Month trips

[Robert George Young]

Just an observation Graham made to one of my posts.
I think it was the one about Vives?

He mentioned dad was on ships for only a month during one period of his merchant career.

As you know I know very little about these things. Only know what I learned on this wonderful information website.

Question.

When seaman signed on for a trip did they do a there and back trip? Did they have a choice to do another trip straight after and another?

Please forgive me not knowing about these things?
Thank you

[Keith Tindell]

You could be asked to do another trip, as long as you had proved your worth, and not been too bad a boy, lol, usually you signed on for the round voyage. Just as an aside, i sailed on a ship that had several Polish seaman in the crew, they had a special agreement with the company or skipper that should they get orders to sail to a communist country, they would leave the ship before hand. This was in the 50s of course, and at the height of the cold war. There could also be what was known as delivery jobs, perhaps a ship had been sold , and the agreement was to crew to the final destination and the company would do your return fare, hope this helps a little, regards KT

[Robert George Young]

Brilliant

I expect as Graham said month trip was enough
For him or for the ship

I’ll go back to his records and see when that changed because 50’s were much longer trips for him��

[Johnny Kieran]

Most signing on was for two years, or until the next call into the UK on Deep Sea articles. It was a contract we signed and were legally bound to. I don't know if it still goes on. I think Home Trade was a bit different, but it's been a long time since I signed on, so I could be wrong.

[cappy]

Robert as the comments at this time are mainly on alcoholics and from that the dangers caused by this problem it brings to mind .....a chief officer on a 10 month trip i had in the early 60s .......he was a decent guy and not a bad person ......he was friendly to all aboard even the apprentices liked him .....but sadly he was often just with a few drinks in him to say the least ......sadly on a run from fiji in the islands he appeared on the bridge told the wheelman to put the vesel on auto and said he was staying on the bridge......my recolection of the incident was of the vessel in very calm waters healing over so hard i was almost walking up the bulkhead......then the whistle blue ....many guys running about ....what the fuxx going on ......looking forrard i saw a horshoe atol of which we were although some way off our course was straight into the middle of it......luckily we shot round the atol so close mebbe a hundred yards or so ......the mate was then found in his cabin flaked out drunk....he was locked in his cabin while the situation was investigated.....then relieved of all duties ....after two or three nights he appeared down to crew quarters beggging and i mean begging for alcohol......it was very sad for me to see this but surpassed by the plight we had nearly all suffered.....he was baned from the saloon....and took what meals he did eat in his cabin .......in japan our next port he was not allowed ashore while it was decided how to get him off the vessel but still came and asked for booze ......he was sent home ..as he was quite elderly i suspect he never got away again ......it was only years later on this site his name came up and what he endured in WWII was made public to me ......i now understand fully what caused his problem in life ....and feel only a great sadness for him who will now have left this mortal coil.....he had shown during the war bravery beyond any call of duty ....and ended in one off a series of events ......which showed why he was as he was ........sadly there were many alkies in the MN......some the best company you could ask... for others a pain on other crew members.....they were all seamen and to me that is what it was .....sad but much relevent to the times R638532

[Keith Tindell]

I think most of the guys i sailed with that had seen war service liked their drink, and who can blame them, even if they had not been torpedoed, the strain on the nerves would have been tremendous. Just imagine for example, sat on a tanker full of aviation fuel, in the convoy, and seeing and hearing other ships being attacked, knowing if one hit you it was goodnight period. if it was me on any of those ships i don't think i would have been far from the open deck, and sleep in a chair or whatever. No wonder they lived it up when they lived through that trip, and remember they had to go back on another ship and do it all over again, for 4 years.Maybe alcoholics, but brave men all. kt

- - - Updated - - -

Also, remember no counselling in those days.

[j.sabourn]

When one thinks back during our lifetime and little things like first aid certificates. And to those who have had to renew them over the years and the changes in Doctors recommendations . I preferred the1950s version on Trauma better known as shock and the treatment for , lay the patient out flat on Back with his airway clear, keep the patient warm , give strong sweetened tea , if have whiskey present give him a shot of that and have one yourself to keep him company and a cigarette if he smokes. Get rid of water in his lungs turn his head to one side and press on lungs to get the water off the same.
All totally wrong today even mouth to mouth rescusitation one has to have a mouth piece taking away the pleasure of some young nubile hopefully female nurse. No alcohol and ciggies , well you know , how far will they go , with this health lark. JS...

[Michael Black]

Remember reading years ago that the top occupations of alcoholics was 1 merchant seamen, 2 journalists 3 building workers.
Don't know what the list would be now.
Regards Michael

[Robert George Young]

What a lovely reply

[Robert George Young]

Just a little follow on.

I’ve just looked at dad’s books for 1970.
Bill was on MS Clarebrook for 3 weeks, SS Vacuum Pioneer for a month, MV Mystic for 3 months, MV Chandeleur for a week, MV Alexander for two weeks, MV Frederick Everard for 5 weeks.

General conduct very good on all ships.

Dad was a bugger.
But would it be fair to say he seemed to have behaved on these ships ?