I had just joined my first ship HMS Nigeria a colony class light cruiser in Simonstown South Africa around March 1947 and we had been visiting ports on the east coast of South Africa. We were leaving Durban to the sound of the well known singer of that period Fay Gibson singing standing on the dock the hit tune "Now is the Hour" As we headed for the open sea the weather forecast was not good, high velocity gales were forecast the whole way South and sure enough as we cleared the harbour the ship started heaving around and giant waves coming over the bow. Our executive offier Commander Charles Coke was on deck with a gang of seaman making sure everything was secure when the ship took a sudden plunge and the seamen were washed down the deck except Commander coke who disappeared overboard. Now on Royal Navy ships of cruiser and above there was always a Marine Lifebuoy sentry posted at the rear end of the ship and his job was to look out for anybody who might fall or be washed overboard so he saw the Commander in the sea going down the side of the ship and threw him a lifebuoy. at the same time our emergency seaboat's crew were attempting to lower the seaboat but ran into some sort of difficulty.
In the meantime the Captain had stopped both engines so we were drifting and really getting hammered with the rough seas, as luck would have it we drifted right down to where Commander Coke was and were able to drop him a line and pull him in. Naturally the Commander was not too happy with the seaboats crew especially when it was discovered that the problem was one of the lowering lines had jammed and nobody in the crew had a knife to cut it with, it was an unwritten law in the Navy that seamen always carried a Navy knife and it was most unusal that nobody had one available in the seaboat.
Commander Coke went on to command the aircraft carrier "Victorious" and retired a Rear Admiral. Mauri

Absolutely Brilliant Mauri Thanks again for sharing What a life you weaved !
Kind Regards Ted

Another great story from the old sailor!

yes another great yarn from mauri

Hi Mauri Last night I watched a Brillant program on BBC about Ocean Queens The story about Cunard it opened with the 3 liners coming back to Liverpool on a curtisy call seemenly the first for many years as they had moved from Liverpool many years ago to Southampton ? But the program was based in Liverpool and it visited a pub there I think it was called The Pig And Whistle were they interviewed old crew members who I believe use to be known as Cunard Yanks as every time they returned from the states they always brought fabulous presents etc only to be got in the states ,they went on to relate when at home they always used one end of the above bar and some old photos were produced of days gone by of extremely well dressed youths standing in the same bar and even today as they remembered those happy memories as they sat in the bar they still were dressed emacullitly I think they related that sometimes they got out of there work clothes on board ship and were able to socialise with the passengers at times ,Maurie I wish I could have recorded it for you but the setup I have now records OK but not to CD or tape any more anyhow I wondered when watching had your paths might have crossed or had you ever supped in the above bar !Regards Ted

Mauri This is a long shot it may work ? Try googling BBC I PLAYER then if lucky tap London for the area and in the search box write Queen's and again if lucky hit the arrow and you might be able to view the program in question !
Good luck Ted .

Ted. In my time in the Merchant Navy Cunard ships sailed out of Southampton, I worked on three of them, Caronia,Mauretania and Saxonia, Saxonia was one of a class of four built especially for the immigration trade to Canada though occasionally they also called in New York. Caronia of course was known as the "Green Goddess" being a luxury cruise ship and the "Mauretania" was strictly for the pasenger trade between New York and Southampton though when the jets came in she went cruising in the winter.
I have not tried to bring that programme up yet but later on today when I have more time will certainly do so. No I have never been in that pub in Liverpool any time I was in Liverpool was just in and out. Must go. Mauri

Ted, Tried it but was advised by message on screen that BBC Player 1 was for the UK only.?? Thanks for trying. Mauri