My name is Martin Davies, and I come from a farming family in the Welsh village of Llanedeyrn, located five miles northeast of Cardiff. In April 1967, I joined the B & C group as a junior engineer after seeing an advertisement in the local paper. Joe Mabbett, Superintendent Engineer from Southampton, was recruiting and conducting interviews at the Angel Hotel. After a successful interview, I was assigned to my first ship, the ss Sarah Bowater, which I joined at Smith's drydock in North Shields.

My first voyage outside the UK was an exciting journey to Holmsund in the Gulf of Bothnia. Although the port itself was just a lone shed stacked with paper pulp, it fueled my adventurous spirit. This marked the beginning of a lifelong career in the marine service, both at sea and ashore. I spent eighteen months with the Bowater fleet, mostly on the ss Nicolas Bowater, the flagship, transporting large rolls of newsprint to various ports along the US East Coast. Our home port was Corner Brook, a place known for its charm and stories that often drew seafarers back as if to a second home. Many even married local women and settled there.

In October 1968, I experienced the famed mail fleet for the first time when I joined the SA Vaal as Junior Fourth Engineer. Apart from a brief period on the ss Argylshire during 1974-75, I remained with the mail fleet for the rest of my career at B & C. I alternated between SA Vaal and Windsor Castle, completing 48 round voyages on each. My final journey was as Junior Second Engineer on Windsor Castle’s last voyage, concluding at Southampton on 19 September 1977.

During a voyage on Windsor Castle in July 1973, I met my future wife, Terese (Tess), a passenger from Queenstown, Eastern Cape. We married in December 1975 and initially settled in Southampton, where I studied and earned my Class Two Marine Engineer Certificate of Competency in 1976. On New Year's Eve of that year, Tess accompanied me on SA Vaal as we sailed to South Africa to establish our home in East London. I continued with SA Vaal for a few more voyages before transferring back to Windsor Castle for her final runs.

One voyage was particularly traumatic—a fire broke out in the generator room three days before reaching Cape Town. The fire severely damaged the main switchboard, wiring, and one turbo-generator, leaving bulkheads and deckheads blackened. Repairs were completed during the South African coastal voyage, and the mail schedule remained on track. Interestingly, technical representatives from the new owner, John Latsis, were onboard, preparing for the ship’s handover and renaming to Margeritha L. After the ceremony, I flew back to South Africa. I had already resigned from B & C to join SAR&H as a marine engineer in their harbour service.

Our time in East London was brief, as I was soon posted to Walvis Bay—the only available position in the country, I was told. At the end of October 1977, we took a slow, three-day train journey to the desert port. We spent nearly four years there, making many lasting friendships. Later, I worked for what became Portnet, moving through various centers before settling in Saldanha Bay as Marine Technical Manager. I resigned from that role in June 1998 and since then have worked contractually—initially as chief engineer for Safmarine’s bulk fleet and then in the offshore industry after Safmarine was sold. For the past five years, I’ve been contractually employed by Smit Amandla Marine (Pty) Ltd, working on vessels for the Department of Environment Affairs & Tourism (DEAT).

Tragically, I lost Tess to cancer in February 2005. She left me with three wonderful daughters and a son, all of whom I cherish deeply. Two daughters are married and living in Holland and the UK, while my son and youngest daughter are studying at Stellenbosch University.

Though I’ve lost contact with many former shipmates, I’ve recently found myself reflecting nostalgically on my time with the mail fleet. I have started writing my memoirs—what I thought would be a brief account has grown into a substantial manuscript that is still unfinished.

I now live in Durbanville, Western Cape, and can be contacted at:

Tel/Fax: 021 979 2110

Cell: 083 269 5483

Email: iti31680@mweb.co.za

Please feel free to add my details to your staff register. I look forward to reconnecting with former colleagues, both ashore and at sea.