Second Mate during Boilers re tube at Palermo
British Valour had a difficult time prior to being re-tubed at Palermo. I joined her as 2/O at Grain towards the end of May 1968 and finished discharge at Aarhus (where she sank at her moorings) and Copenhagen (where 2 x crew members were held on suspicion of attempted burglary of the gold exchange).
Having signed on another seaman from the Hamburg Pool we left ostensibly for Milazzo to load feedstock for Immingham. En route approx 6 hrs short of Gib we virtually ran out of boiler water necessitating a trip alonside where 250tons were purchased. Within hours of leaving Gib the precious water had all but gone. We made it into Palermo and about a week later into a floating dry dock. Engineroom and deck interpreters were appointed. The deck guy was a character by the name of Pietro Saporito a relict of the early SAS mountain fighters in Greece during 1943. Don McKenzie was Mate, Phil ? 2/E (from the NE), myself Mike Alexander, and Electrician ? and wife from Falmouth were left on board the remaining crew signed off and repatriated. The vessel lay until late September before leaving and resuming trade. There are a wealth of stories surrounding this period re 1. the degaussing cable ,2.contents of medical locker,3. chilled stores 4. bonded stores nothing illegal but hilarious non the less. (Thumb)
