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Back in September of 1965, my ship HMCS Kootenay was berthed in Chatham, England. We were there for the commissioning of the Canadian Navy’s newest submarine, HMCS Ojibwa (S72) and the launching of HMCS Onondaga (S73) another submarine.
Chatham is located only 56 km (35 mi) southeast of London so on a Friday night of our visit a bunch of us young sailors decided to take a train up to London for the weekend. Being the most economical means of transportation, the train was also occupied by hoards of British sailors from the base who were going home to London for the weekend.
On the British railway system, whenever a train pulls into a station, a man in a booth on the platform announces the name of the station twice over a loudspeaker system twice like – Gravesend; Gravesend (one of the towns). There was something comical about this point though and it’s the basis for this story.
So, we young Canuks were tooting along having a whale of a time with the Kippers (Canadian term for Royal Navy sailor). Then, just before the train came to a stop in Hyham (in county Kent), all the Kippers stuck their heads out of the windows the yelled, “Who’s the most miserable SOB in town?”
The man on the platform had a strong British accent.
Therefore, much to our surprise and amusement, the answer was ‘I am’; I am!”
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