[pompeyfan]

ARCADIA THE FIRST 21 YEARS PART FOUR

On 9th February 1972 at Nassau, Arcadia was berthed alongside QE2, who for some 3¾ hours joined the P&O fleet. After one, or possibly two, lunchtime gins, Third Officer Mark Hoddinott, aided by the Third Radio Officer and abetted by the First Officer and Co boarded the QE2 with the P&O House Flag secreted about the person. Successfully dodging various Officer of the Watch (Cunard Division) armed to the teeth with sextants and binoculars, our gallant duo found their way to the Queens Monkey Island (Gibraltar?) and proceeded with full pomp and ceremony to hoist the P&O House Flag, which unfurled and fluttered bravely from the masthead.

A hasty retreat was successfully beat with all tracks covered, and back to Arcadia and onto the gins again!.

Come sailing time, Arcadia was due to leave her berth at 1800. So, with P&O pomp, the sunset ceremony was carried out, sailing music softly breaking the evening stillness as Arcadia slid from her moorings. QE2, anxious to keep up with the P&O Joneses was askance to find, at HER sunset ceremony. That she had seemed to have crossed the house (Trafalgar!)

Captain (Noah) Dallas was the proud owner of a photograph of the Captain of QE2 standing, arms akimbo, on his Bridge wing, striking a Cunard pose, oblivious of the fact that above his head flutter the unmistakeable colours of the Peninsular and Oriental Gang!.

On 16th February 1972, Arcadia was at anchor in Acapulco Bay. At about 1400 it was observed from the Bridge by the Officer of the Watch that the Fourth Engineer, Ted Miller was enjoying a spell of water-skiing. This in itself would have excited no comment, except that Ted, full of bonhomie and Black Label, and with P&O’s best advertising interests at heart, was speeding around the Bay dressed in full whites including cap, bearing the P&O House Flag fluttering from a broomstick. Mr Miller then completed a ceremonial ski-past salute to Captain Dallas. How he disembarked from his skis rather – er – dampens the story!.

CHRISTMAS DAY 1972

A very drunk and very belligerent Goanese crew member who had entered into too much spirit, or rather Guinness had to be removed forcibly and detained in the lock-up ward in C Deck Hospital aft. It took five men to escort him to the Aft Hospital, these five being David Tomalin (Catering D P) Peter Binns (Baby Doc) Gordon Rennison (Dispenser) Fred (Hosp Att) and Joe (Hosp G S). As these five manfully struggled to keep the miscreant under control they entered the ward, and carried the man to the bed. The heavy steel door swung to and shut behind them. The door had no handle on the inside, and closed with a self-locking device.

This happened in the early part of the evening Christmas Day. Some five hours later a puzzled Coxswain, wondering at the hammering and yelling, released the five prisoners whilst on his late night rounds of the ship. During their evening’s confinement the five not only missed their Christmas Dinners, but also the Captains Party, the Purser’s Party, and their share of Christmas spirit that our Goanese friend had consumed earlier.

This happened before myself and Les Massey took over from Fred, Hospital Attendant and Gordon Dispenser in June 1973. I was told this story, so was very careful when I went into the lock-up cabin whether empty or with an occupant in there, although the lock-up cabin on Canberra was similar. I was Hospital Attendant on Canberra Christmas 1972, and her Christmas Cruise also had a lot of incident even more so than Arcadia. That is a story for another day however, but Christmas 1972 had incidents on at least two P&O ships.

FAMOUS PERONALITIES CARRIED ON ARCADIA UNTIL MAY 1974

January 26/February 2nd 1960
Sir William Slim, Governor General of Australia, flew his personal standard on board.

Early 1960
Dame Pattie Menzies sailed from Sydney to UK in Arcadia on her way to launch Canberra at Harland and Wolff Belfast, a special trip made specifically for the launching.

1964
Famous Australian historian Sir Keith Hancock KBE, sailed

1965
The King and Queen of Malaysia – Raja Permasuri Agong and Yang Di Pertuan Agong.


1968
Rt Hon Sir Robert Menzies and his daughter sailed on a south Pacific cruise, leaving Dame Pattie behind in Canberra, the Australian capital, not the ship.

January 1969
Australian Prime Minister Rt Hon J. G Gorton and his wide sailed from Suva to Sydney as part of their return trip from the Prime Ministers Conference in London.

1972
Miss Evonne Goolagong Australian World Tennis Champion took a cruise from Sydney for a rest prior to participating in the Wimbledon Tournament.

June 1973 onwards
ME! No my boss actually, Major General P.R. Wheatley, D.S.O R.A.M.C (rtd) M.R.C.S L.R.C.P F.R.C.S F.R.S of MED Q.H.S. Formerly Director of Army Surgery and Consultant Surgeon to the Army. Presently serving as Ship’s Surgeon. He was once Orthopaedic Surgeon to Her Majesty the Queen.

With Doc Wheatley as Surgeon, we had quite a medical team because the Dispenser who joined with Doc Wheatley and myself in June 1973 was a retired Naval Lieutenant serving 32 years in the RN getting from Sick Berth Attendant to commissioned Officer. Between him and the Surgeon, they not only had more medals that any crew member on board, but possibly more that anybody in the P&O fleet. When wearing blues, their entire top pocket was full of ribbons indeed going way below the pocket much to the envy of Merchant Navy Officers on board who looked quite stupid compared to these two most with little more than two medals. Les earned the MBE while in the RN, no small achievement along with every medal going including the Order of St John. I learned so much from these two men during my time working with them that I still put to good use today. Even the Captain referred to Doc Wheatley as Sir!