Taiwan Straits

[j.sabourn]

#40 Keith when I left school at 15, I thought a log was something you put on the fire , and algebra was a friend of Alcapone . Certification was open to all and didn’t require a massive brain to Aquire. There was no need to serve an apprenticeship it would have been just as easy and also much easier expense wise to come up the hawsepipe. But my parents were believers in the old fashioned apprenticeships with the ever present can boy. The thought of my old man having to pay 30 pounds if I didn’t complete the 4 years , kept me on the straight and narrow mainly , with a few near misses . Cheers JS

[James Curry]

I thought Calculis was a Blue Funnel ship.

[j.sabourn]

Well the British Workman was a British Tanker or was that the British Workhouse ? JS
I sailed on a ship called the Dartmoor and the usual queries going through Suez and other places from other ships “ was how long you in for “ . JS ....

[Johnny Kieran]

Interesting reminder about the Irish ensign painted on ships Keith, My dad travelled over to Ireland often during the war. He told me it was so the German U boats wouldn't fire on them, hopefully.

[Graham Shaw]

Interesting reminder about the Irish ensign painted on ships Keith, My dad travelled over to Ireland often during the war. He told me it was so the German U boats wouldn't fire on them, hopefully.

Yes,respect is due to our Irish merchant seamen during WW2. As declared "neutrals",after suffering heavy losses of their comparatively small national merchant fleet,whilst sailing in British convoys they then decided to sail independently-lights ablaze,Irish tricolour flying and EIRE painted on their sides. It mattered not one jot to German U-Boats -and it is thought that about 20 per cent of Irish merchant seamen perished in the conflict. It is said at any one time there were about 800 Irish seamen serving on ships throughout the War.Survivors of British convoys reported that it was noticeable that Irish ships answered their SOS's or rescued survivors instead of sailing on as specified in regulations.
Eire also ensured any surplus of their agricultural home grown or imported produce was destined for the UK first.

[Graham Shaw]

Well the British Workman was a British Tanker or was that the British Workhouse ? JS
I sailed on a ship called the Dartmoor and the usual queries going through Suez and other places from other ships “ was how long you in for “ . JS ....

Just as well Runciman's didn't have a BROADMOOR,John. "Do they know you've escaped-Oh my God !"

[j.sabourn]

#46 No the other B when I was there was the Brockleymoor. Maybe sometime in the past May of been a Broadmoor ? As regards insignia on ships sides just put a post up about and seems to have disappeared already.?
However it was in reference to the Irish flag and my suspicion if had to do today, the AB who was landed with the job would bring out his artistic traits and would appear as a pint of Guinness . Also a query about the preferences of the artistry on the Rainbow Warrior. This may now appear in two posts if the original turns up. Cheers JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John S
I believe Formosa, before Chang Kai Check smothered it, was an Island of Chinese with a slightly different accent, a bit like Wales and England. I don't think at the time they were ruled by the Chinese mainland, I could be wrong, I know they called themselves Formosans
Des

[j.sabourn]

#48. I was in Kao-Shuing in 1970 Des , and at least the Australian Navy was using it as a RNR port.( RNR rest and recuperation) remember well as they had a curfew on and had to spend the night in a hotel in the company of various matelots. Maybe another sore point with other countries in the area with different view points. To most of us the Vietnam War is over and done with to others still a simmering point of disagreement. The same or similar to the Ukraine ? Wars are too easy to start but stopping is a different story and go on for century’s to some. I have been having an Occassion pint with someone staying in the village here who permanently lives in Vietnam ,every year he comes back to Ozz for a few months and has a home in the village here, he is an ex soldier and says he is very happy with the people and way of life.He goes back next week. What a waste of life that War was and for what ? Cheers JS

[happy daze john in oz]

One problem with China ia that too many other countries are attempting to muddy the waters.
China will do what it wants and will take notice from no one.
As to Oz, it was Keating when PM who said Australia is part of Asia and we must accept that fact.
Yes we are in the Asia region but that does not mean we are Asians or should be involved an any thing more than trade within the area.
We are not the Asian police force.

As to the comment about China in Oz Universities.
I spent some14 years in a large Victorian one, yes we had a large number of Chinese students, as do most universities here.
Popular with the universities as they are full paying students, unlike locals.
Yes some of the courses were set for such students, but the Chinese do not run the Universities.