Stuart prince

[Tony Wilding]

hi, i did state if he was on stuart prince between 1960 to 1970, other one name changed 1959, so your father must have been on her befor 1959. details from Mirimar Ship List.

[Roger Neal]

Hiya Brian, I was aboard the Stuart Prince the same time as yourself, you may remember me Roger Neal, aka Dodge , the Leckie, or to be more formal The Electrical Officer.I too sailed with Albert Braithwaite, I can still see the ash from his fags hanging from his mouth ...they used to go over an inch in length before it would drop off ...and Bob Templeton, a lovely guy, good 2nd and great engineer, Alas he crossed the line a few years ago. Do you recall the 3rd.... Duncan Walker Grey...could he drink Scotch....Ahhh happy days.

[Brian Beech]

Hi, Roger the Dodger,
Sure I sort of remember you. It was a long time ago and a lot of water has passed under the hull since then [Pardon the Pun].
Albert was certainly a character never to be forgotten. I had a lot of respect for him and his sense of humour.
I read about Bob a few years ago. Another great guy and a Mentor to me. He was always fair to us young Cadets, unlike the first Second Engineer I served with. A real A/hole he was.
I remember Ducan also. Like Dunny I too don't mind a drop of Scotch, especially Glenmorangie. I have seen him is action going up the Baltic where he was a little worse for wear when there had been a sudden slight change in the Engine noise and he sprung into action without hesitation.
I also remember an incident in Porsgrunn [I think it was] where he had a rude awakening with a "Girl" but won't go into details here. I don't remember him going ashore again after that.
They certainly were some good days.
I can't remember if you were one of my "Customers" under the Barbers scissors? It was one way I could get extra beer over the 2 cans per day we poor Cadets had at the time. If you were I apologise if you have lost much hair since then. It was not my fault honestly.
I can't remember the name of the 4th Engineer although I do remember having a few drinks with him on more than one occasion.
After leaving the Stuart Prince in Malta I got hitched [Flew home early with the crew to do it] then only did one more trip on the Pacific Exporter in 1970. Got offered a shore job in my local town that was too good to refuse. The rest as they say is history. Now living in Perth Australia.
How about you?

[Roger Neal]

Hiya Brian..Great to hear from you.I also left , the M.N. in 1970.now I am a self employed leckie, working in and around Birmingham in the UK,AND yes YOU DID TAKE VENGENCE ON MY HAIR, lol , BUT IT WOULDNT MAKE A SCRAP OF DIFFERENCE THESE DAYS.I am not sure who the 3rd Engineer would be. It was either Taffy. Who live in Wales would you believe, I can still remember his Home address But cant remember his name.Or it was a lad from South Sheilds Ken.. Was the Skipper Capt Minty, I did Two trips aboard the Stuart, and cant remember the names from the individual times....I sailed with both Albert Braithwaite and Geordie Milne as Chief Enginner, and John Thomas and The lovely Bob Templeton as Second.I remember spending a New Year in Norway, and got absolutly Hammerd with Dunny, on the Bells.wow could he Sup. wonder where he is now, I seen your name on the P.S.N.C. Web page, I managed to get to a couple of the reunions bit I havnt been for a few years now. (Must nake another trip
to see old friends. My last Trip on the Stuart I paid Off in Jebbal Danna,(I beleive I spelt it Correctly) up the Gulf.and Another Leckie joined the ship. do you remember that?. You take care Brian. hope to hear from you. soon Dodge.

[Brian Beech]

Hiya Brian..Great to hear from you.I also left , the M.N. ............

Hi Dodge,
Good to hear from you.
Like you I'm self employed but as an Engineering Consultant in the Commercial Swimming Pool Industry.
The easiest & least stressful job I have ever done with good rewards. I only work when I feel like it now. Great way to be.
Due officially to retire next year but will probably continue to do some work to keep the old grey matter in order as long as people want to throw money at me.
I gave up cutting hair after the Stuart - don't think anyone trusted me on the Pacific Exporter but then my allowance for beer had increased as I was 5th Eng on it. One of my non-engineering duties was to keep the Beer pumps running in the Officers mess. [Well I had to try a few pints each time I cleaned them to make sure the beer was ok].
These days, my wife cuts my hair [what little there is of it].
I'm pretty sure the 4th was Ken [At least there was a Ken as 4th on one of the ships].
Yes the skipper was Captain Minty. I'm pretty sure his wife was on board for part of the trip.
Just been going through my old Engineer Cadets Journal [yes I still have it - What a masterpiece of history that is] and see the dates for Jebel Dhanna were 21st to 24th April 1969 & 17th to 19th August 1969. I said it was a masterpiece?? Actually it is pretty good as it shows all the ports we visited on that ship including my 21st Birthday in Bombay during repairs.
Do you remember another Cadet Andy Parker. He was my best mate for years, lived in the same town in UK, joined up together, went to the same marine colleges Birkenhead & Poplar, lived in the same digs in Birkenhead & London and sailed together on two ships the Southern & Stuart Princes. I still keep in touch with him occasionally but have lost touch with most people from those days.
I doubt I will ever get to a reunion. A bit far away from Australia although I do like to travel as much as possible.
Anyway enough for now. Take care. Brian

[Alex McVitie]

Joined isle of grain nov 1962 tanker all back aft accommodation. Built 1960 every rating had own cabin smart ship . West indies, west,south and east africa, persian gulf, suez,continent paid off april 1963 sunderland my home port. Anybody out there who sailed on her.

Joined same as you Isle of Grain 1960 after her maiden voyage did one trip to Banias Syria drydocked Falmouth after drydock several trips to Persian Gulf back to Med then Kwinana Australia then South Africa paid off Bahrain flew home on Comet many happy memories , on return to Sunderland my hope port went down to Greenwells dock and went aboard Tudor Prince which was sister ship.

[Rob Hollis]

I joined the Tudor Prince in Belfast, do not remember the date but it was a great little ship and we were like a tramp ship. Some great ports and spent quite a time in them. Paid off Southampton.

[Brian Beech]

Hi Dodge,
Good to hear from you.


I doubt I will ever get to a reunion. A bit far away from Australia although I do like to travel as much as possible.
Anyway enough for now. Take care. Brian

Blimey, it is 3 years since I wrote the above bit.
I retired on 1st July 2013 and closed my business. Now so busy I don't get a lot of time to follow up on this.
Since retirement I helped set up a The Gosnells Community Men's Shed in Western Australia as Voluntary Shed Boss. On June 30th this year retired from that position too [too stressful] so that I could just do things in the Shed like making Toys for kids, Doing Community Projects and generally relaxing.
Now the travelling is going to intensify.
All the best
Brian R863507

[Alex McVitie]

I joined Isle of Grain 1960 after her maiden voyage worked on her at the builders Doxford Sunderland joined as junior engineer drydocked Falmouth and then sailed Persian Gulf voyages to Australia Italy and South Africa flew home from Bahrain one of the best ships that I sailed on happy memories.

[Roger Neal]

Hi I sailed on the Stuart ,that same trip. I was the Leckie,..Electical officer also showed the films onboard. Roger aka Dodge.happy ship.