What an extraordinary statement to make and how has it been worked out? Probably anyone who reads the above "Thread" will wonder at its veracity!!!!
October 28th 1971 and "Atlantic Causeway" had been in drydock in Greenock and, because of the complexity of her control-system, it was considered prudent to have mini sea-trials (similar to new-build sea-trials) to make certain everything worked correctly. All engineers were in the Control Room so as to have the maximum number of eyes watching-over the various systems in case something went ****-up. "Mac" McKenzie was Chief Engineer with Tony Dick 2/E, self S3/E, Davey Jones J3/E, John Jones 4/E, Jack McGuire S/Elec. and a bloke who I can't remember J/Elec.
Ken ("Mac") decided he was going down below to check-round. A little later we heard a strangled cry of "Help me! I'm hurt!", over the talk-back.
The ship had executed a sharp turn and "Mac" had fallen and was quite badly injured so the ship returned to The Tail of The Bank and dropped the pick whilst a doctor was brought out to assess "Mac's" injuries. He said he had broken some ribs and may also have internal injuries so he needed to be hospitalised. "Mac" was strapped into a cane-and-canvas stretcher in order to get him out the engine-room and into the launch which had been summoned from "the beach". One of the rarely-used side-doors of the ship had been opened for him to be lowered. "Mac", in stretcher, had just reached the roof of the launch when its engine stopped and it began to pay-off rapidly from the side of the ship. Someone shouted at the AB on the rope to "Let go". Unfortunately the "dogs-dick" on the rope-end fouled-up in the rope-block and "Mac" was dragged-off the roof of the launch into The Clyde. (I must add here that I had left the Control Room, (with Tony's blessing!!) to assist with "Mac's" repatriation and was one of the spectators to this incident).
Seeing "Mac" was in grave danger I divested myself of my shoes and leapt into the river to help him, supporting him 'til the blokes on the launch got the engine fired-up and rescued "Mac" from the river.
The outcome of this episode was that "The Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society" gave me a medal and parchment to commemorate the event and Cunard decided that one of their Directors (a Mr. Crawford) would present me with the awards "and a monetary recognition of your selfless act" at the end of my "two trips on" some time later (almost two years in actual fact). After I had been presented with the awards and had posed for the obligatory photo's my first ex-wife, (who was with me on the trip), and I excitedly went down to our cabin to see what size the "monetary-recognition" actually was. I don't mind admitting that thoughts of being able to put the deposit down on a new Cortina had flashed through my mind!! Opened the envelope to find a cheque for £10!!! I couldn't resist going up see "Mac" in his cabin to relay the good news that Cunard thought his value to them was "a tenner". I can't remember exactly what he said but it probably cast grave doubts on the entire Board of Directors, of Cunard, never knowing who their fathers were!! Incidentally "Mac", on his return to the ship, after his recovery, presented me with a memento of the event which I thought was absolutely brilliant. A Long-Playing record of "Handels Water Music"!!! The above yarn shows how much value (£10) Cunard put on their Chief Engineers in 1971!! Burra salaams! Phil Roe
October 28th 1971 and "Atlantic Causeway" had been in drydock in Greenock and, because of the complexity of her control-system, it was considered prudent to have mini sea-trials (similar to new-build sea-trials) to make certain everything worked correctly. All engineers were in the Control Room so as to have the maximum number of eyes watching-over the various systems in case something went ****-up. "Mac" McKenzie was Chief Engineer with Tony Dick 2/E, self S3/E, Davey Jones J3/E, John Jones 4/E, Jack McGuire S/Elec. and a bloke who I can't remember J/Elec.
Ken ("Mac") decided he was going down below to check-round. A little later we heard a strangled cry of "Help me! I'm hurt!", over the talk-back.
The ship had executed a sharp turn and "Mac" had fallen and was quite badly injured so the ship returned to The Tail of The Bank and dropped the pick whilst a doctor was brought out to assess "Mac's" injuries. He said he had broken some ribs and may also have internal injuries so he needed to be hospitalised. "Mac" was strapped into a cane-and-canvas stretcher in order to get him out the engine-room and into the launch which had been summoned from "the beach". One of the rarely-used side-doors of the ship had been opened for him to be lowered. "Mac", in stretcher, had just reached the roof of the launch when its engine stopped and it began to pay-off rapidly from the side of the ship. Someone shouted at the AB on the rope to "Let go". Unfortunately the "dogs-dick" on the rope-end fouled-up in the rope-block and "Mac" was dragged-off the roof of the launch into The Clyde. (I must add here that I had left the Control Room, (with Tony's blessing!!) to assist with "Mac's" repatriation and was one of the spectators to this incident).
Seeing "Mac" was in grave danger I divested myself of my shoes and leapt into the river to help him, supporting him 'til the blokes on the launch got the engine fired-up and rescued "Mac" from the river.
The outcome of this episode was that "The Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society" gave me a medal and parchment to commemorate the event and Cunard decided that one of their Directors (a Mr. Crawford) would present me with the awards "and a monetary recognition of your selfless act" at the end of my "two trips on" some time later (almost two years in actual fact). After I had been presented with the awards and had posed for the obligatory photo's my first ex-wife, (who was with me on the trip), and I excitedly went down to our cabin to see what size the "monetary-recognition" actually was. I don't mind admitting that thoughts of being able to put the deposit down on a new Cortina had flashed through my mind!! Opened the envelope to find a cheque for £10!!! I couldn't resist going up see "Mac" in his cabin to relay the good news that Cunard thought his value to them was "a tenner". I can't remember exactly what he said but it probably cast grave doubts on the entire Board of Directors, of Cunard, never knowing who their fathers were!! Incidentally "Mac", on his return to the ship, after his recovery, presented me with a memento of the event which I thought was absolutely brilliant. A Long-Playing record of "Handels Water Music"!!! The above yarn shows how much value (£10) Cunard put on their Chief Engineers in 1971!! Burra salaams! Phil Roe