Initiation ceremonies

[Patricia Hosie]

Hello Merchant Navy Boys,

I've been reading Louis Zurcher's study of The Sailor Aboard Ship and would be really interested to hear of your experiences as a new recruit.

Zurcher includes the following:-

You've got the mail buoy watch, sailor (There are, he is told, 'mail buoys' scattered about the ocean which contain mail for the personnel aboard. The victim is given a boat hook, and stands watch, scanning the horizon for the appearance of such a buoy.)
Run down to the post office, lad, and get me half a dollars worth of sea-stamps. (Sea stamps are said to be necessary for letters mailed from ship to shore.)
Go down to the paint locker and get some striped paint (or white lampblack, numeral paint, red oil for the port running light, a bucket of steam etc.)
If you have been following the 'Seamen's Mission' thread you will be familiar with my 'requests' for information and I thank you in anticipation of your comments.

Patricia

[Captain Kong]

Like collecting bread for the `MULES` that pull the ship through the Panama Canal.
Go down the engine room for a `Long Stand`,

[Ivan Cloherty]

Go ask the Chief if you can borrow a " metric shifting spanner"

Cap'n Kong beat me to the other two!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, does he never sleep ?

Ivan

[Captain Kong]

Sorry about that Ivan
Cheers
BRIAN

[John Albert Evans]

Me. First deep sea trip, galley boy.
Ships Cook 8.00am first sunday at sea."Galley go find the First Mate and get the key for the organ room for Sunday Service"
I went.
Need say more.

John Albert Evans

[Patricia Hosie]

I'm female. Could you please explain this one?!

Many thanks

Patricia

[alf corbyn]

on the llandovery castle the watertight door had a very large spanner to shut the door manually if neccersary. we used to tell the bloods, especially old dears that we had to wind the engine up every night. another one was to tell them we kept cows on board for fresh mil, and chickens for eggs. alf

[Ivan Cloherty]

I'm female. Could you please explain this one?!

Many thanks

Patricia

Eh Patricia

You'll be opening a can of worms with this one and others

Ivan

[Jim Brady]

Two I remember that ended with dire consequence.
I was bell boy on the Emp.of Britain(four bell boys)We decided to get the kid doing his first trip and give him a seeing to.On the night we mixed in a bowl cranberry sauce ,mayonaise and jam.Stripped the kid debagged him covered him in boot polish (everywhere)then poured the mixture into his hair down his ears etc.We dragged him to the showers and proceeded to scrub him down with scrubbing brushes.What came next was bad.One of the boys spotted a bucket of red liquid carbolic soap"This'l get it off"threw it over the kid unfortunately it went right into his eyes (imagine when you get a bit of soap in your eye whilst having a shower)you can imagine the kid was screaming.I filled a wash basin with cold water and managed to get his head down in it.His eyes were quite sore for a few days.
Another time on the Oregis two catering boys doing their first trip we decided to give them the boot polish treatment.The galley boy put himself forward here I am do what you've got todo,without the fight and the struggle the enjoyment is taken out of it.On the other hand the pantry boy decided we were'nt going to get him and did a runner.We searched everywhere and could'nt find him,as time went by it gave us grave concern it was no longer a joke but became serious that we find him.We searched everywhere shouting his name to show himself the game was over.I had looked in our messroom a few times,not there,finally I decided to open this small cupboard in the messroom there he was nearly suffocated but also he had been leaning on a red hot pipe and had a bad burn mark on his arm.He got in there the catch went on he was that confined that he could'nt get movement to smash the door open.
I never bothered with any initiations after that.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Michael Lawrence]

First ship and first day aboard sent by Chief to see Bos'un and ask for a longstand and report back to chief later. Found Bos'un in frd paint locker gave him Chiefs request and I believe I'm still there!!!!!!