Alan Clements

Alan served on HMS Gambia for the 1950 to 1952 commission.

Alan L. Clements (Clem) was born in 1921 and joined the Royal Navy as a boy-apprentice at Fisgard from the Royal Hospital School in 1936 but was drafted to HMS Caledonia, Rosyth in 1937. The apprenticeship was shortened on the outbreak of war and he went to HMS Defiance at Devonport before getting HMS Duke of York as his first ship. He got into missiles in 1952 and went to Woomera, South Australia to continue R&D with GEC on Seaslug & Seadart. Alan served 22 years and was pensioned in September 1961 when he moved to Adelaide.

These images come from Alan who was an Electrical Artificer on the HMS Gambia's 1950/2 commission:

Christening of Brain Clements before leaving Guzz (Devonport Yard, Plymouth), 1950. C.E.A. Don Marr, Bob Hope, E.A. Clements. Photo from Alan Clements. Christening of Brain Clements before leaving Guzz (Devonport Yard, Plymouth), 1950. Photo from Alan Clements. Tiffy's (Artificer's) Dance at the Vernon Club, Valletta, Malta. E.A. Algy Longworth, O.A. Les Buller and wife, O.A. Pete Oughton and E.A. Clements, E.A. Barry Partridge, C.E.A. Pete Sawyer and Pete's wife, having some strange effect on O.A. Jack Sturges. Photo from Alan Clements. Tiffy's (Artificer's) Dance at the Hotel Phoenicia, Valletta, Malta. O.A. Arthur Boydell and wife, with Jack Sturges gyrating again, O.A. Viv Say and Shipwright Frankie?. Photo from Alan Clements. Tiffy's (Artificer's) Ball at the Hotel Phoenicia, Valletta, Malta. L to R: Commander (E), W.O. Mr???, W.O. Ordnance Rip Gladding, E.A. Clements, Mrs R Gladding, W.O. (Radar)???, Mrs and W.O. (Elect) Mr Wannicott. Photo from Alan Clements. Ship's Dance. Electrical Artificer Alan Clements with Reverencd Bob Pope and wife. Chief Writer Taff Evans in the background. Photo from Alan Clements. Open Day on HMS Gambia. O.A. Viv Say and new borm, Mr Wannicott, Connie Say, O.A. Bullen, Mary and Young Bullen, Wife and E.A. Algy Longworth, O.A. Hilton?, O.A. Hilton? O.A. Boydels wife. Photo from Alan Clements The Mediterranean Fleet gathered at Marmarice, Turkey for The Regatta, 1950. Photo from Alan Clements HMS Gambia's soccer team on their way to Corradino, Malta. Photo from Alan Clements CEA Pete Sawyer and EA Algy Longworth at Corradino, Malta. Photo from Alan Clements EA Alan Clements and EA Algy Longworth at Corradino, Malta. Photo from Alan Clements Marmarice Canteen, Turkey, 1950. Photo from Alan Clements A run ashore at Famagusta, Cyprus, June 1950. Photo from Alan Clements Artificers ashore at Famagusta, Cyprus, June 1950. E. A Clements, O.A. Sturges, E.A. Longworth, R.E.A. Symons. Photo from Alan Clements Electrical Artificer Alan Clements baby sitting Reverend Bob Pope's children, Patrick and Hilary. Photo from Alan Clements Christening of Brain Clements before leaving Guzz (Devonport Yard, Plymouth), 1950. C.E.A. Don Marr, Bob Hope, E.A. Clements. Photo from Alan Clements. HMS Gambia Electrical Division, 1950 - 1952. Front Row L-R: EA3 Algy Longworth, EA3 Alan Clements (Clem) CEA Pete Sawyer, Next Unknown, Lt McGowan, Commander Lock, Mr Wannicot, C Elect??, PO Elect Conner?, PO Electr??? Acting PO elect. Second Row: 3rd right EA4 Barry Partridge, far right PO Elect. Bell, under flag EM Hartland?. Photo from Alan Clements The Champions: Electrical Division Cricket Team. Front L to R: P.O. Elect:? Comdr Lock, C.E.A. Pete Sawyer, Mr Wannicott, E.A. Algy Longworth. Back Row L to R: E.M Harland, E.A. Alan Clements, E.M.? P.O. Elect Bruce? Acting P.O. Elect? E.A. Barry Partridge and E.M. Little. Photo from Alan Clements Shipwright Department? Front Row L to R Soapy Hudson, Vic Hammond and others? Photo from Alan Clements Lord Louis Mountbatten inspects the Division. Lt Elect McGowan behind Lord Louis, Comdr Philamore, C.E.A. Sawyer, far end, Mr Wannicott nearest with P.O. Elect Dinger Bell next to him. Photo from Alan Clements Christmas Day 1950. Electrical Senior Rates invited to the wardroom for drinks. Mr Wannicott clowning around, Moe Symons less jacket, Comdr. Elect with his relief Comdr Lock to Alan Clements' right, Barry Partridge and Bruce? Photo from Alan Clements Valletta, the capital city of Malta. Photo from Alan Clements The Barrakka Lift or Lover's Leap, Valletta, the capital city of Malta. Photo from Alan Clements Refuelling tanker, Grand Harbour, Valletta, the capital city of Malta. Photo from Alan Clements Going ashore at Valletta, the capital city of Malta. Ordnance Artificer Jack Sturges, Electrical Artificers Algy Longworth and Alan Clements with a little friend. Photo from Alan Clements Moe Symons, Electrical Artificers Algy Longworth and Alan Clements at Mellieha Bay, Malta, 1950. Photo from Alan Clements Mosque at Benghazi, Libya, 1950. Photo from Alan Clements A run ashore with Electrical Artificer Algy Longworth and writers who shared a taxi for the day from Kyrenia, Cyprus, 1950. Photo from Alan Clements Château d'If in the Bay of Marseille in southeastern France, 1950. It is famous for being one of the settings of Alexandre Dumas' adventure novel The Count of Monte Cristo. 'If' is the French word for the Yew tree. Photo from Alan Clements Château d'If in the Bay of Marseille in southeastern France, 1950. It is famous for being one of the settings of Alexandre Dumas' adventure novel The Count of Monte Cristo. 'If' is the French word for the Yew tree. Photo from Alan Clements Electrical Artificer Alan Clements with Ordnance Artificers Hilton and Sturges on The King Victor Emmanuel Monument, Rome. Photo from Alan Clements A view from the King Victor Emmanuel Monument, Rome. Photo from Alan Clements A view from the King Victor Emmanuel Monument, Rome. Photo from Alan Clements A view from the King Victor Emmanuel Monument, Rome. Photo from Alan Clements St. Peter's Basilica, St. Peter's Square, Vatican City, Rome. Photo from Alan Clements Venice from HMs Gambia, 1950. Photo from Alan Clements Gondolas moored at St. Mark's Square, Venice, 1950. Photo from Alan Clements The Campanile in St. Mark's Square, Venice, 1950. Photo from Alan Clements We hired two water taxis for a trip down The Grand Canal, Rialto Bridge, Venice, 1950. Photo from Alan Clements We hired two water taxis for a trip down The Grand Canal, Rialto Bridge, Venice, 1950. Photo from Alan Clements Saint Mark's Basilica, Venice, 1950. Photo from Alan Clements Sailing off Nettuno Beach, Italy. Photo from Alan Clements Sailing off Nettuno Beach, Italy. Photo from Alan Clements Alan Clements, John "Jan" Birch, and Bill Hartland in Glenelg (near Adelaide, Australia) in 2009 at the Royal Marines Band Reunion. Alan served on HMS Gambia's 1950 to 1952 commission and helped Bill with the original website pages. Jan lives at Whyalla Jenkins. Picture from Bill Hartland

Some of the photos mention the Vernon Club in St James's Bastion, Valletta, Malta. Only the outer facade of the building now survives. When Malta gained independence in 1964, the Maltese Government decided to establish a central bank, and in July 1968, the Bank acquired the Vernon Club on St James Bastion in Valletta. The outer facade was kept, but the inside of the building was redesigned, gutted and rebuilt. The new building opened in February 1971. The Central Bank of Malta website has a history of the building.

The Barrakka Lift is an interesting structure. It was built in 1905. The original lift closed in 1973 and was dismantled in 1983. In 2009 plans were drawn up for a new lift and building started in 2010 and it was opened in 2012.