Re: DHU Duffy
Well I started out going to sea as a galley boy and after twelve months on the RFA Warden Tug decided that I could not hack catering and left the sea but was only on paper discharges so even though I paid my union fees was not registered with a discharge book. After being ashore for a while found out that there was a chance to get back to sea as a DHU which I grabbed with open arms. Yes there was resentment from mainly sos and jos crew and could fully understand their point of view but at the same time think that they enjoyed having someone to whinge about. Did mainly home trade for a while because my logic was to learn as quick as possible how to work on deck. Spent many more years as EDH and had no intention of going for my AB ticket. That to me was because I had never started out as a deck boy and worked my way up. So yes there was a stigma attached to being a DHU but nearly all I sailed with accepted me as someone capable of doing their work on deck. Can not ever recall not being allowed aloft or anywhere else why a DHU and still thankful to all that welcomed me as part of the crew even the sos and jos came round in the end lol. Maybe because I lived and still do with out any tickets hanging of me just what you see is what you get
That's the way the mop flops.
My thanks to Brian for this site.