Did this really happen ?

[Jack Kelly]

I joined the Houlder Bros. ship MV Thorpe Grange in Manchester in Sep 1957 and we sailed via Swansea (loaded Tin Plate) for slow voyage (10 knots max) for BA, it took about 3 weeks and on arrival(Sat) i have this memory of being with the rest of the crowd on the after deck and a doctor calling for a Small Arms Inspection, this in full view of whoever was interested in seeing a bunch of hairy ar** ABs showing their willies, but i am not sure now whether i dreamt it, i don't think so but members of this site will know for sure. We spend 6/7 weeks in BA and as was common then, the dockers were on strike and we did the cargo handling together with the Army lads, we got paid in Peso's each day, so off we went to spend it, mostly for me in the New Inn or the Copper Kettle, like all things it came to an end and we headed for Liverpool, arriving at the fog bound Mersey Bar on the morning of Christmas Eve, after plenty of prayers the fog lifted and we paid off about 6pm and so ended another great voyage, good seamen, good food, and coffee , i have always been used to Camp Coffee before this trip.

[Johnny Kieran]

I was on the Hornby Grange, I remember the "Copper Kettle" well.
Once we were having a beefy completo in there, and a war started outside. Huge bangs, guns going off, and thousands of people in the street fighting. The owner locked the door and turned out the lights, and we were all crapping ourselves. It turned out to only be rival football fans having a go after a match. We left when it became safe to do so, but there were still plenty of people lying in pools of blood in the street.
After doing a few trip down that way, it became clear that that kind of thing was their favourite pastime in those days.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Those were the days, different ports, different ships, but the same experiences, what a life, we didn't get paid much, but boy did we have fun; I cut my teeth in Cuba and the WC S-America, what more could a young man want!

[Joe Earl]

RIO DE JANEIRO

My mouth is as dry as a biscuit - my head a throbbing drum,
We’d been ashore in Rio and sampled local rum
We were the crew of the `Roscoe` - one of Lamport and Holts,
The booze was red and rusty with a kick of a thousand volts.

In the tropical evening, we had started our foray,
Attracted to a night club on this a Saturday;
We’d wandered out for a quiet night and a twirl around the floor,
With the ladies employed there and some that came in the door.

Quite happy we were while dancing and having a bit of a smooch,
Spending our hard earned money on girls and dynamite hooch,
All smart we were in our tee-shirts and freshly washed blue jeans,
When all of a sudden they entered - the United States Marines.

You’ve heard about the red rag, and what it did to the bull…
It seams we weren’t so welcome although the place was full,
We tolerant British sailors - well, we never turned a hair,
But it seems the Yankee `crew cuts` did not like us there.

It may have been just jealousy or dancing with their dames,
But when they’d had a drink or two they began to call us names
We had to stand our corner - we thought it only right,
To honour Merchant Seamen and stand up for a fight.

So with this altercation we had a bit of fun,
Everything went flying including lots of rum,
Chairs and tables over and a window there stove in,
Fists and knuckles bruising, connecting with a chin.

Everyone enjoyed it - we had the upper hand,
Even the marines did and most of them were canned;
But someone called the MPs they came roaring up in jeeps,
They weren’t entirely partial so we ducked into the streets.

In a bar of safety we counted up the cost,
A couple of broken nose bleeds an` a tin of baccy lost;
So Roscoe bound we made it, knowing valour prevailed,
We `turned-to` prompt next morning and later on we sailed.

The Captain’s log was open as he sat there with a grin,
Scribing down the truth of course - official now therein;
Before the book snapped shut, I saw he’d written down;
All the crew ashore last night - a quiet night on the town.
Joe Earl R680857 about 1958

[Ivan Cloherty]

Thanks Joe, reminds me of similar times in Callao and Valparaiso

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Jock.
Had many of those inspections on deck in the old days, can't remember the port but it had a bridge near the ship with an audience.
Des
Des

[j.sabourn]

#6 wasnt when you worked on the Sydney ferries then Des ? JS

[happy daze john in oz]

Remember being in Las Palmas, first port from Southampton.
We would all go ashore if we could.
Most of us for the grog.
But two days later outside the medical center you would see those who had a bit more than just the grog.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

John.
And there's me thinking you where always first in the Que.
Des

[j.sabourn]

Crabbe have always kept a loose history on him as was born on the same day as me be it 28 years earlier in 1909. He died or was confirmed dead in April 1956. Whilst Krushev was visiting the UK via Portsmouth on on one of his Russian warships , as his head was missing it was not by the Chinese method of sonar signals. He wasn’t a serving RN officer at the time but maybe liked to keep his hand in. Lt. Commander Crabb master diver. JS