the NUS and the RFA
 

I never gave it a thought at the time,1959, but I joined an RFA going out on station to the far East for about fourteen months. I can't speak for deck and engine room crew with the exception of one deck boy but at least six of the catering had no previous sea time, the captains tiger was a sixty year old first tripper. None of them went to sea school, all of them came from Plymouth. Was this a case of Devonport looking after the locals who wanted to ship out? So where was the NUS meanwhile? How could these lads take jobs from bona fide MN members? Maybe the RFA under admiralty made its own rules.

Your post is not hidden however I cannot give you a definitive answer to your query. I sailed RFA for 30 years from 1963. The UK crews sometimes seemed to consist of more than the average number of Geordies, Scousers, Jockanese etc. I suspect that if the ship was signing on a brand new crew after a big refit, then the pool for that port would appoint them.

Regards

KR