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The Corrales was a sister ship to the S.S. Tetela, which had been Geoffrey's first ship. He joined on 25th July 1945, and made just one short voyage in her to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The master was Captain Cossentine, a diminutive man about five feet tall, married with three daughters. He was a chronic alcoholic, and during the crossing he remained in his cabin virtually the whole time, drinking. When the ship arrived in Halifax, the pilot duty came aboard to take the ship into the harbour. Captain Cossentine came out from his accommodation (which was on the bridge), and he was so drunk he could hardly stand. He held onto the steel stanchions for support.

There was some argument between the pilot and the Captain, but the ship eventually tied up alongside the quay, and crew was issued with shore-leave passes.

The following day was 14th August, VJ Day. It was declared a public holiday, and in the afternoon Geoffrey went ashore. He had been to Halifax several times previously, but this occasion was to prove very different. Apparently on VE day in May, the troops that had been stationed there had run riot. And caused a lot of damage in the local bars, and the only cinema. This time the authorities took no chances. Every shop, every coffee bar and the cinema were closed- and not just closed but boarded up. The place was like a cemetery.

Halifax was only a small town, with one main street, and many of the buildings were of wooden construction. Geoffrey had a girlfriend in Halifax, and he had tea at her house, and afterwards they went for a walk outside the town into the countryside. That was the full extent of their victory celebrations.

On his return to the UK Geoffrey was discharged from his apprenticeship. He had, in fact, served only three years of a four year contract but under wartime regulations that was sufficient to allow him to sit for his Second Mate's certificate.

Geoffrey Walker

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