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50 years ago

8K views 22 replies 12 participants last post by  seaman38 
#1 ·
My first trip. Signed on Falaba at Tilbury Dock, 50 years ago today.
 

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#4 ·
Congratulations, Dick! I feel honoured to have sailed with you. It all seems so recent - However, I joined Phrontis just a little under thirty eight years ago!!! Where did all that time go, Who is that staring at me in the mirror??!!
Take care and Very Best Regards,
Dave
 
#5 ·
Yes Dave, what happened! Your trip with me, on Phrontis, was my last in the late great Blue Funnel. After that, ICSN (Jardines), then a shore job in Hong Kong.
Now retired. I look back on Blue Funnel as the best days of my life. Great Nostalgia. I always look immediately at your posts, and all Blue Funnel memories, esp. Pat Kennedy's.
All the best
Richard (formerly 'KD').
 
#6 ·
Signed on my first ship 69 years ago, where did the time go, it went on many adventures, many happy times, many hurricanes/typhoons/cyclones call them what you will, which built camaraderie and made you realise how insignificant in the whole sphere of things that you really were. There were ups and downs (there still are!) but we weathered them and still do, and the sea taught us that, and those who haven't experienced it have missed so much.
 
#14 ·
G'day Graham,
Yes, I believe you commented before when I mentioned my "short trips" on Falaba. Only a month each on the "West African Express" service, unlike the more usual voyages of many months on the coast.
Those two ED ships on the first page, including Dalla on the US service, were my only ED voyages other than a short UK coast on a Bluie with a yellow funnel. With "Cyclops" at the foot of the page I moved to the "late great Blue Funnel" until the end of my Ocean Fleets service.
Best rgds,
Richard
 
#8 ·
A bit over 50 years

A few items from my early days at sea, may be of interest:
I sailed on the maiden voyage of Niarchos tanker “World Grandeur” from Hamburg in November 1955.
The first item is my first wage sheet: £16.13.4d for 2 months!
Second is our tank loading schedule in Mena al Ahmadi, Kuwait in October 1956.
Third item is our dinner menu for New Years Day 1957, heading for Las Palmas. We had been in the last convoy to get through the Suez Canal before the British/French/Israeli invasion the previous October and now we had to sail home the long way, around the Cape of Good Hope.
Hopefully you might find these interesting.
Les West
 

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#15 ·
Huh!

Now just what exalted position did you have to make that much money in 2 months?
A few items from my early days at sea, may be of interest:
I sailed on the maiden voyage of Niarchos tanker “World Grandeur” from Hamburg in November 1955.
The first item is my first wage sheet: £16.13.4d for 2 months!
Second is our tank loading schedule in Mena al Ahmadi, Kuwait in October 1956.
Third item is our dinner menu for New Years Day 1957, heading for Las Palmas. We had been in the last convoy to get through the Suez Canal before the British/French/Israeli invasion the previous October and now we had to sail home the long way, around the Cape of Good Hope.
Hopefully you might find these interesting.
Les West
 
#23 ·
I recall the wage for my first year of apprenticeship was eighteen and threepence ha'penny a week.
One could only dream of such riches, as an indentured apprentice my first years salary was £72. Now Pat that really was crap money! but somehow, even after leaving Mum £2 10s a month I still managed to have a good time ashore with beers and getting breast fed!(K)
 
#9 ·
Next month it will be 70 years since I first signed on.

It was aboard Zim's s/s "Galilah" (Built 1913), one of four pax vessels that brought immigrants and passengers to Israel. I was 15 and still a student at the Haifa Nautical School.
I still remember that exciting day, in which I had three cigarettes in one go – first, last and one too many...
My permanent Seaman's book (attached) was issued three months later.
Cheers to all old-timers.
 

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#10 ·
It was aboard Zim's s/s "Galilah" (Built 1913), one of four pax vessels that brought immigrants and passengers to Israel. I was 15 and still a student at the Haifa Nautical School.
I still remember that exciting day, in which I had three cigarettes in one go – first, last and one too many...
My permanent Seaman's book (attached) was issued three months later.
Cheers to all old-timers.
Like me David, you may have to wait until 2021 to reach that first ship 70 years ago, if you went to sea in 1951. However your first ship was older than mine, mine was built in 1914. Wish I could do it all over again
 
#13 ·
Talking of old ships, here is a photo of my first command, s/s "Tsfonit", 5235 dwt, built 1937 as "Ernst L.M. Russ, at Flensburg, Germany. ASt my time she worked as a log carrier on the West African run. Excellent stability, over 1100 tons on deck.
I left Haifa on my my first trip as a Master on Friday 13 May, 1960 at 22:00 local time. Friends who came to farewell me strongly suggested I delay departure by two hours and let go the moorings at 00:01 Saturday the 14th. I rejected the idea and sailed on time. Excellent voyage. I suppose the vessel was too small for Neptune to take notice of.
 

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#18 ·
Takes me back to my first ship as a Nav App - 'British Union' October 9th 1956

Your pay rate was 'spot on' - First year rates of pay in BP were 8 Pds 7 s. per month LESS 2 Pds National health insurance !

Have to say I have had a refund - the Govt still pay me a pension about $300 per month - buys me a bottle of gin every week - I am 80 next week ! Long may it continue.....
 
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