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Thread: Just David Francis/ Cullen

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    Default Just David Francis/ Cullen

    just wondered what I has happened to my old friends, on my last ship was the MV: Island Princess so many years ago. This old lady was decommissioned and it would be interested to find a few of the chaps, who worked as Stateroom Stewards and elsewhere?

    Jan Emerton.
    Alan Rose.
    Simon Gollings.
    Clive Bradley.

    I always wondered if my early life would have been 'if' I hadn't married in 1979, to an American lady. Even today I still yearn " the Green hills of England? I think the COVID=19 virus, has me think of my wonderful days in the Merchant Marine (Navy) and the mistakes I have made in the early days of my life. My ignorance of the 'Outback' of Northern Australia on the Atherton Tablelands, may have caused my demise the two marriages. Its good I have a least a memory of the past, but not so good on what happened a few weeks ago?

    In the late early 70's I had left my ship, because of the clash of personalities with the 2nd Radio Officer at the Captains Cocktail Party. I met some friends in the Northern Territories and got a job, to train as a Junior Surveyor. Back then the roads were still in the World War 2 period and need roads had to be built. I had been training with a large group of immigrants of Italian origin and learned mostly curse words, especially in the hastily built dormitories.

    I was young and it did not matter to me and the chaps I was working with were full of laughter and fun. They could never understand why are didn't drink wine, drink alcohol or even smoke cigars or cigarettes. They put their hands at the table, realizing that I was a strange individual. But we laughed and still had fun, placing non-poisonous insects in shoes or in their bunks.

    It was one a Monday, and we had been transported to a distance road, that had one time a military bridge that was just a one-way system during WW2. I was scouting ahead with the chief surveyor and writing notes. I guess that I wandered off not following the single lane highway. Out here it was a wilderness and you followed the guidelines, about snakes and other creepy crawlies. I remember seeing notices in the Post Office in Cairns of dangerous things, as the 'Funnel Web Spider' and pretty dangerous, as they didn't have a antidote at that time.

    Should have stayed to the road or near the road crew, but I was so amazed at my surroundings and not following the warnings, as I stepped into a type of 'Fire ants nest, and they were stinging me. After that I don't remember much else. That the 'Flying Doctor' who came in and picked my body up. Told later that they didn't think that I would live. I was in a coma for three days at the Cairns Base hospital. Nothing about those days I recall, but finally came around coughing with a tube down my throat and and being filled with fluid, from a plastic bag.

    As I got stronger and the great help from the Doctors, nurses and specialist. Back then it was as you were in the Wild West. That was enough for me, so finally Transporting myself back to Sidney and staying at the 'Flying Angel' I was able to get a job on German Cargo/Passenger ship as "Gisela Venmann" A great ship as Captains Tiger. Made more $ as the ships Store, giving out Pilsner and other beer, traveling around South America picking up rare lumber and conveying it about to Breverharven, Germany.

    Today Saturday May 29th, 2021 as its "Memorial Day" for the US military, and family members who died in World War 2, and American Allies who were their fighting the Nazi.


    As I think of my memories, I think of living in America and miss my sister and her huge family circle and many I have never seen. I am 77 years old and definitely try to contain myself, from flying back to England and the suburbs of Croydon. My nephew is dying from a brain tumor and used to work at Pinewood Film Studios, and was a strong young man working on the 'James Bond' movies.


    I had a number of ladies, that worked in housekeeping, who took an interest in me and think I should have been engaged to one. Even today as divorced, I seek a lady as a companion for the rest of my remaining life. You have to be careful in America, as their a lot of scammers out there and who after your money. I do have one unique thing that I must update because of the momentum of the Internet. It is a Handbook and to let you know, it could make hard working researchers a lot of money. I was lucky to have a degree in 'Paralegal Studies' from a University College in Sherman Oaks, California. But this handbook of over 500 pages (both sides) and covers every commonwealth countries across the world. It will take a few months and Amazon World Wide Publishing has seeking to publish and one other in Pennsylvania. I know a millionaire who made money, using this concept and lives in Wales.
    Last edited by Dave Francis; 29th May 2021 at 05:40 PM.

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    Default Re: Just David Francis/ Cullen

    Hello Dave
    Thanks for the nice Story, and yes many things happen to one in life but all this is just part of the Span i guess!
    A few things that you tell of are very fimiliar to me as well, but then i suppose to many others too.
    But in the end seems that many who had ups and downs are now well settled , thanks the Lord!
    Keep well
    Cheers
    Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website

    R697530

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    Default Re: Just David Francis/ Cullen

    #1. Hi Dave we all have memories of the past be they good or bad. Your mention of Cairns reminds me of my first trip to Cairns in October 1953 and was my first impression of Australia and has always stayed with me. The big thing for me during our 3 week initial stay there were the Sunday trips out to Green Island on the Barrier Reef , there was nothing there then but to me a 16 year old boy conjured up visions of Robinson Crusoe and man Friday.. It took another 38 years to get here permanently in Australia and another life in between , but was well worth the wait. Cheers. jS.
    R575129

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    Default Re: Just David Francis/ Cullen

    This is David Francis/ Cullen again;
    After that incident on the Atherton Tablelands of Northern Australia, at a late3r date of 04/10/ 2006 I was diagnosed with PTSD at age 62. Its full title is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. This medical condition is especially excepted by the specialists, mainly aimed at servicemen, who return from Iraq and Afghanistan. I was prescribed a medication called "Concerta" 54 mg. Daily and "Namenda" 10 Mg. I have been looked up in Bloomington, In hospital for attempted suicide and sealed up in 2 terrible Nursing homes in Torrance and Thousand Oaks, California at the first signs of the Chinese Virus.

    Another possibility that caused this unbalanced brain disorder as a young boy of about 10, I fell of the roof of an Ice Cream manufacturing facility in Rural London. I fell on the crown of my head onto air vent. A policeman took me to the Cottage hospital, where they stitched up my sculp. In Bloomington, Indiana in 2006 after a CAT scan they found small white matter lesions on my brain and perventiricular lesions? Strange that I never had any medical problems on the ships, and when I left the P & O, I had some great references from fleet division, as a exemplar worker?

    I have had a wonderful life, in many aspects.
    Last edited by Dave Francis; 30th May 2021 at 05:27 PM.

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    Default Re: Just David Francis/ Cullen

    https://www.facebook.com/simonpauline.gollings Lives in Bournemouth, he is the only one on the Electoral roll.

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