My Nostalgia

[Hawkey01]

I don't know if anyone else is like me and seems to have an amount of old papers kept from way back. I had intended to start this thread before but thought I was probably on my own and no one else would have these sort of items. I have also over the years acquired a lot of my old letters sent to my parents from my sea time. Mother used to like to squirrel away these from myself and my brother. So maybe some extracts from those might be forthcoming. Nothing salacious in those masterpieces!
Time for some of you other members to dig around and see what you have.
Attaching two from NZ shipping which were enclosed when I applied to join them at one time. Also the two from the DWS which I joined in the mid 60's for a couple of years. Being young and impulsive resigned and went back to sea.

Neville

[Dartskipper]

Good idea Neville. I have some old documents myself, but there are quite a collection of my Dad's papers from WWII that he accumulated. Once I have settled in to my new abode I shall start scanning and posting!

Regards.

[Hawkey01]

That will be excellent. Need to get members a bit more active with posts. Maybe we can jog some memories!

Neville

[lakercapt]

I too have accumulated many pieces of paper about my time on ships and looking through them recently wondered why I kept them and would anyone be interested in them. As an example, the DEMS certificates and the old testimonials required from Master for your certificates stating you were sober and reliable. Old pay slips showing how much you earned and the deductions etc (for postage!). Guess when I go they will be relegated to the garbage bin. My sextant has been given to my eldest grandson and the coins I collected over the ages to my other grandson. Many of these from countries no longer in existence and some when under colonial rule. Maybe some will be valuable one day !!!

[BobClay]

I may have already posted this elsewhere but here's my Liberian ticket I was told I required for a freelance job in the 70's. Cost $20 which Denholm paid and only good for five years.

Nice little earner for somebody in Monrovia.

[john Cassels]

Originally Posted by BobClay

I may have already posted this elsewhere but here's my Liberian ticket I was told I required for a freelance job in the 70's. Cost $20 which Denholm paid and only good for five years.

Nice little earner for somebody in Monrovia.

Denholms also paid for my Liberian masters cert.for joining thye Burmah Legacy.

[Y0ungN1ck]

I have a complete collection of BoT seagoing references, Discharge Books, master and mates certificates, medals, commendations and other incidental ephemera for both my grandfather, at sea from 1898 to 1940, and my father, at sea from 1932 to 1946. I have tried to make them into some sort of archive.

[Wismajorvik]

Originally Posted by Hawkey01

I don't know if anyone else is like me and seems to have an amount of old papers kept from way back. I had intended to start this thread before but thought I was probably on my own and no one else would have these sort of items. I have also over the years acquired a lot of my old letters sent to my parents from my sea time. Mother used to like to squirrel away these from myself and my brother. So maybe some extracts from those might be forthcoming. Nothing salacious in those masterpieces!
Time for some of you other members to dig around and see what you have.
Attaching two from NZ shipping which were enclosed when I applied to join them at one time. Also the two from the DWS which I joined in the mid 60's for a couple of years. Being young and impulsive resigned and went back to sea.

Neville

Those DWS papers bring back memories! Many married foreign wives although I do recollect that you had to submit your resignation along with request to marry.

[Hawkey01]

Regarding the DWS - when I decided to go back to sea I had been having conversations with one of my fellow colleagues. He was married to a Greek lady. I cannot remember for sure but it was through her that I ended up going foreign flag with NJ Goulandris, some family connection. The company was A1 and it was not because of them that I cut short my contract. It was during the time when Suez was closed and as we remember trips to the Gulf via the Cape. Our destination was the wonderful DasIsland. Not a lot there! Did manage to get off the ship for a short time - a walk down the jetty. The Pilot had arranged for me to visit with one of the tugs - British - and pick up some books, papers etc. By the time we had arrived back in UK our orders were for the Isle of Grain. By which time I was a little crazy. I had resigned coming up Channel and even the offer of a large pay rise did not swing it. Next trip was something like Gulf - USA. The thought of that was enough. They did promise that after that we were going on a USA - Venezuela charter. I was not convinced. Prior trips had not been bad - Norway - then Med and eventually DD in Pireaus.

[Wismajorvik]

Originally Posted by Hawkey01

Regarding the DWS - when I decided to go back to sea I had been having conversations with one of my fellow colleagues. He was married to a Greek lady. I cannot remember for sure but it was through her that I ended up going foreign flag with NJ Goulandris, some family connection. The company was A1 and it was not because of them that I cut short my contract. It was during the time when Suez was closed and as we remember trips to the Gulf via the Cape. Our destination was the wonderful DasIsland. Not a lot there! Did manage to get off the ship for a short time - a walk down the jetty. The Pilot had arranged for me to visit with one of the tugs - British - and pick up some books, papers etc. By the time we had arrived back in UK our orders were for the Isle of Grain. By which time I was a little crazy. I had resigned coming up Channel and even the offer of a large pay rise did not swing it. Next trip was something like Gulf - USA. The thought of that was enough. They did promise that after that we were going on a USA - Venezuela charter. I was not convinced. Prior trips had not been bad - Norway - then Med and eventually DD in Pireaus.

I left to join Redifon and was working for them in Abadan during the six day war, another dozen years later I returned to the MN for one trip.

[BobClay]

My cousin who, lives in the Black Country, asked me to send her any family photos from over the years as she was doing a bit of research. One of the pix I sent her was my first Discharge Book pix dated just before I joined my first ship (Shell Tanker Venassa) as an engine room rating (fireman/greaser.) The year was 1965. (I didn't become a sparky until 1970.)

A few days later I got this back from her as a joke. A photo of a young Kit Harrington (top) and my discharge book pix (bottom.) Kit Harrington played Jon Snow in the TV series Game of Thrones.

She insists we are identical.

That can't be right, as Jon Snow knows nothing .... whereas I ... (you can fill the rest in yourself. )

[Engine Serang]

I think the saying is;

Jon Snow knows fcuk nothing .... whereas I know fcuk all.

[Dartskipper]

Some of Dad's documents from his career at sea.

More to follow.

He went to sea as an apprentice with the Anglo Saxon Petroleum Company in 1938.

He got his discharge from the "Pool" in January 1946, a week after my brother was born. Dad had hoped to continue sailing with Eagle Oil after having surgery at a hospital in New York, but having endured some runs from London to Poland with various cargoes in the Watts Watts vessel "Fort Spokane" he had had enough.

His discharge book was completed many years after the War, in 1970. He left it at home after being sunk for the second time when Empire Norseman was torpedoed the day after his 21st birthday, as he didn't want to tempt Fate!

[Dartskipper]

Dad's original indenture, or as much of it that I could fit in my document scanner! Because of the war situation, Dad had his apprenticeship completed after three years instead of the normal requirement of four. Also the MN was running short of qualified watchkeeping and navigating officers apparently.

Also the Christmas Dinner served on the tanker San Roberto when she was running on East Coast Convoys. The U.S. Coastguard identity pass was issued to him when he was in New York for hospital treatment.

[Makko]

Hi Roy,

I noted "Empire Norseman", DAS! Great stuff, thanks for posting.

Rgds.
Dave

[Dartskipper]

Hi Dave,

Dad's previous ship was Narkunda, bombed and sunk off Bougie during Operation Torch. Narkunda had landed troops for the invasion of North Africa. So he was also DAS for that episode too.

Despite all that, and sailing in many convoys across the North Atlantic with cargoes of aviation spirit (at 100 Octane), he never, ever, did learn to swim!

[Makko]

The true spirit of the "trawlerman", Roy.
Rgds.
Dave

[Hawkey01]

Roy,

Thanks for the input. Your Dad had an adventurous war to say the least. Amazing how some went through the whole conflict without being sunk and others multiple times. I found amongst my colleagues that those who served during WW2 tended not to speak about it too much. Especially those who like your father had been torpedoed several times. Which I suppose is not surprising, not wishing to remember the horror of the events.

Neville

[Dartskipper]

Thanks Neville,

Dad only began to tell me more of his experiences after he saw Capt. Tom Finch in one of the episodes of "The World at War" in the 1970's. (He had sailed with Capt. Finch and was due to join him again when Capt. Finch was selecting officers to sail with him to Trincomalee where they were to be based to provide bunkers for the submarine base should the war with Japan continue after VE Day. Dad by then had married Mum and had emergency surgery in New York, so really wanted to stay closer to home.) Even then, it was another 20 years or so before I got the whole story of the sinking of Empire Norseman. Apparently the Official record is not strictly accurate. When I asked why, since it was based on the report of the Master of the tanker, Dad said that the Master wasn't on the bridge when the torpedoes hit whereas Dad was on watch at the time. Dad's findings are now in the German Archive as a true record! However, I still think a lot of his memories went with him.

Regards,

Roy.

[Hawkey01]

Roy,

My father in law was another who never spoke of the war until he became ill in later life. He served with 4 Commando who carried out some very dangerous and arduous attacks.

Neville

[Dartskipper]

Neville,

It was that generation's attitude I think. PTSD wasn't known about and after the War I believe that they saw their job fighting the War was done and now it was time to get on with raising families and returning to peace and prosperity. (But that is a wholly different discussion!)

Regards,

Roy.