T.S. Vindicatrix

 

Association HQ

 

The Bosun's Dittybox

A miscellany of odd bits of news and links which might be of interest to  Members of the T.S.V.A.

________________________________

Pictures of the Vindi.

Whilst there are many postcard pictures of the Vindi available on EBay or  the Francis Frith site, that of film footage of her online is very rare. One such example can be seen on this YouTube clip which was taken from an old Super  8 home movie of her.

________________________________

 

TSVA Membership Subs
 
A reminder to all TSVA Members who read this page, that 1st Feb. saw the start of a new year for your Annual Membership Subscriptions, unless you have already taken out a Life Membership.
Unless our database has recorded the receipt of your subscription by the time the address labels are printed for the March edition of the Vindi News, you will not be receiving a copy.
----------------------
Subscriptions remain the same as last year's. 
 £5 for UK Members,
£6 for those living in Europe
£8 for individual Overseas Members,  (but  £4 if you are paying though and Overseas Branch.)
 
All Subscription to be paid in £ Stg and sent to:- 

The Griffiths Partnership

  7 Rose Hill, Lovedean, WATERLOOVILLE, Hants. 

PO8 4NP 

Cheques to made out to TSVA please.

Always quote your TSVA Membership No. which is on your Membership Card, but is also printed on the address label of the envelope in which your Vindi News is sent to you.

Direct Debit Mandates are available, on request

----------------------------

________________________________

The Seven Area Branch

      Ken Long, Secretary of the Branch, has sent me this account of a trip on the English Canals, hosted by member Max Dawe.

The Voyage of the Vindi Boy.

On 29th June the narrow boat “Vindi Boy” sailed from Saul on the Sharpness canal. The voyage took 14 members of the Severn Area Branch of the Vindicatrix Association in various stages through to Llangollen in Wales. The crews were split into threes and fours joining at various points on the route

.Max Dawe the owner and skipper of the Vindi Boy acted as chief cook, skills advisor and mentor throughout the trip. (not bad for a“catering boy”)!!

The trip took the crews from the Sharpness canal through Gloucester up the River Severn to Tewkesbury. The boat then joined the River Avon. At Stratford they joined the Stratford on Avon canal to Kings Norton, and on to the Worcester – Birmingham canal.  Through the centre of Birmingham on to the Shropshire Union canal, then the Llangollen Canal and over the amazing Pontcysllte aqueduct.

The voyage took just over 4 weeks and finished at Whixall Marina, Shropshire. All enjoyed the company, food and evenings spent in local pubs. Also the full English breakfasts supplied by the skipper.


 

 _____________________    


Merchant Navy Day at Tower Hill

    This year's service at Tower Hill was held on Sunday 4th Sept.  when we  specially remembered all those who lost their lives on the Arctic Convoys  of WW2. This service was, as usual, organised by the Merchant Navy Association . 

 There is also a Sky London bike ride event going on at the same time, for which there were some road closures and disruptions as the Circle Line London Underground trains were not stopping at Tower Hill station on the day.

Click on THIS LINK to see all the organised chaos which was going on, on the south side of the Memorial, while we remembered our fallen at the Memorial, here. LINK 

TSVA Member, Maurice Hoadley has kindly sent me a clip of the parade which he shot, which has now joined the two of mine on You Tube.  CLICK HERE to view.

 _____________________    

A News Release from the National Archives on 7th Sept '11, will be of interest to all those who, like me, are actively engaged in searching for old Merchant Navy records.  You can access it by clicking on THIS LINK

_____________________

Sharpness Reunion 2011

For Vindiboys who have never had the chance of attending a TSVA Reunion at Sharpness, I am posting these four very short videos which can be viewed on You Tube.

    Also from the Reunion, Colin Rodgers has kindly sent me a disc of all the year group photos which were taken during  'tea and tabnabs' at St. Andrew's Church on Saturday afternoon. There were no boys from  the years '41, '43' or '46 but I have all the rest including the war years group of '39 - '45.  I can email a copy to anyone who wants theirs if you contact me by clicking on  THIS LINK, but don't forget to tell me which year's one it is you want. They can alsao be viewed online by clicking on THIS LINK.

_____________________

Sharpness Reunion 2012

10th, 11th, 12th August

    Yes, I know that we are still getting over this year's, but with the scarcity of berths, it's never too early to secure one for next year if yours isn't on a 'See you next year' basis.  The B & B where I'm staying has two double rooms available for next year, so if you are interested, contact me  A deposit will be required to secure your booking.

_____________________

Arctic Convoy Exhibition at the

National Maritime Museum, Greenwich

   The National Maritime Museum are going to have an exhibition on the Arctic Convoys in their micro gallery at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.  The exhibition is due to open in late October and they would really like to be able to welcome some veterans of the convoys to take part in an event to mark their exhibition.  
 
    A selection of photographs of the convoys from our archives will be the main feature of the exhibition, with pictures of the ships at sea and of Merchant Navy and navy crews.  There will be some objects too including boat models, a coat and medals.   Through these images the exhibition will introduce the background to the Convoys, show the conditions endured and the bravery of the men who served on the Convoys.
 
    They would like to organise an event in November in which veterans come to the gallery perhaps giving short talks to the public about their experiences.  They don’t have a definite date yet but it would be in November - Saturday the 19th of November is a possible date (to be confirmed).
 
    They would like to hear from anyone who might be interested in coming and taking part in this event.  
 
    They would also hope to welcome veterans to the gallery as visitors too.  The exhibition (which will be free) will be on for at least 4 months. 
 
    They can be contacted for further information on 020 8312 8613, please don’t hesitate to contact Flora Bain with any questions.  The e-mail address of the NMM is   
enquiries@mna.org.uk    

_____________________

An update from Terry Smith of our Bedfordshire Branch

       " I have just taken delivery of some very nice BP tanker lapel badges. They represent the original BP house flag that was introduced in 1955 - replacing the previous British Tanker Company flag - and which following a switch during the corporate era from the late1960s until relatively recently is still in use today. They are priced at £5.80 including p+p, although for those attending the reunion they will be available for £5.00. As always I shall make a donation to the TSVA from the proceeds"

 

________________________________

Sharpness Railway

     The group hoping in re-establishing a rail link between Sharpness to Berkeley and beyond, (Vindi News March 2010), failed in their bid to win a grant from the Big Lottery Fund's Village SOS scheme, but all is not yet lost.  If any of us live long enough, we may yet be able to take a ride on the Sharpness Flyer  

________________________________

        A  LIFE  IN  POETRY  AND  VERSE
                          
                          ( With a little help from my friends)
                                       

                                       by Colin D. Rodgers.

    This is a book of poetry and verse written for and about events and people on the way through life.  All those written at sea have been lost but what is left are I hope, worth reading. 

     The first print sold out at the end of  February and the second and final print of this limited edition should be ready for sale by the middle of June  2011, any copies left will be sold at Sharpness in August. 

  Price £12-50 plus postage (prices on request).  Books signed on request.

  Colin.      p.c.shipmates@talktalk.net

 

_______________________________

Home Movies of the Vindi on YouTube

    I am indebted to TSVA Member Jeff Glasser, for pointing me in the direction of these two clips, taken from old Super 8 cine film which have been posted online.  Not of the highest print quality, but a link to the past for us all.

 
YouTube - Sharpness Gloucestershire 1965-1969 (1)
 
 YouTube - Sharpness Gloucestershire 1965-1969 (2)

To the Vindiboys of Christchurch, NZ

    On behalf of the T.S.V.A. we hope all Vindiboys and their families are safe and unscathed after the recent Christchurch earthquake. We would like you all to know that our thoughts and prayers are with you after what must have been a terrifying experience. Please let us know when possible how you all are.

Jim Somerville

Chairman.

    Anyone who wishes to support the local population in Christchurch in what must be very difficult times, can do so by sending a donation to the British Red Cross Appeal

__________________________

Two news items of Vindi Memorabilia

    For the boat or caravan owners amongst our Membership, we now have a TSVA pennant and particularly for TSVA Branches, we now have available our own house flag, which was flown for the first time at this year's reunion.

    The prices are, for the pennant £12 and for the 'yard and a half' sized house flag, £130.

     P & P prices available on request, which will be subject to the numbers ordered at one time. These will only be stocked 'as required' so if you are interested in obtaining either please email you requirements via this link

_______________________

The Squad Photos page

     For some time, I have been hampered from adding new content to the Squad Photos page due to our site limit of 15Meg, but now I'm pleased to announce that extra web space has now been given to us by the generosity one of  our Members.  The page now contains more previously unpublished photos of either whole squads or just of small groups of 'mates' and there are now one or two back scans of photos where those appearing in the photo have signed their names.  You can find the page by clicking on this link 

    You will find that the expanded version of the page no longer contains links to e-mail addresses. This is because it has proved impossible task of trying to keep up with changes of server which many members have made, and also some of those who sent me photos have since 'crossed the bar'.

Who were this Squad?

    At the Sharpness Reunion this year, I took copies of two Squad Photos lurking in the hidden depths of my PC of which I knew nothing. One member attending was able to identify one of them as being of his Squad but the other one still remains a mystery, all I can tell you is they were obviously a bunch of Catering lads.

An interesting bit ot Vindi Memorabillia

    Also at this years Reunion, I was given a copy of the Vindi 'Thou shalt not' rules, as posted in the huts. This copy was 'liberated' from one of the huts, long after the camp had been closed and the site fallen into disuse, (or so the lad told me). Click on this link to read all the rules and regulation under which we were bound, and did our best to ignore. ____________________________

 
___________________________________

Three new information pages have now been added by the National Archives for finding historic Merchant Navy Records.  You can find links to them on this Archives page of the site.

 ___________________________________

 A Record Copying Service from the National Archives

    Starting from the 19th April 2009, the National Archives are changing the system by which you can order copies of records from them, but you will have to give them the exact File No. to copy. The records in BT372 which are filed by your Discharge Book No. are easy enough, as they are a unique reference, but they only contain forms, ID Cards and old mug shot photos and such like. Trip Records are in section BT382 which are filed in loose-leaf folders in alphabetical-by-surname order, which only list the first and last surname in each file.  There is an added complication to this, as part way through the series, the surnames having reached the Z's, they reset back to the A's again.

  I'm happy to suggest a File Nos. to anybody who wishes to use this changed ordering service which you can read about by clicking on  this link     It remains to be seen how this arrangement works out but I will probably carry on making regular visits to Kew, as it will work out more economical for those who ask me to obtain copies for them.

 ___________________________________

Merchant Navy Service Records

    As regular readers of this site will be aware, (and others who have who have found their way to it, either by accident of have been directed to it by others). I do a fair amount of work in obtaining copies of Merchant Seamen's Service Records from the National Archives at Kew.

    For those who have an interest in the subject and live in striking distance of Kew, can I draw you attention to this item on the National Archives website, listing their upcoming lectures?.

The Seamen's Strike of 1966

    For those who were sailing at the time and have memories of the Seamen's Strike in 1966, you might be interested to read a discourse on the subject by George Foulser I've found on the net.  You can find it by clicking on this  link

___________________________________

British Pathe film of the Union Castle Line

    I am indebted to Chris Bond of the Sussex Branch for sending me a link to a Union Castle line company film, mostly featuring the Windsor Castle. It goes back to an age when passenger ships had a 'man at the wheel'  and didn't look just like  an offshore block of flats. To view the clip, click on This Link  There is also links on the Pathe page to some of the Transvaal Castle, as well.  Union Castle hands, Enjoy!!

  __________________________________

Seafarers Benefits Advice & Information Helpline

    I have been contacted by the above organisation to, ask if I could bring to the attention of our readers the services they offer to seafarers past and present. This service is operated by the Greenwich Branch of the Citizens Advice Bureau.  To view their site. click on this link

___________________________________

TSVA Memorabilia

     Any Member who wishes to order any of our TSVA Memorabilia can now request a copy of an order form and a montage picture of the items we have available, by clicking on this link

___________________________________

Shipping Companies Houseflag Lapel Badges

    I have received the following update from Terry Smith of our Bedfordshire Branch who has now added the Elder-Dempster badge to his collection.   These will be priced at £5.70 incl. P & P, but for those attending the Sharpness Reunion, it will be a 'straight fiver'. As usual, Terry will be making a donation to TSVA funds on all the badges he sells.
The full list of those available from him  is:-

Blue Star Line.

                                                                
Shaw-Savill.

N.Z.S.Co.

Union-Castle.

Royal Mail Line.

Houlder Brothers.

Elder-Dempster

 

Pacific Steam Navigation Company

 

 Prices are 'on application' from him on 01767 315388.or through the site  WebsiteBosun@aol.com

___________________________________

The National Archives, Kew

    The latest set or records at the National Archives to be digitised and placed online are those of the Ship Movement Cards  of WW2.  Click on the link for further details.

     In my experience of having had access to them at Kew, this should be a worth-while project as the pages are closely strung together with a treasury tag, in bundles over 4" thick which prove to be very unwieldy to open and almost impossible to copy.

    "In 1939 the Admiralty issued an instruction to the Board of Trade stating that masters of merchant vessels were not to enter destinations or ports of call on the ships’ logs or the crew lists and agreements, for reasons of security. However, it was still important to know and record the movements of merchant vessels and to this end the series of cards within BT 389Link to glossary - opens in a new window was commenced by the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen."

___________________________

BBC West "A Day Out", circa 1978

I've come across this link to a BBC regional programme, featuring a trip along the Sharpness canal which features a half hour video clip which will open in 'Real' player by default.  It can be made to go full screen by right-clicking on the video and selecting the 'Zoom' option.  Sadly, the Vindi didn't get a mention, but you may enjoy running it, just for 'old times sake'.

To read the write-up to this programme, click on this link

___________________________________

"Watching the ships go by"

    One of our members has sent me this link to an interesting site on which you can trace the passage of ships around the UK waters.  Give it a try, but it can be a bit addictive.

___________________________________

The Merchant Seaman's War Memorial Society, Alford, Surrey

        I have been asked by Trevor Goacher, of the Society, to make readers of this page aware that the 'Springbok' website has now had a revamp and the new version can be found by clicking on this link, where you will be able to read of the services that they can offer former Merchant Seamen and Women.

____________________________________

    Dave Partridge's "The Grey Sailor"

       Those members who attended the Saturday Church Service at the Reunion this year, will have heard Dave read out his poem "The Grey Sailor". If anyone would like to receive a download of it,  please click on this link.

____________________________________

 

       I have received a request by  the  Merchant Navy Memorial site,  to draw the attention of readers of this page to their site.  this can be accessed by clicking on this link

__________________________________________

Merchant Seman's Records at the National Archive, Kew

    Many who read this site, will be aware that I often obtain copies of  MN Service Records from the National Archive, in particular from sections BT372, where all the loose forms and documents  concerning their time at sea, are kept,  and also in section BT382, where there are duplicate entries from their Discharge Books, listing all the ships on which they sailed.

    On the Friday 25th April '08 I was  perturbed to receive a courtesy phone call from the head of the Copying Dept. at Kew, telling me that, as from that day, 'hands on' access to files in those two categories has been blocked to visitors to Kew, but they will provide you with copies, after they have obscured finger prints on the old four-panel Seaman's ID Cards and also Nat. Insurance Nos. wherever they appear in either BT372 or BT382 files.  The exception to this is by visiting Kew to produce documentary proof that the records you are requesting are you own, or can prove to their satisfaction that the named seaman has died, or was born more that 100 years ago. 

____________________________________

Merchant Navy Pensions

  From time to time, questions are asked about MN Pensions. It has recently been raised again and I was able to direct the enquirer to a contact link in the Department of Work and Pensions who deal historic schemes which have now closed.   The DWP passed on the enquiry to the RMT Union, successor to the National Union of Seamen, who replied.
 
    "Individual members of the Union were entitled to receive a "Retirement Benefit" called an Old Age Grant, but only if they retired from the sea and had completed 25 years of membership (of the Union).
    An industry-wide pension scheme, the Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Scheme, was established in 1978.  Pension entitlement for service prior to that date would have depended on being a member of an individual employer's occupational pension scheme which unfortunately few employers operated in the 1950's and 1960's, particularly for seafarers on the Register"

____________________________________

The National Arboretum

    The National Arboretum at Alrewas,  Staffordshire, has recently been in the news, with the dedication of the Armed Services Memorial, in memory of all those who have been killed in conflicts since the end of WW2.  Located in another part of this  60 hectares site,  is where the men and women of the Merchant Navy killed in WW2 are remembered by the planting  a wood of some 2,536  oak trees, representing the number of British flagged merchant vessels lost to enemy action during World War II.

To read more about the National Arboretum, visit their website, via this link

____________________________________

The last sea-going voyage of the Vindi- June 1939

    Members will have read in a previous edition of the Vindi News of my discovery of the Crew Agreement at the National Archive, Kew.  Anyone who visits the National Archive and who has a Reader's Ticket, can examine the document for themselves and also  two previous ones for voyages as the 'Arranmore',  commencing in 1901, (the one when she was shipwrecked at Port Elisabeth), and also the one commencing in 1907, at the end of which she paid off in Hamburg and passed to German owners. The relevant files Nos. can be traced by entering in her Official No. of 102634 on the Catalogue Search Engine of The National Archives website.  I plan to bring my copies of all three Crew Agreements to the Reunion should anyone wish to look at them and I also have a download available for Members of pages 1, 3 and 4 of June '39 trip.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Before they were famous

Three Vindiboys who became better known in later years in the field of entertainment

R335420   Colyer K. Vindi '45 Catering

You can hear Ken Colyer playing, in the company of Chris Barber , Monty Sunshine and Lonnie Donnigan in this clip on You Tube  and also this filmed interview with Ken by the now late George Melly

--------------------------------

R690634   Hunt A. (Gareth)  L.  Vindi '57/'58 Deck

You can see a clip with Gareth Hunt in a typical car chase sequence, with Joanna Lumley and Patrick McNee  from the New Avengers TV series

------------------------------------

R740058   Vasey R.  Vindi '60/'61 Catering

__

-----------------------------------------------

"The People's War" Archive on the BBC Website

       My thanks to Jamie Letford, a Vindiboy of '49, for drawing my attention to this Archive on the website of the BBC .  There is a particular section of 10 pages, concerning those shipmates of ours who served in the Merchant Navy  during WW2.  It's worth a visit to the site, just to refresh our memories. The People's War Website on the BBC.

_____________________________________________

"Sea Breezes" Magazine

    My thanks to Bob Andrews for sending me a copy of an article about the Vindi, which appeared in "Sea Breezes" about the time the time she was closed.  If anyone would like to have a copy of it, contact me by this e-mail linkMy thanks also to "Sea Breezes" for granting me permission to re-publish.

_____________________________________________

FSN Ship Plans

    Terry Smith, Secretary of the TSVA Bedford Branch, in addition to have some Blue Star lapel badges on offer, has also  for sale,  copies of deck plans of the following vessels. FSN: Cambridge, Durham and Gloucester, as well as Pipiriki of NZS Co.  if any of our members are interested he can be contacted on 01767 315388 after 6.00pm for details, or through me via the website.  Terry has already made a donation to the TSVA from the proceeds of the badge sales to date, and will do likewise if sufficient copies of the deck plans are sold.

_______________________________________________

Seafarers Benefits Advice Helpline

    Can I draw the attention of readers of this page to this service operated by the Greenwich Citizens Advice Bureaux Ltd (GCAB)  and funded entirely by the Seamen's Hospital Society.  Further information on the services they offer can be gained by visiting their website http://www.seabal.org.uk/

_________________________________

Mrs. Drysdale

    Those who have received their copies of the July edition of the Vindi News will be aware that "Mrs. D" has been undergoing a course of 'cosmetic surgery'. This was undertaken on two visits to her, by a yacht restorer/woodcarver, together with Roy, acting as his 'mate'.  If you have time to spare whilst at the Reunion this year, be sure to pay her a visit in the Reception Area of the Waterways Museum in Gloucester Docks.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

British Pensioners in Austrailia

I have been asked to post a notice re the campaign in Australia, to again have their UK Pensions index-linked.  Although not a wholly  Vindi  or  MN matter it will concern a lot of former seamen who now live in Austrailia. You can read more on this attached Word Document or by visiting the BPiA website

________________________________________________

"Sent Home" from the Vindi

    My thanks to Jim Richmond in Tasmania, and to Norman Brice in the UK for  forwarding it on to me, this piece which previously would have appeared on the 'A Vindiboy writes' page.  It concerns the  obscure reason as to why a Vindiboy might be sent home.  Rather than showing it in full on this page, I'm attaching it as a 'Word Document''

______________________________________________________

Collecting Dole Money at the Vindi

    On the subject of collecting 'Dole Money' during our time at the Vindi, I also can remember the two table system performed in the recreation hut at the camp.  During my stay as a 'Deckie' in 1949, my Kit Account records that I added £4:14:0 to my £5 Deposit, and after the deduction of £6:8:8 for my kit, I paid off with the princely sum of £3:5:4.  I think that any Dole Money was dependant on how much you had contributed in 'stamps' on your card during any employment you had, prior to joining the Vindi. Leaving school at 14 and joining the Vindi when I was turned 17, I had three years of contributions. School leaving age was raised from 14 to 15 in 1947, and from 15 to 16 in 1972.

    In 1936, the school leaving age was raised from 14 to 15, (to be implemented in Sept. '39), but this was postponed on the outbreak of WW2.  It wasn't finally raised until 1947, and raised again to 16, in 1972.

_____________________________________________

For those who wish to trace the names of their family members who were lost, there is a search engine engine on the website of the

  which also carries the names of Merchant Seamen. Click on their logo to take you there.                

Medal entitlement for WW2 Merchant Seamen

    Anyone wishing to search for a  record of who was listed for  entitlement to a WW2 medal while serving in the Merchant Navy should visit this page of the National Archive site at Kew.  Searching is free, but they do charge £3.50 for an online download of the record.  After having obtained a download, you will find the key to understanding the abbreviations used on it by visiting this page .

     It is doubtful if these records will show the entitlement to the recently announced Arctic Star, for all those who sailed on the convoys to Russia.  I would suggest that you make direct contact with the:-  

Registry of Shipping and Seamen
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Anchor Court
Keen Road
Cardiff
CF24 5JW

-----------------------------------------------

Shell Tankers

      A site for all those who sailed with 'Joe Shell' is http://www.helderline.nl  Just enter the name of the ones on which you sailed, to see if there are any photos or if other crew members listed have sailed at the same time as you. 

--------------------------------------

Downloads Available

An offer to all Vindi and G.S.S. Boys

      Can you all remember the Prospectus we had from the Shipping Federation, which told us about the wonderful training and food were were to receive at their  illustrious establishments?  The bottom half of the second page of this document was our Application Form for joining.  I still have my copy of the edition in use in 1947, which Gordon Tumber of the GSS Website has kindly laminated for me, due to its fragile state.  I have now scanned it in parts, and a download is yours for the asking at the e-address of this site and I will e-mail them to you as an attachment to my reply. WebsiteBosun@aol.com   It consists of six half pages, three of which are photos; about  510Kb in total.  The top half of the first page is shown below, but the downloaded version is clearly readable.

      Thanks to another Vindiboy I now have a copy of the Prospectus that came into use in 1960. If would would like download of this one, click on this link to request a copy.  In this version of it, the seamen's rates quoted have about doubled, compared to my 1947 version of it.

____________________________________

      Another download I have available is from Jack Gilbert, a Vindiboy from the very early years, who has had a delve into his own Ditty Box and has come up with a rare copy of a wartime magazine, called simply 'Illustrated'. This would appear to have been devoted to propaganda for the UK war effort.  This issue is dated 6th September, 1941 and features a Vindi Deckie named Robin Alwyn Hall.  Jack has offered it up to a wider readership and Tony Scott has kindly scanned the relevant pages of the piece and has enhanced the quality a bit as its condition of it is now in a very fragile.  Anyone wishing to receive a copy of the download, please contact me through this e-mail link," Illustrated"

-------------------------------------------------

      I also have two pages of downloads available pages from Sea Breezes, published about the time the Vindi was sent to the breakers.  If anyone would like a copy, contact me via this e-mail link.

      Also available are downloads of Dave. Partridge's poem ' Heroes', and a setting of Reg Kear's 'Sea Shanty', given a Country and Western style setting.

_____________________________________

Severn Railway Bridge Disaster

      I am indebted to Dave Partridge for passing on this link the a group of sites, featuring the accident which brought down two spans of the bridge on 25th Oct. 1960, with the loss of 5 lives.                     http://en.wikipedia.org/wikxxi/Severn_Railway_Bridge-

     If you are unable to open the link, I can send it to you as a 13.6 MB file in MPEG format.

Pathe Newsreel clip of the Trident at Gravesend Sea School in 1937

My thanks to Tony Scott for passing on this clip of nearly 3 minutes duration. You can view it online by clicking on This Link

-------------------------------------------

       I have been asked if I would include a link to the site www.friend-ships.com  This is a site with a fairly large remit as it covers ships, their crews, and even passengers who sailed on them.  There is also a 'Grey Funnel' section. It has free registration  of a user name and password, both of which have to be in numerals only, but I can't see any way of looking at their database for trips prior to 1950. The second page of the registration is a form for entering a ship search, but I didn't have any luck as it wouldn't recognise the name of my first ship.

---------------------------------------

       I have received a request from  the  Merchant Navy Memorial site,  to draw the attention of readers of this page to their site.  this can be accessed by clicking on this link

     For those mariners who have an interest in the ports of London, Southampton, Liverpool, Bristol or Hartlepool, you might find something to interest you in the Port Cities site.

Looking for a photo of a ship? Try the archive of the Maritime Museum at Greenwich, or try this site.

For those who regularly read the magazine 'Sea Breezes, you may be interested in their new website on    www.seabreezes.co.im , which is still in the course of development.

 Photos of Sharpness and the Vindi in the mid-50's from the can be found on the website of the Francis Frith Archive. Visit this link for an aerial view of Sharpness as part of the  Millennium Mapping Project

Thanks to Bill McPherson, for giving me to link to a site listing all the 'Empire Boats'.  All the ship historians amongst you may like to visit this list,  complied by Ted Finch.

 For hundreds of photos of ships, try looking on http://www.photoship.co.uk which also has on it a link on it to the Miramar  ship data site

Of interest to anyone who sailed on the 'Fort' ships or their 'Parks' and 'Ocean' cousins, is the  'Fort Ships of WW2' site of Angela DeRoy-Jones. 

      There is a Vindi page on the site of www.friendsreunited.co.uk.  Look for it in 'Gloucestershire' in the Southwest area and enter T.S. Vindicatrix, or look in the letter 'T' in the alphabetical index. There are 80 Vindi Boys listed at the moment.

.................................

     If any Vindi Boy would like to contribute details of their Vindi, Sea, and other Public Service, to Dave William's Vindicatrix National Ship Register, he would be pleased to hear from you.  This is a archive he established some years ago, to try and collect as much detail as he can about who Vindi Boys were, and what they did after their training.  David can be contacted either by e-mail or by writing to him at 3, Leigh Court, Crown Hill, Plymouth PL6 5YA Please give him as much detail as you can, including you Discharge Book number. This archive isn't online, but can be viewed at the  Sharpness  Reunion each year and copies are also held by the Branch Secretaries in the UK.

..........................................

Copyright 2012, T.S. Vindicatrix Association. No part of this site may be reproduced, in any way or form, without permission of the Exec. Committee of the TSVA

Return to Home Page

Website design by Angelina Campisi
Site Bosun Robin Hurst