Prince Rupert City
Comments from the forum - 1
By the 1960’s there was considerable concern expressed, world wide, about the quality of steel being produced for all sectors of the construction and manufacturing industries. This was particularly noticeable in the production of cars and shipbuilding. When the labour government, post 1964 got hold of shipbuilding, Harold Wilson personally pressurised the steel and shipbuilding industries to do something about it, and between them, they produced the concepts of pre-treated hull and deck plates.
On the starboard deck of the PRC, there were two deck plates that had been produced by this technology, and I recall Captain Jack Lemon saying woe betide anyone that went near them with a chipping hammer!
They certainly stood out from the adjacent platework. It would be fascinating to see them now, after 40 years, particularly considering the rest of the ship has also survived.
Mike Jones. Posted on Forum August 12th 2009
Browsing the November 1971 RSL newsletter I came across this gem of a “Joining Ship report” to head office by Captain Bryan Boyer
ACROSS THE DESERT TO JOIN HIS SHIP
Captain Bryan Boyer will certainly remember taking over his first command. At least he will undoubtedly remember the journey to the ship “Prince Rupert City”, lying at the Shat-Al-Arab River Station – patiently waiting, but in the good company of the “Vancouver City”. As Captain Boyer’s report was so interesting it was decided to include it in this edition of the newsletter. We are certain too, the other members of the party will not forget the journey for a long time.
Captain Boyer writes……………..
I am writing to report to you on the journey made to this vessel now lying at anchor at the Shat-Al-Arab River Pilot station. In a journey lasting two days, we were only two hours late arriving on board than was originally estimated. This gives you a good idea of the organization we met with en route.
The KLM flights, London/Amsterdam and Amsterdam/Baghdad were up to the usual good KLM standards. The flight from Amsterdam took off forty minutes late, but the pilot was able to make up most of the time en route.
At Baghdad we were met promptly by a KLM rep. who had transport standing by to take us immediately to the Baghdad hotel. Entry formalities at the airport were concluded in about 1.5 hours and I found the immigration and customs authorities I dealt with both courteous and helpful.
The Baghdad hotel was large, air conditioned and easily on a par with most first class western hotels. The staff were courteous and spoke excellent English.
The flight from Baghdad to Basra, in a Vickers Viscount, was smooth and uneventful. At Basra a slight delay occurred whilst the representative of our agents there brought transport (a 20 seater mini bus), but we rested in the air conditioned lounge at the Shat-Al-Arab hotel whilst this was done.
The bus trip from Basra to Fao was certainly an experience and really defies description.
Twenty kilometres after leaving Basra the road ends and the remainder of the journey (about 80 kilometres) to Fao is made over desert tracks and road surfaces that have long since collapsed. By western motoring standards the route would definitely be classed as impassable. However, our driver proved to be a man of great skill and coaxed his Mercedes Benz bus over sand dunes, huge holes and steep gradients with success. En route we stopped at Seeba for refreshments and ice cold Coca Cola appeared for our thirst and the ladies were able to clean up a little.
The journey to Fao took 4 hours and finally we arrived at the office of Iraq Maritime Transport, very hot and covered in sand and dust, but safe and sound. We rested at the agents office whilst our passports were dealt with, with plenty of cold drinks being supplied and wash and toilet facilities too.
Finally we joined the passenger launch which had a large air conditioned cabin, for the two hour run down river to the ship arriving on board at 1730 hours on 6th September.
My Officers, Cadets and Officers’ wives stood the journey very well and all kept cheerful even in the middle of the desert; perhaps we were fortunate in that the whole party was young, myself at 34 being the oldest member.
The agents at Basra and Fao were most helpful; in fact all our pre-conceived ideas about the journey simply failed to materialize. Tony Crowther. Posted on Forum October 16th 2009
Tony, it was interesting that you should reprint, from the November 1971 Newsletter, Bryan Boyer’s narrative about the trip out to join the PRC in Basra. He also wrote a more extended version thirty-three years later for issue 31 of Shipmates in June 2004. Observant readers may notice some subtle differences in the latter from that of the narrative of a newly appointed Master!
It was also a timely posting of yours because the night before, Bryan and I had been talking, at length, on the phone. He continues to make good progress from his recent illness, and he is “enjoying” his weekly rehab sessions amidst the scantily clad female physios at his local NHS centre!
Whenever Bryan and I converse, it is never long before we recall the events of that voyage aboard the PRC in 1971. I have many “snapshot” images and memories of the time. You were certainly correct about the shortage of booze. In our particular case, it was most apparent because the ship had arrived at Shatt-al-Arab with virtually no beer at all. I guess Joe Thornhill did not anticipate the vessel spending four months up the Gulf, though this did not, at times, prevent the incumbent officers cursing their predecessor’s lack of foresight, particularly after hard days slogs in the engine room or on deck.
I remember the occasion of a lifeboat trip across to sister ship Vancouver City, with Capt Jake Vaughn ---on his first voyage back to sea, I think---holding court in his dayroom. He had been more foresighted and we eagerly enjoyed his hospitality. I think we scrounged a few cases from them as well.
Once alongside, we soon discovered that there was a dance at Basra’s main European hotel each Saturday night, where it was possible to buy very expensive imported German Lager. After one such visit there, I can recall being in the company of Ken and Theresa Hampton and Mike and Judith Ridley. Somehow, we acquired a handcart into which we put Theresa and proceeded to push her back to the ship. All the way back to the gangway,we were trailed and observed by two Iraqi soldiers with rifles. I don’t think Bryan knew what his senior officers had been up to that night!
There was an afternoon when I wandered about the streets of Basra and was shocked to see three bodies hanging from lamp posts: in 1971, the Baath party had only been in power for two and half years, and there was much political activity and oppression afoot, particularly against the Kurds.
Another macabre instance was the announcement on state TV, that the minister responsible for chartering sixty odd grain vessels to arrive in the port at virtually the same time, had been arrested and would be soon executed.
Grain storage facilities in the port were minimal, and by the time the PRC arrived alongside, the grain was being stowed in huge mountains on the open desert. Shortly before we left, the rains started and a lasting image was of these “mountains” turning green as the grain started to sprout!!
Mike Jones. Posted on Forum October 10th 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.
Prince Rupert City. Page No. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]
Memories from RSL staff. Page No. [1] [2] [3] [4]