We joined the Navy

[doug748]

This suggestion was prompted by the previous post for Coarse Sailing. About the same vintage, this book by John Winton is more literary but equally funny. I recall an excellent interview passage, highlighting the difference between a duff and brilliant candidiate for officer cadet training. I know nothing about the author except that he was obviously a Navy man. I once saw another book by him about the submarine service (I think), I always regret not buying it. Surprised he is not more popular / well known. Brian.

 

[Skyva_2]

Hilarious book by a very funny writer. Also see 'We Saw the Sea', and 'Down the Hatch' (the submarine one). He also wrote a rather more serious book about an aircraft carrier, not really so good.

 

[Kilter]

John Winton ex RN himself and a fairly prolific writer. I thoroughly enjoyed his books about the Bodger and Co. Hie more serious ones are worth a look too.

 

[Mirelle]

\"I left the Navy\"

is the title of Eric Hiscock's least well known book. He was slung out of the RNVR, where was having a very happy time as Chief Engineer of a big motor yacht taken into the Sevice for anti-submarine patrols, halfway through WW2, when he failed a medical on the grounds of eyesight (he was, of course, extremely short sighted, and had memorised the alphabet card on his first medical!)

The book deals with what he and Susan did next. Good read.

 

[Kilter]

Re: \"I left the Navy\"

Thanks for that tip, I'll look it out; I'd not heard of that before!

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Re: \"I left the Navy\"

John Winton's funny books were republished a year or two back, copies may be found in places like Nauticalia at, eg, Portsmouth Dockyard.