Ship Memories

[Louis the fly]

When we joined the Brighton the first couple of weeks were spent in the fore peak. Stowing away many months supply of various ropes , spare runners , blocks , shackles , paint etc. Then we began chipping and painting , the weather had turned nice and warm and we were all getting fed up being inside. I complained to the bosun saying we want to be out in the fresh air. The next morning I woke up about 0930 , made a coffee and went up to the poop , I heard a voice shouting " Is this enough fresh air for you ". When I looked up I saw the 8- 12 man with his arms and legs wrapped around the mainmast , a suggee bucket hanging from the bosuns chair. I was laughing but I knew at 1200 I would be taking his place in the chair.
We called the bosun the Russian Geordie , I don't know if he was Russian but he came from that part of the world. He would never talk of his past , if you asked him questions he would change the subject. He called everyone Villy because he could not pronounce the letter B. " You and Villy go with Villy and top No. 2 derricks ".
We were away nearly a year on that trip and in all that time neither him or the chippy ever set foot ashore. They probably had a good payoff but what is the point of travelling the world if you never see it ? The happiest trip I ever did.
The three ships that stay in my memory the strongest , Suevic , Brighton and Obuasi of E.D.s

[happy daze john in oz]

Louis, no doubt we all have memories of one voyage or another, some good others better not spoken about.

My very first out of Southampton as a Bell Boy in the tourist gallop.
Thursday evening not feeling the best, Friday morning in the bay in one of the worst storm for years feeling very green around the gills.
Couple of talks with 'huey' and was told to go topside and get some air.
On deck there was a couple of bloods, also attempting to talk with 'huey' but without the assistance of the big white telephone.
Sensible people will go to leeward to speak in this manner, but one of these was not so smart and went to windward.
the laughing made me forget my condition so I went back below and never ever sea sick again.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Louis
I did nearly six months on the SUEVIC in 1955/
she was a battle ship from start to finish, every day you had to defend your title., sailors V Firemen. that communal mess room didn't help.
I must write about that voyage.
did six weeks in Beauty Point Tazzy. on strike, Skipper charged us with Mutiny , so the wharfies went on strike for us.
Happy to get off her and forget her, but must get around to writing about the voyage.
Thanks for the memory
Brian

[Keith Tindell]

Talking of the Russian bosun reminds me of the various nationalities that we all had on ships in the 50-60s. i sailed with a couple of poles who never went ashore, and were highly suspicious of any new crew joining, almost if they were afraid, so wondered what that was all about. I also sailed on a South American Saint line boat, i was an SOS, and myself and the Deck boy were the only Brits on the crew, the Officers were Brits, but engine room were mainly German, the same on deck, German bosun etc. One of the German ABs, name was Dieter, young guy missing one ear, and the rumour was he had been part of the Hitler Youth, but in BA he would go ashore on his own, and no one ever saw him ashore, so who was he meeting etc. This was in 1959, a lot of displaced seamen in those days from the war, kt

[happy daze john in oz]

Yes some ships had a lot of foriegners on them as crew.
On one UCl we had wingers from Malta, Ireland, Scotland and Wales with a couple of Brits as well.

[Doc Vernon]

Yes some ships had a lot of foriegners on them as crew.
On one UCl we had wingers from Malta, Ireland, Scotland and Wales with a couple of Brits as well.

What! No Yarpies! LOL and No Queens !

[Louis the fly]

Although we called the bosun Russian I think he had lived in the Newcastle area for many years.
The ship was a mixture of Geordie and British crew.

[cappy]

Although we called the bosun Russian I think he had lived in the Newcastle area for many years.
The ship was a mixture of Geordie and British crew.

##aye proper seamen and some of the others as well ....but we always got the spuds from lincolnshire somehow .....lol cappy

[j.sabourn]

#4. Keith similar in the 50s had one trip 2 Estonians and a Latvian. If ever a USSR ship in port they would never be seen on deck. Then in the 60s on one of Daggies ore carriers we had a Polish second engineer and going up to Murmansk would always go through the Norwegian fiords and cut the. North Cape out so as to land him in Norway, always a pleasure to have him there as cut out that bleddy North Cape in winter time. Would pick him up on the way back. The Russians must have been as bad as the British Customs and Exise with their black book of malcontents. Cheers JWS.

[robpage]

Although we called the bosun Russian I think he had lived in the Newcastle area for many years.
The ship was a mixture of Geordie and British crew.

Mixed race then ?