Go Back   Shipping History > Swinging The Lamp (Off Topic) > Wartime Memories

The Saga of Tommy Shenfield.

Post Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 2nd June 2024, 09:41
Dartskipper's Avatar
Dartskipper United Kingdom Dartskipper is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Paignton. Devon.
Posts: 1,274
Images: 304
The Saga of Tommy Shenfield.

What follows is an incident that happened as told by my Dad that happened during his time as an apprentice with Shell Tankers. I think it happened when he was serving on the Horn Shell in 1940 to 1941.

One of the officers, possibly the 2nd Mate, was a gentleman named Tommy Shenfield. Apparently he was one of those chaps you meet who enjoyed a laugh and playing pranks. The ship was on its last voyage before going into dry dock for a refit, so there seemed to be a severe outbreak of "Tankeritis." Leg pulling and practical jokes were the order of the day. Some fire extinguishers had been emptied in mock battles between the Engine Room staff and the deck officers. Most of the Pyrene extinguishers in the engine room had been used to clean boiler suits. Tommy had been quite prominent in these activities, until he let it be known that his "funny" accent was because he had been born in South Africa to Dutch parents. This immediately triggered accusations and more jokes about him being a German spy, which gained even more traction when Tommy let it slip that his name was really Thomas Schoenfeld.

One day near the end of the voyage, Tommy arrived on the Bridge when it was his time off watch. He approached the First Mate who was holding the watch and started to ask him why it was ok for everyone to make fun of his accent and make false accusations about him throwing "secret messages" over the side for enemy submarines to pick up.(Dad was on the watch too,and witnessed the whole event.) Tommy had been poking the Mate in the chest while keeping one hand in his jacket pocket. He asked the Mate if he could take a joke too. The mate replied that "Of course Tommy, you know I could."
Tommy immediately whipped the Mate's hat off, and brought his other hand down on top of the Mate's head, smashing a rather old and smelly egg into his hair.

"Very good Mister Mate, the yolk's on you now!" replied Tommy, beating a hasty retreat.
__________________
"You do not ask a tame seagull why it needs to disappear from time to time towards the open sea. It goes. That's all." Bernard Moitessier.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 2nd June 2024, 10:38
Malcolm G's Avatar
Malcolm G Malcolm G is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Poole
Posts: 1,613
Images: 7
Ah yes, the South African Dutch ‘spy’.
As used in the 1958 film, Ice cold in Alex. But in that case he really was a spy.
__________________
The Mad Landsman
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 2nd June 2024, 22:09
Engine Serang Northern Ireland Engine Serang is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Dublin,but I'd rather be in Stavanger.
Posts: 3,026
Captain Renault would quickly sort him out.
Reply With Quote
Post Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Saga Pearl 11. Ray The Galley 2 16th April 2019 09:06
Ex Liverpool Bar Planet Lightship saga Lucy Knight Mess Deck 20 31st May 2018 06:53


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 06:19.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.