seafaring stories

[Keith at Tregenna]

All will commence on CD / DVD, will send a copy for your perusal and final permission - the end product should further raise both awareness and funds for an MN good cause, the least achievable is that we record all for all time, in the hope we further remember them.

Thanks K.

http://hernamewasss.blogspot.com/

[Captain Kong]

Here is a piece I wrote and read it out in St Nicholas Church, near the Pier Head on Merchant Navy Day Sunday in 2009.

MERSEY MEMORIES.
What a wonderful river the Mersey is, it is a conveyor to the seas and oceans of the world. It is a river that has changed so many lives.

Let us not forget, it was from this River Mersey, that those brave men and women, sailed into U-boat Alley, in the Battle of the Atlantic, the Russian Arctic Convoys and Mediterranean convoys, many never to return. Some leaving their bones on the bottom of the ocean, others were buried in some far off land, many suffered extreme hardships in lifeboats. The Ship Owners stopping their wages on the day the ship went down.

It was this same River Mersey that carried me out, as a young Deck Boy, to sail amongst the flying fish, the dolphins, the whales and the odd sea serpent.
From the River Mersey we sailed to those other great rivers, The St. Laurence, to Montreal, the Hudson to New York, a thousand miles up the Amazon to Manaus, the Plate, the Congo, the Whampoa to Shanghai, the Houghly to Calcutta and the Shatt al Arab in the Gulf.

Sailing out of the River Mersey on the old Cunard Liners, the `Franconia` and `Britannic`, gave me a chance to meet many celebrities, from Mary Pickford, Bob Hope, Burt Lancaster and many others
In the Market Diner opposite pier 90 in New York, I sat next to the beautiful Grace Kelly one night, and the next I sat with Cadillac Kate.
Up on Broadway I shook hands with `The Hand That Shook The World`, in Jack Dempsey’s Bar and in the clubs across the road I danced to the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.
The River Mersey took me out to Jamaica on a Fyffe’s banana boat and a meeting with Errol Flynn where we shared a bottle of Rum on his yacht `Zacca`.
I sailed down the River Mersey in 1959 and met Fidel Castro and when I asked him to buy me a drink he told me to "Vamoose" or something like that.

The River Mersey allowed us to go on the worlds biggest pub crawl, From Joe Beefs in Montreal, the Diner in New York, the Scandy Bar in Valparaiso. To May Sullivan’s Bar in Buenos Aires, , then across to Tombo Mary’s in Apapa, Nigeria, down to Del Monaco’s in Cape Town, up to the Anchor Bar in Mombassa, across to Mary Bashems and the Blood House in Sydney and Ma Gleason’s in Auckland.

This River Mersey took me out to see all my girl friends around the world. To Rosita, Paquita and Maria in South America. To my lovely Wahine under the swaying palms in Tahiti. To Maggie in New Zealand where she and her friends sang, `Now is the Hour`, as we sailed out into the Pacific, To Hanako in Moji, Japan, where I had to share a hot bath tub with her Mamasan and Papasan, whilst drinking Sake. To Dedeh in Tanjong Priok in Java, with her colourful sarong and beautiful long black hair. Then there was Mimi in Hong Kong who kept me going in free beer with the dollars she robbed off the American Sailors.

The River Mersey took us out across the Atlantic on the big white `Empress’s, `the Empress of Scotland` and `Empress of France`. We went to Montreal and drank in the `House of Scouse` and saw Joe Finnegan and Tommy Lawless win the singing contests on the Bulova Watch Radio Show.
On the `Empress of France` we hit the iceberg and lost 40 feet of bilge keel.

After sailing down the River Mersey, many jumped ship, to be Waiters and Bartenders in New York, or Lumberjacks in Canada, Sheepherders in New Zealand or Wharfies in Australia.
After 20 years as an Able Seaman, it was on the banks of the Mersey, up on Derby Square, where I sat for my Mates and Masters Certificates, which gave me that wonderful feeling when navigating a 300,000 ton tanker across the oceans of the world.
Now that I have retired after 45 years of seafaring, I stand on the Pier Head and looking out onto the dark waters of the River Mersey, I can see the ghosts of the old ships sailing past, outward bound to a world that no longer exists.
The `Reina Del Pacifico` to Valparaiso, the `Georgic` taking £10 Poms to a new life in Australia, the `Franconia` and `Empress of Scotland` off to New York and Montreal, the Blue Funnel ships to Java, China and Japan. Elder Dempsters, Harrison’s, Ellerman`s and `Maggie` Booths with many others, all have sailed off the face of the earth, never to return. Then I think of the Mersey, what a wonderful River, it gave me all of this and much more. Thank you, River Mersey. Brian,

[Ivan Cloherty]

Thank you Brian.

Seemed we sailed on many parallel courses, my first big introduction to life in the wider world starting in Canada Dock to shouts of "keep her off the knuckle harry", clearing the docks and locks down the Mersey to Point Lynas and thence Cuba and the WC South America,the crew speaking in a strange language (Scouse) that a Yorkshire lad could barely understand what an absolute introduction to life for an open eyed 16 year old. Your piece brought back many a memory and a smile, you were luckier than me in Tolek Ayer, I never got any long dark haired dusky maiden, but did share a hot tub with mamasan in the land of the rising sun, where I met my own little Madame Butterfly.

Keep them coming

Ivan

[Graham Payne]

Hi Brian, I should have done as you did A/B to Master but I was enjoying myself a bit too much, too late now for me but well done. A few mates I had on the " T.S. Indefatigable" did much the same as yourself, once again Well Done.

[Captain Kong]

Thanks for the comments gentlemen,
my younger brother John went to the Indefatigable, he became a Master Mariner then became a Master Brewer, has his own brewery near Liverpool, `Aspinalls Cambrinus Craft Brewery, in Knowlsey
He goes to the `Indie Reunions,` Do you know him??
cheers
Brian.

[Graham Payne]

Hi Brian, I wouldn,t think so, Iv'e only been to one reunion (last year) and unless he was there 61/63 and a close friend ? It was a long time ago.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Graham,
he left the Indie in january 1960. to join the Rakaia, nzsc.
He goes every year to the reunion.
cheers
Brian

[Captain Kong]

A trip on the URMSTON GRANGE IIN 1958

In 1958, I arrived in Rio Quequien in Patagonia on the Houlder boat, `Urmston Grange`.
Just a small town on the river with a few wood shacks, stockyards, an abatoir and one pub with an ugly old bartender.
We had a beer in the pub and asked the barman where was all the life around here. He said the next pub, `Hotel Nova Pompaya` was up the road about 15 kilometers, we didn`t know what a kilometer was but Charlie thought it was less than a mile ,so we didnt have far to go. We got the only taxi in town and after an hour of bouncing on a rough dirt track through the pampas we arrived. It was dark and in the moonlight we could see a couple of small shacks behind a saloon with a hitchin post outside, and a wood side walk. A few horses were hobbled, with their front legs tied, grazing.
A dim glow of an oil lamp showed through the batwing doors. This was the Hotel `Nova Pompaya`.
We walked through the batwing doors into a dim bar room only lit by two oil lamps, a group of gauchos sat around a table. They wore baggy keks made of white canvas, Boots up to their knees, a gun belt and big sombreros, we thought that we had walked onto a John Wayne movie lot. Behind the bar was a very attractive young barmaid , she was serving a gaucho with four thimble sized glasses of Anis,
`What are you having , Men` I asked, `The same but big ones`,.they replied.
The barmaid smiled at me "quatro bottelos Anis y quatro grande vasas por favor mia querida." I said squinting my eyes trying to smile like John Wayne.
The barmaid was amazed and the gauchos got up to look at us , muttering , Mucho loco hombres.
We started on the four bottles of Anis, we`ll show these Gauchos how to drink, they dont call me Alehouse for nothing.
We emptied the four bottles and Charlie ordered another four, on the bar was an old gramophone with a big horn on top. I went to the barmaid and asked what her name was, Theresa, and if she would play a record.
She smiled at me and put on a scratchy old record of a tango, turned the handle and wound it up. I asked her to dance, after a bottle of Anis I was a fantastic dancer, I held her in my arms and swayed to the music and the Anis, I could feel the warmth and contours of her body as I held her close and as we danced she responded and pressed herself against me, I could smell her perfume. It felt good, it had been two weeks since I had held a young lady in my arms and that was Cleopatra in Buenos Aires, I hoped Theresa wasn`t like `her`.
I whispered in her ear that I wanted her , like now. She told me to go outside and wait but not to let the gauchos see me. I went back to Charlie and Martin and told them I was going outside to see Theresa. `I fancied her` said Charlie, "I fancied her as well` said Martin, , "Too late this time I got in first."
I slowly walked to the door and slid outside when the gauchos weren`t looking.

A minute or so later Theresa whispered from the darkness, we met and kissed passionately. `Come`, she said, holding my hand leading me to a small shack, we went in and she lit an oil lamp, it was just a sparse room with a bed a chair and table. We fell into a passionate embrace onto the bed, she was panting with desire,
" Mucho rapido, mucho rapido" she gasped, "Dos minutos". So I mucho rapidoed as fast as I could. Her long finger nails were scratching my back as she screamed and threshed about underneath me, she was fantastico.
Dos Minutos later we were getting dressed breathlessly. " Go" she said and mind the gauchos.
I strolled back into the bar as casually as I could with my legs still trembling.
Then Charly and Martin were shouting " how was it , was she good".?
The gauchos didn`t like it, they knew what was going on, Two minutes later Theresa walked through the back door and a gaucho went to her shouting abuse at her then he belted her across the face , she screamed in pain and a trickle of blood ran down from her lips.
I jumped up and went over and smashed the gaucho in the face with a big iron fist knocking him over his table and knocking the drinks and all his mates on the floor. I stood over him, " You Bastardo, don`t ever do that again".
I was walking back to the lads when there was a hell of a bang and crack and a bullet whistled past my ear and hit the top of the bat wing door splintering the wood and leaving the door swinging.
" Kinnell" I turned around and the gaucho was stood there pointing a revolver at me. The smell of gun powder in the air, Charlyand Martin had disapeared through the door as fast as the bullet, this was not in the script.
I was wetting my knickers, " Take it easy , Hombre, Que pasa, que pasa nada." I said as I was walking backwards towards the door, as I got there I dived through the door as there was another bang and the door frame splintered...
I found Charly and Martin hiding outside in the darkness, fortunately the gauchos didn`t follow us , we stood there trying to figure out what to do, there was no telephone or electricity up there so we couldn`t call a taxi.
We were stranded 15 kilometers from the ship,. "Here`s another fine mess you`ve gotten us into " said Charlie.
Just then Theresa called from the back of the saloon, I went to her, she flung her arms around me and we kissed, I could taste the salt of her tears and blood on her lips. She put a card into my hand, and whispered, " Via con dios , mi amor, hasta la vista." I kissed her again for the last time "Adios mia querida," I said as I slipped the ring , that Magnolia had given me last year when I had been thrown off a train, onto her finger, then she was gone into the darkness.
I stood there choked, if I had transport I would have taken her with me.
I walked back to the lads, " What are we going to do now` said Martin. We were stood by the horses, `Lets take these` I said,
`We can`t ride a horse `Charlie said. `It`s the only chance we have if those gauchos come out we are dead. OK lets go.` we took the ropes off their legs and I climbed aboard one, Martin managed to get onboard his but Charlie dived on his and fell off the other side and landed on his head, he eventually got on and we set off at a swift cantor, with a couple of bottles of Anis down us it was easy and soon we were yeehawing and yahooing as we galloped across the pampas. It was just like the charge of the Light Brigade
We arrived at the jetty and straight up the gangway in single file and onto the after deck , we climbed off and went into the mess room " Kinnell, what a night" we told the other sailors. I pulled the card that Theresa had given me out of my pocket.
It was printed, " Theresa y Diaz y Llanos. Hotel Nova Pompaya, Rio Quequien,
on the back she had written, "Mi Amigo Brian, Pancho, [her name for me,] con simpatico y mucho amor, Su Amigo, Theresa." I still have the card fifty three years later and often look at it and wonder what ever happened to her.
I went to have a shower before turning in and found that I couldn`t take my shirt off, it was stuck to my skin with dried blood, Charlie said " Have you been shot?" “ No it was from the scratches from Theresa when she was in her frenzied passion.
I had to stand under the shower for a long time until I could peel the shirt off my back.
Next morning at 6am the Bosun and the Mate were banging on our cabin doors, " All hands on deck, muy pronto,"
We all staggered out on deck feeling as rough as a badgers bum, Our bodies were wracked with pain from the long horse ride and the effects of the Anis..
When we got there we were surprised to see the afterdeck full of people. There were four gauchos, two Vigilantes, the Captain, Mate, Engineers and stewards and three large horses galloping around.
They were all shouting and gesticulating and when we appeared the gauchos started shouting and pointing at us.
The Captain was trying to get order out of chaos, he said to us " Did you steal these horses last night?" We told him that the gauchos were shooting at us and trying to kill us so we had to take the horses to escape.. Meanwhile the Peggy brought out a large jug of coffee and we had a mug each, next thing we were staggering about as drunk as monkeys, The advantage of drinking Anis that it stays in your stomach and when you have a drink next day it reactivates it again Two drunks for the price of one.
The Vigilantes wanted to arrest us for horse stealing and said there was a death by hanging for horse theft, this wasn`t unusual at that time . In Argentina, around that time about 15000 `Deschemisados` the shirtless ones, had gone missing in Argentina and were later found in mass graves,
At this we were rolling over laughing, then the gauchos said they wanted to shoot us, and when the gauchos tried to get the horses down the gangway we were hysterical laughing at their performance The horses were rearing up on their back legs and neighing, We were saying what kind of horsemen are these, us Sailors could get them up the gangway and they couldn`t get them down. The whole afterdeck was in complete chaos, The Captain who was fluent in Spanish had a word with the Vigilantes and gauchos, he then got the Stewards to go with him amidships and a few minutes later returned with six cases of Grants Standfast whisky. We just happened to have a cargo of Grants Standfast Whisky, There was one each for the Vigilantes and the gauchos. and they went down the gangway happy, The Mate got the sober AB`s to rig the derrick and with some canvas slings they swung the horses over the side and landed them onto the jetty. The Captain told the three of us to turn in and he would see us on the bridge in the morning.
All shore leave was stopped while we were in Rio Quequien.
The following morning Charlie, Martin and me went up on the bridge and met the Captain, He said we would be logged a days pay for being drunk and another days pay for missing a days work. also it would cost us two weeks wages each to pay for the whisky. "What?" we said , thats half a months wages we can`t afford that." "Do you want to make it one months wages?`, He said, `those Vigilantes could have taken you away and that would have been the end of you. I saved your lives not because I wanted to but I didn`t want to be short handed on deck for the rest of the voyage. "

Some times you just can`t win.

1 CARD OFF THERESA` HOTEL NOVA POMPEYA. ....
2 CARD OFF THERESA SAYING SHE HAD FEELINGS FOR ME, PANCHO, con simpatico
3 Charlie, Me, and Martin, on stage in Buenos Aires. he was from Juvenal Street near Athol Street Lapool

[Duke Drennan]

Brilliant, mate, it's stories like this that are never believed by the shore crowd. I was about to ask you to show us a picture of Teresa's card, until I got to the end of your story, glad you included it. Had a few Teresa's in my day, like the rest of us but never got shot at.
I'm currently working in Panama City and there are Teresa's everywhere. I used to think that Rosario had the best I've ever seen but I guess they're all over Latin America.
keep 'em coming Brian.

[Don Rafferty]

3 Charlie, Me, and Martin, on stage in Buenos Aires. he was from Juvenal Street near Athol Street Lapool

I read that and then looked at the thumbnail, and I'm thinking..........how have they got that stage rigged............and then I enlarged the thumbnail