MV Kelletia. Shell tanker.

[Keith Emery]

Anyone remember the old Shell tanker "KELLETIA"? We loaded in Mina Al Ahmadi, Persian Gulf Bound for Australia in the middle 1950s? It leaked oil all over the Gulf - had to go into Singapore for repair and pumped cargo into the hulk and entered dry dock: SIX weeks! Attached is a football team we got together to play the local police. They played in bare feet - we were in boots . Final score Singapore police 20-is Kelletia 0. But a good day of fun. The figure in white in back row was our skipper and referee. Followed up by weekly trips to the tiger brewery. (Drink what you like free in there but not allowed to take any out.) No ship work obviously but stayed on articles so still paid(ha, ha.)I'm extreme left as you look at photo in front row.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Kieth.
I like your strip; very professional, we had a team on the coast in Aus in 1950s while i was on the Trevose, but I think we got our strip from the Mission.
Played one game in Pakistan against a team that ended up at around forty opponents. Still like you we had a good time.
Des

[John Arton]

Keith
Looking at your picture of your football team, where did you play? Looks a bit like a club near sembewang where they had tennis courts, football pitches and a swimming pool.
As cadet on a C.P. forest product ship, we were stuck at anchor in Vancouver during a dock strike and we had a football team (the sparks had been on man.city youth books also the 3rd.eng. had been on Liverpool's youth team. The mission organised a game against other ships stuck at anchor every Sunday.
With such supposed talent in the team we thought we would thrash any team we met. First game against a Greek ship, Us8 Greeks 1. Yippee!!.
That was the high point over the following Sundays we played against Norwegian, German, Swedish and even other U.K. ships, however that win against the Greeks was our one and only win, all other games we lost by a mile.
Rgds
J.A.

[Colin Wood]

I was 2nd mate on the ship after she was converted to ore carrier and renamed the "CORAL RIVER". Interesting ship. Had to switch off the toaster in pantry if you wanted to use radar or the power to bridge failed and sperry gyro would fall over.
Loaded in Wabana in early December and went North about to MIddlesborough berthing early Xmas eve, to be told, You will be very pleased as we intend to sail at 2200 hrs. Open hatches, lower large grab which bounced off he cargo with a bang. The ore, which we had loaded in a snow storm had frozen solid.
AS the mate and 3rd. mate had there wives on board, the old man told me I could go home and I would be contacted when to return.
Luckily, most of the original heating coils were in what were now ballast tanks, so tanks partly flooded and on with the heating coils to de frost the cargo. Made the ship beautifully warm over Xmas and New Year.

[Keith Emery]

Keith
Looking at your picture of your football team, where did you play? Looks a bit like a club near sembewang where they had tennis courts, football pitches and a swimming pool.
As cadet on a C.P. forest product ship, we were stuck at anchor in Vancouver during a dock strike and we had a football team (the sparks had been on man.city youth books also the 3rd.eng. had been on Liverpool's youth team. The mission organised a game against other ships stuck at anchor every Sunday.
With such supposed talent in the team we thought we would thrash any team we met. First game against a Greek ship, Us8 Greeks 1. Yippee!!.
That was the high point over the following Sundays we played against Norwegian, German, Swedish and even other U.K. ships, however that win against the Greeks was our one and only win, all other games we lost by a mile.
Rgds
J.A.

Sorry I have no idea what pitch it was ,to many years ago this was in 1956.

[James Domleo]

At around that time we were alongside at Mina Al Ahmidi when the ship ahead loading crude caught fire! Alarms went off everywhere and we were instructed to release all lines ready to be towed away by tugs.
Luckily the fire was put out quickly by the very efficient local fire trucks which arrived quickly so panic over.
Jim Domleo

[happy daze john in oz]

Seeing that photo reminds me of a story told me by a David Dane who was on a NZSC ship in Fremantle many years ago.
In a bar got talking to the locals who suggested a football game between a ships and shore teams.

So on the Sunday morning the ships team, looking very smart in their strip arrived at the ground.

One small problem, they were prepared for soccer, the shore side for Australian Rules Football.
As he put it, 'we got slaughtered'.