Names and Faces from the Past.
Raymond (Danny) Trigg - Chief Engineer.
| Danny passed away on December 2998 at the age of 75 after being ill for some time. |
I was really sad to learn of Danny Trigg's passing. What a guy and what an engineer. I sailed with him on a number of trips but one of my favourite memories of Danny was when he and I were standing by the Panamax "Orient City" fitting out at Sunderland Shipbuilders in January/March 1977. I was Master and Dan was C/E. Anyway, the ship was being prepared for sea trials and Tommy Major, and other worthies were attending. There were upwards of 130 souls on board the night we left the builders. Because of the large number of personnel on board, we were all allocated various settees etc. to doss down on for the trials. I was allocated the settee in what was Danny's office. Danny had the settee in his day room and the bedroom was to be shared by Lennie Taylor and Tommy. There was a full RSL officer complement on board and a trials crew with a trials Master, one Capt Harry Tate, in command. We RSL bods were asked by the Sunderland Shipbuilders Financial Director if we would stand the sea watches on the bridge and in the ER. He said we would be paid the money that would have been paid to a set of trials' officers. That was fine by us. But Tommy put the blocks on that when he found out. We always wondered where the money went!! So prior to sailing from the Weir, We went and brought our gear on board. I had mine on board first and Danny said he was off to get his. I offered to help him, but he said to hang on in his office as Tommy was on board and would be up shortly. Off goes Dan and sure enough, a few minutes later, Tommy came in. He fixed me with that baleful stare that he reserved for all shipmasters. (He didn't like me as we had had a number of run ins in the years gone by),"Where's Mr. Trigg?" he growls at me."Just gone down to bring up his gear" says I. Just then old Danny comes ambling into the room, carrying his usual small case and over his shoulder his three deep sea fishing rods. Tommy took a double take at the sight of the fishing rods. "When do you think you are going the find the time to do any fishing Chief?" he spluttered. "Why," says Danny in that lovely Gloucestershire drawl of his, "When she breaks down, of course!"
Only Danny could say that and get away with it. Tommy knew I am sure that Danny knew more about marine engineering that the whole Technical Department in the office.
During that voyage on the "Orient City" we went to the St. Lawrence River and anchored off Trois Rivieres (Three Rivers), to wait for a loading berth. Danny had his fishing rods in action and during the week or so we spent at anchor, he caught over 200lbs of cod and skate, so much in fact we had trouble in getting it all in the fish room in the freezers.
A great guy and a first class shipmate. RIP Danny. Bryan Boyer. Posted on the forum 20th May 2009.
Reading Bryan's wonderful tale about Danny, which totally sums up what a character he was, and what he meant to us all, I am prompted to post the following, which is an edited version of the letter that I sent to Lorraine:-
"From a professional point of view, there was no greater comfort in knowing that Danny was aboard a ship as Chief Engineer. Regardless of the severity of a problem, we all had the confidence that he would be up to solving it, which he invariably was.
Danny and I shared many common interests; a love of natural history and the wild, messing about in boats, and a philosophical outlook on life, often discussed into the early hours.
Outwardly, Danny could appear shy: but despite appearances, put him amongst a bunch of strangers and within minutes they would be surrounding him and hanging on his every word.
I could write pages of our times together, but perhaps one instance stands out in my mind more than others. In the early 1980’s, we were aboard the Port Alberni City together on a somewhat troublesome voyage. Tied up in Los Angeles over Xmas, I had made contact with cousins of mine that I had not seen for many years and I was able to invite one of them, Matt, down to the ship. He, too had been a Chief Engineer at sea many years earlier, and he was keen to see what a modern engine room looked like. As it turned out, I found myself especially busy that morning so I took my cousin along to Danny's room, and asked him if he could show Matt around the engine room. About two hours later, I was able to get back to Danny's cabin, and I was amazed to find it crowded with folk from aboard and ashore, with Danny and my cousin holding forth centre stage. Unfortunately, we sailed soon afterwards, but my cousin phoned me later when we were in Vancouver to say what a wonderful time he had and what a great pleasure it had been to meet Danny.
Though I never again saw my cousin, we remained in Xmas card contact for his few remaining years, and he always added his greetings to Dan.
That personal recollection, for me, sums up what a great and memorable guy Danny was to so many of us. He will be most sadly missed" Mike Jones. Posted on the forum 20th May 2009.
Disclaimer: The statements on this page are the views of the person who posted them on the forum. The events took place many years ago and in most cases rely on those people's memories, and so we cannot guarantee the accuracy although every effort is made to check it.