For some reason this has been removed from YouTube? This is an old British Television Programme called Blue Peter. The show had a segment where they did a story about the mast at HMS Ganges, a Naval training establishment for boy sailors. The base has since been closed down but I am putting this onto YouTube for you all to see what my dad did as a recruit at HMS Ganges, Shotley Suffolk.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Gang...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RNTE_Sho...

Noakes the Button Boy

Noakes is just one of many people who have retained a special place in their heart for the mast and he has great memories of when he was presented with his challenge.

"Having spent all my childhood climbing trees in Sun Woods with my best friend Eric, I thought that sounds good fun," said John.

"Next day I arrived at the gates and met the film crew and then we were taken down to the mast where I met a lot of very smart looking trainees and their boss, who explained that they climbed the mast in time to the music, and that they had a place for me so that I could shin up to the button right at the top!

"I was like the other trainees and I have to say my shirt was so stiff and tight that it felt like it had been made out of one of the sails on Shackleton's arctic trip.

"After a bit of practice climbing with the music and my opposite number it was time for the real thing and we all started to climb and I remember thinking that I couldn't possibly stop to get my breath as the lads below me would have trampled me into the rigging.

"Finally somehow I made it to the top and stood on an iron bar and the lad who was my opposite number said 'when the music stops you just shin up the final bit of mast and stand on the button, oh and put the aerial between legs so you don't fall off'.

"I remember thinking 'if I do fall I'll be sure to grab you on the way down'.

"So I looked up at that final stretch of mast which was a bit like a rugby post with a round button on the top and launched myself upwards all the way to the top, well not quite.

"After what seemed an eternity I'd only managed to get up about 4 foot with some 10 foot still to go, so I slid back down to the iron bar and held on like mad whilst the other lad shinned up in my place."