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.”
Part 20
NOW began our long passage across the Indian Ocean to our base in Singapore, HMS Terror.
We crossed the Arabian Sea and into the Indian Ocean and went to economical steaming (although this ship
was diesel propelled) which meant we used only two engines per shaft.
It should have been a steady passage but we encountered rough weather which seriously delayed our progress.
The ship was heading into heavy seas. One moment the bows would be pointing up towards the skies before plunging down into a deep trough and burying the bows almost up to the bridge and with the screw racing clear of the water.
At times the forward gun turret was completely submerged as the mountainous waves of swirling green ocean burst over us.
Between decks life was difficult. At times when attempting to walk along the main passageway, we would at one moment feel as if we weighed several tons as the deck moved up upwards and the next moment it felt as if we were flying as our feet were walking on thin air.
On watch in the control room a crack suddenly appeared in the deckhead above me and seawater came through as the waves washed over the upper deck.
I realised then that we were indeed in a serious storm.
We plowed on with the ship shuddering from the impact of the huge seas and it became obvious that we would not make Singapore by Christmas as was the original intention, so we made for the island of Penang off the west coast of Malaya.
It was Christmas day as we approached the island and I was chief of the forenoon watch.
My friend Topsy came and asked if I would like to be relieved whilst I went along to the mess to open my presents.
It was a very poignant moment as I opened the presents which Rose had given me in November and I thought about Rose and my kids and wondered what sort of Christmas day they were having.
Rose told me in a letter that they thought about me and played a message tape that I had recorded before I left which
resulted in tears being shed.
I then returned to my watch keeping and thanked Topsy for looking out for me.
Such is the life of a sailor and his family.
Our stay in Penang was brief, just long enough to refuel and wait for the storm to abate which it soon did.
We sailed on Boxing Day for Singapore and arrived at our base, HMS Terror on January 1 1966.
HMS Terror was our largest overseas Navy base. It covered several square miles and had every facility a warship might need.
We were glad to arrive after several weeks at sea apart from our brief stop In Penang and we berthed alongside for the ship to be stored and refuelled and prepared for our role of undertaking patrols with our Australian, New Zealand and Malayan allies.
The split in the deckhead was repaired and tripod brackets welded to the side of the bridge on which to
mount additional armaments.
Whilst this was going on the ships company had chance for shore leave.
