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Keith Forster Radio Operator

5K views 31 replies 17 participants last post by  RMM 
#1 ·
Hi everyone.
I am asking for anyone who knew my
dad to contact me so I can find out
more about his seafaring days
Many thanks
 
#8 · (Edited)
If this is Keith from Wigan, ex Fleetwood Nautical College, elder brother Brian, younger sister whose name I forget, married Sue (Suzi Quattro lookalike) from Fleetwood, then, yes, I knew your Dad very well, but know nothing of his seafaring days as we lost touch shortly after he finished college. We shared the same digs for nearly 2 years (and were thrown out of two of them together (EEK) ), I was at his wedding, and he was supposed to be best man at my wedding but was called away to sea early. The last time I saw him (assuming it is the same Keith), was when he and Sue lived in a house that could be seen from the West Coast Mainline Railway on the outskirts of Wigan. At the time they had two small children one boy and one girl (I think).

The right or wrong Keith?

Either way, I'm very sorry to hear of your loss, especially so if it is my old 'best' mate.

Bob Bryne
 
#10 · (Edited)
I am right in thinking "London Rd" being the location of the digs............?
Yes, we were both in London Road for about 15 months (along with Keith's brother, Brian, and Steve Lamb of these forums, amongst others) before we were asked to leave.

We then went to stay at a B&B run by one of the lecturers at FNC and his wife (Paul Hughes?) near the Mount Hotel. Greg Simmons was in the same digs.

Keith was at FNC from Sept 71 until sometime in 73, he left after failing one of the theory exams (Radio?) a couple of times. He later returned in 1976 when he completed the course and gained his MRGC and went to sea. I think he went with one of the Radio Companies, initially, but I can't remember which one.

Bob
 
#12 · (Edited)
Hello JKF Jnr
Like some of the other Fleetwood College lads who have posted above - please could you confirm that we are talking about the same Keith Forster ? It has already been mentioned that he has a brother called Brian - please are we talking about the same man ?
If it is - then I am 'very very sorry' to hear of his passing.
The last time I saw him was back in 2001 on a Fire Training course at the Teeside International Fire Training Centre. He had just joined the same outfit as me at sea.
Irrespective - if it's not the same man then I am still genuinely sorry to hear of your loss.

Please reply soonest as i'm sure a few of us here are eager to know if it's the same person ?

Best Regards
Steve Lamb
 
#16 · (Edited)
JKF Junior, it depends on which 'navy' your dad served in. I had the pleasure of sailing with a J K Forster in 1965 in Brocklebank Line where I was a second R/O and he was my senior. He came from the North East (Durham I think) and was a very popular character. His party piece was an excellent version of The Lambton Worm. I have been trying to get back in contact with him for years but everyone seems to have lost touch with him. He was always known as Keith and I do not know what the 'J' stood for.

If it is him I will gladly provide you with details of my time with him and I have one, maybe two, photos of both of us on a beach in Ceylon.
 
#21 ·
J K Junior
I take it from the way in which you have worded your enquiry that your father has passed on in which event I would wish to offer you and the rest of your family my sincerest condolences.

I had the pleasure of meeting your father a few times during my brief career
with T & J Brocklebanks in the early 1960's. I met him in Newcastle and in Colombo. The latter occasion was when I was junior R/O on the Mahseer and your father was senior on the Matra.

I was sent over to Matra to borrow a spare part that he had and which we needed in order to repair a piece of Mahseer's equipment.

He was extremely kind, very interested in what we were doing and to his great credit, surrendered the required item even though it depleted his own spares holding. He was extremely friendly and courteous and someone who left an abiding impression on me that has remained over the intervening years.

I have often thought of him since then. If you were able to share any part of his life since that time, I and many others who knew him and held him in high esteem would be pleased to hear his story.

Kindest regards
John
 
#23 ·
John and JKF Junior. I was on Matra at the time and remember John coming over from Mahseer in Colombo.

JKF junior, I am in the process of writing up some notes of my voyage with your late father on Matra and will get them to you by email sometime over the weekend. I am having trouble finding a couple of missing slides to supplement the story.
 
#28 ·
keith forster

Hi I sailed with your dad on Brockebank's MANGLA 1963.
He was second radio officer to Bill Curry. I was 4th Mate.
We had some great times together. We had a memorable couple of weeks" iced in" in Copenhagen.
He could sing alright. Apart from the "worm" he had another favourite, something like " a tourie on his bonnet, a red tourie on it."
Sorry to hear of his passing.
Geoff Nicholls
 
#29 ·
If he is the Keith I remember, I am so sorry to hear of his passing. He was an R/O in Carmania for a year or two, a great guy and a very popular one. I have an excellent picture of him. He had a very serious accident whilst skiing ( in Barbados?) being hit in the head by the prop of the ski boat.
 
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