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Bank Line

6K views 18 replies 8 participants last post by  Delldoll78 
#1 ·
Has anyone out there sailed with the late Capt Maclean, also has anyone any info on John Steele,
Scoddie
 
#6 ·
When I saw "Malcolm", I thought "yes thats him". Then when I saw "Duncan", I thought, perhaps it was Duncan and I was wrong. However, checking my old Dis A tonight, the signature definitely starts with an "M".
The man I knew was from Stornaway, round face, bald head, a bit overweight and possibly drank a little more than would be considered "healthy", by today's standards. As I said earlier, could be abbrasive and definitely didn't suffer fools gladly.
Are we talking the same person, Scoddie?
I remember he was friends with Pete Smith, another Bank Line Master, younger than himself but from the same neck of the woods.
 
#5 ·
I sailed with Captain Maclean in the Northbank, 1969. I met him a couple of years later in the Carribean somewhere. He had a much newer, swisher ship then and was like a dog with two ....
I understand that he had a very short retirement and died soon after leaving
the sea. He could be a bit abbrasive but always showed his appreciation for job well done. We did a few runs for SA Railways - LM to Capetown with coal - and there was always a bottle of Scotch left on my bunk after leaving LM.
 
#14 ·
One of my favourite anectdotes about said Captain Mclean was me doing my first trip as Mate with him on the Northbank. I went through 21 Bury street to join the ship replacing the Mate who was being relieved to go Master. Never met him and can't remember his name. Anyway, with some trepidation at going Mate for the first time, I asked Brian Ludlow what the old man was like, "really nice guy" says Brian "don't be afraid to ask him anything you're unsure of". Joined the ship in New York on a SAF Marine charter, met the old man and we sailed two days later. Saw nothing more of the Old Man for two weeks by which time the Chief was hassling me for more fresh water. On that ship it was usual to fill the fore peak with fresh and transfer it via the deck service line to the after peak when and if required.
Remembering some bad advice that someone had given me in the past - always act confident and try to appear that you know what you are doing - I knocked on the Old Mans door. Door was finally opened by the Old Man, sweat popping on his brow and recovering from an obvious training session. "I'm going to transfer some fresh from the fore peak this morning, Sir" says I. "You'll f***ing well leave it where it is" says he, closing the door swiftly behind him.
Things got a lot better between us as the voyage went on and we left the ship with mutual respect, but that morning still sticks with me.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Captain Malcolm McLean was born on Stornaway circa 1912. He was Master on the Foylebank for at least a couple of trips in 1961. He was 49 at the time. His next of kin, whom I assume was his wife, was W.Euffemia McLean of Baloreen Road, Edinburgh 12.
His Mate on the Foylebank was Pete Smith from the Isle of Stornaway as well. His next of kin was his Mother who lived on Lewis.He was 31 at the time and a very good seaman. Hard working and respectful to the Apprentices. Jeff Mann was the senior Apprentice and I was the Second Apprentice who got transferred to the Fleetbank in Aussie to let John Richard Coffey be repatriated at the end of his apprenticeship. It is interesting to note that both Apprentices Mann and Coffey served in the rank of AB from December 1961 until the 9th March 1962.
Captain McLean, who I also sailed with on the Cedarbank, seemed to let the C/O run the Ship and the Apprentices. No Complaints from me. Unlike the Master on the Fleetbank who I can't mention but his initials were C.H.

TC (Smoke)
 
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