Merchant Navy Memories - R.M.S Queen Mary's Last Great Voyage.

[Peter Copley]

In December 1967 I was the radio officer on board the Greek flagged MV Eugenie S Embiricos, loading cargo in Long Beach CA. I was following the local radio station’s daily reports on the final voyage of the RMS Queen Mary as she progressed up the west coast from Acapulco. On the 9th of December, the Queen Mary sailed into Long Beach just as we were leaving. I’ll never forget the sight of the stately passenger liner, dressed overall, appearing out of the early morning mist. We passed each other portside to portside no more than a couple of hundred metres apart. The ship was escorted by US Coast Guard ships and a US warship - USS Long Beach - Helicopters flew overhead, I think they showered the liner with roses (Not sure about that, maybe it was the Douglas DC9 that showered her with red, white, and blue carnations earlier.)

Following in her wake were hundreds of small craft, then, to my amazement, a flotilla of literally hundreds of small boats swarmed out of Long Beach to meet and accompany the old liner into port. It was a spectacular sight. They reckon around 5000 boats followed her into Long Beach. At the time I wished I had a camera to record the scene.

Anyway, throughout the morning, many ships around the Eastern Pacific were calling up the QM (Call letters GBTT) on the marine bands giving their voyage reports and wishing her well. The radio officers on the Queen Mary were replying with thanks and bon voyage, etc. I thought I’ll send my best wishes to the ship. The frequency I used was not the international calling and distress frequency of 500Kc/s but a medium wave frequency WT. I used the usual short-hand and Q-codes. GBTT de SVRK TR QRD Long Beach to Yokohama, goodbye and good luck. Immediately after, the QM sent back SVRK de GBTT thanks for your greetings, bon voyage. He then transmitted ‘CQ de GBTT AS SP’ requesting silence for the WT silence period. Then, three minutes later, I guess at around the same time that Captain John Treasure Jones rang the telegraph; ‘Finish with Engines’ the radio officer transmitted CQ CQ CQ de GBTT GBTT GBTT this is the Queen Mary closing down for the last time, goodbye and good luck (or something along those lines) and that was that. I was the last radio officer to exchange voyage reports with the RMS Queen Mary.

A couple of years ago while searching YouTube. I found a US radio ham who had recorded these final messages. I couldn’t believe how fast we ROs transmitted Morse code, my old brain can’t keep up with it nowadays. Are there any former Cunard radio officers out there who were on the Queen Mary as she closed down in Long Beach?

I visited Long Beach a few months later before the liner was berthed at the permanent site. There were pleasure boat trips advertising ‘Go touch the Queen Mary’ taking tourists across the harbour to touch the side of the liner. Also helicopter trips overhead. I swear the helicopter pilot was a beautiful young blonde woman wearing a tight T-shirt and sky blue hot-pants! (Only in America).

PC R710198

[Captain Kong]

I have stayed on her her several times as a "HOTEL". fantastic.

[Colin Watson]

In December 1967 I was the radio officer on board the Greek flagged MV Eugenie S Embiricos, loading cargo in Long Beach CA. . Also helicopter trips overhead. I swear the helicopter pilot was a beautiful young blonde woman wearing a tight T-shirt and sky blue hot-pants! (Only in America).

PC R710198

hi Peter,enjoyed your post.I was in Long beach middle of 1969 when the QM was pulled over to where she now resides,all dolled up,looking sharp.On the same ship a few weeks/months later on our way to Europe,going past Miami and Florida coast saw the QE sitting waiting for the doomed Hong Kong debacle.About 10 years ago whilst in Long beach,did the tourist thing on the QM,very fascinating,thoroughly enjoyed it and the Americans doing what they do best,had done a bang up job showing off the QM.There was a story going around at that time,not sure if true,but mrs google might confirm.Apparently nobody wanted the QM.Cunard couldnt get rid of her.The City of Long beach bought her,took the phosphor bronze propellers,melted them down and sold them as souvenirs which paid for the ship.!!73s chronia polla!!haha remember qry22 from SVA?Great stuff.Cheers. Colin

[Bryan Portwig]

I was fortunate to have stayed on board her for 5 days in 1994 - after traveling all the way from South Africa - following in the footsteps of a friend - who has since crossed the bar - by coincidence they were filming Stargate in the hanger next door - what with crew from the film staying at reduced rates - I was offered a suite at cost price and was lucky to have an all access pass to explore the Mary - behind the scenes she was a mess - I had and still do follow the story of this Great Ship since she was built - and many an argument with people of the Big U fan club as to which was the better ship

[Bryan Portwig]

queen mary la arrival.jpg

here you go Peter

[Michael K. Dixon]

In December 1967 I was the radio officer on board the Greek flagged MV Eugenie S Embiricos, loading cargo in Long Beach CA. I was following the local radio station’s daily reports on the final voyage of the RMS Queen Mary as she progressed up the west coast from Acapulco. On the 9th of December, the Queen Mary sailed into Long Beach just as we were leaving. I’ll never forget the sight of the stately passenger liner, dressed overall, appearing out of the early morning mist. We passed each other portside to portside no more than a couple of hundred metres apart. The ship was escorted by US Coast Guard ships and a US warship - USS Long Beach - Helicopters flew overhead, I think they showered the liner with roses (Not sure about that, maybe it was the Douglas DC9 that showered her with red, white, and blue carnations earlier.)

Following in her wake were hundreds of small craft, then, to my amazement, a flotilla of literally hundreds of small boats swarmed out of Long Beach to meet and accompany the old liner into port. It was a spectacular sight. They reckon around 5000 boats followed her into Long Beach. At the time I wished I had a camera to record the scene.

Anyway, throughout the morning, many ships around the Eastern Pacific were calling up the QM (Call letters GBTT) on the marine bands giving their voyage reports and wishing her well. The radio officers on the Queen Mary were replying with thanks and bon voyage, etc. I thought I’ll send my best wishes to the ship. The frequency I used was not the international calling and distress frequency of 500Kc/s but a medium wave frequency WT. I used the usual short-hand and Q-codes. GBTT de SVRK TR QRD Long Beach to Yokohama, goodbye and good luck. Immediately after, the QM sent back SVRK de GBTT thanks for your greetings, bon voyage. He then transmitted ‘CQ de GBTT AS SP’ requesting silence for the WT silence period. Then, three minutes later, I guess at around the same time that Captain John Treasure Jones rang the telegraph; ‘Finish with Engines’ the radio officer transmitted CQ CQ CQ de GBTT GBTT GBTT this is the Queen Mary closing down for the last time, goodbye and good luck (or something along those lines) and that was that. I was the last radio officer to exchange voyage reports with the RMS Queen Mary.

A couple of years ago while searching YouTube. I found a US radio ham who had recorded these final messages. I couldn’t believe how fast we ROs transmitted Morse code, my old brain can’t keep up with it nowadays. Are there any former Cunard radio officers out there who were on the Queen Mary as she closed down in Long Beach?

I visited Long Beach a few months later before the liner was berthed at the permanent site. There were pleasure boat trips advertising ‘Go touch the Queen Mary’ taking tourists across the harbour to touch the side of the liner. Also helicopter trips overhead. I swear the helicopter pilot was a beautiful young blonde woman wearing a tight T-shirt and sky blue hot-pants! (Only in America).

PC R710198

2023-02-08

Re R.M.S. Queen Mary's Last Great Voyage:

Hi Peter

I wasn't with Cunard but was with P&O not on radio but Steward plus helped as Musician and as a Writer for the Chief Steward on my first voyage, a World Cruise during 1965. We were heading towards the States to Fort Lauderdale when we met Hurricane Betsy mid Atlantic and the Queen Mary was on our port side with 3 balls up on mast, the weather was so severe she turned back. I shall never forget being under the bridge on A deck on my own cleaning the bright work (as new Stewards we had the grim work until we were taught stewarding... I'd left college wanting to be a journalist and had typing/shorthand which the Chief Steward found helpful I think, no extra money though...

As the storm increased and I climbed higher I found the intense pressure so heavy I could hardly stand. Finally I looked out and we were being hit, it seemed, from ahead, starboard and port like a target; there on the port side lay the Queen Mary, it was quite a scene, one I shall never forget either, there was a majesty about her presence. We passed and took on a lot of damage to the bow - forward deck which I'm sure was later to be an issue with the bow thruster as, from memory we had an issue when we arrived in Hawaii.

I realise this isn't what you were looking for but this triggered a memory for me from that young 18 year old experiencing such severe weather on the ss Canberra - there were other issues I recall later on the voyage but I'm so glad I took that chance to meet so many people around the world and those memories are now treasured as the years pass - I only had a small Instamatic Camera I found on the train going down to join the ship and those photos hold that time and took me into the love of photography.

Thank you so much for posting. It's strange how a ship can bring such emotion, even if not working on her. I was a River Thames Skipper prior to and later for a few years at Windsor, my last boat The Windsor Lady also had a similar affect and she was originally an Admirals Launch built in 1939 so there was that maritime feel...

Michael Dixon
Somerset