Crossed the Bar
If you know of a shipmate who has Crossed the Bar and would like to post an obituary Please click here
Our thoughts and condolences go out to the families, loved ones and friends of those of
our colleagues who served at sea in the past and who now
have made their final voyage.
My Dad, Terry Carr crossed the bar on 13th July 2008.
He was a founding member of the MNA branch in Redcar and Dormanstown.
He became a Vindi boy in 1948 and served on many ships until 1956
when he sailed on his last ship "The Redcar"
His ashes were scattered upon the sea by the Redcar lifeboat on August 3rd.
My Dad has left a loving wife Beryl, two Daughters, Jaqui and Deborah and myself, Terry his son behind.
He will always be in my Heart and Mind, my only wish is that I had
listened more to his stories of his sailing days.
Happy sailing Dad
Love
Little Terry
It is with a sad heart that I have to report the passing of my
Husband Kenneth David Collins who died on 21-09-2005
after a long fight against Cancer.
Ken sailed on 5 ships from January 1951 to March 1956, when he met me a week after signing off.
Over the 49 years we were together we often recounted his happy days in the Merchant Navy.
His first ship was the Dominion Monarch and his last ship the Queensbury.
Now Ken has Crossed The Bar and is sailing a new ship in the sky.
Ken left a fine family behind who love him dearly, Five Grandchildren and our Son and Daughter.
God Bless my Darling and all those other shipmates sailing with you.
All My Love. Jean.xx
It is with great sadness that I must report the sad loss of our shipmate William John Atkins.
William sailed first on the SS King Robert in 1953/55 on to the British Patrol in 1963.
William Crossed the Bar on the 5th July 2008 and will be much missed by all of his loving family..
Sad to report the passing some years ago of my neighbour
in Edinburgh Mr George Aitken, Ben line, Castle boats and RFA.
Also in Auckland NZ Mr Andy Hopkins engineer with NZSCo of Auckinleck Scotland
crossed the bar due to an inoperable brain tumour.
George inspired me to go to sea with his outrageous tales of the sea and Andy was
my drinking buddy in Auckland. Good guys both.
RF Grant.
My Father Harry Boxall, crossed the bar in December 1971.
He served on many ships during his career
lots of the Port line, also Union Warwick Castle, Dominic, Spencer, Stockholm
His last ship was SS Port Brisbane.
I hope he will be remembered by fellow shipmates, and would
be delighted to hear from anyone who knew him.
His daughter Heather
Many years ago now Ronald Raymond Sommerford crossed the bar in NZ
aged twenty four or five as the result of an accident.
My shipmate from MV Salmela he then moved on to Union Castle. Ronnie Grant
It is my sad duty to report the passing of George Phillips, fireman, who Crossed the Bar on the 2nd November 2005.
George will be known to many seafarers who have served in Buries Marks and P@O vessels.
A true shipmate and one of life's gentlemen. He will be greatly missed.
It is with great sadness that I report the loss of our shipmate Michael Pearce O'Hanlon
known as Percy by everyone.
Percy crossed the bar on the 11th April 2008 in Southampton aged 63.
Percy served with many companies but his last two were Texaco and Northern Marine.
The last eight years of Percy's sea life were spent on the MV Aberdeen
for Northern Marine until he retired in 2005.
Calm seas forever Percy.
It is with great sadness that I report the death of Terry Coles of Ipswich.
Terry was at the T.S. Vindicatrix November/December 1960.
His first ship was the Kenya Castle, he went on to sail on the Orion; Cathy; Oriana; Stratheden; Oriana, ;
Wairangi; Northern Star; Pretoria Castle; Windsor Castle; Napier Star and
Rangitane, leaving the Rangitane in August 1965 to get married to Sheila.
Terry passed away at the St Elizabeth Hospice, Ipswich after a long illness, on Saturday 15th March 2008.
Terry was keen until the end. He was the Founder Chairman of the Suffolk Branch MNA as
well as it's current Chairman and a keen Vindicatrix Association member.
I never knew Terry during his time at sea but was proud to support him as
Treasurer and 'Standard' Bearer of the Ipswich Branch MNA.
He will be sadly missed.
Brian Ribbans R605473.
It is with great sadness that I report the loss of our shipmate, Alfred Sankey who Crossed the Bar in 2004.
Alf served at sea during the last World War and spent his last years
in the Bentley Residential Home, Walsall, West Midlands.
He will be greatly missed by all who knew him, especially his friend Rita Harley.
Calm seas Alf..... God Bless.
I have to report the sad loss of our shipmate, Les Newman who Crossed the Bar on the 14th July, 2006
after a long battle with cancer.
Les is greatly missed by his wife, Rosemary and all of his family
Farewell Les, may calm seas be always with you.
It is with great sadness that I must report the passing of our shipmate, Terry Pardoe.
Terry was killed in an accident on 13, October 2007.
Terry's ashes will be scattered from the QE2 by his wife Jo in January as his wished.
Many of his former friends are still on board.
Calm seas forever old friend.
It is with much sadness that I have to record the passing of our shipmate Peter Lewis
who Crossed the Bar on the 15th July 2007.
Peter served in the catering department with Texaco in the 1970's and was known to his many friends as 'Tube'
He is sadly missed by his wife Margaret and by all those who knew him.
James R Laidlaw Engineer who joined the Ashburton in 1947
Spent many happy years in Wilsons of Hull and latterly North Sea Ferries retired 1987
Sadly slipped his Cable on the 5th November 2007.
James will be greatly missed, John R Ford (Nephew)
It is with great sadness that I hear of the passing of William Parsons (Bob)
Bosun with Blue Funnel line, his last ship being the SS Priam.
William Crossed the Bar on the 30th October, 2007 after a long illness aged 86.
William had a long career, he came from Newfoundland with the Merchant Marine in 1939
and made Merseyside his home living at Mariners Park, Wallasey.
He leaves a loving wife Joan, sons Robert, John and Brian and daughter Barbara.
He is sadly missed - Calm seas William on this, your final voyage.
Today I hear of the passing of Jim Shand, engineer.
Jim served in the Merchant Navy during WW2 and was torpedoed but survived despite severe burns.
He was a cheerful soul immensely proud of his time at sea - Fair winds old friend and calm seas.
His relative, Peter J Henderson wrote this short tribute to Jim Shand, our shipmate,
who Crossed the Bar in 1973 at Sutton Coldfield.
It is with great sadness that I learn of the passing of our friend and shipmate
John Cooper who crossed the bar in January 2005.
John sailed first on a Thames sailing Barge as deck boy and was at sea from 1952 until 1961.
He went on to sail on the Regent Caribou, Burnhope, Palm Ships, the Ringdove, British Tankers and more.
In the 1990's he sailed on S.T.A. ships and with the Excelsior fishing smack.
He leaves a devoted family and is much missed by his wife Beverley, and by Ian and Neil, his sons.
Calm seas and a following wind John.
It is with great sadness that I learn of the passing of our friend and shipmate Eric McGrane
who 'Crossed the Bar' on the 28th September, 2007.
Eric Joined the Caltex Tanganyika as Deck Apprentice and went to become Master of the Caltex Whitegate in 1964.
It is with the deepest sadness that I have to advise
that our friend and shipmate, John Michael Falvey of Exeter
'Crossed the bar' on the 4th May 2007 - John sailed on the Royal Emblem and the Otranto - He will be sadly missed.
Can I just inform all shipmates from the Palm Line of the sudden death
in May 2007 of the bosun on my first ship, George Matthews.
He will be remembered by the men in Plymouth who were behind him in setting
up an MNA branch there and always flew a Red Ensign at the bottom of his garden.
I have only recently been informed of his Crossing the Bar,
one of the true British seamen of our times.
Keith Langridge, Engineer officer.
It is with the deepest sadness that I have to advise
that our friend and shipmate, Gordon White of Exeter
'Crossed the bar' on the 30th August 2007 - He will be sadly missed.
To the memory of a real hero Deane Wynne who crossed the bar about three months ago.
Deane was president of the Deep Sea Rescue Tugs Association.
He went to sea during the war at 17 years old.
He sailed on old Norwegian tramps as a stoker and worked his way up to be an engineer
because that's how the scowegians do it.
Eventually he ended up on the Deep Sea Rescue Tugs who were responsible
for the salvage of around 300 ships which were
repaired and sailed again bringing badly needed cargoes to keep the battle going.
He was in his mid eighties and his heart called it a day and rang down FWE.
Finished with engines Deane. Time to call it a day.
Time for a stiff drink to remove the thoughts of today.
Joe Collins.
It was a ling time ago when brothers Jack and Bob WALTON sailed the briny, mainly out of Tyneside.
Both died in the 1970's from leukemia, Jack was my uncle and spent a life time at sea,
my dad Bob first voyage was on the Blackhill in 1928, was invalided of the Empire Lightning
to Montreal in 1941, finally forced to come ashore in the 1940's.
Both were Firemen/Trimmers.
Doubt in any one will remember them, but both loved the sea and served their country well.
Bob Walton