[BITList] Chakdara

[fredmno at aol.com]

Salaams,
???????????? been out most of the day and I'm off out tonight. I attempted to send a cut and paste job from our site at mno but somehow it bounced back here mid afternoon so I'll try again. The reason for my nerves starting the engine were two fold, one, it was my first Doxford start and two both Harry Fowler and the marine super were hiding behind one of the engine room stanchions or whatever they are called, big square things, hled the deck up or som'at such.
?????????????????????????????????????????????????? BR Fred

She
served in the Indian and East African trades and her life was
uneventful until the 15th May 1966. Just after a change over of watch
after midnight a bottom end bolt on the scavenge pump sheared and on
the next stroke the assembly was driven through the side of the engine
a crankcase fire ensued. Fortunately none of the five watch keepers
were injured both Engineers at the time were stood by the condenser at
the forward end of the Engine Room. I believe it was Harry Fowler the
Chief Engineer who extinguished the fire. With the damage being so
severe the ship was towed back to her builders by the tug Svitzer for
an engine rebuild. I joined her in Glasgow on the 9th January 1967 only
eight days after leaving the Devonia in Malta didn't realise just how
little leave we actually got in those days!


After the rebuild I had the distinction of starting the engine
for the first time, I must admit to have being somewhat nervous but
fortunately there was no problem. We did a round trip to East Africa
and I left her in the June, the ship however carried on on her normal
trades until being sold out of the Fleet on the 22nd of August 1972.
Her new owners Ben Thong Manufacturing Co Pte Ltd renamed her Fortune
Navigator and she served them until May of 1974 when she was sold for
scrap. Work commenced on the 27th of September at Kaohsiung.

?
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