A MARINER’S TALE

For the first three months of 1942 – yes, 1942 – Paymaster Midshipman J.T. Hudson, Royal Navy served in Stanley, as the first ever Base Accountant Officer, Falkland Islands.  He was relieved, eventually, by Paymaster Captain R.R. Hamer, Royal Navy. (seemingly some 60 years old and who had served in the assault on Peking during the Boxer Campaign.) As Captain Hamer had retired to the United States of America, the Admiralty must have imagined that it would be convenient for him to travel to the Falkland Islands. They seemed unaware of the precise geographical locations and that the Falkland Islands Company ship (S.S. Lafonia?) only did the journey between Montevideo and Stanley about once a month…

While in Stanley, I was able to go on board the S.S. Great Britain, now a tourist trap in Bristol Docks, where she was lying abandoned in Sparrow Cove.  I was also able to drive the narrow gauge sail rail truck between Stanley Harbour and the Royal Naval W/T Station in Stanley, a journey of about 3 miles – that was until I wrecked it by going too fast sailing close hauled!

John Hudson      (currently 93 years old and counting)

January 2013