A memorable day, at Camden Pool.

[John F Collier]

Hi John.
I just looked at my discharge book and I realized that I still had 4months to go until my 16th birthday when i went to the Vindi, and still had 16 days until my 16th birthday when I joined my first ship.
Des

Hi Des,When I left school at Easter 1954 aged 15, I had already decided I wanted to join the MN, I wrote a letter of enquiry to 52 Leadenhall Street London, I was chocked when their reply said I was too young and I should write again when I reached 16, I was very disappointed, I was always taught
"If it's worth having, it's worth waiting for", I got a job at a small engineering firm that was unchanged since the 1800s, all the lathes were belt driven
from a ceiling mounted shaft, I learned to operate turning lathes, a capstan lathe and also prepared casting boxes for the casting foundry, I was very
happy there but it was only ever intended to be a stopgap until I was sixteen, when that time came I wrote again, this time, I was given a date to go for
an interview, sometime later I was told I'd been accepted and details were being sent regarding the TS Vindicatrix at Sharpness, cheers.

[happy daze john in oz]

Keith, I know what you ,mean about milk and sugar, do not use either since I went to sea and gave uo drinking tea.

Coffee please waiter.
Yes sir how do you like it.
Like my women, hot and strong.
Would that be black or white sir?

[Malcolm Lawrence]

Here's a pic of the Banana pier in Tela Honduras we used to use
z1.jpg

Needs a bit of maintenance now
z2.jpg