Gunner Hargreaves

I have many happy memories of "Gunner" when he was the BI at HMS Collingwood in Fareham and I was the BI at HMS Sultan just down the road in Gosport. We quite often met and we did play a couple of inside "Mass Band Concerts" to entertain the locals. Our biggest problem was finding a stage big enough to sit the band on as I at the time had a band of 24 blowers and 10 percussion and John had around the same number and no-one wanted to be left out.

I had a recording of one of the concerts given in Sultan but it seems to have disappeared.in the fullness of time. It was in the late 60's when John and myself were at the end of our service.

Please pass on to John and his wife Wendy my very best regards, they were very happy times, John with his band of "Greenies" (Electrical types) and me with the "Oily Rags" (Engineers & stokers). I often meet up with ex navy band members and they say that one of their lasting memories of their time in both establishments was learning to play a musical instrument and the fun they got out of it. Tell John he will never be forgotten by all the sailors he taught to blow.

What those lads achieved in their spare time was impressive and I know that their efforts and John's were much appreciated by their establishments

Best regards,

Ian

Can you help us with names