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A Mass of Masters

6K views 13 replies 9 participants last post by  Bob Murdoch 
#1 ·
I came across this and thought you might enjoy it. Sorry about the quality, the poor bit of newsprint is just about falling apart in my hands.

Are any of these Masters still on deck?

(It's from the Beacon, Dec. 1968)
 

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#5 ·
Yes after being Master he became Assistant Marine Super of Union Company and then later Operations Manager - then joined the newly formed Govt. Shipping Line in similar roles . After retirement lived on the Kapiti Coast just north of Wellington and passed away in 2001.

Butters
Lindsay Butterfield
 
#6 ·
Dear Lindsay
I must apologise for not responding to your reply re Pat Palin. I lost my way on the SN site - I am a duffer on computers. He was senior apprentice on the Fort Camosun in WW2 when we had a very interesting voyage in 1944.
I last saw him in NZ in 1985 when I was in Auckland refiting a big yacht.
I understand his father was an army officer who was killed in the R101 airship disaster in France and his mother remarried a NZ AIr Force Group Captain who commanded tern Hill RAF station in UK and returned with him to NZ. This is why Pat came out to NZ. When I was in NZ I put in 5 hours of flying at Ardmore to keep my licence current and Pat got the bug and learnt to fly. He was well on in age then. I thought he was a great chap !
Best regards
Sid
 
#7 ·
I met Pat Palin about 20 years ago after starting at the then Wellington Harbour Board Maritime Museum. A very interesting man - a real gentle man. He loved his flying and in later years had amassed an excellent collection of miniture ship models. He was also the delivery master for the Union Co's KAREPO in 1964.
Regards
Emmanuel
 
#8 ·
Does anyone remember Capt Wilf Kehoe? He retired in 1961, the Kaitoa being his last ship. I had the great good fortune to be Sparks on her with him. He was a great one for playing tricks on people. Me, being a 19 year old was fair game. He was also a fantastic ship handler.
Cheers Bob
 
#9 ·
Bob, I knew of Captain Kehoe but did not sail with him. I was on the Kaitoa in 1960 when we towed the ill fated Auckland ferry toward Hobart, The skipper was then Captain Jim Kirk, "Gentleman Jim" as he was known. Perhaps Captain Kehoe replaced him.
One story told about his trick playings was when he asked a new recruit, first trip electrician if he could look at the Captains immersion heater as it did not seem to be working very well.
The Leckie said "Sure give it to me and I will take it to my workshop for testing" With that the Skipper undid his fly and the Leckie was lost for words!

Bob
 
#11 · (Edited)
Hi, Spongebob.
When I sailed with Capt Kehoe, we had Jim Robbie (?) a giant of a guy as Mate. He was from Aberdeen or therabouts. They were both keen on the practical jokes, We were anchored off Ceduna for a couple of days and started catching blue crabs by the bucketload. I had come off my 2 to 4 afternoon watch and was resting my eyes before dinner laying peacefully on my daybed, when I was gently wakened up and found a pair of eyes on stalks looking at me from a distance of a few centimeters. When my rigid body landed back on the daybed, I found my cabin full of my fellow gentlemen officers. I had the crab for dinner later.
Back in Auckland, I had had a very enjoyable and energetic evening and was taking my ease after returning from the office, waiting for lunch, when the swedish foghorn was sounded a few inches from my lughole. I apparently beat my height record in self levitation.
But a great guy.
I Dont remember Jim Cowie as chief. Being R.O./purser, I can usually recognise a name when I hear it.
Did you ever come across an engineer called Andy Higgens or his young barother Andy, also an engineer? They were neighbours from Scotland and I went through school with Bert. I sailed with Andy on the Kaimiro, Capt Gentleman Jim Kirk. Had just arrived in Sydney on the Kaitoa and got a transfer to Kaimiro when her sparks took ill and she was sailing for NZ with a grain cargo. We did a swap back in Wellington, two months later.
Anyhow, thanks for response. I spent a number of years in Aussie in Sydney and Coffs Harbour then back to Sydney. Both great countries on either side of the Tasman.
Kaitoa 18.8.60 to 24.8.60
Kaimiro 25.8.60 to 19.10.60
Kaitoa 20.10.60 to 7.4.61
Cheers, Bob
 
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