Journey to Singapore

Southampton:

Nevasa:   The HISTORY

Built: 1956 Barcley Curle and Co. Ltd., Glasgow. Yard No. 733
Tonnage: 20, 527g 11, 496n 8, 271dwt
Engines: Twin-screw 2x3 Parsons/ Pamatrada turbines 18, 400 SHP. 20.96 Knots (Trials)
Passengers: 220 First Class, 110 Second Class, 180 Third Class and 1, 000 Troop deck - 1965 308 Cabin Class, 1, 090 students.
Laid down May 1953, Launched by Mrs. J. A. Boyd-Carpenter, wife of the then Minister of Transport November 1955. Completed on 12th July 1956.

A fine-looking ship, the Nevasa, third of the name in the history of the British India fleet, was completed in 1956 by Barclay, Curie and Co., Ltd., Glasgow. Designed as one of Britain's largest troopships, for charter to the Ministry of Transport, she is a twin-screw turbine-driven ship, but her career as a trooper lasted a mere six years. The Government's decision to abandon trooping by sea in favour of air transport made her redundant, and after making her last trooping voyage in 1962 she was laid-up in the River Fal.

For two years she lay there, near the King Harry Ferry, and then at last, the decision to convert her to an educational cruise ship having been taken, she was moved from her lay up berth to the shipyard of Silley, Cox and Co., Ltd., Falmouth, who had been awarded the conversion contract.

The move took place on St. Andrew's Day, 1964, and strangely enough, it was Capt. Downer who was appointed to the temporary command of the vessel to make the move. The Nevasa was a dead ship, bad weather was forecast, and Capt. Downer called for all six tugs of the Falmouth Towage Co., Ltd., including his former command, the St. Mawes (ex-Arusha) to manoeuvre the ship from the buoys and round the tricky bend in the Fal to the open waters of Carrick Roads and so to the shipyard in Falmouth harbour.

Fortunately the approaching depression, with its accompanying gale force winds, held off long enough for the operation to be safely completed, and the conversion work soon got under way. Sea trials were carried out from September 15-18, 1965, and the completed ship finally left Falmouth on October 17 on a shakedown cruise with a large party of guests.

The Nevasa made her maiden cruise as a school ship from Southampton, sailing on October 28, 1965 for Madeira, Tangier and Lisbon. Since then she has maintained a full programme of cruises each year. The ship carries 307 adult passengers in cabin accommodation (which may include 70-odd teachers) and 1,090 students in dormitories, the latter having from 12 to 42 berths.

Schools and education authorities from all over the country have taken part in cruises in the Nevasa. There is a permanent education staff on board who arrange lectures in the assembly hall, classroom periods, organised deck games, visits to the bridge and engine room and many other activities.

British India educational cruises have proved their worth, and the Nevasa is an ideal ship for the job—modern, large, but not too large, and stabilised for smooth sailing. Her itineraries are varied and sailings are made from most of the major ports of Britain during the year. Capt. Downer and his ship's company have every reason to find their job a rewarding one.

 

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December 31st 1961 The KOYLI embark on the SS Nevasa for Singapore


Pete Ford (Big Lad in front) is carrying is carrying his sea bag in his right hand, The contents inside is what he would be using on the 3 week cruise, The heavy suitcase in his right hand was put in the hold as we went aboard, His rifle a 7.62mm self loading rifle would be put in the armoury.



Names: Franklin is behind Pete Ford !! carrying teas is Wordsworth signal Platoon,
Daz Burke far right and to his right is Mick Grainger

The Kings Own Yorkshire band was there playing marching songs, with officers wives also waiting to board the ship where they would occupy the officers family mess deck.

I had never been on a ship before and because this ship was very very big to look at, I thought it would be very roomy inside, But alas it was a maze of narrow passageways with massive doors every so often, the headroom was low and I banged my head a dozen times. On reaching our accommodation I was looking for the beds and a contraption was shown us, a rolled up canvas hammock which had an headroom of two feet, you had to get in it by an horizontal type up you go swing in the legs then the head and finally your body, at which time you went over the over side ha ha, They say practise makes perfect, well we had three weeks to get used to it.

It was very sad as the ship left the dockside with the band playing the regimental marches and finally as we moved off God Save The Queen, on which we all sang our loudest, and the crowds cheered us as went further and further away -- everyone thought of their loved ones, and we settled down to a daily routine of Captains inspections in which he wore white gloves to find the dirt, and no matter how hard you cleaned and dusted he would ALWAYS find dirt.

On ship there was a movie one night with scantily dressed ladies, at that time it was rare to see this kind of thing, and we did NOT know that the steward who was running the movie and who charged everyone 2 shillings for entry was doing it against the captains orders, There was
an investigation whilst we were in Terendak by the special investigation branch, to get evidence against the petty officer and as far as I know nothing came of it.

Note:

Tim Humphreys ex Recce Platoon

(Click image  for larger image)




Has reminded me that the "Fastest Liner in the world at that time, the SS Canberra passed us at some stage in our voyage, Here is a photo that Tim sent me. (Cheers Tim)


 

Gibraltar

Suez Canal:

There were a queue of ships waiting out at sea for their turn to enter the canal, it was blistering hot on deck, so we were kept busy below decks of fatigue duties.

It was sometime during the day that I had been sent to clean the captains cabin and as I just glanced through the port hole I saw a desert seemingly just a few feet away, bloody hell that was a shock, the next one seeing the Arabs pulling up their long white shirts showing their bottoms to the passengers on our ship, meaning the officers wives ha It was strange being somewhere where I had read about at school, a great adventure I thought, As I slogged away with the duster --- ha apart from that little shock it was quite boring.

Aden:

We called in at the Port of Aden, and given a lecture on what we should and should NOT do whilst ashore for a few hours, one of those hints was NOT to look at the Arab women as the men folk carried big knives. We went ashore and it was really hot, smelly and thousands of goats being herded through the streets, a real awful place to be, like the Arabian nights, but not as clean. I didn't have a good impression of the place, but who am I to judge --

We did not know that in 1965 we would be there for 9 months on active service, we lived in tents in a camp called Radfan,
It was ok we did not  grumble it was warm, the sand storms were a nuisance and covered our beds in sand, but I did enjoy it great adventure. I
 missed my family very much but I was doing what I joined up for.

Les outside his home
















Ray Moore in Radfan camp




When finally arrived home after being in the desert and continuous sun every day, I was black and my youngest said "I don't like the Black man mum"  Noi told her,  "He is your daddy Susan" -- it took some weeks before she got used to me, As she was a baby when I left home. It was great to be home but I had the wanderlust of all soldiers and that is to get back at work.

Colombo:

We were due to call in at the port of Colombo but due to a civil uprising, we were advised to keep away from shore and NOT to show any weapons on the deck as this could be misconstrued as a threat to the civil populace

Singapore

Were YOU on his exercise ? Have your say