Leaving and rejoining the MN

[Jim Brady]

Vernon with respect he is talking of war years and 1960,nothing today with present day.you would be lucky to have a job at sea today in the first place.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Doc Vernon]

I was just replying to a question Jim
Was not aware it was one of the early Years?

Leaving and rejoining the MN



Hi everyone...Has anyone ever left the Merchant Navy and then re joined later. If so, do you have to apply for a new Seaman's number? If not a new number, how do you re join?

[Hugh]

In normal circumstances a seaman should/would only have one Dis. A number. If he re-entered service as per Ivan's fathers example then his original Dis. A would be used from the records in the Central Register.
Of course there were a few situations where a seaman was given a completely new Dis. A. For example if no previous records existed or couldn't be found a new one would be issued. There are also examples out there of a Dis. A being cancelled due to some error and noted in the records in the Central Register and a new number issued so sometimes you can find a seaman with two Dis. A numbers but hopefully further reserch would discover the cancelled number. The bad news is that not all seamens' records are complete so when checking back we always hope that the person we are researching is not one of the unlucky ones.

Regards
Hugh

[Red Lead Ted]

Vernon.
Regards.
jim.B.

Spot on Jim, Your book was your own if you walked under your own steam, Only time it was took off you was if you had a committee after a D.R. Or been a pain in the butt a few times and wanted to carry on going to sea, The pool would hold your book and it was a case of dont call us we will call you. Have a kit bag ready at a moments notice when your wanted i talk from experience.

[j.sabourn]

Ted said this once before. I was mate for a number of years from the end of 63 onward. When new crew members were sent down to ship with their pool papers to sign if they were required or not. Their book had to be shown. The Deck crowd came to the mate, the motormen to the second, and the stewards to the Ch. Steward. Speaking for myself I always preferred some with a bad discharge, and people couldnt understand why, they even used to hand their books to me with a fiver in sometimes, I used to hand book back with the fiver still in place., and sign their pool papers as required for acceptance. The reason was as stated before was I knew they would cause little or no problems as couldn't afford another bad discharge straight away. I found most of them straight shooters and a lot just a bad experience with someone who thought they were Gods chosen..Even at times some of the pools officers used to say to me ,you did look at his book didn't you. I forget what year such discharges went out the window, but was many times misused, so wasn't soon enough. If a person is that bad you still had the choice of a log book report and a letter to the pool saying why, but to scar a man for life by putting in his voyage record for life, was just another form of threatening him and bullying. He was guilty as charged before he had a chance to prove otherwise, some will say he had the right of reply which he did as the master by law had to say to the man have you anything to say in reply, I often saw this was neglected, and the person being logged was probably too far away in mind to appreciate what was happening. The discharge in book with approval of master only, what would the human rights people do with that today.??? JS

[Ivan Cloherty]

As you say John, many a good seamen had a DR in their book, a clash of personality rather than poor performance, the sea had its characters, one AB was down the gangway at first opportunity, never saw him again until the ship sailed, we just knew he would turn up. Never touched a drop at sea and could always rely on him to turn to on time and give a full days work and help others out. He lost his pay of course whilst adrift, but his ability outstripped his foibles and there were so many like that. But a DR never stopped me employing a man, just because he had a DR, the lack of the expected letter, or the receipt of an unexpected letter could send a man a little haywire, however you learnt to judge the man, not the book, the book made you aware there 'may' be a problem, but I was never let down by giving a man a chance

[eric fisher]

lastscan.jpgIvan, J.S. Hugh, Good descriptions of DR consequence, thank you. The page of my Disc. book line notice the DR for conduct and port of Discharge. Used to have a letter of explanation but long since lost. Was always questioned about the DR but never was refused a berth. Long and old old story.

Line 17

[Tony Draycott]

I know this is a slight 'segway' but I left the MN in 1970 and as I remember if you broke 'The Contract' it would be difficult/impossible to return - is this correct?

[john walker]

I was given a double DR from the Orcades in 1970 I missed the ship in Aukland and flew out to rejoin her in Fiji. it cost an arm and a leg in air fairs logging forfitures and fines I deserved the DR for conduct but not for ability. I argued this fact with the the staff captain and the N.U.S. official the Chief Steward agreed with me.This was to no avail they all said that if I signed back on for the next trip the bad discharge would be covered. F**K off to the lot off you were my thoughts at the time I will take my chances with a disciplinary panel at my pool. I was fortunate and got away with it and no one on the next 7 deep sea trips ever questioned me about it. When discharges for ability and conduct were abolished in 72/73? it stopped that sort of abuse .

[Jim Brady]

Who was "The Contract" with Tony.???
Regards.
Jim.b.