大象传媒

It was to some extent chance that brought me to Watermans Hall on that second Tuesday in September, of 1937, where, I was to be indentured as an Apprentice Waterman and Lighterman of the River Thames.

I suppose it had all begun at the age of four, when my favourite Uncle went off to join boy service in the Royal Navy. From that day on I wanted to be a sailor and my every spare moment was spent looking into books of the sea and ships, longing for the day when I would be old enough to start a life on some great adventure on the high seas.

Where I lived as a youngster, was in the very heart of Docklands,Burdett Road, Bow, London, E.3, was situated at the back of the local Fire Station. Here, even the firemen had sailor like hats when they were not wearing their shiny brass helmets. I used to watch them for hours whilst they carried out their escape drills on the practice tower behind the building that housed their gleaming highly polished Escape and Pump engines.

As I grew older I began to venture further afield much to the worry and anxiety of my Parents, I was a roamer, and often found myself down by some of the canals or the river-side, there I would watch for hours the activities of craft being moved by tugs, or barges laden with timber or coal, being pulled along the canals by the large horses straining on the tow-lines, each with an attendant handler who made sure that the line did not foul any obstruction along the waterway, never dreaming, that someday, I would be doing both the horses, and the steers-mans job, along a number of the canals around London.

. Trips to the Tower of London that cost me a Penny return from Burdett Road Station to Fenchurch Street Station on the old London and North Eastern Railway. A journey that I
regularly undertook during school holidays, (official or unofficial) as often as I could
afford from my limited pocket money or Saturday earnings from the Greengrocers for
either washing or peeling the beetroot, or delivering the vegetables to the local Jewish Fraternity who did not work on the their Sabbath..

Arriving at the Tower, I would make my way to the River front above the Traitors Gate, this looked out onto the tideway, here, I would sit astride some of the old cannons and mortars that had been won in some far off Sea Battle, and brought home as prizes by our Victorious Sailors. You can imagine the many wars and battles that were fought by myself, and fellow schoolboys on that wonderful playground on Saturday afternoons, or during school holidays. Of course all the ships that came through Tower Bridge were targets if they flew anything but a Red or White Ensign.

I even ventured as far away as Greenwich Park by walking down past the old West India Dock Gates along West India Dock Road then turn into West Ferry Road following the river side road to where it crossed over the swing bridge spanning the old Millwall Dock Entrance, (alas no longer in use since it was damaged back in 1941 by a bomb that destroyed the outer gates, the South West India Dock Entrance could admit shipping for
the Millwall Dock, so it was not considered worth the effort and cost of repair during the war years).then along to the Island Gardens, where a foot tunnel entered by way a stairway, or a lift that descended into a shaft covered by a cupola, this allowed pedestrians to walk under the river to surface by a similar stairway or lift shaft on the South Side of the Thames at Greenwich It is still in use today, though the area where it surfaces, on the Greenwich side, has undergone a dramatic change, whereas before, it was next to a Waterfront Public House, a public causeway, and a Drawdock . It now has the famous Cutty Sark and the Gypsy Moth for company. If you are like me, interested in watching the London Marathon each Year, You cannot fail to retrace some of my boyhood ventures along London's riverside. Many of the old riverside wharves and warehouses have long gone, to be replaced by modern housing and office developments that open up a wonderful views of the River that were denied to us by the high walls and gates that usually surrounded some of the older buildings.

Once on the South side of the river, a walk up through Greenwich Park to the Observatory made the journey worth-

while because it opened up a wonderful vista of Limehouse and Greenwich reach鈥檚 with the ships moored to the several wharves, jetties and buoys in that area, whilst sailing barges tacked their way up, or down stream, depending on the flow of the tide, to their respective destinations. It was pure magic, and I was captivated.

Needless to say, once the wander bug got me I sought further afield, and soon found the Woolwich Ferry, though that required a tram journey when I could afford it, a penny
went a long way in those days and for sixpence, an all-day ticket would take you
anywhere the tram lines reached. The ferry though had to be a bus ride or a very long
walk from Canning Town or East Ham. Once there, I would spend hours on the Ferry

Crossing back and forth from the North to the South side of the river until maybe the
crew would get a bit fed up with us. (I always found more fellow travelers), then we
would hop off and catch the next boat. We would go down to the passenger deck where
we could look at the Engineers through the large viewing windows as they operated the
polished steel levers that controlled the giant pistons that drove the enormous paddles on either side of the ferry. These could be glimpsed through the openings of the paddle boxes as they splashed through the water rising to go full circle as they propelled the ferry from side to side leaving a foaming wake astern, Then up on deck to watch as the Skipper rang down on the telegraph to indicate what movements he required of the giant paddles, the Engineer would move the shiny steel levers to crank the paddles in a backward or forward movement to manoeuvre the vessels into the terminals on either side of the river, there to discharge the lorries and horse drawn carts that regularly plied the dock areas, together with the pedestrian traffic who preferred the free trip across the river rather than the walk through the foot tunnel a distance of some half mile. This had to be under taken when the ferry was not running as in the case of dense fog, or, after the last boat at eleven thirty pm..

This was the London that I knew and loved as I was growing up. I did get terribly jealous when a school friend of mine who lived alone with his Mother, had the chance to go to a Nautical Training School. I pleaded with my Father to let me go with him, I know now that Dad had my best interest at heart, though at the time I was really upset. No my lad, Your Uncle Steve is going to take You as an Apprentice on the River when you are
fourteen, so you have only a couple more years to wait, in the meantime get some
swimming practice in it is something you must be able to do. I suppose that is what led me to a venture that got me into hot water in more ways than one..On one of my trips round Dockland I found myself down by a drawdock next to Northumberland Wharf on
the Isle of Dogs, It was a hot summers day and the tide was in. Several youngsters were
in swimming in the 'buff' so, not to be left out I joined them. We were climbing on a
green painted wreck marking boat that was moored in the drawdock and then running out
to the stern where the water was deeper, jumping or diving in. However when the crew
returned they made us get out of the water so that they could leave, It was then that I
noticed that I had a bright green stomach, One of the men gave me a handful of cotton
waste soaked in Paraffin to help remove the paint, apart from adding to the smell and
spreading the area affected it left me a lot of explaining to do that night, for it was Friday, the night we had to use a tin bath in the kitchen of our home not having the luxury of a bathroom. My posterior was a nice tinge of red by the time I got to bed, Needless to say I did not climb on freshly painted boats again, green or any other colour.

At last I found myself along with my cousin Harry in the Hall of the Worshipful
Company of Watermen and Lightermen at St Mary at Hill in the City of London. A building steeped in history and traditions, dating back to the days of the Tudors, Here we were sworn in to serve our Masters at all times, not to absent ourselves from their
services for a period of seven years, during which time we were not to haunt play houses
or taverns, nor commit fornication (I had to ask Dad what that meant), nor contract
matrimony. Staring round the Hall where the Master and other Court official resplendent
in their badges of Office I was intrigued to see a large Heraldic Notice with the words,

"TIME AND TIDE. WAIT FOR NO MAN", a motto that stuck in my mind from that day, No words can be more profound. An opportunity missed is lost forever, something that could alter ones whole life. I have missed a few in my time, and yet, I would not change one thing in the way my life has panned out. I am content, what more could one ask?

After leaving the Hall, I only rarely saw my Master during the two years of my apprenticeship when I was to learn the rudiments of my trade and appear at the Hall once more to apply to be examined and for my licence to be granted and thus enable me to
work alone on the Tideway

My first job afloat was for Messrs. John Hawkins of Lower Road, Rotherhithe. Alas like so many other companies that once flourished on the Thames, just another memory of long ago. I was to report to that office on the following Monday morning at eight o'clock, and there at the given hour, I was met by a grey dumpling of a man of about five feet five inches in height, and almost the same in circumference. This was Joe Hull, senior foreman and labour-master for the firm that owned some fleet of three craft towing tugs and a hundred lighters and canal barges, used in the conveyance of timber and other forestry produce to all parts of the tidal Thames, its Docks, and the canal systems adjacent to this famous and historic Waterway.

Joe, as he was affectionately known by all the work force, said, "I suppose you have got your Union card lad", "Yes Mr.Hull." I answered having been accepted at my local Union branch on the previous Friday evening. Whilst there, I was furnished with a pamphlet setting out the current wages and conditions for each year of an apprentices service. I was to start at the princely sum of Four Shillings and Four Pence for an eight hour day, and if overtime was incurred, this would net me ten pence per hour, in those far off days that was a very fair wage. Given that after that first morning my regular start time was nearly
always Six o'clock at the Canal Lock of the Surrey Canal, where I would be assisting in
moving barges through the Lock from the Surrey Commercial Docks, prior to pulling
them some mile or so along the Canal to their respective destinations, or moving the
unladen or 'light' barges from the Canal Basin back into the dock where a small tug
would collect them in a long string, one behind the other and tow them around the dock system, placing them at the various ships where they would collect their fresh parcels of timber ready to be delivered. to some distant wharf or timber yard.
The Surrey Commercial Docks was the largest timber import dock in its day. Originally it
began life as 'Howlands' great dock built to shelter shipping waiting in the Thames until
they could be discharged at one of the excise or crown wharves. It was later owned by a Whaling company where the whale oil and other products were brought ashore, this is
reflected in the name of the Greenland Dock that was the main and largest part of the
Surrey Dock system. I was informed that the jawbone of a whale was uncovered during the excavations made at the time of the construction of the Greenland Dock Entrance.

But, I am getting ahead of myself; having picked up any fresh orders from the Office, Joe bid me follow him. We crossed over the cobbled road with its twin sets of tramlines. These carried the large double decked trams on their journey from the City of London, out to Woolwich and Abbey Wood and return. A journey that would cost some
Four Pence, something less than Two P, in todays money. Here we entered a large Gateway with a notice in large letters above it, SURREY COMMERCIAL DOCKS, and in slightly smaller letters, Principle Entrance. Here Joe was nodded through by the very large Police Officer who was on duty in the gatehouse. These Officers were employed by
the Port of London Authority, and had all the powers of arrest etc. within the Port of
London Authority's Premises. (A very large section of London's East End.), Both North
and South of the River, as the Metropolitan Police or County Force within which there
group of Docks jurisdiction lay.

I was to be challenged by these Officers quite often until they got to know me as an
Apprentice with good reasons to be within the Dock Areas. I followed Joe up the steep
incline that led to the corner of a large dock, here, I was to see a fantastic sight of ten or more ships laden or in the act of discharging cargoes of timber. They were flying ensigns of almost as many different countries. Each ship was surrounded by barges either waiting to load or being loaded with freshly cut timber. Mostly Deal from the Scandinavian and Baltic countries, though there were a couple of ships carrying Canadian Pine and Cedar.

The pungent aroma of the different wood was fresh on the nostrils like a "well known" after-shave. There was timber as far as the eye could see. A lot of it was floating on the surface of the water where it had been dislodged from the large stacks that these craft seemed to carry above deck level. On the other hand, some of the larger baulks of Timber had been lashed and chained together by skilled "rafters" who seemed to balance
themselves on the long pile like lengths whilst stapling them together with long lengths of Coir or Grass rope. Once they had a couple lashed together they were able to pull the other lengths towards them as they were lowered over the ships side into the water. They would then take a staple from a canvas pouch tied around their waist and with an axe that had a hammer head on its reverse side, knock in a fresh staple to secure each new length of timber first ensuring that the forward end of the raft that was being produced, was straight and level, thus a raft some fifteen feet in breadth and up to sixty foot or more long was made ready for towing to another part of the Surrey Docks where it would remain until required for the construction of some jetty or pier on the River.

On a smaller scale, there were two other men on a basic wooden raft of some seven or eight feet in width and approximately twenty feet long, pulling out driftwood and lengths
of timber that had fallen into the dock from the many barges surrounding the ships. These
would be eventually moved to the Surrey Canal basin where it would be landed to dry out in stacks and then sold as salvaged timber at reduced cost.

Whilst following on Joe's heels, I had to duck under lengths of planks stretched over
large wooden trestles forming double gang-ways that ran from barges moored at the
quay-side, up into the large sheds that extended on either side of the dock. Along these at regular intervals I could see muscular Timber-Porters wearing a felt hat with a leather shoulder shield attached, carrying large lengths of timber up into the sheds where they would be stored and seasoned in stacks that were some twenty feet high. I was fascinated by the sort of, spring heeled dance that they developed as they moved over the bouncing planks, a sort of rhythmic bounce that carried them along as though they were floating on air. Once they had deposited their load they would return on the parallel walkway passing
their laden colleagues on the way up from the barge. I was hard pressed to keep up with Joe as he made his way along the quay side and keep a look out for the many obstructions along that encumbered the gap between the stowage areas and ships discharging their loads overside on to the quay, or into barges moored alongside.

It was to one of these ships that Joe made his first call, here he spoke to one of the
Lightermen who was an employee of Hawkins and responsible for the safe loading of
some of the Company's barges that were receiving cargo from that ship. He would be
given the position of the particular parcel on the ships manifest so that in conjunction with the Shipworker,a person designated by the Ship's agents, he could have his barge
ready for loading and alongside that particular hold when required. Thus preventing a hold up in the off loading of the vessel, also the Dockers who were on piece-work would be a little upset if the delay cost them money. The average freight loaded into these craft would total Eighty to a Hundred tons of timber or hardwood logs. Loading time varied depending on stowage requirements. The usual time per barge was about an hour.

There were some three or four ships moored along this particular quay of Station Yard
on the Canada Dock. We had joined it at Clock House corner and moved along to each
one where Company craft were loading to check on craft requirements finally to find ourselves at Station Corner of the dock and then to turn left along Station Quay and to a swing bridge that spanned a cutting that led into the Greenland Dock. The bridge carried the Redriff Road that run from Lower Road down to the riverside where at Redriff, a part of Rotherhithe, and a very active part of the the riverside wharfs and
Dry-docks and even an Isolation Hospital shared the river front, and a well populated
community was established.

At the bridge we saw a small tug, built with very low lines that would enable it to pass under it with inches to spare when not encumbered with craft in tow, waiting with a long string of laden barges attached waiting for the bridge to swing so that it could proceed on its way through the Greenland Dock by way of the cutting down to the Locks leading into the river or to the canal. This tug named the Hawk was owned by the Company and was Skippered at that time by Dave Hawkins, a nephew of the owner .In less than six months I was to become boy mate with him on the Hawk, but before then I had a lot to learn about Lightering and working afloat.

After some three months of working in tandem with another young apprentice Alf Carter who like myself hailed from Stepney, and shared the job of hauling the laden barges
along the Grand Surrey Canal to their destined wharf where they were to be unloaded, sometimes a distance of two or three miles from the docks, I began to develop a few muscles and began to fill out. I enjoyed the life and Looked forward to the time when I was able to obtain my Apprentices Licence that would enable me to work on the Tideway without supervision. This however would be after two years of hard work six months of which was spent as Boy Mate of the "Hawk" the little dock tug previously mentioned along with Dave Hawkins as my Skipper. It was very hard work, not only had I to keep the tug spotless with all the brasswork gleaming, a job that seemed endless in itself, but I
had to hand out tow ropes, throw out lines to craft that were just beyond the reach of the tug and quickly make them fast to a small round bollard that the towing hook was secured to, when I say make it fast, one had to throw on a "back"; turn, then three "round" turns in very quick time as the little tug surged forward under the strain of her powerful little engine. Then it was stand by to throw off the turns and take in the slack as the engine was put in reverse as the tow was pulled clear, then repeat the performance until the barge was close enough to throw a 5' tow rope to the Lighterman for him to make fast to the towing bitts.

I became very adept at throwing the break out line as we called it. It consisted of a 2鈥�5'; Manilla rope some twenty fathoms in length with a bowline eye at the end, a spliced eye was of no use, as the eye would close the moment it left the hand, whereas the bowline knotted eye would remain open until it settled around the bollard where it was intended to be, well that was the theory, and shall I say, I could hit the mark nine times out of ten by the time I left the "Hawk" and started learning new skills. Many the times I have put that
skill to good use when recovering people from a watery grave.

My next lessons were to be "driving" lessons; No!, not motor vehicles. This in fact was the art of using the tide to navigate the barge with the aid of a long pair of sweeps or oars from anywhere on the Tideway to any other destination where the craft was required.

My Tutor was a very spritely sixty-year old by the name of Jimmy Rae. The very first
Lesson began when we undocked from the Surrey Entrance of the Surrey Commercial
Docks at Rotherhithe on an early flood tide. We eased the barge out into mid-stream and
Commenced our journey up river. Our destination was Putney Drawdock some ten
Nautical miles further up river. The barge we were driving was a mere "punt" as we
termed the smaller barges, she was some Twenty tons registered and would carry
something like thirty to thirty-five tons of timber, carefully stowed in the hold space so that we would have a level "floor" to walk across should we require to move the sweepfrom forward to aft should the occasion arise.

We had not progressed very far when a light mist formed over the river at not more than
about eight to ten feet in depth, this was a bit disconcerting as we were hidden from some of the larger vessels that were still underway though proceeding slowly. One in
particular, a small coaster belonging to the General Steam Navigation suddenly loomed out the mist bound down river and less than ten yards away. Fortunately for us there was
a lookout in the bows who spotted us in time enabling a warning to be given bridge personnel allowing them to alter course enough for them to slide past us with a couple of feet to spare. I was extremely pleased to see the fog had lifted by the time we were abreast of the Thames Divisions Police pier at Wapping. We were making fair headway keeping as far as possible in the main flow of the tide. As Jimmy said, "keep your head up to the points, and you won't get swept into the bights" A swim headed barge will always trade ahead, it had something to do with the fixed budget (a steel rudder like structure under the after cabin area).

The river in those days just prior to the WW2., was a very busy place. The riverside
wharfs were a hive of industry with ships mostly from the Continent ,Scandinavia, and
Scotland, there was a regular weekly service from Leith into the Upper Pool, so the comings and goings were almost an hourly event on the rising tide. Ships desiring the
Bascules of Tower Bridge to be raised had to fly a special signal when passing Cherry
Garden Pier, thus enabling the bridge keepers to halt the traffic on the approaches to the bridge in good time to prevent accidents. In those far off days, the traffic consisted mostly of horse-drawn carts and open lorries that rarely exceeded any speed limits.

Our progress was steady, being early on the tide there were very few tugs and tows at
that stage to be encumbered by our slow progress through the bridges. The regular
standby tug at Tower Bridge was not required to pull us clear of any inward or outbound
Shipping, this being their main requirement, so our progress past the Tower Gardens was
un-hindered, I cannot remember whether there was an Eagle Steamer lying at Tower Pier
this was usually where the excursions to Southend, Ramsgate, and Margate usually
began., returning up river some twelve hours later. The bars would be open as soon as the vessel got under way. You can imagine that they were very popular.

Onward through the old London Bridge with its five arches and flanked on the north
upper side by the Fishmongers Hall and the home of that Liveried and Ancient Guild.
through Cannon Street, Southwark, Blackfriars bridges we steadily made our progress, keeping to the center of the arches to avoid hitting the cambers or buttresses where applicable, until we approached Waterloo Bridge where the old structure was being demolished to make way for the New Bridge which was to have just three spans. Here we were collected by the attendant tug who towed us clear of the workings and "Coffer-dams" surrounding the new and old footings where men were working below the water line.

Up through Hungerford Charring Cross Railway Bridge, Hungerford being the foot
bridge on the lower or downstream side. This was the site of Brunels suspension bridge
this spanned the river using the two brick butments that still exist, though the one on the north shore has been incorporated into the embankment built by Sir Joseph Bazelegate at the time when a lot of Londons old rivers such as the Fleet and Tyburn were incorporated into the Sewerage system taking it many miles down river to Beckton
outfall just above Barking Creek where the River Roding joins the Thames.

With the coming of the Railways, Brunels bridge was dismantled and reassembled as the
Clifton Suspension Bridge down in the west country. Thus allowing the all powerful
Railway Companies to use the site for their own purposes.I know that I am digressing, but who could resist talking about this wonderful and historic river of ours when passing upstream through the City of London and of Westminster?. We must press on however and continue our drive up through
Westminster Bridge with its seven arches and where skill was needed to avoid the fairly
sharp butments and low headroom in fact just 5-4 metres at high water on a spring tide.

This of course was of no danger to us, but has to be looked at very carefully by the
Skippers of some of the larger pleasure craft to ensure they have room to pass under on a Rising tide. Here on the North side of the river the Palaces of Westminster with their Magnificent Gothic Buildings stretch along the north shore. On the South side of the river and just down stream from Lambeth Bridge, lies Lambeth Palace once the home of
the Wife of King Henry the Eighth, Anne of Cleves. Now,the official home of Arch Bishop of Canterbury. Through Lambeth Bridge with its Pineaple mounted plinths adorning the balustrades at either side, passing the home of the London Fire Brigade on the south shore and the famous "Massey Shaw" fire float moored to their pier, the latter was to do some sterling work at Dunkirk during the Evacuations in the May of 1940..

On wards through Vauxhall Bridge with its magnificent statues adorning the butments
on either side. Victoria Railway Bridge and Chelsea Bridge were soon to follow then a longer stretch up to the Albert Suspension Bridge, again another fairly low bridge, we seemed to be making good progress, the river traffic had eased. Most of the tugs and
tows bound for Brentford and beyond had long since overtaken us and faded into the
distance. A laden Collier of the "flat iron" variety, slipped by on his way to Fulham
Power Station, the berth there had been vacated much earlier just as soon as there was sufficient water to enable the previous tenant to proceed down river whilst he still had sufficient clearance to allow him to pass under the bridges on the rising tide.

Victoria railway and Battersea Bridges were soon negotiated leaving just Wandsworth, Putney rail, and Putney Bridge and we were there.

By this time the incoming tide had slackened and we having to put more effort into making headway. Fortunately for us there was a tug in attendance at Wandswoth Bridge where the new bridge was in its final stages of being completed. The center section still had to put in position. The tug took us in tow and gave us a good start toward our destination, we almost made it when the tide started to ebb. This when we through the Railway Bridge, and almost there. Jim was just about ready to drop down to the buoys

In Wandsworth Reach to moor up for the night, when a Police Boat appeared from up
river and seeing our plight gave us a tow. He had to slip the tow fairly quickly, but not before giving us enough headway to enable us reach our berth. I have always held our river police in high regard since that day. With a friendly wave they went on their way.

By the time we moored our craft and went ashore,we were very greatful for a cup of tea and a sausage sandwich at the coffee stall by the drawdock. My hands were red and
blistered, my arms felt like lead, I was ready to take the long journey home from Putney Bridge, to Mile End on the Underground. How I managed to wake up in time to leave the Train at my station, I've no idea. I felt like sleeping for a week.

That was my first of many Time and Tide,LeHamel with Jim, we covered most parts of the river between Barking in the east, and Putney in the west including Barking, Bow, and Chelsea Creeks. He was a natural born Waterman who taught me a great deal without me realizing just how much I was absorbing. I think my Employers knew that Jim was the best, that is why every apprentice coming up for his "two", was sent out with Jim for a few lessons. Needless to say, I managed to pass my examination at Watermans Hall that September. Yes, the very month that War was declared, and every thing changed for many of us. . .


CHAPTER TWO.

LICENCED APPRENTICE

With the coming of the War, many things altered, the blackout caused quite a few accidents within the dock areas and on the craft causing a few accidental drownings. Some of this was overcome by painting a broad white strip along the edge of the quays and along the outer edge of the gunwhales of the barges and lighters. All the bollards and other possible obstructions were similarly treated. Navigation lights had to be screened to prevent them from being seen by aircraft similarly any deadlights had to be covered or painted over.

A great deal of regular shipping that used to bring timber in from overseas was halted. So the Company that I was employed by had to lay off some of the hands. Apprentices could only employed if there were at least four Freemen Lightermen to each one so in work.

This was to prevent them being used as cheap labour. As we were all employed on a daily
basis, this would mean that we would have to appear outside the office at five o'clock the next evening to see if there was sufficient work for employment the following day. There was no payment for this, however it was the only way that you could get employment. The term for this was "being on the stones". It was finally agreed by the Employers that the Apprentices could work a week on and a week off alternately.

I was in a bit of a cleft stick, I could not draw un-employment pay because I was too
young, and I was still expected to pay my way at home. So I ventured to try out another Lighterage Company who dealt in carrying Copra and Palm Kernals, These were essential in the manufacture of margarine and cooking fats. The Copra was usually rancid oozing a slippery film over the gunwhales making it very dangerous to walk along them whilst under way behind some of the more powerful tugs. On occasion I was sent down to Tilbury Dock to undock a barge that had discharged a similar cargo. It was midnight and pitch black and I had difficulty moving about on her decks. Along with several other craft we were taken in tow by one Gaselee's Tugs this was a Towing Company that was hired by Lighterage Firms to undertake towing their craft for them and were commonly known as Seeking Tugs. Once the tow got under way you were on your own. The after cabin was very damp and I had difficulty in finding enough material to light a fire in the little stove so I spent a rather miserable night until we reached the entrance to the Millwall Dock in early hours of the morning, as soon as we were locked in and I found the ship to which I
was to deliver the barge I went to the nearest Coffee shop for a hot cup of tea and something to eat. On my return to the barge I encountered one the Company's Freemen who wanted to know why I had not folded up the tarpaulins laying in the hold and placed them up on the deck ready for use. I told him that I had spent a cold and hungry night without a drink and that was my first priority, now if he wanted a hand I would be happy to help him.If he had any complaints it should be with the lazy so-and so who was in charge when the barge was unloaded in Tilbury Dk. He complained to the office and I found myself back "On the Stones".

My next Employer was a Company that were employed in the transport of chilled meat
similar products. This Company had its own Tugs with crews who looked after the hands
with a cup of tea and sometimes, "no questions asked" a small joint of lamb to help out with the rations at home. I was with this Company for some three months before I was laid off again. The following evening I went up to the City where this Company's Office was located and was waiting outside with several other hopefuls when, a Mr. Harry Hill, the Labour Master for F.T.EVERARD & Sons. Came over to us and announced that he was looking for four hands for immediate start with a guaranteed twelve months work,he was almost knocked down in the rush, I had a job to convince him that I was old enough, and he checked with his office to if they had sufficient Freemen employed to put me on the books. For a few anxious moments I had to wait before getting a nod. I had nearly a whole year working for this Company, and the job I liked most was being Wharf Bosun up on the Grand Union Canal at Southall where I was responsible for delivering canal barges to Messrs. Poulton & Noel laden with Navy beans to be turned into baked beans. I used to collect the craft from Brentford Dock and tow them up to Southall behind a horse, there were a number of locks to negotiate including the Hanwell Flight. This was a
series of seven locks one after the other and needed a little skill in controlling the barge in order to prevent damage to the lock gates.. Once these had been negotiated and the craft were safely in the Maypole Dock, it was a matter of uncovering and removing the hatches anleaving the work force to remove the beans. The dock was roofed over so that there was no need for my presence until it was time to bring the barge away and return it down to Brentford Dock for return to the river.I suppose that I must have spent a good few weeks at Southall, When not required at the Iwould have a look around Hayes, a nearby area with the lad whose Father owned and operated the stable of horses that did the towing along that section of the canal. I once went with him to an auction where cars were up for bidding, remembering that petrol was rationed, and that a lot of the owners had been called up there were a number of
bargains to be had. In fact I could have bought a, Austin Chummy Seven for as little as two pounds ten shillings, a sum that was equivalent to half of my average weekly earnings at that time. I did see a Singer Le Mans Sports Tourer less than four years old, go for as little as four pounds ten shillings, as there had been no retainer put on the vehicle, it was sold for that knock down price, leaving the previous owner in tears. I vowed to get a car for myself at the next auction, unfortunately my Father had to go into Hospital at that time with
result that I became the bread winner for the next week or two, and by the time that he had recovered, my job at Southall had come to an end.
One of the barges that I had previously brought down from Southall to Brentford, had to be

Towed down to Millwall Dock leaving sometime after 11pm. It was a very cold night so I

Made sure that I had sufficient coal for the fire. This was fairly easy to manage as it was

Lying next to a coal wharf where several select pieces of hard steam coal were lying

Dangerously close to the edge of the quay so I thought that I ought to remove the hazard to

Prevent an accident. Again we were using another seeking tug for the tow down river and

Would not expect to reach my destination till about four in the morning, so once under way

I settled in the tiny cabin enjoying the warmth of the hot little stove before nodding off.

I think that it must have been the sound of the tug鈥檚 whistle that aroused me when blowing

The 鈥渟ignal鈥� for rounding at Millwall Dock. As I got to my feet I felt a sharp pain in the big

Toe of my right foot, clutching the painful area, a portion of my shoe came away in my hand.

It had literally burnt away. I must have had my shoe resting against the stove for several

hours.

Coming up on deck from the tiny cabin I received another shock. It had been snowing and at

Least three inches of snow covered the ground..

I had to hobble around in an effort to prevent my toe touching the ground, I managed to

secure my barge to others that were waiting to lock in to the dock, then tried to find a piece

canvas to cover my toe cap and the sole of my shoe, I did eventually find an old torn

tarpaulin that was ready to donate a useful section, and with the aid of a few lashings was

able to effect a barrier against the icy carpet of snow.

I managed to get my barge to where it was required for loading in the dock then made my

Way home drawing a few curious looks on the way. What really hurt was the fact that I had

Only recently purchased the shoes in Petticoat Lane the previous Sunday.

We were now into early 1940, probably around late February or early March. The war

Seemed far away, I think at that time there had been one or two times that the sirens had

Sounded but there was very little activity in the air over London at that time. However things

were soon to change, The break through into the Low Countries, the capitulation of Belgium

soon to be followed by the fall of the Maginot Line and then Dunkirk. Many small vessels

Tugs and Sailing Barges, Pleasure Cruisers and Private craft made their way down river to be

Organised into a Ferrying service in am endeavour to get our lads off the beaches and safely

Home. I would have loved to have gone but was not given the opportunity. I had two of my

Uncles serving in France, they were amongst the lucky ones to make it back.

I stayed in the employment with Everards for some time, working down the lower reaches of

The Thames around the Greenhithe and Purfleet Cement manufacturing areas. Everards had

Contracts for the conveyance of cement to a number of places in the upper reaches from the

Tunnel Cement Works at Purfleet. Whilst I was down in that area I was priviledged to

witness some of the Dogfights that took place over Essex and Kent as our 鈥淕allant Few鈥�

met, and fought off the Luftwaffe. To them we owe a debt that money alone cannot pay.

As we got further into the year, several bombing sorties by the Luftwaffe took place over

London but it was not until the September of that year that we truly new what bombing really

was. I was at home on the Saturday September the 7th. Normally I should have been working in

the docks, however as I was still an Apprentice and there were insufficient Freeman employed

on that day, I was laid off until the following Monday.

I had spent a fairly quiet morning catching up on a couple of jobs in the house, and was

preparing to get myself ready to go out round about midday. It was fine warm and sunny,

an ideal day to go over to Victoria Park with an old school pal. My Mother had gone to the front

door of the house which faced east. 鈥淐ome and have a look at this, Son鈥�, she called. I went to the

pavement where she was standing out in the front of the house, Looking up we could see

formations of light grey aircraft fairly high approaching our area. I cannot remember hearing an

air-raid warning, but soon we observed the ack-ack bursts in the sky around or in the general

direction of the planes followed by the sound of distant explosions.

鈥淚 think that we had better get in the shelter Mum鈥� I said. We had an Anderson shelter in garden

next door. I was the only place that did not have a concrete yard, and our neighbours had

evacuated leaving us to look after their property whilst allowing us to place our shelter in their

garden which was reached by a gate in the back fence by the privy鈥檚. The latter were an essential

item to our shelter life for many nights to come.

The explosions were getting nearer. Dad and I had fashion a couple of bunks in the shelter and a

fairly stout door, thankfully it was dry. The bombing continued for some hours as wave after

wave came over. The ground beneath the shelter seemed to bounce and I felt as though I was on

board a boat in a rough sea.

Mum was beginning to worry that my Father had not arrived home. He was due about one o-

clock having left his work in Woolwich Arsenal at midday, walking through the subway to

North Woolwich, then catching a train to Burdett Road Station which was about two hundred

Yards a way. This normally took him about an hour, today would be very different and we were

To spend nearly four hours in the shelter before there was a lull and we could take stock.

As we emerged from the shelter we could hear fire engine bells going in every direction, there

was a pall of smoke rising from the general direction of the docks and a strong smell of burning.

There seemed to be a stunned silence in the immediate neighbourhood, as the shock set in, then

People emerged from where ever they had been sheltering to look around taking in the rising

plumes of smoke and dust around the dock area鈥檚.

We had been lucky in that our immediate area had little or no damage except odd bits of shrapnel

Had cracked a few tiles here and there, then every one started to talk at once; 鈥渁re you alright鈥�?,

鈥淗ave you seen my Son?鈥�. Or Daughter as the case may be. Mum was really worried that my

Father had not arrived home. It was not until some two hours or more that he appeared looking

tired and disheveled, his clothing and hair coated in a film of grey dust. Mum just run and

hugged him with tears of relief steaming down her cheeks. When he could speak, he said.

鈥淚 could murder a cup of tea, my throat is that parched, I could not spit to save my life鈥�.

When he had managed to down half the pot of tea that I had made for us, he told us what had

happened, though not before saying how relieved and happy he was to see that we were okay

and that the house was still standing.

It appeared that He had boarded the train okay at North Woolwich Station and it had made its

way via Custom House, Canning Town, Plaistow, and Stratford Stations without any problems.

It was when they reached Bow Road Station, just one station away from hi stop at Burdett Road;

the train was stopped on the high level bridge that spanned Bow Road. Here they were told to get

out and take shelter. Bombs were already falling around the area as they made their way to a

surface shelter on the other side of Bow Road. Dad had to walk or run by what appeared to him

an open manhole on the corner of the pavement outside the Police Station. He made the shelter

with just a few seconds to spare when a blast propelled him further into the interior and a wall

of thick choking dust filled the shelter leaving many of the people inside to believe they were

under a Gas attack. What worried my Father most was the plume of white steam emanating from

the stopped engine of the train on the bridge. Being an Artillery Man from the first World War,

He thought that it would be a well defined target for the bombers..

It was some time before the shelter Warden thought that it was safe enough for them to emerge

from the shelter so when they eventually came out and had a look around, my Father was

shocked to see that the corner of the Bow Road Police Station had collapsed. The open man-

hole that he had passed on his way to the shelter was in fact caused by a delayed action bomb

that had detonated as he was entering the shelter.

Seven Police Officers who were sheltering in the basement at that time were killed together with

others who were severely injured.

Dad, advised my Mother to go to stay with a relation living in Reading taking my Younger

Sister who had been evacuated to some where near Woking with her. Mum went the next day,

but not before having to endure one of the worst nights of the Blitz where the bombers came

back guided by the huge inferno of the Surrey Docks where millions of tons of timber were

destroyed, Wharfs and Warehouses were ablaze all along the riverside, complete havoc every

where. The bombers were relentless, it was not until the dawn that the 鈥淎ll Clear鈥� sounded.

Sleep only arrived through sheer exhaustion.

Some windows had to be boarded up, though this was not big a problem as it helped with the

black out which was strictly imposed. One house that fronted on to Burdett Road by the Fire

Station, was broken into to extinguish a bedroom light that had been left on. The residents

having sought shelter in the Underground Railway stations. I don鈥檛 think that there was any

looting at that time, we did not live in a very affluent area, In fact in those days most houses had

piece of string that led through a hole in the middle of the door attached to the latch or lock, with

one pull you were in. The only person who was not welcome was the 鈥淭ally Man鈥� who when

expected got the string withdrawn. Or, 鈥渟orry, Mum鈥檚 out鈥�, from the kids.

24

That Sunday morning Dad saw mum off at Mile End Station, 鈥渟he would not let him go to the

any further鈥�, on her way to Reading, On his return home, we set about making the shelter a little

more habitable with some bedding, blankets, an improvised cupboard for storing tea, sugar, and

condensed milk. We had rigged a substantial cable from the power supply enabling us use an

electric kettle and a small radiant fire that was useful to make a piece of toast.

I don鈥檛 suppose for one minute that it would have met with today鈥檚 safety requirements, but to us

During the next coming months when the nightly visitations by 鈥淛erry鈥� left us with little time to

Spend in the comfort of the house. Mostly it was 鈥渨ork and shelter鈥�. The underground trains

Were still running, but my Father had to cycle to Woolwich on a number of occasions.

Depending where I was required I could normally get there on time remembering that 鈥渢ime and

Tide鈥� waited for no one especially on a falling tide, if you were not there when the Tug called, it

was another twelve or more hours before you could get under way. Something the Bosses were

not easily understanding about.

Moving about on buses was not always the easiest form of transport as many roads were criss-

Crossed with fire hoses where weary looking firemen with soot blackened faces were still

struggling to contain fires and having to find undamaged hydrants where water was still

obtainable. Each and every day revealed more damaged areas, sometimes you would pass the

incredible sight of a solitary wall standing with a clock and other ornaments on a mantle shelf;

the fire place with the rest of the house just rubble in the basement. Here there would be rescue

squads digging away endeavouring to rescue, or recover the bodies of the inhabitants.

Other areas had barricades across the road or street with the sign, 鈥渦nexploded bomb鈥� and a

Royal Engineers twenty-five hundred-weight truck out side with red painted mudguards with

the words bomb disposal painted on the tailboard. On one occasion I saw shirt-sleeved sapper

25

with sleeves rolled up and braces showing, walk out of the front door of a house, a big grin

on his face, he was carrying a bomb on his shoulder. This he walked to the truck and placed it

between a couple of sandbags to prevent it rolling about, then off he drove with a young army

officer who had followed him out of the house. I understand that they often took them out to

Hackney Marshes, where they destroyed them by using a controlled explosive. These lads

Deserved all the medals that they were awarded during the war. It took nerves of steel to do

the tricky jobs that they encountered day after day.

One such job, was the recovery of a bomb that had failed to explode in the Surrey Docks, it

had penetrated the roadway some twenty five feet from the waters edge and had gone well down

into the subsoil. A pump was needed to keep the hole free of water that was seeping in..

Every time they managed to expose the tail-fins of the bomb, it had sunk a little more into the

mud.. Eventually they were able to rig some tackle around the fins sufficiently to prevent it

sinking any further into the subsoil also to shore up the sides of the hole to prevent it collapsing

in on the Officer who had the onerous task of removing the fuse so making the bomb safe for

removal.
.
This job seemed to take weeks of hard work, it makes one wonder how many more remain

Undiscovered in Docklands.

I often had to go to our Company鈥檚 Offices in Great Tower Street, here I got on very well with

the office manager who would pass on my orders for my next days work. I think that his name

Mr,Sanderson, He was known to one and all as 鈥淪andy鈥�, a very cheerful well liked man who treated all the Lightermen and us Apprentices with respect. I was stunned to learn a few weeks
later that Sandy had been killed when his house took a direct hit. I suppose it brought home to
all of us that death was a possibility at any time.

26
I had previously mentioned the Tunnel Cement works at Purfleet where we had quite a lot of freight from. Everards had a fairly modern fleet of lighters that had a capacity of four hundred and thirty tons burden load. With cement, this would be lost in the hold space under the hatches,
it was always in one hundredweight paper bags evenly spaced across the hold. There also were lighters of the same length and breath, though not so deep drafted that were used to convey freights of cement to a wharf at Brentford where the berth had not the depth of water to accommodate the larger craft.
On one occasion I was ordered to be at Brentford together with a Freeman Lighterman to man two of these unladen lighters to be towed down to Purfleet behind a Tug beloning to Messrs. Clement Knowling, this was a well established towing company on the river, whose moorings were at Brentford. The tugs were coal burning steam engined vessels of a considerable age, but fairly reliable, though not over fast. The trip down on the ebb tide over six hours, and on our arrival at Purfleet we had to walk nearly a mile to a canteen for a meal. We then returned to find two laden lighters to be towed back to Brentford behind the same Tug.
It was about two oclock by the time we left Purfleet on our way back up River. We made fairly slow progress as the craft were deep in the water with approximately two hundred and seventy tons in each barge. We had reached somewhere about Westminster Bridge when the Sirens sounded, it was dusk and we were beginning to lose the light. There was very little that we could do about it but press on though I think that the Skipper of the Tug was wishing he had a proper wheelhouse with a steel roof like some of the tugs working in the lower reaches. Unfortunately for him, his had to be collapsible in order to negotiate the low bridges in the upper reaches
As it grew dark we could hear some ack-ack guns in the distance down river and a few explosions in the distance. Still we pressed on reaching Putney Bridge at about ten.pm.

27
The activity grew nearer by the minute, with ack-ack guns firing all around. At that point we could not leave the craft anywhere as there were no convenient moorings to be had. We were just clear of Hammersmith Bridge when the Skipper decided that he鈥檇 had enough,. He informed us that he was going to leave us at the Council Wharf at Chiswick Where we could more safely until he came back for us on the morning tide.
It was after midnight before there was sufficient water to get the craft alongside, during which time shrapnel was falling all around. We kept down in the after cabin of one of the lighters during the worst of these periods, this was the one furthest away from the wharf when a loud bang as something hit the edge of the deck followed by the sound of something hot going into the cold river. An oil bomb had just clipped our quarter and luckily for us was extinguished before it could do any damage, though it did leave a large indent on the edge of the deck.
As soon as the craft were safely moored we had a walk ashore. We knew that it was too late to catch a train, it was fairly dark but as our eyes got used to the night we espied a low building and just for a moment a chink of light as a door was opened and just as quickly closed.
We made our way there and knocked on the door. It was opened by a woman dressed in the uniform of the Auxiliary Fire Service. We were quickly brought into the warmth of what was a fire station. Having told the firemen of our predicament and of the fact that we had been without food and a cup of tea for nearly twelve hours, we were given a feed of bacon sandwiches and a mug of tea, and then they found a berth for us in the pit below the engine where we snuggled down for the night

28

The following day was a Saturday, the barges were still aground until midday, Bill and I went to

a nearby caf茅 for our breakfast, and then returned to the wharf to await the return of the Tug to

complete the tow up to Brentford, several tugs towing craft passed by on their way up river,

including one belonging to Clement Knowling, they passed with no indication that they would be

coming back for us. Bill went on the phone to the Foreman, the office being closed on a

Saturday, but was told to return to the craft and wait. I was at the wharf the whole time on

standby. Still no tug arrived. Eventually the tide began to ebb and there was no way that we

would be able to berth the craft in the dock at Brentford.

When we contacted the office on the Monday morning, we were informed that a tug had called

and that we were nowhere to be found, with the result that we were to be laid off. I had to assure

Bill that I had not left the wharf at any time, and that the Firemen who were there on duty could

confirm this. We lost four days work over this incident until I went to the Union and explained

our case. We had been left at the wharf all night, so we certainly did not wish to stay there any

longer. The Firemen confirmed this. So when we were eventually seen by Mr.William Everard at

the Great Tower Street Office together with our Union Man, we were reinstated immediately.

Shortly after this incident, my house in Wager Street, Burdett Road, suffered substantial damage

during the night. Dad and I were in the shelter when we heard a 鈥渨histling鈥� bomb, 鈥淛erry used a

lot of these during the Blitz to unnerve people鈥�, on its way down. It seemed to get louder and

louder so much so that I shook my Fathers hand and said, 鈥淚 think this is the one Dad.鈥�. Well it

very nearly was, when daylight came and we looked out of the Shelter. We could see that the

corner of the house and most of the roof had collapsed. I rang the foreman to get my job covered,

and arranged to get some tarpaulins to cover the furniture that survived the blast.

29

My Uncles house at Leytonstone was made available to us. He was in the Army, and my Aunt

was evacuated with her two young daughters.. I loaded some of our more precious items

including our radiogram onto a barrow, and pushed it for some six or seven miles to our new

abode. We stayed there for approximately five nights, My elder Sister Rose who was then a

Conductress on the Trolleybuses turned up with he Husband Alf. Who had leave from the Navy

before joining another ship. As they had only been married in August of 1939,, and had only

spent a few months together before he was called up. We allowed them the Anderson shelter in

my Uncles garden in which to hold their reunion.

Dad and I used the on next door where the occupants were away. At two o鈥檆lock in the morning

the wooden door that we had fashioned to keep the night air out, blew in upon us. We heard the

sound of shattering glass and rubble falling everywhere. It was a repetition of what we had

experienced less than a week ago. When we went to see how my Sister and her Husband had got

on, we were amazed to find them still happily unaware of their near miss They were actually on

the very edge of the crater left by the bomb, and what is more there was another Anderson

shelter in the adjoining garden that was on the other side of the crater with people in it who

had not felt a thing. It was uncanny as the blast had been directed upward and taken quite a bit of

the roofing off, and shattered the conservatory glass roof.

A decision was then made that we move out of London to a place in Essex. The place being

South Benfleet, somewhere, that I used to stay as a youngster with my cousins. We found a

house for rent that would accommodate our needs. My Mother and younger Sister joined us so

that we were a reunited family again.

My Father continued to work in Woolwich Arsenal traveling by train to Barking Station, then

Continuing by cycle to Woolwich.

30

I found that it was going to be difficult for me to continue working as a 鈥淐ity鈥� hand for Everards,

Also there was no way that I could get to Greenhithe where their Barge Yard and other office

Was located. So reluctantly I had to find other employment closer at hand. I was offered a job at

A Chalk quarry in Grays, this was better than nothing though I missed the river, I felt a little

better when they ask me if I would like to work at their jetty, I was on the river as such though

the job I was given, was trimming loam that was brought from the quarry, and tipped from their

trucks into the holds of small coasters. This was to ensure that they filled the hold spaces under

the decks to reduce the chance of the cargo shifting at sea.

I stuck this for some time, winter was on way and at least the job kept me warm and exercised

my muscles and kept me in trim. I continued working there for some month or so when I was

informed that work had fallen off and that I would be laid off.

I had been traveling from Benfleet by bus during which time I had made friends with a chap who

was invariably on the same bus every day, on mentioning to him that I was looking for

employment again He said that his firm who had the contract for building the blast walls around

the oil tanks at Purfleet required labourers, I went along the next day where I joined a gang

working behind a cement mixer and running concrete to the base of the tanks where foundations

were being laid, or off loading breeze blocks or bricks from lorries. It was tough work on the

hands until I fashioned some palm shields from some inner tube material.

The pay was by the hour, one shilling and five pence halfpenny. Eleven Shillings and eightpence

a day, that is, providing it did not rain, if that happened the finished work was covered up to

prevent the concrete mixture being weakened and we were laid off until it either stopped raining,

or sent home if the hour was near finishing time.

During one of these early lay offs, I walked along to Purfleet Railway Station to see if that was a

31

viable alternative to the bus from South Benfleet. Whilst there I noticed one of William Cory &

Son鈥檚Tugs lying at a Coal Jetty almost adjacent to the Station. I walked out to the jetty to enquire

If there were any vacancies either in the craft or on the jetty. I was advised to go up to the office

to see the Wharf Manager and Lighterage boss of the Purfleet Depot.

I was asked for my licence and Union card and on production of these items, was welcomed with

open arms to start on the following Monday Night. The Tug named 鈥淩edoubt鈥� had three crews

of eight men, ie, Skipper, a boy mate who was an unlicenced apprentice,A Foreman Lighterman,

three more Lightermen or licenced Apprentices. An Engineer and a Fireman,(the tug was a coal

burning steam vessel).We worked round the clock on twelve hours on, and twenty four hours off.

Every third week it worked out that if the last day of the week fell on a Saturday, You would

have to work on the Sunday day shift and again on the Monday day shift. This alternated the

shifts and meant that the Sunday was at Overtime rate. Sunday nights were never worked except

in exceptional circumstances.

The work was based mainly around the Jetty moving empty barges from the barge roads to the

Ships that were being discharged at the jetty and in turn removing them back to the roads when

loaded to await collection by other tugs from the companies very large fleet of tugs that supplied

London with coal for its Power Station, Gasworks, and Factories all over the Metropolis, also to

others further afield on the Creeks and Canals leading from the river.

There were three main Jetties, owned by the Company, one at Purfleet, another at Erith, and a

larger one at Gallions by the Royal Docks. There were also coaling hulks for the shipping in the

river, they also supplied some of the larger coal burning passenger ships in the docks with a

coal bunkers with the aid of large floating bunkering unit.

32

William Cory鈥檚 ships and tugs had a black diamond funnel mark on a white band. Their barges

had a white diamond painted on the bows, this made it easy to pick out the craft at a distance.

I had come to another cross road in my life, an I liked the feel of being back on the River again.

Whilst I had been working ashore, a period of some six months; I had joined the Benfleet section

of the Home Guard, formally known as the Local Defense Volunteers. I had done quite a bit of

training with them, and thoroughly enjoyed comradeship and valued the many friends that I had

made whilst with them, so having seen my Commanding Officer who happened to be the local

Bank Manager, (shades of Dads Army), I made arrangements with them to parade as and when I

could as fitted in with my shifts.

The first day I stepped on board and met up with my new workmates, I knew that I would fit in.

The Skipper was a man named Dick Stone who lived in East Ham, the Foreman was a chap by

Name of Joe Hardy, he resided in a house close to the Purfleet Station, His son Bill Hardy was of

A similar age to myself, and of the same year of apprenticeship as myself., The other Lighterman

Was a chap by the name of Olley Smith, he was around fifty five or sixty years of age. He was

very experienced having been a Sailing Barge Skipper in his younger days. I enjoyed many a

yarn with Olley, He could name a Sailing barge by the cut of its rig when it a mile or so away.

I have never found him to be wrong, and this was the days when the river was full of sailing

barges

The Engineer who hailed from Grays, was an ex Royal Navy man by the name of George

Stowers; his fireman, also ex R.N. was Bill Freston. Where George was short and rotund, Bill

Was tall and lean but had the misfortune to suffer from foot trouble. I think that this could have

been caused by standing and working in a hot evironment day after day. Though he did take the

33

weight off once he had a good head of steam and ashes had been cleared.

I must not forget the 鈥渂oy mate鈥�, Jimmy Jewiss, who came from Grays. Jim and I were to

become life long friends. Jim鈥檚 Father was a Lighterman who once worked for the Anglo

American Oil Company who had a fleet of tugs and tank barges working from their wharf at

Purfleet. It would appear that he was lost overboard one night whilst boarding the tug from one

of the barges whilst under way. Jim鈥檚 Mother was able to apprentice Jim as was her right being

the Widow of a Freeman Lighterman. Jim鈥檚 elder brother Ernie had been 鈥渃alled up鈥� and was

then serving in the Inland Water Transport, a marine section of the Royal Engineers,

At the time I joined the crew of the 鈥淩eboubt鈥�, I was still known by my first Christian name, I

had three in all. When I was to be baptized, my Mother wanted me to be called, John ,William,

after her two elder brothers and her father, my Grand father who鈥檚 name was John but known

to every body as Jack.

The change came about fairly early in my being a member of the crew. We had gathered some

craft from the barge roads on the other side of Long Reach where the Jetty was situated, and

were towing them over to the inner side of the Jetty on an ebb tide. Four barges, two in each

column with towropes in the leading craft. Now, depending on which side the Skipper wanted

craft to sheer out to enable him to let them pass him as he came astern; he would call to the hand

on the leading barge on that side to let go his tow rope, the mate would them quickly pull the tow

rope in clesr of the stern, so that the Skipper could telegraph the Engineer to put the engines in

reverse so allowing the craft to slide past.

Alas, all he shouted was 鈥淟et Go Joe!鈥�, I obeyed the last order, little realizing that the Foreman鈥檚

name was also Joe, and he was standing by the towrope on the other barge. I am not at all sure

what names I was being called by the skipper, though I can imagine that the air was blue for

34

sometime, Like all Tug Skippers, they have a very good vocabulary. As soon as we were able to

reconnect the tow and place the craft where they were supposed to go, and I had apologised to

the Skipper on returning aboard the tug, I was asked what other names I had apart from those

that the Skipper had given me. And so I was called Jack from there on in. It stuck with me on

joining the Navy, as Jim and I, were going to be together for the first year of our service life.

We were still having to contend with air raids both day and night, and our enemy had taken to

dropping mines in the river, these were of two types, acoustic and magnetic. The latter were dealt

with by having degaussing facility set up at Tilbury landing stage where once a month the tugs

and smaller vessels operating on the river who did not have their own degaussing system, were

required to go alongside the Pier to have a cable passed around the vessel. The vessel would then

be 鈥渨iped鈥�, as this process was termed. It meant that the magnetic field of the vessel would

virtually be eliminated, thus lessening the chances of activating a magnetic mine.

Wooden Minesweepers were working constantly in pairs towing a length of cable astern of each

vessel and working in parallel to set up a magnetic field between the cables to activate any

magnetic.mine in its field. Also one of them would have a sonic boom strapped to its bow

sending out a loud noise similar to that made by a pneumatic road drill. If you were in a cabin or

space anywhere below the water line, it would be possible to hear them a mile away. This was

meant to activate the acoustic mines long before the sweeper reached the mine.

With all these precautions. Quite a number of vessels were sunk or blown up..

One in particular was a Saint Line Vessel of approximately 10,000 tons that arrived from

the Argentine with grain to be discharged at Bellamy鈥檚 Wharf Rotherhithe, It was in the act

of rounding to go alongside of the wharf, when it struck the mine and sunk in the fairway.

35

Another and even greater tragedy was the sinking of a Oil Tanker just arrived from South

America at Shell Oil Refinery, Thames Haven. Apparently it had berthed alongside one of the

jetties at the refinery and someone had gone ashore to pick up mail for the ship鈥檚 company.

He was to be the only survivor for someone had reported the possibility of a mine having been

seen to been dropped in the river at that Jetty, it was decide to move the vessel to the next one.

It was whilst the ship was being moved that she suddenly blew up. Not only was the ship

engulfed in a fire ball, a tug that was alongside also was destroyed, and a watermans boat with

two watermen who were in the act of taking a mooring rope tone of the mooring dolphins, was

also overwhelmed. The occurrence happened at about 4.30pm., I know this for a fact as I was on

the up-line platform of South Benfleet Station when the explosion occurred waiting for my train

to Purfleet via Tilbury Riverside Station. We always relieved at Five thirty on the 鈥淩edoubt鈥� as

this was the most suitable time to fit in with the train time tables.

The fire was still burning for days, a grim reminder to river fraternity of what could happen.

It was not very long after this that the 鈥淩edoubt鈥� was required to take some loaded rubbish

barges from the barge roads at Rainham, and place them alongside the Refuse Wharf for

discharge, also to remove several of the empty craft to place them at the barge roads for

collection by one of the London Tugs for onward delivery to the River Lee by way of Bow

Creek.

It may have been just a chance that the craft that we moved were mainly old wooden built canal

barges .or the fact that we had been 鈥渨iped鈥� in the last few days; that possibly saved us from the

fate of our Sister Tug the 鈥淩eserve鈥� that was based and crewed, from Erith on the Kent side of

the river. She hit a mine and was sunk just a half hour or so after we left Rainham in the very

place that we had been working in.Two of her crew were killed.The Engineer and the Boy mate.

36

Some of these mines that were intended to fall into the river caused widespread casualties and

Damage ashore when they were dropped or fell in the wrong place. One in particular fell in the

Borough of Lewisham where a school was hit resulting in the death of over a hundred and

seventy children with their teachers. These miss hits were classed as 鈥渓and mines鈥� of which

there were quite a few. I have heard people who have survived some of these incidents say that

they could hear the flapping of the parachutes to which they were attached long before they

struck.

On a lighter note, on one of the occasions when we were laying at Tilbury Landing Stage,

Waiting our turn to be 鈥渨iped鈥�, most of the crew adjourned to the fore cabin for a welcome cup

of tea leaving the skipper on his favourite perch, a high stool in the wheelhouse where he sat

comfortably whilst at the wheel. Suddenly we felt a jolt that shook the tug violently causing us to

heel over. Obviously we were on deck as soon as possible if not quicker, the tug appeared at first

glance to be settling by the stern. With one accord most of us were on the Pier, then we noticed

that it was the tugs engines that were going astern thus giving the impression that he stern was

lower in the water. The head rope was still secure and no one was in doubt that the Skipper was

in good voice in the wheelhouse.

Looking along the pier, and very close to the walkway or brow where it sat on the pier, was a

large hole with jagged edges protruding upward like a coronet. A bomb had gone through the

pier and exploded beneath it. Fortunately there were no casualties except for the Skippers injured

pride and a slight bruise on the Engineers bottom.

It became apparent that when the tug heeled with the force of the explosion, the Skipper was

thrown off balance as his stool tilted causing him to fall against the telegraph. The buckle of his

waistcoat strap, looped itself over the telegraph handle causing it to ring down full astern.

37

The Engineer George Stowers was also tilted off his perch in the engine room, however the

Fireman, Bill Freston heard the ring on the telegraph and came through into the engine room

from the stokehold, and seeing George on the floor apparently injured, obeyed the last order

and put the engines astern. When all was quiet again and we were sure that the pier was not

about to sink.(it was built in separate watertight sections),we climbed back on board thinking,

that, was a bit too close for comfort..

On another occasion we had orders to run down to Mucking Flats, at the bottom of Lower Hope

Reach during one of our night shifts, with orders to take some loaded rubbish barges from the

buoys where they were moored near the main channel and put them alongside the jetty where

they were to be discharged, then bring any un-laden barges away

To complete this operation it was necessary to wait until just half an hour before high water or

we would have insufficient water beneath the tug and tow to get alongside. Just before midnight

on a very dark night we began to move in over the mud-flats, our eyes were accustomed to the

dark so we knew where to head with our tow. At the very moment that we heard the approach of

heavy air-craft, the wharf boatswain ashore decided to show a light indicating where he wanted

the barges to be placed. As one and at the top of our voices we told him to put the so-and-so light

out. He must have been deaf not to have heard us, or the aircraft. What did you say?, he called.

Before we could repeat our very friendly advise, we heard the screech of the falling bombs.

The first fell about two hundred yards away, the next about half that distance. I did not wait to

see where the next one landed. I had jumped into the hold of the barge and was endeavoring to

bury myself in the rubbish. Thankfully the last bomb fell some fifty yards away and only

succeeded in giving some of us all a mud bath

Needless to say, the wharf boatswain was told that in future he was to put his torch where

38

the sun could not shine, or we would definitely do the job for him. I on the other hand was not

very welcome down in the fore cabin until I had removed my working gear and tied them to a

heaving line and trailed them aft through the water to remove some of the smell from the

rubbish, this was a useful way to clean our overalls so long as they were not forgotten.

Those barges had been some three or four days in transit at the height of summer, so

they were a little 鈥渉igh鈥� to say the least.

We all worked together fairly well as a team until young Bill Hardy volunteered for Air Crew

Training with the RAF, he was not kept long before he received his call up papers. I had tried to

join the Navy, but was informed that I was in a reserved occupation though I could volunteer for

flying duties with the Air Force, somehow it did not appeal to me, again I tried the merchant

navy but was informed that they were not taking first trippers.

Little did I know that my chance would come in the not too distant future. Bill Hardy鈥檚 place

In the crew was taken by a Lighterman by the name of Bill Slater from Grays, he was about thirty five years of age with some 鈥淪ea going鈥� experience and a very useful hand. He settled in well with the rest of the crew. In the meantime, my Father was finding that his journey from South Benfleet to Woolwich Arsenal was getting to be too long winded for him. So he decided

on moving to a house in Ilford, This was not so far for him to travel, and could be done by using

his bike alone. I did not mind as it meant that I had a shorter journey of just twenty minutes from

Barking Station to Purfleet. It did mean however that I had to give up my Home Guard service.

One morning early in the spring of 1942, the Redoubt had orders to pick up four loaded rubbish

barges from Cory鈥檚 barge moorings at East Tilbury, and tow them down to Mucking over the

tide, We had just been under way for about ten minutes or so, when a blanket of fog enveloped

us. We knew that a mine spotting barge was moored in the vicinity, somewhere that we could

take a temporary turn, until the fog lifted. I could see the shape of a vessel approximately in the

39

position where we expected the spotting barge to be, and told the Skipper pointing in its general

direction. As we neared it, it started to move. We then realized that it was a Naval Patrol vessel

that had gone onto the mud flat and was just freeing itself on the rising tide.

The Skipper put his helm over to bring us away from the mud when our screw was fouled by

Something un-yielding and we were held fast.

Try as we might there was no way that we could clear the propeller, high water was reach and

the ebb tide set in; our tow consisting of four loaded rubbish barges swung down with the tide,

our stern was held as though we had a kedge anchor streamed. After a couple of hours we were

high and dry on the mud. We could then see that we had a thick submarine cable around the

propeller and shaft that it would have to be cleared before we could get under way again.

Not having any means of communication on board, we were wondering how we could let the

Company no of our predicament, fortunately another of Cory鈥檚 tugs came by who promised to

Pass the information on as soon as they could get ashore to telephone.

Whilst we were pondering our next move, we noticed a signal lamp flashing a morse message to

us from a signal hut on Coalhouse Fort, this an old defense fort constructed to stop Napolian

from invading us. There was a similar fort at Cliffe Creek, and another at Tilbury. At first we

wondered if they were signaling some one else. Our foreman Joe Hardy had as I previously

mentioned spent some time in the Inland Water Transport in WW1. fortunately he had retained a

smattering of morse and semaphore, and was eventually able to inform the signal tower of our

predicament regarding the cable. A message came back that we should try to remove it, but avoid

cutting the cable if at all possible

Bill and I stripped off to our underpants and lowered ourselves over the side, the mud was very

thick, we soon up to our knees working in it. Some old gratings were brought over from the

40

barges to be lowered over the stern for us to work from. It helped but still they became immersed

in the mud. Eventually we tied some line to them to prevent them disappearing altogether, we

managed to get one turn off by tying one of our towropes around the bight of the cable and using

the anchor windlass on the bow of the nearest barge to haul it clear. It was hard work as only two

men could put sufficient weight on the wooden spars that we using to move the windlass barrel.

Eventually they broke under the strain. In the meantime we were running out of food, as we had

been on duty from five thirty the night before. We new that we would incur some overtime but

fully expected to be back at Purfleet by seven o-clock at the latest. Here we were at midday and

beginning to feel hungry as we had only brought sufficient food to last us twelve hours, what is

more we had another six hours to look forward to before we could be relieved. Joe explained our

plight to the signal tower to see if they could assist. Eventually a small boat from Cliffe Creek

brought a loaf of bread and some runny butter some three hours later when there was sufficient

water around us to get alongside. In the mean time Bill and I had managed to hack our way

through the cable and buoy the ends. It was a matter of using about half a dozen hacksaw blades,

an axe that just bounced off the cable at each stroke, and our knives that needed be sharpened

every five minutes.

We were certainly relieved to see our relief crew arrive in a spare tug to complete our tow, we

had just twelve hours left before we started our next twelve hour shift. I think that I fell asleep

over my supper that evening. We did learn eventually that the cable that we had fouled was a

hush-hush installation that measured the magnetic field of ships using degaussing apparatus

before they left the river.

We had been Noticing for some time that Trawlers had been seen leaving the Thames for

destinations unknown towing lighters of about two hundred tons capacity in pairs. Obviously we

41

were intrigued as to what purpose they were being put and why?. I was soon to learn when I

met one of my former Tug Skippers from My days with John Hawkins and Sons, George Doman

by name, he was on Barking Station when I was on my way home one night. What is more he

was in the uniform of a Petty Officer in the Royal Navy. On speaking to him I learned that the

barges were being converted into landing craft and that volunteers were being called for to man

them, further more if I wanted to join I had better get down to Tilbury Dock to sign on.

I was there the next day with young Jimmy Jewiss who now had his two years licence.

We were signed on as Seamen SCO on a six month contract that would pay us Fifteen shillings

A day. This was at least five times the amount that the average serviceman could expect. No

Wonder we were dubbed the millionaire mob.

Watermen, lightermen, dockers, and boatmen from all the major ports were invited to join. Tug

Skippers were automatically made Petty Officers, and lightermen acting mates were made

Leading Seamen.

In a little under a month I was told to report to Chatham Barracks. I became Seaman SCO,

Number CJS948, I had joined the service that I dreamt of as a boy. I hadn鈥檛 a clue what was in

store for me, and the changes it would make to my future.

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