Mike Wilmot

[Mike Wilmot]

SHIPS NAME AND SERVICE RECORD

Full Name

Mike Wilmot

Discharge Book Number

R775978

Department

Radio

Your Rank/Rating

Radio Officer

Which Ships were you on and When

Brandon Priory 1962
Hudson Strait 1963
Abadesa 1964
Wandby 1964
Redbrook 1964/65
Ebro 1966
Araluen 1966
City of Perth 1966/67
Baltic Trader 1967
Europic Ferry 1967
Hayling 1968/69
Bristol City 1970
Silverbeach 1970
City of Lancaster 1971
Dart Atlantic 1971/72
Euroliner 1972
Dart America 1972/73
Dart Atlantic 1972/73

Notes:

Shoreside courses 1966, 1971Bristol

[Ivan Cloherty]

I was on the 'Wandby from 24.11.59 to 19.06.60
and 20.10.61 to 12.09.63

My father (same name) was on 'Araluen' 08.08.69 to 5.11.71

[John Hackett]

I did a coastal relieving trip on "Aealuen" as Radio Officer in 1960 - Siemens was a good firm to work for. John Hackett

- - - Updated - - -

Whoops - sorry spelling error! "Araluen"

[Mike Wilmot]

Hello Ivan, The Wandby one of Ropners from the NE. On one trip to Baie Comeau Quebec in mid Atlantic during a rough passage, the dining table had been set without fiddles and tablecloth not dampened down, consequently on one starboard role everything slid towards me teetering on the edge, then it abruptly stopped and then she rolled heavily to port everything landing on the Old Man's lap, he took it in good faith.
When I joined the Araluen she had just completed a 'jumboise' extension in Belfast in 1966.

[Mike Wilmot]

I did a coastal relieving trip on "Aealuen" as Radio Officer in 1960 - Siemens was a good firm to work for. John Hackett

- - - Updated - - -

Whoops - sorry spelling error! "Araluen"

I was a Marconi RO and the gear I remember was Siemens, they must have relinquished the contract in 1966. I was glad to payoff as the following trip was to China and my previous experience there on the Redbrook during the red guard era was at Passau Hainan Island. Armed searches of the vessel with everyone on shore, early evening curfew, arrest for taking of photos, undeclared currency. In the news at the time one Blue Funnel Master was arrested and jailed.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Hello Ivan, The Wandby one of Ropners from the NE..

Mike I know every weld in that ship, the first trip was 7 months, the next was 5 weeks followed by nearly 22 months, but in total that trip was 23 months for me as I never got home between the 5 week trip and the 21 month+ trip. However the time twixt the 5w and 21m trip was in Avonmouth and I met my future (late) wife in Bristol at a dance only took her out twice before sailing away for 21 months, we grew to know each other by letters which chased the ship around the world sometimes being received 3 or 4 months late, as the ship got a change of orders on passage and didn't go to the port it was supposed to upon sailing.

Capt Churchill ran a strict but happy ship, insisted on all ranks/departments/electricians/engineers wearing their uniforms at meal times, on watch, entering/leaving ports, on deck in port, stewards attending pilots on the bridge had to have their uniforms on. At first you thought why? but it was a good move kept everybody on their toes and you knew where you stood in routine, stopped you becoming slovenly and it rubbed off on all hands. We only had one bad apple and he made the mistake of picking a fight with a bunch of Japanese fishermen in Shimoneseki and they made sushi out of him, he needed in excess of 200 stitches, paid off DBS. Cpt Churchill made sure we were well fed, plenty of O/T and that in Oz and Canada that we could hold parties on board for the local nurses. We also built a bar in the Officers lounge and crews lounge, no drinking in cabins, except coming off watch at 2400 and 0400 for Deck/ER watchkeepers.

The Wandy could roll on a wet tablecloth and many a time threw the breakers off the main switchboard on North Pacific crossings in ballast, burying two hatches under water and pounding and shaking like a dog even at reduced speed, but I'd do it all again despite all the crap endured in China.

[Ronald Tughan]

Ronald Tughan
Discharge Book Number
R637642
Department
Radio
Your Rank/rating
Radio Officer

Ships
Fanad Head 1955 (Deck Boy)
Dominion Monarch 1957
Avristan 1958
Southbank 1958

I was interested in the comments posted about work in shipyards and installation of radio equipment. in 1959 I was working in the Belfast Technical College training prospective Radio Officers for their PMG license exams. I arranged to take a group od students to the Harland and Wolff Shipyard in Belfast to see how radio equipment was installed in a new vessel.
We saw where a cable was to be run from the operators desk though the bulkhead to another area. A worker arrived with his apprentice (carrying a big tool box). A drill was taken out and used to drill through the desk as far as the bulkhead and at that point work was stopped and they left. A few minutes later another worker (and his apprentice) arrived. An identical drill was then inserted in the cavity in the desk and the hole was drilled further through the bulkhead.

When I asked why it took four men to drill this one small hole I was told that each worker must be accompanied by an apprentice and that the first worker was a carpenter who was authorized to drill the furniture but was not allowed to drill into the ship. The second worker was a shipwright, he was authorized to drill into the ship but was not allowed to drill the furniture. Quite an education for myself and my students.

[Robert George Young]

Dad was on Dart America 1973

[Doc Vernon]

Dart America

Dart America.JPG