Lets See some comments About CLAN LINE

[Charles Mintoff]

Hi,
My name is Charlie I served on a number of Clan Line Vessels As a Engineer lets have some comments
on this site I have now retired and living on Gozo Near Malta.
Charlie

[Gulliver]

Hi Again,Charlie-actually I do have my little story to do with Clan Line.......
When I was doing my pre-sea training at Riversdale Coll.in Liverpool(1969) one of my fellow cadets was Greg Hunt who was sponsored by Clan Line. We all said our farewells after training,never expecting to see each other again.Six months later the Clan Malcolm docked astern of us in East London(South Africa) and,yes Greg was on it. His time on there was terribly regimented compared with mine in Bibby Line,'cause she was a cadet ship where most of the normal deck crew were replaced by about 15 cadets-they had to work cargo,scrub down etc.
Anyway on the Saturday a soccer match was arranged by the Flying Angel between us and Clan Malcolm.
Clan Malcolm suddenly had to sail about four hours before the match,so the Padre got us a substitute team-the South African Navy! We were already a motley,unfit crowd,but we were s*** scared about that.Nerves were somewhat calmed by a secret pre-match session.!
They were huge guys and we lost 10-0 or something like that! I also remember the ref was a Sparky off the Luminous(Moss Hutchison tanker).
But that evening was really great as the S.A. Navy Lads provided a barby(Braai? and (slurp) good 'ol Castle Beer. Yep! Good Memory!

Davey

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Davey
Well mate i certainly dont find anything boring about your posts,as all the rest too always nice to hear pf peoples past experiences when at Sea in the old days!
So the SA Navy boys were big hey haha! Yea they make them like that !!

Nice to hear you stil remember about the Braai,and Castle Lager mate,good old suff that was!

Did you ever have some (Crummelpap) Maize Meal Micture, with your Braais there! Yummy when dipped in a nice Tomato and Onion Sauce!
Keep em coming Davey!
Cheers

[happy daze john in oz]

Crumpetpap you say Vernon, never heard it called that before. recall on the Pretoria we heard there was a new first engineer coming on fron the Clan Line. We heard him befoire we saw him, one of the strongest Scottish accents you could ever hear. Then we saw him, black as Nuwgates knocker.

[David Williams]

Dear Gulliver.
Your not at all boring,you just keep sending your
messages,Ill keep reading them.I try to read
everything.some items are interesting,some not so,
but I havent read anything yet thats boring.Anyway.it
will be of interest to someone.Hope you are keeping well.

Dave Williams(R%83900)

[Dennis McGuckin]

ref post #1

Hi Charlie,
I was never on the Clan Line. However, a few years back I spent a HOT week on Gozo. Loved it. Got friendly with a guy [funny enough] called Charlie. He was ex British MN and owned a restaurant. maybe too fancy a name for it. It was right on the front over looking the harbor.
Think he later opened a larger one up the hill somplace. That tradittional Rabbit dish is something else!
All the best mate.
Den.

[Jack Jenkins]

ref post #1

Hiya Charlie..In November 1961 off Cap Bon,the Clan Keith struck rocks and broke in half,
62 out of 68 crew lost their lives,as we were first ship on the scene we rescued 4 crew from
a boat,and the 2nd eng from a ladder the next morning,a Finnish tanker picked up the 3rd eng,
we also recovered bodies,and they were buried at sea the next day,

Regards Jack

[Gulliver]

Hi Jack-(hijack!. Interesting story-and an appalling loss of life.can you,or anyone else tell me more.I can't find much on Yahoo about Clan Keith.
All I know is that she hit rocks and exploded? 5/11/61 ,11 n.m. off Galita Island with just 6 survivors.
I knew there were quite a few British shipping disasters during 'our period' at sea e.g.Alva Cape,Seistan,London Valour,Royston Grange,Ambassador,British Crown,Mactra,Shillong,Argyllshire,Dara,Ondo Runic,etc. but I didn't know of this one.These were all in peacetime.Sobering. I count myself fortunate to have survived 21 years!

Cheers
Davey

[Jack Jenkins]

Hiya Davey..There are aspects of the sinking of the Clan Keith that I feel shouldnt be
discussed in public,although the information I have is mostly hearsay,the 2nd eng
was most forthcoming.
I have searched myself for information on the inquiry,but so far nothing,perhaps other
members may have some ideas.

Jack

[Gulliver]

Hi! There,Jack-thanks for getting back about 'Clan Keith'. Does seem a bit strange,doesn't it-I mean it's now 47 years ago,surely it's not an Official Secret?..In any case in the interests of Marine Safety,if the cause of the disaster was operational,(navigational or mechanical)then a BoT/M0T Enquiry should have been promulgated to Mariners with their resultant findings.

It could have even hit a left-over WW2 mine ,also at that time I think there was unrest in that area,mainly to do with Algeria orTunisia and France..Grasping at straws,now!
Maybe it was simple(but tragic nevertheless).We need to know! Over to you Clan Line crews to tell us what you know,then.Bet you somebody here on this site knows!
P.S. That must have been a bad episode for you then,Jack .I understand if you don't want to talk publicly.
Cheers,Jack!

Davey