I don’t know how long I’d been wandering around Commonwealth Park (and I didn’t care) but finally, somehow, I managed to (very reluctantly) drag myself out of it. Any other day I could have stayed there till the sun went down but on this occasion I’d been specifically despatched on a mission to find this new Morrisons (I’d heard all about) and to not succeed was unthinkable – even a fate worse than death!

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(Queensway, I think)

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When I came out of the park onto the Main Road I wasn’t totally sure where I was because I didn’t recognise the high-rise apartments or the carriageway but eventually I made the decision that I must be on Queensway; I also had a feeling (in my water) that I needed to go right (not left) even though there was a roundabout in the road I didn’t recognise either. It wasn’t long though (maybe about 50 yards) before I knew exactly where I was. 


(The Bus Station which I think used to be the Royal Naval Caravan Site where we lived)

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After passing what looked like a bus station – which I’m sure used to be the Royal Naval Caravan Site where I used to live (although I wasn’t sure) – I found myself looking across the road straight into the main gate of the Rooke Site, formerly HMS Rooke. 

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(Rooke Site, formerly HMS Rooke)

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For a minute I couldn’t move, I couldn’t even breathe, I just stood there gawping at a massive lump of my military history, worse still (or better still) my emotional history (if there is such a thing). As I looked past the Main Gate at the buildings within the complex I swore blind I could even recognise what I thought was my old office, even my old desk, although on reflection that may have been my mind playing delusional tricks on me . At some point (in a lucid moment during my day dream) I realised one of the Gate Guards was looking at me as though I was Gibraltar’s Number One Enemy and so decided I’d better cross the road and explain myself.

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(Old sailors never die, they just fade away)

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Face to face with the Gate Guard (the first of many real live Gibraltarians I would meet, speak to and become friends with during my stay) he began a conversation before I could even open my mouth. I must have looked as though I was frightened of being in trouble for spying on the barracks or something and so he said to me “Don’t worry, I know what you want. Many come here all the time to visit the old place. Many old sailors. Today this is Police buildings. Would you like me to take your selfie here?”. 

“Yes Sir, thank you” I replied, “I would like that”.

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