DEE TEE'S

HMS EAGLE

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The pop band

THE DEE-TEE'S

by the bands drummer and it's founder member

Stoker

Anthony (Jim) Greenwood

1964-1966

THIS IS HIS STORY

Hi John,

Where to start! I suppose it would be the done thing to start at the beginning.

I was born in Halifax West Yorkshire, just after the second world war began. Sept 4th 1940.

Both my parents were from Halifax. Just 3 years later, we moved into Lancashire to the place where I was raised and went to school, Nelson. I had a secondary school education whilst in Nelson, and then in 1953, the family moved to Bristol as Dad had got a job at the Bristol Aeroplane Company. We moved to Okebourne Road in Henbury, and I attended Greenway Sec Mod(for boys only.) I left school in Bristol and knowing we were due to move further South in the near future, took a job in a garage. Sure enough, in 1955 we moved to a place in Hampshire called Tadley. It was near to Basingstoke (where I settled many years later.) Dad started to work at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment (AWRE) and I too went into engineering as well.

However, I couldn't stand working so close with my dad, as every evening he would berate me for some thing or other, so I decided at the tender age of 16yrs and 6 months, to sign up in the RN as a JME2(I didn't realize at the time that I would have to do 18months before my 9 yrs actually started)

I joined up at HMS Raleigh in April of 1957. After my initial training I received my 1st draft. It was to a cruiser the Superb (Super B as it was known) but learned as we joined her we were taking her from Chatham up to Scotland and into mothballs. The ship that we were to join after delivery was to the newly refitted HMS Victorious(It had the new (984 system installed) I joined her late 1957 and stayed there until 1960 when I was drafted to HMS Hermes. Whilst on her I learned all about working on deck with arrester gear and catapult doing holdback number for a good time. I must state at the outset ,I had no desire whatsoever to make the RN my career, I was happy to be a stoker, capable of running machinery down below and I enjoyed flight deck work even better. It was whilst onboard the Hermes, that on a visit to Subic Bay in the Phillipines I went into a number of bars and took an interest in the drums. (Strange because my Dad had been a drummer in his youth but never encouraged me to do the same.) Anyway the guys that were with me rated my drumming and said I ought to take it up.On the ship was a group called "The Dynamic Trundlers" (see the DTs?) They were looking for a drummer and I eventually got the job. So began my drumming career. When we formed the band on the Eagle in 63/64 the idiom of groups was to use a guys name and the band(Gerry and the Pacemakers as an example!) We became Paul & "THE DTs". Then when groups started single names (The Beatles, The Who) we changed to "The DEE - TEES. We broke up when we finished the commission in 1966.I went to HMS Dolphin, and stated a part time job in the notorious pub "The Albany." I was then drafted into Victory barrack for discharge finally leaving the RN in April of 1967. I first of all took up a job as a Fitter in an engineering works near to Tadley where I moved back to.(My Dad and Mum had by this time retired down to Poole in Dorset.) In late 1968 with the firm cutting back on overtime, I applied and got a job working with NAAFI (Honest I did!!)It was as an assistant Bowling Centre Manager in Germany. So I moved out to Germany and was victualled in the Officers Mess. However my interest was in the bases Rock Band who were looking for a drummer. I applied and got the job. Did a few gigs with them and then they told me they were" going on the road." I did not fancy that, so I came back to the UK in 1969. I took up Truck driving(both at home and continental. )I also got a job with a local band called "Cross Section" ( because of the cross section of music they played.) Did a couple of years with them playing around the South of England, and finally finished with them when one day the groups leader said "we are going to practice a song called" Shaddup a your face!" I said you are, I'm definitely not, and I finished with them that same night.I have continued playing up until 3 years ago when I developed Inflammatory Rheumatoid Arthritis. I sold my drum Kit 3 years ago. Where does the "scouser" bit come from? Well I spent a lot of time in and around "The Pool." Plus I've been an Everton fan(Toffee) since 1966 when we won the FA Cup. When CB radios were all the go, my handle (one of them!) was TOFFEEMAN. Another handle was "Seldom Seen." Let's be honest did you see me?? I was married but I'm on my own at the moment. And I'm sure you've heard enough from for now.

If that's ok for you John, or if there's owt else, let me know.

Kind regards.

Tony. Jim. Jimbo. Sticks.(Any more??)