Vale mick falla

[happy daze john in oz]

It was February 1961 in Scullards a bar in the main street in Southampton when we first met.
Mick had just been moved from the Edinburgh Castle to the Windsor as second assistant cook on the roast and soup corner. I was joining as a winger in the tourist gallop


The beer was good and we soon found a common denominator, good old G&T in numbers.


Our friendship developed and along with Malcolm his assistant and Ginger my mate we went ashore when ever we could. The head chef Bill Leigh named us the terrible four as we got into more trouble than Flash Gordon, he gave me the name of Happydaze telling Mick that I always looked as if I was half stoned.


Mick then married Anita and swallowed the hook, I hung on for a year or so more.
Ashore we continued our friendship to the point that in 1968 I asked him to be best man when my wife was married.


Weekends together either at our house or down in Southampton at his was a blast, then the holiday in Teneriffe where we attempted to have a drink in every bar on the island.


That was in 1975 and at the end of the year we took over the tenancy of two pubs and a restaurant.
Weekends became even better for Mick.
In 1981 we emigrated to Oz but we kept in touch by mail, recorded tapes and phone calls.
On a couple of visits back we met up in London and had a ball.


In 2019 we met for the final time in Southampton, Mick had moved to Telford some years earlier but would come back to Southampton to see his brother. We met at the good old JB, now gone, then on to a restaurant, that was in the July. That last time for some reason I gave him a hug, something I had never done before, maybe my mind knew something.


By August Anita was very sick a sudden aggressive Cancer had taken her over, she passed away in the November.
Mick was never to get over this and spent the next few Christmas days on his own, December 25 was Anita’s birthday.


In 2020 he developed a very bad leg ulcer which took two years to heal.
Unknown to me he was diagnosed some 25 years ago with an Aneurysm, close to the stomach and inoperable.


Last year he joined the worlds best seamans site BMN but only posted a couple of times.


Two weeks ago Colin his brother contacted me to say Mick was in palliative care as the Aneurysm had burst. I tried to phone him but his phone had been turned off as he could no longer speak.

Mick crossed the baron the afternoon of February 1^st.


I loved this guy as a brother such was our relationship.


So on you final voyage Mick, fair wind at your back, warm sun upon your face, until we met again in Fiddlers Green.


Where ever your spirit is now I salute you.

[Johnny Kieran]

Sorry to hear of your great loss John. R.I.P. Mick.

[Doc Vernon]

Hi John
So sorry to hear of Mick , and as a very good Friend (near like a Brother) i can just imagine the sadness you feel. I say that mate as i too had similar a few Years back.

But like all when its our time , well thats it! All i can say is you both had Years of good Friendship, and i guess some wonderful Memories! Keep those in your Heart mate, and remember that the bond will never die!
My Sincere Condolences to his Immediate Family, and of course to you too John!

Mick will now rest in Peace, and may he have calm winds to fill his sails, so that he may be taken back to the places he so loved many Years ago!

Take Care Mate!
Cheers
Vernon

[Rodney Mills]

Condolences Johnno. Roders

[j.sabourn]

John in Oz your post comes up in a different format on my iPad which stops me replying in the normal manner, this also applies to some other posts as well. However sad to hear your news. JS. I got this post away by answering Vernon’s post with a likes and fully expected it to appear as such . However it appeared as such as you see it. Cheers JS

Is anyone else finding when they open a post it suddenly appears like a sheet of fullscap written on a typewriter with no likes or thanks on and no means of replying to ??? JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John.
Sorry to read your post mate, may he rest in peace and meet calm winds.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Thanks lads for your kind comments.
Life can be a bitch at times, then you die.
But memories, and I have so many I could write a book about us as mates, never fade.

[Tony Taylor]

Thanks lads for your kind comments.
Life can be a bitch at times, then you die.
But memories, and I have so many I could write a book about us as mates, never fade.

yes John, your friends and loved ones still live in your memories.

[James Curry]

Sad news John, you were lucky to have him as a friend. I lost my best pal from infants school all the way into our middle 60's.He is 10 years gone now but never far from my thoughts.