Chatham Dockyard apprentices reunite 50 years after joining together
06:00, 17 November 2019
updated: 12:56, 17 November 2022
It was 50 years ago these former Chatham Dockyard apprentices met for the first time.
And to celebrate their half-century landmark anniversary, they held a reunion at the former naval base in Medway.
Thirteen of them spent the weekend together in Medway travelling from all over the country, including as far away as Scotland.
They spent much of the time relaying fond memories of working and socialising together.
They were given a tour of Chatham Historic Dockyard, now an award-winning tourist venue, and visited the Royal Engineers’ Museum in Gillingham.
In September 1969, the young men enrolled on technical apprenticeships at the 'yard'.
Elgar Curling, who was 16 at the time, said: “We all still get on a like house on fire. We were one large family.
“The dockyard, always pulled together and pulled out all the stops to get things done, especially for the navy.
“And if you had any personal issues there was always somebody there to support you.
“We were all in the same boat together and struck up an instant friendship, which we still have.”
Mr Elgar, 66, who lives in Hoo St Werburgh, was transferred to the naval base at Devenport after the Chatham closure in March 1984.
The grandfather-of-three said: “Apart from working together, we used to go out to nightclubs together where most of us met our partners.”
He has two sons Samuel, 35, and Lloyd, 39, who went into engineering.
He said: “The training was excellent. My son got good qualifications and worked in Formula 1 racing.
“But he said without helping me out in the garage ripping out engines, he wouldn’t have a clue.”
His last job was working on the Royal Navy submarine HMS Dreadnought.
The weekend event was organised by Tony Gray, who at 66 is still working part-time as a consultant.
“St Mary’s Island was just waste land, marsh, nothing, now look at it...”
The group has met regularly over the years celebrating their time at Chatham together.
Mr Gray also endorsed the expertise handed over to young apprentices.
He said: “It was second to none. Most of us went on to get good, highly-paid jobs."
Mr Gray, who lives in Portsmouth, remarked on the differences which have taken place at the dockyard over the decades.
“St Mary’s Island was just waste land, marsh, nothing, now look at it,” he said.
