207925 CPO Stoker. John Walter "Wally" Stevens Royal Navy HMS Nigeria from:Hayes, Middlesex My father, Wally Stephens served on HMS Nigeria (I believe he was on Arethusa before that). We know that he went in as Ordinary Seaman and came out Chief Petty Officer (Stoker). He rarely spoke of the war but did mention a couple of funny things like getting so drunk (on board) ending up on the poop deck with no recollection of how they got there. One time they were in the Med and were told they were going for a swim - one chap dived in before order given and he was put on jankers for 'jumping ship'.
It was only a couple of years before his death in 1994 that he told us of the story of being torpedoed and having to go to Charleston for repairs and the Captain asking for volunteers to help the shipmates who had perished during that terrible time. They worked 12 hour shifts and lived on a tumbler of whisky and not much else until the grim task was completed. We now knew the reason he hated the smell of whisky.
I would love to hear from others who knew or knew of my father.
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