# Shipmates from Umgeni, Maihar, Manipur and Matra



## japottinger (Jun 16, 2004)

Looking for some names of engineers I recall:
Douglas Thompson, originally from Clydebank, who was shanghiad with me from Clan Line in Glasgow as first trippers on Bullard King's Umgeni
Bob Stoddart 5th Eng Off. on SS Maihar first two trips after rebuild at Stephens in Glasgow
Jack Evans 2nd, and next trip Chief Eng off on above ship same voyages

Bob Hollingsworth Jun 2nd and then 3rd Eng. Off on SS Manipur
Jeff Purnell 3rd Eng Off on same ship.
Johhny McCallum Ch. Eng. Off SS Manipur
Harry Allison 2nd Elec. Off on SS Manipur

Dave Ruddick Jun. Eng. Off. on SS Matra Nov. 1960-Feb. 1961
Cliff Watson 2nd Eng. Off. same trip.
Ch.Elec. Off on same trip but forget his name, dark hair, pale, Scouser.


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## Derek Roger (Feb 19, 2005)

The only Cliff Watson I sailed with was Sparks nicknamed "Batman "


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## Don A.Macleod (Jul 11, 2004)

Could the 2nd on the Matra Jim possibly have been Duncan Watson from Aberdeen, he was there on my first two trips on her in 63?

Seem to remember Jack Evans as chief on the Mahseer when in Colombo. I remember five ships being in there one weekend and the swimming club was bouncing that Saturday evening so got to know a few people through ship visits and general socialising.

Remember John McCallum very well I think he was on the Manipur for a while as I used to work on her regularly when serving my "time" and she must have come to Glasgow every trip. It was ironic that I was to take her on her final voyage.Others I recall on her wer Les Dow(Sen elect), Kenny Sanderson(3rd eng) Hugh Neil(3rd eng).


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## japottinger (Jun 16, 2004)

Sorry I mixed up the Watsons, Cliff was Ch. RO on Maihar, aka Batman, stories I could tell. It was in fact Duncan Watson from Aberdeen 2nd Eng. on Matra, this was trip finished in Feb 1961 so he must have stuck with her if he was with you in 1963 Don. With a good appetite he ate three dozen chilli oysters in New Orleans at a sitting and threafter came down the engine room ladder backwards wearing a towel nappie for a week. Ch Eng. on that trip was the late Jimmie Grant, another gentleman.
Jack Evans came to Brocklebank on his first trip on Maihar voyage after refit, he came from Harrisons when they gave up the Calcutta route as he had a girl friend in Calcutta. Russell Gordon ( God rest his soul) was Ch. Eng on his first trip after promotion, ( Was Crikey Morris first trip as master too),
and next trip Jack was Ch Eng., I think Russell went to the Maskeliya.
Les Dow was Ch Elec on Manipur, he used to have some kind of long legged winged preying mantis type beastie in his cabin which used to sit inside the guard on his cabin rotary fan, he said it kept down on all the bugs flying about. Naturally he kept the plug out of the socket in case he inadvetrently switched it on. We used to moan about the heat whenever we were in for a few beers until one day when Les went to toilet and somebody did the nasty and made the electrical connection, the result was there was disembodied legs and wings flying all over the cabin much to his horror!

I sailed with Johhny MacCallum three trips on Manipur and got on well with him. Last time I met him was having a pint in a pub in Gourock many years later and he popped in, he was on one of the Clyde steamers as he was one of the few still with a combined Motor Steam ticket.
Happy days


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