Anyone remember these two ? Both ex Silver Line and distinctive because of their twin funnels. Good ships mine was Alsatia circa early sixties with good memories
What years are we talking about here? My dad was a 3/E on the Alsatia in early 1956.My father and grandfather worked on both these ships in the 50's and 60's.
Hi, I would of sailed with you, as I was an apprentice deck officer on the Alaunia from 1960 to 1962.Andria
Last of the Two funnelled ships. Was on her Mar, '61 then got transferred to Alaunia as Cat. boy
Good to hear of you Paul… I am now retired and live in Suffolk …following many happy years in the Port Industry after Cunard. After retirement from Felixstowe I joined the Board of Harwich Haven Authority as a Non Ex leaving six years ago…..if Colin Smith is able to read this ….hello and get in touch!Deck Cadet on Andria
I was a deck cadet on Andria in December 1962. We spent Christmas in the port of Halifax. I think New Year's eve the ship was in St. Johns, New Brunswick. As the junior deck cadet it was my job to go up on to the bridge at midnight and blow the whistle to welcome in the New Year. However, I didn't make it to the bridge, having collapsed on the stairs somewhere on the way up due to excessive consumption of alcohol. The Andria, as a result, was the only ship in the port that didn't blow the whistle at midnight.
The other two deck cadets on the ship with me were John Griffith and John Bubb. Both a lot fun and great to sail with.
Andy Wilson was the 3rd Officer, I can't remember the 2nd Officer's name but he was very good at helping us cadets with our studies and signal practice on the bridge.
The Chief Officer was a real character Peter Brush - as mad as a hatter. I remember Brush on the focsle whilst the ship was tying up in KGV dock, London wearing a long fur coat and with a long haired wig on holding up a jumbo comb in his hand, he shouted down to somebody on the quayside "what time do the barbers open". He had a pilot's license and the story goes that he flew a plane between the funnels of one of the original "Queens". He was called into Cunard's office and admonished but not sacked for this prank.
When I was on Andria I saw from some old deck log books that my uncle Captain Frederic Watts had been Master on Andria in the 1950's. My uncle was later Commodore of Cunard.
I was still on the Andria in London in 1963 when she was handed over to the new Taiwanese owners. A whole bunch of Chinese came on board and when walking passed them they would salute me and the other cadets as we were in officer's uniform. We found it very amusing and made an effort to walk passed as many Chinese as possible just for more salutes.
A lot of us took something as a souvenir off the ship when it was sold. I still have a brass oil lamp with a concave face. It was a bridge telegraph lamp used to illuminate the telegraph in the event of a blackout.
When in London Cunard would put a public phone on board for crews' use - the old fashioned button B type. I remember when a clerk from the office would come to remove the phone shortly before sailing and saying he couldn't understand why there wasn't more money in the box. I knew why as I used to upend the box and shake the money out, after all I was only earning four quid a week then (or was it a month?)