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QE2 Radio Officer Holmes

6K views 10 replies 10 participants last post by  pamela brown 
#1 ·
Trying to trace the Chief R/O, I believe his name was Holmes from about 1970/71.

Met this fine gentleman when I was R/O on Port Line's "Port Lyttelton" tied up opposite the QE2 in Bridgetown, Barbados. He gave me a tour of the radio room (space-age stuff then) and I still remember the visit to this day. I in fact still have a copy of the ship's newspaper from that period which he kindly let me have.

If you're still out there, sir, or if anyone knows his present whereabouts, would like to get in touch. I believe he has a story to tell about picking up a transmission from the Queen Mary which had long since been defunct at the time he heard it.
 
#2 ·
Paul, the QE2 would have been manned by Brocklebank R/O's at that time so you might want to post a copy of this message on that board. There are a lot of Brock's R/O's on that board, including me, and you might well come up with the contact. I was offered the job of 3R/O for the final building and initial voyages of QE2 in 1968 and turned it down, I have never made up my mind whether that was the right decision or not.
 
#3 ·
Paul - that would have been Alan Holmes. At that time he would have been relief Chief R/O - the in***bent was Don Butterworth. Other noteables would have been Phil Marriott, CC Connerty and others I can't recall!

I visited GBTT a few years back when she was in Sydney. Eric Bainger, who I had sailed with on the Cunard Princess, was the sole surviving "R/O" on board although his duties were vastly different to what we remember. The radio room had vanished and been re-engineered into something completely different, Eric's domain being a small cupboard like affair with some satellite up/downlink equipment etc. A far cry from the old days when there was 3 or 4 R/O's operating simultaneously.

Cheers
 
#4 ·
Thanks, guys. I'll certainly try the Brock connexion when I get time.

Alan Holmes. I wonder if anyone else has heard about the anomalous transmission that he mentioned from the Queen Mary? Can't remember where I heard about that one from. Probably from the internet somewhere. Something about long-delayed radio echoes probably.

Thanks again.

Paul
 
#7 ·
Remember watching a film at sea called "Frequency" which dealt with the reception of old radio signals, the ETO at the time who was ex R/O said it was based on fact. A quick google has revealed nothing save reviews of the film though.

Not a bad film to while away a couple of hours.

Duncan.
 
#11 ·
R/O Holmes ?Ex Cunard."

Sir,

I am working on a project for the City of Liverpool and Cunard. 3 Queens visit May 25 and July 4th 175 years. Trying to find as many different "ranks" as possibly prior to 1967 when Cunard pulled out of Liverpool.
Stories (printable) etc will be used via the Educational team to let the children know what life was life etc at sea.

If you are kind enough to let me have your contacts I will keep you posted. Hoping for a Cunard Service at St Nicks (waterfront liverpool) some time between the two dates.

Many thanks.

Pamela (BRown.)
 
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