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Wednesday, May 7, 1975

wn. asd ad MORES

MISS MARIE D’OYTY
CARTE shortly before
James Brown-Harding
took her as his second
wife. (Photo courtesy
Cecil Brown-Hardinge)

Following is the 14th article
ina series penned by 96-year-
old Lt. Col. James Brown-
Hlardinge, a retired British
Army officer who has resided
for many years on the Saanich
Peninsula. The Colonel, who
has been indisposed for the
last three months, is now
receiving visitors and is
proceeding with the com-
pletion of his memoirs.

By Lt. Colonel
James Brown-Hardinge
(Ret’d.)

Following church service at
St. Stephen’s this past Sunday
I had myself driven by a
number of the local marinas
on this peninsula. It was the
first time in 96 years of life
that I had ever been con-
fronted with the horror of
plastic boats. Surely this
modern age has led to many a
disaster but building sailing
vessels out of plastic is one of
the most abominable.

It was therefore witha sense
of relief, nay exhultation, that
I turned to inspect my yacht
GUNGHA where she is now
housed in the main barn of my

and spiders have infested her
ancient bilges I was. still
greeted with an odour below
decks redolent of hemp,
marlin and Ratsey sails.

As my vessel has never been
cursed with any mechanical
devices, save her Claude
Worth anchor winch, there is
not the slightest vestige of

estate. Although dust, leaves |

THE REVIEW

Page 11

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF LT. COLONEL JAMES BROWN-HARDINGE

This former pilot vessel to
His Majesty's Custom) Ser-
vice, which once took part in
one of the most significant
intelligence coups of the First
Great War and — later
distinguished herself during
the evacuation of Dunkirk,
carries many a sign of her
past history. They are like
medals her

downed it in great gulps.
Indeed, her tiny teeth so
diminutive in size for such a
huge woman, chattered their
own tattoo against the white
porcelain mug.

I have since discovered that
most men and all women are
an absolute abomination at
sea. The gap in GUNGHA's

count Jacob. Henceforth 1
never allowed any woman
aboard, save in foreign prots
where my country’s flag and
honor were at stake.
GUNGHA has high
bulwarks. They are con-
structed of solid oak, spined
and hewed together by a
master shipwright and capped

During the last moments of
Dunkirk whilst GUNGHA
and | lay becalmed within
pistol shot of the beach, a Hun
weapon found its mark. The
shell head is still imbedded in
the oak, a monument to that
epic day.

1 had invited 23 gentlemen of

work our way beyond range of
enemy fire to the safety of
England. Surely a plastic
yacht of the same size would
have capsized, even in’ that
‘alin sea, Not only that but its
bows would kave carried
away with the impact of such
hostile fire.

As a footnote 1 must add

contingent strode ashore at
Dover with their boots shone
in GUNGHA’s tallow. Their
rifles too sparkled under a
wipedown with the yacht's
sperm oil.
AUTHOR HONORED

To owas made an honorary
member of their mess and to
this day still receive a

heads could benefit the nation
greatly by having their little
boats re-cycled into tooth
brush handles, lead weighted
door stoppers or even garbage
bags. Their noisy tin’ masts
could well be snipped up and
utilized to some advantage on
large prairie farm holdings as
fence posts, thereby easing

upon graceful | deck beam stands as mute | with’a splended run of Bur- | the Coldstream Guards | that not one of those gen- | Christmas card signed by teir | the pressure on Canada’s
form, something that a plastic | testimony of this fact. mese teak. Forward of the | aboard and though their in- | tlemen, including a band- | present commanding officer. | dwindling timber supplies.
yacht) no matter how

distinguished the peerage of

her manufacturer, will always

be completely void of.
SECOND WIFE

In the main saloon of
GUNGHA an oaken deck
beam has a ten inch gap. This
was occasioned when my
second wife, Marie, a tall stalk
of a woman, condescended to
visit the boat whilst she sat
upon the hard at Portsmouth.

The poor woman, being
whelped of landed gentry, had
a positive fear of anythng to do
with the ocean and lived in
even greater terror of being
confined in small spaces.
Being a rather young and
foolish bridegroom at the
time, I had my deckhand
sever this single beam where
it ran amidships below the
main skylight. This allowed
my bride to hoist herself to an
erect position.

We had been but a few days
married. It had been my in-
tention to escort the lady on a
leisurely honeymoon cruise
across the Channel and up the
Seine to Paris, a city of which
she was overly fond and where
she had spent much of her
early youth.

Even in early winter, as it
was then, the Channel can be
an exhilarating place upon
which to sail. I had com-
missioned a french bargee, at
some expense, to tow me the
last distance upriver to the
great city itself, for one cannot
always count upon the right
fetch of wind to make those
last miles without auxiliary
power. In places the down-
stream current had a devilish
push.

Now my paid hand Jacob
had put fire to the galley stove
and brewed the woman a
superb pot of tea. Being
French she could hardly swill
it at the best of times, but on
this slightly chilly mourn she

ST. ELIZABETH
LADIES
St. Elizabeth Ladies’ Club

Needless to say, the lady
declined to join me on my
honeymoon cruise. I perforce
sailed alone: if one does not

coach roof there is a scar in
this oak the length of a sabre.
I have left it as it is: un-
varnished and dark with age.

fernal boots scuffed up my
decks, we managed once the’
morning mists had cleared
and with the slightest of airs to

sman, came aboard without
their own weapons at hand
(nor would they have been
allowed to). Indeed, the entire

No master of a plastic boat
could ever receive such
tribute. Those owners with any
modicum of sense left in their

By placing a local call to this number from anywhere in the Victoria free-calling area

you will be connected with British Columbia Ferries new INFORMATION CENTRE.

The Centre will provide information on Gulf of Georgia, Sunshine Coast, Gulf Islands,
Northern Vancouver Island and Inside Passage (Queen of Prince Rupert) routes.

To reach the INFORMATION CENTRE from—

I sincerely bope this comes
to pass. Until it does T will not
venture again within sight of a
peninsula marina.

as Gea eel

CER

aa
So ey
aeeae

British Columbia Ferries .
information services have
moved to a larger centre
to provide faster, more
convenient, more efficient
service. Operators will
have the latest electronic
equipment to help them
provide up-to-the-minute
information on all

British Columbia Ferries
routes and services.

e SALTSPRING ISLAND — Phone 537-5131 (toll-free)

e PENDER, MAYNE, GALIANO AND SATURNA ISLANDS —
Phone 629-3222 (toll-free)

© OTHER AREAS OUTSIDE THE VICTORIA
FREE-CALLING AREA—
Place a long distance call to
Victoria 386-3431 or
Vancouver 669-1211

Note regarding business calls: The phone number for the
administrative offices at Swartz Bay has been changed to 656-5571.
Head Office remains 388-4241.

will meet at the Church on
Thursday, May 15 at 1:30 p.m.
All women in the parish are

grease or petrol stains about
her stern timbers. She is a
wind ship. Nothing more;
nothing less.

ee ae

Ss

Soe RSS GR,
eS.

May 7th - 10th

Sea eee

Vehicle Reservations on three routes

Reservations on the Mainland-Gulf Islands, Inside
Passage (Queen of Prince Rupert) and Northern
Vancouver Island routes only are handled through
this centre. The same phone number will be used for
both vehicle reservations and information,

=

To make a vehicle reservation simply call the number
indicated for your area in this advertisement and ask
for “Reservations”. For your convenience please be
prepared to give your license plate number to the
reservations clerk. .

Matas Se.

Since the “Information” and “Reservation” listings in the Victoria telephone hook are now
incorrect residents will receive a decal in the mail.

hate
bt

get a beautiful

"y1O"

living Color only e

yeUhey R a at
° * Handling
Portrait Compare at $7.95

* Bables — children — adults — groups — | Special of each
person singly only 88 ¢ plus S0¢ handling. Groups $1.00 per
Person, plus one 50¢@ handling.

* Select from finished color portrails in living color.

“Extras, yes $x 10,5 8 7, wallets, But with No One to
pressure you to buy,

Ty hae
ee en
ip

Remove paper on back of decal to
uncover adhesive,

It will be delivered to all homes und
offices, If you need more pick them
up al 2631 Douglas Street, Vietorin,

itish Col

Department of Transport and Communications,
Honourable Robert M, Strachan, Minister

Place decal on the cover of your tele-
phone directory for handy reference,

* . . ‘
Limit) one Special per child.

+ "

ast delivery courteous service.

* Dollem up Bring'em in Wateh'em Smile ‘Thank You!

Senior Citizens Invited

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Mriday to 730 PAM Saturday lo asd P.M.

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2313 BEACON AVE. SIDNEY,B.C.

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