Old friends who are they?

[John Whiteoak]

I joined the Whakatane in Sydney as an Australian deck boy in the late 1950s, having already been 9 month on the Australian coast. I was very lucky to get the job and the idea was that I would go to the UK and study to be an officer and stay on with the NZ Shipping company. In London I did my certificates on the old Triton training hulk but then just kept joining ships for 3-6 month trips as an AB. This was a great adventure for a young felllow but after five years I was homesick and had also been in a scary and disturbing ship collision that I narrowly escaped being partly blamed for (having let someone take my place as quartermaster who was really keen to have a go).

When I joined this site I thought it might be good to catch up with some old shipmates but, firstly, it's so long ago, I can only recall a handful of names and, secondly, it has dawned on me since that the nature of shipping out from the KG5 seamen's pool for 3-6 months trips just did not lend itself to creating lasting friendship. It was as if being as sea was one life and being ashore was a tollallly different life and, for most, the shore life was real life (despite many being very happy to get back on a ship, wash down the decks, and wash away the problems of their shore liives). So I am left with the question, what friends? Who would I seek to contact and what would I have to sat to them in 2012. I was a mad photographer back then so at least I have a lot of shipboard memories and faces, even though I can not put names to most of them.

Good wiishes and good health

Dr John Whiteoak
Healesville, Melbourne.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John.
Welcome to this great site and hope you stay to enjoy the old tales.
Well what can one say to that. One/ you have photos taken while you were at sea; post them on the Gallery, maybe someone will see something that jogs the memory. We recently had a bloke asking if anyone remembered an incident that happened at sea, a bloke not only answered but had cine camera evidence of the whole episode, others have met people they sailed with through the ships dates posted. So to start off post the names of the ships you served on and the dates; and see what response you get, if none just enjoy the posts and join in the chat.
Cheers Desredc.gif

[Doc Vernon]

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Hi John W
Would just like to give you a warm Welcome to this very good site!
Here you will find lots of info,a good Crew here and with luck also find a few old Shipmates!
So sit back grab a Tinny,relax and just enjoy the trip!
Hope we will have you here for a long time! Have a happy stay!
Cheers (Doc Vernon)

I do get where you are coming from,and yes its sad in a way that the old Friends are no longer there (or seem to no longer be) and agree that after such a length of time we all change and perhaps some dont even want to remember the old days,but for most i feel that to be able to meet with some of the past mates would be a terrific thing,and all the Tales one would have to tell to each other!
But then life is funny and these things dont always happen,so in the main we must just get on with our lives as best we can,and just have that past memory hidden away for our own needs !
Yes Shore life sure is real,but there again although we make new Friends on shore as well, to me anyway,besides a very few they are no where near the good mateship we had whilst at Sea!
Being also an ex RAF chap,i still have three very very good Friends in the UK,and i saw them last in 2003,what a ball!
Still constantly keep in touch and they to me will always be the best of mates!
Unfortunately the friends i had at Sea are now passed on and others have moved Countries ,so have lost all contact with them!
Thanks for your posting,and i hope that you will find some good old friends here!
All the best and enjoy your stay
Cheers