# Herald of Free Enterprise, Zeebrugge to Dover



## Graham Wallace

I am an ex BP Marine Engineering Apprentice and Marine Engineer so usually on the BP Shipping side of Shipsnostalgia. I have written many posts but am often taken aback by coincidences that happen out of the blue.

In the last few days I was connected by email to an ex BI Navigating Apprentice and was helping him with some information on two old lost friends who were ex BP Cadets

This morning I decided to phone him, I live in Western Canada and he in UK. We almost concluded our discussions when I asked him about one of the Cadets who had later sailed P&O ferries out of Dover.

I then mentioned that reminded me of an ex 1953 BP Marine Engineering Apprentice, Ray Crone was Senior Chief Engineer on the Herald of Free Enterprise in 1987 and was killed when she capsized leaving Zebrugge harbour.

I was totally shocked when he said that incident happened precisely on this date 6th March ! 

I never knew the precise date of the accident only the year 1987!

Graham


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## david freeman

Graham Wallace said:


> I am an ex BP Marine Engineering Apprentice and Marine Engineer so usually on the BP Shipping side of Shipsnostalgia. I have written many posts but am often taken aback by coincidences that happen out of the blue.
> 
> In the last few days I was connected by email to an ex BI Navigating Apprentice and was helping him with some information on two old lost friends who were ex BP Cadets
> 
> This morning I decided to phone him, I live in Western Canada and he in UK. We almost concluded our discussions when I asked him about one of the Cadets who had later sailed P&O ferries out of Dover
> 
> ed that reminded me of an ex 1953 BP Marine Engineering Apprentice, Ray Crone was Senior Chief Engineer on the Herald of Free Enterprise in 1987 and was killed when she capsized leaving Zebrugge harbour.
> 
> I was totally shocked when he said that incident happened precisely on this date 6th March !
> 
> I never knew the precise date of the accident only the year 1987!
> 
> Graham


SOME WHERE IN MY MIND I am reminded of The TTT Superintendent at the time, and a Port Dover Harbour Board or DOTTI Ports Inspector HND Dave Morgan ex BP Apprentice 1955 or 56 Intake?
I sailed with Dave on the Courage as an cadet (My second trip), and I again meet up with him when he worked in the PORTS Division of DOT in London.
Great Chap, he took myself and Verdun Orford my fellow cadet, while the Courage was waiting in Port Said for canal transit on a day trip to Cairo to the Tuti Karman Museum and the Pyramids at Ghiza + the Sphinx. A great time and experienceB\)


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## Mactaf

I wish I had viewed this message long ago..It was " Bob " Crone when I joined the HOF in 1984 as a Motorman. A great Chief as I recall. I also understand that he was widowed very young to.Tragedy was never far away from this guy..RIP


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## krw02

Mactaf said:


> I wish I had viewed this message long ago..It was " Bob " Crone when I joined the HOF in 1984 as a Motorman. A great Chief as I recall. I also understand that he was widowed very young to.Tragedy was never far away from this guy..RIP


I will add really nice bloke,Iwas storekeeper on there 1980 until the end he always had time to have a chat & such,also another nice chap lost Graham Evans electrician.


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## Graham Wallace

Only last Monday the 30th anniversary did I accidentally find out that her Captain was a ex BP Navigating Apprentice.

Both Senior Chief Engineer and Captain were ex BP Apprentices, one died ,one survived, physically that is , mentally he must have been tormented.

The ultimate responsibility rests on his shoulders but, a Bosun who fell asleep.........................

Graham


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## barrypriddis

To lay the blame for this catastrophe on the Bosun shows a misunderstanding of responsibility on a merchant vessel


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## Graham Wallace

barrypriddis said:


> To lay the blame for this catastrophe on the Bosun shows a misunderstanding of responsibility on a merchant vessel


 "Binnacles" thread posted on 6th March 2017 with the URL below explains the feelings expressed at the time? 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-39116394


Graham


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## barrypriddis

Yes, it was the assistant Bosuns job to close the bow door. It was the chief officers responsibility to check that the vessel was secure for sea and this included checking that the bow door was closed. It was then the job of the chief officer to report to the ships master that the ship was secured for sea. Only then should the ship have sailed.


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## James_C

barrypriddis said:


> Yes, it was the assistant Bosuns job to close the bow door. It was the chief officers responsibility to check that the vessel was secure for sea and this included checking that the bow door was closed. It was then the job of the chief officer to report to the ships master that the ship was secured for sea. Only then should the ship have sailed.


A fine and noble notion, unfortunately one that does not transpose well to busy Ro-Ro ferries with fast turnaround times and very long working days.


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## Dartskipper

The design of the bow doors was also a contributing factor. They couldn't be seen from the bridge and there was no bow visor that would have been in the raised position. Why were no warning indicators provided on the bridge? The designers and builders should also take responsibility.


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## Barrie Youde

One of the most alarming reports was that it had become common practice to cross the Channel with bow doors open in fine weather; and that in this particular case it was only the incidental trim of the vessel (too much by the head and insuffcient by the stern) which prevented yet another passage completed in precisely those cir***stances.

How many others until then had got away with it, by the skin of their teeth?


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## Alan Rawlinson

*Daily routines*



Barrie Youde said:


> One of the most alarming reports was that it had become common practice to cross the Channel with bow doors open in fine weather; and that in this particular case it was only the incidental trim of the vessel (too much by the head and insuffcient by the stern) which prevented yet another passage completed in precisely those cir***stances.
> 
> How many others until then had got away with it, by the skin of their teeth?


Speaking generally as an old ex ferry officer - every trip called for a routine that was ticked off mentally before sailing. I go back to the very old 1st class and 3rd class divisions, and checking all the gates were closed was included in the walk around before sailing. Gear testing was of course a must. 

I was told by a pal who was a Superintendent in the company at the time that on the Herald of Free Enterprise it WAS just possible to see the corner of the bow doors from the bridge wing if they were raised, by leaning out, and many Masters routinely included this action before sailing, for their own satisfaction. 

It was also apparently common practice to sail with the doors up, presumably to save time, if cir***stances were favourable, e.g. Flat sea etc. - as Barrie has already mentioned. 

I clearly remember the Master requesting the re-instatement of his ticket being reported on the 'Merchant Navy Programme' some time after the tragedy.


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## howardws

Are we not muddling 'sailing with the bow doors open' with 'sailing while the bow doors are being closed'? I worked for the offending company at the time and am not aware of any vessel deliberately putting to sea with the doors open. That is not to say it didn't happen, but if it did it wasn't deliberate.


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## Barrie Youde

The reports which I recall were that vessels had made the entire crossing pf the English Channel with bow doors open; and that it had become a common practice in fine weather.

As to the accuracy of the reports, I cannot say, but that is certainly my recollection.


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## barrypriddis

Many faults were identified in the subsequent enquiry, bur perhaps James's comment ref *"A fine and noble notion, unfortunately one that does not transpose well to busy Ro-Ro ferries with fast turnaround times and very long working days"* gets to the core. There can be no substitute for the practice of good seamanship, no matter the commercial pressures that are applied.


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## howardws

Barrie Youde said:


> The reports which I recall were that vessels had made the entire crossing pf the English Channel with bow doors open; and that it had become a common practice in fine weather.
> 
> As to the accuracy of the reports, I cannot say, but that is certainly my recollection.


I think you will find that such stories are apocryphal. Google 'Pride of Free Enterprise' and you will see that at full speed, due to the bow configuration, water comes over the bow spade and would have run into the main deck even in calm seas.


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## Barrie Youde

#16 

Thanks, Howard.

The risk of water ingress as you describe it was surely to be expected. The risk was plainly high, in any event.

The Report of the Court, however, following its Formal Investigation into the Herald of Free Enterprise Disaster - Report No. 8074 dated 24th July 1987 - states at Paragraph 5.3 that "The spade at the level of the belting deflected the seas at the bow when the vessel was proceeding at full speed."

Plainly the vessel's forward draft would also need to be taken into consideration. At greater than a certain forward draft, the spade below the belting would clearly be useless in deflecting water at any speed. The Court Report as quoted, on the other hand, lends much credence to other reports that, at least when the forward draft draft permitted, the sea was deflected below the level of the doors, even when "proceeding at full speed".


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## howardws

I'll have to concede that point Barrie! However, I still think the stories are apocryphal, not least because the ships arrivals and departures could (and still can) be seen by anyone who cared to look from the company head office that overlooks the Western Docks. However lax things were I'm sure that the Masters wouldn't have wanted someone shoreside seeing them sail with the doors open!


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## Barrie Youde

Many thanks, Howard.

That is yet another point why the reports were so alarming!

Also, if there had been no evidence on the point, it seems highly unlikely that it would have been mentioned at all in the Report of the Court.


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## howardws

It wasn't uncommon to crack the stern door open to chuck engine room rubbish over the stern in the bad old days. Until I joined Pride of Burgundy new in the shipyard in 1993 I'd not sailed on a ship that didn't have a bow visor. It wasn't possible to see where you were going if it was open so I can confidently state that I was never on a ship that sailed with it's bow doors open!


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## Duncan112

Dartskipper said:


> The design of the bow doors was also a contributing factor. They couldn't be seen from the bridge and there was no bow visor that would have been in the raised position. Why were no warning indicators provided on the bridge? The designers and builders should also take responsibility.


It is interesting to read the portion of the FI relating to the provision or otherwise of these indicators:-

Mr. Develin circulated that memorandum amongst managers for comment. It was a serious memorandum which merited serious thought and attention, and called for a considered reply.
The answers which Mr. Develin received will be set out verbatim. From Mr. J.F. Alcindor, a deputy chief superintendent: “Do they need an indicator to tell them whether the deck
storekeeper is awake and sober? My goodness!!” From Mr. A.C. Reynolds: “Nice but don’t we already pay someone!” From Mr. R. Ellison: “Assume the guy who shuts the doors tells
the bridge if there is a problem.” From Mr. D.R. Hamilton: “Nice!” It is hardly necessary for the Court to comment that these replies display an absence of any proper sense of responsibility. Moreover the comment of Mr. Alcindsor on the deck storekeeper was either
ominously prescient or showed an awareness of this type of incident in the past. If the sensible suggestion that indicator lights be installed had received, in 1985, the serious consideration which it deserved, it is at least possible that they would have been fitted in the early months of 1986 and this disaster might well have been prevented. 

IIRC some mention was made at the time of the disaster to sailing with the doors open to clear fumes from the car decks but I can find no reference to it now.


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