Two Navy PTI's - 58 Years Later
- waltt7
- Oct 28, 2021
- 1 min read
Chief Petty Officer Gerry Vowles and myself, Captain Tom Walton met recently in North Vancouver and had a grand time reminiscing about our experiences as Navy
PTI's all those years ago. Yes - it was 58 years ago that we served on our Trade Group 3 course in Cornwallis, NS. - and believe me, we had lots of stories to tell. Both Gerry and I are now in our mid-eighties and yet still remember our time together as if it were yesterday. Oh, the stories we could tell !!!!!
Another friend and fellow Navy PTI, Tom Sloan was unfortunatley unable to join us. Out of those on course with us, all those years ago, and pictured in the group picture here, only three are left of this proud group of Navy PTI's: Petty Officer Tom Sloan; Chief Petty Officer Gerry Vowles; an me Captain Tom Walton.
1963 RCN Group 3 PTI Course HMCS Cornwallis
BR: Gerry Vowles, Red McKay, Dick Manderson, Tom Walton, Tom Sloan
FR: Joe Carisse, Ray Ellison, Johnny Hancock, Herb Addison, Archie Pitt
The Old Guard: Gerry Volwes (on left) and Tom Walton ( on right)
I guess we could have called this “Tom and Gerry “ for those of us who remember the cartoon of that name. Good to reconnect with former course members after so many years I bet. The PERI Trade has been gone and forgotten in the new Canadian Forces sadly. Nice that some of the Old Guard still stay in touch. Men’s Sana in Corporeal Sano.