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HarrisonLineNEWSLETTER

No.36

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HARRISON LINE NEWSLETTER No. 36

EDITORIAL

There is no need for me to dwell on the events that have taken place in the South Atlanticthese last few weeks, since the details are known to us all and are even now being serialised in atelevision documentary. Sufficient to say that a decisive victory has been won for Britain andDemocracy - although, at some considerable cost in lives and equipment - by a well trained anddisciplined force who exhibited the fortitude and bravery for which our Nation has long beenfamous.

If it were ever in doubt, the Merchant Navy, without which the operation to recover theFalkland Islands could not have been undertaken, has proved itself once again as the fourth arm ofdefence. As the long and arduous 'mopping up' operation gets underway many problems emergebut many more lessons have been learnt and, hopefully, will be acted upon. In this connection, theG.C.B.S., as spokesman for our industry had this to say in its annual report published at the end ofMay:-

" Within NATO, plans have long been drawn up and steadily developed over the years

for the use of all kinds of vessel available within the NATO merchant fleets. Outsidethe NATO area - and increasingly it is becoming apparent how conflicts are liable toerupt in any far-off part of the globe - no such plans exist, although the British Govern-ment, as demonstrated in the Falklands Islands crisis, would be able to call upon Britishmerchant ships wherever they might be. The crucial question is - with the steady declinein numbers of ships, will there be a sufficient quantity of merchant shipping, and of theright types, available? These issues are constantly discussed between GCBS and the Govern-ment, and GCBS' fear that in fact, as time goes on, there will not be sufficient Merchantshipping available to supply the country's essential needs in time of war, has been madeplain to HMG. As it is, the UK relies on foreign shipping for nearly 70% of its importsand over 60% of its exports (figures from 1980 returns - by weight).

The Merchant Navy's role in an emergency is only one of the reasons why GCBScontinues to press upon the Government its case for an additional investment allowanceto encourage the building of ships which are going to be profitable . . . . . . . . . Asshipowners have frequently stated, and has now unfortunately been illustrated, defenceplanning must look beyond the NATO area and must provide for the transportation ofmen and material over long distances by sea. Another pressing need is to revive the co-

operation between Government and industry on ways in which features which would be

useful at a time of national emergency can be built into ships while they are underconstruction or added at an appropriate time. Obviously such features cannot be allowedseriously to affect the peacetime operation of merchant ships but there is a good deal

which could be done . . . Ministers have expressed great appreciation to ship-owners, their technical staffs, and to officers and crews, for the tremendous co-operationthey have received since the beginning of the crisis. They have been immensely heartened

and helped by the quick response of the Merchant Navy. This expression of appreciationon behalf of Ministers has been reiterated on behalf of the Royal Navy itself."

Our Government has already announced that all the equipment lost by the Royal Navy will be

more than replaced and the time was never better to ensure that our Merchant Fleet is also given theopportunity to improve its capabilities in every respect.

In stating that different types of merchant vessel performed their allotted tasks with varyingdegrees of success, the Ministry of Defence are on record as being particularly pleased with ships likethe ASTRONOMER because of her'helicopter carrying capability. Following the tragic loss of theATLANTIC CONVEYOR, (hit by an Exocet missile deflected by H.M.S. HERMES), in the last week

of May, the Ministry decided to co-opt the ASTRONOMER as a replacement.

She arrived in Felixstowe from the Caribbean on May 28th and discharged her entire cargo

there before proceeding, two days later, to Devonport for fitting out. Only six days were required toconvert her into a helicopter support and repair vessel and on Tuesday June 8th she sailed South, with

Editorial (Contd.)

in excess of a hundred men aboard, via Ascension Island to join the Task Force off the FalklandIslands.

ASTRONOMER arrived there just 17 days later on June 25th where she remains for an unspec-ified period. She is now the only ship of her type in the area and towers above the rest of the fleet. Shehas been nicknamed "H.M.S. INCREDIBLE" by the Royal Navy who cannot believe that a containership crewed by 34 Merchant Seamen could become thebest fed, best accommodated and best aircraftcarrier in the Fleet !

Most of you will be aware of the shocking conditions that some of our troops dre having toendure camped out on the Islands and particularly at the airfield. In an effort to relieve their sufferingASTRONOMER takes aboard about thirty different men each night where they have a bath, and eveningmeal, a couple of beers, maybe a film and a warm bed for the night before being despatched ashoreagain after breakfast the next morning. A "newsgram" from the R.N. contingent aboard the vessel

recently stated "we still provide support for the Wessex Squadron ashore and remain the best bed andbreakfast ship in the harbour, despite what the RANGATIRA says". A far cry from the days of "two-of-fat-and-o ne-o f-lean ! "

Naturally, all of us are proud that one of the Company's vessels should have been chosen tojoin the Task Force and that she is making such a positive contribution now that she is in the SouthAtlantic. Furthermore, we salute the thirty four men who volunteered to sail to war in ASTRONOMER.The enhanced reputation that they and the vessel have gained during the last few weeks also reflects admir-ably on all those "behind the scenes" who played their part,and on the Company as a whole.

Events in the Falklands and the last month's vile London bombings by the I.R.A. have, notunnaturally, captured most of the attention of the British Public of late, but in terms of the carnage

of civilians and soldiers and widespread destruction of property, even the Iran/Iraq war pales intoinsignificance when compared with the results of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and their effortsto "liquidate" the P.L.O. As with almost all the conflicts of modern times the peace keeping actionsof the United Nations have proved to have been quite without substance.

Elsewhere in the world, a failed coup in Kenya has shown us that all is not as stable in thatcountry as we have liked to believe. The economies of all the East African nations are becoming moreand more precarious. In the other Third World area where Harrisons have a particular trading interestthe United States' Caribbean Basin initiative is now believed to be faltering whilst in Mexico a massive

yet tricky operation is underway to rescue that economy.

Britain has received two distinguished visitors to its shores these last three months. The Pope

did eventually grace us with his presence in what was regarded as a memorable spiritual event but nota commercial success since the organisers over-estimated the sizes of the crowds (the visit was thereforedeemed to have served God but not Mammon!). Shortly thereafter, President Reagan came to call,accompanied by his wife and a host of news and security men. The latter's diligence was considered tobe somewhat overdone at the time but subsequent security inefficiencies by our own Authorities have

largely negated those opinions.

A series of scandals surrounding the protection of the Royal Household have come to light.Firstly a man was able to find his way, unhindered, into the Queen's bedroom (his second entry intothe Palace in six weeks) and ten minutes elapsed before assistance could be summoned. Then, HerMajesty's personal bodyguard resigned after it was discovered that he had been involved with a maleprostitute. Positive vetting had failed to reveal this fact. This was followed by a spy scandal at theCheltenham Headquarters for Government Communications and the pronouncement by the officerin charge of investigations into Police corruption that he had been obstructed in carrying out his

duties by senior members of that force.

We have also had our share of industrial problems recently. All-out strikes by British Rail and

London Transport have caused much discomfort and selective action by Health workers is creatinganguish. The Miners' Union is now demanding a 30% wage increase - Mr. Scargill says it is not negot-iable - at a time when Sir Geoffrey Howe is insisting that in the next round of wage talks, increases

2

Editorial (Contd.)

should be very small if, indeed, there are to be any at all.

Meanwhile, unemployment is up to 3.2 million, inflation is down to 9% per cent and theBanks and Building Societies are battling over interest rates on home loans so that these are now downto around l2%.

The British people had something to celebrate on June 2lst when the Princess of Wales wassafely delivered of a Son. His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of Wales waschristened on August 4th (the day of his Great Grand-Mother's 82nd birthday). He is now second inline of succession to the Throne after his Father.

There have been mixed fortunes in the sporting world. Gilles Villeneuve was killed in a motorracing accident and soon afterwards his teammate Didier Peroni was badly injured in practice. BarrySheene may never race .again, following an accident during practice for the British 500 cc motorcycling Grand Prix. A team of English footballers journeyed to South Africa for an unofficial tour butsuffered the same fate as their cricketing predecessors; the tour was called off half way through and theplayers have been suspended. England's cricketers beat the Indians in an uninspiring series but have nowwon a much more interesting one against Pakistan. Somerset beat Notts. convincingly in the Benson and

Hedges one day series final which was not altogether surprising with the likes of Botham, Richards and

Garner in their team. Martina Navratilova won the Wimbledon Ladies' singles championship for the thirdtime and Connors beat McEnroe in the mens' final. England, Northern Ireland and Scotland all tried hard in

the world cup, but Italy beat West Germany in the final. Tom Watson won the U.K. open golf champ-ionship yet again, and David Moorcroft joined the ranks alongside Coe and Ovett by shattering the world5,000 metre record; he knocked 5.78 seconds off the previous best and is the third Briton to hold therecord, after Gordon Pirie and Chris Chataway in the mid '50's.

The G.C.B.S. hold their Annual General Meeting and elect a new President for the forthcomingyear each May. On this occasion Mr. M.A. Nicolson M.C. from Booker Line became the first Presidentfor nine years who is based outside London and he takes on this duty at a very critical time for BritishShipping. The scenario is familiar but I believe it is worth quoting further from the G.C.B.S. annualreport lest anyone be in doubt as to the seriousness of the situation:-

o'More tonnage was lost to the UK owned and registered merchant fleet in 1981 thanin any other year previously. The net reduction was 147 ships totalling 6.3 mn dwt., and means

that in the past six years there has been a loss of over two-fifths of UK tonnage. Ofthe 6.3 mn by far the largest amount was in tankers - 5.3 mn. - thus vividly illustratingthe appalling tanker markets that have developed over the past year. The remainder was inbulkers and conventional cargo liners. The loss in total was nearly the same as in 1979

butwhereas6.00mndwt.thenrepresentedl4%of thefleet,in 1981 6.3mnrepresentedl8%. ln total the UK owned and registered fleet now represents a mere 4.3% of the worldfleet as compared with 40% in 19 I 3, 26% in 1939 , 18% in 1945 and 9% in 197 5, when thefleet reached its biggest size ever - 50 mn dwt.

In terms of ship numbers the loss has been equally arresting. Whereas in December1975 there were 1 ,614UK owned and registered ships, nowthere are less thanathousand. And the number of foreign flag ships under the management of GCBS

member companies has declined too - from 108 in September 1980 to92 a year later.

Undoubtedly the disastrous seamen's strike of January/February 1981 had a lot todo with the decline. Some owners lost faith in the UK flag, including some from abroad

who had previously invested here. Some who had had ships under UK management,

withdrew them. Some decided that with the steep rise in UK manning costs whichoccurred in 1980 and again in 1981, they could not afford to keep ships operatingunder the UK flag. When it costs (as it does), roughly f 1,000 a day more to operate a

medium-sized bulker or tanker under the UK flag with UK officers and ratings as comparedto a similar ship under a Far Eastern flag (Korea, Singapore, the Philippines, Taiwan and

Editorial (Contd.)

so on) or under the British flag but with the ship registered in Hong Kong, the problemof competition which faces UK owners will readily be appreciated.

But, in addition to high manning costs, the UK owners, like owners everywhere, werehit by the slump in market conditions. Overtonnaging in most trades and the glut ofoil in the world, combined with shorter legs on which to transport it, led to a seriousdecline in revenue - particularly in the tanker and dry bulk cargo markets. Theseships are now attracting rates which do not even cover the operating costs of thevoyage. There is a long way to go before a modern bulker can earn sufficient to coveroperating costs, capital repayments and interest on outstanding loans, let alone putsomething aside for replacement to keep the business going.

The decline in the size of the fleet has inevitably been reflected in maritime unemploy-ment which, over the last year, has reached its highest level since the 1930s. At theworst point - mid-November l98l - there were 1,010 officers and 3,617 ratingsunemployed on the MNE Pool. Many of these had been unemployed for over 2l weeksand so had exhausted their entitlement to the MNE benefit which the industry paysin addition to the State's unemployment benefit. In the early months of 1982, anaccelerated redundancy scheme was introduced and in the first four months of thisyear some 303 officers and 692 ratings applied for redundancy, as compared with 224officers and 273 ratings in the whole of 198 1.

Deep Sea LinersThe reshaping of the UK liner fleet continues with a decline in numbers of ships and

overall tonnage, but an increase in carrying and earning potential and efficiency. Thetotal UK liner fleet in l98l (deep sea and short sea combined) was 377 ships of 3.65 mn grt,a marked fall from 1980 - 453 ships of 4.14 mn grt.

Deep Sea TrampsLittle immediate recovery can be foreseen for bulkers. There is a steady flow of new

buildings coming onto an already overtonnaged market (particularly larger size vessels).

In 198 I the number of tonne-rniles carried world-wide of coal, iron ore and grain (theprincipal cargoes) rose only 2%, whilst the world bulk carrier fleet grew by 8%

to 153.6 mn dwt (24% of the world fleet). Without a big upturn in demand, markets willbe hard pressed to absorb the extra capacity, and the number of bulk carriers laid upis increasing."

The situation has not improved in the last three months. In fact, the dry bulk market has

deteriorated further and now the containership market is coming under pressure with 5 million tonnesdeadweight of newbuildings (one third of the existing world fleet) on order and most major traderoutes already converted. All these factors directly affect the operations of our own fleet, as you willread in the trade reports. Other companies have taken action in the light of events too; Furness Withyand B.P. are reported to be further reducing the size of their fleets whilst Cunard and Ocean arebelieved to be making more sea and shore staff redundant. But one announcement that particularlyhits home is that Booker Line is laying up its three multi-purpose vessels which will cause 70 men tobecome redundant. Bookers will continue to provide a service to the Caribbean, but with outwardcharters only.

Finally, I can report that Sir Thomas Pilkington has been elected Chairman of the EllermanHarrison Container Line with effect from August 4th. We wish him success in this new appointment.

l9th August 1982

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4

PERSONNEL

OBITUARYName Position Died Age Joined Company

Miss E.G. Gilmore Retired Secretary, L'Pool 3. 6.82 87 l92OC.H. Trodd " Engrs.Clerk, London ll. 7.82 76 1967

RETIREMENTS

Name Position Retired Age Joined Company

E.D.B. Kent Admin.Asst. London Office 31. 7.82 65 l97lMrs. P.M. Karr Cashier Thos.Tweddle & Co. 8. 8.82 60 l97OG. Bennett C.P.O. Deck 2. 7.82 57 1954

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EXAMINATION RESULTS

We congratulate the following on passing their examinations:-

J.P.A. Billing Class I DeckD.I. Caig Class 2 DeckP.R. Walton Class 2 DeckF.J. Gardiner 2nd Class Motor

N.B. As this newsletter goes to Press, several Officers are awaiting Examination Results.

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METEOROLOGICAL OFFICE - Excellent Awards 1981

The Meteorological Office has, as usual, published a list of Masters, Principal Observing Officersand Radio Officers who have been concerned in the most outstanding l98l meteorological logbooksforwarded to the Met. Office and we congratulate the following Harrison Officers who have gained thisAward:-

Captain R.H. JonesCaptain R.J. SmithP.R. WaltonP.G. Wood

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Above:LANTAU TRADER (built 1978; 17414 g.r.t.) which operates within the Athntic Bulker Consortium,managed by Denfuilm Coates, and ,Below: LAMMAFOREST(built 1977;18604g.r.t.)whichoperateswithintheScanscotConsortium,managed by Brostroms. Both vessels are owned by Blairdale Shipping Ltd. of Hong Kong and hque beenchartered by The Charente Steam-Ship Co. Ltd., thus enabling senior Harrison Officer personnel to beempbyed aboard them.

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LETTERS TO THE EDMOR

MESSAGE OF SYMPATHYIn the last Editorial a request was made for a little feed-back from readers about the general

content and style of this newsletter. A couple of weeks later a letter did arrive; from the Editor of"Rennie News" in CapeTown. [n absorbing the plaintive plea Hubert Miller-Sirling has "diagnosedwith absolute certainly, a severe case of "Editor's Melancholy"; a state induced by deprivation ofany literary contact whatever with mankind". The ailment is wellknown to him since he has

suffered identical symptoms following a similar request for comment from readers of his publica-tion. His letter continues:

"It is hardly necessary to add that my very direct plea did not produce one single

reply or comment of any sort so do not expect any of your readers to write to youabout your editorial of 1Oth May.

Editors simply have to accept the fact that they are like piano players in bars.

Nobody notices what they are doing until they stop".

He is right, of course!

SOUTHERN LADY * ,.

Enclosed in another letter, the "Rennie News" Editor kindly sent us two photographs,taken by a member of Rennies Wharf staff, of the BENEFACTOR arriving in Cape Town onApril 2nd, on her last voyage in Harrison colours and sailing out again as SOUTHERN LADYon April 2l st in her new guise, flying the Panamanian flag.

Her new owners have given her hull a fresh coat of paint and in doing so have paintedthe white half rounds black. The Harrison Line pink has been covered by the darker anti-fouling paintfrom the water-line down. The superstructure masts and derricks remain in their original coloursas does the black top to the funnel but the rest of the "stack" now seems to be an "Alfred Holt"blue.

The vessel loaded at South African ports and sailed for Spain and the Mediterranean.

THAT INAUGURAL SUGAR CARGOIn the last newsletter we included a photograph of the s.s. GOVERNOR christening the

new berth at Port of Spain, during March 1939, to load a sugar cargo. W.E. "Wassie" Williamswas Second Officer at the time and has sent us this photograph of the very first sling of sugar

being loaded aboard.

The railway lines have now been covered over and the method of loading has changed over the years butthe same sheds are still there and even containerisation doesn't seem to have caused much of a change inthe size of the gangs on the Trinidad waterfront!

7

ktters to the klitor (Contd.)

THE NAME'S THE SAMEIn edition No. 34 we included Mr. W.M. Graham's article about the operations of the Trinity

House Light Vessel PATRICIA. Readers will be interested to know that the new flagship has now beendelivered to the Lighthouse Authority from the Leith shipyard of Henry Robb & Co. and has alsobeen named PATRICIA. Her 44 year old predecessor has already been sold to a West German ownerwho is believed to be converting her for cruising purposes as a private yacht.

SHIP ADOTTION _ VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!Surprisingly, only one Harrison Line seafarer is involved with the Ship Adoption movement

(which is now a division of the Marine Society). Captain J.M. Procter is associated with NorthwayCounty Primary School, Liverpool, which he and Mrs. Procter visit regularly. They meet the childrenboth in classrooms and in the hall, where Captain Procter stands by a large map of the world tracinghis latest voyage. They also bring gifts to the school, or small samples of interesting cargoes, and writelong and imaginative letters from overseas, which provide the Staff with exciting material for lessons.

In order to persuade the future generation of Britain that the marine industries of today arenot in irrevocable decline, we must somehow implant knowledge about the sea and ships into theminds of children. Ship Adoption is one effective way of developing this communication, but theyare desperately short of seafaring volunteers. If you feel you would like to assist, please write to theSecretary, Mrs. Marion Hope, at Ship Adoption, 202 Lambeth Road, London SEI 7JW.

Captain hocter telling children at Northway CP School, Liverpool, about the balsawood models hebrought from East Africa for the school.

Letters to the Mitor (Contd.)

COVER DESIGN COMPETITIONIn all, nineteen designs were submitted by employees of the various Companies under the

Charente umbrella but, disappointedly, only four came from the active Seafaring community forwhom this newsletter is primarily compiled. Nevertheless, our thanks go to those who have showninterest and they have provided the judging panel with the difficult task of selecting a winner. In theend, however, a simple and unostentatious design has been chosen which reflects the traditions of theFirm and is based on the crest which is familiar to us all.

It was the custom in the days of sail to have a Motto, as well as a House Flag, and the above wasadopted by Messrs. Thos. & Jas. Harrison. The Motto, together with the House Flag, were at one timecarved on the doors and chairs in the saloons of steamers - many vessels also had them painted on thecounters and lifeboats. The custom was discontinued towards the end of the l9th century but the initialsP.D.E.P. still appear on Harrison Uniform buttons. There is also a fine woodcarving of the crest in themdseum carved by the late W.A. Hansen.

Captain J.L. Curle, now retired in Willaston, South Wirral, submitted the winning entry uponwhich the final design has been based and we congratulate him, therefore, on gaining the prize! He shouldalready have received a cheque for f,25.00 graciously donated by Instaprint, our Printers, whom we also

thank for their interest and sponsorship.

We hope you approve of the final result.***

HARRISONS AND THE FALKLAND ISLANDSMost of you will know that the ASTRONOMER is currently with the Task Force off the Falkland

Islands, (where she replaced the ill fated ATLANTIC CONVEYOR), and serves as a helicopter repair andsupport depot. However, not many of you know that Harrison vessels played parts in the South Atlantic,centred around the Falklands, during both the First and Second World Wars.

ln 19l4 the INTABA, one of the small passenger ships bought by Harrisons from the Rennie Linein I 9 I I , was taken over by the Admiralty and carried a cargo of bunker coal to Port Stanley to replenishthe Royal Naval Fleet which had been despatched there to deal with a German Battle Fleet after the battleoff Coronel, Chile.

On July 6th 1942 the first STRATEGIST arrived in Port Stanley loaded to the scuppers with acomplete camp for three thousand troops and also carried three hundred Royal Engineers in No. 4'tween deck.

Captain G. Cubbin has researched the 1914 episode and Mr. E. Carter Braine has also provided

some notes, written from memory, of the affair at the time. Captain J.L. Curle was Chief Officer of theSTRATEGIST in 1942 and has also been persuaded to commit his memories to paper. Meanwhile,Captain S. Bladon has been sending in some very interesting despatches about the activities of theASTRONOMER since she completed a refit in Devonport and sailed South on June Sth.

Unfortunately neither timeof the Newsletter but we intend to

early December.

nor space permit the inclusion of these three stories in this editionhave them completed to present to you in a'Falklands Special' in

9

Montserrat, December, 1 981

ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN!

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After this leased container hadbeen carried in a CAROLvessel to Puerto Rico, trans-shipped to Montserrat and safelylanded on the quay at Plymouth,the unit was accidentally dropped,upsidedown, in the briny whilstbeing lifted onto a flatbed fortransportation inland.

With the help of a bulldozer and wiresthe unit was rolled over, turned roundand dragged onto the beach where thesodden contents, (mainly tins ofcondensed milk), were discharged. Thebox was then pulled and pushed up thebank to within reach of a forklift truckwhich removed it to a permanent resting place

where, no doubt, it now serves a usefulpurpose for someone!

In admitting liability, thePort Authority have sincepaid claims in full for boththe container and itscontents.

(Photos: courtesty of John H. Llewellyn llall).

TRADE REPORTS

CAROL by S.H. Gifford-Mead

Problems have an uncanny habit of occurring on Friday afternoons, particularly before longweekends, and Friday 28th May, before the Spring Bank Holiday, was no exception. With the ASTRON-OMER due at Felixstowe at 1800 hours on that Friday afternoon, a rather innocuous telephone callfrom the Ministry of Defensg enquiring as to her European schedule, proved to be the start of a hecticfew days after the Govemment decided to requisition the vessel for use in the South Atlantic. Withthe particular co-operation of the Felixstowe Authorities and our Agent, it was possible to completelydischarge the vessel at Felixstowe, a total of over 900 moves, in order for her to be ready to sail toDevonport at first [ght on Sunday 30th May. This part of the operation completed, CAROL was leftwith over 600 containers in the wrong place, including perishables in Conairs for which there were norefrigeration facilities on shore at Felixstowe; so it was fortunate that the HOLLANDIA, fresh fromdrydock, could be diverted to Felixstowe to load the Continental cargo. This was completed satisfact-orily without any adverse comments from our customers. It was also fortunate that, as the ASTRON-OMER was scheduled to dry-dock at the end of that voyage (and not required on the loading berthagain until the third week of June), it coincided with the end of the charter of the AUTHOR. So asmooth exchange from the ASTRONOMER to AUTHOR was achieved without disruption to theschedule.

During July CAROL was advised that the charter of the CARAIBE to Sagumex would not be

renewed beyond the 22nd July, and consequently CAROL's "sixth vessel" was without employmentfrom that date. As our French colleagues were naturally anxious to re-employ the CARAIBE in CAROL,since they have only one vessel in the service, it became Harrisons' tum, (as one of the two Lines withtwo vessels in the fleet), to have a vessel out of the regular schedule. Consequently, when the ADVISER'sdry-dock finished in the third week of July, her place in the CAROL schedule was taken by theCARAIBE, and the ADVISER was laid-up in Amsterdam. Despite continuous searching for suitableemployment for this vessel, nothing is presently available so we have the depressing problem of theADVISER sitting idle in Amsterdam until some work can be found for her.

There has also been a change in the feeder vessel operating between Puerto Rico and Trinidad.The ATALANTA was redelivered to her Owners early in August and replaced by the MERKURISLAND, which is some 70 teu's. bigger than her predecessor and therefore should have no problemin accommodating our requirements for the feeder seryice. Serious congestion has reappeared on thePort-of-Spain waterfront however, which is causing disruption to the schedule.

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BULK CARRIERS by J.D. Arkell

The Dry Bulk Cargo market is in a very depressed state and there is little prospect of an earlyimprovement in rates, either for voyage or time charter business. It is difficult to discern whether theAtlantic is any better than the Pacific from a rate point of view but, on balance, the Atlanticprobably has the edge.

Despite the fact that tonnage is heading for lay-up in ever increasing numbers (taking the Dry Cargoand Tanker Section together, there is about 60 million dwt.laid up, as against about 15 million dwt. thistime last year), new tonnage is still being delivered from the world's shipyards, with the effect thatcharterers have been successful in keeping rates at a most uneconomic level for Shipowners.

The world recession is still with us and the Japanese are talking of reducing their coal importsfrom Australia by up to 30%; steel production is at an all time low, hence the slackening in demand foriron ore. The present oil glut, whilst keeping petrol and bunker prices down, has the consequentadverse effect of reducing the increase in the movement of coal cargoes.

A knock-on effect from the recession is that port congestion has all but disappeared; forexample, Hampton Roads and Newcastle N.S.W. only have a handful of vessels waiting for a load berth.

ll

Trade Reports (Contd.)

Bulk Carriers -The Russians are negotiating with the Americans for grain and initially they were talking of

buying between 6 & 8 million tons; but it is thought they may, in fact, buy between 12 & 15 milliontons,particularlyastheirharvesthasfallenshortof targetbysome 45150 milliontons. If thisisthecase, we may see a marginal increase in rates, assisted by the reduced number of vessels in service.However, it is difficult to foresee any real up-turn in the next twelve months.

Presently all our bulk carriers are operating at breakeven or, in most cases, at below the breakevenlevel with daily hire rates presently being in the region of U.S.$2,500 to $3,500.

The SPECIALIST loaded a cargo of corn in the Mississippi for Kashima and Kobe on voyagecharter to Tradax and completed the voyage on26th July. She then proceeded to a safe position offthe Japanese coast to drift whilst we endeavoured to find some employment and, after steaming tododge typhoon Bess, we ordered her towards Singapore. She has now been fixed to carry an Australiancoal cargo to the Eastern Mediterranean, and is due to load at Balmain, N.S.W. on about September l6th.

The STRATEGIST redelivered from Japan Line on 27thMay, and was ordered towards KeyWest unfixed. We subsequently fixed her, (very much at the last moment) to Asia Merchant Marine fora voyage to Japan with grain from the U.S. Gulf. When en route to Japan, and whilst at Long Beachbunkering, the vessel's machinery was found to have sustained damage from what is thought to be

inferior quality fuel oil and was delayed for a week whilst repairs were effected. She sailed,from LongBeach on the I 8th July, and arrived Nagoya on 8th August, but not before a further breakdown was

sustained, when two days off Japan, due to a bottom end bolt having failed. The STRATEGIST is dueto complete discharge in Kobe on 20th August, when she will proceed to Ulsan for drydocking andvoyage repairs.

The WANDERER loaded a further cargo of coal from Port Kembla to Paradip and then proceeded

to Singapore for bunkers and a scrub. After bunkering she was ordered towards Nauru in the hope ofobtaining a phosphate cargo but this did not materialise and within three hours she was back atanchor off Singapore. After four days at anchor, still unfixed, we ordered the vessel towards Fremantle,Adelaide, and then Port Kembla on 28th August. WANDERER is still without employment and

remains at anchor off Port Kembla.

The WARRIOR completed discharge in Visakhapatnam on 23rd July, and sailed to Singapore forbunkers and thence onward towards Nauru. Whilst en route to Nauru we were able to fix her to theAustralian Phosphate Corporation for a cargo of phosphate for Bunbury and Kwinana in Western

Australia. The vessel arrived off Nauru on 1 I th August but, due to bad weather she has been driftingoff the island along with seven other vessels awaiting her turn to berth. This is not expected to be

before 6th September.

The WAYFARER completed discharge in Kawasaki on24th July, whsn she redelivered fromSouthern Shipping. As we had no employment for her she proceeded to the quarantine anchorage buteventually sailed on 29th July for Kenai in Alaska to load bulk urea for Poro Point and Iloilo in thePhilippines. The vessel is due at Yokohama for bunkers on 27th August, en route.

The LAMMA FOREST arrived off Nakhodka on 6th June, but was eventually ordered to Benthuyand Hongay in Vietnam to discharge her Australian wheat! The vessel eventually completed discharge

on Hongay on 19th August, and is proceeding to Victoria B.C. where she is due on September lOth toload lumber for Northern Europe. She called at Hong Kong on August 23rdfor bunkers and a crew

change.

The LANTAU TRADER, after completing her voyage from Christmas Island to Tauranga and

New Plymouth, sailed to Port Kembla, (via Sydney for bunkers), to load coal for Visakhapatnam whence

she sailed on lgth August. She is now en route to Singapore for bunkers prior to taking up another timecharter trip from Christmas Island to Tauranga, Napier and Whangarei with phosphate. On completion ofthe above charter we anticipate the vessel loading another cargo of coal from Port Kembla to India.

{<r.*

l2

Trade Reports (Contd.)

VENEZUELA and COLOMBIA by J.B. Dawson

The Venezuela Government, in what might be described as a show of support in their policy ofbacking the Argentine position in the recent South Atlantic conflict, imposed a boycott of Britishvessels visiting Venezuelan ports, and a partial boycott of some British manufactured goods.

To the amazement of many over here, and I am sure to the horror of many over there, whiskywas among the items included. However, to those of us more familiar with Venezuela, a boycott ofsuch severity could hardly last without creating widespread withdrawal symptoms, so not surprisinglythe imposition was short-lived.

Inevitably this sort of action is bound to have some short term effect on the Trade, and ourcarryings on more recent sailings are noticeably reduced. Thankfully, this situation has now ended and

our present vessel, TANO RIVER, is receiving excellent support and forward prospects in this Tradeare showing encouraging signs of picking up.

Preparations are well in hand for the commencement of the Euro-Caribe Service early inDecember, and agreement has been made with CAVN and FMG for a combined schedule incorporatingall services to Venezuela and Colombia for the whole of 1983.

We are optimistic that this new service will be well received by our customers.

*x*

SAGUMEX by J.B. Dawson

I regret to say there has been no improvement in this Trade since my last report. Many of youwill have read in various publications in the press that the Mexican economy, despite its oil resources,is in a dreadful state and the arnount of cargo imported from Europe has been declining rapidly over thelast six months. Regrettably, at the time of writing, there are no signs to suggest that there will be anyimprovement in this Trade for some considerable time. Certainly, the problems involved in their economywill have to be stabilized before we can expect any appreciable increase in the volume of traffic toMexico.

The port of Tampico has now been dredged, enabling Sagumex vessels to berth, but the port has notyet obtained the equipment necessary to work the ships. Mobile cranes and other container handlingequipment are expected to arrive in mid-September, and once the equipment has been installed we

should be in a position to reinstate calls at Tampico.

The LEVERKUSEN EXPRESS, currently on her way across the Atlantic, will, on this particularvoyage, make an experimental call at Coatzacoalcos. Should the experiment prove a success, then thisport will also be included in the schedule, probably on an inducement basis.

The inclusion of Tampico and Coatzacoalcos in the schedule will, to some extent, help fill some

of the slots we are presently paying for, but it is extremely unlikely that any additional cargo gained willbe anywhere near sufficient to fill our full allocation, which remains at 45 slots per week Westbound.

***

BEACON by J.M. Hickling

As anticipated in the last newsletter, the third Ahrenkiel ship, CITY OF LIVERPOOL, joinedher sister ships BARRISTER and VICTORIA BAY at the end of June, and the SHARK BAY is now on

her last voyage under the Beacon "flag".

Unfortunately, the additional capacity introduced by the CITY OF LIVERPOOL has coincided

13

Trade Reports (Contd.)

Beacon -

with a further drop in the volume of cargo offering. No doubt this can be partly accounted for bysummer holidays, factory closures etc., but the conclusion must be that the trade is, overall, stillcontracting. There can be little scope for optimism on the trade front and, indeed; following the recentattempted coup d:6tat in Kenya, it seems likely that that country will have to undergo a period offurther stringency. This will be extremely unpopular with "wananchi" (the people) after a long period ofeconomic growth but, paradoxically, the alternative would appear to be complete economic downfall.

Thus it is that with this background Beacon is urgently seeking ways to preserve the service, butat less cost. One aspect being studied is ways and means to improve despatch at East African ports,where lack of productivity and efficiency continue to give rise for grave concern, despite the various"remedial" measures introduced and the relatively low level of cargo flows.

The BARRISTER is generally continuing to perform well, although her results have not been anybetter, or worse than the other vessels.

Currently, the real difficulty is not just to reduce costs, to increase cargo flow, or to obtain a

larger share of what there is, but to achieve a net increase in revenue. This is particularly difficult atthe present time, when all the pressures and trends seem to be working in the opposite direction,either because of intense competition, or lack of orders for higher paying consumer goods and machineryetc., when there is no foreign currency in the countries concerned to pay for them! It is a soberingthought when one realises that in many African countries today, fuel (oil) imports probably accounttor 60170% or more of their foreign currency expenditure, whereas only a few years ago this figurewas probably nearer 2013O%. How much worse this must be if, as is sometimes the case, the agriculturalexports earning the foreign currency are being over produced worldwide and thus not producing theprices they did previously. Surely a case of the proverbial vicious cycle, if ever there was one!

{.d<t

TERRITORIAL REPORT

KENYA - a view from within - by P.Clements

Any recent territorial report about East Africa could have justifiably upheld Kenya as a shiningexample of what can be achieved on the Black African Continent in the way of political stability andprogress since independence and this in sharp contrast to some of the riven and tortured countriessurroundingit.ThisillusionwasrudelyshatteredonSunday, lstAugust l982whentheresidentsof thecapital, Nairobi, awoke in the early hours to the sound of gunfire and found themselves in the midstof an attempted coup d'0tat as the fledgling Kenya Air Force stretched its wings and decided they couldmake a better job of running the country than the ruling Government. There then followed a brutalforty-eight hours during which the country tensely held its breath as loyal armed forces swiftly putdown the ill conceived and badly organised coup and rounded up the rebels and the students who had

decided to support them.

At the time of writing, one week later, the country is slowly returning to normal and alreadythere are signs of an easing of the strict security which was imposed. Curfews are being relaxed, themedia has returned to normal, international flights and communications have been restored and police

road blocks are disappearing as a somewhat bewildered population of Nairobi picks its way through thecarnage of looting and shooting in the city and sets about the task of restoring normal life. No doubt the

immediate visible damage will soon be repaired and hopefully the horror of the death toll will soon

recede, but what of the longer term effects?The students are not likely to be soon forgiven for theirinvolvement and the Universities are likely to remain closed for some time, something which a countrystriving to improve education can ill afford. But what of the Government itself? Hopefully its confidence

in the stability of the country will not be so shaken that it will deviate from the moderate path it has

l4

Territorial Report (Contd.)

been successfully following. Of perhaps greater concern is the international view; Kenya's strugglingeconomy benefits greatly from foreign investment and aid and it remains to be seen what the possiblerepercussions will be. But enough of the recent disturbances which do not paint a true picture of what is

really a beautiful country populated with a generally happy and carefree people.

To get a better understanding of Kenya, I often feel that a book called the "Lunatic Express"by Charles Miller should be compulsory reading for all expatriates. This is the story of the building of the600 mile long railway from Mombasa to Uganda across Queen Victoria's Africa, a railway which openedup much of East Africa to international trade. After reading this book one realises that, apart from a

narrow coastal strip which had been in contact with the outside world for centuries through the Arabslavers and Portuguese, the rest of the country was tribal, primitive and untouched by the outsideworld. The building of that railway catapulted Kenya into the 20th Century and one can only admire theprogress of a Nation still struggling to cope with the modern world only some eighty years later.

It is sometime now since the last "true" Harrison Line vessel called at Mombasa and I havesomewhat sad recollections of the "Inventor" lying forlornly at anchor in Port Reitz roads after beingsold and the departure of the last of her crew and officers before she eventually sailed again under hernew name of "Penta World". Granted there is still a Harrison Line presence here with the frequentvisits of the "Barrister" under the Beacon banner but when the Captain greets you with "Guten Tag"it is somehow not quite the same. However, there will still be a lot of Harrison Line seafarers who willremember Mombasa as a hot and steamy place with a strong Arab flavour, a bustling port, dhows inthe "Old Harbour", lots of wood carvings and some rather seedy bars. Some things of course willnever change and certainly it is as hot and steamy as ever, although modern air conditioning does helpto make that more tolerable. But, whilst I cannot (of course!) vouch for the seedy bars, anyone returningnow after an absence of several years would notice many other changes, although not always for the better.The colourful dhows have all but disappeared and been replaced by a collection of much less colourfulmotor coasters, the quality of the wood carvings has deteriorated and the axle crunching pot-holes inthe roads appear faster than they can be patched up. Other changes are questionable and depend on theopinion of the beholder, such as ultra modern high rise office blocks which somehow seem incongruousalongside the chanting of the "Muezzin" , calling the faithful to prayer from the minaret of the gailypainted mosque next door.

But progress is perhaps most noticeable to the seafarer in the improvements which are presentlytaking place in the port. To cope with the swing to containerisation the Kenya Ports Authority wasprobably the first to provide adequte container handling facilities in East Africa, but the volume has

increased so rapidly that the present equipment can no longer cope and the massive re-developmentprogramme is now in full swing. On the terminal cranes are being moved, sheds dismantled, rail tracksremoved and surfaces re-laid. All of this upheaval is having a profound effect on the already grossly

overloaded facilities but hopefully when the first of the new handling equipment arrives from France laterthis year the port will be ready to receive it and will then be well on the way to being able to offer thekind of service that international trade now demands.

Anyone in years gone by who managed to get away from Mombasa Island to visit the magnific-ent beaches north of the island will surely recall driving (or should I say crawling) over the Nyali Bridge,that quaint, floating, Bailey bridge type contraption that served as Mombasa's only connection withthe North Coast and the residential area of Nyali. Well, that's another change that has taken place, fornow the old bridge lies empty and neglected almost in the shadow of the New Nyali Bridge, a modernconcrete structure which will never have the character of the old bridge, but hopefully; nor will it ever

have the frustrating delays either.

But to see something of the real Kenya one really needs to get away from Mombasa and set offon "safari" on the main road inland which leads towards Nairobi. Soon after leaving the lush coastal

belt with its palm trees and tropical plants you climb rapidly into dry arid country and reach the Tsavo

National Park some I 5 0 miles from Mombasa. The main road bisects this great 8 ,000 square mileanimal sanctuary into East and West sections which together form the largest of Kenya's national parks

and having to stop to allow some of Tsayo's 20,000 elephants to cross the road is not an unusualoccurrence on the 300 mile journey to Nairobi. After living and working in Mombasa, it is likearriving in another world in Nairobi and it is difficult to realise that this large businesslike city with its

l5

Territorial Report (Contd.)

modern buildings, thoroughfares and cosmopolitan atmosphere was nothing more than a collection oftents and huts erected as an inland base during the building of that railway to Uganda some eighty years

ago. The climate too is a welcome changc after Mombasa, over 5,000 ft. high it is often still hot duringthe day, but being usually cool and refreshing at night it gives one the opportunity to "dry out" after thehumidity at the Coast.

From Nairobi one can strike out into even more remote parts of the country, to the Masai Mara

for example where one drives for seemingly endless miles through a time warp where the proud Masaipeople still live as they have for centuries, wearing their colourful beads, living in huts made of cowdung and drinking the blood of their cattle and where one is more likely to see a lion than anothervehicle.

But Kenya is not all sun, sea and wild animals. In the highlands beyond Nairobi are richfarming areas producing grain for local consumption and where most of the main export crops of teaand coffee come from. Even these areas have their own appeal and what could be more beautifulthan the sight of a snow capped Mount Kenya rising from the fields and forests around Nyeri.

Kenya is a young and beautiful land of contrasts which is striving hard to catch up with thedeveloped countries of the world. There are teething problems and there will be more to come but itdeserves to succeed although hopefully not at the expense of some of the beautiful things it has tooffer.

xxr.**

The conditions being experienced bv Troops in the Falkland Islands have been likened, on occasion, to those

in "the trenches" during the First World War. Mr. E. Carter Braine (who retired as Vice-Chairman of Harrisons in

1963) vividly recalls tlose terrible times of sixty-five years ago in the lbllowing article based on lirst hand knowledge!

He was awarded the Military Cross on October 8th, 1918.

This article ftrst appeared in the February '82 edition of GUNNER Magazine and is reproduced here withthe kind permission of the Editor.

Memories of a 60 Pounder Battery in \'V.\'V.l .by E. Carter Braine Esq. MC.

Like so many of my generation I enlisted under age and I was in the Army for approximatelythree years, of whicf almoit two years were spent in France. I had my 2lst birthday three weeks afterI was demobilised and I do not cliim this was by any means unusual in those days.

For the first nine months I was with the Inns of Court OTC at Berkhampsted and I hoped

eventually to be transferred to an Infantry Cadet School but the particular_ battalion of the Duke ofWellingtons I had set my heart on joining if I were commissioned, suffered suchvery helrvy casualties

on the-Som*e it was deliaed to trinsfer the survivors to another Battalion of the same Regiment. When

consulting my Company Commander as to what I should do, he informed me that the Royal Artillery,which irai Ueen cloied down for new entrants for some months, were now willing to consider applicationsfrom men recommended by the Inns of Court. I lost no time making my application and a week la.ter Iwas interviewed at the WaiOffice and was posted to the RHA Cadet School at St. John's Wood. The

School was actually in two halves and I wai sent to the half at Lords Cricket Ground. We lived in the

pavilion, our gun park was the practice ground and our horses occupied the Grea_t Central Railwayitubl"r just orltsidl the ground. From thl roof of the pavilion one Sunday night I witnessed aZeppelinbeing shot down in flames by the RFC.

16

Memories of a 60 Pounder Battery in W.W.1 (Contd.)

Nowadays I never hear the word cramming mentioned but I recall my stay at the RHA CadetSchool. The three months I spent there was, I consider, agreat experience but the pace wasvery hotand any cadet who could not keep up suffered the fate of RTU (Returned to Unit) and that we alldreaded. Tuition was in periods of a fortnight each, with a searching examination at the end of eachperiod. A cadet started in F Squad and, if fortunate, passed out of the School from A Squad l2 weekslater.

The syllabus included everything from stable management to sword drill. The instructors, bothofficers and NCOs, were first class; obviously they had been carefully selected for their character and

their ability to teach.

It was usual for perhaps two or three of the cadets who passed out to be sent to 60 pdr batteriesbut in the case of our squad, every cadet we were told would be destined for 18 pdr. or 4.5 howitzer batteries.I had a special attachment to the 60 pdr and when I was asked the reason I said the extra range of the60 pdr in trench warfare appealed to me. The Colonel eventually granted my wish and I was despatchedto Shoeburyness to take a month's conversion course. From Shoeburyness the class moved to Larkhillpractice camp where we fired live shells from 18 pdrs and were taught the rudiments of directing firefrom an observation post. It was good fun but we found living in unheated Nissen huts during the monthof February on Salisbury Plain was much more uncomfortable than any conditions we experienced later inFrance.

Within a few days I was commissioned (Special Reserve) and sent to a Brigade near Winchester toawait orders to proceed overseas. There were lar too many young Officers there and I was quite relievedwhen my embarkation leave warrant arrived, followed very soon afterwards by orders to cross fromSouthampton to Le Havre and to report to the Gunner Base Camp at Harfleur. After spending abouta week at the camp with nothing to do I was despatched to the First Army Artillery School at Aire. Thatproved to be a very pleasant place indeed;half the pupils were men like myself and the others weresubalterns sent down from the line because they had had a bad time and might benefit from a restunder comfortable conditions. Every Officer instructor had been wounded and only recently dischargedfrom hospital (the Colonel I remember had been wounded five times!). We had mounted map readingexercises every morning and lectures in the afternoons. One by one the new boys were selected to joinbatteries in the line and my turn eventually arrivetl.

This completed the first part of my Gunner education.

The second part of my education commenced when I joined 152 (Hackney) Heavy Battery RGAcommanded by Capt. W.E. Hicks (later to become Maj. W.E. Hicks DSO MC), whom I had known as an

instructor at the First Army Artillery School and I suspect he had had something to do with my posting.

The Officas of 152 (Hackney) Hy. Bty. RGA the day they came out ofYpres Salient for a breather; the author is on the right.

l7

Memories of a 60 Pounder Battery in W.W.1 (Contd.)

Capt. Hicks was a born leader, a strict disciptnarian who required the greatest loyalty from hisofficers, a fine horseman and a great believer in 'spit and polish'.

He had been wounded on the Somnre. A machine gun bullet through his left knee compelled himto mount his horse from the off side.

He always took a very great interest in the feeding of the gunners and drivers. He personallyplanned every meal with the cook. I remember an evening when he was insisting that the pea soupshould be made really thick and the argument ended in the cook promising that it would be made sothick a frog could trot across it! On the line of march when we halted for the night, no officer wasallowed even a drink of water, or remove any part of his equipment, such as a map case, until allthe horses had been watered and fed and the men had commenced their meal. At the Battery position herequired every officer to be present at'Stand To', at dawn, washed, shaved and properly dressed. Thisparade was normally taken in most batteries by the Duty Officer who had been in charge of the BCPost during the night.

It was Maj. Hick's practice to have three subalterns with him at the guns and one at the WaggonLines with the Second in Command. The three at the guns did one day in charge of the BC Post, oneday in charge of the OP and the third day was called a rest day but there was no rest at all in it becausethe officer was expected to put the day to good use by visiting the infantry the Battery was covering,calling on the nearest RFC Squadron, or the local Balloon Unit (and taking the air if invited), orinspecting the horses belonging to his section at the Waggon Lines. Maj. Hicks was a great believer inLiaison and did a great deal of visiting other units himself.

Perhaps I should mention that 152 was raised in Hackney in early l9l5 and many of the recruitingmeetings were conducted by that extraordinary character, Mr. Horatio Bottomley, who was the Mayor ofHackney at the time. It was originally a four gun battery and later, after it had been in France forsome weeks, another section of two guns was added but the men were not from Flackney. When I joinedit consisted of three Sections, each of two guns, an Observation Party (signallers) and an AmmunitionColumn.

I was given command of the Observation Party and so quite naturally I had the privilege of actingas FOO on a good many occasions.

At the time Maj Hicks took command, the Battery was resting but it was soon assigned to lstHeavy Brigade of the Canadian Corps. Orders were received almost immediately to proceed to a positionon Vimy Ridge in what had been until a few days before 'No Man's Land' at the head of CavalierTunnel.

We remained in the area for about four months occupying several positions. From one in theyard of a colliery, called Fosse 6, we could enfilade the Lens/Carvin Road and we must have causedgreat havoc to the German transport because, when finally we were located, the enemy put down on us

a shoot to destruction with heavy artillery. When the shelling ceased after a few hours the Battery was

on hre from end to end and every one of our guns was badly damaged. Fortunately we suffered practicallyno casualties (because we had the benefit of having very deep dug-outs that the enemy had constructedwhen they occupied the area. Two guns came back from the Ordnance remarkably quickly and we tookthem into Lieven, a suburb of Lens, but we had bad luck with them; both had direct hits within 48hours.

I had my first experience as an FOO about that time, taking part in an attack on Lens knownas Hill70. It was not a success: we gained very little territory. It had been hoped that we would sweep

through the town and as a possible aid every FOO was issued with a plan of the town's sewers!

The Battery's next move was to the Ypres Salient. We were ordered to march to Ypres withoutour guns and take over from a battery that had had a very bad time in Sanctuary Wood. That batterywould take over the guns that we would leave in the Vimy area.

It was not a very long march and soon after we reached Ypres I accompanied Maj Hicks to callon the battery we were to relieve. I think we were both horrified with the state of affairs we found;itwas just a ghastly mess. We got a further shock when Maj Hicks suggested it would save time if an officerwere detailed to show me the way to the OP. There was not an officeralive who had been there! The Major

l8

Memories of a 60 Pounder Battery in W.W.l. (Contd.)

explained that the battery had suffered ll0% casualties during its stay in Sanctuary Wood. We feltextremely sorry for him and we encouraged him to get away at once and leave us to straighten thingsout.

Maj Hicks recommended on the telephone to the Colonel that the guns must be moved out toa better spot if one could be found. The Colonel agreed and put us out of action immediately.

I suggested asking for the assistance of the Tank Corps but Maj Hicks maintained we would have

to do the job with our own gun teams because a tank would certainly get bellied if it was used to pulla gun through the morass. Of course he was right.

We arranged for parties of gunners to come to Sanctuary Wood from the Ypres Ramparts where wewere billeted. They worked very hard for four or five hours at a time collecting bricks, stones andtimber - in fact anything that could be used to construct tracks over which to move out the guns. Itwas several days before we brought up the first gun team. I hated seeing our beautiful Clydesdales and

Shires hanging about in the dangerous area. Finally, to our great relief, we had all six guns in positionnear Zillebeke and on firmer ground almost free of the terrible mud. During the operation, which tooka long time, I am glad to say we didn't have a single horse hit - but there were many near misses.

At our Zillebeke position we lived in a trench covered with galvanised iron with a little earthon top. The trench was water-logged but we had several petrol driven pumps which could be brought intoaction if conditions became intolerable. At least six inches of water would collect on the floor of ourliving quarters every night, and there were rats galore but we became almost friendly with them. We

occupied this strange place from the middle of October until the end of December. It proved to be a

hard winter with plenty of snow.

One particular experience I had at Zillebeke I shall never forget. Four of us were sitting inthe BC Post in our trench during a very heavy bombardment, and to liven matters up the Majorsaid he had read somewhere that when man is frightened his temperature increases. The Majorproduced a thermometer from his tunic pocket and in a very short time the theory was provedcorrect. I won't say who topped the list!

On leaving Zillebeke we went to a farm in the Locre area to rest and train for a couple of weeks

and then, to our intense relief, we received orders to proceed to Arras. We found a very good positionat Feuchy, near Fampoux, in close proximity to some old German gun emplacements. They were nice

and dry which was a great change from Zillebeke. The snag to these concrete structures was that theyfaced the wrong way. One evening the emplacement we were using as the BC Post was filled with gas

from a shell that burst on the steps leading down to the door and removed the anti gas curtain. Therewas a wild dash by the occupants for their respirators.

The great German onslaught we were awaiting burst on us at dawn on 2l March and althoughthe line held on our immediate front, it gave badly a short distance to the south. The first intimation we

got of the seriousness of the situation was when we received orders to shell areas that had been in ourhands at dawn. To engage those targets we had to pull our guns out of their pits and turn them roundabout 60 detrees. It was a sad business.

That evening it was decided to move us south and send a battery of the mobile reserve' whichwas then furthernorth, to move into Feuchy. We spent a couple of hours in Arras and set off to a

tlestination which we soon learned was already in the hands of the enemy. In the afternoon we stopped

at a Corps Rest Camp and were very surprised that the occupants were ignorant of the state of affairs

but the camp emptied as soon as we commenced firing our guns.

From there we retreated every day for a week. We used to get orders to move in the afternoonto a fresh destination. As Signals Officer I had to spend a great deal of time reeling in hundreds of yards

of telephone line and then laying it again.

Our retreat ended when we reached Ransart, near Addifer Wood, and it was soon after that we

received Lord Haig's Army Order 'We have our backs to the wall. We must not fall back any further'.It reminded me of Nelson's signal at Trafalgar 'England expects . . .'.

The odd thing was that the enemy attacks on our sector ceased about then, although further big

attacks were made later on other sectors with considerable success.

t9

Memories of a 60 Pounder Battery in W.W.l (Contd.)

We remained in the Ransart area until 8 August when the Allies went into the attack in a bigway and we moved forward stage by stage, until just as the Battery entered Mauberge on 1l November,the Armistice was signed.

Under the terms of the Armistice all units of the Allied Armies were required to remain wherethey were for a month to allow the remains of the German Army to withdraw to Germany. At the end ofthat period the Battery started to march to Bonn to take its place as part of the Occupation Force.For Christmas we halted at a small village in the Lidge area and before the time came for the march to beresumed I went on leave to London.

While in London I learned of a new and a surprising Army Order under which officers and menwho were actually on leave in England and had a job waiting for them, could claim immediate demobil-isation. This Army Order created so much trouble (even riots) it had to be withdrawn within a week.My application had been filed at the War Office while the order was in operation. I was granted leavepending demobilisation and because the War Office officials moved very slowly, my final papem did notreach me until the end of February.

I was influenced in my decision to accept demobilisation under this strange scheme because Ihad been informed I had been promoted Acting Captain and I was to leave 152 for another Battery inthe Brigade - and that didn't appeal to me at all!

The aut hor in a photograph taken o n 5 th lanuary I 9 I 9,

Last Spring I accompanied my grandson to the Continent to visit the places I knew so well inl9l7 and 18. My grandson is 25 and I am 83 and so perhaps what impressed him greatly I took forgranted but we did agree that the way our cemeteries are maintained by our War Graves Commissiondeserves the greatest praise. Of the many memorials we came across we were impressed by the CanadianGovernment Memorial on Vimy Ridge (I had manned an OP within a very few yards of that site in thesummer of 1917), the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres and perhaps most of all that wonderful St. George'sChurch at Ypres which made us both feel very proud to be British.

*{<*{.{.x*

20

A DECK OFFICER'S LIFE IN THE HARRISON LINE[Part 1 ]

As remembered by Captain W.L. Ashton

CadetAt the height of the depression, I decided that I wanted to go to sea. I had an interview in

Mersey Chambers, deposited f,50 premium, and was promptly told that, as many ships were laidup, I had to wait possibly six months.

Together with Berrington-Jones (who was lcst during the war), Captain Pack and CaptainEgerton's sons, we attended the Liverpool Nautical College in Byrom Street. I say attended, but wewere seated on the back row behind the candidates for Second Mate, given a Nichols' Guide and more orless left to our own devices. We were expelled for playing shove-halfpenny on the window ledge in thecorridor, and spent a miserable week wandering around Lewis's basement and the museum. Thefollowing week we crept back to school, sat on the back row, and no-one even noticed.

In due course, I sailed on the four masted "ASTRONOME,R" on the lOth January,1931 withan Indian crew. After four days at sea, a Quartermaster died, and his burial service was held.

I was suitably impressed until Captain Richards, (a fine old man), broke down and handed theprayer book to the Chief Officer to complete the service. It went like this:- "Ashes to ashes, Dust todust, we commit this body . Hang on to that bloody ensign, it's a new one . . . . .". From thatmoment, I decided that there was very little sentiment at sea.

September 31. ,S.S. "ASTRONOMER" passing under St. Johns Bridge at Portland, Aegan on the 'FiscoRun duing the author's second uoyage as a Cadet.

-;d,$1

,st{,

\"L',

,t,1:!

2t

A Deck Officer's Life in the Harrison Line (Contd.)

Al1 the days at sea were spent watch and watch, four onand four off. In port, six on, six off. The pay was tenshillings a month, less National Insurance, which reduced itby half. The daylight hours were spent holystoning, cleaning

brass, suji-ing and painting and the dark hours at the wheelor on watch learning navigation.

Five months and thirteen days later I paid off withone shilling and eight pence and was given three days' leave.

My father forwarded the return fare from London toLiverpool!

I served my time with several Cadets; some big and

burly, some thin and wiry, but all with similar outlooks. We

hated having to work the galley pump (to supply all hands

with a daily allowance of two buckets of water), dhobi-ing,pumice stoning teakwork, tallying cargo, Nichols' Concise

Guide and Chief Stewards.

To our mothers we were brave little boys; to our girls, romantic heroes with brass buttons; butto Chief Officers we were the lowest form of animal life. This is proved conclusively in Newsletter No. 9

which states: "Captain W.L. Ashton joined Company in 1935, retired 1975". Four years and tlrree

months as a Cadet didn't even register!

Third OfficerIn July, 1935,I obtained a Second Mate's Certificate, rushed into the office, walked up the

stairs, (Captain Harris forbade Cadets to use the lift) and was offered a Third Officer's job, so used thelift to descend.

My first job was to sit on the laid-up "DISCOVERER" at Trafford Park Wharf on the Canal, as

night watchman. The Chief Officer was the day watchman. After a month, the Chief Officer went toBarrow to look after three other laid up ships, and I became the day watchman, in full and complete

charge.

After three months, a Spanish ship-breaker bought the ship and left his yard manager on board

for a week. It was hilarious. He only spoke Spanish and I didn't, and for a week, he was convinced that

I had sold the top half of the funnel. He didn't resent that, butwanted his cut out of the proceeds. He didn't like mycooking, so lived on boiled eggs and bread for the week -I don't blame him. Eventually a run crew took the ship

down the Manchester Ship Canal for her last voyage toBilbao. I would have enjoyed seeing the yard manager's

face when the top half of the funnel was returned to thevessel at Eastham!

Third officers come in many types - tall, thin, small,

fat, and just plain awkward. They like motorbikes, girls,

beer, pop music, whistling and going ashore. They dislikegetting out of their bunks, overhauling lifeboats and flags,

writing home, ex-meridians, and being told what to do. Theytake the chartroom pencils, lose the hydrometers, wearheavy boots on the bridge and drop the Captain'sbinoculars.

To their mothers they are St. Christophers; to theirgirls, plutocrats who can spend three months' money intwo weeks, and to the Engineers they are telegraph swingers.

22

Demerara November 1981. Cadet Ashtonin No. l0's ashore from s.s. "CHANCELLOR"

The missing top half!

A Deck Officer's Life in the Harrison Line (Contd.)

s.s. "INKOSI" 1939140 -Note the sand bag protectbnaround the wheel house.

Left to ight: standing; Rf O Francis,

Cudet ?;4fO Stewart, 3lO Ashton,Seated: 2lO Crispin, Master llillis-Gibbings, CIO Dicky llilliams.

EDITOR'S NOTE: After about nine voyages in the "INKOSI" the author was transferred to the "DALESMAN" (afterthe "INKOSI" was bombed and sunk in London's Albert Dock in 1940)for an unknown number of voyages (all discharyebooks had been left in the Canning Place Custom House for safe-keeping but the Luftwaffe promptly bombed thebuilding and all records were burned).

On May l4th l94l "DALESMAN" and "LOGICIAN" were both sunk in SUDA BAY, CRETE byStuka bombers. "DALESMAN" sank only to the deck line in 30 ft of water so as much cargo wasdischarged as possible from No.'s 1 and 2 hatches before the vessel was abandoned just in time for the Ship'sCompany to greet German Paratroopers who were just about landing on top of them. The men keptabout a mile ahead of the Germans, mixed up with the British rear guard, and walked and climbed overmountains from the North to the South of the Island. However, they had missed the last of the evacuationdestroyers and so had to walk back to where they started at Hereklion airfield as Prisoners of War.

MILAG md MARLAG NORDP.O.l4/. &mp situated between

Hamburg and Bremen. The authorspent almost four years in this

camp after being sunk in the"DALESMAN" at Suda Bay,

cYete in May 1941.

This picture was taken in 1942 or43 and shows: top row - left toright; unknown,2f E Creer (Dalesman),

CIO H.ll. Jones (Dalesman), CIE Cook

( Logician). Second-row 2 I R I O Burke,2lo Hilt,3lRlo ? and 3fO Ashton

all from "Dalesmnn".

23

A Deck Officer's Life in the Harrison Line (Contd.)

Second OfficerEventually a Third Officer must leave the easy life to become a Second Officer.

This means pulling your uniform over your pyjamas just before midnight and groping yourway up to the bridge, where a friendly Third Mate places

a cup of hot tea in your hand. A{ter a few sips, youreyes open and you become conscious. The ThirdMate then informs you the long has carried awayand the gyro has packed up.

A Second Officer reads the New of the World,likes classics, fish and chips, "Sparks", talcum powderand girls. He collects chart pencils, bottle openersand Engagement rings. He hates chart corrections,relieving the third mate, insurance policies, hisprospective mother-in{aw and closing time. Whoelse can sleep with his wardrobe door banging, thesteam whistle blowing, a noisy radio further along thealleyway, and then stagger up to the bridge tenminutes late swearing he hasn't been called.

1947140 S.S. SENATOR; CIO J. Bromley,Coptain Lewis Jones and 2lO Ashton.

To his mother, he is Louis Mountbatten;to his girl he is a prospective husband and a bornleader of men; to the Captain he is an advertisement for Ovaltine and to the engineers he is the tyrantwho says the clocks will be retarded an hour tonight.

ITO BE CONCLUDEDJ

***{<*

The following art-icle appeored in the Daily Express on June I7th, just after Maior General Menendez surrendered histroops on the Falkland Islands to Major General Jeremy Moore. It is reproduced here with the kind permission of theEditor of that newspaper.

WINNING WITH WORDSDerek Hornby charts the course of some famous signals

It was a classic and historic message that signalled the end of the 75-day South Atlanticconflict.

"The Falkland Islands are once more under the Government desired by their inhabitants. Godsave the Queen."

The military man has always had a way with words, at least since Nelson's "England expects"message to his Battle of Trafalgar fleet 177 years ago.

And the signal from Falklands force commander Major General Jeremy Moore to Whitehalllived up to that tradition.

"Be pleased to inform Her Majesty that the White Ensign flies . . . ." that was how Major GuySheridan announced British commandoes had recaptured South Georgia.

The coolest message ever sent came from Commander John Kerans in 1949 after HMSAMETHYST made a 150-mile escape from Chinese gunboats down the Yangtse River:

"Have rejoined the Fleet. God save the King".

24

Winning with Words (Contd.)

Then there was General Alexander's signal to Winston Churchill when 250,000 Germansand Italians surrendered after the battle of Tunis.

"Sir it is my duty to report that the Tunisian campaign is over. We are the masters of theNorth African shores".

Winston himself put a few goods ones together. 6

After USS Wasp made two trips to deliver badly needed Spitfires to Malta in 1942, he sig-

nalled:"Who said a wasp couldn't sting twice?"

At the start of the Second World War, the Admiralty sent out this beautifully laconic message

"Winston is back".

In 1918 after the German fleet surrendered in the Firth of Forth, Britain's Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Beatty signalled:

"The German flag will be hauled down at sunset today and not hoisted again withoutpermission".

There was humour too, among the grim messages of war. Such as this from the commander ofAmerica's Fifth Fleet in the Pacific in 1945.

"The war with Japan will end at I 200 on August I 5. It is likely that Kamikazes will attackthe fleet after that time as a final fling. Any ex-enemy aircraft attacking the fleet is to be shot down ina friendly manner".

While shadowing a Soviet warship in the Atlantic, HMS Londonderry received the signal:"You are lagging behind. Recommended you connect additionally a washing machine to the shaftof your ship".

The reply: "I am only running on washing machines at this speed. My main engines are stillin reserve".

Two frigates entered harbour together to refuel and berth.

lst frigate: "Aren't you heading for the wrong tanker?"2nd frigate: "This one gives trading stamps".

Flag ship - a cruiser - to a destroyer who had nudged up too close, causing a stghtcollision;

"Touch me once more and I'll scream".

From a tug towing a battle practice target towards a cruiser whose shots are falling perilouslyclose:

"We aim to please. You aim too, please".

HMS Ark Royal emerging from sea trials in 1938, signalled to a passing ship:"How do I look"

The reply - "Go back to Loch Ness".

Corvette to base: "Am tied up to No. 5 berth".Base to Corvette: "Shoe laces are tied up, HM ships are secured".

When HMS Queen Elizabeth met the Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth for the first time inmid-Atlantic, the signal between them was simply - "Snap".

25

Winning with Words (Contd.)

A signal that is always talked about at Naval get-togethers followed a collisionbetween the destroyer Diamond and the cruiser Swiftsure during sea manoeuvres.

Swiftsure: "What do you intend to do now?"Diamond: ."Buy a farm".

The full message from Major General Moore read:

"In Port Stanley at 9 p.m. Falkland time tonight June 14, Major General Menendez surrendered

all Argentine armed forces in East and West Falklands.

Arrangements are in hand to assemble the men for return to Argentina, to gather in their arms and

equipment, and to mark and make safe their munitions.

The Falkland Islands are once more under the Government desired by their inhabitants. God save the

Queen."

A COASTING VOYAGE IN THE EARLY THIRTIESby

A.G. Collingwood

The present day office staff have very little opportunity of coasting round the British Isles in

a Harrison ship, but this was not so in the past when the fleet comprised between forty and fiftygeneral cargo vessels.

It was such an opportunity that occurred prior to the Whitsun weekend in May, 1932, when itwas put around the office that iour members of the staff could, if they wished, take advantage of the

offer of a coastal voyage from London to Liverpool. Always keen on ships and the sea, I grasped the

opportunity, fixed up with my colleagues, Frank Hardy, Les Price and John Clarkson, and our names

were put forward.

We got our rail warrants from the cashier and left the office at 4.50 for Lime Street Station,arriving at London in the late evening, where we had a meal and took a taxi to the docks, embarking

at I1.30 p.m. on the S.S. DESIGNER in the Royal Albert Dock.

In those days the ships did not have spare single berth cabins and I think we shared two cabins

between us, probably the cadets'accommodation. The ship was commanded by Captain W.A. Hansen,

a fine character, whose hobby was wood carving. An example of his work can be seen in the museum

at Mersey Chambers; a fine oak replica of the firm's motto, "Pro Deo et Patria" encompassing the house

flag.

The ship had a Lascar crew who were accommodated in the pooP, the ship being the three

island type, and an Indian steward brought us our morning cup of tea.

We left the berth at 7 .30 the next morning and looked out to the Thames; in those days a very

busy and interesting river, with flat irons bringing coal to the power houses in the upper reaches, tugs

towing strings of barges and numerous coasters going about their business, making navigation very

tricky in the winding river.

We dropped our river pilot at Gravesend, embarked the Channel pilot, and proceeded past

Canvey Island and the Chapman Light Tower, until we approached the Nore Light Vessel, near which

was anchored a ship of special interest to me, the old Cunard liner, "CARONIA"' being prepared forher last voyage to Japan and the scrap yard. The next point of interest was Dover, when the ship

slowed down and the pilot cutter came alongside to land the Channel pilot.

26

A Coasting Voyage in the Early Thirties (Contd.)

Towards late evening we ran into banks of fog which necessitated reducing speed and thesounding of the whistle, while the lead line was used to check the depth of water.

Looking back to the old time vessels up to the late thirties, the wheel house was open at eachend, canvas dodgers were used as windbreaks and the masters' accommodation consisted of a combinedday room and bedroom, divided only by a curtain; his toilet and bathroom being on the lower deck,which only had an outside staircase. How different today, with enclosed heated wheel house, radar,echo sounders, V.H.F. telephone and automatic steering. The trip to Liverpool only meant one full dayat sea and to while away the time a captive rubber ball was tied in the after well deck and golf was

,S.,S. DESIGIIER , 5,945 g.r.t.; built 1928; torpedoed and sunk off the Portuguese Coast 8th July1941 with the loss of 68 lives.

practised, and there were visits to the engine room, which consisted of a steam triple expansion enginewhich gave the vessel a speed of about I 2 knots.

We approached the South Stack light at2.0 p.m., the Skerries at 3.0 pm and stopped at PointLynas to pick up the Liverpool Pilot at 4.0 p.m. then completing the voyage in estuarial waters we passed

in order, the Bar, Formby, and Crosby light vessels. Tugs were waiting off New Brighton and rve wereguided into the Gladstone dock and tied up about 8.0 p.m. Meeting us on arrival was the dock superin-tendant, Mr. Charles Blackburn and he informed us that the CONTRACTOR, in conjunction withBrocklebanks MAHSUD had rescued some of the passengers from the burning French liner GEORGESPHILIPPAR in the Indian Ocean and landed them at Aden.

We returned to the office at the usual time on Whit Tuesday refreshed, and wiser in the knowledgeof the workings of a ship after three days of coasting and sight seeing.

*****

27

SPORT

HARRISON LINE TENNIS TOURNAMENT 1982 by Chris Makinson

The Finals of the 6th Annual Harrison Line Tennis Tournament were held at Bebington Oval onSaturday, 1Oth July.

The day began with Miss Jan Wharton of the Conference Department retaining the LadiesSingleTitle,defeatingJayneNevittoftheAccountsDepartment,6-4 6-1. TheMen'sSinglestitlewas won, at his first attempt, by Roy Hoodless who survived a Match point against him in the semi-finalagainst last year'sChampion, Mark Johannsen, to go on and defeat Ray Holland (D.P.) 6-0,6-3 in thefinal.

Having won their respective singles competitions, Jan and Roy joined forces in the mixed doublesfinal only to be beaten by Audrey Hughes (Accounts) and Gary Poole (Conference) l-6, 6-0,6-4.IronicallyGary was knocked out of the Singles in the Preliminary rounds and Audrey didn't enter the Ladies Singleswhere she would have been an obvious threat to Jan Wharton's domination.

LADIES SINGLESWinner Jan WhartonRunner-up Jayne NevittBeaten Semi-Finalists: Jayne Parsons & Angela Johnstone.

MENS SINGLESWinner Roy HoodlessRunner-up Ray HollandBeaten Semi-Finalists: Mark Johannsen and Tom Hayes

MIXED DOUBLESWinner: Audrey Hughes & Garry PooleRunner-up: Jan Wharton & Roy HoodlessBeaten Semi-Finalists: Jayne Nevitt & Ray Holland

Angela Johnstone & Chris Makinson.

Trophies were presented to Winners and Losing Finalists by Mr. R.J. Pemberton.

**

CROWN GREEN BOWLING by Les Venables

The current bowling season is already drawing to a close, and whilst we have enjoyed manypleasant evenings, we have unfortunately only managed to win 3 out of 12league matches played sofar, (although three of the matches lost were by the narrowest of margins of 2,3 and 4 points respectively).

The highlight of our season has been an excellent run in the George Peat Cup Competition inwhich we managed to win through to the final. This was played at Iliad House, Birkenhead on the l8thAugust, our opponents being the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company's 'A' team. However, this team,who are top of the first division, proved too good for us and we were rather heavily defeated.

Our office knock-out competition will be held at our home green, Knotty Ash, on lst September,and I hope that this event will be well supported, not only by our regular players, but by any othermembers of the staff who may fancy their skills as a bowler.

Finally, as the season draws to a close, I would like to thank the players for their loyal supportand efforts, both on and off the greens - and in the bars after the games!

*x***

28

FRENCH LEAVE

When we heard that a light aircraft had been chartered to fly certain Company personnel fromLiverpool to Le Havre and return them safely home that same day, some of us were a little suspiciousabout the real motive behind a day's outing to France! One could imagine Messrs. Rosselli, Mitchelland Seaford relaxing under one of those multi-coloured umbrellas around a cafe table on the boulevardenjoying a little pate with their vin rouge, whilst idly commenting on the pleasing shape of the Frenchfemale form lolling enticingly against the lamp post across the way.

But it wasn't like that at all, of course. True, there was a stewardess on the plane, but she onlyhanded out hunks of stale French bread with a dollop of pate on the way home, helped down with theaid of a warm ale (or two) from the can.

The true purpose of the exercise was for management to visit the STRATEGIST at the end of hervoyage from Australia by way of Capetown (bunkers) and Freetown (crew change). After completion ofdischarge of her coal cargo she was then to proceed to the U.S. Gulf. There was also to be an officer changeand a riding squad was joining the vessel, so the chartering of a suitable aircraft was the quickest,cheapest and most effective method of accomplishing the task. All went well and the exercise was judgedto have been a success despite the fact that there was no time built into the schedule for the aforementionedrest and recuperation.

The accompanying photographs (taken by Mr. Rosselli) show the relieving officers, riding squad andmanagement boarding the plane at the start of the day at Liverpool, (the tents in the background were therein connection with the Pope's visit), and the relieved Chief Engineer, Mr. D.A.("Biggles")Williams returninghome. With the absence of the riding squad on the return leg there was, apparently, some need for consider-able amounts of ballast to be taken aboard; this was supplied in cans and willingly taken internally sincethe STRATEGIST had run out on the Northbound journey some days earlier!

,ryt.i '

,,t't,t&;o.,ii

,1.**

29

J.A. NorthamJ.C. Harris

H.S. BladonR.J. DobsonN.A. JardineJ. MurrayR. CameronG.W. EllisM. KavanaghR. MilneA.R. GarganS. GreenL.H. HughesA.D. EadyF.D. Farthing

D. JefferyD. Coogan

B.W. JonesK.A. McGeorgeA. AtkinC.B. GibbsM.D. MclarenJ.W. WatsonJ. CarrT.D. RothwellJ.A. ChadwickP. BurrowsJ.F. McCormickA.T. WalshS.J. Kirkwood

R. StadingJ. McGuinnesD. MeaneyO. OwenJ. Roberts

..ASTRONOMER''

Officers and Ratings on board.P. Littlewood Seaman Grade I

chief'officer r.f?::ii*"2nd Officer M.J. O'Reilly

2nd Engineer LtI st Electrician ,

MasterChief Officer J. Brown2nd Officer I. Guy3rd " M. HuntChief Engineer J. Rowlands2nd Engineer A. Bowan3rd " T. O'Leary

1tl - ". J. Fitzgerald

4th Engineer W. O,BrienI st'Electrician F. Berrylst "caterine officer K' wakerleY

Radio drri"", J' DonaldsonA. Bowyer

,,

E..I. Maxwell,/J.H. Brierley

"/p.9. MimmackG.A. Steward

*n.o.Bishop' R.R. Baxter

J.M. Holtl'f.V. fetty

[Zb.e. Lyons

Carpenter S. JohnsonChief Petty Officer M. Burrows

S. EllisM. RostronS. ArmstrongW. Georgeson

Officers and Ratings in TransitMaster N. AndrewsChief Officer K. Carrier2nd Officer J. Lewis3rd " T. SamberChief Ensineer2nd, ',' A. Howard

3rd ,, H. Thomas

3rd r !! J. Lowey

4th " E. McCormickI st 'Electrician J. McGeough

J. JonesCatering Officer S. CurranRadio Officer R. Farrington

Carpenter J' CarneY

chief Pettv officer A' Kourelias

Seaman Giade 1 M. McGiveron,, ,' S. Neilo

" Grade II

MasterChief Officer2nd Officer3rd OfficerChief Engineer2nd. "3rd "3rd "4th "

..AUTHOR''

C.S. Hollas '/M.W. HarrisonM.J. McDonoughJ.M. McDonough

vl.M. SpurinK.J. GrahamJ. HampsonJ. Sheehan

" Grade II," Grade I

" Grade II,, ,,

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":l*oChief Cook2nd CookCook Assistant

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"AUTHOR" Contd.

C. McGuinnessM. SmythJ. WheelerT. ConnellP. HallW. NewmanP. EatonC. Thornton

Chief Petty Officer

Seaman Grade I,) ,)

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Chief Engineer

Master

MasterChief Officer

MasterChief Officer2nd Officer

Chief Engineer2nd i''

3rd "4th "5th "I st ElectricianDeck CadetCatering OfficerRadio Officer

CarpenterChief Petty OfficerSeaman Grade I

F. ByrneD. JonesJ. Preston

G. GriffithsP. GilmourB. WhelanP. KeeganC. AdderleyP. Cunningham

..CITY OF DURBAN''

G.R. Davies

..LAMMA FOREST''

G. J. Jones

..LANTAU TRADER''

J.C. SinclairE.H..Bent

..SPECIALIST"

Petty Officer MotormanPetty " "Motorman Grade I

Chief Cook,, ),

2nd Steward,, ,,

Steward

3rd Engineer

Chief Engineer

Chief Engineer2nd Engineer

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Seaman Grade II

Petty Officer MotormanMotorman Grade I

2nd StewardChief CookCook AssistantSteward

Jun. Cat. Rating.

4th Engineer5th )'

1st ElectricianDeck CadetCatering OfficerRadio Officer

4th Engineer5th." "6th "1st'ElectricianDeck CadetCatering OfficerRadio Officer

M.C. Harris

K. Long

S. MarloweG.N. Moss

J.M. ProcterP.D. I{ollowayG. O'MalleyD.K. SelvanJ.E. JenkinsonD.M. DawberG.J. MartinP.S. WaterfallD.W. LeslieS.N. BaileyM. GermanJ.B. CoplandM.J. Sheldon

P. KingM. PeltierG. King

A.F. PerryJ. MealorM.B. Manyamaw.A.c. GillW. BrownA.J. ThompsonJ.F. OwensJ. Riley

F.L. SteeleA.T. JoyceA.J. PattersonT.K. FosterN.L. ThompsonA.R. MclagganM. Entwistle

D. SayersM. PierreE. GreenC. TannisV. RomainD. CooperJ.D. Barron

C.D. GonrezA. DuprayC. JohnE. Bernard

T. BeddoeA. CelestineE. StanleyJ. LlanosS. MoonesarW. Jack

MasterChief Officer2nd "3rd "Chief Engineer2nd ')3rd,"4th Engineer

MasterChief Officer2nd Officer

,JJroChief Engineer2nd ))

3rd )'

..STRATEGIST"

A.H. WilsonC. HughesK.B. KenyonM.S. O'DonnellG. RobinsonW.F. Sterling

..WANDERER"

R.G. JonesD.R. MoodyB.S. CoppackK.H. BurchG.M. HoldichH. RussellM.N. Pitcher

R. BellK. LancasterD.G. JonesK.C. PearceA. HumphryJ.H. MaskellW.R. Griffiths

H. TraynorF.G. BissetB.C. D'AlmadaP.S. DickensG.I. SmithC.G. BarberL. Beattie

N. JohnsonR.H. JonesG. LovellJ. MaddisonF. MartinO.M. OwenC.D. RileyR. ShipleyR.B. SimmonsD. SkillanderR.J. SmithR. TaylorR.H. WilliamsT. WilsonG. BatchelorJ.S. BlakeleyR.A.C. BourneD.W. BrennanR.I. CapeK. DornanW.W. GibsonG.S. Laird 1I. MathisonD. NewtonB.S. RaperW.J. SimmsM.E. StoddartJ.P.A. BillingB.H. BirchW.J. BurcherJ.A. CookM.H. FarmerA.K. MusokeP.G. Masters

MasterChief Officer2nd Officer3rd "Chief Engineer2nd ')3rd "

MasterChief Officer2nd Officer3rd "Chief EngineerZnd ')3rd ':.

..WARRIOR''

A. AshmanS.P. CatterallD.H. KnightP. TaylorA.N. MurrayR.N. DrewC.J.D. Hawkridge

..WAYFARER"

F.J. GardinerR. HiltonH.IbbottT.H. HigginsonR.S. PosnettH.J. WilliamsS.L. Kirkwood

B.A. McCleeryA.M. PowellN.G. RebeiroW.G.S. WilliamsC.G. AtkinsonP.M. BashamP. BodeyM. BowkleyD.I. CaigI.M. DrummondJ.B. GethingR.D. HuntR. JacksonB.L. JonesS.J. LoweG.K. ParkA.J. SharpeJ.A. StrathearnB. WalkerP.R. WaltonJ.K. AmshuryD.B. BrasseyG. CraigWm. DuffJ.E.D. GascoigneB.D. HartL. HedleyW.J.M. JosephJ. LeeS.T.P. MatthewsA. MacDonaldE. RookD.A. WilliamsJ.R. Barker

4th Engineer5th "6th "I st ElectricianDeck CadetCatering OfficerRadio Officer

4th Engineersth "6th )'

I st ElectricianDeck CadetCatering OfficerRadio Officer

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Chartered Vessel - "TANO RMR"D. Ellison 2nd Officer

OFFICE _ CAROL STOWAGE PLANNER

W. Nute Chief Officer

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OFFICERS ON LEAVE

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P. BurnsG.T. CadmanJ. CarpenterA.P. HannahJ.M. HarrisonP.G. HylandA. LitwinenkoJ,D. MurrayH"C. MclntoshR.P. ReesA.J. SeafieldA.J. SoensR.W. WilsonR. BetteridgeK. FieldsK.M. FisherA. GrangerL. HallA.K. KonasikM.R. LewisB. MillerJ. MooreA.P. OultramP.E. PatersonD.P. PennyD. RiebyJ. RobertsonI.M. ThorburnR.E. WhitakerB. WhittakerM.G. WhittakerT. CarrollR. MaherP. MaultT.A. PinderG. RatcliffeC. RuffellI.A. AinscoughR.F. AllmarkD. EdwardsC.R. GibsonS.N. JeffreyB. Marsh

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J.M. MartinM.G. PakesF. SpeedM.R. ThomasN.W. ThompsonT.L. AllenR. AspinallR.R. BeckR. BurrowsC.M. CayfordG. FisherD.C. McDonaldA. NoonT.S. ParkeD.M. WadeC. WilliamsE.R. NormanA.W.C. CooperW.J. CoppackA.R. EasthamS. PurslowC.S. SheltonI.A.H. WeirG.G. DavenportR. JohnsonK.A. JonesM. LowtherS.D. MellorsJ.C. NewsomeN. PritchardJ.R. ReesI.E.J. RobinsonD.G. AshleyJ. BlundellN. CoppellD. DewarJ. DuffyP. EnglandD.F. JenkinsW.R. PiperT. SmithN. ThomasJ.J. Van PeltG.E. Whitehead

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OFFICERS ON RELIEF DUTY

Chief Officer - Sagumex Terminal Supervisor - Vera Cruz.2nd Officer - CAROL - Trinidad Consultant

OFFICERS ON SICK OR STUDY LEAVE or ON TRAINING COURSES

P.N. HumphreysP.G. WoodP.A. EllisT.R. GreigR.T. LammingA.J. PuehP.M. BennettS.R. BrownD.R. ClaveringP.R. FleetwoodR.M. HudsonA.F. Jones

2nd Officert, tt

3rd Officer,, t,

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Deck Cadet,, ,,,, ,,

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E.W.C. LloydI.J. LowryA.J. ShepherdA.E. BatesM. CoxJ. FishD.G. FurmstonG.C. HughesH.G. JonesM. MclverD.P. PizaniA.R. ThompsonH.G. Williams

*****

Deck Cadet,, ,,tt tt

Engineer Cadettt tt

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7th September 1982

APPROXIMATE GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION OF VESSELS _ 7th SEPTEMBER 1982

POSITION OF VESSEL DIRECTION OF STEAIVIING

7II

456

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23

ADVISER - AMSTERDAMASTRONOMER _ FALKLAND ISLANOSAUTHOR _ KINGSTON tO BELIZE

CITY OF DURBAN - BREMERHAVENSPECIALIST - SINGAPORE to NEWCASTLESTRATEGIST _ ULSAN

WANDERER - Off PORT KEMBLAWARRIOR - Off NAURUWAYFARER - POBO POINT

TLESDAY 7th SIPTE}IBER 1982 . DAILY POSITIOIiAL LIS.T

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