Sea training schools

[Rodney Mills]

At Gravesend (aptly named) in 1953 cliques seemed to be the rule, based upon what city you came from or lived near. Scousers, Brummies, Yorkies, Geordies, Glaswegeons, the only ones that didn't were the Londoners, someone from East London didn't care for anyone, say from South London. The cliques had one thing in common, a universal dislike or the Londoners.

I know you learnt real quick to keep your mouth shut, I saw two awful fights in the toilets. One guy gave what they called "A wee nod of the head." (a head butt) to his opponent. The second one I saw was the same move, however the proposed recipient of the butt saw it coming and lowered his head and the 'butter' split his own eyebrow, fortunately no stitches or anything. Nobody reported either fight, nobody found out that it was a fight and nobody had to square off in the ring. My memory, at least for long ago events, is pretty sharp, but I just do not remember a ring being set up and fights staged for entertainment.

I don't remember fights on board ship, perhaps they were kept quiet, which is hard to do on a ship. I had one fight, that was with the deck peggie, I had to work in a small enclosed serving pantry during meals, and the peggie cranked up the water urn and forgot it and when I went in to work the lunch the place was a Turkish Bath...We had just crossed over the line too, hotter than Hades. So one thing led to another and we went out on deck. I was so mad, I guess I went berserk, anyway I came out on top and the bosun stopped us and gave us a right bollocking, but didn't turn us in for fighting, so no logs. Other than that, life at sea was uneventful, except for...

Cheers, Rodney

[Doc Vernon]

(a head butt) Or as we knew it and still do these days (An Irish Kiss) LOL ( It was the Liverpool Kiss sorry, as i have just been reminded by John in Oz) Now what was i thinking of ??

Used in the correct way, was always very potent, have seen it as well, and on one occasion had the misfortune to cop one as well! More than Bleedin Ouchh!!!
I was too slow to see it coming, Eeeeek! Had a good size Lump for a few days and what a sore Head! Plenty of Brandy helped a bit though! LOL
Funny though a few days after , we landed up in the Pub together and had a few Schooners! That was the way then.
Cheers

[Keith Tindell]

I can recall in the early days, i am not a scrapper by nature, but recognise when you have to call a guy out, i had been ordered to bring the blue peter down, and like a pratt i let the halyard fly which flew to the yard, i was a deck boy and the SOS really ripped into me , and i thought unjust, there was only going to be to retrieve it, and i lost my cool, gave him a belt, and offered him time on the hatch. he refused, and after which he left me alone, i think that in our time you could not appear to be a bit soft kt

[Ivan Cloherty]

or as they say in Glasgea 'can yer mother sew' Bam!!! 'well her to stitch that'

[Doc Vernon]

Having lived in Birmingham Marian i know all too well those old Caps. Really nasty things they were and did much damage to many a poor soul.

Them were the nasty Gangs LOL

[j.sabourn]

#45. The razor blade bit reminds me of the teddy boy era Marian , where it was common for them to put razor blades behind the lapels of their jackets , as this was where these so called tough guys used to grab people. Saw 3 of them get splattered once when they took this national serviceman outside to give him a kicking he was only a wisp of a young fellow, but they picked on the wrong one ,he just took his webbing belt off and laid the3 of them out . An ambulance had to be called. JS.

[Duke Drennan]

#42, 'An Irish Kiss' differs then to a Glasgow Kiss Doc. I have it on good authority the invitation offered by a Glaswegian was ''One with the heid or two with the bunnet''. The bunnet being the same as the flat caps worn in TV programme set in Birmingham called ''Peaky Blinders'' The rim had razor blades secured within the peak leaving a scar. The heid option broke your nose

In Glasgow, it’s basically known as a “stookie”. There’s a guy in St John’s NB who will forever remember the night he continually slagged off 3 Glaswegians in a local cafe. We minded our business and ignored him. But no, despite protestations from the local crowd urging him to sit down and shut up he kept digging at us. We even got up and walked out which led him and his buddy to follow us, continually throwing insults and calling us Limey Barstewards. Imagine, 3 Glasgow deckhands getting called limeys. Anyway, long story short, I’m guessing he spent at least a week in hospital having nose reconstruction ....one hit !!
The cops came aboard the next morning and spoke with the bosun at the top of the accommodation ladder and I have to guess that they were just following policy and had already been informed that the injured party got what he deserved...a stookie !!

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Never once saw bullying while I was at the Vindi, but twice saw blokes in the ring sorting things out, so there must have been some. We had a visit from a group from the Gravesend school for a few boxing matches, I remember one was a colored bloke who was going to enter for the Golden Gloves, one bloke went in with him I think on the proviso that he took it easy, you could see that he had training.
Des

[j.sabourn]

I was home on leave once and waiting for a bus after closing time with my mate. This young girl came up and asked if we would talk to her as this Teddy Boy had been following her. Her bus came and she was on it and away. This young Dick head comes up all sorts of threats and bad language so told him to bugger off. He stands back and whistles down the street and about 10 of them come out of this shop doorway . Our bus came just then and discretion being the better part of valour we hopped on and away. Often wondered if that young damsel in distress was one of Brians Harem. JS

[Michael Black]

I only saw two fights onboard. One involved a guy who had been on tankers for years, and not being used to a crew bar, went off it one night and started on the messman. His tap was stopped and even on the kiwi coast he was not allowed in. The other was two A. B.s who had sailed together on another ship and carried a grudge from then. Unfortunately one ended up having quite a few stitches in his arm.
Fortunately that seemed to get rid of the bad blood between them and they managed to get along with each other, not best pals but at least no longer at each other’s throats.
Not quite a fight but I did once see the cook brandishing a large cleaver, chase a greaser down an alleyway, after the greaser had made a racist comment about the cook.
Regards Michael