Terry Craig was an Electrical Mechanic on HMS Gambia's 1957/58 commission. In July 2017, Terry sent the following newspaper cuttings and photos:
In 2004, Allen 'Geordie' Todd visited Terry Craig in Perth, Australia. They hadn't seen each other in 46 years...
Rosyth Ceremony
History was made at Rosyth Dockyard yesterday when the 8,000-ton cruiser HMS Gambia was recommissioned after a 12-month refit. She is the first major war vessel to be commissioned at Rosyth. Built at Wallsend, the cruiser was lent to the New Zealand Navy between 1953 and 1945 and saw action with the United States Third Fleet against the Japanese home islands. At the end of 1945 the Gambia was anchored in Tokio Bay and was present during the signing of the Japanese surrender.
The Navy Accepts £1,500,00 Refit
The cruiser Gambia (8,000 tons) was recommissioned at Rosyth dockyard yesterday after the first Scots naval dockyard refit since Rosyth opened in 1911.
The refit cost more than £1,500,00 and the Admiralty officially praised the Rosyth Doockyard men's job.
Image caption: Royal Marines drawn up on the deck ... ship's company on the quay - the cruiser Gambia is recommissioned after a Rosyth refit.
Inset: Vice-Admiral Pelly, admiral superindentent of Rosyth Dockyard.
Terry Craig is the sailor circled in ink at the center of the picture.
Terry also very kindly sent these photos of Christmas cards sent from a Bert on HMNZS Gambia to a Mrs Hopkins in Victoria Park, Western Australia in 1943 and 1944:
Terry explained how he managed to photograph these cards "My wife did some work for Mrs Hopkins here in Perth and they became good friends. She gave us a number of these cards. I have sent most of them to the Maritime museum in New Zealand."
Terry also remembers a little bit of trivia, "When we were stocking up with beer for our commission to the East Indies Station in 1957, a lot of it was stowed in between the bulkheads down below some storerooms. Inside the bulkhead was a painted flag of New Zealand. Must have been done when they stocked up with beer?"