大象传媒

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After my leave was over, I again returned to sea with the intention of progressing my career. As a Senior Electrican, I could only increase my earnings by getting automation experience on large tankers and bulk ore carriers. In order to become a Second or Chief Engineer, it is necessary to first progress through the Mechanical Engineering, Watchkeeping aspects of the job as a Junior Engineer (which is considered as an Assistant Engine Room Watchkeeper) and in so doing, get sufficient experience to be considered for promotion to 4th Engineer. Apart from being in charge of the watch, the 4th was responsible for the maintenance of pumps and oil purifiers, air compressors and tank valves etc. The 3rd Engineer is responsible for the repairs and maintenance of the Diesel engines driving the Electric Alternators which supplied the ships electrical power. In addition, he is also responsible for his own engine room watch. The working boss is the Second Engineer, who is responsible for the main engine, the ships boiler and fresh water generating plant. In addition, he also has his own watch to do. The Electrician is a day worker who is also on call for breakdowns. He is responsible to the Chief and Second Engineer for the repair and maintenance of all electrical equipment, other than that of the Radio Officer. The Chief Engineer is the engineering manager who is responsible for the safety and efficient running of the ships engineering matters.

To get a wider experience, I joined J and J Denholm Ship Management of Glasgow, who were running Iron Ore Bulk Carriers and tankers. The ports that I sailed to were: Rotterdam, Narvik, Lulea, Lower Bucannan, Pepel, Lower Bucanan (Sierra Leone and Freetown), Sydney (Nova Scotia), Seven Islands, Rio De Janiero, Vitoria, Curacao, Fukiama, Kobe and Murmansk. After attending the necessary Marine Electronics and Automation courses at South Shields Marine and Technical College, I sailed on a large 57,317 Tons DWT Bulk iron ore carrier, powered by a 20,000 Hp Sulzer Engine.

When I returned home on leave, as usual I went to to visit uncle Harry. This time I left his house on Malpas Road rather shocked. He was very depressed, looked grey and was now something of a shadow of his former self. I offered to get his doctor, but he refused. We had a cup of tea, after
which he showed me to the front door with the departing words, 鈥淚'll be be alright. Just leave me in peace, because there's nothing you can do.鈥� However, my conscience wouldn't allow me to drive home without doing something. I went to see his brother, who was my uncle Ron. Later that evening at home, uncle Ron telephoned my mother and said that Harry had been taken into hospital and that tests were being done. He was discharged from hospital three weeks later and came to Cardiff to stay with my mother and I.

I remember talking to him about the war and making a joke about the rumour that Italian tanks were fitted with one forward and five reverse gears. He laughed and said, 鈥淭hey were poorly equipped compared with our people. We came up against some of the crack Italian Alpine Units
who were extremely good riflemen, who before the war had hunted game for a living. Have no doubts, because they killed a lot of people and caused a lot of problems. At least with the Italians and Germans, we knew that they were the enemy. One of our biggest worries was the Gung Ho Americans who bombed the British Headquarters鈥� I asked him what he as a Dragoon actually did? 鈥淲hen we were called up for WW2, the policy was to mechanize the regiment and they trained us to drive lorries.鈥� I told him that I couldn't understand why he had never accepted promotion. 鈥淚 was offered my stripe as a Lance Corporal on several occasions. But since it was acting unpaid, I wasn't interested,鈥� he replied. After a few moments he added, 鈥淚 remember a number of my mates taking promotion, only to be killed in action later. For the lack of a better word, I was contented to be an ordinary Jo and do as I was told.鈥� Having satisfied my curiosity, I changed the topic of discussion to the 5 Inch gauge model passenger hauling locomotive, which I was Building in the garage.

My leave passed quickly. Leaving uncle Harry with my mother, my sister and her husband had my car as usual to use whilst I was away. I flew to Bahrain and joined the S.S. Ardtaraig at Kharg Island on 12th, November 1972. This being a 119,665 GRT 28,000 SHP steam driven automated tanker with bridge control and an unmanned engine room. When loaded with its oil cargo, this very large tanker had a draught of 63 Feet. During the time that I was the Senior Electrical Officer, our discharge ports were Milazo in Sicily and Rotterdam.

I left the ship at Rotterdam on the 4th March 1973 and went home to Cardiff on leave to be told that uncle Harry was dying in hospital from stomach cancer. He died on 19th March at the age of 63.

Within a couple of weeks my leave was coming to an end. On the 5th, April I joined the MV Opawa at Bahrain and we loaded a cargo of oil for Rotterdam. From what I can remember we went back to Bahrain and did another trip before going for dry docking and repairs at Genoa. After which we went back to Bahrain again. I finally paid off at Pembroke on 9th August. However, the night before I was ashore having a drink in a pub and got talking to the Chief Engineer of a 790 Grosse
Tons coastal oil tanker, which was at a jetty close to us. We shared a taxi back to his ship and he took me on board to show me the engine room of the MV Chartsman. He told me that their average tour of duty was about three months. Because I wanted to get watch keeping experience as an engineering officer and have the opportunity of getting home more often to see my 69 year old mother, I decided that it would be a good idea to leave P and O Bulk shipping Division, if it was possible to work for Rowbotham and Son, Coastal Tankers Ltd.

During my leave, I had an interview with Rowbotham,s Marine Engineering Superintendent, who gave me a letter to present to the Department of Trade Marine Examiners in Cardiff. At the interview, the examiner told me that he was satisfied with my electrical experience, but being as I was sailing on coastal vessels he required five years watch keeping experience before I could sit for my Certificate of Competence as a Second Engineer.

At the end of my leave, I joined the MV Anchorman as the 3rd Engineer at Harwich. The engine room was quite small and clean compared with all of the other motor ships on which I had sailed. With all the nicely polished brasswork and painted pipework it looked more like a museum exhibition piece. After having lunch we sailed for Wisbech on the River Nene. The Second Engineer had introduced me to the main engine controls and satisfied himself that I had the experience to handle the watch by myself. From my deep sea experience of standing in as an assistant watch keeper when somebody was ill, I knew what was required of me. The further out we got from Harwich the rougher the sea became. Within twenty minutes of being on my own, I was being sick in a bucket. The damn thing pitched and rolled for the whole of my four hours watch. When the Second Engineer came down to relive me he laughed and said, 鈥淵our initiation to coastal waters is over. Dinner is being served in the saloon.鈥� I told him that I couldn't face dinner and went to my cabin and wedged my life jacket against me in my bunk to prevent me falling out. The Chief Engineer woke me at 2330 with a mug of tea and a plate of egg and tomato sandwiches. By midnight the sea was a lot quieter and my watch was uneventful. A week later I left the ship at Fawley and went home to await further instructions.

The other tankers I sailed on were the MV Helmsman, Bridgeman, Steersman, Tillerman and Chartsman. The ports visited were Pembroke, Rotterdam, Dublin, Belfast, Granton on Spey, Immingiham, Cardiff, Gydnia, Thames, Shoreham, Teesport, Tyne, Plymouth and Sunderland. To us it was just like being on a bus route.

On the 6th, June 1974 I was on the Helmsman on our way to Plymouth when the funnel top caught fire. Being the duty engineer, I had to get up and put the fire out. Afterwards I returned to my cabin again and went back to sleep. Because the Helmsman was an automated ship with bridge control, we worked days, unless we were entering or leaving a port, or discharging, or loading cargo. At 8 am the steward called me with a cup of tea and told me that we had arrived and would shortly commence discharging our cargo. When I got out of my bunk I discovered that I was unable to stand upright. My lower back and hip joints were painful as I put on my dressing gown with difficulty, before limping to the saloon to get help. On entering the saloon, they all stared in silence for a few moments, before bursting into laughter. 鈥淵ou're in the wrong place for the Hammer Productions auditions Quazzimodo,鈥� said the Master before I could speak. The rest of them laughed. I was taken to see a doctor by the ships agent in his car and then driven home to Cardiff in a hired car. About a week later I was admitted to the Dreadnought Seaman's Hospital at Greenwich, London for treatment. However, in November 1975 after a number of in treatment sessions at the hospital, I was discharged from the Merchant Navy as being unfit for future sea service, because of the natural onset of Rheumatic and Arthritic problems, which would gradually worsen with age. The reality of the situation was that I was no longer able to lift and carry objects, or bend over things which were at floor level. I could no longer stand working a lathe or milling machine for any length of time, without experiencing severe back pain and my legs feeling like jelly. The consultant had thought of an exploratory operation, as the problem occurred when my body was in a certain position, which put pressure on various nerves. However, after doing various tests and X Rays he told me that I had Spondylitis and that surgery would be too much of a risk. His advice being, to come to terms with the situation and live my life accordingly, taking the tablets as instructed.

The Disability and Resettlement Officer at the Cardiff Job Centre put me on a Industrial Resettlement Course, to enable my work capability to be assessed. Unfortunately, whilst at their centre, their doctor was of the opinion that I should do physical exercises in their Gymnazium. When I protested, I was told to do as they required, or leave the course, which would result in my money being stopped. Within about ten minutes the pain suddenly started and I was in trouble. I was sent home on the sick and found out it would take months for my GP to get local hospital
treatment for me. A week later, I was fortunate enough to be admitted to the Dreadnought for treatment. After a fortnight as an in-patient, I returned home again. When I wrote to the job centre and threatened to sue their doctor for damages, they did not require me to return, but arranged for me to attend the Glamorgan Polytechnic as a student on a Work and Method Study course. After successfully completing the course and doing an Industrial Engineering Project, I was issued with a Green Disability Employment Card and had my details entered on The Professional and Executive Register. As much as I attended a number of interviews with prospective employers, they were more interested in my electrical and mechanical background, but didn't have suitable work for me with my disability. I couldn't afford to remain on the dole and took a job as a relief security guard. A year passed before the disability people managed to find suitable work for me.

John Curran, Aeronautical and General Engineers Cardiff, had a vacancy for an Engineering Inspector to work in their factory and do Radar Site Refurbishment, Repair and Surveys to Defence Contract 05-21 Quality Standards. However, at the interview I was asked to also cover Jet Engine
Test Beds. Needless to say, that it was a staff job which I was most thankful to accept, thinking that it would see me through until my date of retirement in 2001.

Unfortunately, on the morning of my 50th birthday in March 1986 I arrived in work, to be told that John Curran, Aeronautical Engineers had been faced with the cancellation of certain MOD contracts and had to make 15 people redundant. I could see no point in remaining with a firm that could have even further future cut backs and decided to volunteer for redundancy, take the money and look for another suitable job.

Being faced with the proposition of having to work a further 15 years to reach my retiring age, I took the offer from the Manpower Services Commission to send me to the Polytechnic of Wales to study Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing. However, I had to wait for nearly a year before the course started.

At that time, I had been involved in fund raising with a group of friends for some of the local hospitals, which had led to my becoming involved in Broadcasting and the production of the CBC 221 Radio program for disabled people. The need arose for me to research the Social Security Benefits System, to talk about claimants problems. The only way I could do this was to train as an Adviser with the Citizens Advice Bureau and work in my local CAB Office. During my training, the point arose about Social Security advertising about unclaimed benefits on television. Our instructor laughed and told us that there would not be enough money to go around if every entitled person made a claim. The award of benefits is controlled by very complicated legislation, beyond the understanding of people who have not been trained to understand the various aspects of the awarding criteria. The correct use of English words is extremely important when expressing the degree of pain and suffering and the ability to cope with health problems and considering the safety risks involved in daily living. Several people had unwittingly contributed to their rejection by completing the forms, without first seeking advice about the awarding criteria concerning the benefits for which they had applied. The benefits legislation is something of a minefield containing rejection clauses unknown to claimants. This accounts for a high number of rejections and case appeals.

Debts were also another major problem involving bank overdrafts, credit cards and hire purchase. One of the most frequent problems was with loan companies canvassing door to door with cheques. Their agents were giving residents additional loans, to keep up the payments on their already existing debts. This to some extent was caused by people being refused payments by the Department of Social Security.

During that year I worked as a part-time security guard, which gave me the opportunity to read about the problems facing the unemployed, disabled, sick and elderly. Ideally, I would have liked to have got a full time payed job with the Citizens Advice Bureau. However, managers jobs were few and far between and were usually competed for by the unpaid volunteers with long service.

In due course, I attended the Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing Course at the Glamorgan Polytechnic, which I successfully completed a year later. I wrote to 17 firms. Most of them replied to my letter stating that they had no immediate vacant posts and would file my details for future reference.

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