Ronald Wortley

[Robert rogers]

Hello Ronald
I was on the British Dragon in the 60s can not remember what year dry docked in Malta flew
Home on a Dan Airways plane
I was on the Methane Princess in 1967 sailing out from Canvey Island to I think it was to Libia
Robert rogers

[ronald wortley]

Hi Robert.
Thanks for your msg.
I was on the British Dragoon from 9/2/1966 signed on in Tilbury until 12/8/66 .
I did a stint on the Methane Progress running between Canvey and Arzew from jan to march 67
Best wishes
Ron

[glynn hewitson]

Hi Ron,
Thanks for keeping in touch, wondering if you got my e-mail address ok? I,ll scan the crew lists for you and send them to you when i get your e-mail address.
Naples was a long story,but i,ll give you the short version. Joined Athelprincess in Birkenhead in Nov 1960, sailed to Beaumont Texas, picked up cargo of Phosphates for Australia, overnight in Panama met another crew from a Cunard cargo ship all from Liverpool in local bar. Had a great night mixing with our crew ,also mainly scousers. Left through Canal down to Aus, Four months later after numerous other ports arrived in March1961 in Naples, Went ashore and headed for a bar some of the guys said was great. Amazingly the Cunard crew we had met in Panama were in port on the same ship and in the same bar[ what would be the odds on that]. We had a brilliant night, loads of laughs . We all decided to go back to our ships rec room for a party.
Halfway back we were ambushed by a gang of Italians. Although heavily outnumbered they thought we would run, but they got their eye wiped, we all got stuck into them and it ended with them running off[ typical ]. Next thing the American Navy shore patrol came around and shouted us to jump in their jeeps, we thought they were giving us a lift back to the ship but they drove into an Italian police station, their excuse was they thought we were off an American ship. In the Police station we were questioned by an interpretor, apparently a couple of the gang who ambushed us were plain clothes policemen and they got black eyes as well. Next we were handcuffed behind our backs and individually beaten up by three coppers [they were taking no chances ] then thrown in the cells.Next day we were expecting to be let out but we were taken to the main gaol in Naples to await trial, Fortunately after 16 days we were taken out under guard each handcuffed to a policeman all the way on the train to the Swiss border, The lawyers were on strike in Italy and all the gaols were getting overcrowded. We were told the trial would be in the future when everything settled down in Italy. I didn,t hear anything until a year later when i got a letter from the british consulate in Italy stating we had been sentenced to a year in gaol and as the sentence wasn,t suspended we would have to definately serve the time if we went back to Italy. I actually took the chance when i went to Rome with 26,000 Liverpool supporters in1977 to see the European Cup Final. Luckily passports were never checked anywere.
This is the short story, i am in the middle of writing all my memories into book form and will be doing the long story.
All the best, Glynn.

[Louis Makinson]

Hi Ron I was on Prestige(but not till '66) a neighbour of mine was also on her in '64,engine room

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Ron.
You can post your pics on your post if you have them on your computer. when you click on reply you get a small panel for quick reply, click on [Go advanced] on the bottom and you get a bigger panel to post
when the bigger panel comes up go below it and click on Manage attachments which is in thick letters,
further down when the panel comes up click [ add files,] then click {select} you can then pick a photo from your comp files then click [upload] a small picture you have selected will appear in a box on the bottom left, just [click insert]and it will be put on your post.
cheers Des

redc.gif

[ronald wortley]

Hi Louis
I signed on the Prestige in Tilbury on the 20/9/64 and signed off in Greenock on the 21/12/64 i remember we went to Mersin (Turkey) Bahrein, Quatar, and Kharg Island i do have a few photos of some of the crew at that time,whats your neighbours name and was he on her same time as me or before?
Take care
Ron

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks Des for the information.
Will give it a go at some point.
Cheers mate
Ron

[Louis Makinson]

Hi Ron,nice to hear from you,sounds like a regular route for the Prestige as my 9mnths in the gulf included trips to Mersin,Kharg,Bahrein,Qatar my neighbours name is Niel Fenwick (a Geordie) he said he was on crwe in '64,engine room
Later Mate

[Brian Bull]

Hi Ron, I was an a/stwd. on the Sanconrado from 20/1 -9/6 1965. Funnily enough it was my last trip. I have only just found this site. I, like a lot of people using this site am now retired so have loads of time on my hands and am looking forward to hopefully meeting more old crew members. Will be posting some photos on this site soon, so keep a weather eye open. Cheers Brian.

[ronald wortley]

Hi Brian
Thanks for contacting me as your the first ex shipmate that has been in touch since i joined this site in feb this year.I have recently been doing research into my time at sea and doing a dossier of all the ships i sailed on and writing to the Maritime Archives site in Canada and receiving the articles with crew names and ports visited etc. I havnt got to San Conrado yet but will do soon.I sailed on 3 shell tankers (San Conrado. San Emeliano and hemicardium. Im trying to establish which shell tanker it was out of them that we hit a huge wave one nite that did quite a bit of damage to the fore part of the ship if it was the Conrado do you recall that event.I think on that trip we went to Curacao. Cardon. Panama. Japan. Borneo. Suez. Holland. Nigeria. and Germany. Would love to see any photos that you have especially if from San Conrado.
Cheers M8
Ron