LAST VOYAGE AND BEYOND

The author, a 1st radio officer/purser with Alfred Holt & Co, sets out for Australia on the old Glen Line ship Glenogle, now transferred into the Blue Funnel Line, renamed Deucalion, and commanded by irascible ‘Film Star’ Kerr. A great deal of bad weather is experienced on the outward passage, but there are days of sunshine when deck tennis is played. He attends the final day of the test match in Melbourne, flies to Canberra and Sydney, meets at girl while dancing at the Trocadero and goes with her on coach trips into the country. He dances again in Brisbane and visits Lone Pine Koala Bear Sanctuary, and, when in Townsville, enjoys the pleasures of Magnetic Island. 

On arriving in Macassar, from Cairns, badjoes are embarked to assist in the loading of copra at Ternate, Bitung and Menado, but do a much better job at stealing the bags in which it is brought to the ship. Indonesia is approaching a state of anarchy and Kerr, in a rage, threatens to put the author in irons. 

Dutch passengers, anxious to escape the country, embark for Amsterdam where Kerr, again in a rage, tells the author that he is to report him for going ashore when, according to him, there was work to be done. But, after only a mild rebuke from Lawrence Holt himself, he leaves the Company with an excellent reference. 

Unable to find a suitable job in Dundee, the author spends three years at GPO Coast Stations. He enjoys living in Wick, but, as he resents how the Radio Station in run, transfers to Portishead Radio Station, located at Highbridge in Somerset. The two years which he and his wife spend living in Burnham-on-Sea are pleasant indeed, but, although he also enjoys working at the Radio Station, he resigns to train as a teacher in Edinburgh. 

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

Last Voyage and Beyond is the final book in the author’s Merchant Navy Series and contains many historical photographs.