Christmas Folly

[Roger Dyer]

Once again that time is upon us, the annual capitulation to a religion of profligacy when we allow commercial, economic, madness to take control of our lives, a period to which Christmas lends it's name. Whether we view this 'spendathon' as an acceptable part of the celebration of Christ's birth or , more simply, an excuse to exchange gifts and experience the loving 'glow' and security of being in the company of those we love, our family and friends. It is with that in mind I pose the following question......Did any of our sea-going members ever undergo the emotion that presents itself when sailing from Britain on Christmas Eve?

My own experience of this occurred in 1959. On December 21st, lured by the assurances given by a pedlar of falsehood (or 'Federation fibber') at Dock Street Pool, I signed on U.B.C's 'Baltic Clipper'. With practised ease this merchant of misinformation told me it was unlikely the 'Clipper' would sail before the New Year and certainly not before Christmas. It was a proposition that older, wiser, seamen would have avoided like the plague, but seeking to spend Christmas with my family, I fell for his glib-tongued dishonesty with barely concealed glee (Oh! how he must have cherished the memory as he force-fed himself on Christmas Day turkey....the fat ba---rd). So it was that in the early afternoon of Christmas Eve we left Surrey Docks and travelled down-river to Ford's at Dagenham where we were to top-up our general cargo with motor vehicles bound for Finland. I drew little comfort from the hang-dog look on the faces of my shipmates who, like me, had also been 'conned' by the off-hand promises given by men so highly skilled in the art of deception.

At Dagenham, we tied-up with little enthusiasm, the chill mid-afternoon murk seemed a fitting scenario for we hapless victims of Machiavellian bastardry. However, it was shortly after our arrival that our hopes were raised by the assurances (that bl--dy word again) of the tally-clerks who said the 'Clipper' could never, ever be finished in time. With renewed joy I calculated that I could make it home in little more than an hour. The news spread like wildfire. Another hour passed and just as I was having thoughts of a quick shower and escape, we learned we were merely collateral damage from a plot conceived by the dockers to induce greater offers of filthy lucre from the concerned management of Ford's and U.B.C. and thereby acheive the impossible and ensure the ship's departure on that date. In short, we had once more fallen victim to the shallow greed of fellow working-men.....the bl--dy BA---RDS !!! I was gutted. Later that day, at 9pm., my animosity towards the dockers was not eased by the light-hearted greetings of "Merry Christmas" cast our way as they tripped (as in danced) down the gangway bound for the warmth of the nearest pub. Now, bereft of all hope, we turned to the task at hand and made her ready for sea.

Shortly, before 10pm, I was on the helm as we let go fore 'n' aft and eased our way down-river, past dimly lit, silent wharves, and others with all manner of vessels lying alongside, their crews, perhaps, already started on the four days of jollification that lay ahead. For them, not for us...... for tomorrow, a Friday and Christmas Day would find us bouncing our way across the North Sea.... Happy Christmas indeed !!!

I would be happy to hear from any fellow shipmates with similar experience (or for Scots and Geordies, the unwanted departure of sailing on New Years Eve.


.........Roger

[Stan Carter]

Gosh roger, you wield a mighty pen, good reading.
regards, stan

[John Arton]

Roger
Before I moved onto tankers I can only recall one time being in port over Christmas and that was in Santos where we definitely had Christmas day and boxing day with no work. For some strange and unknown reason we decided that we would spend Christmas day in fancy dress...yes we were that daft.
After a very full Christmas dinner with ample liquid refreshment and having served Christmas dinner to the very bemused Filipino crew (the captain was dressed as a pirate, one wife as a member of the Magic Roundabout, various Hitlers, Red Indians etc.) it was decided that we should all spread a bit of Christmas cheer to other ships in port. Directly ahead of us was a beautiful Swedish Johnson line general cargo ship so this was our first port of call. We all congaed up its gangway and found there very plush lounge (it had been fitted to carry 12 passengers) and burst in with ho-ho's merry Christmas ringing out. Imagine the Swedish Officers surprise at suddenly being invaded by a bunch of Englanders dressed in an assortment of gear. They had finished their meal and were well into the booze and were just about to kick off in a humungous dust up. Our entrance called a halt to their fisticuffs and a re-opening of some fearsome Swedish spirits which made a drunken crowd even worse for wear. The Swedes buried their hatchet amongst them selves and proceeded to join us in Christmas revelry. They too fell in with the idea of spreading Christmas greetings to other ships in port so both ships complement set off to spread more joy amongst the other ships on the berth.
unfortunately the Brazilian dock police took a dim view of hordes of drunken seafarers dressed in the most peculiar clothing, wandering their docks and marched us all back to our ships at gun point, obviously the Christmas cheer had not reached them...spoilsports.
On tankers we either got thrown off the berth before Christmas or ended up working Christmas day. Even Shell Stanlow worked Christmas day, the best you could hope for was a half shift stoppage at shift change over time so you could at least get your dinner in peace but no booze booo-hooo.
Got a couple of emergency calls where I had to re-join on Boxing day (was on 1/1 by this time and had alternate Christmas at home). One was where my opposite number had to get home in an emergency as his wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer on Christmas eve, the other was when again when my opposite number (another Swede) had been found wandering up and down Saltend jetty high as a kite on cannabis and on joining found that my cabin had literally been torn apart by the drugs squad searching for more drugs.
Not a happy day.
rgds
JA

[cappy]

have got in my discharge book sighned on dec 25 1960 mv Aldersgate Newport ........bet lou would have been very happy to sail or sighn on at xmas......at least once or more ......regards cappy

[cappy]

#1 did you get your turkey and duff

[Stan Carter]

I joined the mv greenwich in rotterdam, during the second week in december 55. crossing the atlantic in ballast heading for port sulpher, just below new orleans. can remember christmas day, sitting with my cabin mate, on the bunk, wedged between the bulkhead and railings, with a couple of cans. the ship was rolling like a ba....d. thought we had the world by the tail, great times
stan.

[Captain Kong]

Christmas 1955,
We had paid off the white star Liner `Georgic`the day before Christmas Eve, after taking her to the breakers in the Clyde. We all went into Tom Halls pub just behind the Cunard Building, only feet from the door to the Crew Dept.
We were all well away, throwing pints down like dolly mixtures.
Late afternoon some one ran in shouting ,"The Media wants a crowd," Someone shouted "She`s a good job"
Then everyone jumped up and ran into the Cunard Building and the next thing I knew I had signed on as a QM and we were sailing the following morning bound for New York.
The only time I have ever paid off a ship and signed on another ship the same day.
We did somersaults all the way across the Western Ocean, never seen seas so big before or since, Christmas was a no no. the Pig was empty, pints of ale would have fallen over with the bouncing.
We got to New York in time for New Years Eve and got up to Broadway and Times Square just in time. I was kissed by Big ones, small one, thin ones , Fat ones and some of doubtful gendre, Ugh , Spit.
But we made up for the loss of Christmas. NY is a great place for New Year.
Cheers
Brian

[vic mcclymont]

Similar thing happened to me, no it wasn't christmas.
We arrived in Cape Town July 1972 and commenced to load fruit, the space between the boxes were double the normal size, indicating that we would be used as as store ship, in all probability ending up at anchor off Southend.
We sailed heading for Soton, strangely there was no radio communications changing our destination, which was normal in the fruit season.
We arrived Soton, to be met with the Super, we were all informed to leave our deep sea gear as we would be returning to the ship and taking her to a layup in the Blackwater as there was no work for.
Went on leave, told the old lady if the company calls take a number, and will get back to them.
Phone rings one morning on the second week of the leave, 'll get him for you.
Someone from personnel called, can I join the ship the follow day (was a Wednesday), don't hurry as long as you get there. This was an unusual call as I hade never ever spoken to anyone from B&C personnel.
Anyway arrives Soton, boards the ship, all the idle shore crew are watching the Olympics, what you doing here? We are sailing for layup to the Blackwater. Your f
****** joking, you have been had, the engines in bits. Sure enough the engine was in bits.
I was beginning to wonder if I had been had when the J2 and the 3/E arrived with the same story.
Next day the mate announces we are sailing Friday, for the continent, he was told to go forth and multiply.
As the boiler was also out of commission he also informed us that there were plans to sail with a boiler on deck.
As it happened the Clan Ross took our place, we eventually sailed, for Zebrugge Amsterdam and Rotterdam and Buenos Aires.
During the voyage (which we were all miffed about, as we thought we were having a long leave) the chief asked me something and I replied that i had been Shanghied.
He asked what I meant, I explained, his reply was that he knew that this voyage was under review before we returned to the UK.
So the Superintendant, Personnel knew every b'd knew but the mugs on the ship.
We returned to the UK and were offered the option of leave or sailing south for christmas and new year. We took the south option.
S don't trust personnel, they lie through there back teeth.

[Keith Moody]

FIRST TRIP AFTER STANDING -BY ON THE nzsco RMS RUAHINE, left the royals at around 5pm on the 24 dec. 1955 bound for new zealand. we served dinner then out into the channel, rough, then into the Bay of Biscauy where the winter storms were blowing, the ship was just a rolling from side to side and corkscrewing and this continued for the next 4 days, only cold meals served and cold drinks to those passengers that felt good enough to visit the saloon, the captain said it was the worst storm he had seen in 40 years at sea, it was a good job that the toilets were just outside the saloon doors, people were thowing up everywhere, the ship smelled for days after that as although the weather subsided somewhat , the ship was still closed uo tight.
no celebrations durring this period at all.
even in a calm sea the Ruahine would roll from side to side, so you can imagine what it did in a storm.
after this i was never sick on any ship again, but sometimes durring that storm i wished that i could have died.
keith moody
R635978

[Stan Carter]

capt kong. while you kicking your heels up in times square, new years 1955, we were doing the same on basin st, new orleans, we thought that was the best place too.
stan