R.M.S. Canberra

[Bob Sendall]

I did the maiden voyage on the Canberra. Joined in Belfast as Bell Boy, did the sea trials then promoted to Tourist Winger. Joined 26th April 1961 until 4th September 1961. I got paid off in Southampton, ships doctor said I should have my tonsils removed, still got them now!!

Bob Sendall

[Tommy the T]

Hi Bob,

as you did the maiden voyage on the Canberra, i thought i would let you know that i served on the Canberra in 1984 as a PRS, met my first wife onboard, (also a PRS ),
we sailed as passengers on the ships final cruise in september 1997 to say farewell to the ship that brought us together, we took our 2 kids too, my daughter had the last birthday of any passenger onboard, she was 2yrs old on 26sept 97.

i hope it was ok to post this, but thought as you did the maiden voyage & i did the last cruise felt it was interesting.
best wishes

andy

[Bob Sendall]

I guess that is unique, me the first and you the last,

Bob Sendall

[Tommy the T]

the Canberra was a great ship, i really enjoyed my time onboard her, both as crew & as a passenger.

The final cruise was a real emotional time, being onboard knowing that in a matter of weeks she would be no more.
The way i look at the Canberra is without her then i wouldn,t have my 2 fantastic kids, now 20 & 13 yrs old.

i left the Canberra in october 84 & joined the Royal Princess for its maiden voyage.

all the best
andy

[Mike Hawkesworth]

[ref post #4

I was on the RP maiden voyage too - great weather!

[Neil Morton]

Hi everyone,I made my last trip to sea on the "Canberra" 19th Dec '62, we only made it as far as the Medi as a switchboard in the engine room control system caught fire. We received orders to man emergency stations about 0200 hours.This is where all the training drills over the years clicked into place.There was no sign of panic, in fact if there had not been smoke pouring out of the "punkahs" and a queer smell we would have been grumbling about a stupid drill.
My station was at a watertight door down in the bowels of tourist accom; when the order came to shut the door a steward emerged in the nick of time with a women and two kids.We then mustered at our boat station only to be stood down at around 1300.As I was passing through the galley on my way back to the warmth of my bunk a uniform called me over to a food service lift hatch and told me to stand by with a fire hose.I stood there like a "wally" until the cooks turned too.Most of the passengers and crew were taken off in Malta.I stayed aboard and brought her home on the 19th Jan '63.
If I have related this elsewhere on this site I apologise in advance for boring you.Cheers one and all Mort.

[Neil Morton]

I made a blue I meant to write 0300 in the above post Mort

[White Star]

I have great memories of the Canberra, watching her sail off to war in the Falklands when I was a lad. I vowed to sail on her one day but never got the chance, sadly. The closest I got was seeing her when I was on holiday in Gibraltar. I have some great footage off her build at Harland & Wolff, I will dig it out and post it.

Regards, Bill

[johnohammond]

I also sailed on the Canberra from 1979 until 1986 from Junior rating, waiter, assistant steward and then Dry stores

[Ian Aldous]

I had three 'contacts' with the beautiful Canberra. I was 3/O in P&O's cargo ship Pinjarra in Colombo in 1961 when Canberra was outward bound on her maiden voyage having left Aden for Colombo. She had some engine trouble in the Indian Ocean and we were on 'stand by' to tow her in, if necessary. Fortunately, it wasn't.
Onboard Canberra that maiden voyage were Sir Robert & Dame Pattie Menzies plus P&O's Chairman Sir Donald Anderson. The Australian VIP's went ashore to visit the, then, Ceylon Prime Minister, leaving Sir D. at a loose end. He decided to have an inspection of the Company's Pinjarra. It was a hot and sweaty afternoon and unlike Canberra Pinjarra had no air conditioning. The inspection was brisk and afternoon tea served in the boiling hot Wardroom was rapidly disposed of. He returned to Canberra's comforts whilst we continued our cargo work.

In 1968 I was Senior Systems Analyst in P&O's new Computer Dept and was an official company passenger from Honolulu to Sydney in Canberra. It was part of a fact finding conference held in SFO, SYD and LDN and aboard Canberra towards developing a computerised booking system. Most of the other computer people had never seen a passenger ship close up. I developed a taste for Chateauneuf du Pape (on expenses) the others mostly got sea sick.

In 1996 I was in Gibraltar on holiday at The Rock Hotel. We opened the doors to our balcony and there below us was Canberra. She was still a beautiful sight. Sadly gone, but at least she sailed proudly away to the breakers rather than being passed from pillar to post like QE2 or vulgarised like the QM in Los Angeles.
Ian