HMS Mercury 16 August 1941- 31 August 1993
HMS Mercury was the Royal Navy’s Signal School and Communications Training Establishment in the United Kingdom.
Here’s an overview:
General Background
- Commissioned: 16 August 1941.
- Location: Near Petersfield, Hampshire, at a site known as Leydene House and surrounding grounds.
- Role: The central training school for all naval communications, including radio, signals, radar, and electronic warfare.
- Nicknamed: “The Silent Service’s voice.”
Functions
- Trained ratings and officers in signals, wireless telegraphy, tactical communications, radar, and later satellite comms.
- Included specialist training for WRNS (Women’s Royal Naval Service) in communications roles.
- Served as a development hub, working closely with research establishments on new communications technologies.
Associated Facilities
- Had outstations, aerial farms, and experimental sites in the Hampshire area.
- A nearby research unit, HMS Mercury II, managed administrative and experimental work.
Decommissioning
- HMS Mercury was paid off on 31 August 1993, after over 50 years of operation.
- Training functions moved to HMS Collingwood (Fareham, Hampshire).
- Leydene House and much of the site were sold off for civilian use.
Legacy
- Remembered as the nerve centre of Royal Navy communications training during WWII and the Cold War.
- Many ex-RN communicators still identify themselves as “Mercury trained.”
- A memorial to HMS Mercury and the RN Signals School exists at Leydene.
HMS Mercury’s role from WWII through the Cold War, and how it connected with Commonwealth sites such as HMNZS Irirangi (Waiouru).
Yes…Remember being at HMS Mercury doing our PCT when picking up HMNZS Canterbury in 1971. Russell Hockley (CSG), John Titimus (LSG), Murray Purves(ASG then LSG), Peter Soper (ASG), Fred Luke (ASG), Rick Rapana (OSG), John Bickford (OSG), Terry Patterson (OSG)…..Larry Herrick (OSG) returned to NZ before maiden voyage home to NZ.
Long time ago now.
1971-72 did some pre-commissioning training at Mercury – it was great. Local town Petersfield was a good run at a local pub we frequented alot.
RNers were generous and friendly, invitations to their homes.
Enjoyed the experience.
In 1973, not long after I was promoted to Chief Radio Supervisor, I had an opportunity of a lifetime – selection for the Royal Navy Radio Communications Instructor Course at HMS Mercury. Lasting seven months, it was an all-consuming, full-throttle challenge that pushed all students to the limit. Yet, the moment I passed and earned the RCI qualification remains one of the most rewarding highlights of my RNZN career. Looking in the rear vision mirror, passing the HMS Mercury RCI 1/73 course was the ‘step change’ that allowed me to achieve other career opportunities within the RNZN and the NZ government.
HMS Mercury: Memoria in aeternum
Having been at HMS Mercury for a number of weeks, the whole commissioning comms crew from HMNZS Waikato berthed in Portsmouth had the joys of “looking after” HMS Mercury estabishment over the Christmas period in 1966 so that the RNers could go on leave for Christmas. Additionlly, the ZMPS Sparkers and EW peronnal were only at HMS Mercury to learn about the new “EW toys” the UA8 and UA9 because there were not enough EW staff to operate the equipment. We had the feeling of be multi-tasking!
Before we commissioned HMNZS Blackpool ZMMG all sparkers and buntings went off to Mercury for about three weeks. It was a great experience with many hours reading mmx’s and mkx’s. We were in Kempenfelt barracks which were of good standard. The dining room was not far away and I loved the breakfasts. Trips to the local pubs was a way to pass the evening hours. We had two 640’s on Blackpool so quite a bit of time was spent learning how to tune them correctly. A great experience for a young kiwi sparker.
I recently went back to Mercury on our last visit to the UK and what a sad site it was nearly everything was demolished apart from the quarter masters shack. Leydene house was still standing and now about 10 apartments. I was lucky to be taken through the house and finally saw the great staircase which I had heard so much of during my time in Mercury.