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9th May 2022, 08:50 AM
#11
Re: What's in a Name? Cadets,Apprentices ,Midshipmen....
Its surprising how a lot of us had very similar bringings up one might say. #10 the difference is I was never evacuated. And with #9 Keith’s working life prior to putting on a pair of seaboots was very similar to my own . The cobblers job and the ATC for starters. Any what today would be considered hardships we went through at sea , had its compensations at the end of the day , the biggest one being job satisfaction. I would never have had anything approaching such a life ashore , my one regret is that wife and family, I had to choose between going away or living ashore unhappy . I chose the the selfish way , but fortuanetley had a wife who understood and accepted the situation . They won with a better standard of living is my excuse . JS
Last edited by j.sabourn; 9th May 2022 at 09:03 AM.
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10th May 2022, 06:04 AM
#12
Re: What's in a Name? Cadets,Apprentices ,Midshipmen....
Like many I had the opportunity to join the cadets while at school but refused.
I was going to be an electrician and studied for this at tech school.
But once out of school somehow I got side tracked and ended up at sea.
I ended up in hospitality and my brother who wanted to be a chippie ended up as the family sparkie.
Happy daze John in Oz.
Life is too short to blend in.
John Strange R737787
World Traveller
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11th May 2022, 09:36 AM
#13
Re: What's in a Name? Cadets,Apprentices ,Midshipmen....
Hi Guys,
I was lucky enough to have gone to Conway but was colour blind so I was diverted with just a few into engineering. Mother wanted me to be a Purser but I wanted to follow other my Uncle Arthur Bozie and my father as an Engineer. My Uncle had survived sinking on a Malta Convoy but died early due to swallowed oil. My first trip after college in Swansea was on The Hardwicke Grange and the Chief and Captain were very old school but although life was very busy, I was learning from some great guys who were only too willing to show me. The other Eng Cadet last just one trip, so I was even busier next few trips. I believe that chief’s and Captain’s were all different but I found some very generous ones amongst them even if old school. Some unfortunately drank too much. Returning as Second Engineer to the Hardwicke a few years after tanker time I found the same pair at the top and the couldn’t have been better for a first trip second. I even had them down inspecting a tank with me.
It was a different way of life on the next generation of ships like containers but I guess I was lucky to see all types of ship from gas, crude, products, chemicals, container, ro-ro(Atlantic Conveyor) etc. The big changes came with automation as we lived through the unreliable era of first generation engine controls and the all the legislative requirements that were always struggling to catch up and perform. The classic was the fuel quality made purification a nightmare on some ships.
Last edited by Paul Burrows; 11th May 2022 at 09:39 AM.
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14th May 2022, 04:22 AM
#14
Re: What's in a Name? Cadets,Apprentices ,Midshipmen....
My first three months I was on the Articles as a Deck Cadet, once I had signed Indentures I was an Apprentice.
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14th May 2022, 06:52 AM
#15
Re: What's in a Name? Cadets,Apprentices ,Midshipmen....
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17th May 2022, 03:20 PM
#16
Re: What's in a Name? Cadets,Apprentices ,Midshipmen....
I have read this post and agree 100 per cent with the comments. How many times does a cadet need to chip and paint and clean the bilges together with soog-ying the bulkheads day in and day out. I gave up the shipping company who used me as cheap labour and went back to sea with a company who treated me with respect. Unfortunately I failed the paraffin lamp test and had to curtail my sea-going career.
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18th May 2022, 02:06 AM
#17
Re: What's in a Name? Cadets,Apprentices ,Midshipmen....
After spending my school years having the Welsh pounded out of me, I left at fourteen to work in a tin works, along with the hundreds of 14 and 15 year olds there, I always wanted to follow my brother and go to sea, at 15 and a half I went to the Vindi, then to sea where the life was the best around at the time, money no worries, couldn't spend any at sea.
Food and accommodation provided, what more could a young bloke need in life. As for the Skippers and Mates I sailed with, I would say that 95% were great, but you always get a few rotten apples in a barrel, not that I ever ducked my head in one, to cagy.
Des
R510868
Lest We Forget
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18th May 2022, 06:10 AM
#18
Re: What's in a Name? Cadets,Apprentices ,Midshipmen....
not complaining but why in training school are you not told of your duty as peggy i know someone has to do all the sh.t jobs but forewarned would be a lot better we worked on deck one week then the other as peggy its a great learning curve to young lads eager to learn and for the rest of your life? just a thought jp
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18th May 2022, 06:32 AM
#19
Re: What's in a Name? Cadets,Apprentices ,Midshipmen....
At the vindi the officers were smart.
They only told you the bare basics of what life would be like at sea.
But once you got on your first ship the learning curve was steep and fast.
Happy daze John in Oz.
Life is too short to blend in.
John Strange R737787
World Traveller
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