Training Ship Vindicatrix

[Doc Vernon]

The former sailing ship Vindicatrix

was moored in the Old Arm at Sharpness from 1939 to 1966 to provide a base for training boys as deck hands and stewards for the merchant navy. The courses lasted two or three months, and around 70,000 boys received their basic training here.

Read more here

https://www.gloucesterdocks.me.uk/sh...indicatrix.htm

[happy daze john in oz]

What on reflection a great places to begin your working life.
Not sure if it is true Vernon but the story was that the Vindi had at one time sunk, been on the sea bed for some time before being brought to the surface and given to Uk, taken as a training ship.

[Captain Kong]

The Arranmore as she was first named was dismasted off Cape Horn and towed to the Falklands, She was later sold to the germans and in the 1st world war she was used as an accommodation ship by the german Navy, named Waultrude, after WW1 she was returned to England and renamed Vindicatrix as she had been vindicated for working for the enemy.
she then became a training ship in the London Docks and then to Gravesend, at the start of WW2 with the Blitz, she was towed round to Sharpness and stayed there until January 1966. and went to Newport for scrapping, Sold for £2,500. less than a second hand car, A vindi lad tried to buy her but demolition had started.
Brian

[happy daze john in oz]

The Arranmore as she was first named was dismasted off Cape Horn and towed to the Falklands, She was later sold to the germans and in the 1st world war she was used as an accommodation ship by the german Navy, named Waultrude, after WW1 she was returned to England and renamed Vindicatrix as she had been vindicated for working for the enemy.
she then became a training ship in the London Docks and then to Gravesend, at the start of WW2 with the Blitz, she was towed round to Sharpness and stayed there until January 1956. and went to Newport for scrapping, Sold for £2,500. less than a second hand car, A vindi lad tried to buy her but demolition had started.
Brian

Brian, should that be 1966 not 56 as I was on her in 1960.

[Captain Kong]

Sorry John
A typing error Must go to Specsavers.

[happy daze john in oz]

Sorry John
A typing error Must go to Specsavers.

You are forgiven Brian, enjoy your next cruise you have earned it.

[Rob Stafford]

I'm sure I was on the Vindi about the same time as you John. My number is 698831 but I'm damned if I can remember the year I was there. I remember it was as cold as charity but it was England, so it could have been midsummer !! The catering instructor was a bloke named Costello and the first thing we new boys learned was the old Merchant Navy expression, "Backs to the masts boys !!!" I was there about 59/60 and once there, I thought seriously about signing for the Foreign Legion as an alternative *smile*.


Rob, on the Sunshine Coast

[Raymond Luttman]

The Arranmore as she was first named was dismasted off Cape Horn and towed to the Falklands, She was later sold to the germans and in the 1st world war she was used as an accommodation ship by the german Navy, named Waultrude, after WW1 she was returned to England and renamed Vindicatrix as she had been vindicated for working for the enemy.
she then became a training ship in the London Docks and then to Gravesend, at the start of WW2 with the Blitz, she was towed round to Sharpness and stayed there until January 1956. and went to Newport for scrapping, Sold for £2,500. less than a second hand car, A vindi lad tried to buy her but demolition had started.
Brian

Not so, I was on the Vindicatrix in 1957 in Sharpness, my discharge book#R683950.

[Captain Kong]

Read my post above Raymond,
It was a typing error which I corrected.

[James Brown]

Not so, I was on the Vindicatrix in 1957 in Sharpness, my discharge book#R683950.

I was at Vindi Oct/Nov 1965, R830287, cat boy, stayed at sea for 25 years, mainly SSM and Supply Ships. For me the Vindi was brilliant, even with the shortage of food for A growing lad. I never once sailed with any other Vindi boys apart from my first trip on the Iron Barque
The 25th reunion will be held this coming 3rd 4th and 5th of August at Sharpness. Would be good to meet up with class mates from my year

James Brown