Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Major Jim Almonds

Friday 16 September 2005 00:00 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

I was at school with his son in Singapore in 1953-56, living in the same cantonment at Nee Soon. Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea had just appeared (courtesy of an enlightened English teacher) and I instantly recognised in Major Almonds the type of the true Hemingway hero - physicality and humanity conjoined in a spirit of serious playfulness.

Almonds had built an 18-foot dinghy from teak whose sturdiness came in handy during a "Sumatra" - a violent squall - off Changi naval base where he gave us lads our first sailing lessons. I recall with relish his salty language on that occasion when a police patrol boat put out to "render assistance" - he sent them about their business and got us safely back under a flying jib. (The next day a naval frogman was killed by a shark at the same spot.) It was a lesson in self-reliance.

His passion for building and sailing his own boats made him briefly a minor celebrity in 1958, when he sailed a larger boat back to Britain from West Africa single-handed - literally, because he broke his arm in a violent storm and completed the voyage after setting it in an improvised sling.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in