INSPIRED by ‘a very full life’ Redditch man Roger Henry Lippett has written a book on his life which began living on the Batchley Estate. He went on to serve in the Royal Navy and wants to share his story.
He was born on January 30 1939 on the council estate, with his dad’s name Henry, being given to him as his middle name.
Here he sheds light on his life family and friends as a social record of sorts that may be of interest to his children, grandchildren and the people of Redditch.
Although he said he had never achieved great wealth or fame he felt his life had moments worth recounting.
In his words: “I now live in the beautiful city of Plymouth in Devon but I will always be a Batchley boy.
“Far have I traveled, and much have I seen and this is my story, serialised in the Redditch Standard.”
Chapter 25
WE NOW had the chance to be like a normal family as I was now due some time ashore.
We had Christmas together, which was wonderful after spending others apart – the one before, I had spent on watch in the control room.
On February 7, 1972, I was drafted to HMS Raleigh at Torpoint, the naval ratings training establishment.
Although I was on the books of HMS Raleigh, my job was centered a few miles away, at a place called Jupiter Point, which I discovered was situated up a creek on the River Tamar.
To get there I would catch the Torpoint ferry and then, after a short drive, go down a narrow leafy lane, arriving at a small base consisting of a jetty and a workshop.
There were about five of us, whose task was to maintain boat and outboard engines.
There were also a few cutters and whalers and the ratings would come down from Raleigh to practise rowing and sailing.
This was a cushy number – far from the disciplined Navy. We more or less worked a routine to suit ourselves. At lunchtimes we would drive to the pub a few miles up the road. At other times, we would test a boat engine by taking it up the River Tamar, visiting lovely isolated creeks and inlets.
Happy days – such a change from shipboard life.
However it did not last, as one morning I arrived to be informed different employment had been detailed for me and I was to report to Raleigh for information.
It turned out to be that I was still on HMS Raleigh’s books but my new job was that of new-entry instructor.
I was to be based across the road at HMS Fisgard, where I had joined the Navy as a 15-year-old boy.
Not only that but I would be in n block which used to be Anson division – my division as an apprentice.
This was an unusual posting for an artificer as my task was to induce the young boy entries into naval life.
This initially ent-ailed seeing them settled in as it was the first time many of them had left home and I knew how that felt. After that, I was responsible for every facet of their welfare, including kitting up with all the items of uniform and other equipment, teaching them how to make up their beds (naval style: all blankets had to be folded in a correct way every morning).
I taught them about health and hygiene – particularly important when living in the close confines of a ship – and I took them for their swimming tests, which involved swimming two lengths of the swimming pool wearing overalls – in the Olympic-standard pool which I had helped to dig.
Apart from the occasional duty when I was required to stay overnight, I was able to finish at 4.30pm and drive home, so it was a short and pleasant working day.
Rose was pregnant at the time and, on August 2, our little bundle of joy Rachael was born, at home in Dayton Close.
So we had three children – one born in Edinburgh, one in Kircaldy and one in Plymouth.
Rachael was very welcome and much-loved but was not the easiest baby to bring up!
She had so much energy and was not overly fond of sleeping so we had quite a few nights deprived of much sleep.
