Troopships

Did any of you.en route to Germany, ever enjoy a night crossing from Harwich to The Hook of Holland on H.M.T. Empire Parkeston?
I believe on arrival at the hook you boarded a red,blue or green train which took you to your destination in Germany

I never did it myself as the big iron birds were in use when i went there.

The Ship

How very dare you - I was too young!

Yep i know Shelldrake....It`s only old guys like Brum who are likely to have sailed on her...

Gordon. wrote:

Yep i know Shelldrake....It`s only old guys like Brum who are likely to have sailed on her...

I went on both the Parkstone and another called the Empire Wansbeck, (all troopships were prefixed by "Empire", apparently.

We would get off the stagecoach at Harwich and be herded into the Ferkemabout area. From there you were given a meal then sent to embark. To get to the ship you had to run the gauntlet of Monkeys, telling you to get your haircut, (God knows where the morons thought we were going to get a haircut on the ship !

In my case, on arriving in Holland ,the next stage of our journey involved the Blue train.

Brum, was that Ferkemabout area twinned with the Ferkemabout 2, area in Hohne?

Shelldrake wrote:

Brum, was that Ferkemabout area twinned with the Ferkemabout 2, area in Hohne?

Not sure mate.

To the best of my knowledge the term originated on the Somme. It seems a Battalion Commanding Officer said to his RSM

"The men are looking too happy, Sarn't Major . . . ferkemabout a bit " !

That'll be the one, there was always a lot of "Ferkinabout" every time we arrived in Hohne.

Oh, 'ello - I've been elevated to Field Rank. Must get some scambled egg for my hat, I suppose that means I am entitled to travel First Class, dontcha'know (or have they stopped that perk as well?)

I see the oars have been stowed in that pic. Bit high up those rowlocks though!

What was it Brum? Get yer air cut and spear polished?

Brum, you didn't finish up as Ships RSM on the Woolwich Ferry by any chance?

Teabag wrote:

I see the oars have been stowed in that pic. Bit high up those rowlocks though!

What was it Brum? Get yer air cut and spear polished?

Spears man ? SPEARS ? We were Artillery, we had Ballistas !

Shelldrake wrote:

Brum, you didn't finish up as Ships RSM on the Woolwich Ferry by any chance?

Not me mate. I had a right cushy number-navigator !

Did it in '59 If I remember you got a pillow case issued as you boarded, don't know if it was for kippin' on or spewing in.

I remember whatever ship, no one would not have stood much of a chance of surviving if it had gone down. Several hundred squaddies trapped in the hull with just a handful of narrow stairways to climb up. The officers and senior NCOs would have been okay, naturally, being accommodated in comparitive safety above the main deck.

Oh Yes! Empire Parkeston and the other luxury liner ... SS Vienna .. NOW there was a bucket ..


Len (Ciphers)

Had the dubious pleasure of travelling on all three. First in 1952 on family move to BAOR, then cattle class travelling on leave from AAS Arborfield and posting to BAOR. Last time was in 61 when I enjoyed the luxury of SNCO's accommodation. Why did they go and spoil a perfectly good means of travel with the introduction of air trooping!!

Bob

BobG wrote:

Had the dubious pleasure of travelling on all three. First in 1952 on family move to BAOR, then cattle class travelling on leave from AAS Arborfield and posting to BAOR. Last time was in 61 when I enjoyed the luxury of SNCO's accommodation. Why did they go and spoil a perfectly good means of travel with the introduction of air trooping!!

Bob

Flying home had to be an improvement Bob. I remember paying for a flight from Dusseldorf to Birmingham once and, what with the time difference and a following wind, we landed before take off time !

I remember a BIA telling me once that, with Air Trooping, a soldier and his family could march out, leaving his married quarter in a dirty state and they couldn't do anything about it because he had to be on that flight. Whereas, in the troopship days, he could've been held back and entrained the next day.

Brum,
Just joking, used to pay to fly from Hannover on leave if I could.

As to quarters march out, the individual could still be penalised by him having to pay for the cleaning of the quarter.

Bob

Ah Brum, your innocence and naivety is indeed from another era -"No signee bill - no catchee plane!!"

Shelldrake wrote:

Ah Brum, your innocence and naivety is indeed from another era -"No signee bill - no catchee plane!!"

Crikey, remember shuffling around camp trying to get all those stupid signitures before you were allowed to leave. I have no library books in my possession sir!

Airtrooping in it's infancy was OK if you happened to live in the Home Counties or at the furthest extremity, the Midlands. I remember flying from Gutersloh to Gatwick in the mid 60s, it went something like this:- Reveille 0630hrs then hand in your bedding this was followed by running around camp to get various Clearance Chitties signed which you then presented to the Movements Clerk who gave you your Air and Railway Warrants. The transport left from the Guardroom at around 0900hrs but before you could get on the transport one had to be inspected by the Duty RP, it was a lot easier (and cheaper) to travel in uniform in those days as your civvies would never pass the inspection. The bus would then take you around all the Barracks in the vicinity, finally arriving at RAF Gut two hours before take off and then you would arrive at Gatwick at the same time as you took off. This is where it became a pain for us Jocks, train to Waterloo, Underground to Euston by which time it would be 1700hrs, the train for Glasgow departed at 2300hrs so with 6 hours to kill we did what all Squaddies did - spent our leave pay in the Bar at Euston. We would arrive, via every Station and Halt, some unknown even to Dr Beeching, at Glasgow Central, with a mouth like the inside of a lorry drivers' glove, at 0900hrs the following day. I was glad that we were only entitled to one free flight per year, I could have thumbed a lift and got there quicker.

That`s exactly how i remember it Shelldrake..Only thing was ,i had to get another train to Weymes(sp) Bay then a ferry to Rothesay arriving just in time for 11AM opening and the hair of the dog.

[Crikey, remember shuffling around camp trying to get all those stupid signitures before you were allowed to leave. I have no library books in my possession sir![/quote]

I'm sure Sheldrake will agree, 24 Msl Regt RA had a Chief Clerk who devised the most excruciating clearance chit you could ever have the misfortune to encounter.

As well as the usual stores etc. there was the Regimental Goat, the Ship's Cat,
Frau Schicklgruber (the officer's mess Playgirl of the Month) and Twitching Reg, who cleaned the RSM's fondue set.

God I hated that regiment !

Brum, you forgot the Regimental Barber - Herr Kutt!