On the Benwyvis on the ill fated maiden voyage we had three of the latests chieftan tanks for discharge in Hong kong. They were going to do trails in the new territories.
It was planned to discharge them in the morning onto REME pontoons but the Gurkkas and REME turned up with three motorised pontoons comanded by a army captain at 2030 hours when most of the crew had gone ashore.
The night crew who were on board said we didnot have enough crew to rig the jumbo so it would have to wait till morning. The old man and his crew were up the road with the HK benline staff, the chief tally clerk managed to get the agent and told the old man who OK'd to be dicharged that night.
All the steam guys were ready in place and just needed securring ,the three ginger beers who were on board were put on standby for ballasting and shoreside riggers watched the mooring lines ,we had tension springs ,so we adjusted them to cope.
The army shoreside shacled the tanks on and would not let the shoreside gangs to do anything but drive the winches ,the deck night crew supervised the winchmen and the guys and a leckie stood bye incase any fuses blew.
As the first tank was coming up out of the No 4 centre hatch it was bouncing as it was a new lifting wire and was setling down on the drums the army captianwas shouting to his men on the pontoon over the starboard side to be ready ,when he shouted "stop ". Everything stopped and this captain was shouting to his men in the Gurkkha language and we were still trying to fathom out what was wrong.
Next minute a sledge hammer came up ove the wall from the pontoon and two gurkkas jumped armed with this hammer from the centre hatch coambing onto the front of this chieftain tank.
It was there for all to see, one of these speceal shackles had wound loose and the pin was nearly out.
The Gurkkas hammered hell into this pin and managed to get it back in and screwed it up with a podger. As the first tank went over the wall we heeled over a bit and there was grinding noises from the port side guys and winch, we kept all our fingers and legs crossed till it was on the deck of the pontoon . .
All the army guys on the pontoon were standing close to the edge near the army launch. These pontoons had huge outboard motors which i think were controlled from below deck, the army captain had to shout to some of his deck crew to get back below and not stand by the launch.
I must admit at 58 tons it would do some damage without firing a shell in anger .
Once the third tank was over the wall it was in the mess room for a cuppa and our breakfast ,and then discussing what would have happened if it had dropped thru the tank top. How long would we have had in HK for repairs and how many nights up the road.
In those days on the money we got we would have had to be subbing out of the next voyage.
Brave men they were.
Ian.
It was planned to discharge them in the morning onto REME pontoons but the Gurkkas and REME turned up with three motorised pontoons comanded by a army captain at 2030 hours when most of the crew had gone ashore.
The night crew who were on board said we didnot have enough crew to rig the jumbo so it would have to wait till morning. The old man and his crew were up the road with the HK benline staff, the chief tally clerk managed to get the agent and told the old man who OK'd to be dicharged that night.
All the steam guys were ready in place and just needed securring ,the three ginger beers who were on board were put on standby for ballasting and shoreside riggers watched the mooring lines ,we had tension springs ,so we adjusted them to cope.
The army shoreside shacled the tanks on and would not let the shoreside gangs to do anything but drive the winches ,the deck night crew supervised the winchmen and the guys and a leckie stood bye incase any fuses blew.
As the first tank was coming up out of the No 4 centre hatch it was bouncing as it was a new lifting wire and was setling down on the drums the army captianwas shouting to his men on the pontoon over the starboard side to be ready ,when he shouted "stop ". Everything stopped and this captain was shouting to his men in the Gurkkha language and we were still trying to fathom out what was wrong.
Next minute a sledge hammer came up ove the wall from the pontoon and two gurkkas jumped armed with this hammer from the centre hatch coambing onto the front of this chieftain tank.
It was there for all to see, one of these speceal shackles had wound loose and the pin was nearly out.
The Gurkkas hammered hell into this pin and managed to get it back in and screwed it up with a podger. As the first tank went over the wall we heeled over a bit and there was grinding noises from the port side guys and winch, we kept all our fingers and legs crossed till it was on the deck of the pontoon . .
All the army guys on the pontoon were standing close to the edge near the army launch. These pontoons had huge outboard motors which i think were controlled from below deck, the army captain had to shout to some of his deck crew to get back below and not stand by the launch.
I must admit at 58 tons it would do some damage without firing a shell in anger .
Once the third tank was over the wall it was in the mess room for a cuppa and our breakfast ,and then discussing what would have happened if it had dropped thru the tank top. How long would we have had in HK for repairs and how many nights up the road.
In those days on the money we got we would have had to be subbing out of the next voyage.
Brave men they were.
Ian.