merchant navy

captainjohn


Joined: 08/06/2008
Posts: 201

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 10:51

Any vindi catrix boys on the Island?



Cpt john

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 11:20

Hi Capt.,



Don't know about the Latin but I was at sea for 16 years - 8 under the Red Duster (Mostly Jardine Mathesons) and 8 in the West German MN (as it was at that time).

Sparks with Marconi then the Huns turned me into an EO.

Still dream of those days and would do it again in a flash.

PtePike



Joined: 20/05/2008
Posts: 2334

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 11:34

Hope they still dip their dusters for the grey funnel line.

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 11:45

Vaughan,



What class of ship is a flash?



I always new there was something of the Capt Birdseye about you.....

ROBnJO


Joined: 30/06/2008
Posts: 1289

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 12:06

.- .... - .... --- ... . .-- . .-. . - .... . -.. .- -.-- ...

captainjohn


Joined: 08/06/2008
Posts: 201

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 12:09

just put vindi boys in search engin to learn more about the elite merchant seamen.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 12:49

What do they call the toilet? Is it the vindi loo?

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 12:53

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

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 13:08

.. _. _.. . . _.. / _ .... . _._ _ / ._ _ .... . ._. .

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 13:12

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

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 13:20

.__ .... . ._. . / .._ / __. _ _ _.. __ / .._ _..

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 13:22

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

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 13:28

http://www.rogerwendell.com/hearcw.html

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 13:30

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

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 13:39

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

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

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 13:55

Sorry Captain John,





After 25 years since I used it last, Morse never goes away.....like riding a bike.

But then you know all Sparkies are F'ing nuts. It's the listening to static and drinking a bottle of Gordons a day that does it.



Help!

ROBnJO


Joined: 30/06/2008
Posts: 1289

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 14:18

.... --- .--/-.. ---/.-- ./-.. ---/... . -- .- .--. .... --- .-. . ?

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 15:38

with flags.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 16:03

I've got dots infront of my eyes now!

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 16:06

did u try the link in msg 13?

That guy is fast!!

I used to hate Russian morse code. The ops were speed maniacs plus they had some weird extra letters.

ROBnJO


Joined: 30/06/2008
Posts: 1289

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 16:22

I gave up!



Have to admit it though that I never made it onto the blue briny as a sparks.



Did all the training at the LTTC in Penywern Rd Earls Court in the early 70's, but then took a job at Marconi Caswell near Towcester, then on to Paignton Electronics in Northampton.



Then found my true vocation as an Estate Agent in early days Milton Keynes.





Oh dear! :-(

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 16:25

Vaughan - I liked the headline at the top of his home page,



Defending 3.8 Billion Years of Organic EvolutionSM



Great isn't it!

scotslassie


Joined: 23/01/2008
Posts: 26

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 16:57

Hubby is a skipper with scottish ferry company and will be delighted to speak ships, ships and more ships with anyone at any time when we come out mid September for a year. So keep in touch. Regards

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 17:47

scotslassie - are you coming by ship? (only joking!)

ROBnJO


Joined: 30/06/2008
Posts: 1289

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 19:18

Or by Caledonian MacBrayne?



If they start running a ferry to NC, I will give up flying!

norma jean



Joined: 29/05/2008
Posts: 191

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 22:28

HI, my old man was a navigating officer in the Merchant Navy. Can't keep the old salt dog down. He went to Boulevard High School for training in Hull in 1966-69. Then went to sea, sailing for Ellerman Wilson, Ellerman Papiani and City Lines. Happy Days.

Busy Bees Bogaz


Joined: 18/02/2008
Posts: 283

Message Posted:
31/07/2008 22:52

marcus from busybees....i was in the merchant navy in the early 80`s,servedon rfa ships and alo the original p&o oriana....best days of my life!!

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
01/08/2008 09:00

The four years I did with The Indo-China Steam Navigation Company (Jardine Mathesons) were the best of my sea time. None of the Marconi sparks wanted to go home on leave. The far-east in the late sixties/early seventies was a mad run-ashore. Yanks from the Vietnam war on R&R everywhere you went and the women and booze were cheap. Smoked a bit too. Happy daze.

captainjohn


Joined: 08/06/2008
Posts: 201

Message Posted:
01/08/2008 09:18

At 16 I was with Blue Star Line, as catering boy on cargo ships , Dunedin Star also Adelade Star, traveling to south Africa,Australia,New Zealand, a time in my life that I shall never forget, if you check out the vindicatrix site, you will have an insite to what us Vindi boys had to go through .



.

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
01/08/2008 09:46

Hi Capt.,



I did take a quick look at the website and was sorry to see that they towed the old girl away and broke her up. As a historical seafaring nation we haven't got any respect for old ships. In the Tall Ships race we come across very poorly compared to nations like Poland, Chile, and Japan.

Cutty Sark burnt to the waterline, all we have left is HMS Victory and SS Great Britain, neither seaworthy.

Were we really once the most powerful and ubiquitous navy in the world and was our merchant navy really the biggest in the world for a long time? Now we have more admirals than warships and our merchant fleet is one of the smallest in the world.

Shameful.

teapot


Joined: 11/07/2007
Posts: 30

Message Posted:
01/08/2008 10:25

Hi Guys, I'm another old sea dog, did my time as sparky 1964 to 1974 the old Orient Line, Caltex, BP and MOD LSL's and various freelance work, mostly far east, fantastic time for single lads, very happy years, now resting in TRNC.

mysteron


Joined: 07/05/2008
Posts: 42

Message Posted:
01/08/2008 15:36

Hi,

Im an ex R.A.F. Telegraphist (sparky) did my time from 1962 to 1977, served a few years in the Far east (Singapore and Hong Kong) great place then got married and bought wife over for last part of tour. Excellent social life out there

ROBnJO


Joined: 30/06/2008
Posts: 1289

Message Posted:
01/08/2008 15:46

captainjohn



It seems you have enough old greybeards on here to warrant buying that old ship the Forsa in Kyrenia!



Start up 'Pirates of the Med' cruises, Parrots, gangplanks, the lot!



Johnny Depp wouldn't stand a chance!

timefore


Joined: 01/08/2008
Posts: 495

Message Posted:
01/08/2008 20:46

did my 3 years at HMS Worcester then joined Canadian Pacific served on the beaver boats - now retired to beautiful TRNC

captainjohn


Joined: 08/06/2008
Posts: 201

Message Posted:
02/08/2008 08:32

Blue Star Line,Union Castle,Port Line,Blue Funnel line,Shaw savel line,City line, These and many more were in docks all over the world,but sadley they have all disapeared,memories will always live on.



My best wishes to all you sea dogs,how about a get together to exchange stories ?



Cpt John

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
02/08/2008 08:44

Rob is right... "Pirate for the Day" would be great fun... you should contact Un Bitlis and see about leasing his boat the Forsa... It's got to be a unique selling point (unless you regard some of the other boat owners as pirates already)..



I really think you'd get a lot of good press coverage as well..



You could tie them up, take them to Escape Beach and see if they could.... (escape)



You would need some pirate costumes and you could take photos of them walking the plank etc.

glencoe


Joined: 01/02/2008
Posts: 256

Message Posted:
02/08/2008 08:50

Hello skipper

Sailed with shaw saville, Denholms, Blue star line, Anchor line, Freddy Everard,P&O to name but a few, joined in 1965 number R822493 started as a galley boy ended up as purser / Chief steward / Chief cook, came ashore several times but the pull of the sea always took me back, ended my time on Supply boats in the north sea, Seaforth maritime, offshore marine it was a cushy way to finish but after the seamans strike it was never the same, still the memories will last for ever Guys we have all seen it and done it I guess,.

best of luck to all where ever your roaming may take you, my fellow board of trade aquaintences.

John great idea to import real cider cant wait to try some more

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
02/08/2008 09:36

Seamans discharge book R859323

Marconi Paybook 32583

captainjohn


Joined: 08/06/2008
Posts: 201

Message Posted:
02/08/2008 09:45

R835019



jumped ship in Auckland at the tender age of 16, fell in love with a Kiwi girll,returned as DBS on the Adelaide Star soon after.

captainjohn


Joined: 08/06/2008
Posts: 201

Message Posted:
02/08/2008 09:50

Have any of you sea dogs tried looking on the net for info on your shipping company, i did now have a great print of my ship (DUNEDIN STAR) sailing under Sydney harbour bridge.