TS Dolphin Leith

[Mel Barnes]

Hi All

I joined TS Dolphin early 1959 I cant remember when the course actually started (Catering) but I think prob january..I am only certain that I was there Feb 1959 mbecause that was when Buddy Holly died in Plane Crash.

I joined with a friend of mine Steve Netley. At finish of course we were both sent to the British Tanker

"British Aviator" Persian Gulf via Suez then returned south about

Boy was that a long time ago.. (I was 17 I am now 67)I had forgotten the names of some of the instructors until I read them on this forum.

Thanks for bringing back memories long since submerged

I did return a few years later for a second cook and bakers course but really cannot remember exactly when.

How many of you remember going out in the whaler to learn rowing. I didn't mind the rowing but the worst part was when when you had to toss the oars and the freezing cold water come down the oars on to your already numb hands.



MB

[Nigel J]

Hi All and especially Steve Sharratt

Currently I'm involved in the Merchant Navy Memorial Trust which is in the late stages of planning a memorial which includes a reference to the Dolphin.

The website - just online today - is www.merchantnavymemorialtrust.org and has lots of info on Leith, the Dolphin and the trust. I'd be interested to hear your comments.

Nigel

[happy daze john in oz]

G'day mel and welcome to the site. Do you have a list of the ships you sailed on, maybe with some dates as well? If so and you care to list them there is a good chance there will be some who remember you. So sit back with a cold one and enjoy the voyage.

[David Kirke Thomson]

Hello Pardo 61 you mentioned John Sillars in your post,well I know John very well as he was best mate of my older brother through school,& he also went to the Dolphin in 61.John left the merchant after 2 or 3 years & got married at 18 or 19 & had 4 kids very quickly.He became a scaffolder offshore and retired recently.I still see him around the town now & again,I'll tell him I read your post when I next see him as it's always nice to jog the memory about old shipmates.I too was on the Dolphin as deckboy sep to dec 1963 came ashore aug 1967 & got married sep 68,Still hanging in there 42 years in a couple of months,but I still miss the Merchant.All the best Davy Thomson fae Saltcoats.

[Stan Hackett]

Hi Stan here, my b/inlaw was at the dolphin pre sea training inthe early 60,s and his first ship as deck boy was the ben ciucke and his name was george ross,regards stan.

[Archie Linton]

ref post #24

Davy,
Did you get my PM?

[David Kirke Thomson]

Hello pardo 61,Aye I got yoyr P.M.I phoned John's house to let him know I was yalking to you,but he has went back offshore.(peed off lying about or maybe oot fae under the boss's feet)? She said she'll let him know.I'll probably see him this Tuesday as a good friend of both of us has passed away and the funeral is the 3rd of Aug..Not the best place to catch up but I'm sure he'll be glad to hear of the old Dolphin & you.It seem's it's the past that keeps us all going nowadays,Oh to have the chance to start all over again.I for one would behave myself this time. Well maybe,s aye and then again maybe's naw ? Aw the best Archie fae Davy Thomson.EDH.

[lakercapt]

Attended T.S. Dolphin on the cadet course.
Started in January 1952 and remember rowing up and down Old East and West Docks with ice on the water.
Out Rowing when we were told the King had died. February 6th 1952. My birthday so thats why I remember.
Capt Tait was the man in charge and he was noted to walk with a North Sea roll!!.

[Jimmy Scougall]

Hi Steve
I trained on the Dolphin from April-Sept 1972.I still live in Edinburgh, you would not recognise Leith dock area now ,all up market these days.All the old bars have gone,its probably a bit safer to go there at night now,not like the old days.
All the Best Jimmy Scougall

[Morris Porteous]

ref

T.s. Dolphin leith 9.1.62/13.4.62.

Hi Graham. Many coincidences here. I was a catering trainee on the Dlophin. I too won the top marks award and received 10 quid from Ben Line, before travelling to Liverpool to pick up my first job which was also a Shaw Saville ship and went around the world on my first trip to sea visiting Oz and NZ. I was there in 1972. I've been in Sydney since 1979. Just thought I'd share this "revelation."