Seadogs Index C

Celia is a beautiful person. Her smile illuminated the room. Her shyness compelling. I’ve got no idea why she needed to borrow one of my boilersuits in Noumea that day but she sure looks cute in it. I'm told by Celia that she was doing her Lifeboat Ticket ... of course!

I hope this ship wasn’t moving at the time. Sorry that was unfair. Celia did in fact successfully complete her Steering Ticket during her time at Sea. Something I did myself to relief the boredom of sailing an empty Nevasa from Malta to Taiwan on her scrap run.

I love this shot of the WAPs of 1975, they all look gorgeous.

L-R:

Back:

Josie McKenzie, Dianne Ashworth, Rosemary Walker (Deceased), Sandra Whaites.

Front:

Pauline Miller, Celia Cowan.

Here’s another shot of 4 of the above 6 girls all wearing a much more appealing uniform. Brian Griffin tells me that the stunning blonde on the right is Joy Caseru, formerly a Steiners Manageress, and now 'Social Hostess' on board the Tahitian Princess. She’s a good friend of Griff’s and he sailed with her on the Pacific Princess in 2000 and she’s been at sea now for more than 30 years. If you would like to see what Joy looks like now click here.

Here’s an amazing before and after of Celia with, her still best friend, Josie.

Isn’t it great to see everlasting friendships like that … priceless.

Here’s a very recent shot of Celia in South Africa with the amazing Dave Oakes. Neither of them have changed a bit.

There’s more photos of Celia here, here, here, here, here, and now Celia has sent me a fabulous set of photos with her own narration so I’ve made a new page called Celia’s Memories. It’s brilliant, take a look.

Celia’s email address is available in the interactive area.

Steve Borrill © Amberfluid Web Design

Charles Mullin

No Photo Yet!

Charles sailed with P&O 1962-64 on Malwa, Strathmore, Iberia and Arcadia. Wonderful times as 3rd Eng.

Charles' email address is available in the interactive area.

Steve Borrill © Amberfluid Web Design

Charles Oxley

Charles is a very different guy to most. Quite serious a lot of the time but knew how to enjoy himself in his way and always joined in the fun. I really enjoyed his company. A breath of fresh air from the larrikin pissheads like the rest of us. That’s Charlie on the far left standing up. From left to right kneeling down is ??, Glyn Dodson, Dave George and Mick Everson. John Milner (aka Ginger John) is above Mick and I now know, thanks to Groucho, who the other ginger guy is on the far right. His name is Peter Gillespie (aka Goldfish).

Here’s Charles getting on with the job. Changing Rosemary Walker’s fluoro tube. Not a very convenient time to call Charlie or maybe it was well planned.

Charlie, or Charles as he prefers to be called, now lives here in Perth with four others of us. This is what he looks like now and it was taken at our first official reunion on 5th April 2003. That’s his lovely wife Liz next to him. He’s hardly changed a bit.

There’s more photos of Charles here, here, here, here,

Charles has sent in 2 CD's of converted slides which eventually will finish up in Charles' Memories but there's just a few tasters there until I find the time to process them all.

Charlie’s email address is available in the interactive area.

Charlie Gentle (aka Charles)

Courtesy of Mike Maskell

Charlie was a Junior VO, captured here on top of cairn North Cape, Norway while serving on the Chusan in 1968. I wish I could get hold of a carton or two of the good old Allsopps today.

Chris Benham (aka Blackman)

That's Chris at the controls of Oronsay's Port Engine.

Keith Radford tells me Chris Benham's nicknames come from the fact that he was born and raised in Malawi in Africa and spoke Swahili before he spoke English, hence "Barbary" or "Blackman" Benham.

Here's Chris with John Thow on the plates of Oronsay.

Here's Chris with Phil Adkins taking some fresh air on the "Upper Scupper" in Sydney.

The guy sitting down is Barry Chilton

Above shows Chris in front of one of Oronsay's 4 Foster Wheeler Controlled Superheat Boilers ... Extremely Hallowed Ground, seen by so few.

Courtesy of Keith Radford

L-R

Chris "Blackman" Benham, and 3 passengers in Keith Radford's cabin on Oronsay. The passengers are Carole Vary, Lynette Rhodes (now my wife) and Carole's twin sister Robyn Vary.

There's more photos of Chris amongst the photos he's sent in via Keith Radford in the Oronsay Groups section. I haven't got an email address for Chris but I'm sure Keith will be happy to pass on any messages if you want to get in touch with him.

Chris Freeman (aka Mutley)

I wish I had a better photo of Chris but I’ve searched my archives and this is the only one I can find and that’s him on the far right with half his face missing sitting just behind John Hammond. Chris has done very well for himself and is currently Fleet Support Engineer for Carnival in Southampton.

I found a better shot of Mutley, that’s him front row far right. I also forgot to say what a really nice guy he was and still is I presume.

All the names for this group are here

Chris’s email address is available in the interactive area.

Chris Hall

Courtesy of Eldred Clark & David Garry

Chris was a very quietly spoken guy but very switched on and a really nice person. I was never on watch with him, he was a 3rd during my time, so I didn’t get to know him really well but if anyone has any stories about him then please let me know. That’s Chris 2nd from the right.

SS Oriana 1975 Main Consol

L-R:

Dave the Greaser, David George, Chris Hall (3rd), Les Diffy,

Chris Hart

Chris was with P&O for about 12 years before leaving and moving to Australia in the 70's. He left as a Senior 2nd Officer/sometimes 1st Officer when they ran out of them. His ships were Oriana, Himalaya, Oronsay, Arcadia and finally the Sea Princess.

Chris writes;

As far as my history goes... my last ship was the Sea Princess which I left in Sydney in 1978 I think. I got a job working for the NSW government for 15 months. It sent me totally potty and I returned to sea under the Aussie flag - a company called Howard Smith - in i996, Howard Smiths had enough of the unions and pulled out of shipping so rather than face redundancy I joined the pilots who run up and down the reef (Australian Reef Pilots).

My wife, whom I met on the Himalaya in 1977 and we have three children all grown up, refuses to move to Queensland as she finds it too hot plus the fact all her family live here in Sydney so I fly to work every three or four weeks as shipping dictates. How much longer I work (60 is just round the corner) really is
based upon my health. I had a very severe heart attack five years ago so have to watch my diet and fitness. Mind you I have lost 20 odd kilos and try and keep fit.

I recently took a trip round the world and met up with Lynn Scrivens (now Hallett, ex Steiners) and Lisa Connolly (now Betterridge, Hostess) both who reside in the UK. I also met up with a buddy of mine, Keith Chapman who
lives in Houston (he was an ex R/O).

Chris has sent in some brilliant photos of his time at sea including some more recent shots of the trip mentioned above which I've placed in Chris' Memories.

Chris' email address is available in the interactive area.

Chris Hindley

There's more photos of Chris in the Oronsay, Oriana and Orsova group albums in the interactive area including his contact email address.

Chris Lawton (aka Basil or Fawlty)

Chris was with P&O from 1975 to 89, he served on the Sun & Pacific Princess, the Bogey (Canberra) and Oriana. Great Times & Great People. He was Sunderland born & bred and now lives in Thames Valley, UK.

There's more of Chris here.

Chris' email address is available in the interactive area.