Mike Williams' Memories

Mike’s Memories

Mike Williams was a Junior Engineer/Refrigeration Engineer from 1967-71 and served on Chusan, Oriana and Iberia. He did his time as a Marine Fitter Turner at the Portsmouth Dockyard, 1962-1967, 5 year apprenticeship. All the following photos and narrative have been supplied by Mike.

ss Chusan in Malaga, Spain.

This photo is of the 1st trippers on SS Chusan, 1967, I'm 3rd from left and the guy second from the left is Paul Brown (2nd VO). The person on the far right I'm sure is Dave Maddocks, Junior Engineer. All the guys you see were on the same watch but I've forgotten their names. Hopefully they'll recognise themselves when viewing this one day.

Nigel Taylor believes the guy on the right hand side back is John Pitten.

Chusan Boiler Room

That's me on the right but I can't remember the names of the other two.

John Pitten (3rd Engineer) in Fiji Market, taken in 1967 with ss Chusan in the background. I wonder if he survived all those cigarettes.

Young Engineers,1967-68 in Suva Fiji looking down on the Chusan.

L-R:

?? (his initials are SB as seen on his boiler suit further above but I can't remember his name), John Pitten (3rd Eng), Me on the right.

John Pitten (3rd Eng) again, this time at Dakar Market in 1967 Chusan.

Crossing the Line ceremony 1967

I wonder if that little lad will ever see himself on this site? He's probably about 50 now.

One of my best loved photos, leaving Auckland on Oriana heading to the UK via Vancouver in 1969,

L-R:

Mike Williams, Margaret, Eileen, and a Junior Electrician, Can't remember his name but he was a great pal and buddy.

Margaret and Eileen were two lovely girls from Mount Isa, Queensland. Margaret went to the UK and Eileen got off in Vancouver. For me, Eileen was a love affair that lasted 4 years, she became an air hostess with Air Canada or Canadian Pacific but always found time to contact me when I was in the UK and she was laid over in the airport.

Mike with Eileen Christmas shopping in Vancouver 1969.

After 4 years of meeting in Vancouver and the UK, the girl from Mt Isa, whom I'd met on the Oriana en route Sydney-Vancouver disappeared out of my life. Now that was a shame, wonder what she's doing now, and where?

ABSENCE killed the relationship, unfortunately.

Advice for the guys still at sea!!!

Mike recalls;

This is me with two ladies on Oriana, they were pax from Vancouver for a two week cruise in the Caribbean then back to Vancouver. The lady on the left invited me four times to her cabin, well, because I was due for watch I couldn't go!, obviously. I wonder how she knew about wheeling in!! Maybe she had experience from the 1st Oriana.

So the question is open to debate, where did wheeling-in originate?

SS Oriana

This is myself with the famous Red Garter hat, cigarette in the mouth for the pose only.

This shows Casino Night in 1st class on the Oriana, early days as you can see by the decor and the way things were done, I'm in the pic' middle background with moustache (how things have changed from then)!! I don't know the name of the Purser, running the game.

Mike Hawkesworth has named the purser as the late Assistant Purser Bill Hemsley (W A M Hemsley).

Here's Mike with a cooling Ale.

How about this for an invitation ... from the Sultan of Selangor!

My souvenir and proof to people I went up the tower on the Sydney Harbour Bridge 1967.

Here's a great photo of the Bridge under construction.

The next series of photos are of his time on Oriana.

Here she is about to sail, departure from the Ocean Terminal ,Sydney.

I love this shot of Oriana taken from the stern in Sydney.

As the caption says 'Britannia passing Oriana berthed in Southampton.

This is bill who used to work in the refrigeration room, nice guy, didn't get to know his surname..

Here's a group photo sitting on one of the main gearboxes, Sorry no names, I have the torch in my pocket and I was Junior Engineer at this time 1967-68.

Oriana Engine Room 1968-9

I hope some of the guys see these photos so we can have some names added, that's the 3rd Engineer on the left of the picture.

Ditto

Midnight snack!

Oriana 1968 - A drink before going up on decks.

L-R:

Trevor Massey (4th Engineer), ?? (Electrical Engineer), Foxy (Junior Engineer) my old mate now living somewhere in Australia, originally from Cornwall. No names for the others, I'm terrible with names.

Trevor was named by Eric Campbell.

Oriana 1968-69, Drinks before socialising,

Front Row:

Gordon Anderson (3rd Engineer, I think is Gordon), to his right ?? (Electrical Engineer)

Back Row:

?? (Junior Engineer from Cornwall), ?? (Refrig Engineer), Mick Murphy (Junior Engineer from Southampton, I think..).

Gordon and Mick were named by Eric Campbell.

The usual debriefing session after watch in someone's cabin. That's Foxy (Junior Eng), my old mate, on the left, now in Aussie, I'm 3rd from left and no names for the others as usual :(

Funny how we always seemed to have that one too many in those days isn't it??.. Sorry no names again, Gordon the 3rd on the bunk..

That's Mike with the revered Allsopps. Yellow Peril as we affectionately called it.

Trevor Massey

This is Paul Brown at Ocean World, Florida.

and Mike getting a bit closer.

Here's some locals in Pago Pago with their pet Bat.

Interacting with more locals in Pago Pago.

All you'll ever need to know about drinking Kava in Fiji

A magnificent shot of the Harbour Bridge and we're not quite sure which ship it is berthed at Circular Quay.

Mike Hawkesworth tells me the ship is the Orsova, the only one of the three with a mainmast.

A nice sunrise showing the Opera House under construction.

A great shot of the Bridge taken from Oriana's Aft Deck.

Oriana Engine Room taken in 1968

Oriana Shaft Tunnel before the accident in the Panama Canal 1968-69.

Oriana Refrigeration Room 1967-68.

A nice reflection of Oriana in the Durban terminal building, South Africa 1969-70.

Oriana Tahitian Dancers 1969-70

Nice evening, nice girls, nice floor show..

Oriana, Maori Dancers at Auckland NZ 1968-69

Again, nice evening, nice floor show..

Here's Captain Edgecombe with a bevy of beautiful women, lucky Dog

This looks like a fun night in 1969

Oriana.1969

Myself with a friend in Honolulu, going ashore. I can't remember the name of the girl unfortunately, but she was nice..

The next section is of Mike's time on Iberia.

Beautiful shot of a great ship.

And another one of her beginning a voyage.

If I remember right this photo was taken onboard the ss Iberia in 1969-70. Australian yes, a friend yes, going to the UK, Scotland. Sorry no names again.