WATERGUARD TRAINING CENTRE

To cope with the surge of 'Reconstruction' entrants after WWII, Bernard Reilly - the Inspector General of Waterguard at the time - established a Training Centre in 1946, first at Vintry House, Southwark Bridge and then later at the Custom House in Lower Thames Street, London.

Once the re-training was accomplished, courses for the host of New Entrants were held. These courses, at what became known as 'Bernard Reilly's College of Knowledge', were to feature until 1972.

Pathe News made short 'Newsreel' films for the cinema. Several featured the work of the Waterguard, particularly Waterguard traning.

The last training Course held at the Custom House, Lower Thames Street, London was in November 1963. The next course was held in a Government building on the Broadway, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex which became the WTC's temporary home until the new Waterguard Training Centre was completed at Carby House, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, Essex in 1965, although Palmeira Towers, Shorefield Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex was used during 1967 for additional classes that could not be accommodated at Carby House.

WATCHERS & COAST PREVENTIVE MEN

SS HALIZONES

A Makers’ model of the SS HALIZONES was used as the 'example' vessel in Waterguard training courses. It was kept in the Office of the Chief Preventive Officer at the Waterguard Training Centre at Southend until 1972. The vessel's name was used during the many training exercises completed by the Assistant Preventive Officer students and it was a good way of familiarising students with the parts of ships in order to prepare them to carry out their jobs efficiently and effectively.

In about 1985/6 it was discovered in a parlous state in the basement of the Custom House London and was destined for the ‘skip’. Ray Gregory PO rescued it and transferred it to the Boathouse at the Custom House, Gravesend where there was a workshop. The model was a 'hulk' and ready for the ‘knacker’s yard’. All the rigging was draped and cut, the wheelhouse had been ‘stoved in’, all the rails were bent, there were cigarette burns on the decks and all the fittings, apart from the winches, including the Lifeboats, anchors, and propeller were missing. It was completely vandalised.

The actual SS Halizones was built in 1920 and was the third ship of that named managed for the American SN Co. by RP Housten and Co. Two years prior to her completion both firms were bought by Clan Line Steamers Ltd. The SS Halizones, which rounded off the Ayrshire built series, could be distinguished from all the others in the 400 foot series by changes for the Clan Line in the base of the bridge house and the shape of the fiddley. It was used to transport cargo between the UK and the continent and later South Africa. She had a peaceful career without accident on the Houston service between the UK and the Continent and the River Plate. She also made some voyages to North America. In 1926 Houston’s interests in the South America were sold and she traded between the UK and South Africa.

In July 1943 she was traveling in a large convoy between Glasgow and Buenos Aires on what proved to be her last voyage. She was one of 67 ships in a convoy escorted by a frigate and six or seven corvettes. They were about 85 miles off the Portuguese coast when a flight of Focke Wulf Kondor seaplanes started an attack. On the second day of the attack, 27 July, the SS Halizones was hit by a 'stick' of bombs dropped close to the starboard side and another two 'sticks' on the port side. One blew the stern off one of the ship’s lifeboats and the resulting explosion fractured the Halizones' main injection valve, causing a great gush of water into the engine room. Attempts at towing were abandoned and she sank three days later at 37.22 North  13.03 West.