E-mail 28/09/07

As an Engineer (Junior 3rd on the Riebeck to Certified First serving as 2nd on the Warwick) with U-C.M.S.S.Co from 1952 to 1957.

I found it interesting to see one or two, no more than that, names appearing on your listings.

It is sad that the great times of Union-Castle are gone. Now at 77 years old I tell the mates in my local of those times and they are amazed at the good and bad times we had.

One of the bad times on the Stirling when we broke a connecting rod and took us nearly two days to get back under way.  

Thanks for the memories.

Hugh Allan

30.09.2007

First let me put contact details correct.  The incident I referred to happened on the  trip that left Southampton on 6/4/1956 at 4p.m. of course. The result of which was to reschedule the mailships to allow us to turn about in Capetown and return using one good and one half of the other engine directly to Harland & Woolworth's, as we called them. in Belfast.

I then joined the Capetown and the first question the Senior 2nd asked was are you a bad omen. Anyway on Capetown's Trip of October 1955 a similar, but not so serious incident occurred but this time it was handled much quicker. Thanks probably to the First Class passengers sending loads of beer up to the accommodation  which we tried, but were too tired, to drink.

Many other difficult and happy things happened during my time with U-C.M.S.S.Co. but nowadays it comes back slowly.  If anything else comes to mind I will get back to you.

Incidentally the last boss I had when I retired 12 years ago was Dick Cheney VP U.S.A. and my last title was a Senior Sub Sea Engineering Consultant with Brown & Root ( Halliburton).

Kindest Regards

Hugh Allan  (hugh.a@tesco.net)