Training

A Memory of Sharpness.

I must have been one of the first on the training ship because I thought it was 1954 I was there, but if it is recorded as c1955 who am I to argue! I was there training for the merchant navy for about 12 weeks. I was the camp bugler until I was relieved of my post because I was caught sitting down at the back of the church when I should have been standing. My first ship was MV Middlesex with The New Zealand Shipping Company. I joined her in Liverpool and was on her for about two months before we sailed to New Zealand via the Panama canal carrying trains on deck. When we got to NZ, the dockers went on strike and we were allowed to load our own ship with lamb carcases as we had refridgerated holds. My ships wages were 11.50 per month but we got 1 an hour for loading our own ship. We felt like millionaires. Barbies on the beach every night. We docked at 4 ports in NZ - Auckland, Napier, Timaroo, and Wellington I think and because of the slow loading we were there for two to three months. While we were at one of the ports the liner 'Dominion Monarch' was also there. I can remember on one evening the shore life-boat was launched with its huge searchlight looking for crew who had jumped ship and were swimming ashore. I don't know if they caught any of them.

I have always wondered if the 'Vindi' was still there. I have tried Google Earth and cannot see it, so if anyone knows anything I would like to read about it.