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23rd June 2020, 05:00 PM
#21
Re: The British Trampship
Originally Posted by
Paul Johnson
#17
Hi Ivan,
Of course there would have been the bonus of getting your tax back, happy days indeed.
Cheers, Paul.
Only one year's, and as salaries (NMB) were low so was the refund, 'but owt's better than nowt'
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23rd June 2020, 05:11 PM
#22
Re: The British Trampship
And as i recall was from April to April, the bits either side was taxed. I only got it once, had to fight for it, seamen tax was done through the Cardiff office?, but got it in the end, kt
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24th June 2020, 01:13 AM
#23
Re: The British Trampship
Hi Paul.
That ships cook must have made a mistake of telling the man at the pool that he liked a scrap. the pool man thought he said I'd like a ship going to scrap. You had to watch those bastward's in the pool office.
I joined a BP tanker up in Newcastle, thought it the usual Gulf run and back, was out 11 months, with 11 days ashore, I stuck it out but most of the crew jumped in NZ, including the chief engineer who I later met while on the coast, he trained and drove trotters in Dunedin.
Des
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24th June 2020, 02:27 AM
#24
Re: The British Trampship
#23. I’ll bet you joined that BP tanker at Smiths D/ Dock in North Shields Des, only she would have then been BTC. There were always about 6 of such waiting their turn in the Dock in those days. So if you had any time in port would be well aware of the jungle next door . Cheers JS
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24th June 2020, 05:17 AM
#25
Re: The British Trampship
Going back to #10. I thought it would be easy to go back through the trampship company’s and their losses and listing. However this is too big a job ,and will have to rely on what others say. Let me say that for the first three letters of the Alphabet there are 33 companies with a loss of 171 ships , and this is just the tip of the iceberg. So even assuming of those 171 losses and saying each loss had 40 of a crew = 6840 men, say the mortality rate was 50 % = 2240 men , and 2240 wounded and traumatised , and this is being very conservative. For those who have kept accurate records of all war records , for all those killed , wounded , and traumatised for life , must be very dedicated to keeping the public aware of what their forbears gave. When you actually see the amount of shipping expressed in ships numbers and not tonnage , think it brings the subject into more focus. I tried counting the casualties but was unable to grasp the sheer amount of fatalities. Before even starting on the wounded and crippled for a life sentence. JS
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24th June 2020, 10:38 AM
#26
Re: The British Trampship
Most of my service was on tramps,and I really enjoyed my time on them.The last one I was on the MV Ruysdael Bolton Steamship Co.Joined her in Glasgow for a six week trip to the continent,but finished up chartered to Clan line.Spent 8 months going out to India and various middle east ports,Good captain and crew,and had a great trip and a lot of laughs.No air conditioning which was not very comfortable laying at anchor in Calcutta for weeks at a time.Some Russian ship asked us for a football game,and invited us back to their ship for a drink and a film.We thought we would be getting a load of commy propaganda, but we got a Morecambe and Wise film.Plenty of good food and as much vodka and beer as we could drink,and they had, some nice big Russian females working on board.The Russians had much better conditions on board than we had and finished up a great day out for us.
Did one trip on Empress Of England,which I hated.Paid off with 4d old money,and never went back on a liner.Loved the tramps,and the opportunity to see places I never knew existed
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24th June 2020, 11:37 AM
#27
Re: The British Trampship
#26 Bolton Steamship losses during the last war.
Reynolds torpedoed and sunk 250 m east of Durban 31.10.42.
Romsay ?
Ramsay torpedoed and sunk 1100 m west of Fasnet 9.6.42
Ribera ?
Think the two with ? s , probably survived after being attacked and probably repaired as sold after the war to foreign owners.
JS.
Last edited by j.sabourn; 24th June 2020 at 11:40 AM.
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25th June 2020, 01:57 AM
#28
Re: The British Trampship
Hi John.
Just a quik one, The total number of ships sunk by enemy action From 3rd Sept 1939 to 2 Sept 1945. 21,194 and that does not include RN.
Des
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25th June 2020, 10:20 AM
#29
Re: The British Trampship
The Doxford “ Economy” ship, 1935 to 1940.
During the depression of the 30”s Wm. Doxfords of Sunderland carried out the designs and experiments of designing a motor ship in which every feature - hull design , engine type, propellor speed , propellor dimensions and auxiliary equipment was combined to produce a vessel with the most economical results in service.
The prototype was ordered by Sir Arthur Sutherland and was launched in December 1934. It was named the Sutherland and completed trials on January 1935 . At a total cost of 100,000 pounds.
She was followed the same year by the Kinross, Stirling, and Caithness, These were followed by the Peebles and the Ross in 1936. The rest is History.
JS.
The main particulars of the Doxford Economical Ship were....
L.O. A. 442 ft. 9 inches.
L.between P 419 ft. 6 inches
Moulded beam. 54 ft 3 ins.
Depth to upper deck 28 ft.8 ins.
Deadweight 9215 tons.
Corresponding draft. 25 ft. 6 ins.
Gross tonnage. 4956 tons.
Machinery power 1800. BHP
Service speed loaded 10.75 knots.
Although I served most of my time on such , I cannot vouch for the figures , however I could very nearly give a good guess to the amount of Rivets in their construction as chipped most of them.
JS
Last edited by j.sabourn; 25th June 2020 at 10:48 AM.
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25th June 2020, 01:55 PM
#30
Re: The British Trampship
In 1953 I was on a similar. Vessel which was built by Doxford with a few added addittions to the original .
Built in 1943 7268 gross,
10080 dwdt.
2500. BHP. 27 ‘6 “ loaded draft .
These figures I can vouch for.
According to. History she was the second ship into Singapore after the Japanese surrender..
Maybe they thought she was immune to mines.
Also. a 3 cylinder .....
JS
Last edited by j.sabourn; 25th June 2020 at 02:28 PM.
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