S.S. CHARLTON STAR
DRAFT 775 M.E.A.F
"NOT ON THIS SHIP - NO CERTIFICATE"
As Remembered By Brian Carding, RAF El Hamra
Are there any ex RAF chaps out there who remember the above draft number? Is so, you will recall that in the early 50’s we weren’t given our postings overseas, just in a Draft number.
If my memory serves me right, the weekend of the old August Bank Holiday in August 1953 was Friday, 2nd and Saturday, 3rd August. We embarked on a ‘Troop Train’ at Lytham, near Blackpool, on the morning of Friday, 2nd August en route for Southampton. As we pulled into the docks at Southampton there were all kinds of ships, some large, some not so large. The lads in our part of the train, myself included, were guessing as to which one was ours. Needless to say, nobody got it right! We were told to ‘Get Fell In’ on the quayside, then they informed as to which ship we were to board, which was named S.S. Charlton Star. To us it looked like a tug!
As we started to board, some of us noticed that there were painters still painting the rails on the side of the ship. We were allocated to our sleeping accommodation!! I remember one of the painters asked what we were doing on board, we told him that we were going to the Middle East. His reply was something like, “Not on this ship, as it didn’t have a ‘Board of Trade’ certificate of sea worthiness.” Imagine our surprise!!
But it happened that on the Saturday morning the certificate was issued and we were to set sail at 12 noon. This duly happened and as we left aboard the Charlton Star, the band of the H.M. Royal Marines were on the quayside playing ‘There’s No Place Like Home’. There were a few wet eyes.
As we got to sea, we were informed that the ship would be calling in at Gibraltar and Malta. Alas, this didn’t happen as the ship started taking in water so we went straight to Port Said. I remember on board with us were the Black Watch Regt along with their band, they were bound for Mombasa. I think it was either one or two nights that the Black Watch Band played for us on deck.
We sailed on and finally reached our destination, Port Said. On disembarking
we were formed up on the quayside and given our postings. Mine, RAF El Hamra.
It was then on to the buses and three tonners which transported us to El Hamra,
quite a journey.