Salty tales at naval ‘muster’

Press, 22 June 1989, Page 5

Salty tales at naval ‘muster’

By

CULLEN SMITH

Comradeship, salty tales and memories of former shipmates flowed with the ale and rum as Canterbury division members of the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve mustered on the boardroom deck. Guests of New Zealand Breweries, Ltd, the 25 veterans met yesterday to celebrate the 61 years since they established headquarters on the site of the former Crown Brewery in June, 1928. For one of the founding members, Mr Tom King, who will be 87 next month, the voyage of nostalgia took him back to his working days in the brewery at the time of the Murchison earthquake on June 17, 1929. Mr King recalls washing out a 54-gallon hogshead when he felt the tremor. “The hogshead shook, Tom shook and we’re fortunate he’s still with us today,” said the president of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Association, Mr Morris Jackson. Mr King was honoured as the oldest veteran present at the "morning tea.” It was the second reunion on the old headquarters site, but such gatherings have been popular through the years.

“Everybody knows everybody after 50-odd years of friendship,” said Mr Pat Luxton, a spritely 71. He joined the division at 16 while still attending the then West Christchurch District High School ... “even when I was a kid, I was always playing at sailors.” Mr Luxton keeps his sea legs braced as a regular crew member aboard the historic tug Lyttelton. It was toasts to the Queen and absent shipmates, then back to the wardroom chatter.