At the invitation of the Italian Navy, the first NATO Naval Communication Competition was held in Rome from 2-6 July, 1963, and the following nations were represented: Belgium; Canada; Germany' Italy; Netherlands; Norway; United Kingdom' USA. Apart from improving efficiency the aim was to give an opportunity for personnel of different NATO countries to meet and discuss the various communications systems and training methods in their particular countries. It was also a reward for outstanding operators. The competition ran each year until 1974 when it was discontinued.
However Canada continued with a more varied national competition until 1993, when morse code was finally dropped from their training needs.
However Canada continued with a more varied national competition until 1993, when morse code was finally dropped from their training needs.
(ref; "morse in the 1980s (Royal Canadian Navy)
1) David Blazenko
2) Bob Canning
2) Bob Canning
Each nation was invited to send three operators with less than six years service to enter the competition of their choice. The UK sent LRO(G) J A Burgoine, LRO(G) I M Crozier and LRO(G) J C Robertson. The competition was divided up into four categories. Morse Transmission, using only a straight key (MTX) morse reception, (MRX) teletypewriter transmission (TTX)and Flashing light reception. (FRX)
There was normally a team quiz on communications; A team communications relay with a signal/message sent from one team member to the other - teleprinter then sending morse to another operator, then to flashing light. I also remember there was also a military/naval skill such as shooting and also swimming!!
To give some idea of the standard achieved in that first competition the operators competing morse reception had to achieve a 30 minute test of receiving random groups of 5 letters plus groups of numbers and groups of special signs at over 30 wpm and with over 98.5% accuracy, or you were eliminated from the competition.
The Dutch winner read his exercise at 32 wpm and was capable of transmitting (by straight key) at 30wpm which roughly corresponds to sending 3750 characters!!
The winner of the teleprinter transmission averaged 60 wpm. The operator who competed in the flashing light competition had to read 75 groups of letters including groups of figures and a special signs such as, . : - / ( ) : at 12wpm and the winner of that competition, from Belgium made only 3 errors in 375 characters received!
The Dutch winner read his exercise at 32 wpm and was capable of transmitting (by straight key) at 30wpm which roughly corresponds to sending 3750 characters!!
The winner of the teleprinter transmission averaged 60 wpm. The operator who competed in the flashing light competition had to read 75 groups of letters including groups of figures and a special signs such as, . : - / ( ) : at 12wpm and the winner of that competition, from Belgium made only 3 errors in 375 characters received!
(Ref, Communicator Magazine Xmas 1963)
The rules and format changed slightly over the coming years.
The rules and format changed slightly over the coming years.
The competition venues were:-
1963 - Rome
1964 - HMS Mercury (RN Signal school) Hampshire, England
1965 - Amsterdam, Holland
1966 - Flensburg, Germany
1967 - Halifax, Canada
1968 - Bergen Norway
1969- Amsterdam, Holand
1970 - Brugge Belgium
1971 - Taranto, Italy
1972 - Flensburg, Germany
1973 - HMS Mercury (Royal Naval Signal School) in Hampshire, England
1974 - Bergen, Norway = the final competition.
The following are some accounts from the various competitions. Others will be added over time:-
1963 Rome - Italy
RO2 Southall's sixth position in morse transmilting does not reflect the credit it deserves. He put up a very good performance against some exceedingly strong comlretitjon. To win this event a competitor has to make morse like a GNT1 15 auto transmitter at 24/25 wpm. AB Brooks of Canada, who incidentally made his last and best exercise on an AP580-8558 morse key borrowed from Southall, made almost perfect morse. After evaluating the Canadian competitor's last exercise, CPO Toth of the USA was overheard to remark, "Not a single mistake. He only scratched a U". One scratch in twenty minutes high speed morse transmitting is no mean feat.
Another feat was performed by Radioman 2nd class Olscn of the United States Navy. He took second place in the teletypewriting event. A very good effort particularly as he has only seven fingers.
1969- Amsterdam, Holand
1970 - Brugge Belgium
1971 - Taranto, Italy
1972 - Flensburg, Germany
1973 - HMS Mercury (Royal Naval Signal School) in Hampshire, England
1974 - Bergen, Norway = the final competition.
The following are some accounts from the various competitions. Others will be added over time:-
1963 Rome - Italy
The United Kingdom team was composed of LRO(G) M. J. Bee, LRO(G) M. C. Duane, RO2(w) R. W. Southall and RO2(T) R. Palmer. They came fourth in teletypewriting, third in morse reception, sixth in morse transmission and eighth in flashing reception respectively, resulting in an overall fifth placing tbr the Good Communications trophy. LRO Duane put up a most creditable performance. Throughout the five days of the competition he scored one lst place, two 2nd places and two 3rd places, his average score producing the final third overall placing. His greatest opponents was CTI Young of the USA team who, for a little mental exercise, reads morse at 46 wpm.
1964 HMS Mercury signal school
A report can be read in the summer edition of the communicator p70
'The Communicator' magazine can be found here:- https://www.commsmuseum.co.uk/communicator.htm
1965 Holland
A Report can be read in the summer edition of the communicator 1965 p 268
1966 Flensburg Germany
A report can be read in the Xmas edition of the Communicator 1966 p122
1967 Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
A Report can be read in the Summer edition of the Communicator Summer 1968 p 231
1969 - Amsterdam in Holland
Article contribution by Steve Morris:-
In the 7th annual NATO Communications Training Competition, I was team captain of the 3rd place U.S. NAVY NATO Communications Team at Amsterdam in April 1969, finishing 4th individually (straight key sending) in the "CW" portion of the (then) 10 country NATO competition. The competition tests that year was for 5 consecutive days with a 30 minute 'test' each day. The test consisted of 5 letter/number mixed groups. On three of the 5 test days I managed to average just over 30 wpm for 30 consecutive minutes with the "straight key" (I ended-up with a 27wpm 5 day average)
I was stationed in Turkey (TA2ZZ) at the time & went to Rota, Spain for preliminary competition against other U.S. Navy CW operators. Upon winning the preliminaries, I was selected as Team Captain of the U.S. Navy team.
The team was comprised of 4 communications operators as follows; (all doing five 30 minute tests)
CW reception: RMSN M.W. ALLEN - NAVCOMSTA SPAIN - (finished 4th)
CW sending: CTR1 S.A. MORRIS - TUSLOG Det-28 - Karamursel, Turkey - (Team Captain) - (finished 4th)
Flashing Light reception: SM2 E.A. GRUBB - USS O'HARE - (finished 3rd)
RTTY sending: CYN3 D.R. FARRINGTON - NAVCOMSTA GREECE - (finished 4th)
U.S. Evaluation Group: (from NAVCOMSTA SPAIN)
LT. W.F. WHITEMORE - USN
RMC J.L. TOTH - USN
The competition was held in Amsterdam that year (1969).
"We were all young swabbies (I was the oldest at 22 years old) & more interested in the nite-life that Amsterdam provided than the competition. We managed to salvage a third place overall finish out of the 10 countries. I was in 1st or 2nd place (individually) for the first 3 days & then the nights we all spent "WINDOW SHOPPING" in Amsterdam, caught up with me !
I can still pound out 'round 25wpm or so for a few minutes on a Straight Key & then have to jump over to the BUG.
I'm comfortable for extended periods right around 18-20 wpm with the Straight Key.
BTW; The finishing order of the competition was...
1) Italy
2) Netherlands
3) U.S.A. :)
4) Canada
5) Germany
6) Norway
7) Denmark
8) Belgium
9) U.K.
10) France
What a great experience."
The RN team was Lt Brogan, team manager, CRS Jordon, Team Trainer & the team Ro2s, Hamm,McBain, Ingram & Thelps.
And on the evening :- Also by Steve Morris a story about our signalman and his American opponent :-
"I don't remember his name, but he & our Signalman (SM2 Grubbs - USS O'Hare) had a helluva night to remember!
Your Signalman & ours struck-up a friendship. They had put the U.S. team & the Canadians in the same dormitory. They berthed the U.K. & German team together !! (imagine that !!).
One night, our guy wanted to switch uniforms with your guy for a night out on-the-town. We all thought it was funny, & the switch was made. Somehow, your guy & my guy got separated ! (Oh HELL !)
Our guy caught-up with us in a bar (still dressed as a Limey) where were chatting with a U.S. Merchant Seaman on a "Bulk Coal Hauler". The merchant guy was the chief cook on his ship & invited us back to his ship for a "Steak & Eggs" breakfast.
It was really funny... the merchant guy couldn't understand how a "Limey Sailor" could have such a "Southern accent" (SM2 Grubbs was from North Carolina). Grubbs laughed & told the Merchant guy that he was from "SOUTHERN ENGLAND" 
(we just laughed & played along)
(we just laughed & played along)We had our chow & went back to the base to hit the rack.
I was awakened early the next morning by our Chief & the Officer-in-Charge of the U.S. team, wanting to know where SM2 Grubb was ??? I looked over at his bunk, & he was sacked-out still wearing your Signalman's British uniform !!
To cut a LONG story short,... It seems that your bloke (wearing a U.S. Navy uniform) had gotten plastered in a bar & had stood-up on the bar & was pissing on anyone nearby. When they tried to get him down, he lunged for a light fixture over the bar & swung on it until it came crashing down !!!
He was arrested & taken into custody.
Luckily,... the Dutch Police had a sense-of-humor & there were NO charges filed. BUT, there was sure some explaining to be done. (and I was the U.S."Team Captain") eek.
Our "Chief" & "Lt" (from U.S.NavComSta Spain) were both olde salts from WW-II Submarine service & had both been POW's in the Pacific towards the end of the war & they just rolled their eyes & shook their head! (boys will be boys)"
Steve, believes this was the RN operator who did the clothes swap:--
RO2 Ham, McBain, Ingham or Thelps??
Steve Morris certificate :-
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The American team.jpeg)
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1970 - Brugge, Belgium
Contribution written by David Perry
I took part in the competition!. Here I am receiving a little prize (An engraved propelling pencil), from the CinC NAVHOME, Sir Horace Law for taking part in the Nato Naval Communications Competition at the Naval Station of St. Kruis, in Brugge, Belgium. Just in case you are wondering why I look so young - this picture was taken in 1970.
Here we are at the Belgian naval base, St.Kruis.
And here is where we practiced in the belgium training school. (from left to right) One of the Italians, Myself at the front, the German operator immediately behind me at the rear. An American and the Dutch operator far right (or was he Danish?). The competition was run over 5 days. The key I'm using is a standard issue key made by P Edwards Ltd and Marconi Ltd - more info here:-
http://www.morsemad.com/nato.htm. .
I didn't do too well - I guess I suffered from nerves during the competition and perhaps a bit too much of the Belgian beers on an evening. But I did come 3rd in the pistol shooting competition which was included, as it was a 'military' skill.
This competition consisted of four operators from each of the NATO countries' navies, competing in morse transmission, reception, tele printing, & reading flashing lights. Those doing morse transmission also had to do morse reception at 36wpm which was the competition standard. The test consisted 20 minutes of receiving 5 letter random groups. The winner in Brugge was the Italian whose best score had only two or three errors. There was, at least the year I took part a team relay - which was passing a coded message via, light, teleprinter and morse, the winning team being the one with the least mistakes and there was also a target pistol competition.
To have any chance in the morse sending you needed to send on a straight key more than 25wpm with 99% accuracy and points were deducted if your morse code was not sent perfectly.
To have any chance in the morse sending you needed to send on a straight key more than 25wpm with 99% accuracy and points were deducted if your morse code was not sent perfectly.
Eight of us were recruited volunteers from across the navy we spent six weeks improving our skills in HMS Mercury before four of us were selected to go to Brugge, one of many venues used throughout the competition's history. I ended up doing morse transmission (MTX) for the competition which was scored using a combination of speed and accuracy of transmission.
Our Chief was CRS Mick Puttick (G3LIK) a keen radio amateur - and still is!
Here we are at the Belgian naval base, St.Kruis.
Left to Right:-
LRO 'Happy' Sadd - Zawada... MRX (Morse Reception)
RO2(G) 'Buster' Brown (FRX) (Flashing Light)
Sub Lt. COLLINS ( i/c)
CRS, Mick Puttick our team trainer and a long time amateur radio operator (G3LIK) Now deceased 2022.
Me! (MTX = Morse Transmission)
Belgian senior rate i/c the Belgian team and was also a radio ham too. (Now deceased).
Front, RO2 'Taff' Welstead (TTX) (Teleprinter)
And here is where we practiced in the belgium training school. (from left to right) One of the Italians, Myself at the front, the German operator immediately behind me at the rear. An American and the Dutch operator far right (or was he Danish?). The competition was run over 5 days. The key I'm using is a standard issue key made by P Edwards Ltd and Marconi Ltd - more info here:-
http://www.morsemad.com/nato.htm. .
I didn't do too well - I guess I suffered from nerves during the competition and perhaps a bit too much of the Belgian beers on an evening. But I did come 3rd in the pistol shooting competition which was included, as it was a 'military' skill.
Here's the certificste I got from the Royal Navy. We also got an engraved propelling pencil each. We were told the RN budget didn't run to engraved pens!
The competition was reported in The Communicator' summer 1970 https://www.commsmuseum.co.uk/communicator.htm
And on the evening run ashore Off Duty:-:=
"We obviously all got into ‘high spirits’, whilst we were not competing. With great shame we went into Brugge with a some of the American and Canadian team members. The others (not me - I was easily scared!!), decided to take down a Belgian flag from outside some department shore. Unfortunately it got accidentally torn off the flag pole. Like a bunch of idiots we went into the first bar holding our newly acquired trophy between us. Alas, in the bar was our Chief (G3LIK), the Dutch team trainer who was also a ham and one or two other of the chiefs/instructors. Oh, dear!! I clearly remember one of them asking us how we would have felt if someone had done this in our own country. We took it back and that was the end of the matter."
1971 Taranto Italy
More in The Communicator Summer 1971 p224
1972 Flensburg Germany
Reports can be found in winter edition 1972 of The Communicator p 292
Reports can also be found in the Spring 1972 edition p 13
Report & Results can be found in the Winter 1972 edition of the Communicator p105
1973 HMS Mercury Signal School.
Report can be found in the Summer 1973 edition of the Communicator p213 & 215.
I believe this was the first year WRNS could enter.
1974 Bergen Norway - the final competition
This took place at the Norwegiansignal training school at Mathopen Bergen. Representing the RN were RO2(G) Kenny from HMS Hardy. Teletype Transmission.
RO2 (T) Laurie from HMS Ark Royal. Flashing light Reception.
RO2(G) Coke. from HMS Ark Royal. Morse Reception &Transmission
The Norwegians put a great deal of effort in the organisation of this event and social events included an official reception and a trip on a 35-knot fast patrol boat of the Norwegian Navy, probin deep into the Norwegian fjouyrds., Daily saunas followed ice cold showers were also taken.
The RN team came in third and also came first in two events; teletype transmission and flashing light reception.
Chris Kenny made the following comments:-
"I joined in 73, but was a Post Office Telegraphist prior to joining I also learnt to touch type at school, as I chose typing instead of tech drawing. It has served me well. I joined HMS Mercury the RN signal school, already doing 60WPM with 99 to 100% accuracy. So was chosen to represent the RN at the NATO Naval Communications Competition in 1974 in Norway at KNM TORDENSCOLD. I won the competition in TPX, and my oppo also won in flashing light. Sadly we did not do so well in morse. Needless to say having typed all my life, my handwriting is terrible.".
The official report can be found in the winter edition of the Communicator p 116/117
Much more about the NATO Naval Communications Competition (NAVCOMCOMP), can be found in communicator.htmwhich is the Royal Naval Communications Museum's website which has copies of the the Communicator magazine. You can scroll through the magazine until you find more details of the team for that year. Plus lots of information regarding Royal Naval communications.
I'm now an amateur radio operator myself = M6GYU
If you have any memories of this competition you wish to share please add them to the comments.
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