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Training The Waterguard |
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An article by John Davidson appeared in 'Everybody's' weekly magazine on 5 July 1947 entitled 'Challenge to Smugglers'. It sought to describe the training given to the Waterguard officers at the newly created Waterguard Training Centre - Bernard Reilly's 'College of Knowledge'. A copy of this article can be seen in PDF form by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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In 1946 the Commissioners of Customs and Excise produced a booklet to give every new entrant to the department, in whatever capacity, a general idea of the organisation of which he or she had become a member. A copy of this booklet can be seen in PDF form by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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In 1959 an updated version was produced. A copy of the 1959 booklet can be seen in PDF form by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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During 1961 the WTC issued a handout called The History of the Waterguard Service. A copy of that handout can be seen in PDF form by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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There was no 'formal' training for Waterguard Officers before WWII. Officers learnt 'on the job' and 'by experience'. General Order No 5/1945 stated that '. . . Assistant Preventive Officers will be regarded in future not only as assistants but as a training cadre who are preparing to undertake the more responsible duties of Preventive Officers.' A PDF copy of that order can be seen in PDF form by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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To cope with the surge of 'Reconstruction' entrants after WWII, Bernard Reilly - an Inspector 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.
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The first job of the Centre was to re-train Officers returning from war service - a PDF copy of the General Order that set out the arrangements for these 'refresher courses' can be seen in PDF form by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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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.
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The magazine 'Picture Post' featured an article about Customs and Excise training by Ken Digby in May 1957 entitled 'Smuggler Hunters Go To School'. A PDF copy of that article is available by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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By the 1960's the courses had a well established curriculum and each 'Initial Training Course For New Entrants', as they were now called, had a bound booklet which was issued to each student. The booklet listed the names of the class Tutors and their students, and contained a detailed timetable for the full nine weeks of the course. The booklet also listed the facilities available at Carby House and gave details of sports and social events in Southend-on-Sea. Examples of these booklets in PDF form can be viewed by selecting the appropriate 'buttons' on the right. |
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The APO students for each course were 'called up' by the WTC administration office at Southend-on-Sea. An example of the 'call up' letter, in PDF form, can be viewed by selecting the appropriate 'buttons' on the right. |
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Top left: A tutor demonstrates places of concealment to a class of students at the WTC London. Circa 1950
Top right: An instructor demonstrates a 'heroin pipe' during training about drugs at the WTC London. Circa 1950.
Bottom left: Charlie Scarf PO - Tutor - demonstrating a 'heroin pipe' to a class of students at the WTC London - May 1957.
Bottom right: An instructor teaching a class of student APOs at Carby House Southend-on-Sea. Circa 1965. |
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& ON A DAY OUT
Northolt Airport On a 'day out' from the class room in The Custom House, London learning how to apply a seal to an Air France bar box. The C47 Dakota aircraft in the background had recently arrived from Paris.
APO Students Include - Ron Giles & Julian Metcalf (sealing the box) |
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WTC - GROUP EXERCISES
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The Group Exercise No 1 - Calculation of Deck Cargo for the SS Halizones in September 1966 - can be seen here as a PDF |
Pathe News made short 'Newsreel' films for the cinema. Several featured the work of the Waterguard, particularly Waterguard training.
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This 'video clip' showing Tom Hill instructing a class of APOs at the WTC London, was made in about 1958 and can be seen on the site's Waterguard Cinema Page by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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Another 'video clip' showing a class of APOs being instructed at the WTC, which was temporary housed at Leigh on Sea Essex, was made in about 1964 and can be seen on the site's Waterguard Cinema Page by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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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 1964, although Palmeira Towers, Shorefield Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex was used during 1967 for additional classes that could not be accommodated at Carby House.
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The last WTC course, number 82, was held at Carby House, Southend on Sea, Essex between November 1970 and January 1971. A complete list of the Staff & students can be seen here as a PDF: |
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A Dinner to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Waterguard Training Centre was held at The Tiger Tavern, Tower Hill, London on Wednesday 20th January 1971. The Commemorative Menu, Toast & Guest can be seen here as a PDF: |
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A subsidiary Training Centre was set up in Belfast to instruct Waterguard officers posted to Land Boundary Districts in the special aspects of patrol duties. The draft of an OWO, to be issued about these arrangements, can be seen as a PDF by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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A system of Local Training for APOs was introduced in 1965 for a 2 year experimental period. OWO 8/1965, item 11, set out the arrangements and can be seen as a PDF by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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Arrangements were made from 25 March 1947 for the Watcher and Coast Preventive Man grades to receive formal, structured training at their port of employment. General Order No 6/1947 set out the arrangements and can be seen as a PDF by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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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.
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A very sympathetic Collector agreed to fund a 'refit' and donated £250 to see the job done properly. A member of the Technical Staff stationed at Gravesend had formerly worked at the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich as a model maker. So the job was given to him. It took about a year and when completed was transferred to Tilbury where it was displayed it the Waiting area of the Ships’ Report Branch where it could be seen by members of the public. In 1989 the model was removed to Gravesend. It now resides at the HM Customs & Excise Museum in Liverpool. |
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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.
A bound copy of the Waterguard Handbook was given to Assistant Preventive Officers attending the Waterguard Training Centre during the 1950's and 1960's. Its introduction states
'This book does not purport to be a complete survey of Waterguard work, It neither exhausts the duties which might arise nor does it deal with all the phases of the duties referred to. Designed primarily for use at the Training Centre, it is no more than a "primer" on the day-to-day work on which the Assistant Preventive Officer will be expected to aid the Preventive Officer.'
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A PDF copy of the Waterguard Handbook, circa 1966, can be seen by selecting the 'button' on the right - 2.5MB! |
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By the late 1960's the bound copy of the Waterguard Handbook had given way to subject specific 'hand outs' and a ring binder to hold them all was issued to each Assistant Preventive Officer student. Some examples of these 'hand outs' are reproduced as PDFs below:
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Assistant Preventive Officer students were encouraged to make notes during their three months of classroom training. Doug Fraser attended the 1964 October - December WTC course and kept his training notebook which can be seen as a PDF by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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Towards the end of each Course there was a photographic session. Photographs of each class, together with the Class Tutor, and of the whole course together with tutors, WTC staff and any visiting 'dignitaries' were taken and copies made available - at a cost! - to the APO students. Many of these photos have survived as cherished memories and are now reproduced on the 'Picture' pages of this site and can be seen by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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The PO Tutors also had 'End of Course' photographic sessions. Some of these photos have also survived and are now reproduced on the 'Picture' Pages of this site. They can also be seen by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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The WTC students sometimes organised parties of their own. An 'invitation/commemorative' card, of one held by Course 27 on 23 January 1952 can be seen as a PDF by selecting the 'button' on the right. |
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