BAD SHIPS AND DR,s

[Samlander]

Ivan, thanks for that unfortunately we have no TV where we are at present due to something wrong with the box. This should be corrected on Thursday but they said that two weeks ago, God love em. Must say we are not missing it at all, just the news. Instead lots more reading & conversation with large dollops of laughter has replaced it.
The footage would be interesting wonder who took it? You know the Germans sent a passenger ship out seriously overloaded with concentration camp prisoners on board at the very end of the war it had just left the harbour when it was sunk by I believe the Russians. But then the Germans shot those who had been able to get back to to shore. Horrific & as I say thank God without any experience of war, war is not pretty it seems to turn some persons into bloody animals understandably or not I do not know. Richard

That would be the Cap Arkona, a Hamburg-Sud liner, sunk in the closing hours of the war by RAF Typhoon fighter bombers. According to the link below, the attacking planes were ordered to strafe survivors in the sea, unknowingly assisting the SS in their grim task. The Wilhelm Gustloff holds the all-time record for the number of souls drowned at sea. Two other ships, the Goya and the General Steuben, also involved in the same evacuation, suffered horrific casualties.

War is hell

Feldgrau :: The Sinking of the Cap Arcona

[Samlander]

Thought I had the link, but ended up getting the title only. Oh well!

[Colin Pook]

Good morning Brian, and I hope you had a great new year
O.K. I was with Esso from 1957-1962. my ships were :

ESSO CANTERBURY
ESSO WINCHESTER.
ESSO CHEYENNE.
ESSO SOUTHAMPTON.
ESSO DURHAM.
ESSO LIVERPOOL.
ESSO MANCHESTER.
ESSO GUILDFORD.
ESSO PRESTON.
ESSO CHELSEA.
ESSO WINDSOR.

No idea of the dates, except the Windsor Aug. 61-Feb.62, oh yes, and the Cheyenne, July 57-Dec. 57, had my 18th birthday on her.

Cheers, and regards Brian,

Colin.

[leratty]

Samlander yes you are correct just the thought of Typhoons strafing you is even today whether in water of ashore beyond scary. One hell of an aircraft. The incident I mentioned re Aus-US off PNG the footage is beyond horrifying to watch. I have mentioned before on the site when the subject of war WW2 has come up that one of my uncles was beheaded in New Britain with his associate after being shot down then swimming ashore, what a gross waste of life let alone unnecessary. His mother my Grandmother lost of four sons two, both in RAAF-RAf & her husband lost his leg at Gallipoli WW1.

"War is hell." Right on I thank him above that our generation did not have to go through it. Also thank those who went out & fought whatever thee service we all know for many it wrought some complications to their life as well as health thereafter. Richard

[leratty]

ESSO 'eat sleep sh..t & overtime' I was warned off em when considering a tanker voyage so went Shell instead, great accommodation, food etc but bored beyond belief & that trip was the Caribbean I was a veritable choir boy sadly (:

[Captain Kong]

Hi Colin,
many thanks for that.
It was before my time with ESSO,
I was on the VLCC fleet from 1970 to when the Fleet was disbanded, I left in 1987, and ESSO started to charter rather than own ships.
It was no doubt the best move I ever made.
A massive golden handshake that has set me up for life, a non contributary pension coming in.
We had good leave, deep sea, 4 months on 2 months off. on the North Sea ones we had four weeks on and four weeks off. good salary and good conditions and food.
Cheers
Brian

[Tony Wilding]

I was recently reading about a Seaman who allways jumped Ship, cant remember where i saw it, He never came back on the Ship he sailed out on, must have had a Book full of DR,S yet managed to ship out again. does anyone else know of him, ?

[Captain Kong]

One Way Ryan of Liverpool was one fella who did that, I posted a photo of him on one thread.
Cheers
Brian.

[Tony Wilding]

Thanks Brian, knew i saw it somewhere, these days seaman going adrift cant occur too often, box boats dont stay in long enough, dont know about bulkers, but i understand philippino crews dont go ashore much, prefer to save there money, not even sure if subs are still given,

[Tom Kirby]

Would suggest the appropriate place for this thread is under 'Decline of the British Flag'

Bill

Yes Bill I quite agree. It seems that Captain Bligh is alive and well in the British MN.