# Blue Funnel Chief R/O



## sparksghgs (Jan 18, 2013)

Blue Funnel ships carried two radio officers. The Chief R/O didn't do any radio watches other than relief at meal times. Does anyone know what they actually did the rest of the time ?


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## richardwakeley (Jan 4, 2010)

The Chief R/O was the Purser. This included most of the ship's paperwork, except customs which was done by the Chef Steward. Cargo plans, deadweight distribution lists etc.etc. were done by the Chief R/O. Quite often there was only one R/O, so he did both the radio watches and the Purser job.


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## Hugh Ferguson (Sep 4, 2006)

See http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/showthread.php?t=39697#5


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## IAN M (Jan 17, 2009)

I have the cargo plans of the Glengarry in 1949/1950 plus copies of the articles for the four deep-sea and one coasting trip I did on her. I also have the 1951 cargo plan and a copy of the articles of the Deucalion (ex-Glenogle, built in 1920).

On the Glengarry, we loaded an elephant in Singapore. I've put two photos of this in the gallery, but the information requires editing and I'd be grateful if someone could tell me how to do this.


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## holland25 (Nov 21, 2007)

Crew wages,subs,overtime,etc.Entry formalities at the various ports of call,which required umpteen crew lists all produced on a typewriter with carbon copies, six at a time,that job usually fell to the junior R/O.I always thought my boss had a full time job, and if truth be known, not one I was really interested in doing.


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

Ian explained the background to the Blue Flue Chief R/O Purser in his excellent series of books (highly recommended).

It seemed a strange anachronism, that's for sure. I certainly sympathised with those who didn't want to do the job...why do all that study for a 1st Class, and then be a Purser.....but then, obviously, some liked it...


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## cajef (Feb 8, 2012)

The very reason I did not apply to join Blue Funnel when I left Marconi was because I trained as a Radio Officer and that is what I wanted to be, if I had wanted to be a Purser I would have trained as a clerk.


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## richardwakeley (Jan 4, 2010)

To tell you the truth, i did like the Purser job, and the R/O job too. I felt that I was really involved in the working of the ship when I did the cargo plans and deadweight etc. But i changed my mind when I joined ICSN in Hong Kong and migrated to the engine room!


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## Pat Kennedy (Apr 14, 2007)

This might bring back some memories.


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## IAN M (Jan 17, 2009)

Re my No.5 post, the changes have been made, thanks to John Dryden.


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## sparksghgs (Jan 18, 2013)

*R/O as Purser*



richardwakeley said:


> To tell you the truth, i did like the Purser job, and the R/O job too. I felt that I was really involved in the working of the ship when I did the cargo plans and deadweight etc. But i changed my mind when I joined ICSN in Hong Kong and migrated to the engine room!


Thanks Richard for your clarification of that unusual role. I only had a second class ticket and just did 5 years but it got me all round the world and set me up in terms of becoming mature and reasonably smart to go on to a university life of research, lecturing and involvement in police forces internationally. I was in Hong Kong recently looking down from Police HQ to where I had my 21st Birthday when on the Tantalus... Now 74 and almost retired I look back on those years at sea with great pride. and regard for the amazing culture that was Alfred Holts...


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## richardwakeley (Jan 4, 2010)

Thanks 'Sparks'
I also look back on those Blue Funnel days with great nostalgia, and most of my friends in Hong Kong now are surprised to hear that I had been alongside at where the New World Hotel and East TST are now, and even more that I have been on the old single track railway to Sheung Shui.
A photo of Tantalus, taken at Portishead by Malcolm Cranfield, is the 'desktop' on my PC. I regret never sailing on one of the Victory ships - Tantalus had already gone when I joined in 1970, but a couple, including Myrmidon', steamed on until around 1971.
Richard


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