I sailed with the trio of Capt TAG Head “Bomber”Harris C/E and John Purvis 2/E a couple of times on the Hardwicke during 1972 as J/E
Only had contact with TAG Head once or twice, first time I had just come off watch arriving in Rio D J for the first time.
I threw on a tee shirt and shorts grabbed my camera to take a few photos
The next thing a cadet tapped me on the shoulder saying the Captain wanted me on the bridge
Brilliant I’ll get some great photos up there I thought
I got a rollacking for being on the passenger deck out of uniform
Next the darts match between the crew and officers.
Henry 3/O (cant remember surname) phoned from the bridge to the ER, he greeted everyone, Hello Lah do you know the score of the darts match
I rushed off to the crews mess to find out,returned with with a plateful of savoury bits and pieces for the watch
I called Henry back with a mouth full of sausage roll with the news “Hello Lah the crew are winning 4-3”
“Pardon” came the reply, guess who?
I regained my composure and asked for a time check
Henry unable to get to phone first knew what the call would be and took himself to the wing of the bridge to try and control himself from laughing
Paying off in KG V TAG Head had his car a dark green Ford Corsair at the bottom of the gangway having it it loaded with his gear.
I was local, and my dad worked in the docks so would leave my car where we would berth. I went and got my car and parked behind the Captains car
At the top of gangway l meet Henry leaning on the handrail looking out “ Hello Lah I see you have car exactly the same as the Oldmans then”
One other thing I remember in London was the first people onboard once the gangway was down where HM Customs
Two officers in uniform and four or five rummages dressed in dark blue battle dress type jackets berets on the back of their heads and long hair looking a bit scruffy
TAG Head wouldn’t let them onboard saying they where a disgrace. They duly went and tidied themselves up before being allowed back onboard
The only thing I can think of with “Bomber” is him asking me to take some photos
We had a passenger die on a return trip, his wife was onboard and decided to have him buried at sea.
I never took the photos which “Bomber” thought the Wife might like to have of the ceremony I didn’t think it appropriate
John Purvis what can I say, I real live wire.
https://youtu.be/uDMOkhy0F3k
Copy this URL to YouTube it says it all. The words are with others are sewn into my brain
Enjoy
PS the crew seem to win the dart matches. It was always held in their bigger mess
Officers dart board went from P To S and the crews from F to A
It was a completely different style of throwing dart
The End