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16th March 2024, 02:02 PM
#271
Re: Where were you on your 21st Birthday?
Leith nautical college 1977. Bit of a messy night. Fire fighting course the next day regretting every one of the previous night’s drinks
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17th March 2024, 12:20 AM
#272
Re: Where were you on your 21st Birthday?
#270 Ropey Ropners ?. If you spent some time there did you hear the story that went round not too long after the war especially around the Tyne area. ? A consortium of 5 NE shipowners including Ropners, Chapmans , Runcimans and Dalglieshes not too sure about the other one. Were appointed by the MOWT to build vessels at Blyth for the war effort. The story had it that some of the money involved was misused for building houses instead . Dalgliesh took the rap and received a nominal gaol sentence 12 weeks or something . The story also went on that Dalgliesh was after a knighthood by his investments in Port Churchill , this however was never going to happen as he had a criminal record. I worked for Dalgliesh for about 3 years so heard the story true or false there. They were marred by misfortune as believe some of the younger members of the family died at an early age, I met them quite often on their ship visits , but think they suffered from mental mis health. JS
Last edited by j.sabourn; 17th March 2024 at 12:21 AM.
R575129
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17th March 2024, 01:25 AM
#273
Re: Where were you on your 21st Birthday?
Mine was in 1963 too, on PSNC's Tanker 'William Wheelwright' at Port Said. South bound for Mina awaiting the midnight convoy. I was 4th.Mate keeping the 8 - 12 and had the enviable job of overseeing the canal mooring boats on board plus their boat men. I remember George the cook made me a nice birthday cake. He was the cook on my first ship the Flamenco in 1958. We a few drinks and tea/dinner in the deck office where Captain Lang joined us and an enjoyable time was had by all. Osman the bum boat man from Osman Osman and Abraham & Son presented me with the full Arab Regalia as a birthday present. Some months later this regalia on certain days became Rigg du jour with some deck and engineer officers, plus the radio officer too. We put it down to Tankeritus!
Have enjoyed very much reading the posts on this topic some of places and times mentioned brought back similar memories, especially of swimming in Caracas bay of a night having been pre warned about the hole in the shark net. The real scary thing was when someone swam under water and grabbed me by the ********......
Great days indeed.
Steve
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17th March 2024, 02:07 AM
#274
Re: Where were you on your 21st Birthday?
Mike what year was you on the Mataroa? I was QM on her in 1952 and spent Christmas 1952 in Auckland. Pure Heaven. That decided me to migrate to NZ. Cheers, Eric Bennett R415805
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17th March 2024, 09:05 PM
#275
Re: Where were you on your 21st Birthday?
Spent mine in a monsoon ditch near Sembawang dry dock Singapore. Been out for a few beers and decided to take a short cut back to the ship. Got down into the ditch, (it was dry at the time), too pissed to climb out. Woke up when the sun came up.
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17th March 2024, 10:22 PM
#276
Re: Where were you on your 21st Birthday?
I was rowing a lifeboat in mid Atlantic having reacted to the emergency 6 short and 1 long on the ships horn , on the Cunard ear scythia , to rescue a passenger who had decided to end it all fortunately we recovered him , 18/july 1957
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18th March 2024, 12:12 AM
#277
Re: Where were you on your 21st Birthday?
Hi Eric.
Was you in the Auckland Vindi Association? I remember talking to a bloke from Red Beach about thier meeting I was living in Whangarei at the time.
Des
R510868
Lest We Forget
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24th March 2024, 10:33 PM
#278
Re: Where were you on your 21st Birthday?
21st birthday at anchor in Fiji. Had been a naughty boy so was confined to the ship. Stupid boy that I was, swam ashore and got totally ratted with a bunch of Kiwis.
Some of us never learn!!
Thank the Lord.
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