The Story of Portishead Radio Long Range Maritime Radio Communications: 1920 – 1995

An interesting article of maritime history

We are indebted to Bill Griffiths, editor the Newsletter of the Portishead Small Boat and Sea Angling Club for this story of Portishead Radio.

Portishead Radio
Portishead Radio

1995 saw the 75th anniversary of long range maritime radio communications in the United Kingdom, which started from humble beginnings in 1920.  Broadcasting to ships had been taking place since the early days of radio; the General Post Office (GPO) long wave stations at Poldhu and Caernarvon had been conducting two way traffic with ships within a few hundred miles of the United Kingdom prior to the First World War. However, no long-range system existed until 1919 when the GPO and the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company agreed to convert a redundant Imperial Wireless Chain receiving station at Devizes in Wiltshire.

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Strange Bedfellows

On the Shipping Club’s recent joint outing to Windermere, myself and two other members had the good fortune to share a table for lunch with a lovely couple from the Liverpool party. I think parts of the ensuing conversation are well worth recording.

We were sitting awaiting the arrival of our friends from the Anchorage Club. As they entered; we beckoned to this lady and gentleman and invited them to join us – assuring them that all three of us were fluent in ‘Scouse’. That seemed to do the trick, they promptly sat down and introduced themselves as Joyce and Jim to which I replied that we were John…, George…, and before I could say Brian, Joyce quickly remarked ‘And you must be Ringo!’- After that there wasn’t a dull moment throughout lunch and until we departed for our trip on the lake steamer.

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It’s all in the language!

By TASC Member Tom Purvis (River Tyne Pilot Retired)

Talking with Tom Purvis the other day, he remarked on how seeing his father’s photograph on our website, reminded him of the following story…

He was piloting a small naval vessel up to Newcastle quay, and, as is the ‘Navy Way’ they always berth head-out, ready for a quick get-away. A Tug was ordered to help swing the sweeper and tow up stern-first from the swinging area at Tyne Main. It was common practice (and still is) for the commander to have ‘His Pilot’ (usually a junior officer) control the vessel. However, normally when a tug is involved-and especially when towing stern first, for the river pilot to take over.

But in this case the Captain asked my father if his pilot could carry on. As they approached the berth the officer shouted to the tug ‘Varst tow tug’ the accent not being native to the North East Coast! The Captain was none too pleased when the tug appeared to ignore his command. Father stepped in and shouted ‘Eeasy Ower Jimmy’ To which the tug quickly responded. You can imagine the look of disbelief on the officer’s face! …He had assumed that the crew on the tug spoke English!….wrong!!

Tyne Pilot Boat Memories

We thank  T.A.S.C. Member Tom Purvis (River Tyne Pilot Retired) for the following pictures and information.

Pilot Boat 'Caer Urfa'
 Pilot Boat ‘Caer Urfa’

Built 1957 by Millers of St. Monance. On Station from May 1957 and sold June 1986

Model made by Tom Purvis

Pilot Boat 'Protector'
                      Pilot Boat ‘Protector’

Built in 1907 by JP Rennoldson of South Shields. Destroyed by enemy mine on the 31st December 1916 with the loss of all hands – 19 Pilots and Crew.

Model made by Tom Purvis

Pilot Boat 'Queen of the May'
            Pilot Boat ‘Queen of the May’

Ex. Private Yacht of the Coates family (of cotton thread fame) Acquired in 1917 as replacement for ‘Protector’ Sent to Forth in 1940 and requisitioned by the Admiralty August 1943

Model made by Tom Purvis

Pilot Boat 'Britannia'
                   Pilot Boat ‘Britannia’

Stand-by Cutter from 1920 – 1938. Steam Drifter built 1907

Model made by Tom Purvis

Pilot Boat Rebecca
                           Pilot Boat Rebecca

(Tom Purvis’ Grandfather’s coble)  This model was whittled from a single piece of wood by J Purvis (Pilot) and dated 1910

Sunk By Enemy Action – SS Talamba

We are grateful to TASC Member Paschal Gunawardena for this fascinating story written by his late uncle Stan Fernando

Hospital Ship Talamba
Hospital Ship Talamba

The following article was written by Stan Fernando, a Junior Engineer from Sri Lanka (Ceylon as known then), who was serving on S.S. Talamba at the time when disaster stuck.

The article was first published in ‘The Sunday Times’ news paper (Sri Lanka) 24th February 1980 issue and again sometime later in the Institute of Marine Engineers’- Sri Lanka Branch bulletin.

This is his recollection of events on that fateful night.

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Star-Struck!

By TASC Member Tom Purvis (River Tyne Pilot Retired)

Around October 1938, my Father, (also Thomas Hall Purvis) one of the youngest First Class pilots at that time, boarded the ‘Kungsholm‘, one of Swedish America lines largest passenger ships.

Passenger Vessel Kungsholm
Passenger Vessel Kungsholm

Being full of trepidation of the task in front of him, he put the vessel to anchor and a few hours later entered on the early morning tide. It was a dark October morning, and whilst concentrating very hard and aware of this particularly high profile job, he noticed out of the corner of his eye an extremely attractive young blonde girl, obviously Swedish!

In a fleeting moment he did question who she was as passengers weren’t allowed on the bridge, he perhaps assumed she was the Captain’s daughter. After making fast and being able to relax he had a chat to the ‘blonde’, found her delightful and very easy to talk to.

As was customary in those days, the Captain invited my father to his cabin for a drink.  “Are you aware pilot, who that young lady on the bridge was?

The Young Greta Garbo
The Young Greta Garbo

Father was now expecting a “Keep your hands off my daughter” speech! But the answer was….Greta Garbo!!  Word got out and he was asked to take part in the equivalent of ‘In Town Tonight’ a well-known radio program of its time. I have a copy of the script and a note of his fee of 2 guineas (two pound two shillings)

I’ve attached a treasured photo of my Father boarding a British tanker. At the time he was almost 70 years old (they were forced to retire in those days at 70, this broke his heart) In fact within 6months of retirement he had a major heart attack and died when only 75!

Pilot Thomas Hall Purvis
Thomas Hall Purvis

 

A Christmas Surprise

By TASC Member Tom Purvis (River Tyne Pilot Retired)

One Christmas I was on-call pilot till 9am Christmas day. Checking with the office before I turned-in. was told “all quiet- nothing doing” So off to bed and looking forward to a good night’s sleep and a work-free Christmas day.

About 3am, the phone’ rang and the voice on the other end said “This is not a wind-up, there’s a Danish coaster off the piers. The Master has informed Tyne Harbour that the cook has stabbed one of the sailors and he is lying dead on the boat deck: The police will be at the Pilot jetty in half an hour, can you be there and bring the ship  into the Tyne Commissioners quay ?”

Once I realised I was awake and not dreaming! I got dressed, and proceeded to the jetty. There waiting, were 6 PC’s all armed and wearing body armour. As we got alongside the ship we were advised that the Master had locked himself in the bridge. The sergeant said she would board first secure the scene and told me to wait. Quickly I was told that the scene was secure, the cook was sitting very calmly in the mess. “But come up to the bridge on the port side because the sailor is lying under the starboard lifeboat and the deck is swimming in blood!” 

The master was in no fit state to do anything and I took the controls and got the vessel into the river and alongside the quay moved here. Not a lot of conversation and all I could do was get my bill signed and make my way ashore. Yes you guessed we were starboard side alongside and I forgot about the blood!!

Eventually, at home, we sat down to Christmas dinner and deciding that this year we would have roast beef I made sure it was well-done.!!

Anything Can Happen At Sea!

By TASC Member Tom Purvis (River Tyne Pilot Retired)

In February 1966, I was 4th mate on the Mobil Transporter (yes Mobil Oil carried 4 mates??). She was a 35,000 ton crude oil carrier and we were to discharge at a SPM (that’s single point mooring) off Fiumicino, the port for Rome. The SPM is a dolphin construction with a roller fairlead to which you make fast with 3 bites of rope from the foc’sle head. Critically this meant 2 of the bites were on the same set of bollards. A floating pipeline ran from the SPM and attached as normal to the manifold.

We had just completed discharge, totally empty with the forefoot clear of the water, when we felt the full force of the mistral blowing at force 8-10. So rapid was the blow we never had time to ballast and the order was given to let go immediately. In the panic the 2nd mate on the foc’sle let go the single rope on its own bollard which meant letting go the second rope which put all the weight onto one rope.

These were ployprop ropes which gave no warning of parting unlike a sisal type rope which starts to shred before parting. You guessed the rope parted and completely severed the Serang’s leg above the knee. However although you get no warning with a polyprop as they expand they generate enormous heat and a top class hospital doctor could not have done a better job, virtually no blood or tearing of the flesh.

Chaos followed including the emergency helicopter’s winch jamming, which meant it had to return to base to free same!! Eventually we cleared the berth got some ballast in and proceeded on our way. The 2nd mate was now on the bridge and a full blow by blow account of the disaster was recalled, the ‘old man’ turned to him and said what happened to the Serang’s leg…..”Well, it was no use to him anymore so I threw it over the side!!

An immediate cable was sent to the coastguard…..“If anyone reports finding a leg on the beach, it’s OK, we know who it belongs to!”

 

Old Glox’ Ghost

Old Glox’ Ghost
By Capt. GW Mortimer
(The Compass Magazine Sept/Oct 1969)

Submitted by TASC Member George Wade                Gloxinia

‘So you’re not superstitious – you don’t believe in ghosts’
Neither did the master of the Steamship Gloxinia.

Until I served in the old Gloxinia I was strongly opposed to any opinions that supported beliefs in ghosts and supernatural apparitions, spirits, and the restless dead. When I left that ship, I had an open mind on the subject and now will listen with some sympathy to narratives of experience with unearthly forces. Sailors as a group tend toward easy acceptance of superstition and belief in the hyperphysical. It has been written that ignorant people in general tend to these beliefs naturally, the supposition being that the educated mind can provide reason and explanation for most occurrences within the bounds of live agency.

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Behar Tragedy

By David Sibley

(From SHIPPING Today and Yesterday)

 

IN SEPTEMBER, 1947, a British Military Court war crimes trial was held in Hong Kong in to the execution of crew members and passengers of the British cargo ship Behar, 7,840grt, owned by the Hain Steamship Co., a subsidiary of the P. & 0.Steam Navigation Co. The Behar had been sunk on Mar. 9, 1944, by the Japanese heavy cruiser Tone, under the command of Captain Mayazumi.

The cruiser was part of the Japanese 16th Squadron of the South West Area Fleet under the command of Vice-Admiral Sakonju, who flew his flag in the cruiser Aoba.

At the trial, Vice-Admiral Sakonju was charged with giving the order to execute the approximately 65 prisoners, and Captain Mayazumi was charged with carrying out that order. However, the owners stated to the court the official figure was 72.

The Japanese South West Area Fleet headquarters was located at Penang and at a conference held in February, 1944, it was decided that Allied shipping was to be attacked in the Indian Ocean with a view to disrupting the Allied supply routes.

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