The Association has learned of the death of Lt Cdr Philip Henry ‘Jan’ Stuart RN on 7 December 2017.
Funeral Details
The funeral will take place at 1400 on Monday 18 December 2017 at Seaborough Hill Church, Seaborough Hill, Crewkerne, Somerset followed by a wake at The Admiral Hood, Mosterton, Beaminster, Dorset, DT8 3HJ.
Donations to the RNLI can be made through A.J. Wakeley & Sons, 2 Abbey Street, Crewkerne, TA18 7LF.
“PHILIP HENRY STUART – A Wonderful Friend and Colleague
Philip and I first met seated alongside each other on a wooden bench in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Recruiting Office at 121 Victoria Street, Bristol, on 31 October 1945. We, and a couple of dozen others, were in the process of joining the Royal Navy as Boys Second Class (there was nothing more lowly!). We introduced ourselves, he as Philip Stuart from Shebbear, Devon and myself from Cirencester in Gloucestershire. From that time on we became very firm friends, served in the Royal Navy together – at times in the same ship – and developed a friendship which has lasted all our lives.
My surname beginning with ‘R’ and his with ‘S’ always put us “in the same pack” when it came to selection for all manner of things. It is just the way things work in the military-style environment. The nickname “Jan” was very soon appended to Philip no doubt because he “played” his West Country-ness to the hilt and “Jan” is the abbreviation of “Janner”, which is the Navy term for anyone from the West.
From Bristol our group went to Douglas in the Isle of Man for our New Entry kitting-up and initial sorting out of the type of training which we were to undergo. At Douglas we were moved (by this time with other groups from all parts of the British Isles) to the shore establishment HMS ST GEORGE, which had been a Holiday Camp in peacetime. Accommodation was in “chalets” (huts!) of four and, following the R and S format Jan and I were sharing with a Welshman and a lad from Somerset. Being kitted up as sailors and swimming were high on the curriculum, as was educational testing and of course the inevitable marching and doubling everywhere. Jan failed the Swimming Test and became a Backward Swimmer, having to do extra swimming in the freezing cold swimming pol. He hated it. Both he and I passed the education tests and were selected for training as Wireless Telegraphists.
HMS ST GEORGE was closing down, the War had ended and we were moved to the custom-built Boys Training Establishment HMS GANGES at Shotley in Suffolk. It was something like Devils Island might have been. Very strict discipline and a 123 foot mast which we had to climb – no ifs, buts or maybes.Once again on the alphabetical basis, Stuart and Rothwell were in adjoining bed-spaces in the gaunt Messdeck of 40 Boys – 20 each to a Visual Signalling and Wireless Telegraphy Course. Our training lasted for 15 months and we couldn’t get out of HMS GANGES quickly enough! Jan and I were allotted to Devonport Division and went to our first ship together – HMS ILLUSTRIOUS. Once again in the same Mess and employed in the same Wireless Offices. We became practical “sparkers” and Jan developed a very unmistakable style of using a Morse key and when we were in separate ships I always knew when he was on “the other end”.
From HMS ILLUSTRIOUS to two destroyers in the same Destroyer Squadron. We “shadowed” each other for several years and then Jan went to Observer training in the Fleet Air Arm and I became a submariner. Throughout this very long period in Service life and for ever thereafter Jan and I remained in contact with each other. I knew of his progress through life, of his family, his very active radio station on Seaborough Hill and the travels which he shared with Vivienne.
He was a great friend and professional colleague, a man of very wide interests and able to turn his hand to anything.
With his passing there is now a very big hole in my life. No more can I exchange voluminous letters with him, or be having ideas on how to put things right on the political, or any other, scene. Vale, my very long-time, wonderful, friend.
Ivor Rothwell”
Son Colin Remembers:
Dad was the fastest morse coder the navy ever had,? he quickly went from boy seaman 2nd class to PO Telegraphist onto the short list and into the wardroom.
I recall him flying with the Actor Kenneth Moore when he was making the film where he portrayed Douglas Bader.
He was famous for his stints at Culdrose when he was Operations Officer overseeing many rescues at sea (he was later presented with a Gold watch from the Russians after their tanker went down but we saved all the crew) getting called in to work late on a Friday night when the then Prime Minister, Harold Wilson wanted to be flown to the Scilly Isles for the weekend.
His stint as Public Relations Officer at Culdrose when most of his time it was telling the BBC off when they said RAF Culdrose on TV. He also had the Met Office under his wing and finally went to HMS Heron where he was on the staff of the MTO (N) based at Yeovilton.
After he concluded his service he ran the RNARS (Royal Naval Amateur Radio Service) and could get a weather report from anywhere in the world quicker than the internet (it was just evolving then) and also the FAA museum at Yeovilton until later on when he resigned sadly as it was getting too much.