John "Bodders" BODSWORTH
82 - 86
John "Bodders" Bodsworth joined the Mighty Manch in build as the first gunbuster in 1982, having seen his draft to Sheffield cancelled for obvious reasons. A full career armament artisan, he had previously been responsible for loud noises on Cleopatra, Three times (that's drafts not salvoes!), Yarmouth and Ye Olde Rusty B before being selected for Pussers finest. A keen motorcyclist (Stevie will be pleased!). Bodders many memories include the motorcycle exped he led in the Falklands on the first trip down South, which by all accounts was great fun even if the "Danger-Minefield" signs did tend to get in the way (although a rear tyre blow out did cause an adrenalin rush!!). Bodders favourite runs ashore were West Palm Beach with the family on the way home, and the Seychelles on the following Armilla deployment, where he proved to be an accomplished windsurfer and banyan consultant. Pusser UK Ltd ordered "cease firing" on his career in 1998 following drafts to Dark Royal and Lancaster and he is now an IT installation technician for EDS - work that frequently takes him on warships - what few we have left! Bodders lives with his wife and 12 hardly davidson motorcycles in Pompey. He found out about the Association via the worldwide web. Joined 3rd July 2008.
Martin "Buster" BROWN
82 - 85
Martin "Buster" Brown joined Pusser UK Ltd as an AB(R) in 1978, and in a 12 year crime free career in the Andrew he sailed the seven seas on Hermione, Kent - the old Fountain Lake Guardship, Coventry (1982), the Mighty Manch (82 - 85) and Bristol. Buster's best ship was Coventry, very, very, very closely followed by D95; who provided our hero with his best run ashore - the West Indies and the States - after his second trip to the South Atlantic. Following his TX in 1990, and suddenly realising that he would now have to actually work for a living, Buster found that he was too short to be a copper, too old to be a fireman, but daft enough to become a paramedic! (his words, not mine, honest! Ed) - In a continuing career with the East Midlands Ambulance Service, when not making folk feel better, he likes to watch Northampton Town F.C. Buster heard about the 2nd HMS Manchester Association from a guy in Pittsboro, USA - Carl Williamson. Joined 10th January 2010 (214).
Alan BUCHANAN
Michael "Bully" BULL
(Rebecca)
88 - 91
Mick (Bully) Bull was a young AB (Missleman) onboard the navy's finest from 1988 - 91, and another who was through drafted from the Scummer after she was T-boned by the Torbay. Among his fond memories of life aboard D95 is the time he was chased around the upper scupper by L/S Jack on the day King Neptune came calling - a very short chase by all accounts - and also being a mate of the Bosun on many an occasion. Informed sources also tell us of a little escapade our hero got up to in Singapore - where one of the locals was very keen to get to know our Bully better!! Evidently when it came to the hand up the kilt part of the acquaintance, poor old Mick was confronted by meat and two veg! (Shock horror disaster exclusive!) How true this is we know not - but it is not like us to publish a Cock and Bull story!! Joined 30th May 2008.
Pete BURNETT
Damien "Butch" BUTCHER
88 - 91
"Butch" Butcher, Damien to his Mum and Dad joined Pusser UK Ltd in 1987 as a 16 year old chef, and after an extensive course in the art of maritime culinary skills - he got an A plus for trainsmash - he was off to join the Mighty Manch for a Gulf Patrol or two. In a 17 year career with the Andrew, Butch was an accomplished Hobart driver on Herald, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Invincibubble, Newcastle and Exeter before he retired to open his own Chips and Fried Eggs dispensing establishment or Cafe for short. Butch's best run ashore on warship wonderful was the Jolly Boys outing to Penang where he started out "overdrawn" and finished very very very "overdrawn"!! Butch also recalls a weekend in the equally exotic port of Rosyth where he managed to get lifted by the Reggies not once, but twice and on consecutive nights - through absolutely no fault of his own, honest - and where only the duty roster prevented his unique bid for a hat trick!! Since his TX in 2003, and having become emotionally exhausted cooking chips, Butch armed himself with a hammer and crowbar and set out to be a legalised burglar - or as his trade organisation prefers - a licenced locksmith. (Yep, Butch went from grub to chubb in one easy move!) Now residing on the Costa del Essex with wife Deborah, he heard about the 2nd HMS Manchester Association from Mini Cooper. Joined 4th April 2009 (199).
Martin CALTON
(Sarah)
85 - 87 & 93 - 95
Martin Calton was a killick gunner, field gunner and obviously a muscle bosun on the Mighty Manch during the years 85 - 87 which makes him another of our number who shot around the planet in 1986 on the now infamous Global Social Extravaganza! Our hero's most memorable run ashore was literally just that - in San Francisco - and the "Bay 2 Breakers" 7 mile fun run which he participated in whilst somewhat socially confused! However Martin does recall that there were so many competitors that it took longer to get across the start line than to actually run the race and that did not include the additional un-enforced stops for light refreshment! A full career matelot, Martin played with the main armament on Tiger, Ye Olde Rusty B - at a time when the CPOSA was an extremely fine fellow - and Newcastle as well as another stint on warship wonderful 93 - 95 before picking up his pensh tin 2000. Continuing his passion for muscular manoeuvres Martin is now a self-employed sports therapxssed (yep, spelt right first time!) and masseur and lives with his partner Sarah near Pompey. Martin heard about the 2nd HMS Manchester Association from Shady Lane. Joined 11th Febuary 2009. (188)
Ian "Stumpy" CARRUTHERS
(Chris)
Dave CHILDS
June 83 - August 85
Dave lives in Lancashire and was an Air Engineering Artificer (R) 1st Class (definitely not a Meckanishun). Was onboard from June 83 until August 85. Judging by his email address he also went to sea on a Leander too!! Dave's joining the Association will no doubt be very warmly welcomed by that other maintainer of "angry palm trees", Ian Poulter.
Bill CHURCHLEY
(Lynne)
September 82 - April 84
Was a killick bunting tosser from September 82 to April 84. He holds the dubious honour of being the first matelot to go in the "Rattle" on the Mighty Manch for being adrift and nearly missing the ship on its initial sailing form Barrow on build. He heard about the Association through surfing the web, pity he didn't hear the pipe - "The ship is under sailing orders"!!!
Joe COCKER
(Lynne)
Dave "Smokey" COLE
83 - 85
Dave "Smokey" Cole joined the Pusser as an AB (Sonar) in September 1982, and by Easter 83 he was successfully annoying submariners with nasty noises emitting from the Mighty Manch! In a sixteen year career with the grey funnel line, Smokey pinged and pxssed up on Apollo, Edinburgh, Blackwater - (a river class sweeper), and Orkney. Smokey's best ship was not the rootin' tootin' shootin' Mighty Manch, but the somewhat smaller Blackwater - mainly on account that Blackwater spent more time alongside than at sea, a deployment was counted in minutes not months, and a major victualling store ship involved a trip to Tesco's with two re-usable carrier bags! Smokey selected Mombers 85 as his best D95 sponsored run ashore, and 3 Romeo mess's successful attempt to collectively ride in a minnie moke, all at the same time! He also recalls Edinburgh's trip to New York for the Desert Storm homecoming parade which was slightly better than the one in Pompey! Smokey also remembers his efforts as a three badge buoy jumper - he had learned by this stage to jump on and not over the buoy (less chance of getting wet) and the time he inserted the pin the wrong way round!, subsequently delaying the ships departure considerably! Smokey now lives in the delightful and very friendly Danish town of Aalborg where he is training to be a special care assistant for mentally and physically handicapped adults. Joined 29th March 2009 (197).
Andrew "Taff" COOMBS
(Wendy)
83 - 85
Taff was a first commission young golly (AB(EW)) who made a big impact immediately on joining the ship. On completion of his first run ashore, on day one, he went xrse over tit down the ladder by the ship's office causing curry, rice and Coombs to be splattered on 2 deck!! Undeterred by this little mishap, our enthusiastic Welsh warrior then proceeded to upset the digestive tracts of the entire EW Dept by making wets with...salt water!! Revenge was very swift which came in the form of his first bunk light bill and the requisite hours obtaining the necessary approval to pay!! Now retired from Pusser UK Ltd, Taff is still a sea-goer. He lives and works as a business analyst in Swan-sea! Joined 3rd September 2007.
