BACK TO SEA

Having spent a year at Leith Nautical College to obtain a 1st Class PMG Certificate in Radiotelegraphy, the author returns to sea as a 1st radio officer/purser with Alfred Holt & Co., owners of the Blue Funnel Line and the Glen Line. His appointment to the old Machaon is brief and, on 12 May, 1948, he joins the even older Atreus in Birkenhead.

This is his first voyage to the Far East. The homeward passage, carrying pilgrims to Jeddah, is of particular interest and he takes, what are now vintage, photographs of them joining and leaving the ship. 

Because of his experience as Purser on the Atreus, he asks to revert to 2nd Radio Officer and, after a spell on the Eurybates, is appointed to the Glengarry, a much finer ship than any on which he had previously sailed. This is the time of the Malayan Emergency and the communist revolution in China, and the Glengarry calls at a troubled Shanghai before going on to American-occupied Japan. Now that he is devoid of purser’s work, the author sees much more of the ports-of-call and his radio work involves him in incidents concerning a injured seaman aboard a Panamanian tanker, and a very sick elephant. And his camera is still clicking. 

Back to Sea, the third book of the author’s Merchant Navy Series, is the sequel to Outward Bound, the sequel to Life Aboard a Wartime Liberty Ship (published by Amberley) which has received excellent reviews.

Outward Bound, Back To Sea, Via Suez and Last Voyage and Beyond are all post-war (wwII).

Contains numerous historical photographs.