Alan 'Striker' Goodwin

Alan GoodwinIn October 2001, Steve McAllister started emailing me about his grandfather, Alan 'Striker' Goodwin who served on HMS Gambia from December 30, 1949 to September 29, 1952 as an electrician. Steve has kept in contact for for over 20 years and I have used photographs he has sent throughout the site. It's time to bring all the information together and give both Alan and Steve their due.

Alan served in the Royal Navy from 1937 to 1953:

HMS Caledonia - Training establishment - 1st June 1937 to 7th April 1938
HMS Drake - Shore establishment - 8th April 1938 to 29th April 1938
HMS Cornwall - Boys training Cruiser, part of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron - 30th April 1938 to 17th August 1938
HMS Newcastle - Southampton subclass of Town-class light cruiser - 18th August 1938 to 19th January 1943
HMS Defiance - Training ship - 20th January 1943 to 17th April 1943
HMS Forth - Maidstone-class Submarine Depot Ship - 18th April 1943 to 17th October 1944
HMS Drake - Shore establishment - 18th October 1944 to 11th December 1944, prior to his assignment to HMS Nile.
HMS Nile (Shiel) - Shore establishment, Ras el-Tin Point, Alexandria, Egypt - 12th December 1944 to 28th February 1945
HMS Lanka (Shiel) - Shore establishment, Columbo, Sri Lanka - 1st March 1945 to 30th November 1945
HMS Drake IV (Shiel) - 1st December 1945 to 9th February 1946
HMS Drake - Shore establishment - 10th February 1946 to 13th April 1946
HMS Excellent (Onslaught) - Gunnery School - 14th May 1946 to 31st July 1946
HMS Forth (Onslaught) - Maidstone-class Submarine Depot Ship - 1st August 1946 to 20th May 1947
HMS Montclare (Onslaught) - Reserve ship - 21st May 1947 to 18th June 1948
HMS Hartland Point (Mull of Galloway) - Beachy Head- class maintenance and repair ship - 19th July 1948 to 25th November 1948
HMS Drake - Shore establishment - 26th November 1949 to 29th December 1949, prior to his assignment to HMS Gambia.
HMS Gambia - Crown Colony-class light cruiser - 30th December 1949 to 29th September 1952
HMS Drake - Shore establishment - 21st February 1953 to 13th April 1953, prior to leaving service and being released to the Royal Navy Reserve.

Alan Goodwin

Christmas 1950. Alan 'Striker' Goodwin is pictured on the far left of the middle row. Ken Booth very kindly sent a list of the others in the picture. They are: Top left to right: Tony 'Al' Murray, Tony 'Boxer' Scammell, not known, LEM Jock Collins, and two not knowns. Middle left to right: Alan 'Striker' Goodwin, not known, Alan Speakman, Scouse Edwards, Gordon Ross. Front left to right: Fred Harling, Albert Howard, not known, John Stevenson. Tony Scammell was known as 'Boxer' because he was so good at it! One of Alan Goodwin's photos, submitted by his grandson, Steve McAllister. Alan Goodwin is on the left in this picture which was taken in the Upper Barracca Gardens in Malta in 1951. The man on the right is Fred Harling from Banbury. Ken Booth remembers he was sent home from the commission early with T.B. One of Alan Goodwin's photos, submitted by his grandson, Steve McAllister. Christmas 1951. Ken Booth identified the people in the picture. Top left to right: Alan Goodwin, two not knowns, Tony Murray, Geoff. Walkden, not known, Gordon Ross (with the staring eyes). Front Left to right: John Stevenson, Albert Howard, three not knowns, Fred Harling. One of Alan Goodwin's photos, submitted by his grandson, Steve McAllister. Christmas 1951 at Port Said. Alan Goodwin is middle row, first from the right. One of Alan Goodwin's photos, submitted by his grandson, Steve McAllister. Christmas 1951 at Port Said. Alan Goodwin is middle row, first from the right. One of Alan Goodwin's photos, submitted by his grandson, Steve McAllister. Christmas 1951 at Port Said. Alan Goodwin is middle row, first from the right. One of Alan Goodwin's photos, submitted by his grandson, Steve McAllister. Union Jack Club - Karachi - Feb 1952. Steve wrote his grandad is the one center left with the dodgy beard. Ken Booth, that mine of information, says that the man to Alan's right is Danny McAlinden and the one next to him is L.E.M. Gordon Ross. One of Alan Goodwin's photos, submitted by his grandson, Steve McAllister. Steve McAllister said this was his favourite photo of his grandad Alan Goodwin. Steve thought this was taken at Colombo but Ken Booth thinks it was taken at Dyatalawa. HMS Gambia was in dry dock at Colombo which could accont for the confusion. Ken wrote that the train trip between Colombo and Dyatalawa was not to be forogtten. "I still have the marks from the seats!" One of Alan Goodwin's photos, submitted by his grandson, Steve McAllister. Another of Steve McAllister's photos including his grandad Alan Goodwin.

HMS Gambia

We think this is Commander R. F. Phillimore, MBE, DSC., commander of HMS Gambia. One of Alan Goodwin's photos, submitted by his grandson, Steve McAllister. King Paul of the Hellenes with the CinC of the Mediterranean Fleet in Athens, Greece in September, 1950. One of Alan Goodwin's photos, submitted by his grandson, Steve McAllister. King Paul of the Hellenes inspection in Athens, Greece in September, 1950. One of Alan Goodwin's photos, submitted by his grandson, Steve McAllister. Damage to HMS Gambia's bows after the collision with HMS Phoebe on 16th October 1950. One of Alan Goodwin's photos, submitted by his grandson, Steve McAllister. The cover of HMS Gambia's Christmas menu, 1951. One of Alan Goodwin's photos, submitted by his grandson, Steve McAllister. HMS Gambia's Christmas menu, 1951. Breakfast: Cereal, Egg, Bacon and Kidney. Rolls and Butter, Coffee. Dinner: Tomato Soup, Roast Turkey, Pork and Apple Sauce, Roast Potatoes and Peas, Christmas Pudding and Rum Sauce, Fruit and Nuts. Tea: Christmas Cake, Tinned Fruit. Supper: Soup, Cold Ham, Sauce and Pickles, Mince Pies, Cheese, Cocoa. One of Alan Goodwin's photos, submitted by his grandson, Steve McAllister. The back of HMS Gambia's Christmas menu, 1951 signed by various members of the crew. One of Alan Goodwin's photos, submitted by his grandson, Steve McAllister. HMS Gambia, Gibraltar, 1952. One of Alan Goodwin's photos, submitted by his grandson, Steve McAllister.

More of Alan Goodwin's Life at Sea (PDF, 14.4Mb)