Pampas

[Robert George Young]

Tom,

Tell me more about Pampas.
Dad had very good on all his reports except Pampas
Decline to report?
Wonder what that meant?
Thank you

[Keith Tindell]

Decline to report could be given for a number of reasons, basically not good, and was frowned upon when you went for another ship, and would certainly spoilt your choice of ships. Would be interesting the next ship in his book. Mostly guys took a quick coastal trip or two to cover the decline to report. There was a single decline to report, or a double DR, one conduct and the other ability, kt

[Ivan Cloherty]

#11, sorry Robert, don't know your age, but if you have children and they ask you what does DR mean and you don't want to ruin their grandpa's image, just tell them it means 'Distinquished Report'

[Robert George Young]

Next ship was SS Loch Ranza, Glasgow

[Fionnuala Killalea]

Morning Robert,
My late husband Peter Perkins from Swansea spent approx a year on Pampas serving as a junior engineer.
When was your Dad on pampas & what position did he serve? I would really like to trace anyone that Peter might have sailed with on Pampas & what they recall of the ship, conditions & voyages as Peter died of pleural mesotheliom. Fionnuala

[cappy]

morning robert,
my late husband peter perkins from swansea spent approx a year on pampas serving as a junior engineer.
When was your dad on pampas & what position did he serve? I would really like to trace anyone that peter might have sailed with on pampas & what they recall of the ship, conditions & voyages as peter died of pleural mesotheliom. Fionnuala

many seamen have suffered with this disease ..a good buddy of mine now in the late stage tells of in the engine room in heavy weather the asbestos would come from the engine room tops like confetti that was in a port line vessel.......cappy

[Lewis McColl]

#16 And ship owners have dived for cover , those that are still around that is. They have left it to HMG to add a few quid to (Benefits)in the guise of industrial injuries benefits.

[Graham Shaw]

Well,I See this was originally an old thread-but always good to look back and see how far the site has come!
I was interested to hear about the PAMPAS -versus- Mine incident in the opening post.I don't know if anyone ever gave an answer about it but I just researched this and came across some details about the incident.

m.v.PAMPAS (2) O.N.169738. Built by Harland & Wolff ,Belfast as pass/cargo vessel.8,580 grt,Keel Laid Down 9/43 intended to be named PARAMATTA by Royal Mail Lines. However,taken over on completion 2/44 by Royal Navy,as an Infantry Landing Ship,named HMS PERSIMMON.
1946 Converted back to cargo vessel and renamed PAMPAS by Royal Mail Lines. Sisters are : DARRO,SARMIENTO and PARAGUAY.
1965 Sold and renamed ARISTODIMOS under Panamanian Flag.
4/1967 Broken Up Kaohsiung,Taiwan.



The Incident : Pampas was coasting between Bremen and Liverpool prior to doing a Pacific N.American voyage.She had loaded pipes for a new oil pipeline linking Alberta with Vancouver.
At 0415 hrs on that foggy morning of 23/3/53 she was rocked by an explosion in the vicinity of her engine room which caused some flooding due to fractured piping,and 4 middle prop shaft bearing covers broken due to her propshaft lifting.
She was towed to drydock at Schiedam for examination and repairs,where it was concluded by the Admiralty that she had detonated an acoustic mine at sufficient distance astern of her not to cause her total destruction.'

[Robert George Young]

His next ship was SS Loch Ranza a month after the decline to report remark

[Graham Shaw]

His next ship was SS Loch Ranza a month after the decline to report remark

ss LOCH RANZA-- INFOLINK

LOCH RANZA 1951-1960 O.N. 169513.jpg
Courtesy Old Ship Picture Galleries