Training Ship Vindicatrix

[Captain Kong]

If you read the posts i put on, the answers are there,
Vindicatrix, named that because she belonged to the German Navy, when returned to London after the war she was vindicated and so renamed VINDICATRIX, simple, we learned that at the time.
DATE.....
I explained that it was a typing error, read it on page ONE.

[Russ Cockburn]

My Dad was on her in 1943, at 16, and though he didn't talk about that chapter of his merchant career much, he did tell me it was a tough regime. He didn't mention licking his lips at seeing swans as potential dinner but did comment on the extra vitamins they used to get from weevils in the bread! How lucky subsequent generations are!

[happy daze john in oz]

All catering had to do a week in the galley.
I was there looking after a big pot of meat stewing away on the stove.
Something dropped from the deckhead into the pot , then again.
Told the chef who said no worries lad, just a few mice falling out of the nest, happens all the time.
Did not tell the lads as I knew they were hungry, though I doubt it would have made much difference.

[john Grafton]

i joined the Vindi in may or june 1953 tough but fair as i recall. the one place to go when we were allowed shore leave was to the Seaman's mission ,there was always someone playing the piano as I recall. another thing I learned very quickly was not to volunteer. what you volunteered for was not what you thought . It was usually some chore no one else wanted to do. i also remember we had a song we would sing. We are some of the Vindi boys we know our manners we flog are knobs for tanners etc..being a naive 16 year old i was boy sure what that meant sure found out soon enough, part of the Vindi education I suppose , I don't remember anyone from that time.

[happy daze john in oz]

If I recall correctly the only time catering crew had a shower was a Friday night when on Fire Watch.
Only one for the six weeks there and that was the last Friday.
Guess they wanted us to go home looking clean.

[Derek Overton]

I was from Stockton-on -Tees, and sailed out of Middlesbrough & Hartlepool 10-06 -1941

[Peter Dobson]

The former sailing ship Vindicatrix

was moored in the Old Arm at Sharpness from 1939 to 1966 to provide a base for training boys as deck hands and stewards for the merchant navy. The courses lasted two or three months, and around 70,000 boys received their basic training here.

Read more here

https://www.gloucesterdocks.me.uk/sh...indicatrix.htm

Hi

Thanks for the postings on the Vindi however I have asked this before and will ask again. Does anybody remember the National Sea Training School at Gravesend on the banks of the River Thames Estuary approx 1957. I have returned to the area to show my children but unfortunately everything has gone and nothing remains. The Vindi sounds very much like Gravesend the 'amazing' food (Dripping Butties for supper every night) and encouraging boxing which I loved.

Unfortunately my father destroyed my discharge book when he was annoyed that I married a Chinese girl if anybody can tell me how I may get my Discharge detail I'd be grateful, many thanks.

Peter Dobson [78 years]

[Keith Tindell]

I was at the old Gravesend sea school in 1958, as i understand it, now demolished, and a new one was built somewhere along the prom. I do not know how to get your discharge book details, but keep looking in, someone may be able to help. You can probably remember the same instructors as myself. The commandant was Captain Mckellar, kt

[Doc Vernon]

Your details are at the NA Kew Peter you can get your Seamans Pouch which will have basic details and Pic when you joined! Downloadable for a fee.
You need your CRS10 for all the info of your Service Ships etc! I will look that up in a wahile but the CRS10 is best obtained in Person.
Cheers

R644967 DOBSON J P 23/11/1939 LIVERPOOL | The National Archives

Reference:	BT 372/1917/87
Description:	R644967 DOBSON J P 23/11/1939 LIVERPOOL
Date:	1913-1972
Held by:	The National Archives, Kew
Former reference in its original department:	R644967
Legal status:	Public Record(s)
Closure status:	Open Document, Open Description

Added Link to CRS10 Here Peter
Docchar J W to Dodd W R S | The National Archives

Reference:	BT 382/2282
Description:	Docchar J W to Dodd W R S
Date:	1941 Jan 01 - 1972 Dec 31
Held by:	The National Archives, Kew
Former reference in its original department:	260
Legal status:	Public Record(s)
Closure status:	Open Document, Open Description

[Doc Vernon]

Sea School Gravesend continued its martime traditions into the 20th century. Gravesend Sea School opened in 1918, at the end of WWI, to train merchant seamen. In 1996 it finally closed, by which time it had become the National Sea Training College. Gravesend Sea School Long ago.JPG