mv coptic john noon

[john noon]

hi just joined
anybody do any trips on the coptic I was on her for her last trip to nz before she went to be scrapped think it was in 64/65 the captain was captain jones all the crew from liverpool and very young you can imagine the carry on good lads though ship was falling to bits broke down off the australian coast

[colin twine]

yes i was on that rust bucket29-11-63till3-5-64 deck boy had a great time cheers clancy

[Doc Vernon]

Hi John Noon
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


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[john noon]

hi clancy
yes you are right she was a rust bucket hot as hell in the tropics went through the red sea christmas day stinking --the lads eating on the hatch ordered back into the mess by captain jones he was funny like that dont think the lads were laughing though its a wonder she made it to new zealand and back

[John Clark]

Hi
as a deck apprentice I did 3 trips on her. We were so busy complining about the ship, we had less time to moan about each other. I have posted some pictures on the shipsnostalgia website and am plaqnning a model
John

[bill arnold]

Hi there, My husbnd was on the coptic on her last voyage, his name is Bill Arnold, did you know him?

[Roger Phillips]

Hi,
I am not sure if it was the last voyage of the Coptic while she was still under Shaw Saville, (my memory is terrible after brain surgery) I seem to recall that we signed on in K.G.V. went out through Panama and across the south pacific via Tonga and Fiji then on to New Zealand. I was an officers steward or might have been an engineers steward.I know that we were loaded almost entirely with apples because my girlfriend followed the progress of the ship by shipping reports in the Liverpool Echo!!I beieve we came home through the Suez but I am not sure if some of these details might be a mixture of two different Shaw Saville ships the other being the Arabic. I do know that she broke down on several occasions crossing the Pacific. After signing off I did one more trip round the land on the adelaide Star before coming ashore for a few years after getting married to afore mentioned girlfreind.
I don,t remember much that has gone on in my life over the last ten years but I have some good memories of my time in the merchant navy.
I haven,t looked around the site yet but I hope there are some references to the" Vindicatrix"
Thanks for stirring the memories.
Roger

[David Atkinson]

Whilst perhaps not as nautical as some, although I did sign for a voyage on Southern Cross, I was shore based SS&A.

Part of my job description was reporting and clearing of the vessels following their London arrival and departure.

In connection with the MV Coptic, I was possibly the last 'Office based' worker, apart from dock staff, to attend the Coptic prior to her departure for the ship breakers from either KG V or the Royal Albert Dock to, I seem to recall, Antwerp.

The Master's name was Captain E E Snaith, and I know that I had to check all confidential books, triptique and weighted bag etc., as well as handing over the ships register with Capt. Snaith duly appointed as her sailing master.

My recollection was of a ship that still had it's decor in the past with a great deal of brasswork and fittings in the bridge area. I believe that latterly in her life she was fitted with new Mirrlees engines.

David A

[Tony Whitty]

re the queens visit to australia, I see her 1954 visit "was on the royal yacht ss coptic" !!! I was on deck on the trip October 1952 to 22 march 1953. was this the last trip before the queens ???

I was a vindiboy march 1947.

[Neil Morton]

I was always convinced that the Queens 1954 visit to Australasia was on the S.S."Gothic" I seem to remember a plaque in the very fancy, timber clad passenger flat beneath the magnificent twin companion ways to the main passenger accomm.1958 is a fair while ago so I could be mistaken.