Museum

CTG 317.8s (RAdml Woodward) GOP (General Operations Plot)
Picture for 140001Z to 141400Z June 82.
It is signed in the top left by all Woodward's staff.
Contributed by Dave Morris
ex Warrant Officer Communications Yeoman (or WOCY) Royal Navy

I never served in the Falklands. I tell people that they left me behind to keep the red hordes at bay if the soviets decided to take advantage of the situation. The truth is that there was no job for me in the South Atlantic. At the time I was a Fleet Chief Communications Yeoman (Title later changed to Warrant Officer Communications Yeoman) serving in HMS Mercury, the Navy's signal school. There were usually only 12 WOCY in the RN, with just 11 normally available (1 had disappeared in the direction of special forces early in his career and we only saw him once a year on his annual visit to Mercury). Of this 11 there was only 1 serving in the South Atlantic, as the Staff FCCY to Sandy Woodward. In Mercury I was employed as a new entry trainees Divisional Officer and sat back watching and taking on more jobs as they gradually reduced training and cleared the establishment to provide communication staffs for all the ships taken up from trade. It was an odd feeling, like many others in the same position in all the armed forces I knew that I was missing out on the professional experience of a lifetime, exactly what I had been trained for. On the other hand I would sit at home with my family watching the television news as ships were sunk and old friends and colleagues died. Very mixed emotions.

About the end of the conflict I changed jobs in Mercury to take charge of the tactical training section and with it went the job of Custodian of the Communications Branch historical library. It was whilst I was there that Woodwards Staff FCCY brought in the item which you see below

Contribute

Return To Falklands Showcase

Return to Show case Index

Museum Curator : Peter Jordan