I recall being at one of those daily briefs in the Tick-tock down at MPA. Virtually every day the RN rep was asked about the progress of the much-delayed guard ship - I think it was the Iron Duck?
"Any news on your ship?", he asked
"Yes, sir, it left port over the weekend"
"So when's it due?"
"Err, we don't know sure. On her way down she was sent to sit off Freetown!"
I had visions of dozens of matelots being hurled from their hammocks as Iron Duck went "Turnabout left, turnabout left...Go!"
I don't think that Iron Duck ever turned up on that occasion; after time in Sierra Leone they probably went direct to a number of pre-arranged cockersPs in the Caribbean. And who could blame them? Which probably left Bouncy Castle as the only ship down south.