[Phillthechill]

No doubt many ex-passie boat members will have attended many burials at sea but I only witnessed one in my years at sea.

Our Old Man, Walter Couling was on his final trip. He had his wife with him.

We were homeward bound when Walter was taken ill, so the Mate, Pete Swift, took command and we diverted to ? (forgotten the name but it was in "The Bay").

Sadly Walter died and to land a dead body would have meant all kinds of Red Tape delaying the ship so 'Pete', (with the consent of Mrs. Couling), decided on a sea-burial.

The burial was to take place at Noon with me 'on the wheels' down below.

Got 'Stand-bye' on the telegraph followed by 'Half', 'Slow', 'Dead Slow', 'Stop', 'Full Astern' until the ship stopped and then 'Stop'.

I raced up the ladders to witness the burial----and very moving it was.

After Walter, (in his canvas shroud made by the 'chippy'), had slid down the hatch-board, Pete said a few more words and everyone at the burial 'cleared-up' and that was it.

I heard the telegraph jangling and headed-back down-below.

As our speed gradually built-up I got this mental picture of Walter slowly sinking to his final resting-place.

The burial was a very sad, but very moving experience.

Incidentally, when Walter was taken-ill, 'The Chief' had ordered 'the by-pass' to be opened. This valve had the steam by-pass the first few rows of blades on the HP turbine giving, (supposedly!), an increase in speed. All it did on Maipura' was produce vast volumes of black smoke from the funnel!. Phil