RMS Caronia 1967 Sterling, World & Med Cruises

[David Tanner]

Hello to all ex seamen/women and their kin.

My first trip to sea was on the Green Goddess (RMS Caronia) out of Southampton bound for the US
via the West Indies (The Sterling Cruise).

I, with another lad from Swansea, caught it by the skin of our teeth, after a night spent on the Queen Mary in dry dock for 3 weeks, it was freezing, no heat, so refused to stay on her.
We were given the Caronia at the last minute providing we could catch her before she sailed.

Once on board I found I would be on day work with six other guys, nicknamed later, The Magnificent Seven.
The best news was 4 of these guys were in the Liverpool training school school at the same time a couple of weeks previous, Mick Mckinnon, Alex Mckennon, Tom and Gerry (really), I can't remember their other names.

We all had a wonderful trip and had some great shipmates, two I must include from Liverpool, Mike Glyn and Mike Parr, the only lads I've been able to meet up with since, that was a truly memorable day, we really had a blast surfing the pubs in Liverpool.

I'll pass on some of the adventures we experienced on the Green Goddess in the future.

My request today is to find if there is anyone else out there who sailed or knows of anyone who sailed on the old lady.

David Tanner

[Captain Kong]

There is a Liverpool lad , I see him every year at the MN Day Service, he is a mate of Kenneth Kenny who is on here, I cannot remember his name. its my age you know.
He was on the Caronia on the wheel, he was QM , when she collided with the Lighthouse in Tokyo Bay. he always shows us the photos of it.
.
I was in GUAM when the Caronia came sailing in on her own, with no one on board,
She was now called the Carib, and was on her way to the scrap yard in Taiwan being towed by a german tug,
The tug had a few problems so cast the Caronia adrift in the Pacific and went into Agana for repairs, the Caronia decided to follow.
A very big swell was running and she lifted up and the bow landed on the break water, she snapped off at the focsle which stayed upright on top of the breakwater and the other three quarters of the ship fell back, capsized and broke in half across the harbour entrance. blocking everyone in.
The Port was used by the US Navy for its actions in Viet Nam and it was about to fall, so the Navy blasted her to pieces and shifted her to keep the port open.
An interesting end to a Magnificent ship. I guess she didn t want to go to Taiwan.
Cheers
Brian.

[Louis the fly]

The famous Seven Shades of Green.

[David Tanner]

Hello Brian,

Thanks for the reply, although I knew of the sad end to the Caronia, I hadn't heard the rest of that.

The two Liverpool lads I mentioned will be really interested to hear that story.

Although I don't remember a Kenny, I'm sure they have mentioned someone of that name.

Kind regards

Dave Tanner

- - - Updated - - -

For the first few days at least!

[Captain Kong]

Hi Dave,
It was a mate of Kenneth Kenny who was on the wheel as Quarter Master., If Kenneth sees this he will tell us his name.
He showed us the photos that he took at the time when I saw him in September.
Cheers
Brian

[John Pruden]

DAVID you may have known fred parks and madge brown they were friends of ours in seaforth they sailed on most cunard ships..jp

[Christopher Hartley]

Sailed on the Green Goddess as Assistant Purser fir one world cruise then transferred to Queen Mary around 1967

[Kenneth Kenny]

Hi Brian,my old dock friend,name his Lenny Dance,great bloke have not seen him lately about six weeks ago,he was in the Caronia for about six years.All The Best.Ken.R634898.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Ken, Thanks for that, its Lenny,
I had forgotten his name, getting old timers I guess.
here he is below with you and my old mate Tommy Miller last year.
Hope he is OK give him my best regards
Cheers Ken.
Brian

[Kenneth Kenny]

Hi Brian,it's that man again,if you go on the Cunard Web Site,and Look up the Caronia World Cruise'd and it tells you all the year's Date's it done the Cruise's.The incerdent about the Lighthouse and the year it happend(month).Ken.R634898.P.S.worked with his late Mate John Connor they alway's sailed together on the Caronia.