Depth Charge!

During my Naval career, there were many incidents that occurred that I will never forget.
Here is another excerpt from the book "Running For Home" which highlights one of those incidents:

Depth Charge! Top Autobiographies

"The depth charge looked like a large bomb, complete with fins but with a flat nose instead of a cone. It was set at a very shallow depth which would give the maximum effect for display purposes. We took off, depth charge at the ready. It was a totally brilliant moment and one of the best in my career. It was one of those unforgettable moments that live with you for the rest of your life.

We flew along the port side of the ship. The direction of the wind was directly onto the port (left) side of the ship. After a few dummy runs the pilot said; “What do you reckon, do you think that this is about the right distance?” It was difficult to judge, after all, we’d never dropped a live depth charge before. Too far away and it would lose its impact. Too close and being a real depth charge, well no-one knew what would happen.

The pilot had the release button on his joystick. I said it looked about right. He flicked up the safety catch, hesitated then pressed it. We could feel the thing release as the weight came off. Between the conversation and the actual impact with the sea, the distance between the ship and the now loose depth charge had somehow terrifyingly diminished. Still, it would certainly be impressive for the numerous onlookers that festooned the decks of the Lowestoft.

On release, the pilot had immediately banked over to get the best view. It was naturally panoramic since as usual, we were flying without doors on. I knew F was there amongst the onlookers and indeed the decks were crowded.

The depth charge plunged into the sea. The pilot and I could clearly see its trace of bubbles as it charged below the waves. There was a slight pause. Longer than I had imagined, then, as it detonated, a large dome in the sea appeared and the shock wave shot out at an astounding rate, right through the ship. After this, came the most incredible fountain of water I have ever seen. By now, the ship and this huge spout of water seemed so close as to be quite shocking. It shot skyward and it seemed as though it was reaching out to consume us. The view was remarkable as the huge water fountain, blown by the wind continued like some sort of monsoon and began to devour the whole ship".

Find out what happens in the aftermath of this incident by reading the book by going to this link Running For Home and thanks for looking at Top Autobiographies.

How to get free books forever!

How To Get Free Books Forever - Top Autobiographies

Free Books Forever - Don't buy another book 

How would you like to have free books for the rest of your life? I'm not talking about any old books but up-to date books included! How is this possible you ask? What is the catch, surely their must be a catch? But, there is no catch whatsoever.

All you have to do is to go to Amazon and look for the shopping menu. If you click on this it will drop down and show all the shopping categories. Look for "Kindle Store" and click on this. It will take you straight to the Amazon on-line book store where there are literally millions of free books
Type in the box at the top Free Books or Top 100 free. This will take you to the free books.

These books are free because Amazon allows the Authors a period to promote their books and putting them on for free usually give them greater exposure and greater sales later on. I often put my book "Running for Home" onto this scheme with some success. In this way you can obtain as many free books as you wish for all time, many of which will be best sellers by famous authors.

But wait a minute I hear you say! I haven't got a Kindle or other device to get the books on. Don't worry, this is the simple bit. Guess what, you can convert your computer into a Kindle! Now that's what I call a bargain. Not only can you get more free books than you could read in a whole lifetime but you can also get them on your computer. How do I do this? It's not particularly difficult to do but if you are not too good on the computer just get some help since it will be worth it I promise you.
Just click on this link and it will take you to the site which helps you to instal the app required to give you a whole new experience. Now go and have a look at some of those top selling books for free.

Music and Writing - Your Inspiration

Music and Writing - Your Inspiration

If you are a writer or intend to be one then here is a small tip that you may like to help inspire you during those drought periods, when just what to write eludes you.
If you are able to collate a list of your favourite music then go ahead and do so. Just like the smell of freshly cut grass, a newly creosoted fence or your Mothers perfume bring back memories to you instantly, then the same can be said for music.

At the very moment I write this, I am listening to music. Over a period of two years, I have been able to amass several hundred of my all time favourite music tracks. There are several ways to do this and it is certainly getting easier. At one time you would have to save your pocket money, dash down to the local music store and buy what was called a "single". This was a vinyl record comprising your cherished number one on the "A" side and something a little less attractive on the "B" side. This could be a tedious way of accumulating your desired collection.

Now things are a lot easier. My collection is amassed on what is called "Spotify". I am able to download tracks from this provider completely free, many of which are very up to date. Adverts get in the way but if you pay £10 (UK) per month, then the ad's disappear and the music just keeps on coming. Due to the popularity of this service, a waiting list has developed but it may still be worthwhile trying to join.

So, getting back to the point of what this article is about, if you have never tried this before, whether you are an accomplished writer or a complete novice, have a go at writing whilst listening to some of your most moving and momentous tracks. It may well surprise you in the way it can inspire you. Different types of music can have different effects of course depending on your mood . Some music is bold, some is uplifting but all of it can be inspirational to your writing.

See just what effect it had on me when I was writing my autobiography.  Some peculiar coincidences with music and writing can occur also. For instance, as I was typing this, I was thinking of a track that might inspire you. I thought of "Wind Beneath My Wings" and guess what it is playing as I write this sentence.  Not only was it life-changing to have written a book but it did me a world of good and gave me so much satisfaction in my soul, that today I am a changed person.

See just how I got on with the writing of my book "Running For Home"

Man Down!

This is an excerpt from my autobiography when a man was "electrocuted" and I "saved" him:

Some of the things I would do to avoid certain situations would be to volunteer for anything going, as long as it wasn’t anything to do with my proper job. I would for instance, volunteer for dining hall party. All this involved was cleaning and setting up the dining hall, washing up and making sure that all the sauces and condiments were full. It was great and gave me a break from the nervous tension I experienced whilst trying desperately to do my normal job. My superiors just thought I was great for volunteering and that’s the irony, I got a really good report.

Of course this was only a temporary reprieve and after the allotted time I was back in the MCO. Things didn’t all go badly, since there were times when a bit of luck would occasionally come my way. I was on the broadcast as usual when one of the electrical engineers began to repair a nearby radio. I took very little notice when all of a sudden he screamed out and began to shake violently from electrical shock. I sprang into action, surprising even myself. Spotting a wooden broom that was close by, I grabbed it and swiftly pushed the poor rating away from the radio. He immediately fell to the floor as I threw the broom to one side. As I was about to feel for a pulse, he suddenly jumped to his feet and walked off. At first I was completely baffled until I heard the applause from the onlookers. It had been an exercise and I had passed with flying colours but I felt annoyed. It had all been a ‘set up’ but nevertheless, I felt a great sense of pride.

If you'd like to read more about my incredibly varied and farcical life, then you can have a free preview here Running For Home