2 consecutive trips on same ship

[Johnny Kieran]

Every ship I was on, the bosun would ask you back for another trip. If he didn't ask you back, you were not wanted. Every seaman I knew that got a D.R. was basically sacked and didn't come back next trip. Even blokes with a "Good" discharge usually had trouble shipping out.
I knew several seamen that had two discharge books, one being a dodgy one, obtained from a provider of monkey discharge books around the London docks, for a price of course.

[cappy]

Funy how DRs keep coming up .....but DESERTED ....which was one ist trip old man put in my book when at least 7 or so others skinned out has always been something i never came to terms with ..i got some relief to find that others not many had also had that hated term......as for a retort i would like to have put in his friggin book .....sailed with lifeboats in unsea worthy condition ......as when we lost a apprentice over the wall .....the clinker built lifeboat opened upafter clashing the ships side as she was stiil going at least 6 or seven knots after coming about....plus the AB inthe boat loosed his forrard falls before the guy on the after falls loosed his which of course made the boat spin and hit the ships side .....but never mind i often wonder what went in the log after that fiasco....R683532

[j.sabourn]

#8 was it Bullard and King another South African company very well known on the coast there , believe they may also have been known as the Natal Line. As an apprentice I visited Capetown , Durban, Port Elizabeth, and East London quiet a few times and promised myself to try and make a go there when I finished my time. Think I did apply by post , but believe they preferred to recruit from South Africans JS

[john walker]

#11 I never came across anybody selling dodgy discharge books. In theory you could report your discharge book as lost/stolen and receive a new book for a fee from the B.O.T which a mate said that He managed to do with clean pages. I have no idea if that is true or not, in theory it is possible. Other alternatives were to try the non-federated companies like Everards or for the more adventurous you could try your luck on the International pools at Rotterdam or Antwerp.
Cappy # 12 You have hit the nail on the head with this post, that is what made the stamping of our books so contentious. How many men received a bad discharge through no fault of ther own just because they had a simple logging but had sailed with a cantankerous Master who could do as he wished knowing that you were unable to do anything about it. How many men were logged for being absent through drink or accused of being drunk on watch. This being done by a master who stunk of booze Himself. This might have been a rare occassion but it happened. When I received my double Dr I could not argue about the repoert on conduct but I did complain with the Chief Steward who agreed with me as there was nothing wrong with my ability. I often wondered if anybody took a swing at a master on receiving an unjustified bad discharge. While this might not stop you getting a bad discharge it would be worth it,

[j.sabourn]

12 The usual discharge for such was VNC JS

[j.sabourn]

#11 That’s because the mate wasn’t bothered enough to do it himself , he would tell the bosun to do it. The normal procedure I was brought up with and continued to do , was when the crew signed for their final overtime sheets and they were asked when signing for same, this included the bosun as well . The list was then given to the master to inform the BSF of crew requirements , this procedure was to all members of the crew mates engineers catering staff , the ships cat if had one was excempt as he was a bonded servant. JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Only once came close to a DR on the British Builder, we had been out for twelve months, horrendous trip, with the worst skipper and mate I ever came across, when we got back to, I think Thames Haven, the Skipper came to the mess, [Brave man} where we were all having a drink
he said , "Your all sacked with a DR, just then the supervisor came in behind him and said, "No their not, but you are, a big cheer went up .
I must say here I was never on a ship with bad skippers or mates, and I did four trips on two ships. That doesn't mean to say there wasn't any. I was lucky maybe.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Yes, many on UCL 'school boy voyages' did the same for years.
We had a baker, god one at that, who had been doing the run for over ten years.
Married and as he told it, regular work and money, a welcoming wife every six weeks and did not have to worry about the kids going to school/.

There were a number in catering like him, it suited their life style.

[j.sabourn]

#17 Saw them everyday Des in overcast weather , only then it stood for Dead Reckoning , on a Mercator Chart another day of not knowing whether you were coming or going. Cheers JS.
I always assumed it was represented by an equilateral triangle , some used to query this and say that was the. Sign for an EP estimated position. So any arguments I used to just put DR on the chart for the centre of the D for the position and for an EP the centre of the P for the same , there are many pedantic people at sea as well as ashore. What do the small boat handlers on site do , maybe just put a cross ? JS .

[Roy A Swan]

I sailed with a bosun who swore he applied for a shore job using his discharge book as a reference. When the boss asked what does 'DR' mean he told him "definitely reliable". Got to think on your feet.