大象传媒

It happened ! It happened !! A telegram, and it read "Can you report to Captain McCLURE ON BOARD TSS ULYSSES, GLADSTONE DOCK, LIVERPOOL "???? Can I?? Try and stop me. My mother, brother Clem and sister Thora were living in a dingy one room near Victoria Station London. Mother was working but her wage was pitiful and Clem was earning the odd shilling by carrying peoples cases to the taxi rank, but not letting the station porters catch him. So I reckoned that a few extra pounds would help mum considerably,so my heart was set on getting to sea
Here I am in Gladstone Dock, the hustle and bustle of stevedores loading the cargo on to the ULYSSES here she was the object of my dreams and hopes. When I reported on board I was shown to my accommodation, and I use that word in it's most liberal sense. I was right up in the sharp-end with the anchor chains behind the bulkhead. What did I know and what did I care ??? I was a seamanHere we are at sea, I am soon made aware that my duties will be at the beck and call of whoever needs me. I was learning the ropes and loving every minute until I got the attack of "MAL DE MER". In other words I got sea sick !!! and this state of affairs lasted for a solid week, although I can say in my own defence that the weather and the seas were atrocious. However, once I had recovered I was ready for anything.

We sailed down the South Atlantic and the sun and sea were warm and calm. We came upon an empty life boat drifting in the ocean with no signs of life. It was from a ship called the DORIC STAR which was the last ship sunk by the GRAF SPEY before she herself was sunk in the river plate.My next experience is one that is etched on my memory and that was the sight of approaching CAPE TOWN. Coming from drab Britain and suddenly seeing Table Mountain with two smaller peaks at each side, and all bathed in glorious sunshine was a beautiful and magical sight, and still is.We spent a lovely time seeing the city.When David Munn (my good mate) and I got back to the ULYSSES we learned that we were going to be in Capetown for a while. This was because the Germans were having considerable success with their MAGNETIC MINES. So to counteract the effect of these mines, all Merchant ships had to be fitted with DE GAUSING equipment which had the effect of creating our own magnetic field and so neutralising the magnetic attraction of the ship to the mine. One night Dave and I popped into the Waldorf restaurant for a late coffee and snack. At the end of our meal the waitress asked us what we did when we were in port. Anyway she asked us if we would like to meet her family, we said that was very kind of her and we arranged to meet next day. They were a delightful family and we met them all including Gwne's (the waitress)fiance. We were made most welcome and enjoyed their company. One night they suggested we go to the BIOSCOPE !!!! What the hell is the Bioscope ???/ Well it turns out thats what they called the Cinema. We live and learn. The family's name was Steele and they remained friends every time we were in Capetown.

Time came to leave this beautiful city and we sailed to Durban which is a port on the east side of South Africa and on the India Ocean. Wheras Capetown was more Dutch Boer leaning, Durban was more inclined to be British.Although not as spectacular as the Cape it is no less a lovely city. When we docked a notice was posted-up warning all hands to go ashore in groups as to get to the city we had to go through the native areas and this could be dangerous. Me being the junior I could not go ashore until everything was "in order". So it was about 9pm when I did go ashore. Damn it I wanted to see places so I ventured off and headed for the city. When I was in the city I waslooking in a shop window when in the reflection of the glass, I noticed four African men approaching me. When they were almost beside me I whirled round to face them. They politely doffed their hats and told me thay were having a choir contest and the person who was to be the judge had to cancel so they now required someone to judge the contest.When I told them I had been advised to keep clear of the native areas, they promised to escort me to the hall, and when it was ended they would escort me back to the city.So I landed in a hall with hundreds of Africans and eventually I chose a winner and I was accorded a great ovation, the four men were good as their word and saw me back to the city.

A school pal of mine in Glasgow by the name of Jackie Starrs' mother gave me the name of relations of hers who lived in Durban, so I did call on them. Again they were a fine family. What did impress me at the time was the fact that the father-a Mr. Macdonald- was a painter in the South African railways, yet he owned a lovely bungalow, had two Studebaker cars, and his son and daughter were at University. I could only compare what a painter in Glasgow would be able to afford. Of course this was all part of keeping the Africans subjecated, so the whites got the jobs whilst the natives got scraps.I was asked to visit another family whilst I was in Durban, they were the dullest folk I had ever met. Their name was Sneezum !! enough said.

So off to sea, we left Durban to cross the Indian Ocean. It took two weeks to reach Freemantle which is the port for Perth in W.Australia. What fascinated me was the albatross that followed us the whole way, just gliding and never landing or resting for fourteen days. We called at Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane which was all very exciting and new to me. I was especially captivated by Sydney with its magnificent bay and the bridge. So we were homeward bound which was uneventful until we were almost home when a German bomber came out of the clouds and dropped a string of bombs missing us but hitting and sinking the ship on our starboard. Welcome to the war!!!!!

I had a pleasant leave in London as this was just before the Blitz. We sailed again, but when we got to Tagorati in Ghana we were in suspence as this was the time of Dunkirk and we did not know what the fate would be if Britain were to be invaded by the Germans. Anyway we completed our trip and I got to London while that city was being battered nightly. I was so concerned that I got my mother a home in the town of Reading to get away from the bombing. We did another trip and on my return I made my way by train from Liverpool to London which took forever as the tracks had been bombed. I got to Euston station and had to get to Paddington to catch a train to Reading. First I was ordered into an air-raid shelter as there was an air-raid in progress, I skipped out and lugged my suit-case past demolished buildings and over hoses and debris and finally caught the train to Reading. But when I reached the house there was noone there!!!!!!

So back to London where at least I knew where Alethea lived. I was reunited with mother. Clement and Thora had been evacuated out of the city and were comparatively safe.Mother had landed in a good job as accounts clerk with Lyons Co.and she went to work every day So off to sea again. We were in convoy when the signal was given for all ships to scatter and make our own way independantly as the Bismark had just sunk the H.M.S.Hood and our own navy did not know where she was. We made a bee-line for Halifax, Nova Scotia until the Besmark was sunk.We were again Australia bound and on our homeward trip I was to learn a personal lesson that taught me never to envy or be jealous in my life. When we left Sydney we took on board a new midshipman.He was a great guy in every way, but I found myself being envious because I had failed to become a middie as I had failed my eyesight so could never become a navigation officer. However we were in Freetown W.Africa waiting for a convoy to assemble when this Aussie middie was transferredto another Blue Funnel ship called ANCHISES. This ship sailed before we did, but she hadn't got far when she was torpedoed. Sadly our middie went down with the ship. So here am I today still alive and that great young guy is dead. Since that day I have never felt envious or jealous of anyone.