Post by Administrator on Jan 11, 2014 13:06:54 GMT
THE GRUDGE FIGHT
There was no such thing as boredom aboard out training ship,
With officers abounding to give an ear a clip,
We couldn’t get away with much with discipline so tight,
Once an altercation became a full fledged fight.
Put to work one day, on a tank which must be filled,
A job involving water which accidentally spilled,
Myself and Terry Beagley set about each other,
A brawl took place so naturally while thumping one another.
Alas our scrap was spotted by an officer on call,
Resulting in a `grudge` fight later watched by all,
The time was set for later - after evening stew,
Boxing gloves were found and seconds called up too.
The venue was an old barn set up as a gym,
Distempered walls were white, around the boxing ring,
One hundred boys or more waiting there so keen,
Me and my old rival told to make it clean.
He wore blue for Raleigh - the house for which he stood,
My sash was all yellow - fighting for old Hood,
An Officer of Seamanship was the referee,
He was known as Beaky - John Firth to you and me.
Our local rule for grudge fights - to decide the one to win,
Was three minutes to a round until a towels` thrown in,
We touched our gloves to shake hands then commenced to fight,
Continuing our differences that dark November night.
We both developed nose-bleeds we couldn’t stop at all,
So blood was spattered everywhere including round the wall,
Both of us were fifteen - fit and stubborn boys,
Still there was no winner as we fought amid the noise.
On and on we battled `till we could fight no more,
Raising up an arm each, the Referee called a draw,
Our arguments were settled, friction at an end,
Our respect was mutual and Terry now my friend.
This fight took place in 1956 while aboard the Training ship `Indefatigable` - it was talked about for a long time.
Terry Beagley became a Petty Officer Boy in charge of Raleigh Division
And I became Petty Officer Boy in charge of Hood division.
We met up again fifty years later and remained friends until his untimely death in 2010.
Joe Earl
LINK
There was no such thing as boredom aboard out training ship,
With officers abounding to give an ear a clip,
We couldn’t get away with much with discipline so tight,
Once an altercation became a full fledged fight.
Put to work one day, on a tank which must be filled,
A job involving water which accidentally spilled,
Myself and Terry Beagley set about each other,
A brawl took place so naturally while thumping one another.
Alas our scrap was spotted by an officer on call,
Resulting in a `grudge` fight later watched by all,
The time was set for later - after evening stew,
Boxing gloves were found and seconds called up too.
The venue was an old barn set up as a gym,
Distempered walls were white, around the boxing ring,
One hundred boys or more waiting there so keen,
Me and my old rival told to make it clean.
He wore blue for Raleigh - the house for which he stood,
My sash was all yellow - fighting for old Hood,
An Officer of Seamanship was the referee,
He was known as Beaky - John Firth to you and me.
Our local rule for grudge fights - to decide the one to win,
Was three minutes to a round until a towels` thrown in,
We touched our gloves to shake hands then commenced to fight,
Continuing our differences that dark November night.
We both developed nose-bleeds we couldn’t stop at all,
So blood was spattered everywhere including round the wall,
Both of us were fifteen - fit and stubborn boys,
Still there was no winner as we fought amid the noise.
On and on we battled `till we could fight no more,
Raising up an arm each, the Referee called a draw,
Our arguments were settled, friction at an end,
Our respect was mutual and Terry now my friend.
This fight took place in 1956 while aboard the Training ship `Indefatigable` - it was talked about for a long time.
Terry Beagley became a Petty Officer Boy in charge of Raleigh Division
And I became Petty Officer Boy in charge of Hood division.
We met up again fifty years later and remained friends until his untimely death in 2010.
Joe Earl
LINK