CHRISTMAS AT SEA.
Christmas Day 1953, On the New Zealand Star, we were anchored in Algoa Bay in Mozambique waiting for a berth.
We had a Christmas dinner in the mess room with Christmas Cake and then with a few crates of ale all the Sailors and Firemen, Greasers etc sat on the poop and supped the lot.
On deck thats me on the right with open shirt On there is Johnny Freeman, Ronnie Vickers of Birkenhead Charlie Dry of Liverpool , Les Shimmin of Liverpool, Paddy Penson of Newry.
Here is me on the wheel on the QE2 on her final world cruise in April 2008.
[not realy, just posing, the iron mike was on, auto steering.] the Quarter master is in the corner by the window.
Also the QE2 entering the Panama Canal for the last time.
On either side are an engine on rail lines. These are called Mules, they pull the ship through the locks when connected by wire ropes.
Many a first trip Deck Boy has been fooled into collecting bread to feed the Mules.
Act your age, Brian. Should be a zimmer frame for you now, none of these high jinks.Originally Posted by captain kong
;-)
Good advice Kevin,
I am slowing down a bit now, till the next time, all this cold weather is bringing out the pains in the old joints.
You keep it up mate - hope I have half of your energy should I make it into my 70s.
Cheers Kevin,
A large glass of whisky every day is the trick, Doesnt kill the pain but I just dont care I have it.
Cheers , hic!
Nice one Captain. A man half your age couldn't make it up that rigging. You keep it up...
I shall ackowledge age
when the call of the far wild seas
no longer stirs my blood,
When my eyes cannot see
what a boy would see
the beauty of a homeward bound ship
harbouring on the flood.
Only then will I sit in the lee of a harbour wall
conjuring up dreams from the rivers mist
of the places I have seen
and of lips left unkissed.
A poem that was posted in `Ships Today and Yesterday` a few years ago.
dont know the poets name, but he must have been a good Seafarer.
Nice one Captain.
SS GLOUCESTER CASTLE.
This is the SS Gloucester Castle, of the Union Castlre Line.
On 21 June 1942, my birthday, I was up and out early round to my mate Clogger Farnworth`s house, His brother Joe Farnworth was off to join a ship, SS Gloucester Castle, at Liverpool.
Clogger and I helped to carry his sea bag to the bus stop. "Where you going to Joey" I asked.
"To South Africa` he replied, " Wish we could come as well" we said.
Joe sailed that day in convoy to Freetown, Sierra Leone. then on alone towards the Cape.
On the night of 15 July 1942, she was attacked by the `Michele" a German Raider, Captain Ruckstele, [sic]. Shelled and torpedoed, she sank just South of Acension Island, 93 passengers and crew were killed including Joe Farnworth, aged 17. Deck Boy.
The survivors, 41 were picked up by the Germans, some were transferred to another German ship then the rest were taken out east, three taken off in Singapore to work on the Burma Railway , one died, the others taken ashore in Japan and used as slave labour in the coal mines and steel works in Osaka.
they did not get home until January 1946.then the story came out. Mrs Farnworth was then told that her son Joe had died nearly four years before.
Captain, Helmuth von Ruckteschell of the Michele, was tried for war crimes at the end of WW2, and in 1946 was imprisoned at Spandau.
In 2001 I joined the QE2 to sail to Cape Town. I told the Farnworth family including my old mate `Clogger` and took a Merchant Navy wreath with me.
I spoke to Captain Ron Warwick about the incident and he said he would make arrangemets when we got in the position of the sinking.
On the day south of Acenscion Island a table was laid on the upper deck with a red ensign over and with the wreath I had brought.
with many passengers , a lot of them ex Union Castle, Captain Warwick held a Service over the place of the sinking. then after two minutes silence the Wreath was cast into the sea, A few tears were shed by some of the ladies. The dead of the Gloucester Castle had had their first Service. The Family was very pleased it had happened.
Built in Scotland in 1911.
Gloucester Castle was built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding Company in 1911 for the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company. Her tonnage 7999 GRT, a length of 450 feet and 7 inches with a beam of 56 feet 2 inches, her speed, a humble 13 knots.
In September 1914 she was converted to a 410 bed hospital ship In 1915 she was serving in the Galipolli campaign.
Although well identified as a Hospital ship with her large Red crosses painted on her hull, she was torpedoed on the 30th. of March in 1915 on a trip from Le Havre to Southampton, with 399 passengers on board, only 3 died. She did not sink and was taken in tow for repairs In 1919 she was back in service with Union Castle on the South African run.
Gloucester Castle and the Raider, Michele, the Gloucester Castle sinking in the First World War in 1915.
This is another colour plate from the Book of Pictorial Knowledge. A Union Castle Liner lies at the quay in Table Bay,South Africa, being loaded with goods for Britain,the artist has captured the scene so well;makes my feet itchy just looking at it,
BrianD
P.S. Can anyone make out the name,I have cataracts and find it a little difficult to read it,
BD
I note from the - at last- updated Yahoo map I see the iris has gone from her berthing on the Thames. Can someone confirm when the evil deed was done
Hi Brian,
There is no discernable name showing, I had my magnifying glass on it. It could have been one of the pre war Arundal Castle class scrapped around 1959.she was in Hong Kong when I went to scrap the Good Hope Castle in 1959
My guess would be the Winchester Castle, the name doesn't seem long enough to be any of the other two funnell UC Ships. eg Warwick. See attached
Another illustration from Pictorial Knowledge,all the information is shown in the picture so I'll shut up,
BrianD
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