A Matelot

[Bill Cameron]

A Matelot is not born...he is made of leftovers. God built the world and the animals and then recycled the gash to create this dastardly weapon. He took the leftover roar of the lion, the howl of the hyena, the clumisness of the ox, the stubborness of the mule, the shyness of the fox, the wildness of the bull and the pride of the peacock then added the filthy mind of the devil to satisfy his weird sense of humour.
Thomas Joseph simpson

[j.sabourn]

That's nearly as bad as " Whats green slimy with yellow pus and runs down a palm tree ?", Answer a Monkeys afterbirth. JS

[Ivan Cloherty]

That's nearly as bad as " Whats green slimy with yellow pus and runs down a palm tree ?", Answer a Monkeys afterbirth. JS

Bloody Charming!

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A Matelot is not born...he is made of leftovers. God built the world and the animals and then recycled the gash to create this dastardly weapon. He took the leftover roar of the lion, the howl of the hyena, the clumisness of the ox, the stubborness of the mule, the shyness of the fox, the wildness of the bull and the pride of the peacock then added the filthy mind of the devil to satisfy his weird sense of humour.
Thomas Joseph simpson

Sounds familiar Bill, I must have received God's sense of humour as well as all the above

[gray_marian]

#1, A wee bit more Bill:

My name is Tom Simpson and I was an Able Seaman. I was in the Navy three years and my first venture on the high seas was to take convoys across the ocean.

In this particular case, we were doing a sweep in the Irish Sea. We were sweeping for submarines that we thought were in the vicinity because, at that time, there was vessels coming out of England that were taking troops into Italy. We got a message that there was a German submarine U-775 that torpedoed the British seaboat [SS] Empire Geraint. On the emergency call frequency a message from the damaged ship went out. Now, three ships from our escort - the Canadian Frigates, [HMCS] La Hulloise, the [HMCS] Strathadam and the [HMCS] Thetford Mines went looking for this submarine. The three ships took up our formation with the Strathadam as the command vessel. Now, the La Hulloise, which I was on, took up the port side position with the Thetford Mines on the starboard. And it was approximately, oh I would say, around 2200, I was in the radar cabin and we were closed up prepared for radar sweeping. And the next morning, it was a beautiful morning, you know, the sea was as calm as it could possibly be and the horizon was just something else. Everything was in order for making a sweep. Now at approximately 0300, just off the St. George's Channel, the Officer of the Watch acknowledged that I had picked up a radar contact and that it was a buoy sitting out there just at the tip of land's end. And I was told to continue my sweep. Upon a second sweep the Officer of the Watch was informed, again, that the radar showed two pips off the port beam. The Officer of the Watch responded to the radar operator that the operator was seeing gremlins. Well, I took offence to that and I descended down to the bridge to have a dialogue with the officer. So the skipper of the La Hulloise, upon hearing the verbal confrontation where he sleeps just below the bridge so he heard everything that was going on between myself and the officer. I told him of the second contact but the officer ignored it. To which the skipper ordered the ship to be brought around and headed in the direction of the buoy. At approximately a hundred yards from the buoy, the skipper ordered two signal lights to pinpoint the buoy. Upon closer inspection a snorkel came into view. Now the sub was hiding alongside the buoy in an attempt to avoid being detected. And, in doing so, they're expelling carbon dioxide from its battery. At that moment the La Hulloise fired off star shells to illuminate the night sky, then descended upon the area of the snorkel, and at that point, the sub realized that they were being attacked and started to dive. There was a contact between the ship and the sub which sent the sub to the bottom where she stayed. The other two vessels, Strathadam and Thetford Mines, launched a depth charge attack, the attack continued over some time until an oil slick and debris was observed. Items from the sub now came to the surface, boats were launched to recover some of the debris and, among other things, personal letters and journals from the engine room were found by the crew members of the La Hulloise. It was later determined it was not the U775, rather the U-Boat 1302.

I would like to add one more note and that is that, when you get to be in charge, don't underestimate a subordinate's viewpoints, because he may have something that is very unusual.

Thomas Joseph Simpson Tribute - YouTube

[Ivan Cloherty]

When I was at sea (and ashore) I never dismissed anyones questions or observations, because as a cadet I had been brought up on a diet of 'get on with it, it's always been done that way' when I questioned a task or method, when it was obvious even to a 16 year old that there was another easier and quicker way. So I resolved that if I ever reached what was then considered an exalted position, I would explain why something had to be done in a certain way, rather than say 'get on with it' as it is too easy to do something the 'established way' where-as young eyes and brains have not been conditioned. It stood me in good stead no matter what part of my career or business was in, as learnt that co-operation engendered is far better than resentment at being brushed aside.

[cappy]

dont know if this has been commented on .....but ivan has had a letter or comment in the daily mail today congrats ivan well done....amazing some people know nothing at all about the tankermen during the war .....as it was in the daily mail louis must have missed it in his rush to read about daves misdemeaners ..........well done ivan ....regards cappy.......i have been out all day and just spotted it ......cappy

[gray_marian]

Is it possible to post Ivan's letter & responding comment please cappy? I did not see the article in question.
Thank you

[j.sabourn]

#6... Very true Ivan. My first change in demeanour was with the assistant personel manager with the company I worked with, he had the habit of calling me by my surname and always tried to give me a bollicking, which in later life I considered bullying. On attaining 2nd. Mates cert. I reported back to the company as was completely broke and in debt and had to find work quick. On walking into the reception area he shouted to me over the desk ah!! Sabourn, that's as far as he got, I shouted back to him Galpin its Mr. Sabourn to you, he shut up pronto. He was a Commander in the RNVR and if he spoke to his men nowadays as he did then, I doubt whether he would of gone up the ladder very much, however in those days the old class system was in full swing. Probably the same as yourself most of what learned by way of ships officers in those days served us well, on how not to do the job, at least that was the most I learned, apart from a couple of better adjusted masters and mates who tried their best to do the right thing. I was continuously told for 4 years that I would never get a ticket as long as I had a hole in my rectum. I even saw the day when I was telling a couple of them how to do the job, revenge is sweet. Cheers JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

HI John.
Of all the stories I have read about commander Walker RN when in charge of the destroyer flotilla that had so much success against U-boats
he always struck me as a gentleman with his crews. As you say you get nowhere being a bully or a big head and when challenged they mostly back down.
Cheers Des.

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[Ivan Cloherty]

Des, I was never big enough to be a bully, words and a sense of humour and light on my feet got me out of most situations, even with gun toting Africans (sh*t I've brought Africa into it again!) anyway seems I've lost my sense of humour.