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After passing my Second Mate (Foreign Going) examination I had a spell of relieving duties round the U.K. coast and on the 17th. March 1945 I joined the "Clan Chisholm" as Fourth Officer. She was loading in Glasgow for India. Although the war had ended in Europe we still sailed on convoy. Actually it was a troop convoy and we were detailed as a rescue ship. Capt. Angus Campbell, a veteran of Malta convoys, was quite a personality. He had a trick of steaming up to the next ship ahead, generally near Noon, she was the "Reina del Pacifico" full of troops plus Wrens. Angus, when we got close, played records over the loud hailers and occasionally read poetry. All very amusing but I don't think it pleased the convoy Commodore or the S.O.E. (Senior Officer of the Escort). I know the loud hailers were removed at Port Said. I had my 21st, birthday while we were bunkering at Aden.
We duly completed our discharge at Calcutta and loaded in various Indian ports for the U.K. where I left the "Clan Chisholm".
After a short leave I joined the "Sambalt" on the 10th. Sept. 1945 as Third Officer this was an interesting experience as we part loaded military stores at Tilbury then sailed round to Hull. Dunnage was laid over the cargo previously loaded and we loaded motor transport on top. At that time the minefields had not been cleared on the East Coast, therefore ships had to keep to buoyed channels that had been swept for mines. This was very good except in poor visibility. During our stay in Hull the Chief Officer was somewhat perturbed, as our crew mainly from Tilbury, returned each night from the pubs a bit tiddly "Maybe it's because I am Londoner" was the favourite song. Well the C/0 thinks where is the money coming from — ah flogging ship's stores he thinks— The 2/0 and I were instructed to keep our eyes open. Now outside the Bosun's cabin there was an army soup boiler, one of several remaining after the D-Day landings. I opened the lid of this particular boiler whew! What a stink it reminded me of a pub toilet on a Saturday night after somebody had spewed. I got hold of the Bosun and said gosh Bosun you better remove that soup boiler outside your cabin. The Bosun was very emphatic it should not be removed as it contained the grog !! Apparently the crew had got hold of large glass jars and then filled them with prunes and added yeast. The gimmick was the Bosun issued a cup of this concoction to each member of the crew that was going ashore for the evening.

A couple of beers on top of that and they were singing. The C/O was satisfied with explanation.

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