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From my perspective I am of the opinion that those of us who went to sea are far better equiped to deal with what life throws at us than those who never went. Somehow the displine, the neec to be able to adapt and quickly, the ability to fix thing even when we did not have the correct gear and the need to be able to live with some we may not like and often in confined spaces. It is this that I think made us what we are today.
You are right about that John.I did'nt have a great school education,I joined my first company ashore as Asst.Manager I was promoted to manager after just 8 months (some Asst. Mngrs had been in the company for years)The big boss who promoted me said (because he knew I had been away to sea)"You have been trained in the greatest Academy in life, going away to sea and meeting people" The job of course meant dealing with 40 staff and quite a few thousand customers.
Regards.
Jim.B.
Yes, the continual discipline and shipboard life is valuable training. I spent six years at primary school, leaving when I was 13. At 15 I replaced the saloon boy on a Port Line ship and it wasn't until in Curacao that I proudly announced that it was 16th birthday. They were quick to pay me off in Melbourne 4 months later for you couldn't join the Merchant Navy until you are 16. But I had gold. A discharge which I put straight to use.
As my 80th birthday is only a couple of months away I am well out over the water on the plank of life and am trying to assemble all my photos and memorabilia the best way I can for those who may care to look through my eyes on the past. It is too late now to write a story so I am bringing together bits an pieces as they come to mind.
I am very, very impressed with the great success of this Merchant Navy website and I see that you all feel the same. Brian and Carol and team in the UK and Vernon out here in the Blue Mountains work so hard for us all. What a great service you are providing, Brian, quietly and efficiently. I thank you and my Margaret and I wish you and yours much happiness and prosperity over this Christmas period and into the future.
I have built a simple website for my fellow retirees, post MN, and am trying to get others to contribute but it is like drawing teeth. It does give me the opportunity to put out my bits and pieces in cyberspace for those who are interested to see them. We can all take the tales we should have told to the grave but bu**er it, if it is worth telling it should be told even at the risk of being branded a braggart.
Anyway, for what it is worth here is my website. www.queenslandinsuranceoldies.org
Hi Richard, I went to your site and had a look at the photos there. Yes way back then a suit with collar and tie was the dress of the day, how things have changed. Suits while still seen today are in the minority on many an occasion. Now here in Melbourne we have some city pubs that will not allow anyone in if they are wearing a tie, makes the place look too formal is the cry. We now have the 'shuit' that is suit jacket with matching shorts and runners. Have to admit I no longer own a suit though do still have a decent jacket. Informal and casual clothing is the go now and while we now live in a less formal society it is nice to see people dressed at times, some of the gear worn now would even make a tramp blush.
Hi John. We come from an era when you were first judged by what you wore, then by how you spoke. That, thankfully has generally now gone by the bye. I still think that you can get a pretty good idea of how someone ticks by what he or she goes out in.
Incidentally, you said in a post that your sister was in West Sussex. In 1971/2/3 we had Leith Cottage in South Harting, between Midhurst and Petersfield, Hants. A lovely part of the world.
Have a great Christmas - I imagine there will be a VB or three at The Shed.
ref post #55
She is in East Grimstead in a part known as Furnace wood. Yes mate, a VB or two cases that is, have a great one.
hi jim you seem to have done pretty good when you left the sea it just about the same as me same job 38 years ending up as head storeman same house 50 years and the same wife 63 years oh boy what a life
Will have to start a bit further back to get my knowledge of shore employment in. !950 to 1952 Butcher Boy, Shoemakers run around. Big ships Small ship, big ships, small ships and just plain hardship. Looking for gainful employment at Christmas by growing a beard and applying for employment as Santa Claus. John Sabourn
What some amazing stories I have just read as for myself at school (not very good ) paper boy delivery ,then off to sea ,galley boy ,deck boy ,os .Then in july1942 joined the German Navy (not voluntary) for a short period then transferred to the Imperial Japanese Navy (also not voluntary ) then a labourer for the Japanese Army .Then back to sea as a ab from February1946 till August1948 spell .Ashore scaffolder,railway worker . fisherman,seed storeworker back to sea for a short spell head storeman for the same firm the manager for 35years .In the mean time got married and raised a family Not as the boss .Now I am the boss and retired
After leaving the MN i tried several jobs, did not like any of them and eventually joined the Fire Service where i was to spend 30 happy years. The following is a true story, which happened about 40 years ago while serving on a station in Hampshire.
I was on the night shift, and it was about 2300hrs on a foul night, pouring with rain. At the front door of the station was an emergency call button, and at the said time the button was activated which put the station bells down, in Fire Service parlance this is known as a *running call*, although as events unfolded it was more of a *shuffling call*. All hands started to dress at the kit rack, and the watchroom guy went and answered the door, outside stood a soaking wet what appeared at first glance to be a dwarf, on closer inspection we could see that this was a guy doubled up in pain. it transpired that this guy was about 200 yrds from the station, when he was caught short, and had to take a leak. While busy taking a leak, two young girls appeared very suddenly, and the guy zipped up with considerable speed and force, and he had not just nipped his old fella in the zip, but had managed to sew about 3inches of the old fella into the zip, there was considerable blood, and we could see small baubles of flesh between each zip link.
The guy was fish belly white in colour, and we could not deal with him easily, we could not sit him down, or lie him down, and to go near him he yelped in great pain, so we called for an ambulance. In the meantime one of the guys had a good idea, he had gone to the hose repair store, and come back with a large pair of pointed scissors, we managed to spear through the guys trousers above the zip, and hack through the zip, we then very gingerly pulled the two parts of the zip apart, and release the offending item. At this point the guy literally collapsed on the floor with relief. When the ambulance arrived he was taken to the hospital in Southampton, where we were informed later, repair work was carried out!!.
In those days a handwritten incident log book was kept, and forwarded to HQ the next day. The entry in the log book heading was, incident type, action taken, equipment used. Our log was thus filled out, Extracted mans penis from trouser zip, using large scissors. This was queried the next day, as HQ had assumed we had amputated the item!!!. There was much mirth round the messroom table later that night, but all of us crosslegged. So you guys, just remember when out and about, take it easy, regards KT