Mick Puttick, G3LIK

It’s rare to find someone that dedicated their life to communications. Mick did so after being introduced to radio at school. It would take him to many parts of the world and continue with him throughout both his career and home life. He won hundreds of awards for operation in amateur radio, particularly in the use of Morse. Amongst other things, he was a keen golf player and regularly played at Furzeley Golf Club, Denmead, quite often walking the two miles there and back from his home. Mick suffered for many years with diabetes but maintained a strict control over it and despite this, led a normal life. Ironically, he liked a glass of rum, particularly Pussers which is a commercial copy of the original Navy Rum which was served to Royal Navy personnel until its withdrawal in 1970. We drunk many a tot together over the years.

Michael Puttick was born in Wisborough Green, Sussex in 1935. He first became interested in radio when the headmaster of his local school started a radio club for senior pupils. This led to Mick building a battery-operated radio and he listened to the shortwave bands and amateur radio in particular.

He joined the Royal Navy in May 1950 at HMS St Vincent in Gosport before transfer to the boys training establishment at HMS Ganges in Shotley, Suffolk where he commenced signals training. This was followed by service on board HMS Cleopatra in the Mediterranean Fleet based in Malta. Whilst there, he was hospitalised at the RN Hospital at Bighi, the first time he had ever been to hospital. He later transferred to the aircraft carrier HMS Glory and saw him in active service in the Korean War. On return to the UK, he spent time at Chatham followed by service in South Africa where he was stationed at the naval base at Simon’s Town. During this period, he became interested in cricket and became a keen player. He later represented the Royal Navy at cricket and was often flown to play at places like Gibraltar where he also served.

On his return to the UK in 1956, he was persuaded to take out his amateur radio licence and was issued with the callsign G3LIK. He has always concentrated on transmitting in Morse—known as CW—a skill he had learned in the Royal Navy. But later on, and for many years, he did run the SSB net—voice radio—for the Royal Naval Amateur Radio Society (RNARS) on Sundays. Mick was a founder member of the RNARS.

He continued naval service at Portland on the frigate HMS Grafton before being drafted to Malta again and to the Commcen at HMS Phoenicia. Unfortunately, due to restrictions at his billet on Manoel Island in Malta, he was unable to operate his own amateur radio station so he visited many of the local amateurs on the island of Malta. He returned to the UK and joined the signal school at HMS Mercury where he was an instructor. It was there in 1960 that Mick was a founder member of the RNARS with the membership number 4, which has members throughout the world even today.

In 1959 he married Doreen and they later had two daughters Gaynor and Caroline. After Gaynor was born, he was drafted to the aircraft carrier HMS Centaur which was involved in operation Vantage to support the newly independent state of Kuwait against territorial claims by its neighbour, Iraq. Later HMS Centaur assisted in the Kenya flood disaster in 1961. Within two years, he was back in HMS Mercury again. He became secretary of the RNARS in 1964, his first of many official posts in the Society.

He was drafted to Royal Naval wireless station at Kranji in Singapore with the family and it was there that his son Michael was born.

His last ship service was aboard HMS Scylla followed by a spell in the RN Recruitment Service based in Holborn, London. Whilst based in London, he lived in Ilford and commuted to his home in Cowplain, near Portsmouth. He was later drafted to Portsmouth Dockyard, still in the careers service, from where he finished his 45 years in the Royal Navy in 1995. His career had seen him promoted from Boy Telegraphist through to Communications Chief at the rank of Chief Petty Officer.  He was a prominent member of the Royal Naval Communication Chiefs’ Association (RNCCA).

Sadly, his wife Doreen died in 1999. Mick is succeeded by his three children and his second wife Allison.

RIP Mick.

Bill Mahoney, G3TZM / 9H1BX

Category: Silent Keys