Ships list

[happy daze john in oz]

Eric, welcome to the site. You appear to have a list of ships there, maybe if you could put some dates with them you may yet get some replies from guys you sailed with.

[lakercapt]

Sailed with Captain Frankie Imaz and he certainly was quite a character.
He had a Spanish second name but was a real scouse with an accent you could cut with a knife!!!
Used to say what was on his mind and didn't care who it was too.
Alas the P.C. brigade would frown on his behavior now

[tomstone]

Hi Russ, I joined Palm Line as a deck apprentice in 67, Lobito Palm. Your name seems to ring a bell. What rank were you?
Cheers
Tom

[happy daze john in oz]

G'day Tomstone and welcome to the site. If you have a list of your ships with dates and you care to list them you may well fine some who sailed with you. So sit back with a cold one and enjoy the voyage.

[john seed]

Hi Russ,
I was sos on the old Africa Palm back in 1958.Great days down the Coast then.Did you ever see the poem "THE PALM LINE MAN"? Heady stuff that. I co-wrote it with my palm line pal ,Jason davis.We had aball down there.
regards John Seed

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Eric -Laker Cpt --Tom- and John Seed!
Would just like to give you a warm Welcome to this very good site!
Here you will find lots of info,good Crew and with luck also find a few old Shipmates!
So sit back,relax and just enjoy the trip!
Hope we will have you here for a long time!
A site truly worthy of the British Merchant Navy!
Cheers


Also"

If you would like to join in and have your Full name R Number and First Ship
Included in the Flag project then please pass it on to Mike Hall who is doing a Main Flag for all
to be displayed some time in one of the UK Museums!
Thank you

Please go to following Link

http://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/s...ead.php?t=1974

[Russ Kennedy]

ref post #14
Hi Tom,
I ended up as J/2nd Engineer. Left Palm Line 1968 when our first born came along. Last deep sea job was the Africa Palm June/Sept 1967. Then did half a dozen relieving jobs, last signing off was 13 June 1968, son was born four weeks later!!!!!! Happy days with some great memories.
Regards

Russ Kennedy

[Russ Kennedy]

ref post #14

Hi John,
Yes I've read the "Palm Line Man", very impressive, it too brings back some great memories not only of shoreside antics, but also of the camaraderie on board the "Palm boats". The West African coast wasn't all that bad irrespective of the name it had. Lagos, Apapa, Freetown gave us some great times.
Happy days,

Regards

Russ Kennedy

[Jim Wallace]

Hi Russ,

I was on Ibadan palm in 1966 as Radio Officer and I think I remember you. I certainly remember Frankie Imaz , or Paco Imaz as we called him. Do you remember the little ode he was fond of quoting?
"The work is hard, the pay is poor
We do our best to save Mae West - Achimoto!"

Achimoto, of course is a town (village?) in Ghana.

And his habit when he couldn't remember the name or phrase he needed of saying, "I told you about it Bo"

I can confirm your anecdote about the Lady passenger and his query about her daughter. I was in the saloon at dinner that night. On another occasion, Frankie being inclined to light up between courses, she asked (sarcastically) him if he'd mind if she continued to eat her soup while he smoked. Not a bit fazed, Frankie replied "Not so long as you don't drown out the music".

D'you remember his trick when in the bar of getting a large gin in a wine glass and topping it up with water? Then drinking it half-way down and getting another large gin as a top-up. Again, drinking it half-way down and again a large gin top-up. By the end of the evening he was drinking neat gin almost.

The only one Frankie was frightened of was his wife, so he used to quit the gin as soon as we passed Cape Finisterre on the way home. His "drying-out" process was something to behold. The only time I've ever seen a man who was literally "Green in the face".

Mind you, Frankie was infinitely preferrable to "Gunboat" Smith, who also sailed as Captain on the Ibadan when I was there.

My own exploits on Ibadan Palm included a bout of Malaria and a broken leg playing football in Freetown so I have mixed emotions about the ship.

Regards

Jim

[Lisa9]

Hi Russ

I was just wondering if you knew my father Matty who was 3/e on the Palm Line for many years (Late 1950's - mid 1980's) ?

Best Wishes

Lisa