Your most interesting ship type

[j.sabourn]

Think I am running out of space or something on the private line. As said Remember Hydraulic George very well he was a strong National Front member, used to have a union jack as his counterpane on bunk. Saw him get his second good conduct medal, and had been to the Navys drying out farm twice. A third visit and he would have lost his pension.l. Things I can remember as probably can your father. The Tornado that came down in the Irish sea. 2.The recovery of the bodys off 2 fleet air arm helicopters which had been in collission in the English Channel 3.Trip down off Lisbon for fleet exercises with the RNR, flagship was a minelayer. The surgeon off same was on us on the pzzz, what a job I had getting him back past the sentries etc. via our ships lifeboat the next day. Same exercise we were the de gaussing vessel for the minehunters, and must have been the first nearly RN ship to have wrens onboard, our surgeon did very well out of it.5. Another trip to Gib. one of the divers off us was promoted to Coxn on a minehunter his mates were telling me he was a right pain in the ass since promoted, met him ashore in Gib and went on the ran tan. He finished up being picked up by the Jaunties and was disrated. His mates came up and said thank God he"s back to normal. 6. 2 of our naval officers being picked up by Italian Police in either Genoa or Savona for drunk and disorderly, were fined by the crew a couple of cases of beer which believe finished up in the POs bar. 7. Stopping the ship off menorca and all hands overside swimming, chased off by a spanish gunboat as being in their terratorial waters. 8. One of the divers think you mentioned his name in email ashore in one of the ports on the Rivierra area stole a car finished up in hospital. But was back in Portsmouth before us, also fined a couple of cases by crew. 9. The loss of the stingray torpedo in the Clyde Estuary plus the loss of the world war 2 submarine.. In general plenty more your father could relate to as I could also. Never seen so many RN people sporting moustaches, which they werent allowed on HM ships. Cheers John Sabourn P.S the Holland 1 submarine was found by the Clansman off the Eddystone, in the Gosport museum. You can see my handwriting in the deck log book, still hasnt improved any. Cheers J.S.

[j.sabourn]

Stuart Joined same 26.10.78 left 4.8.82 just under 4 years must have miscalculated, unless was there also not on Articles. Have 25 discharges for same in Book. Cheers John Sabourn.

[Stuart Mackay]

Have spoken to Dad regarding Clansman etc. Remembers John Richie well and fondly, thinks he passed away following a brain tumour? Dad thinks that you may well have served at the same time briefly, at the end of your draft, beginning of his. The first job undertaken by clansman / NP 1007 when he joined it was recovery of Holland 1 off Eddystone. You mentioned other jobs that he was aware of via HMS Nurton, his prev draft, specifically the tornado ditching. He thinks you may remember his predecessor on the clansman, Tony Wilshire?

If you have any photos / docs from your time on Clansman, I would be extremely grateful for a copy via email. Not just for my dad (trying to put together an album for him as he's mislaid most of his bits and pieces) but we are also hoping to be involved volunteering at the Diving Museum (maintain equipment etc) in Gosport and are trying to get together enough for a display re the Clansman during its role as the sole RN Sat Diving Vessel.

Re the exploits of the divers, he says that nothing surprised him after serving with them. A breed all their own.

Kindest regards

Stuart Mac.

[j.sabourn]

Stuart, all sorts of bells ringing in head now. Remember the name Tony Wilshire, after going back in North Sea was on various ships Supply and anchor handling as master. Back to working for a living. The Diving Officer I mentioned would probably still have been there when your father was. John Richie the last I saw of him was in Aberdeen at a masters meeting that Seaforth had at one of their annual meetings an excuse for a bit of a party. He knew then he was dying and was back to smoking, him and I stopped at the same time, he had a cigar hanging out of his mouth most of the time. As for drinking think he kept off that as had at one time been an alcoholic so he died sober. Was at Richies house one time near Oxford he had kids at all sorts of ages and had been married 3 times to my knowledge and children from them all. When talking of ships his one topic was Ben Line as had been bosun there and up to Chief Officer. Was also a Singapore pilot at one time. The only thing I have is a photo of the Clansman and that was before she had the Heli deck put on board, have many pleasant memories but you dont take photos of them. After the Falklands war I was sent down for the 3 day trials of a conversion of one of Seaforths supply vessels to a gunboat for patrolling the Falklands coast a number of these vessels were converted. A number of ex Clansman matelots were there as were going to be transferred to the HMS Challenger, so got a guided tour round all the top secret (then) heat seeking equipment for detecting intruders. I was made redundant in 87 due to a drop off in North sea exploration so went back deep sea for a year. On return got a phone call from Aberdeen offering a job, took sight unseen and finished up on clapped out stand by boats for a quite a lengthy time. Emigrated to W.A. in 1991 and never regretted. I have a friend from the uk staying who was the council head of catering in portsmouth and was responsible for all the banquets when the fleet came back from the Falklands, he incidentally was an ex BP cook. Is a very small world nowadays as have even bumped into people out here on the rigs who knew by voice over VHFs etc. and met personally here in Oz. I know also Albert Whittles one time Ch. Engineer on Clansman is dead. There maybe a few of the others still alive living in the uk. If remember them and think they could be of ant assistance will let you know. Best regards to your father and yourself. John Sabourn`

[j.sabourn]

Stuart, one of the other jobs the Clansman had fortuanetly I was on leave so the other crew got, was the recovery of the bodies of the civilian helicopter that went down off the Scillies, where if I remember correctly about 30 bodies and had been in the water for some time so was not a very nice job. Re the Tornado there were 2 air crew and only bones as such as hit the sea at about 1000 knots they reckoned. Tony Wilshire was the same as Hydraulic George wasnt he a CPO but a different trade so to speak. The 2 bodies recovered from the English Channel were intact, but it turned out on taking one of their helmets off was the diiving officers best mate, he made a quick exit off the deck. As usual bodies and wreckage was taking into portsmouth in darkness and whipped on to a low loader and away. No spectators to the grisly sights. Names starting to come to me, George Henderson either 2 or 1 mate would have been there when Clansman went aground off Skye, Ron Tewnion may have been 2nd. Engineer. Both still alive to the best of my knowledge. Why dont you get in touch with Seaforth Maritime of Aberdeen for any memoribilla as they still have a trucking business working I think still from Waterloo Quay. Most of their ships were sold to others. I think someone told me sometime the Clansman finished off the West Coast of Africa looking for Diamonds, she may have been sold to Sub Sea. Will see if it is possible to send by email the picture I have, but will have to wait for my cousin to call, she is much more proficient on the computer than me. Cheers John Sabourn

[j.sabourn]

12th. January 2013. Stuart sent you an email on the private line dont know whether it went or not as may be full. To repeat my cousin is coming here in 2 days time and will take a photo of photo and put on computer. If you want me to then send to private email let me know where to send. Otherwise will attempt to put on this web, when/if I figure out how to do. The seaforth clansman is the subject photo. Cheers John Sabourn

[Graham Payne]

My most interesting had to be "RFA Tidespring", doing a RAS with RN ships most days was a lot more interesting than chipping, painting & suggeeing on those long days between ports.

[j.sabourn]

Sent privately you an email re. person who may be able to put you in contact with someone who maybe able to supply further info. Am surprised you are unable to find anything re the grounding of vessel. Can only assume the MOD put an M notice on same. As I was away from the ship at that time, I did not come under any Official Secrets Act, In any case this was 40 years ago so should have no restrictions as such by now. Your Father will know that the ship came under operational conditions by HMS Vernon, I assume he has tried there also. If you have read any of my posts re the Clansman, I was on a Russian ship with full Russian crew on the Australian coast. Their book of Identifying HM warships was on the Bridge and in it was the Seaforth Clansman, so to them they classed as a naval vessel. This book was later hidden from my sight so was not supposed to see. Regards John Sabourn

[Red Lead Ted]

Brilliant experience, Down the West Coast sailed with the fondest bosun i can remember one Jimmy Turton, A real ship with a jumbo/ derricks/masts and Sampson posts/great crew/ Had a bundle of laughs aboard her everyone of her crew got on with each other. Can even remember the nights ashore i met a few of Grahams suggeeing,s if that wasn't her name then it was Hester. Posted this before but was ashore in Port Harcourt remember going ashore had a gr8 night next morning i awoke when i saw what was lying next to me i thought it was a bloody horse some of the them women on the West Coast were not ugly they were bloody scary suggeeing,s believing Graham me old m8. All the best for he New Year to all your crew Graham i know who can have a laugh and who cant Regards Terry.

[jim parker]

Hi john
I also really enjoyed my time on tankers , was on San fortunato & San calisto in the 1950s and 1960s . and I sailed with Houlders and Bolton SS Co on the iron ore trade , great times , best regards from Jim