M.V. Brescia

[Louis the fly]

I wonder if any of you remember the old Cunard Medi boat Brescia ?
She was a heavy ship with huge steel pontoon hatch covers , the circles on the bridge wings where the guns had been mounted clearly visible. The Skipper was a superstitious old man , no one was allowed on the focsle after dark when at sea , never did find out why.
The deck crowd were old men also , although as a young ordinary seaman everyone over 40 was old. Three of the ABs had sailed for years as Bosun so when the official Bosun came to turn us to in the morning every job became a heated debate on the best way to do it , this was always spun out until smoko. One thing was sure , if the job involved going aloft it was down to me.
I cannot remember much about the trip so nothing out the ordinary can have occurred . When we got back to Liverpool it was the normal rush , getting the last of our gear packed , shower , shave and paying off. I was about to walk up a ladder when I noticed the Mate about to walk down , normally out of courtesy and politeness I would stand aside and let him come down first but as I was in a hurry I charged up. Suddenly for some unknown reason the Mate panicked , turned and ran . Just for a laugh I chased after him , after we had run around the funnel a few times I had to stop because I was laughing so much my sides hurt.
I went on leave and had forgotten about this incident until I reported to the Pool when I was told I would have to face a committee for threatening behaviour towards the Mate.
They believed my story and were laughing themselves but as chasing the Mate was not allowed it was decided I would be banned from Cunard for life .

[Captain Kong]

I remember those, sailing out of Liverpool, ................
Brescia (2) 1945 ex- Hickory Isle, cargo, 1947 purchased from MOWT renamed Brescia, 1966 sold to Panama renamed Timber One.

The others I remember were
BAXTRIA, BUILT 1928 AND SOLD IN 1954
BANTRIA ... ... ...
BOTHNIA ,,,,,,, ....... SOLD IN 1956
All Medi Boats..

On the Bantria, in the early 50s the Cook Disappeared over the wall on three consecutive Voyages, Then they discovered it was the Chippy , he didn't like Cooks.
She was sold soon after.
Cheers
Brian

[Jim Brady]

I remember the Brescia Louis she used to berth on the west wall of the Gladstone,I went aboard her once when a mate of mine went down to sign on.The second cook and baker I was with on the Millais told me a yarn about a mate of his who had just come out of the army catering corps and got on the pool.He had made a few tabnabs in the army and did a bit of cooking but one thing he had never done was make bread.Tony who I sailed with was a great bread maker so he sat down with this guy over a pint wrote out all the ingredients and times for knocking down a batch of bread.The guys first ship was the Brescia,she didn't feed in port,the cook advised him the day before they sailed to knock a batch of bread down whilst the cook retired to his cabin.He knocked it down and whilst waiting for it to prove he took himself off to the Caradoc for a couple of pints.When he walked back into the galley the galley deck was covered in dough,the dough had lifted the lid on the trough and spilled over,he scooped the lot up and threw it over the wall into the Gladstone,the trouble was Tony told him to put the yeast in but never told him what quantity,he didn't know so he put the full block in.After he cleaned up the mess he went to the cooks cabin and asked,where's the yeast kept cook,the cook replied there's a half block just inside the fridge,that was lucky.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Louis the fly]

Brian if I remember correctly killing cooks was definitely a logging offence. Three cooks meant a DR.

[Captain Kong]

Louis,
The Chippy got a Double DR.
Brian

[Louis the fly]

Brian if the cook disappeared over the wall on three consecutive voyages he must have been well pissed off by the time he got home.

[j.sabourn]

#4... That was just for Conduct Louis. JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Brian.
Was she sold with or without a cook?
Cheers Des