BARRY Dunmore of Rodwell could not spot himself in a recent Looking Back picture depicting the first landing of a helicopter on a battleship – HMS Vanguard – on February 1, 1947. But he can remember the event.

“I was watching it over here, all agog,” he said, indicating the crew in the photograph standing to attention for the landing. “This was just off Portland. I was on the Royal Tour to South Africa with George VI, the Queen Mum, and the two princesses.

“The landing happened at about noon, then in the afternoon the French Battleship Richelieu met her in the Channel to pay the respects of the French nation.”

Barry, who was 16 at the time, the same age as Princess Margaret, was a boy seaman on HMS Vanguard, which was his first ship. He was to stay in the navy for 24 years and during that time he had 14 ships and 13 establishments and he rose to the rank of chief petty officer coxswain.

He began on HMS Vanguard with a couple of other Weymouth chaps. “Dennis Readings, who was a lieutenant at Portland eventually,” he said, “and Bob King, who was another boy seaman with me.”

Describing the first time he saw HMS Vanguard, Barry said: “It was evening when we got there and in the dark it was all lit up and it towered above us. I can still see it today. It was amazing, a massive great ship, but a beautiful ship.”

Princess Elizabeth launched HMS Vanguard on November 30, 1944, towards the end of World War Two. The ship was christened with Empire wine rather than the usual Champagne. “This Vanguard lasted until 1960 when she was taken away, which was horrendous,” said Barry. “She could have lasted 40 or 50 years; it was an utter waste, I think, to have scrapped her. You get very attached to your ships, especially the first one.”

Barry, who has a vast knowledge of naval ships and is writing the ‘biographies’ of the ones on which he served, explained: “Vanguards have always been in defence of the country; from before the Armada there was a Vanguard. There’s another Vanguard at the moment, a big submarine.”

As for the Royal Tour in 1947, he said: “It took 17 days to get down to Cape Town. It was very exciting being a youngster of 16; it was all new to you.”

A storm in the night in Western Approaches followed the landing of the R-4B Hoverfly 1 on February 1.

“It was still a bit rough when we were off Portugal. The Portuguese Navy came out to greet us and they were leaping out of the water and covered in spray,” said Barry. “The Vanguard did not come out of it too badly, but the escort St James suffered some damage from the storm.

“One of the highlights after the storm was, when we came south to the Canaries, the sea turned blue. We used to stand up on the bows and watch the dolphins and flying fish. It was quite fantastic.”

Another highlight for Barry was his first crossing the line ceremony, an initiation rite that commemorates a sailor’s first crossing of the equator.

“When we crossed the line, there were a lot of theatrics,” said Barry. “It was a wonderful day; it was really was. The ship’s company was in all sorts of different dress and you would not believe that the navy could be so lax with the King and Queen on board.”

When the Royal Tour reached South Africa, the ship anchored in Saldanha Bay about 60 miles north west of Cape Town.

“It was all pomp and glory and gun salutes, national anthems and that sort of thing,” said Barry.

“But apartheid there was noticeable because we were not allowed in certain areas and we had to go on the buses for whites only.”

During his time in Cape Town, Barry, who was in the boxing team, managed to beat his South African featherweight opponent, unsurprisingly since he had been training with a heavyweight on board.

He has happy memories of the city.

“I liked Cape Town very much,” he said.

“I loved the people. There were many invites to picnics and lunches, free cinema tickets, cable car tickets to the top of Table Mountain. To me they are the most generous people in the world.”