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Thread: seafaring stories

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    Default phil crawley R716769

    Nice one, thanks.

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    Thanks for your comments Phil.
    There will be some more soon.
    Cheers Brian

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    EMPRESS OF FRANCE, EX DUCHESS OF BEDFORD.

    She was launched as DUCHESS OF BEDFORD on 24th January1928 at John Browns on the Clyde and was 20,123 tons, one of four sisters, Athol Richmond and York of Canadian Pacific making her maiden voyage to Quebec on 1st June 1928.
    She had an exciting life, she hit an iceberg on 13 July 1933 off Newfoundland without sustaining damage, In June 1939 she rescued 12 French seamen from a barquentine that had sunk from hitting an iceberg off the Newfoundland coast.
    When war broke out in 1939 she was taken over and converted to a troopship, again she was lucky, she was known as `the most bombed ship still afloat`. During her wartime service she carried 179,000servicemen and civilians all over the world. And covered over 400,000 miles.
    She survived when a stick of bombs exploded around her when she was anchored in the Mersey during the May Blitz in 1941
    In Singapore in January 1942 she escaped as the Japs were inside the streets of the City with 850 women and children, She was damaged but made it to Java to land the passengers and escaped more serious damage from another air attack.
    In August 1942 she sank a German U-Boat with her thirty year old six inch gun in the North Atlantic and was reported to have damaged another. Several awards were given for this action.
    She was at the invasion of North Africa, Anzio and Salerno, She was the Headquarters ship at Salerno and survived heavy bombing and credited with shooting down a torpedo bomber.
    She was presented with a plaque by the Russian Navy for repatriating thousands of Russian prisoners in Odessa in 1945
    In 1947 she was returned to her owners and sent to John Browns Yard to be given a refit and to rejoin the Duchess of Richmond which became the Empress of Canada on the Liverpool Quebec service. The other two sisters did not survive the war. She was renamed Empress of India, but at that time India got its independence and so she was renamed again and called EMPRESS OF FRANCE. On 1st September 1948.
    She did well to last 32 years of service until she was sent to the scrap yard in Newport South Wales after she returned from her last trip to Montreal on 7th December 1960. She was a popular ship with the Seamen,


    VOYAGES ON THE EMPRESS OF FRANCE


    I sailed on EMPRESS of FRANCE a few times. The first was on 15 February 1956 as Quartermaster.
    We sailed from Liverpool for St Johns, New Brunswick, up the Bay of Fundy. The St Lawrence was still frozen over so we were unable to go to Montreal. What a depressing place St. Johns was, No bars, it had prohibition, there was one State controlled Liquor Store, but to buy a bottle you had to go to the Police Office and apply for a Liquor permit, where you were investigated and if your history was good then at the Chief of Police`s discretion you would be given a permit. This took a few days so it did not affect us. We had the Pig and Whistle onboard. There was nowhere to go to in St Johns but to `Gars Diner` which was just like a trading store, full of Tartan Lumber Jack shirts, hanging up and thick winter coats and furs and so on, a large coal bogey was in the middle and you could buy a coffee and sit around the bogey. That was the high light of St Johns. It was freezing there the temperature down to around twenty below zero, the roads ashore covered in thick ice.
    St Johns has one of the highest rise and fall of tide around forty feet. So it was an uneventful voyage, we arrived in Liverpool and paid off on the 14th of March.
    Next time I joined the Empress of France was on 10th of October 1958, then we were on the Quebec to Montreal run.
    I liked Montreal, just cross the road was the Liverpool House, known as the House of Scouse, next door was the Seamans Mission where on a Sunday night they had the Bulova Watch Radio Show, We had a few bevies and then sing on the mike and they listeners would phone in with their comments and vote, the winner got a new Bulova Gold Watch. Some like AB Joe Finnegan were very good and he would win every time, but others which I would be one would sing like tortured turkeys, quite funny sometimes.
    Around the corner just off St Lawrence Boulevard was the Cafe Volquelin, or known as the Vokeland Club, It was full of women and dancing all through the night, some of the regular CPR lads got married to some of the girls there. Other good bars around there, all within a few minutes walk from the gangway was the Rodeo Bar, a Country and Western band was always on, Joe Beefs opposite the Cunard berth, and Ma the Greeks.
    While we were there the temperature fell to over thirty below zero and the annual freeze up came a month early, the St Lawrence froze solid, Ice breakers tried hard to get at us and eventually did so and got us out into the River, which was solid ice for nearly 800 miles. About a dozen ships were trapped in Montreal for the duration, until the end of March.
    We got off Quebec and could not go anywhere near the berth, we stayed in the middle of the River so the passengers were transported over the ice to us. While we were there a blizzard started and in an hour nearly four feet of snow was dumped on us, it was incredible to see, We were out on deck all the time. In those days we had no cold or heavy weather gear, I had a towel as a scarf and a blanket over my head with one of those old kapok life jackets that came down to your goolies over the top then lashed down. with hands and feet freezing we had to try to shift the snow and ice off the decks with shovels, a terrible job, the ice breakers continued to crack ice and tow us down River. It took us three days to get to the Gulf of St Lawrence. then we cracked our own ice then as it was a lot thinner until we passed Cape Race. That was a terrible winter. We arrived in Liverpool and three days later we loaded our passengers again at the Landing Stage and set off in December for St Johns, New Brunswick.
    The weather across was diabolical, the worst of the Atlantic Hurricanes, The seas were enormous, the ship was doing somersaults, then the ports in the Sailors accommodation, right up forard, were smashed, lucky no one was killed as the thick glass was like shrapnel, flying around the cabin and penetrating right through the metal lockers. Seas began to pour through and the accommodation was flooded with more and more water cascading in. All hands were up and trying to jam mattresses and timber in the holes there was several feet of water in the focsle, we were soaking in freezing water. The Captain had the ship hove to until we could seal them off. Mean while Paddy, who was nice fella, but had terrible bad nerves was a screaming wreck, he had his life jacket on and went on the bridge and was walking up and down with the Captain talking for a while, He thinking Paddy was a passenger. Then Paddy started talking about the bad conditions in the focsle and the Captain realised that Paddy was a sailor. `Get Below` he screamed at Paddy.
    We eventually sealed all the smashed Ports, the cabins were flooded and all our bunks and gear were wet, there wasn?t a lot anyone could do about it, Our wet gear was taken down to the Landry and the Steam queens dried it in their dryers,
    A day later, the ship still doing somersaults, I was in the crows nest, up mast was like being on the end of a whip. being flung around the nest like a pea in a rattle, the ship healing over to 45 degrees, the there was a tremendous crash over my head, I thought the nest was going to fall to the deck, The yard above had come adrift and crashed on top of the nest before falling to the deck below with wires and halyards flashing past me. I was down the mast before it hit the deck.
    I went through the accommodation and up the spiral stairs to the Bridge, `KInnel Captain ` I said, `did you see that? I was nearly killed then. ` So he said stay here until the end of your watch and we`ll get the Chippy and Bosun to check the nest to see if it`s OK. The nest was found to be OK, nest lookouts continued, The Yard which was made of steel and about a foot in diameter and about twenty five feet in length was lashed on deck where it had landed, it weighed a couple of tons.
    It was moved by the derricks in St John to the rails and lashed there until we got back to Liverpool where it was repaired and hoisted back in position.
    We arrived in St Johns much to our relief, we had no sleep for a few days. It was still freezing there temperature down to around thirty below zero. In the Cabins, the outside bulkhead had frozen, all the moisture from breath and around us was freezing on it and the ice was a couple of inches thick. It was like living in a Fridge. The toilets were always freezing up that was another big problem,
    While we were in St John it was almost Christmas, we were due to sail for Liverpool on the 23rd of December, We had a big Christmas Dinner, we were invited to use the passengers dining room and all the Officers waited on us, I still have the Special Menu, there was also free wine with the dinner and free ale. and a good show was put on later by all the `Queens` dressed up in their fine dresses. So we had a good Christmas before sailing back across the wild Western Ocean.
    We heard on the Canadian Radio, that the crews of the 12 ships that were stranded in Montreal had been invited by the Mayor of Montreal to a big Christmas Dinner in a Hotel in the City. the dinner ended up in a riot as different nationalities fought each other after consuming too much free ale. The Police and Fire Department had to be called and there was a siege with a big battle to get them out. So I guess we were lucky not to have been there.
    We arrived in Liverpool and paid off on the 30th of December 1958.

    I was on the Seamens Strike in July 1960, and when the strike finished in August I had to go in front of a Committee at the Pool and I was suspended, no jobs. I was broke, not a penny to my name, sleeping in the Church doorway on Park Lane, and begging for `sixpence for a cup of tea mate.` `eff off.`
    I walked it home to Bolton once , it took me nearly 20 hours to do the thirty five miles all through the night, I stopped at a building site, with a night watchman?s hut with the old coke brazier outside, he gave me a butty and a mug of tea, then I carried on. I stayed home for a couple of weeks and Dad gave me a few bob for the train fare to Liverpool again. and enough to stay at the Sailors Home for a few nights. There was no Benefit System in those days. If you had been on strike there was nothing.
    Then I was getting desperate, Charlie Rep and Mr Griffiths in the Pool didn?t want to know. I went down to the landing Stage one day, 1st of October 1960, I saw the Empress of France alongside the Stage getting ready for a voyage to Montreal.
    I went to have a look to see if there was anyone I knew. I knew my younger brother, John was on it, he was 16 and a Deck Boy. I thought maybe he has got a sub so he could give me a few pounds. but I never saw him, must have been working.
    I saw a fella stood on the Stage and he had the coloured signing on papers from the Pool in his hand.
    I went to him, `Are you the stand by man` he answered `Yes`. Have you been on it before? ` I asked, `No` said he.
    `I have been on it a few times and she is no good, bad news, the Bosun is a a maniac, goes round battering everyone every day, Martin Quinn, have you heard of him?` the lad said `Yes`. So I said `If I was you I would go and tell the Pool tomorrow they didnt want anyone, you will still get your days pay for it. ` `Good idea, ` he said, `didnt want to sail tonight anyway`. So the lad cleared off. Ten minutes later, Martin`s head appeared at the top of the Gangway, `Any stand By men there`?, he shouted. `Yes me ` `Come aboard, ` he recognised me. `Get down to the Pursers Office and sign on`, I went down there gave the Purser my Discharge Book, `Where are your Pool Papers`, I felt around my pockets, `Dunno ` I grunted. Must have lost them, ` `Never mind just sign the Articles and get ready for sailing`. I signed on and went forard. found a cabin with a spare bunk, six men to a cabin on that one. I had no gear at all just what I stood up in. not even a change of Skiddies or a tooth brush, I had some bits of gear at the Sailors Home but couldnt go back for them as Big Martin was shouting , `Fore and Aft. Stations. At last I had got a job.
    We let go and swung the ship around and sailed down the Mersey bound for Quebec and Montreal.
    I was 8 to 12 watch Look out man, two hours on Lookout and two hours below. In the evening watch 8 to 12 I was lookout from 8pm to 10 pm, all hands were in the Pig at this having a pint so the good thing about having a little brother Deck Boy on board is, "Come `ere lad, to be a good Sailor you have to go aloft and also learn how to do a good look out." So he did my lookout. At 10 pm my Relief was in the Pig saying, "Whos on Lookout"? ``Ar Kid, `" Oh he`ll be OK then." and the lad was up there until midnight every night. He was not amused, only the other day in the Eldonian Club, 50 years later, he was still complaining about it.

    On the Newfoundland Banks one night the was a jolt and the ship healed over for a minute and then back on an even keel again. No one saw anything, nothing on Radar, the lookout and Officers of the watch saw nothing in the darkness.
    When we got into the St Lawrence River to shallower water the ship started to pull over to starboard, so at Father Point, where we put the mail ashore in a tender, we anchored and they got a boat with divers to go down and have a look. They came up and said 40 feet of starboard bilge keel was hanging down and scraping on the river bed. The Derricks at number two hatch were rigged and topped, we sent the runners with slings down and the Divers with cutting gear burned off the bilge keel. We heaved away and landed 40 feet of bilge keel on the foredeck. Amazing. They thought that when we heeled over that night we had hit a small iceberg that was almost level with the sea and it sliced off the keel.
    The bilge keel was about two feet wide and 2 inches thick. Another couple of inches it could have been another TITANIC job.
    We made Montreal after a short stop at Quebec, I got a big sub and went ashore up St Lawrence Boulevard to the shops and bought some gear, a change of skids and tee shirts, thick warm Canadian lumber jack shirts. and shaving gear and tooth brushes and paste. I felt almost human after a shave and a good brush of the teeth and a change of clothes.
    We were in the House of Scouse one night having a bevy, Martin Quinn was sat at another table with the Chippy and a Bosuns Mate. The French Canadian Dockers hated Martin, he had given them a hard time over the years he had been going there, Then Martin went to the Gents, and four Dockers with their hand hooks over their shoulders followed him in. Then there were all kinds of banging, screams and shouts, more banging then silence. Kinnell, Martins been killed, a minute later Martin opened the door and walked out and sat at his table with his mates. and had a beer, the dockers never came out. Hard man, Martin.
    Home ward bound a bedroom steward staggered into the Pig for a bevy, he was plainly knackered, He said he had a cabin with four female Canadian School Teachers in. Every day he had to service each one. If he didn`t they would report him for sexual harassment, He had to spread it out during the day so he could have a breather between each one and get his strength up again. He had loads of volunteers to help out but he said it was only him they wanted. They were on a sex marathon trip. I guess some guys get all the luck. I don`t know if he got a good tip at the end of the voyage when they got off at Liverpool.
    We arrived back in Liverpool and paid off on the 25th of October, Six weeks later Empress of France was finished after 32 years good service. They don`t make ships like that anymore. Sayonara, Adious, and good bye.
    After my leave I went back to the Pool and saw Charlie Rep, `How did you get onto the France`? he said. So I said , "You gave me a job last time I came in, don`t you remember?, "No, OK then here is the MEMPHIS, a Medi boat, six weeks down the Med and back, I couldn`t believe it, I thought he would get me a two year job on a Baron boat So I was back on the Pool again
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Captain Kong; 6th February 2011 at 10:16 PM.

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  5. #14
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    Thumbs up Stories!

    Hi Capt
    Mate they just get better and better!
    Great reading! Keep 'em coming!
    Alway so full of info and details!
    You are indeed a master at Writing!
    Cheers!
    Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website

    R697530

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    Thank you Gentlemen. and there`s more to come.


    By the way, the reason I am not using my real name is because of Security.
    My home town Bolton is there , Now I do a lot of travelling so away from home a lot.
    I have been warned by the Insurance Company that anyone advertising they will be away from home and get robbed they will lose there insurance. A lot of this has happened to a lot of people who use facebook and have been robbed or squatted in,
    So if I had my surname on then it is so easy for a burglar to look into the Telephone Directory and then see my address. So if I say I am going to LA in two weeks then they will be around knocking on the door before I get to the airport, or I will have a Dozen Rumanians squatting in my house when I return. So gentlemen that is a point to consider when you post your full name.Simples.
    PASS THIS INFORMATION ON TO OTHER MEMBERS.
    Last edited by Captain Kong; 6th February 2011 at 10:14 PM.

  7. Thanks Doc Vernon thanked for this post
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    Default Nom-de plume

    Hi Gulliver and Cpt Kong
    Certainly no arguments on your comments here ,and i can fully understand what you are both on about!
    The use of a real name is purely to try and get more to find old Friends,but it is also completely Voluntry!

    If you or whoever wishes to maintain your Nom-de plume Username of course that is AOK with all i am sure!

    Gulliver you are correct in saying that on Joining one has to give full details etc,but that is kept hidden,and only available to the Admin. So as far as that goes you are quite safe!

    If one or more were know in lifes path by a Nom-de plume such as Capt Kong,etc then i am sure that is sufficient info for old Friends to find him or others that way!

    Gulliver my Friend,i know there has been quite a bit of misunderstanding of late on site,but as far as i can see it is well and truly over now!
    So i urge you to just get back to doing what you used to do,and that is post with Zest mate!

    Its a short life,let us all be as one and join in ,as i know for many there isnt too much time left ,this is not meant as a sombre comment,so just lets enjoy life to the full while we still can!
    I know too that there are others out there who look in,and i urge them all too,to plaese just get back to normal!
    We are all ex Seaman,and know we all like a good Banter! So C'On Lads what about it!
    Cheers to you all
    All the best!
    Take care!
    Last edited by Doc Vernon; 7th February 2011 at 09:47 AM.
    Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website

    R697530

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    Thanks for your replies Men.
    It is just that there has been a couple of cases where burglers and squaters have got peoples names off the internet and then the address off the Electoral Roll in the Public Library and the Phone Book have found the home of someone who has gone on vacation. and then moved in. So Insurance Companies are now refusing to pay out.


    Continue yarns...............

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    EMPRESS OF JAPAN /SCOTLAND


    EMPRESS OF JAPAN was
    Built at Fairfields ship builders on the Clyde she was launched on December 17, 1929, she was 26,032 grt, 644 feet in length and a beam of 83.9 feet. She was designed to do 22 knots, and carry 1163 passengers. The Empress of Japan left Liverpool on her maiden voyage June 14 1930 for Quebec and Southampton, on the 12 of July she sailed for Hong Kong via Suez Canal and started her regular service between Vancouver, Yokohama and Hong Kong.
    On her maiden trip Yokohama to Vancouver she made a new speed record for the trans Pacific route, and for nine years no one could touch her. She was the Queen of the Pacific in speed and luxury. She did 58 voyages between Vancouver, Yokohama, Shanghai and Hong Kong before she was taken over by the British government for war service in 1939, She was in Shanghai at the time and was ordered back to Victoria BC to be converted to a troopship. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, Churchill ordered her name to be changed to Empress of Scotland. She gave excellent service throughout the war.
    Empress of Japan began her war duties in December 1939 by travelling across the Pacific to take part in two huge convoys of converted passenger liners which brought Australian and New Zealand troops to the battle zones. In November of 1940, just days after the C.P.R.'s biggest liner, Empress of Britain was sunk off the northwest coast of Ireland, Empress of Japan just barely escaped the same fate when she was attacked by a Luftwaffe Focke-Wulf Condor in the same area. Only the superb seamanship of Captain J.W. Thomas and the Chinese quartermaster, Ho Kan, who was steering the Empress, enabled her to avoid direct hits. And although the Empress's lights went out and she was damaged quite severely, her Chief Engineer, R.H. (Harry) Shaw, and his dedicated men working down below decks in the dark, managed to keep their wounded ship going. At the same time on the deck, which the aircraft raked with machine-gun fire, the ship's Anti-Aircraft gun crew performed magnificently under the talented command of Third Officer John Allan Edwards, who was also the ship's Gunnery Officer. Amazingly, no one was injured in the Condor's attacks and later that day, the British destroyer HMS Windsor arrived and escorted the liner safely to port. Several of the ship's company were publically acknowleged for their outstanding actions during the Focke-Wulf attack: Captain Thomas was awarded the C.B.E. (Commander of the Order of the British Empire); Senior Quartermaster Ho Kan received the B.E.M. (British Empire Medal); Third Officer and Gunnery Officer (later Captain) Edwards was awarded the O.B.E. (Order of the British Empire); and Chief Engineer Shaw was Mentioned in Despatches. In January 1942, after Japan had entered the war, Empress of Japan had another close call -- this time from the Japanese airforce -- on her way to the besieged port of Singapore. Once again Empress of Japan's luck held, unlike her unfortunate companion ship, the slower, coal-burning Empress of Asia which was attacked by Japanese bombers before she could reach the port. Other gallant ships involved in the frantic rescue efforts, met the same fate as the Empress of Asia. But, although Singapore was under nearly constant air attack at the time that Empress of Japan arrived, she managed to get away safely with over 1700 women and children who otherwise would have been imprisoned by the Japanese. As a result of Japan's entry into the war, Empress of Japan's name was changed to Empress of Scotland in mid 1942.
    During the rest of the war, Empress of Scotland often crossed the dangerous North Atlantic. She usually sailed alone, and not with the convoys and their armed escorts, relying instead on her speed and luck to outwit the wolf packs and the Luftwaffe. In addition to ferrying troops across the Atlantic, she also travelled the Pacific and Indian Oceans, making two complete voyages around the world in the last six months of the war.
    Once the war ended, Empress of Scotland continued her trooping duties. Many troopships had been lost during the war, and she was in such demand that the British Admiralty did not release her from duty until May 1948.
    during the war, and she was in such demand that the British Admiralty did not release her from duty until May 1948.
    Following the cessation of hostilities the Empress of Scotland continued trooping, repatriating troops and their families until she was released on 3rd May 1948 at Liverpool . During the years 1939-48, the Empress of Scotland had steamed three times round the world, twice westbound and once eastbound, had sailed five times to South Africa and Singapore , and visited Australia and New Zealand five times. She had called at Canadian and US ports on twelve occasions, eight times to India and post-war twice to Japan . In all the Empress of Scotland had steamed 713,000 miles on war service and had carried 292,000 troops as well as other passengers.
    When released, the Empress of Scotland was the only ‘Empress’ left in the Canadian Pacific fleet. The Empress of Russia had been burnt out at Barrow-in-Furness in 1945 whilst refitting. The Empress of Asia was sunk in 1942 off Singapore by Japanese aircraft. The Empress of Canada had been torpedoed and sunk in the South Atlantic when homeward bound from Durban and the Empress of Britain, completed in 1931, had been set on fire by air attack in October 1940, and subsequently torpedoed whilst under tow. The Empress of Australia remained a troopship until sold to breakers in 1952 and was never returned to Canadian Pacific.
    The Empress of Scotland was sent back to her builders, the Fairfield Yard at Govan for a full refit for the Liverpool – Quebec mail service, and also for winter cruising. After eight years as a troopship, this was a job which took from June 1948 until May 1950.
    The passenger accommodation was completely transformed. No space was now needed for Asiatic steerage passengers and this enabled very great improvements to be made to the crew accommodation. The ship was refitted for 458 first-class passengers and 205 tourist-class. All deck coverings had to be renewed and the promenade deck was ‘glassed-in’ for its whole length, this being more appropriate for typical North Atlantic conditions.
    Externally the Empress of Scotland was repainted with a white hull and yellow funnels, but the previous blue riband of the 1930s was changed to green, and the company’s red and white chequered house flag was painted on all three funnels. The propelling machinery remained the same but was given a complete overhaul and new propellers were fitted. On trials on the Arran Mile after completion of the refit she reached a very creditable 22˝ knots.
    The Empress of Scotland left Liverpool on 9th May 1950 on her first post-war commercial voyage to Quebec , with a call at Greenock . She was the only Empress to make the Scottish call until the advent of the newer ships in the mid 1950s. On her second eastbound crossing she broke the record for the St Lawrence – Clyde passage by seven hours, with a time from the pilot station at Father Point in the Gulf of St Lawrence to the Clyde pilot station off Little Cumbrae of 5 days and 42 minutes at an average speed of 21•03 knots.
    Later in the summer of 1950 the Empress of Scotland bettered these passage times by using the Belle Isle Strait (between the northern tip of Newfoundland and the south of Labrador), rather than sailing south-about Newfoundland via Cape Race . This route cut the distance from 2,728 miles to 2,558 miles, and she sailed from the Clyde Pilot to Father Point in 4 days, 14 hours and 43 minutes at an average speed of 21•3 knots.
    In November 1951, Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh returned from their Canadian tour on the Empress of Scotland.

    The MOWT gave her back to Canadian Pacific in May 1948 and then she rebuilt with accommodation for 708 passengers and on 9 th of May 1950 started her trans Atlantic route from Liverpool to Quebec via Greenock.
    In April 1952 her masts were shortened by 44 feet, to allow her go under the Quebec Bridge and Jaque Cartier Bridge to Montreal. George Britain the Bosun climbed the foremast to see what the clearance was. She stayed on the `Trans At` service with occasional winter cruising out of New York when the St Lawrence River was closed with the ice. And then in November 1957 she was taken out of service and laid up in Belfast, I saw her there looking very abandoned and forlorn, Her white hull was dirty and rust streaked, Her name had been shortened to `Scotland`.
    In January 1958 she was sold the Hamburg - America Line, renamed HANSETIC and rebuilt with on ly two funnels. She was now 30,030 grt. And placed on the Cuxhaven- Havre- Southampton- Cobh, New York Service.
    On 7th of September 1966 she caught fire in New York and badly damaged, she was then towed to Hamburg but she was too far gone to save and so she was scrapped.
    The end of a once beautiful Liner. That served her country well..
    WITH THANKS TO OTHER SITES FOR SOME OF THE INFORMATION


    A voyage on Empress of Scotland.
    I joined this very famous war heroine, Empress of Scotland on 8th of July in 1955, it was my first trip since leaving the dreaded SUEVIC and after the 1955 Seaman’s Strike. I was broke, skint, crabs nada in my pocket. I had been sleeping in the porch of St. James Church on Park Lane. It had a wooden bench so it wasn’t too bad being summer and all. I would climb the gangways of ships in dock and beg a cheese sandwich or something similar off the Cleaning Ladies and get a cup of tea. Not much fun after being on strke with no job and no money.
    I was schooner rigged and I was due for a decent bed and some decent food and some ale money.
    I had never been on a passenger ship before so it was a new experience for me. Mr Repp from the Pool sent me to the ship in Gladstone Dock. I had to see the Bosun, Harry Tonks, who went through my discharge book like a fine tooth comb. I had never seen this before, being vetted by a Bosun wearing a full uniform with a cap and badges. . He looked like a fearsome fella, I certainly did not like him at first sight. But Harry turned out to be a lovely fella, a real good Bosun. At the same time as I was in his cabin his son young Harry Tonks turned up and said `Hi Dad.`, `Kinnell` , was the response.
    Young Harry Tonks had just got a double DR. He had been on the St. Tudno, a day time excursion vessel that took day trippers from Liverpool to Llandudno and Bangor and back, 8 hours. I once did a trip on her when I was 14 with Mother and Dad,
    Harry was the only man ever to get a double DR on the St. Tudno, on an eight hour trip, he had filled in the Mate and threw him over the wall. Luckily he survived so Harry got the sack. They were a good double act during the voyages, quite funny.
    The Empress of Scotland was a good job, we had the best of food, not like the cargo ships where we were always on our pound and pint.
    There was a Pig, a bar, I had never seen one before, usually in the past we just got two cans per day per man or per week perhaps.
    As much ale as you could sup at only 8 old pence a pint for Wrexham Lager. That was thirty pints for only one pound. could not believe it.
    The cabins were rough Six ABs to a cabin, but we didn’t mind , we had a good crowd of comedians. In our cabin was a lad from Sheffield, we told him there was a dance in the Passenger Lounge, at 8pm and we were all invited. so at 8pm he was all tarted up in his best suit. He asked if we were coming but we said no. We all laughed at him as he went. We thought the Master at Arms would throw him out. He didnt come back until around 2 am. He had a great time and got himself a girl friend and that was him fixed up for the trip. We didnt take the mickkey out of him again.
    We took the ship round to the Landing Stage and loaded the Passengers and baggage and the Mails. This gave us time to leg it up to the Pig and Whistle on Chapel Street for a few pints before sailing. And then we sailed up to Greenock the following day. We anchored there and a tender came out and alongside and we loaded some more Passengers and baggage and Mail.
    I was a Lookout man, which I thought was great, instead of working on deck like the cargo ships it was good to be in the crows nest sat there reading a book with the occasional glance through the window to see if there was any ships around.
    What fascinated me was when we got most of the way across the Atlantic during the night watches was watching the Northern Lights, an impressive sight. a splinter of light would shoot up into the sky then zap, spread across the sky like a fan then it was a fantasia and kaleidoscope of lights zapping every where. The greatest free show on earth I was getting paid to watch this show. We had a tranny radio in the Nest and it was great when we were nearing Canada when we started to pick up the Canadian radio stations. We could hear new records we had never heard before in England. Magic.
    Then we went up the St. Lawrence River, what a big river it was. At Father Point a tender came along side as we were still steaming along and we put out a long wooden shoot to the tender and hundreds of bags of mail were thrown down it, The Train was waiting ashore for the mails to get a good start to their destinations. Our first stop was at Quebec, moored under neath the Château de Frontenac, known as chatty front and back. Only there for a few hours then let go and carry on to Montreal. Montreal was a good run ashore, I loved it, bright neon lights every where, not a bit like the dismal sights back home, still suffering from the effects of the war. The shops sold good gear we could not get at home, dungarees, Wranglers, Lee Riders, Tartan lumberjack shirts, Nylons for the girls back home. and so on. Good night clubs, the Volkland, dancing with the girls and closing time not until the early hours. instead of 10pm in Liverpool.
    Good pubs, The Liverpool House, known as the House of Scouse, opposite the CPR berth and Joe Beefs opposite the Cunard berth and Ma the Greeks in between. for a late supper of steak and a quart of milk.
    We had four days in Montreal which included the weekend, On Sunday I went up to Mount Royal, which gave a magnificent view all over the city and St Lawrence and to the Seaway.
    The Empress of Scotland was a good job, we had a good crowd on deck, Joe Finnegan, who now lives in Perth Oz, and Tommy Lawless, now dead, always put on a good show every night in the Pig with their singing and Guitar playing. They had won the Carol Levis show on TV but refused a recording contract because they preferred to go to sea,
    In the Seaman’s Mission in Montreal on a Sunday night they had the Bulova Watch Radio Show, with a singing contest, live on Radio, the winner got a Bulova Watch, Joe Finnegan won every time. over the years he won dozens of watches. I got on singing on the Radio every time singing. "Way across the blue water, lived an old Germans Daughter, on the banks of the old River Rhine. and I swear by the stars above her, I will always love her, she is my pretty Fraulein." and so on. The latest song at the time. I never won. It was always Joe.
    Later after the show they had free bingo, I won that one, the first prize was a SEVEN POUND TIN OF GREENGAGE JAM.
    That tin is still lying on the bottom of the Belle Isle Straits.
    That trip I had my first burial at sea. One of the passengers had died, so watch on deck had to go and get him, we had to sew him up in canvas with some old shackles and iron bars tied to his legs, it was a bit gruesome. but Harry Tonks had given us a bottle of Four Bells Rum, which we drank before the task of sewing him up. We had a board painted white with two handles at each end like a stretcher. we put him on it and carried him down aft to the after mooring deck. and at 6am we stopped engines and the Staff Captain read a service for the burial of the dead, his widow was there with two other passengers, a very solemn occasion.
    Then we tipped the stretcher up and the dead man slid from under the Red Ensign and disappeared into the cold dark waters of the Atlantic.
    We arrived in Liverpool and tied up to the Landing Stage, While the passengers were disembarking we had to soogie the three funnels. At that time the new rating of DHU had started , Deck Hand Uncertified, this was because of the strike. They took on anyone who could stand up with no training at all.
    A lot of them were ex Army. They were not allowed aloft. When I got into my bosuns chair at the top of the funnel I soogied and lowered myself down about ten feet , then unknown to me the DHU on deck made my gantline fast to the rails, then the Bosuns Mate shouted “Fore and Aft Stations”. and every one went I tried to lower myself and was stuck with the gantline being made fast. I was too low to climb up and too high to get down , about thirty feet.
    Meanwhile the ship is let go and then she steams down the Mersey to Gladstone Dock and into the locks and then round to her cargo berth.
    This took over three hours So I was not amused when someone saw me and came to let go the gantline. I chased the DHU around the deck and bounced him up and down.
    The trips were 17 days, with four days in Montreal and three days in Liverpool. so she sailed every three weeks, I think sailing day was every Thursday arriving in Liverpool on a Monday.
    I did two trips on her then paid off and had two weeks at home before joining the battleship `Georgic`. She was a good job but I couldn’t afford to stay on her , we were spending too much on ale and shopping in Montreal, there was no overtime to make it up.
    Last edited by Captain Kong; 7th February 2011 at 01:41 PM.

  11. Likes Doc Vernon liked this post
  12. #19
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    Default phil crawley R716769

    I was in Weehawken in the Changuinola and saw the Hanseatic on fire across the river, but didn't know until today she was the old Empress of Scotland.
    Phil Crawley.
    Last edited by Phil Crawley; 7th February 2011 at 02:24 PM.

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    Hi Phil,
    The Hanseatic ex Empress of Scotland burned on Pier 84 in New York on 7 September 1966 and then scrapped after only 8 years service.
    Here she is but with only two funnels.
    Last edited by Captain Kong; 7th February 2011 at 06:51 PM.

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