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My Bloody Efforts: Life as a Rating in the Modern Royal Navy
In May 2000 the British nuclear hunter-killer submarine HMS Tireless limped into
Gibraltar using emergency propulsion and with her nuclear reactor shut down. Days
earlier, while traversing the Straits of Sicily the crew had discovered a crack in one of
the nuclear reactor pipes, requiring the immediate shutting down of the reactor to
prevent a potential reactor accident, an operation never before conducted on a British
submarine at sea.
Th e previous six days had been a difficult time for the crew of the submarine. Initial
indications of a nuclear reactor defect had quickly escalated into a full scale potential nuclear
reactor accident at sea, requiring decisive action by the crew to make the reactor safe, to
identify the defect and attempt to repair the reactor, and then to surface the submarine and
to sail her safely back to the nearest safe harbor using emergency propulsion machinery
designed for very limited use. The resulting lack of electrical power resulted in the crew
having to sacrifice lighting, air-conditioning, bathing facilities and even hot food until their
return to harbor, and to suffer in the excessively hot interior of the boat. Throughout,
there remained the fear of exposure to deadly radiation and the uncertainty that the reactor
might still be one step away from a major accident.
For one man onboard, this episode formed the culmination of a 25 year naval
engineering career almost fated for this moment. Charge Chief Stephen Bridgman,
the senior nuclear propulsion technician, had needed all of his engineering knowledge
and experience in the identification and eventual repair of the submarine reactor,
subsequently being awarded an MBE together with a colleague for his services to naval
engineering for his actions.
This book provides an insight into a remarkable naval career starting as a 16 year old
Stoker on the final proper British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal in 1977, through
the Falklands War, being selected for naval technician training and submarine service,
submarine training, submarine patrols in the supposed post cold-war period, the
Kosovo conflict, progression through the ranks, submarine refi t and refueling through
to the nuclear reactor accident onboard HMS Tireless.
While there are countless accounts of naval life during wartime, this book tells the
unique story of life as a British naval rating in the modern era, starting from the lowest
level at a time of decline for the Royal Navy in the late 1970s, and paralleling the major
political and military events of the 1980s and 1990s.
Gibraltar using emergency propulsion and with her nuclear reactor shut down. Days
earlier, while traversing the Straits of Sicily the crew had discovered a crack in one of
the nuclear reactor pipes, requiring the immediate shutting down of the reactor to
prevent a potential reactor accident, an operation never before conducted on a British
submarine at sea.
Th e previous six days had been a difficult time for the crew of the submarine. Initial
indications of a nuclear reactor defect had quickly escalated into a full scale potential nuclear
reactor accident at sea, requiring decisive action by the crew to make the reactor safe, to
identify the defect and attempt to repair the reactor, and then to surface the submarine and
to sail her safely back to the nearest safe harbor using emergency propulsion machinery
designed for very limited use. The resulting lack of electrical power resulted in the crew
having to sacrifice lighting, air-conditioning, bathing facilities and even hot food until their
return to harbor, and to suffer in the excessively hot interior of the boat. Throughout,
there remained the fear of exposure to deadly radiation and the uncertainty that the reactor
might still be one step away from a major accident.
For one man onboard, this episode formed the culmination of a 25 year naval
engineering career almost fated for this moment. Charge Chief Stephen Bridgman,
the senior nuclear propulsion technician, had needed all of his engineering knowledge
and experience in the identification and eventual repair of the submarine reactor,
subsequently being awarded an MBE together with a colleague for his services to naval
engineering for his actions.
This book provides an insight into a remarkable naval career starting as a 16 year old
Stoker on the final proper British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal in 1977, through
the Falklands War, being selected for naval technician training and submarine service,
submarine training, submarine patrols in the supposed post cold-war period, the
Kosovo conflict, progression through the ranks, submarine refi t and refueling through
to the nuclear reactor accident onboard HMS Tireless.
While there are countless accounts of naval life during wartime, this book tells the
unique story of life as a British naval rating in the modern era, starting from the lowest
level at a time of decline for the Royal Navy in the late 1970s, and paralleling the major
political and military events of the 1980s and 1990s.
- GenresBiography
679 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 13, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 7, 2025
A trip down memory lane, and a reminder of how things used to be...
This is a decent memoir of life in the late 20th Century Royal Navy, encompassing a career spent in both the surface and submarine Navy. Unusually, the author was a back aftie, a Stoker entry boy sailor who spent his considerable career as a rating and later senior rate working in the noisy, not engineering spaces of aircraft carriers, frigates, survey ships and ultimately the nuclear hunter-killer SSN HMS Tireless.
This evocative memoir shines a welcome light on the weird paradox of forces life: on the one hand there is the pride of gaining qualifications through the demanding and exacting processes of training and exams, enabling progression to higher ranks and pay, as well as professional expertise and excellence; on the other hand there is the pettiness of rank and bullying, rivalry between ships, subs, departments and even watches sharing the same jobs. It seems there is no end to the number of ways men can feel tribal animosity within and without their groupings, and this account is full of anecdotes about how daft a lot of these are, and how far out of hand they can get!
The story culminates in an excellent account of a leak in the reactor compartment, which reads as good as any Tom Clancy thriller. If it weren't for the many, MANY typos and errors in the text I'd have given this 5 stars.
This is a decent memoir of life in the late 20th Century Royal Navy, encompassing a career spent in both the surface and submarine Navy. Unusually, the author was a back aftie, a Stoker entry boy sailor who spent his considerable career as a rating and later senior rate working in the noisy, not engineering spaces of aircraft carriers, frigates, survey ships and ultimately the nuclear hunter-killer SSN HMS Tireless.
This evocative memoir shines a welcome light on the weird paradox of forces life: on the one hand there is the pride of gaining qualifications through the demanding and exacting processes of training and exams, enabling progression to higher ranks and pay, as well as professional expertise and excellence; on the other hand there is the pettiness of rank and bullying, rivalry between ships, subs, departments and even watches sharing the same jobs. It seems there is no end to the number of ways men can feel tribal animosity within and without their groupings, and this account is full of anecdotes about how daft a lot of these are, and how far out of hand they can get!
The story culminates in an excellent account of a leak in the reactor compartment, which reads as good as any Tom Clancy thriller. If it weren't for the many, MANY typos and errors in the text I'd have given this 5 stars.
May 31, 2020
Excellent book
I really enjoyed this book it really described what it was like to be a sailor in our Royal Navy in fairly modern times under the tank of officer. I take my hat off to Steve for every thing he achieved through our his career.
The only spoiler was whoever edited it wants to go back to school because the grammar was awful, mine is terrible but it's better than that otherwise a great book.
I really enjoyed this book it really described what it was like to be a sailor in our Royal Navy in fairly modern times under the tank of officer. I take my hat off to Steve for every thing he achieved through our his career.
The only spoiler was whoever edited it wants to go back to school because the grammar was awful, mine is terrible but it's better than that otherwise a great book.
July 7, 2020
This is a very interesting biography focussing on training and operational service in the Royal Navy. Parts of the book concentrates on the detailed technical aspects of Stephens submarine service. The aspects of what amounts as bullying as the author completes his training aboard his submarine is quite shocking. I am glad to have joined the Royal Air Force and not the Royal Navy! A good read and highly recommended.
April 20, 2021
Class. The engineering detail made the book.
Good read with lots of engineering detail regarding marine engineering. Its a pity the Royal Navy neglected to promote Steven at the end as they lost a good engineer at the peak of his career.
Good read with lots of engineering detail regarding marine engineering. Its a pity the Royal Navy neglected to promote Steven at the end as they lost a good engineer at the peak of his career.
January 9, 2023
After serving onboard Subs in the 70s, HM Resolution, Revenge and watch keeping in AMS2,PPO and Back Aft this book brought back memories with lots of engineering dits, recall working in the Reactor Compartment as part of FMU. Enjoyed the book and well done on your MBE.
May 14, 2020
Fab
Great book , would highly recommend this book, I couldn't put it down, good detail about the Navy,well done Steve
Great book , would highly recommend this book, I couldn't put it down, good detail about the Navy,well done Steve
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April 21, 2021Good read
I enjoyed this book. Factual and interesting, but sometimes funny. We take for granted what our service men and woman have to do.
I enjoyed this book. Factual and interesting, but sometimes funny. We take for granted what our service men and woman have to do.
August 30, 2020
partly my life to a 'T'
This book took me right back to my teenage years, right through leaving home to my time at HMS Rayleigh, and Collingwood, to my first draft. The section on the leading rates leadership course sent a shiver down my spine.
It was a very entertaining read and something potential recruits should read.
Well done Stephen bridgeman MBE.
This book took me right back to my teenage years, right through leaving home to my time at HMS Rayleigh, and Collingwood, to my first draft. The section on the leading rates leadership course sent a shiver down my spine.
It was a very entertaining read and something potential recruits should read.
Well done Stephen bridgeman MBE.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews