LOVE LOVE ME DO

[happy daze john in oz]

On this day in 1982 the Beatles released their first single hit, Love Love Me Do. I was somewhere on the Cape mail run with UCL, where were you?
In the ensuing 50 years man has seen more events, more changes and more developments than in all the time he has been on this planet.
In 1966 the infamous Seamans Strike, the end of the British Merchant navy as we knew it brought about by the advent of the container and Jumbo Jet.
The assasination of a president and later his brother. The building of a wall to be pulled down many years later, the end of the cold war. Ships locked in the Canal for years, war in the middle east, nothing new there. A coal mining disasater in Wales, man on the moon and a trip to Mars.
Development of the computer and the internet, death of a Princess in suspect circumstances. Global terorrism rears its ugly head, September 11, Bali Bombing, Madrid train bomb, London under terror.
So many other events have changed our daily lives to the extent that if we look back we can hardly recognise what once was our place in the world. I wonder what the next 50 year wil bring?

[AJ Hawker]

When Love me Do was released i was doing my first trip on the Denby Grange one of Houlders tankers, had just sailed from Point Fontin in Trinidad. Cannot believe that was 50 years ago, time flies when you are enjoying yourself.
AJ

[Duke Drennan]

I remember being on the British Signal, anchored off Tripoli, Lebanon, we picked up a radio station that played "Can't Buy Me Love" 24 hours a day non stop.

[Capt Bill Davies]

Heard of a junior mate in the China boats broadcast this instrumental over a PA system whilst loading /discharging in Shanghai in the early 60s as an antidote for the red guard ranting broadcast over the PA system on the quay. Unfortunately one of the Red Guards had heard the tune in HK or somewhere and understood the implication. Fortyfive disc confiscated and the officer was dealt with ashore and returned before sailing.

Another junior officer was dealt with for logging positions of buoys in the river.

What a regime.

Brgds

Bill

[Ivan Cloherty]

............What a regime......

Remember those days well Bill, young engineer cadet had neglected to take down a map from his cabin bulkhead, which showed Tibet as Tibet, he was a ginger haired lad, taken ashore and given a geography lesson, and as you know the Master is powerless to intervene, never said a word from returning to the ship until we reached a bunkering port in Japan, his hair turned grey and he was physically and mentally exhausted from the experience. He had to be paid off as we received orders we were to load another cargo for China and he was deemed a suicide risk in that event.

The Chinese were not bothered then (as now) about treating their fellow men as humans, the followed the dictats of the regime, all round eyes were treated with suspicion and not to be trusted and treated accordingly as subversives.......nice country

[Graham Evans]

I well remember those times in China. Whilst drinking Chinese Vodka in the Seaman's club on the Bund, we could hear all this chanting and howling outside. There were a lot of Norskies and Greeks up there rolling around drunk, and heard the racket. Someone opened the balcony door and saw hundreds of these Red guard freaks shouting insults. Some of these Greek maniacs started shouting insults back. To make it worse, they all started urinating on the crowd below. Then I noticed all the Bar staff had vanished so everyone started helping themselves! I then smelt smoke ! - the chinks had set the place on fire. Sparky & I decided to bug out, but got caught by squaddies on the stairs and dragged into some room where we spent a few hours getting roughed up. Suddenly they dragged us out and shoved us in the back of a pick-up, I said "it looks like we're for the chop this time", but strangely they just dumped us off at the gangway. Next day the OM told us we were lucky, because the ship couldn't sail without us, it wasn't worth all the trouble shooting us. What a Larf

[Evan Lewis]

Ship Capetown Castle .Exited the Delmonico's.
Nov.19th '52.21st Bithday.

Failed to Score. Wandering idly in the direction of the Docks. Jock and I turn towards a nearby wall. exiting the residue ot the Castle Lager and Brandy Squares. Third companion .Waiting on Main st,

Tapped on the Back. "Looked over My Shoulder " and Standing behind!.Was a Stern -faced Yarpie. (as they say in Glasgow ) Polis man.
Tapped my Shipmate ,similarly. "Follow Me"

Showed us to the "Hurry-up Wagon , Terry Dalton looking on. .Started to Sing :"If I knew You were coming .I;d Have Baked A cake"


Stern Faced Yarpie, Grabbed Him, and indicated ,he joined Jock and I to the wherever!
On Arrival faced the Desk. A Senior prepared papers and presented them'. Terry was still sitting ,then Happily began "If I knew ,You etc."

The Senior Completed a third Paper, Beckoned Terry to the Counter. Talk about A Jaw Drop. Classic !
ResulT Option.
Admission of Guilt ,or face the Beak ,in the morning .

Took a long time after before Terry returned to hs usual happy demeanour.










"

[happy daze john in oz]

You were a bit lucky there Evan, Cape Town police not known for being the nicest around. Heard a few stories of guys having a real hard time with them.

[Peter Trodden]

We had just docked in New Orleans on the Barrister (TJ Harrisons) and the Beatles were the last thing on our minds. Since our last few Ports, Galveston and Houston the Question had been,Who would be first to Hit the Button and start WW111, JFK or Nikita K. ? This is 50 years on from the Cuban missile crisis,a real squeaky Bum time crossing the Gulf of Mexico with US warships and Aircraft buzzing us day and night. It brought back memories of the mid 50s when sailing from Red China to Hong Kong and passing Formosa (Taiwan)
ttfn Peter.