latest development. (A new entrance had previously been made about 50 yards further westwards.) It was quite difficult to remember everything exactly as it was but I hope the photos and “my” recollections may be of interest to some of you old “Boys”.


1. The bottom few huts of Exmouth and Froby which are now a metalwork co. and the Post office sorting office. The larger building on the right, is that the old ICR                                            Instructional Cinema Room where we used to get paid?

2. Taken standing on the Factory (Workshop) floor. In the background are the old acetylene and oxygen stores.

3.Factory floor looking west. The old chippie’s shop and west fitting shop where the
  Leading ‘Gobby’ Instructor Sid Cownden could “chip to half a thou.”

4.  The next two are from the factory floor looking towards the NE corner across the spot where my late father
Ken Bond had his lathe section and on towards the engine-smithing shop and foundry. Can anyone remember
old Chopper Jarvis closing a matchbox with his steam hammer? Note the house in the background where                                       
Torpoint has almost met up with East Side.

5. Taken from the top of the parade ground across to west side. The large building is Talbot Hall, the replacement gym which was put up in the 60’s or 70’s. (Now a fish processing plant)

6.   From top of P.G. looking west to where the swimming pool was. Many happy hours on 1^st Lieutenants working party were spent digging out that project. I can still remember Les Broughton’s cry of anguish as he ‘christened’ the new pool late one February night, horrible lot weren’t we?

7 From the bottom of the P.G. looking towards the main gate.
The white bulding at the bottom is the old squash courts in Raleigh.

8. From the main drag to the SW corner. The new industrial units under construction
are roughly where the old CPO’s and PO’s mess and 22 rifle range used to be.
The rubble in the background is all that remains of West Side.

10.Just to the left of the tree is the concrete floor of the old covered parade ground
where the liberty boat was inspected on our way ashore. I’ll never forget the day when “Donkey Davis”,
the most hated and nasty of all RPO’s actually became human and let me out early without inspection
because I had a ticket to see Argyle play Newcastle in the FA Cup.
 I think we lost 5-1.

11.              The new HMS Fisgard sign!!!!

12.Looking back up through the main entrance with Mrs Bond patiently waiting for me to complete this mission.

13.  The bus stop where so many runs ashore began, complete with the latest new entries from
Raleigh waiting to go into town.

 
And finally, who could forget:
1  The shop behind the car in Torpoint town centre “Amy’s Pet Store” which used to be the
Rendezvous Café where threepence would buy a cup of tea or a record on the juke box.

2.  The Regal Cinema where we spent so many hours for a shilling. The terrible films were frequently interrupted
during the most boring moments by the shout of  “Collingwood Division – NUMBER!  Shouts of 1,2, 3,4 etc from
all corners were inevitably followed by the manager stopping the film and threatening to stop the  show altogether.
After several years of neglect and non-use, it was eventually re-opened in 1981 as Regal Squash Club.
A  swimming pool was added, gymnasium etc and although it has changed from Regal to Raquets and finally the
Garden Sports & Leisure Club, it is still going strong. Although I gave up squash 3 years ago,it has remained ‘my local’
and Friday nights will still find me propping up the bar, occasionally swinging the lamps with old stories
of how it used to be. The walk back towards home and Fisgard hasn’t changed except that the hills are getting steeper.
However, being a senior citizen, I no longer have to collect my station card when I get  home and I haven’t had stoppage
of leave for some time.

3. Last but not least a view we all dreaded at one time or another “Heartbreak Hill” on the old cross country course,
artfully situated just a that point when spirits were being lifted by thoughts of ‘nearly there’ and then realising there
was still some way to go. This is only 50 yards from my front door and although my dog still runs up it, I give it the
respect it deserves and stop to smell the roses now and again.

 
Some of the older residents of Torpoint talk with great affection of Fisgard and the “Boy Tiffs” and I can assure
you that over the years they all regret the transformation of what was such a smart establishment into an overgrown,
half developed rubbish heap. There are signs that the latest phase is going to make the old place smile again, lets all hope so.
I hope this trip down memory lane has not bored the socks off you all, I must admit I’ve enjoyed doing this
and if anyone wants any further info on the old place I’ll be happy to help if I can.
(E-mail rogerbee@tiscali.co.uk)
Hopefully I’ll get to see some of you next year at the re-union.

 
Have a great Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year

Roger Bond

Collingwood Division

Series 31

Sunda