Quote Originally Posted by Trader View Post
Welcome to the site backsplice. I think I recognise you from another site. I was in Blueys a bit before your time. I joined in 1952 and left in 1956. My first ship was the "Bellerophon" and I was in her for two years. Six Far East trips and three coasting. The Bosun was Bill Thomas from Anglesey. I then coasted the "Nestor" and the "Ixion" before joining the "Astyanax" and doing two Far East trips and one coasting. Big Jake Cleary was Bosun.

I then joined the "Neleus" on the Aussie run. Our first Bosun was Spud Murphy who had a nervous breakdown in Aussie and had to pay off and the Lampy, Dan Proctor, took over. In our last Aussie port Spud rejoined us and came home as DBS which I thought was wrong and embarrassing for poor old Spud.
Dan Proctor didn't want the Bosuns job, he was content to be Lampy, so Jimmy Mason joined as Bosun for my last trip with Blue Funnel.

I left in 1956 and joined Manchester Liners for several years.

Alec.
Hello Alec,
Yes, I knew all of those characters except Spud Murphy.
All except Jack Cleary and Jimmy Mason I found to be Ok.
Bill Davies would disagree with me here , but I found Jack Cleary to be a nasty piece of work. Butch Mason, in his cups, was a bit of a bully, sober he was fine.
Backsplice.