I always enjoy Andrew Linington’s Ships of the past articles, but I was particularly pleased to see RFA Resurgent take centre stage (Nautilus Telegraph, June 2020). I was on Resurgent for her last foreign voyage, to the Pacific coast of USA and Canada, and also previously served in her sister ship Retainer.
It was widely thought that these ships were considered ‘naughty boy’ postings by our appointers in London, and we never sought to disabuse them of this notion! It is true that they took a lot of work for the engineers to keep them in good order, but with the generous manning of chief, second, 4 thirds, 3 fourths, 7 juniors, 3 electricians, 2 fridge engineers and usually a pair of cadets, I don’t recall the workload ever becoming onerous. Any displays of dismay at being given an appointment to these elderly ladies of the sea were, therefore, purely for effect, in the knowledge that a great trip awaited us!
Stephen Piper
More letters
DP training was fine until the goal posts were moved
I very much agree with the letter written by member number 179359 regarding the high costs of attaining and revalidating dynamic positioning (DP) certification.
In memory of Anthony (Tony) Fell
In memory of Anthony (Tony) Fell, a former Council member and a Union member since 1963 who was dedicated to furthering the development of radio officers.
SED should be extended to all those at sea for over six months a year
Given the changes in the operation of UK-flagged vessels, is it not time for the rules around claiming Seafarers' Earnings Deduction to be reviewed?