All hands lost when submarine hit mine | Nostalgia

The man in the main picture was Michael’s father Chief Engine Room Artificer Wally Olding who was lost in the submarine HMS Simoom when he was 31. He lived at North End, Portsmouth, and left a wife, Ivy.

Simoom was lost with all hands in late 1943 after she hit a mine off Tenedos, Turkey.

Her wreck was only discovered in 2016 and from the damage it is assumed she hit a mine while on the surface.

It’s tricky, but does anyone recognise where the picture was taken? I have a feeling it is Stanley Street, Southsea, between Lennox Road North and Palmerston Road.

• The photo of Old Portmuthian FC is split in two. Many may be remembered by readers who played locally in the 1960s. Teachers included Martyn Hart, Dave Foulds and John Clyma in Portsmouth; David Allison in Portchester; Howard Ord at Cowplain and Michael Olding at Havant alongside College of Education lecturer Bert Scales. Norman Wright, owner of a well-known building business, is in the front row, and goalkeepers Mike Reynolds and Dick Churm of The News.

• I’m expecting flak from readers but I looked at a 1948 map of Portsmouth and in the picture showing the Morris Minor, the road on the right coming off the iron bridge over the railway line, formerly the canal cutting, was Port Royal Street running on from Somers Road.

Port Royal Street now is a cul-de-sac off Raglan Street.

On the left is Besant Road and in the distance Sydenham Terrace.

The photographer was in Canal Walk.

Besant Road went when Holbrook Road was built in the 1970s.