A Voyage Down the Years

Member Guy Warner’s autobiography, ‘A Voyage down the Years’ has just been published. It embraces the early evolution of computer driven command systems as well later sailing escapades. It can be purchased from www.mereobooks.com.

David Parry writes:

“Autobiographies are an insight into another’s character, personality, thoughts, opinions and decisions — the ‘Straws in the Wind’ that dictate our fates as Commander Henry Stoker, CO of the ill-fated AE2 called his autobiography. That is, if the author is honest in his writing. Guy Warner is honest, almost to the point of self-deprecation, and that makes his ‘A Voyage Down The Years’ so interesting.

His life is related in roughly thirds, the first covers his early life and his career in the Navy. For those who do not know, Guy was a ‘Schoolie’ who qualified as a Seaman Officer submariner and the mastermind behind the Kalman filters that made DCA and DCB work properly. The second third is about his time in industry after the Navy when he was the architect of DCB’s replacement, the Submarine Comand System or SMCS (pronounced smacks), the scions of which are at sea today in ships and submarines. The final third is about his sailing ventures where one has to judge whether he spent more time on his yachts with a glass in hand or actually sailing so intricately are the two activities entwined.

Guy is bluntly open about many things including his early sex life and some sad family stories, many of the naval names mentioned will be known to Cold War submariners and he is generous when talking about his commercial bosses who could have treated him better considering that he won them the cream of naval contracts. Guy moved in eminent circles and all should be delighted they are mentioned in this thoroughly readable book.”