PWSTS Forum for Old Boys, Family and Friends

I was on the South Africa Star & the Empire Star. It's the Empire Star that I shall never forget as I came as close as a half inch to it being my very last trip.

We had docked at Newcastle and broke watches, the following morning we turned to and the Mate decided to chip & scrape the starboard bow. Three stages went over the focsil head and I was on the right side of the middle one. After some time had passed I had sat down on the stage, everyone else were still standing up. A passing ship moving at some speed downriver caused the ship to serge forward along the quay. The first thing we knew was the three stages being lifted up in the air by the rapidly tightening backspring. The others were able to grab the rails and get aboard, my right leg had been trapped between the wire and the stage and I was stuck until the stage fell away. I slipped down between the wire and the ships side, grabbing the top of the plate with my right hand. I then realised the wire was crushing me against the ship and I let go hoping I would fall into the sea and not on the quay. It was of course too late and I could feel my ribs were about to crack. Just when I thought I was finished my luck changed and simultaneously my mate reached over the rail and grabbed my wrist and the wire parted. I was left swinging in space held by my wrist. The flare of the bow had been just enough for my then much slimmer frame. I was quickly hauled aboard and an ambulance was on the quayside in an amazingly short time. I was however little the worse for wear, the wire had parted right on my back leaving seven bruised wheals across my back as if I had received seven lashes. The mate gave me the afternoon off, which I spent in the nearest pub, and next day on light duties, chipping the welldeck