Looking For Old Friends

[John Aspin]

Greetings one & all,
We all know what a great web site this is, thanks to Brian, but it has been particularly helpful to me as it will have been of course to lots of other members so I would like everyone to know how helpful it has been to me.
I have made contact with a total of five of my ex shipmates from about fifty years ago three from my LOF days, Dave Vincent & Tommy March (sadly Tommy passed away a few years back)
Tom Conran Radio Officer, I sailed with Tom back in 1960/1 we did a fourteen & a half month trip together, since making contact there have been numerous e-mails flying back & forth.
More recently I have made contact with a Tony Slaughter (hope you read this Tony) and a Hugo Ralli, Hugo lives in Chicago and owns a couple of Steak Houses not only have we been in regular contact by e-mail but we have an invitation to go to Chicago & meet up which hopefully will happen anytime from now, looking forward to that and will let you know how things go.
Sadly the one shipmate that I have been trying to make contact with was a Barry Gilkeson as with all the others above we were good friends/shipmates but the sad news is that Barry died about thirty years ago a reletivley young man.
It is thanks to Len Inglis that I have actually made contact with his wife & daughter not only was it sad to hear that Barry had died but the the circumstances as to how he died was more upsetting.
By all accounts he was sent to join a ship in Scotland & was supposed to sail that same day for Ireland but the sailing was delayed due to engine problems so Barry went ashore to ring his wife and was never seen alive again, about a week later his body was found on a beach not far away a real sad story & very upsetting what actually happened I have no idea.
Barry was a nice, likable young man & I could kick myself for not trying to contact him long before now as he only lived in South Shields not far from were I live.
There is a chance that some member might know of this story he was sailing with I think Huntings from Newcastle at the time.
I have been in contact with his wife & daughter a few times by phone and she has requested that we meet up which we will do very soon.
Well thats it hope I havent gone on to much but it is nice to share one anothers stories.
Best wishes to one & all,
John Aspin (R685343) Ormesby-Middlesbroughl

[Neil Morton]

Without this site I would never have made contact with old shipmates and made new friends. Apart from all the valuable info on all matters re ships and shipping I find that it fills a very enjoyable part of my daily routine. At 1100 hours every day I open the bar and pour myself a small libation and sit down at the 'puter to read as many posts as I can. So many lads and lasses of similar background and experience as myself provide this pensioner with much needed out side stimulas.
Yarns and whinges interesting viewpoints and a few good belly laughs wonderful! If I am away from home and without web access I get withdrawal twinges.
Thanks for the thread John and many many thankyous to Brian.Cheers Neil "Mort" Morton.

[happy daze john in oz]

Have to agree with you Neil, daily fix on this site is great. Have caught up with two I knew at sea and found a long lost friend thanks to assistance from this site. Friends are the leaves on the tree of life.

[Neil Morton]

You are not wrong sunshine, trouble is a few are falling off the bough.