Suevic

[Louis the fly]

Hi John, another Shaw Saville ship, Medic.

[Dennis McGuckin]

#3. I didn't know that a DBS had to go back on another company ship.
Now I understand why it took me so long to get out of Santos.
All these years I just thought they kept me there until my waged from the ship had all gone on my room and board.
Such as it was. Cant for the life of me remember the name of the Star boat I came home on.

[Dennis McGuckin]

I know I have posted this before. But what the heck it's a good one.

SHAW-SAVILL'S BUCCANEERS

As down the quay at half-past three
Came Shaw-Savill's drunken crew -
They'd spent their sub in a dockside pub,
Having a beer or two;
But the time draws nigh, and a shout nearby,
That they all dread to hear;
"Come on, you bums, sailing day has come
For Shaw-Savill's Buccaneers!"

There was Dan McCool from Liverpool,
He was bo'sun of the gang.
For him you'd work - and you dare not shirk,
Or else your head he'd bang!
But Geordie Dick gave him some lip,
And we all shook with fear;
As Dan's mighty paw it broke the jaw
Of that Shaw-Savill's Buccaneer.

Now Bert and Joe were London boys,
And when drunk got fighting mad;
They'd knock you down for half-a-crown -
I tell you, they were bad!
But between these two, and I'll tell you true,
There was something mighty queer -
For they dressed in skirts, did those two flirts
Of Shaw-Savill's Buccaneers.

Now "Slow Starvation and Agony"
Is the firm with whom we sail.
And from Cardiff Bay out to Bombay,
We make all others quail;
So if you aren't rough, and if you aren't tough,
Then brother, don't come near!
If you value your life, don't sail, by Christ!
With Shaw-Savill's Buccaneers.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

I know what Star boat you came home on Den, the Lucky Star.
Des

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Louis.
I remember his name was Dick, they used to call him Dicky Bird, maybe as he was always flying around the pubs. He waited at the bottom of the gangway of the Monawi as it docked from Sydney, and picked up a bloke who had ring bolted on her to Sydney a month before, as he picked him up he said Dicky Bird knows everything that goes on here .
Des

[j.sabourn]

#12 Your right Dennis any ship could carry DBSs. The only reason why it may have been the same company I can think of was that maybe they held the company responsible for and debts occurred by the jumper. In Australia it was usual to send the second mate up to the custom house for crew replacements as they held a list of deportees and you took your pick to make the numbers up. You scratch my back and I"ll scratch yours system. If they wanted to shove more onto you , then it became an LSA issue. It was good for the shipowner who was the winner in the long run as had literally unpaid manpower. with Jumpers such as the chinese their favourite point of departure was the USA, Indians was the UK, the UK also any from the Slavic nations or those under Russian control although usually with them was claiming political asylum. JS

[Dennis McGuckin]

Thanks JS.
I do remember that I was told that I could not work on the ship on my way back to England.
Always wondered why.
Lots of bronzy time.
Landed at KG5 in December, in a torn sport shirt.
Bloody cold.
People looking at me as if i was nuts.
They may have been right.

[happy daze john in oz]

On the NZSC Paproa we had two Australian lads going home.
They were taken on as crew so did no work.
One was the son of a BHP director, not sure about the other.
They had been stewards with Cunard they told us, but never explained why they wee going home in this way

[j.sabourn]

Do you mean they were signed on as crew, in an actual position but did no work ? I trust then they werent paid then either ? or do you mean they were signed on as DBS ? JS
Cappy what happened to you , when they ran you out of NSW. You were signed on and paid some figure werent you , or was that the 3/9d you keep looking for. JS

[cappy]

john it was south oz ....wallaroo .....the avonmoor came in .....i was looking for any job as was living illegallyafter having broken in a beach house type thing a fine oz bird was looking after my needs .....about 6 or so skinned out ......there was geordies aboard who said .....we will get you stowed if you cant get a job on here.....i spoke to the mate any chance of a job .....he said come aboard the time we sail ......she was sailing eventide....i went aboard the old man sent for me ....she was short handed in all departments .....he asked can you steer ...have you worked on deck ....to which i replied yes .....he said sign here as ordinary seaman ....we had two swedes a frog and a bloke from doncaster just out of nick....we let go i was told i was on the 12 to 4 .....i was flappin in case he asked me to take the wheel under the pilot ....the 12 to four was the easiest job i ever had at sea apart for a bit of weather now and then .....the second mate nasher from north shields new the true story i worked for what i thought was an OS wage but on pay off day was given a lot less brass and signed off deck boy i can recall flappin a bit under the pilot going up to williamshaven or brake in germany to the locks ....as the german pilot wondered off speaking quietly ....nasher put me straight......just remembered we picked up a chinese guy from liverpool also in wallaroo ..an ab also a watchkeeper.....but it got me home .....i had learned a big lesson in life....all new hands were working .....remember one of the swedes......a great guy ieither jens jensen or hans hanson.....he had not been home for some 7 years worked all over oz ...one time painting sydney bridge ....brought almost tears to us when yarning he was desperate to see his old mother again .....as we eventually came up the tyne i showed him were the mail boats were on the north side ....going to scandi.....a big learning curve... perhaps the best lessson i ever lerned and stood me in good stead for life ...cappy

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john it was south oz ....wallaroo .....the avonmoor came in .....i was looking for any job as was living illegallyafter having broken in a beach house type thing a fine oz bird was looking after my needs .....about 6 or so skinned out ......there was geordies aboard who said .....we will get you stowed if you cant get a job on here.....i spoke to the mate any chance of a job .....he said come aboard the time we sail ......she was sailing eventide....i went aboard the old man sent for me ....she was short handed in all departments .....he asked can you steer ...have you worked on deck ....to which i replied yes .....he said sign here as ordinary seaman ....we had two swedes a frog and a bloke from doncaster just out of nick....we let go i was told i was on the 12 to 4 .....i was flappin in case he asked me to take the wheel under the pilot ....the 12 to four was the easiest job i ever had at sea apart for a bit of weather now and then .....the second mate nasher from north shields new the true story i worked for what i thought was an OS wage but on pay off day was given a lot less brass and signed off deck boy i can recall flappin a bit under the pilot going up to williamshaven or brake in germany to the locks ....as the german pilot wondered off speaking quietly ....nasher put me straight......just remembered we picked up a chinese guy from liverpool also in wallaroo ..an ab also a watchkeeper.....but it got me home .....i had learned a big lesson in life....all new hands were working .....remember one of the swedes......a great guy ieither jens jensen or hans hanson.....he had not been home for some 7 years worked all over oz ...one time painting sydney bridge ....brought almost tears to us when yarning he was desperate to see his old mother again .....as we eventually came up the tyne i showed him were the mail boats were on the north side ....going to scandi.....a big learning curve... perhaps the best lessson i ever lerned and stood me in good stead for life ...cappy