It's great when fellow Seadogs get involved and share their story.
John Martin tells of the final voyage of Elder Dempster's passenger liner 'Apapa' in 1968.
He recalls of his lucky escape of being 'found out' about being 'drunk in charge". Not as you imagine. John was not a deck officer but an assistant purser.
Jamie - Fellow Assistant Purser from rival shipping line Shaw Savill, offers John advice about a hangover cure.
Drink paid a big part in the lives
of SALTY SEADOGS.
For sailors, look at all those dead soldiers! Boy Jamie looked so young and innocent, goes to show looks can deceive. I was only ever a passenger but we played up some. Had a party in the Northern Star lift around New Year 1964/65. We had taken some armchairs to put in there, like these guys well bottled up. One had brought along a broom with which he could stab a button to select a deck in much the way we use remotes today. We shocked passengers who were greeted by our mob with cheers when the doors opened. Well of course someone had to report us to the Purser who in turn got the Master at Arm…