Mike Crowe, of the Isle of Wight, writes:

I think it’s a pretty safe bet to say that many readers would have served in the Royal Navy at some time or other. The older ones seeing service in the Second World War would no doubt have been casting their thoughts back to the end of the war, either Europe or later Japan, with all of the commemorations around the country. Those a little younger being called up for national service, the younger still serving in our much-reduced Royal Navy.

One thing is certain: they will all think back and remember the camaraderie and friendships formed at the time, only to be broken when they moved to a different ship or base. There will be the occasional thought being cast back to, ‘I wonder what happened to old Chalky White on HMS Rustybucket?’

Well a lot have found out what happened to their ‘old Chalky Whites’ because lots of the ships have associations full of their old shipmates and

a new monthly service has recently started to help find all of the other ‘old Chalkies’, or whoever is being looked for.

‘Those in the Buffer’s party at HMS Collingwood in the mid-1950s’, or ‘that chef off HMS Tupperware in 1988’ take note, because many of the ships’ association secretaries are sending details of their reunions to navy shipmates for the monthly listing of reunions and other notices. This monthly service is totally free because it is all done by email. No printing. No ­photocopying. No paper. No envelopes. No stamps.

Ship’s association secretary. Are you on my monthly ­mailing list? Nearly 400 are. Looking for someone? This is a good starting point to meeting up at a reunion and ‘swinging that lamp’. Get in next month’s email. Get the latest news. Did you serve in the electrical branch of the Royal Navy? Exciting news coming up soon if you did.

And for those who just want to live the camaraderie again, navy shipmates are having another reunion next April.

Interested? Have I set your memory going? Send brief details to [email protected].

I Look forward to receiving your email.