Blue Funnels Ajax

[Lewis McColl]

Scouse humour or it may have even been a Dutchman.
Anyway I am on the Blue funnel page on FB. There are most likely some of the lads on there are here as well. I asked the question the other day about a story I had heard about the AJAX.
As Blue Funnel ships as a rule were always registered in Liverpool. As those who may follow football may know Liverpool has two great football teams
Liverpool & Liverpool reserves(ouch) Many years ago Liverpool played the Dutch club Ajax in a European cup game or may have been what is now the Europa league.
The story was that some one obviously not a Liverpool supporter painted on the stern the score from the match

AJAX 5
LIVERPOOL 1
To be honest I thought it was just an old yarn. Not so it actually did happen.26168200_10214992759110304_4915416918025465128_n.jpg.I bet that did not stay up there long. Someone reckons it was a crew member from the Bluey Adrastus Dutch flagged NSMO.

[j.sabourn]

Lewis am I correct in saying that Blue Funnel were the only British Company not to carry cadets or apprentices, nothing so menial as that, they were referred To as midshipmen. Probably another reason they were known as the Welsh Navy. I knew at least 2 that started as such in 1952. JWS

[Keith at Tregenna]

Possibly of interest:

Via: Rhiw.com

Blue Funnel Line, Collection, Home Page. Rhiw.com

Keith.

[Doc Vernon]

Now isn't that something Lew
Who would of thought that a Yarn like that was actually true!
Now there is something for Blue Flu LOL
cHEERS

[robpage]

It makes you wonder about some of these rumours and anecdotes that you've heard over the years I was always told the story that one of the British and Commonwealth cadet training units wear alongside in an East African Port and then managed to get aboad a British India ship and change one side of the funnel from two white bands to two red . I heard the story from lots of different people never first-hand and always they heard it from somewhere else after reading that blue flu of Lewis makes you wonder did it happen

[corrientes]

It makes you wonder about some of these rumours and anecdotes that you've heard over the years I was always told the story that one of the British and Commonwealth cadet training units wear alongside in an East African Port and then managed to get aboad a British India ship and change one side of the funnel from two white bands to two red . I heard the story from lots of different people never first-hand and always they heard it from somewhere else after reading that blue flu of Lewis makes you wonder did it happen

Indeed!! As with another that was "put about" years ago. Two vessels lying together in Capetown. One morning the crew of one-a Houlders ship, awoke to find some inebriated crew had painted in Lavender paint "Rustenberg Castle" in large letters along the side. It goes without saying that 24 hours later, the Rustenberg Castle gentlemen surfaced to find the side of their pristine lavender ship adorned with the large black letters "Rippingham Grange". I expect both C/O's had a few choice words with their respective bosuns.

[Ivan Cloherty]

The things you could get away with in the 50's you wouldn't stand a chance today of repeating, mores the pity. Remember once in Callao when a big Grace Line (USA) was in port moored astern of us. The Yanks used to at sunset bring their flags down and then raise them again in balls ready for breakout next morning, including their ensign, which is strictly taboo. A couple of us snuck aboard that night, lowered the house flag, attached panties and bras courtesy of the bar girls to the tail, reballed and sent aloft, took the ensign down, turned it upside down, reballed it and hoisted back up again. At 0800 next morning at the breaking out, passengers on deck and our crowd watching their were many on the Grace ship running round like headless chickens and jeering from many ships whilst flags were hastily brought down and corrected. At £6 per month and no overtime you had to create your own fun

[cappy]

'enjoyd that one ivan .....good fun indeed and having a crack at uncle sam of cause always a winner

[Ivan Cloherty]

'enjoyd that one ivan .....good fun indeed and having a crack at uncle sam of cause always a winner

Wasn't a case of having a crack at Uncle Sam, but when Yankee flagged ships were in port, the prices of all commodities in the bars went up, not that it affected me personally too much, looking about 12 when I was 16, I always got breast fed for nothing, and a lot of girls liked cherry picking!

[john walker]

I was told of a B. P. tanker at one time called the British Workman. When a disgruntled pair of seamen who were painting the a*se end changed the name from Workman to Workhouse?? It is probably not true but I think those sort of yarns show the wit of British Seafarers .