I might need help to clarify some of the details
MY FIRST TRIP TO SEA
I attended Tilbury pool very soon after leaving Gravesend Sea School and they took us by minibus down to the Isle of Grain and the British Crown where we all arrived after dark. There were three catering boys destined for the ship and both the others had been at sea before so they knew the ropes and as we were lined up they stepped forward for the pantry boy positions. Leaving me to get the wonderful galley boy vacancy. The cook was Mr Jones a Welsh chef and the 2nd cook/baker was a Geordie. I can’t remember how long settling in took but I can certainly remember the job seemed very hard to me. (Please do not misunderstand, as I had been used to hard work from an early age having various jobs before leaving school). I would spend each morning washing up the breakfast and lunch pans, fetching up stores and being left outside the galley using most of the afternoon to peel loads of spuds. In the meantime most catering staff were sleeping at their afternoon break until dinner at about 6pm. I was never able despite my best intentions to get all the work done much before everybody else returned from rest
We proceeded southwards around the cape to the Persian Gulf, as it was the time of Suez. The first port of call was Santa Cruz de Tenerife where we filled up with ships stores lots of fruit and vegetables etc. As it was my first time ever outside England some of us went out into the town. I remember one long main street with lots of bars (my first introduction to the real world). Val(my wife) and I visited it a couple of years ago, and how it had changed from my memory. In total it must have taken in total about 2 weeks to Mina –Al-Amadi Kuwait in the Persian Gulf. On arrival we were quite a distance from the shore along a wooden jetty. It seems we were not allowed any further than a mess hall located on the jetty .We were told the Sheikh did not allow crews ashore from visiting ships, we had free soft drinks and snacks provided. We were able to meet other crews and saw the beauty of the insides of Norwegian and Swedish tankers and the other extreme, a Hain ship I believe the "Trelawny"? Built about1928. We were there about a day and also some time was spent fishing, as the weather was superb.
After loading with crude oil we left via the cape to return for (Lands End for orders). A short while along the coast we had severe engine trouble spending some time drifting. Providing an opportunity for shark fishing so we got some meat hooks out of the refrigerator and loaded them up, but it was very difficult to get the big fishes over the rail, bending a few hooks in the process. It then appeared that we would need major repairs (a boiler brick collapse?) so made our way to Durban being berthed on the Bluff, and after a short time we were moved into the docks nearer the Town Centre.
Armed Guards were mounted around the clock as the local newspapers proclaimed that the British Crown had been the largest loaded Tanker to ever have berthed in Durban. It seems they may have already had a previous tanker explosion. We were there about 2 weeks and it was a wonderful experience for a young man new to the world, swimming and learning in the bars in the evening the (Cosmopolitan and Vasco da Gama) the main ones, and meeting crews from the Union Castle liners. I remember that a quite a few of the older crew misbehaved whilst in Durban and probably resulted in all of us including the innocent not being required for the next trip (one chap being found asleep in a state of undress every morning at the bottom of the gangplank). After departure the engine trouble continued for a short time but we were then on our way, many small difficulties had ensued, as we were unable to use the canvas swimming pool, which was certainly needed in the hot weather. It was suggested that the Bosun did not want the deck ruined, plus for a period of the return trip we found ourselves very low on some main provisions. We called in again at Santa Cruz de Tenerife as outward bound and renewed our acquaintances in the local bars. Some times at sea we enjoyed a film show on the open deck one I especially call to mind was (A Day to Remember) about some WW2 veterans returning to France for a reunion, I and others I expect fell in love with ODILE VERSOIS the leading lady.
As we neared the UK we found to our bad luck that we would be going to Rotterdam to discharge and found ourselves at Pernis. Of course this meant we not back in the UK so we would be off again to the gulf. I remember some of us went together across the ferry to Vlaardingen to visit the Missions to Seamen in the thick freezing snow we were made most welcome as always, I bought my mum one of those sailing ship table lamps made from a clog.
The whole trip lasted about six months and the return to the gulf was as I remember a reasonably uneventful reprise of the previous one but this time we did get back to Grain. Paid off saying goodbye to the board of trade acquaintances I had made, now 60 years later I remember most especially. Jack Wright of Chatham, Yorkie the ex Vindi pantry boy from Wheatley Doncaster and Maurice Dice (moby dice) who played a mean guitar and entertained us with Hank William’s songs, Fred Flood the Fearless fireman from Pompey. And of course, Captain Cole
. Alan Judge ex NSTS Gravesend
22.10.56/30.11.56