Double Dr's

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Originally Posted by j.sabourn

#4. Often wondered how they ever came to that conclusion cappy, unless you made it obvious or someone snitched on you. The obvious entry would be failed to join . Then a l.a 2 form would be despatched via the consulate to the bsf . All the other paperwork for local authority’s etc would also have to be done , if all your gear was gone would be a good pointer to your departure , but there again the little green men may have packed for you. However you were caught weren’t you and didn’t hold out through the 3 degree and admitted it even before the first toenail came off. Left some little girl broken hearted after offering her the deiights of derby street baths.
A life on the ocean wave , a life on the rollicking deep. And the final promise you made her a trip on the shield ferry and a day in the spanish city where you could get rid of all your foreign coins . Ah well such is life. Js...

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well john i only guess he didnt know what to put in my book he was a quite young ist trip as old man on a old banger......who was never seen out of his masters uniform ....not like our old mate captain roberts in scruffy old grey slacks.... Shirt without collar attached,,, looked like he just got out his pit.......come to think of it not many old men had uniform on at sea ...apart from in saloon.....another was shell tanker always had full dress on cabin inspections happy days cappy

What did they call him Cappy the young ones were few and far between in those days , wasnt Jordan was it , or another one called Howie , or another one whose name slips me at the moment but thought he was God’s gift to women. Thought I knew them all from that era. Roberts and Hogg , Lamb and Bradfield , Coaster and Nicholas are a rough sample of some . Cheers JS

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Originally Posted by j.sabourn

what did they call him cappy the young ones were few and far between in those days , wasnt jordan was it , or another one called howie , or another one whose name slips me at the moment but thought he was god’s gift to women. Thought i knew them all from that era. Roberts and hogg , lamb and bradfield , coaster and nicholas are a rough sample of some . Cheers js

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dont know john chucked my discharge book on the fire after getting married ....sent of for a copy but there are no old mans names just ship number name of vessel port of joining port of pay off plus vg or other.....but do remember whenever he was seen he always walked at a speed like he had a rocket up his jacksie,,,,,on sunday inspections always looked at you as if he had a bad smell up his nose....mebbe the job was two much for him cappy

The youngest one I can remember was my first trip to sea and he was a fat one from Shields would have been in his late 30s early forties called Howie. He died a couple of years later and there was a bit of a stir in Pilgrim Street, he was single and left quite a bit of money and Runcimans reckoned he couldn’t have earned it, he must have died about 1958 however . My best bet it was Jordan who was fairly young by those standards in those days he was from Shields as well.when I was mate in Dalgliesh he came on
Loan to them as master and sailed with him there he told me he was there for decoration . And just left it to me , don’t think he was interested in ore carriers. He went back with Runcimans as deck superintendent. He died before his time with testicular cancer. Roberts and Hogg think you know .The only other one whose name skips me at the moment was God’s gift to women. Cheers JS

Always tell your grandchildren that DR stands for 'Distinquished Report'

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Originally Posted by Ivan Cloherty

Always tell your grandchildren that DR stands for 'Distinquished Report'

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Well does that mean I was exceptionally distinguished?? when I reported to pay off P&O's Orcades in about may 1970 and the shipping superintendent had been told to give me a double DR which I refused to accept my book was given an endorsement not required stamp for both conduct and ability which still rankles me writing this now. There was nothing wrong with my ability and that was the same for a lot of guys given a double DR my conduct deserved anything that was thrown at me including all the forfeiture of wages fines and air fares plus a lot of sundary deductions. I had skinned out in Auckland and eventually got captured after only 3 or 4 days in the snake pit. I was put in Mount Eden prison for I think 3 days to see if i wished to correct my attitude and eventually rejoined the ship in Suva . Happy days indeed.

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Originally Posted by cappy

well john i only guess he didnt know what to put in my book he was a quite young ist trip as old man on a old banger......who was never seen out of his masters uniform ....not like our old mate captain roberts in scruffy old grey slacks.... Shirt without collar attached,,, looked like he just got out his pit.......come to think of it not many old men had uniform on at sea ...apart from in saloon.....another was shell tanker always had full dress on cabin inspections happy days cappy

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Thats right Cappy, no uniform no chow unless you were down below on 4-8, as we had no dirty mess we had chow on poop sat at bitts, not fun in cold places

I was on Denholm’s “Scotstoun” in ‘65, 2 deckhands jumped ship in Claveria, Philippines, and showed up at our next port with a stolen Jeep, don’t know how they knew where the ship would be. Anyway, went straight up to the old man and said that they were refusing to work. He locked them in their cabins and charged them with mutiny. We were about 3 months into what would probably have been a 12 month trip but we were diverted to Hongkong where we were all fired and flown home. This because of the troubles with the officers from day one. It was part of an overall plan to replace us with a Chinese crew. As we cast off on the port side on a junk, and rounded the stern for Kowloon, a launch was at the starboard accommodation ladder and a Chinese crew going aboard.
When we arrived in London, the union was waiting to take our statements as to what happened. So to was the News of the Screws. I can’t remember how many DR’s were dished out but I imagine quite a few.

The Occassion I mentioned was purely self inflicted. I was second mate and the ship had just come off a Palm Line Charter and was in Rotterdam which by law we should have been paid off. There was a change of masters and this old retainer who I had sailed with when he was second mate not too long previously , don’t think he ever sailed as mate had not too long back got his masters licence pushing 60 years of age. He was an old company bosun and had the attitude with the crowd of I know all your little games.He refused to pay off the ship and told the company he was retaining the crew. It was a red rag to a bull.We sailed for South America to load grain For I think originally Japan. Loading part cargo in Bahia Blanca and supposed to top off in BA. In Bahia Blanca the crowd demanded to see the British Consulate for various reasons and walked ashore . The mate refused to go and talk to them and told the master he made the problem he should sort it out. The consulate came and was of spanish extraction and they said it was a set up.So it was me finished up on the quay explaining why the consulate wasn’t British and after a lot of palavering they came back on board. We then proceeded towards BA where we were in collision with the Rhuys. Lost the charter and proceeded with temporary repairs back to Liverpool for discharge , where the usual old fashioned closing of Articles took place with the 14 double DRs which is another story in itself. I would imagine they would have all been expunged later,if they weren’t it was justice gone wrong. That same master continued to thrive. Must be a long time dead now. It all starts with his refusal to be bothered to pay off the ship.He was the originator of all the trouble to my way of thoughts.
It could in fact be reason enough to change the discharge book system of reports on conduct and ability which followed a few years later. Cheers JS

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Originally Posted by j.sabourn

Did you never get into ma Gleason in Auckland , would have heard many yarns there. JS

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No never been to Auckland. Would have loved to have a few beers in that bar.