Free Shelley the Lifeboat Labrador by John Periam

opportunity.                                                                                               
     
    Several crew members had dogs including Peter Huxtable who was a fisherman in his other role.  He had a small fishing boat and most days could be seen going to sea out of Shoreham Harbour with his Labrador on board. This often attracted holidaymakers as Peter had an open fishing boat and his dog Gilbert could often be seen sitting at the bow as they went out of the harbour entrance.
     
    Bill Owen the head launcher had a West Highland Terrier called Toby.  The role of head launcher involved Bill in making sure the boat was launched properly and retrieved.  Not an easy task when the tides were wrong or it was in the middle of the night.  Once again the boat was always washed down after it was re-housed and this was followed the next night by the crew going back to polish the brass. The boat and the boathouse were always spick and span. This was very important, as a lot of visitors came to have a look which of course resulted in more funds for the RNLI. There was a small souvenir shop there also.        
     
    Jack the mechanic was in charge of this and sometimes you could hear him yell. “Get that bloody dog out of the boathouse” which resulted in Shelley retreating to the rear wheel of my car where she hid in fear. There was nothing like a bit of discipline from time to time. Jacks word was his command as we were to find out many times.                                                                               
     
    They were days that I respected – enjoyed – would not miss – could sometimes be inconvenient. Resulting in some of the most memorable times of my life and I know some of the best times Shelley had.                                
     
    End Chapter Ten
     
     
     
    LIFE ON THE ROAD AND A RETURN TO SOUTHWOLD – CHAPTER 11
     
    The new work with ‘Kendall Company’ was going very well indeed and Keith and I had become very good friends. He at the time had an Alsatian so like me was very keen on dogs.  This was a real bonus as he was very happy for me to take Shelley around with me in the company car.  Not only that because of my knowledge of the way the M.O.D worked he gave me responsibility of looking after all the Military Hospitals in the UK.  I loved the challenge and it also gave me an excuse to visit my old haunts along the East Coast.
     
    My Auntie Grace once lived in Potterhanworth which was in Lincolnshire and was close to RAF Nocton Hall hospital.  Nocton was a complete mixture of the old and new.  When one drove into the grounds there was a large French Chateau type building which was the Officer Mess and contained some admin offices.  It was surrounded by single storey prefabricated buildings linked by long covered corridors outside where the patients were wheeled from one block to the other.
     
    I became well known and used to call about once a month to see the many consultants and purchasing staff.  Shelley loved it and was spoilt so much. She found her own way to the back of the kitchens where she was given many treats.  Although it was an RAF hospital it did take in civilian patients so there was always a mixture.  This was done to keep the medical staff in touch with current trends and was a bonus for the people that lived in the area.
     
    RAF Ely was in Cambridgeshire and had a similar rule of taking military and civilian patients.  Ely was also know as an excellent Orthopaedic hospital and had some top class staff based there.  It also had a nursing school attached to it.  Over the years I was given the opportunity to talk to those attending the courses about the products that we sold.  I became a good friend with Group Captain Tony Merryfield