6.
July 22, 2008

My Name is Bill Melvin I was a LPTI on the Mighty “E” during her last commission – 1970 to 1972. Many of you will have been to my circuit training sessions on the Foxc'l and flight deck during the cruise. I was also a Ships Diver and Captain of the Ships Football Team.

Well we are having an “Eagle Reunion” (which will be our third now) in Aberdeen on May 2009. Preparations are well under way, and it looks to our best yet. Organizing it along with me is “Nipper Ellis (POPTI) and Danny De Fue” (Killick Boats Party). All EX Eaglets who wishes to join us would be very welcome indeed. Please find my contact details below for further details.

Bill Melvin
bill.melvin@virgin.net
OSD HSE Coordinator
Aberdeen, Scotland

5.
June 26, 2008

Does anyone remember Tony Ridgway, my father who served on the Eagle around 1964?  He was a ships diver and stoker.

Gary Ridgway

4.
June 18, 2008

I served on board the EAGLE, 1954, with other naval airman we were put with the stokers, an experiment to see if we could adapt in an emergency. I was in 75 mess on 5 deck, I was lucky, and worked in the machine shop.  At that time it was a very unhappy ship, one of the fresh water tanks had been converted to hold aviation fuel, and the bathrooms were open just one hour in the morning, and one hour in the dog watches. It was 6 months which I did not enjoy. One of the highlights of that time, we had to steam at full speed to a comet airliner that had crashed near Stromboli, Naples, I will never forget all those bodies in the water. The name of the airliner was YOKE PETER.

Unsigned

3.
Sept. 7, 2007

Found your site when feeling a bit nostalgic after a few beers following a Royal Naval Association meeting. Eagle was a topic of conversation. I joined her in 1966 as a J(ME) and stayed till 1972. Left as a L(MEM) to do the "killicks" course at Sultan.  First job was bridle number on port catapult with Flight Deck Stokers (Badgers). Worked most parts of ship except "DB's". It,s the first time I have seen a photo of her going to the breakers yard. She looks quite sad. Keep up this good site.

Yours Aye,
Evan Jessiman

2.
Mar. 21, 2007

Thanks for this site, it's just brought back loads of happy (and a couple of not so happy) memories of my time on The Big "E". I served on her last commission joining her as my first ship in the May of 1970 as a J(ME) and was part of the de-commissioning and towing crew when she went to her end.

Cheers again,
Dave Gunter

1.
November 19, 2006

Hi, my uncle joined the navy just after the war he served on the HMS Eagle until the early 50's, and I think the Ark Royal, after leaving the Navy he went into the Merchant Navy until 1977 he was lost at sea never found, is there anybody out there who served on the HMS Eagle who has photo's of the ratings, or anybody who knew him, his name was Gordon Miles from Leeds UK, I am not sure what trade he was on ship, he went to Gibraltar on the Eagle, any information would be gladly received.

Many thanks.
Mick Miles