[phdad]

 

[sparkie2182]

Variations of the story did the rounds of the MIMCO depots throughout the UK.

 

[makko]

Watching a film on board Barber Memnon, was it "617 Squadron", 2/Sparks ("Supersonic") pulled out a notepad and started scribbling as the Norwegian Resistance sent a Morse message to Britain. Turns out the "message" in the film was real!.........Made me realize he was "conditioned" and quite capable.

Rgds.
Dave

 

[spongebob]

Off key , but I am reminded of that old chestnut from the WW1 trenches at the Somme.
The commanding officer asked his deputy to get his men to relay the following message along the trench and back to the higher command.
"Send reinforcements , we are going to advance "
High command received,
"Send three and four pence , we are going to a dance"

Sorry

Bob

 

[trotterdotpom]

Variations of the story did the rounds of the MIMCO depots throughout the UK.

I never experienced it myself, but it's well known that ROs waiting at Marconi depots used to called by their ship's call sign.

John T

 

[Troppo]

Watching a film on board Barber Memnon, was it "617 Squadron", 2/Sparks ("Supersonic") pulled out a notepad and started scribbling as the Norwegian Resistance sent a Morse message to Britain. Turns out the "message" in the film was real!.........Made me realize he was "conditioned" and quite capable.

Rgds.
Dave

The morse in "The Dambusters" was accurate

 

[Engine Serang]

In 10 years time the Morse Code will be chiselled on to the Rosetta Stone.

 

[Varley]

I never experienced it myself, but it's well known that ROs waiting at Marconi depots used to called by their ship's call sign.

John T

I thought by name. How would we know our callsign before being assigned a berth?

 

[Ron Stringer]

In my time at sea, you didn't only call in at the Marconi depot when you were joining a ship but if you wanted to collect your pay and a travel warrant after signing off, you had no other alternative. When I joined the company at Liverpool that system of calling you in from the R/O's waiting room was definitely in use.

On my first day there I witnessed an almighty row when an intransigent R/O ignored repeated Morse calls made over the loudspeaker on the wall. Eventually the door was opened and the cashier came in and asked the only other occupant why he had not responded to the call. He replied that he resented being treated that way, the callsign was of a ship over in Birkenhead, from which he'd signed off earlier that day and with which he had no connection whatever. He was a person, had a name and would not accept being addressed in any other way.

That's when it all took off. Having only just signed up and accepted my job, I wondered what I was getting into.

 

[sparkie2182]

"He replied that he resented being treated that way"

I don't blame him.

 

[cajef]

I was called by morse in Liverpool depot in the early sixties I ignored them, after several calls eventually someone put their head round the door and asked for me by name.

When I got up he asked whether I could read morse or not, to which I replied yes and I have a first class ticket to prove it when you call me by my name Mr. Xxxxxxxxx I will come otherwise I will be off down the road to work for someone else, they never called me by morse again.

 

[sparkie2182]

As would I.
Well done.

I was always surprised they could get anyone to work for them in the first place.

 

[Troppo]

As would I.
Well done.

I was always surprised they could get anyone to work for them in the first place.

Indeed...

 

[holland25]

From memory the morse wasn't all that crash hot anyway.

 

[trotterdotpom]

I thought by name. How would we know our callsign before being assigned a berth?

I've thought the same thing myself. Maybe they used your name if you were "unattached".

I wondered if it was a way of the Staff Clerks keeping their hand in. Whatever the reason, it was patently ridiculous.

John T

 

[Varley]

I had no objection to it although dropped soon after I joined in 1971. He who pays the piper calls the tune.

 

[Engine Serang]

.- -. -.-- / -.. ..- -.. . / .-- .- -. - / .- / .--- --- -... / --- -. / .- / -.-. .-. .- .--. / ... .... .. .--. ..--..

 

[Varley]

They were often the most fun. At least in post radio-room days. Now, sans beer, sans gin con procedures operational we probably have to redefine 'crap'. Perhaps there is no need having achieved a reduction to the range on the ISO Crap scale to one,

 

[gordonarfur]

Praise the Lord I had more intelligence than to join mimco. I would have been tempted to plant one on some who called me in morse code instead of my name.

 

[P.Arnold]

I joined Mimco at Liverpool, 67’ which with a few exceptions was ‘my’ depot.
Never once in my joining or leaving a ship did I hear this morse code summoning.
Maybe that’s why I only got a 2nd PMG.