Berths for the three Johns
The Clerk, John White, received a signal in late June to inform him that the Paviors’ affiliated warship H.M.S. Argyll would be paying an official visit to the west coast of Scotland and had three berths available if the Company wished to send representatives to see the ship at work. So it was that three Johns - Price, Hopkins and May - found themselves boarding the frigate in Glasgow on the night of the European Cup Final while most of the ship’s company explored the delights of the city, one especially courageous rating doing so in an England football shirt and living to tell the tale.
Lieutenant Shekhar (“Shakey”) Shrestha was a superb host throughout the visit and the hospitality received was all that previous visitors had reported, from the wardroom to the magazine of the 4.5 inch gun (helpful in settling any disagreement a Pavior might encounter), every part of the ship was opened to the Johns and the entire crew from Captain to junior ratings (and notably the CPOs’ mess) made the three temporary additions to the crew most welcome. The opportunities of learning of the activities of the ship and explaining something of the activities of the Company to those on board were taken during a memorable journey down the Clyde the following day. This was followed by dinner in the Captain’s cabin hosted by Commander Ewan Kelbie, a good friend to the Company who is to leave command of the ship later in the year to take up a posting in Whitehall.
Disputes resolution department
After a night of exercises off Arran the ship was sailed to Inverary at the head of Loch Fyne where a cocktail party for guests from Argyll had been arranged. The process of bringing the warship up the beautiful sea loch in the early morning was a marvellous experience during which the professionalism of the crew was amply demonstrated. After the ship had moored to a buoy the Johns made an unwise tactical decision, going ashore for a swift lunchtime drink in the town‘s one pub. There the Chief Stoker, a particularly genial host afloat, stepped in and detained the visitors at the bar through the afternoon until it was time to return for the cocktail party. A short but intensely liquid visit to the Chiefs’ mess preceded three hours of getting outside some of the strongest gins and tonics served even aboard Her Majesty’s warships. the wardroom continued to dispense hospitality until the small hours by when all risk of thirst had, like the gin supply, been entirely eliminated.
The following morning the First Lieutenant was at the gangway to see the Johns off and report that the ship was sufficiently satisfied by their performance to ask them to return for a day at sea in August, bringing another twenty members of the Company with them. It was with this ringing endorsement of their efforts that the three Paviors went ashore, to be met by the Chief Stoker whose evening had continued even longer than their own and who had clearly done absolutely nothing to disgrace his service either.