WET FEET - Rae Gunn

1984 a year to be remembered for so many different reasons, but a year for adventures and surprises and taking on the world. 

I’m going to go back a few months to the beginning of Autumn of 1983 - the year I turned 21 and the year I qualified as a State Enrolled Nurse (SEN). Today there is no such thing, but back then just over 2 years into becoming a QA I qualified along with the rest of the girls in our intake. I was on my first ward as a trained nurse at RAF Wroughton and many of us were starting to go our own way on separate postings for the first time leaving our friends behind ... at this point I was set to stay in my posting at Wroughton for the foreseeable future and I was happy ... Fast Forward to the end of October of this year and a close friend was heading down the road of getting married and had just received her first posting as a qualified nurse .... The Falkland Islands (new husband was heading to Ireland - not unusual in those days for husbands and wives to go in very different directions). To say she was distraught is an understatement.

So Fast Forward to April 1984 , and there I was stationed in the Falkland Islands, and had been there four full months, having volunteered to take her place, a decision I definitely do not regret.

With little time off while we were there, we found that there was never a dull day off to be had, and with very few girls amongst the troops at that time we were always invited to something on our days off and nights off, heading out for a party somewhere meant nice clothes and generally wellies, mine were yellow and had probably belonged to a few other QAs before myself.

So on this particular day we were invited to a Magical Mystery tour - just turn up they said - so turn up we did , our transport would be awaiting for us they said , and it was in the form of a helicopter - now it was a long time ago so I don’t recall the type I just remember getting on with the other girls very excited - fearless in those days to try something new, we flew over the islands loving the ride not a clue where we were to land - landing it turned out was not an option - they flew us out to sea , and then pointed out where were going , there in front and just breaking the surface was a nuclear submarine - what probably didn’t enter my mind at that point was how we were to get on board

Sometime later following what involved a harness a winch and a lot of encouragement to step out of a flying helicopter , I found myself inside the conning tower of the submarine - climbing down the ladder and eventually coming out inside the main body of the sub - now if I was to say that the inside of the conning tower is dark and the ladder does not go straight down and there were hands of guidance on the way down I am sure you will use your imagination - the days of men only at sea.

The sub was amazing, never could I have imagined how small it was inside and at what close quarters they lived .. our tour was fascinating, we listened to whale sonic wave sounds and were able to see where the nuclear war heads were stored in readiness. At this point knowing we were deep beneath the South Atlantic never crossed my mind - as we were technically still in a war zone we were not to stay on the surface for very long - whilst we were below the weather had turned and the surface was not a good place to be, as a submarine has very little stability when surfaced - but a small group of QA officers and junior ranks being accommodated overnight on board was not an option , not because of where we could be bunked for the night , but because we were woman - the thought for the crew was unthinkable ...

It was decided to bring the helicopter in even though the flying conditions weren’t great .....So here I was again heading this time up the conning tower , it was dark and I think they were very keen for us to leave as there felt like many, many hands pushing me from the rear end, shall we say, to ensure I kept moving upwards ... the sub was very, very unstable on the surface and the helicopter was hovering above , from somewhere in the dark as it was now late in the evening a winch and harness appeared and I was strapped in for the ride of my life - just as they started to winch the South Atlantic sea surged, the submarine rocked to the side and the helicopter dipped, not the best combination when its cold dark very windy and you are suspended somewhere in the middle dangling about in mid-air, or so I thought, with one big wave I found myself paddling far out to sea , boots and trousers now wet and freezing cold, bright lights shining from above, but thankfully still very much attached to the winch ...heading up I think I would be forgiven for thinking I was heading towards the ‘ Other’ light on this occasion ...but thankfully no .... once safely in the helicopter and all other members of our party were aboard the submarine went back below and we headed back to Stanley, on a total high from the day we had had , very tired and some of us rather wet ...

Rae Gunn

Former QARANC