Capt Thomas ‘Tommy’ Roberts

Captain Roberts was a true Welshman, ruddy face, short and round, a scourge of all junior officers but a man who, I think, had a soft spot for apprentices.

He was strict but always willing to give advice but if it was not heeded he was quick to hand a out a severe bollocking.

He was not a man to knowingly go thirsty and I recall many occasions when we had berthed in Buenos Aires that he and the Argentinian company choice pilot would put themselves outside a bottle of Tommy’s Scotch.

After Saint Line was dissolved he went on to command many other B&C ships.

I ran into him in 1969 when I was 3rd Officer on a coastal passage on a King Line ship from Swansea to Liverpool. This was filling me with dread as I had seen what he could do to young 3rd Officers. But I needed have no fear, in his eyes I was a Saint Line man and as such had been personally trained by him, he could sleep safely in his bunk

He was a character and sometimes a bit of a monster but we held him in grudging affection.

Reef Knot - March 1949

Service Record

From

To

Joined Comapny

2nd Officer

11/1946


Fort Frontenac

2nd Officer

4/1948

6/1948

St Margaret

1st Officer

9/1948

1/1948

St Elwyn

1st Officer

1/1949

9/1949

St Elwyn

Chief Officer

3/1952


St Elwyn

Master



St Arvans

Master



St John

Master

1962

1964

Clan Urquhart

Master

8/1965

4/1966

Roslin Castle

Master

7/1966

9/1966

Tintagel Castle

Master

11/1968

5/1969

Tantallon Castle

Master

11/1969

6/1970

Tintagel Castle

Master

12/1970

2/1971

Clan MacIntyre

Master

12/1972

10/1974

Clan MacIndoe

Master

9/1975

10/1977

Clan MacInnes

Master

5/1978

1978

Clan MacGillivray

Master

11/1978

1/1979

South American Saint Line
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South American Saint Line