Transvaal Castle/ S.A.Vaal

[Peter Dougla Japp]

The passenger that went over the side was a Bill Honeywill who we found after 11 1/2 hrs in the sea. he was spotted approx 30 yards off the original course and the S.A. Vaal Captain at the time was Alan Freer, W. Deacon was the 1st engineer and I was the engine mechanic on the rescue boat.

Soz for the late reply
PJ

[Peter Dougla Japp]

The passengers name was William Honeywill, the Captain was Alan Freer, I was the mechanic on the engine of the rescue boat. 1st engineer was W. Deacon, Engine room leading hand was Robert (bob) Cutler

[Humphreys Cahrles]

spent 3 years on this ship, any other crew remember her?

i was on the sa.vaal early seventies , rating toast boy yea made toast all day sad eh!
Stewardess went overboard on that trip im sure????? girl from liverpool.( DEFO GIRL CREW MEMBER LOST AT SEA DURING THE 70S I REMEMBER READING IT AS WELL WHEN WE GOT TO CAPE TOWN I WAS ON ANOTHER UNION CASTLE BOAT BUT CANT REMEMBER WHICH ONE
Frankie howard done show on that trip then come down into the pig and whistle to do one for the crew .only done the one trip was a boy.
Vaal was known as queen of the seas i beleive.
Thinl we were 8 to a cabin

[Gulliver]

I was on the sa.vaal early seventies , rating toast boy yea made toast all day sad eh!

Hi Charles.Do you know I’ve learned more about the MN on this site,than I ever did in 20 years, at sea,especially since I was not a passenger ship man,and therefore didn’t really know what all their many ranks or ratings were.
‘Toast Boy’…how demeaning is that?…not an official rating surely !.
Don’t get me wrong,I’m not scorning it ,I’m just amazed and saddened that someone who goes to sea had the job of doing that all day. It just shows you that passenger ships were down by the head with catering/hotel staff,in those days; no-one must have heard of multitasking,let alone practised it.
I wonder if even the Captain knew he had a ‘Toast Boy’ signed on his vessel.?

It must have been awful for you to be asked what did you do at sea., and give the reply “ I made toast all day “.
Please don’t think I’m snobbish (I’m not),but…. Toast Boy ?
Yes I know you were probably officially signed on as eighth junior galley boy or something ..but to just…….make toast?
No wonder the rot set in for the over staffed catering crews of passenger liners in the sixties..
As you can tell I’m a bit gob-smacked !
　
　
(And I bet you just hate the sight of toast now…. don‘t you?...go on,admit it,you do.

All the Best
Gulliver
P.S. Just thought I’d attach the following You Tube Video…..it’s taken on a whole new meaning for me now !
VIDEO - TOAST
　
　
　

[Humphreys Cahrles]

Hi Gulliver
video is a classic made me laugh and I remember it now.
Well I actually love toast beleive or not. And the toast boy story actually has done the rounds (no pun intended).
So now you can add to the knowledge youve already gathered from this site.
so heres my day
pre breakfast
1. get all unsliced bread from bakers(it was all made on board) slice on bacon slicer breakfast toast size and tray up.
2. as breakfast started fill up all rotating toasters about six altogether as the toast came off cooked the stewards would slice and put into toast racks to take to dining tables. continiue till breakfast finished mabey three hours or so.
3. clean al equipment ready for the afternoon.
4. liunch rest and recreation.
5. return tea time (dinner) and start all over again no not breakfast toast MELBA TOAST for the evning meal.
6. clean all equipment ready for the next morning.
7.r+r down to the bar for some refreshments
So there you have it ha ha .its so funny when I think about now

[Gulliver]

Hi Charlie.Thanks for your reply. Reading about others' working day aboard 'is always interesting.At sea sometimes we only have a rough idea of what our shipmates do,so to 'jobshare' like that is always enlightening.

Glad you like the video,yes corny,but hilarious..a bit of a change from the usual records in 1972. Paul Young of course went solo a few years later. The hairstyles are what most of us had !

Have to go for my tea now,Yep ! Beans.....on Toast !

Cheers !
Gulliver

[happy daze john in oz]

Sounds Charles as if you were an assitant pantry. Did similar on the Pretoria, an older ship but with an automatic bread sliceron board. All our bread came from the bakery ready sliced. Went aboard the Transvaal on her maiden voyage while in Cape Town to see a mate I had sailed with on the Windsor. He was a winger and all their accomodation was either two or four berth, no sing on an eight there.

[Red Lead Ted]

The person that went over the wall Nigel.

The guy who went over the wall was a fellow deck worker of mine aboard the m.v. Harp a small container boat it happened after we docked in Jeddah after a few weeks at sea this guy who we named trebor he was that bloody minty.Was hurled over the side by 3 of us. He soon took to the showers.....

[Andy Wright]

i was captain wilsons table steward at this time, he was a really nice man always had nice people on his table.

andy

[bobbywest]

was on the vaal for a few trips,remember when the guy went overboard,was on the night gang when it happend,worked with little paddy from wexford,anyone remember him?.