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Sussex

11K views 21 replies 18 participants last post by  muscles 
#1 · (Edited)
Another of the infamous "H" boats and probably one of the best. I certainly had a great time on her.
 
#2 ·
Yes Dox I sailed on her the coastal of her scrap voyage. She came to Avonmouth on 3/4 starboard engine and 1/2 port engine. Cost a fortune to get her in a fit state to go to Hong Kong. Incidentally Otaio followed Sussex that voyage in bound from NZ and was in a far worse condition. She had only one good engine, crank failure on the other I believe.
 
#4 ·
FOUFOU said:
I Agree With The Other Comments Had A Good Trip To Nz In `64 Only Drawback Was The Scratchy Version Of Sussex By The Sea Over The Tannoy Every Time We Docked Or Sailed.
When I there during the 70's that tadition remained - we also used to use the speaker that was used for showing films. And ofcourse there was the famous "Black Musium". Sad to hear she was in such a state when she went to the breakers.
 
#5 ·
The foregoing reads like Palana[later Cambridge] leaving Sydney after refit at Cockatoo. On trials we ran the big ends on both engines & after further repair it was reduced revs back to UK.Further complicated in Fremantle by a generator throwing a con rod & the breaker not doing its job.The ensuing period of "motoring"caused considerable more mayhem. Kiwi
 
#10 ·
Was on Sussex Feb 1954 in Liverpool lying near burnt out wreck of Empress of Canada on the Saturday that the wreck was to be winched up into an upright position an pumped out. At 0230hrs 5 incendary devices ignited onboard Sussex, 1 in engine room and 4 in accommodation. All these fires were put out by those on board despite fire fighting equipment being hidden, dumped or sabotaged and the telephone lines cut. The Fire Brigade arrived 45 minutes after the alarm was raised, the entire crew stuck to the ship with little direction from the officers and some said saved the day. We were all interrorgated by "men from London" but I never knew the outcome as we sailed a few days later for Australia and on completion of the voyage I left the company and joined Bullard King's Natal Line
 
#11 ·
Mark, the only information that I can find with regard to a fire was one in the refrigeration installations (engine room?) in February 1965 while in the KG5 Dock, London.
I was on her from July 1965 through to November 1966 (as 2nd frostie) and can not recall seeing or hearing anything re a fire at that time.
 
#12 ·
At 0230hrs on Saturday 6th March 1954 there was a deliberate attempt to cause fires on board the Sussex as she lay in Gladstone dock. As an AB completing my 4 years sea time prior to taking my 2nd Mates Iwas personally involved in puting out some of the fires. Later we were individually questioned (MI5?) and asked to keep the matter to ourselves as publicity woud not be in the national interest. Over the years I've met many NZS people and some knew of it and sugested it was linked to the Empress of Canada that was being raised on the same day. The Empress of Canada fire was put down to an accident? After 50 or more years I'm some what curious, did anything ever become public knowledge? For what reason did these ba...ds try and cremate us?
 
#14 ·
I was on Sussex from may to june 65 ht then july to nov . I seem to remember we nearly lost two horses over the side after shipping a big sea .the skipper wanted to shoot them as they were running amok up the deck . when we arrived in Auckland it was big news the chief eng got most of the praise in the news 'considering no one saw him on deck while we were trying to save the horses from the seas & the skipper wanting to shoot them
 
#15 ·
i sailed on sussex in 1972 to nz as EDH i can remember it being a great trip as for the horses ,i can remember we lost one of the dogs over the side a steward tied it up to a rail and it jumped over the side somewhere near panama,the captain was a guy called lambrick and he wouldnt turn the ship around to to look for the dog. but she was a good ship to have sailed on. my name is don taylor if anyone who remembers me reads this please drop me an E.MAIL
 
#16 ·
How the world changed in the seventies!
Capt Syd Lambrick took over Northumberland halfway through our long quadruple header from Capt Mike Heron in 1964.
I left the Company in 1965 and one summers morning 10 years later I was in command of the Fremantle tug Hamilton berthing the Mount Kiera onto the Steelworks in Kwinana.
Came alongside the stbd shoulder all routine, sent up the lines and spotted the third mate up fwd.
It was Syd Lambrick..........he was third officer.
We chatted and it seemed he left his run too late. A letter in the mail and he was on his way.
A sad end to a great old Shipping Company.
 
#17 ·
MV Sussex : 1958

Hello to all those posting their Sussex comments on this Forum. It is really pleasing and informative to hear all the various comments relating to, what was, a fine Federal vessel. From these comments I get the impression that most of you were Engineers and Officers. Also I note that no postings have been made for some considerable time so I'm not too sure when this will be read if ever. I signed on the Sussex ( as Tiger ) in Jan. '58 and off at the end of August in Cardiff making the one voyage in her as I was already passenger booked on the 'Tiki to settle in NZ. My cabin-mate was Steve Malthouse
( Engineers Steward ) and he went on to sail another second trip, this one including Aust.as well as NZ. Thu' this Merchant Navy site administered by Brian, I was able to make email contact with Steve after a hiatus of fifty years. We met up here at the Gold Coast in Qld just a week ago ( Steve taking a Oriana cruise with his wife ) Needless to say much celebration. We would both like to hear from any of you that were aboard for that particular voyage. Chances are you would certainly remember him if you served as an Engineer. Anyway.... thanks to all of you, Officers and Engineers, and of course, Captain Thomas, for getting us out to New Zealand and home safely. By the way the Sussex 78rpm. record was 'scratchy-as' in '58 let alone the '60's. Be nice to hear from someone, meanwhile the very best to you all in your retirement...
Terry Docker
 
#18 · (Edited)
Joined the Sussex as E.D.H. in Royal Albert Dock eary June 1974 and paid off Rotterdam 31st December 1974. The trip was East Africa with general cargo and back load for U.K., But two days out it was Kiwi for orders. On the outward voyage we had a race horse called Dancing Mood in a wooden stable destination Mombassa. Had all the usual engine problems one week in Freemantle for repairs and on to the Kiwi coast to load lamb for the U.S.S.R. The U.K. had just joined the E.E.C. and was limited from foreign meat products from outside the Common Market.
So onwards to the Panama Canal and the Kiel Canal into the Baltic to discharge in Klaipeda.
On the trip we had an experiment called Inter Departmental Flexibilty. (I.D.F.) where the engine room/catering ratings would operate the windlass, capstans and rig the accommadition ladder at harbour stations.The chippy was done away with at this point. The deck dept were supposed to do engine room work eight hours per week. To observe this in action there was a manager from head office P.&O. who left the ship in Cape Town when we bunkered and get fresh hay for Dancing Mood, which he refused to eat the poor animal would be in that crate for five weeks.
My duty at harbour stations for the duration of the trip was on the wheel and not once was any record played when leaving port. It was probaly worn out by 1974.
Remember some faces, great times in Mombassa and the Kiwi Coast. For the duration of the trip the lamptrimmer who was from New Zealand had his wife and two small children both under four years old with him. We rigged netting along the rails by number four hatch to avoid any accidents! and keep them contained.The lamp trimmer also looked after the horse and mucked him out every day.
The master was called Charlsworth who was relieved in Auckland by I think Hunter who had his wife with him.
When we paid off on New Years Eve 1974 the U.K . deck crew was replaced by an International Crew from Rotterdam.
Shortly afterwards the Sussex was scraped.
 
#20 ·
I paid off the Sussex in Avonmouth before she went for scrap, lots of good memories of the ship, chief was Fred (liar dice) Lambert a real gentleman from Hamilton, other engineers were Harry Campbell who introduced me to the works of Billy Connolly and a lad called Andy Frazer. The Doxfords were described as external combustion engines.
 
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