Narrated by Christina Solari (applepie@bigpond.net.au) - British India Steam Navigation Company
Through Andrew "Scruggs" Fairgrieve - ex sparks - BI
On Board SS RAJULA - BRITISH INDIA STEAM NAVIGATION CO.
This was 1968 and a group of Grandmothers (about 8 of them) were traveling from England overland to Australia to visit their offspring. The leader of the pack, who was named Mavis, fancied one of the officers who shall remain nameless for fear of recriminations, and she of course thought her luck was in as he plied her with several bottles of wine.
Some time later out on deck in the romantic moonlight, the poor woman suddenly felt very very sick and promptly threw up over the side. Unfortunately, in doing so she lost her false teeth to the bottom of the ocean. Hysterically she turned to the officer pleading help as she couldn't face the rest of her trip to meet her children without any teeth. A sorry plight indeed!
Thinking quickly as BI officers were taught to do, he rushed below to Doc who unfortunately had partaken of a little too much plonk himself and was snoring gently on his bunk. Not to be deterred our gallant officer delved through various drawers and glass jars until he found four or five pairs of false teeth.
When passengers had died on the trip, Doc had removed their false teeth but on this occasion they came into their own. The dear lady eventually found a pair to fit and went on her way happily ever after.
Whether or not Mavis ever had her evil way with our gallant officer remains locked in the archives of time but I remember the saying "Ah if only I were 30 years younger" being repeated by the younger fraternity as one of their fondest memories of her. Hope this brings a chuckle to you all.
(Andrew's response to the above.....)
Dear Christina,
Time to unlock the archive. After several approaches were politely turned down on the first two nights she abandoned "chatting up" and waited in his bunk until he came off watch. I assume a BI officer was also trained to rise to such occasions for he carried out his duty as required for the rest of the voyage. I would see her passing the radio room about 0815 heading below in her evening attire, always a give-away at that time of the morning!
You can find many more tales of the BI ship Rajula at the contributors page
Quo Vadis ... where do you want to go??!!
Contributor's webpage
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Full Ahead- Next Nautical Yarn
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