Dave Smith
Sailed on the Welsh City 10/70 -5/71 as Jan. 4th. Eng. Sailed on the Cornish the next trip as 4th. Eng. We worked hard, but played harder, they were the best times I had at sea. My wife, Linda, came away with me on the Cornish. Her first time away with me and she loved it as well.
The picture hopefully attached, I'm a first timer to the sight, is in the smoke room on the Welsh. Left to right Dave Smith, Rockery (Racoon, Junior), Alex Adamson (lucky), the Rust on Eng. (name escapes me), Dais Ash win (4th.) and the third (I think).
The look on our faces does not reflect the usual atmosphere. I assume we hadn't changed a piston liner in a couple of days and were starting to get bored.
Thank you to Dave Rickets for putting me onto the website. I've been looking for links for years hoping to find old shipmates without success.
Sailed with John (and Sue) Howell's, Tex, and Dave Rickets who I see are regular contributors to the site and hope to get in touch with more as I plough through the forum.
I was an engineering cadet with RSL 1965-69, my last voyage was as Jnr 2nd. in 1974. I sailed on the Orient City,Cardiff City, Devon City, Welsh City, Cornish City, Victoria City and Tacoma City. For some reason my discharge book doesn't show the last voyage, did the books change format around about 1973?
My wife , Linda, and I loved our time at sea and I only left to start a family. I took a temporary office job as estimating engineer at an engineering company building Sulzer marine engines and ship pipework., then got a job as hospital engineer in my home town of South Shields. Stayed with the Health Service until 1988 when I was Estates Manager at Hillingdon Health Authority, near Heathrow.
February 2012.