My 19 years in the Maritime Industry

 

My 19 years working in the Maritime Industry introduced me to some of the most decent blokes I've known. Suicide, unexplained disappearances and murder are said to be part of seafaring culture if you believe the myths. During my years at sea only one bloke died on-board and that was due a heart attack. Their were nervous breakdowns and dramas involving drugs and alcohol.

In 1987 when I was on the Australian Progress 5 crew members were put ashore in the Philippines because of various sickness and injuries. One of them had a burst stomach ulcer but died later as a result of contaminated blood in the transfusions.

Joe Montague was a seaman that I got to know in 1986 when I sailed with him on the Mobil Australis. Joe's nickname was, “the Father of Deck Boys.” He was also a relieving Union Official and alleged Homosexual. I never seen this side of him but I recall seeing him wandering legless and drunk one night in Yarraville. The Chief Cook and myself were in a Taxi so we stopped the Cab for him and he got in and said, “I love you blokes.” He was brutally murdered in 1991 and his attacker was not charged with any crime. Derryn Hinch had a lot to say!

A crew member on the Mobil Australis was once accused of an Axe Murder on a ship. His name may have been George Dobra. It happened in the 1960's on the Lake Eyer in Newcastle. He was acquitted and I was also told he had an alibi.

Basil O'Farrell was a cook that I worked with in 1981 on the Iron Hunter. He was murdered in 1983 when he went shooting with a mate and I was told, “he wouldn't get wood for the fire.” I had learned so much from Basil because he taught me what not to do!

An Able Seaman that I sailed with made the newspaper after he tried to rob a bank in Fremantle. Bobo Maclean was a gambler that was known to put all his pay on a horse which put him in financial hardship. Although I never read the story, which I was told police found a pair of thongs and a rope leading up the building. When they caught him on the roof he claimed, “he was only feeding the pigeons.” The last I heard of him he hung himself after a bad night at Burswood Casino.

It may now seem like a dark industry but I have fond memories of the decent blokes I have worked with. Many didn't drink or take drugs and understood what union principals meant. They were mostly family men that were close to their wives and some had kids. A couple of Chief Cooks had a son that became an accountant. One Chief Cook had a son that became a Professor and another had a daughter that married a solicitor. It was disappointing to read about Dave Perry whose father was a Chief Cook that I worked with after my injury. Dave became a Union Official and in 2007 assisted a crime syndicate to import 170 million dollars worth of drugs. Just like the Brisbane branch Secretary Mick Carr I was also “Gobsmacked!”

Among the crew you rub shoulders with brothers of Rock Stars, relatives of Politicians, fathers of Television personalities, sporting icons, and other diverse beings!

Before I came in the industry my father sailed with some interesting dudes. Their was a Victor lawn mower commercial that featured the same sex partner of a steward he worked with. Dad was never Chauvinistic when he'd tell funny stories with a Zippity Doo Dah tune. “I sail with his boyfriend!”

What comes to mind, I was in Japan on the Australian Progress on the 7th of January 1989 when Hirohito died. The Bosun lowered the flag to half mast and a Crew Attendant rushed to the poop and raised the flag. An argument broke out before I was to learn the Angry Peggy served in New Guinea during the war. I never remembered the Peggy's name but I have great memories of his dry humour and Legendry wit whenever I spoke to him.

When I told the story to my father who also served in New Guinea he was impressed. I never recall both of them using the word hate, but occasionally they will show a bit of disrespect.

I got to know a Yugoslavian Steward that never had anything good to say about Croatian's that migrated after to Australia after the war. I introduced him to an alleged Stalinist Official and I remember him proudly saying, “I am a Serb and I fought in General Tito's army against the Nazis.” They just shook hands and thank goodness that was all. I remember my father being sympathetic towards Tito who fell out with Stalin. Tito was also good friends with actress Sophia Loren who'd often holiday as a guest of the Communist leader. He even baked her Apple Strudel to impress his culinary skills.

On the Aurora Australis we were waiting for a steward to join in Hobart before it was announced that he failed his medical. He was a known Devil Worshipper who tested positive for Syphilis.

To my knowledge I'd never sailed with anyone that was treated for a Venereal Disease. I knew some that had treatment elsewhere and their were stories that lead to divorce. I did hear about a bloke that died at sea with a killer strain of Gonorrhoea.

Doctor Brendan Nelson's father was a Chief Steward with ANL. I never sailed with him but he was in the Industry at the same time as I was. He always speaks well about his father Des who was an ALP supporter and helped him get started with politics. The story he tells could not be absolutely true. If he was a Steward that means he was not a member of the Seamens Union until 1988 when they amalgamated. It's likely that Des had sympathetic views of the Humanistic Seamens Union when he was a member of the Marine Stewards and Pantrymans Association. There was plenty of Argy Bargy between both organisations at this time and a small group gangsters made things difficult for the stewards. The bit he left out was The Seamens Union were strongly opposed to apartheid and took care of the indigenous folks of the Torres Strait.