[duquesa]

Lancastrian, just had a look and that is the same pic I have so no worries. Many thanks.

[Billieboy]

Originally Posted by Jacktar1

Re the HMS ST David I mentioned, the ton class coastal minesweeper attached to HMS Cambria, Sth Wales Division, RNR. She was ex HMS Crichton, I was one of the officers that picked her up from HMS Vernon (Shore Establishment) Portsmouth. Had a name change to HMS St David.....M1124.
Cheers
Glan

What Year was that Jack? I remember the one lying in the East Dock Cardiff in 1956/9

[Jacktar1]

I believe it was around May 1961. We returned the 'old' St David to Portsmouth and commissioned M1124 as the 'new' St David. The old one M1112 had Mirlee's Diesels and M1124 had Deltic diesels, otherwise not much difference. Both 'open bridges' !
Cheers,
Glan

[Jacktar1]

Hello Billieboy,

When we took the 'old' St David to Portsmouth and picked up the 'new' one, that was my first annual sea training since being attached to the South Wales Division, RNR. We execised daily out of Portsmouth for a week and then had a 'foreign' visit, to Scheveningen, Holland. Just realised that you live in Holland and probably know it !
If my memory is correct, nearly all the other vessels in port were fishing vessels ! We had a great time, but on sailing from there for the return passage to Cardiff ran smack into a force 8 gale as soon as we departed Scheveningen.

Cheers,
Glan

[Billieboy]

I do know Scheveningen Jack, been there many times. I also remember the old M1113(2?) with the Mirilees engine, as one of the lads I did my time with was in the Cardiff Sea Cadet corps, I can remember him telling me that the boat's engine was the same as the Emergency power unit(diesel), for the Cardiff Docks hydraulic system.

[Lancastrian]

Pic of St David M1113.

[Brummiepete]

Originally Posted by duquesa

Can someone please tell me all they can about the above named college and, if possible any of the cadets who passed through it's doors in the 1950's. Thanks.

Duquesa, I was there in 1957/1958 and went on to join the Ben Line. I would own up to being pretty US at all things practical but nevertheless managed to make it though to getting a Master's (FG) ticket in July 1967. I eventually left after two deepsea trips as 1st Mate in 1968. I moved into IT and Telecommuncations after that. I retired early in 2001 when I was 61. Before my wife died in 2005 we had some good P&O cruise holidays for a bit of nostalgia (for me at least).

[duquesa]

More on this later Peter. I have sent you a PM.

[roddy]

Brummiepete

Slightly of thread, but does Bendoran and Captain Cringle ring any bells? Brummies were in fairly short supply in Ben Line and I have distant memories of us having one as second mate. Albeit one with much more hair and dramatically reduced deadweight from the one in your Avatar!

regards

Roddy (cadet)

[Brummiepete]

Originally Posted by roddy

Brummiepete

Slightly of thread, but does Bendoran and Captain Cringle ring any bells? Brummies were in fairly short supply in Ben Line and I have distant memories of us having one as second mate. Albeit one with much more hair and dramatically reduced deadweight from the one in your Avatar!

regards

Roddy (cadet)

Hi Roddy, I have just checked my Discharge Book (Sad Hoarder that I am) and yes I was on the Bendoran as 2nd Mate from 4 NOV 65 to 6 FEB 67. It looks as if 3 of the 4 voyages were with a Capt Sinclair but the first one could be Capt Cringle it is not very clear. SADLY, I am now carrying more weight than hair. That voyage was from 4 NOV 65 to 9 FEB 66.

You are quite right about Brummies and Ben Line. In fact I think that I was possibly the first English Cadet that joined (15 AUG 58) Ben Line. I joined because my Sea Cadet CO was the local Ben Line Agent in Birmingham at the time. Because my parents were unable to fund the whole of my kit requirements for RSNC he paid for most of it. Therefore, I felt that my parents and I thought I should apply to Ben Line. Overall I didn't regret that decision.

During my time at RSNC there were two other Brummies, one of whom was from the same Sea Cadet Unit who had joined one term before me.

I hope that helps.

Peter

[CAPTAIN JEREMY]

Originally Posted by Billieboy

That's it Lancs, I was thinking 1101just a minute ago!, M1113 it is, used to see it every morning, when walking to work from James street station to the central workshops Cardiff Docks, as an apprentice.

I spent a summer staying with my grandparents in Cardiff, in 1965, I think. Used to see her many times as my cousin drove me around the docks to look at the ships. the highlight (for an 8 year old) was when they had an open day so I was able to go on board and have a look around.

[memageon]

Returning to TSMV Margherita (ex HMS Trensham) - Last probable public involvment was with the tall ships get together in Milford Haven June 1991.
Last heard of in Portsmouth 1993/4 under Camper Nicholson's Flag.
Where is she now?
Cheers - ex-Master Margherita

[jojenn]

I came across this photo a while ago, thought you might be interested, if you have not already seen it.
http://www.shipphotos.co.uk/pages/margherita.htm
Ships Monthly of August 1997 had an article about all the "Hams" and included info on Margherita/Tresham.

[Masirah]

Nice to see a thread devoted to RSNC. I do not know why I haven't spotted it before. I was there 56-57 leaving in July 57 and Joining T&J Brocklebanks in September 1957. I have attached a picture of the Port Watch of 56-57. Problem is remember some of the names.

Back row L-R ? Me, Jarrold (Cadet Captain), Pete Radford (Readon Smiths). ?, ?, Stamatou (fm Cyprus), ? (Iraq).

Front row L-R. ?, ? (Iraq?), Gary Hallet, ? (Iraq).

I was one of the crew of Nocturne (the name was changed later) which did the ferry trip to bring her to Cardiff after the college had purchased her. She was the first training ship, indeed the first proper ship the college had. Up to our arrival all we had was a couple of rowing skiffs in Bute dock, now no longer. Nocturne was purchased in 56 and on the first attempt to get her to Cardiff the 55-56 crew managed to get from Southampton to Dartmouth and decided it was too risky to attempt the trip round Lands End in the winter so she laid up over winter. It was decided that the Easter break would be a good time to attempt the second part of the journey, Four cadet gave up their Easter break, Burroughs, Edwards, Hallet and me along with Capt Rose, Ball and Wrightman with an engineer from the boat yard in Southampton hired for the trip. We made it eventually but we were lacking the necessary experience in deep sea sailing. Theory OK, practical needed more time. I at least could spell sailing having spent pre RSNC in dingy sailing. We had to have two attempts to get round Lands End, a storm preventing the first attempt and sending us to seek shelter in Newlyn for a week. The second time we made it and sailed serenely up the Bristol Channel.

We missed the first few days of term, no problem there, and made the headlines in the local press. She was a lovely ship. built for a naval officer who had intended to sail her to Gibraltar and retire there. World War II intervened and she became someones yacht before lying idle for some time prior to the college buying her. I took an interest in her machinery and accuired the job of engineer so went out on every occasion she was used and did many of the watch keeping duties in port, at the time we kept her in Barry Dock.

Happy Days.

Michael Meredith

[duquesa]

Hi, I had an email contact from Burroughs (In NZ I think) about 18mths ago as a result of a Friends Reunited pickup. Then lost contact again. I recognise Stamatiou and the two Iraquis. I often wonder what became of them. There was also another Greek there from Chios called Agiasoglou at the same time. Good pics - great memories -Tks.

[Masirah]

Hi Duquesa

Yes fond memories. I have discovered another photo that might be of interest. I can not remember what the occasion was but it seems that the college won a cup for something as John Ninian Rose is there holding it. Difficult at this distance to remember who is who.

back Row L-R ?( possibly Burroughs), me, Pat Symons, ?;?; Stamatiou, ?:?:?:
Front row L-R ?(Iraq), ?: JNR, ?, Gary Halett, Pete Radford.

The first picture is Nocturne at Barry Dk from above taken after climbing a coal tip which we were moored alongside.

Michael Meredith

[duquesa]

The second from left rear is Theo Agiasoglou as mentioned in my last post. The two Iraquis again I remember and I think the left front row is Yusuf.

[duquesa]

Another look shows that the front second left is Sheridah, another Iraqui and one heck of a nice guy. I really do hope those chaps made it through the events out there.

[sidsal]

I have just received delivery of a newly published book - From Ship's Cook to Baronet which is a bigraphy of Sir William Reardon Smithe who started the nautical school and of course owned the famous tramp line.
It is by David Jenkins and published by teh University of Wales Press.
The first pages promise a fascinating book !

[Masirah]

Hi Sidsal

Sir William did indeed start a nautical school in Cardiff but it had closed several years before RSNC came in to existence. The Readon Smith school took boys from secondary school age much the same as Conway, Pangborne and Worcester. RSNC was named for Sir William and to carry on the tradition he started in the locality but there was no connection with him, the old school or the company. RSNC was based on the lines of Warsash and indeed that's where its Captain came from. The only difference between the two was the size, RSNC being a very much more modest affair. Being new and lacking any sort of track record we only got six months remission of sea time. But hey small is beautiful also.

Michael Meredith

[Masirah]

Hi Duquesa

Second from left rear is me next to Pat Symonds. seventh from the left is Taffy Edwards next to Gary Hallett, which I miss identified the first time round.

Michael

[duquesa]

Was a long time ago and the memory is not as sharp as once was. Good to see the pics though. I was CC there and left July '58.

[Brummiepete]

I had started to enter some comments about one of the two Greeks that were at RSNC when I was but it has disappeared. He was called George Iconomopolis (?). One of the Iraqi cadets who I think was Cadet Captain called Jaddy/Jaddie. I seem to remeber that he called off one of the six o'clock runs because it was raining heavily!!! Richard Burroughs who I think was in the same Sea Cadet Unit as myself, the TS Sherbourne on Moseley Road in Birmingham. I think that he was Cadet Captain at RSNC when he insisted that we went out for the early morning run after it had snowed. TS Sherbourne is not there any longer and I don't know if it exisits at another location in Birmingham (unless someone knows better). I remember spending a duty watch on MARGHERITA overnight in Penarth/Barry Dock? with another Brummie called Bob Palmer. He was very much into engineering because I seem to remember that he fixed a problem with the engine that night. I thought that I saw him in an Indian Restaurant in South Birmingham several years before my wife died. I hope that this has been of some interest and not too much like the meandering of a Senile/Senior Citizen.

[sidsal]

Masirah:
Thanks for info. I was intrigued by Masirah as I was 3rd Mate on the old Masirah just after ww2. Looked at you profile - glad to see you are a believer like me !
God bless
Sid

[duquesa]

Peter, I'm going to send you a pm later today when I get a minute free. I have just sent an email.