THEIRS is a friendship forged in childhood with bonds strengthened as brothers in arms.

John Garrard and Albert Smith were 12 when they first met playing football for opposing teams and their friendship has lasted a lifetime.

In the past 80 years, the two men, who are both 92, have grown up together, fought together in the Second WorldWar and grown old together.

John remembers their first meeting. “I was playing for Wilson Marriage School and Albert was playing for Lexden,” he says.

“It was not so friendly. We lost.”

The friendship continued and they joined the Royal Navy at 15 within a month of each other.

After training at Shotley for nine months, they went over to Jamaica and joined HMS York before transfering to HMS Ajax.

The pair were 17 and still boy seamen on six shillings a fortnight when war broke out in 1939.

“On the first day, we met a German merchant ship and told them to get off and get into their boats,” says Albert.

John adds: “Then we sank it.

The next day we did the same.

Then nothing happened until we met the Graf Spee on December 13.”

HMS Ajax, along with HMS Exeter and HMS Achilles, moved in on the German vessel off the coast of Uruguay for the famous Battle of the River Plate.

Albert and John were in turret Aof HMS Ajax, the only turret on the ship to remain undamaged in the ensuing battle.

They fired 300 shells on the German ship within 18 minutes.

Albert says: “It started in the early morning. Shells landed in her gulley and the food store, so she ran to Montevideo.”

In the ensuing battle, HMS Exeter was severely damaged while the damage to Ajax and Achilles was moderate.

Graf Spee was less fortunate.

Her fuel system was crippled and Ajax and Achilles shadowed the German ship as she entered the port of Montevideo.

Graf Spee’s captain, Hans Langsdorff, scuttled his ship rather than face the overwhelmingly superior force the British had led him to believe was awaiting his departure.

It was the first major naval battle of the war and described by Winston Churchill as “a brilliant sea fight which warmed the cockles of British hearts”.

The friends continued to serve together until 1941, including crossing to Dunkirk to rescue soldiers in HMS Venomous.

They then went their separate ways and saw service in different parts of the world for the remainder of the war.

Their medals, pinned proudly to their jackets, bear testament to their years of dedicated service.

John and Albert both rose to the rank of chief petty officer and were reunited as instructors at HMS Ganges in 1954.

Both were by then married, John to Jean in 1942 and Albert to Audrey in 1950.

After 25 years of service, they joined the civilian world.

“I took a civvy job which I hated,” says John.

“I then became a postman and when I left that I went to work in an office. Dear, oh dear, don’t work in an office,” he advises.

John, who lives in St Christopher Road, Colchester, ended his working life as an ambulance driver, a job he did for 15 years.

Albert, of Magazine Farm Way, Colchester, joined Cadman’s builders when he left the Navy, working there until he was 65.

Through it all, their friendship endured. They would meet as friends at least once a month and go on family holidays together.

In eight decades, the pair, both now great-grandfathers, have never fallen out.

John said: “Our friendship means a lot.

“Being in the Navy creates a comradeship you don’t get in the other services.”

Tomorrow, John will travel to Portsmouth to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the River Plate.

Albert, who is recovering from a heart attack, will not be able to join him, but John will think of him and of the others who served.

“I remember things from the war clearly,” he adds, with a smile. “I can’t remember what I did yesterday.”

“You came up here and borrowed £100,” grins Albert.

“Do I owe you any interest?”

asks John, continuing the joke.

“I’ll let you off,” says Albert.