Been reading the casualty rapport of sinking the' ship which name I now want no mention ', a ship,which went down, with all her crew. It was on a usual sinking of a ship among those casualties that happen almost every day.
But in this case, there is something more to me, because I knew many of the crewmen of that vessel. And I knew the history of that company that managed that ship. In addition, there was a man among the crew who I was helping gets his job on that ill-fated vessel. And for a reason of that, I, in the way or other, still feel guilty to been assistance him find his job aboard that ill-fated vessel.
The operator of that vessel I also knew, and still know as well as know many else, I am sorry to say that the reputation which this man has gained among the sipping business, does not sound always so good and what ever there is, let himself response to all that when the time of the last trial come.
My first acquaintance with this man many years ago, belonged in the business in which he was acting as a cargo operator, the agent, and I was acting as the skipper on board an old coaster, and it was late autumn when we brought a cargo from Bremen to Sweden.
During that voyage we encountered severe weather and fog. Upon arrived in Swede the wholly polish crew ran away, saying they do not want go out any more in that rusted hulk with wages not paid.
The coaster flied Maltase flag and was really in poor contrition yet still classed into seaworthy.
When the cargo was unloaded I received a phoned call from the operator of which he ordered me to go to Finland to be load Granite stoned for Spain. I said I shall not go anywhere out of the Baltic Sea. He abused me to crying out of phone “Are you man or woman?" Are you afraid you of the seas? Have you eggs or pussy in your pantaloon?
That sort of tongue the operator used, when I still denied of the order he yeled: “You are fired. Give the phone to teh chief mate. I passed the phone to the chief mate who was standing by side of me and has heard all the talk. As the operator ordered the mate to teak over the master position on the board, the chief mate said he want not take any skipper job, moreover the appointment the master belong not to the operator but the owner of the ship who was totally other person as the operator in question.
Yes, this is stump of the background of the following story what tells the story of those men who perished at the North Sea off the Norwegian coast in winter in1996
I am writing this story to sailor fellows for they could best understand the reality and the life aboard those hulks.
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