My ship was in Queensland Australia north of Brisbane stocking up with beef etc. for its return journey to England.
Descending the gangway to the dock, Glen Douglas the assistant bosun was talking to a young man who was obviously one of the riders from the cattle herd. He was still dressed in his dusty, ragged clothing, the result of many days, perhaps even weeks or months in the bush.
Approaching the two men I could hear Glen Douglas mouthing off in his usual contemptible style. The young man, looking embarrassed, turned away as I passed by, I asked him. “Is everything alright?”
“Yes.” he replied, an uneasy smile on his face.
Glen Douglas turned to me. “It’s none of your bloody business Bonner, on your way.”
Here we go again I thought, feeling my temper rising. I knew the inevitable and proceeded head-on.
“They’re stunning the cows in there with a stun gun,” I shouted, gesturing towards the building, and then raising my fist, “but I’ll do the same to you with this if you don’t bugger off, you horrible little man!”
Glen Douglas, as anticipated, headed back up the gangway, turning to give one of his usual parting shots directed towards the young man. “You’ll never get on this ship!”
I turned and shook the young man’s hand. “My name is Will Bonner, what’s yours?”
“Just call me Smithy.”
“You’re English aren’t you, what part of England do you come from?”
“Rugby.” I was taken aback.
“I live only about 20 miles from there, what was all that business about?”
“Nothing really, I don’t want to get you into trouble.”
“Look Smithy, Glen Douglas is a recognized pain in the neck, nobody likes him so don’t worry about that. Were you asking about something?”
Smithy looked up, hesitating. “I just want to try and get home.”
My heart went out to this bedraggled individual that looked in need of a square meal, shower, change of clothes and a good night’s sleep, but then suddenly remembered why I had come ashore in the first place.
“I want to see the factory manager for a few minutes, could you wait over on the other side of the quay until I get back?”
“Sure.”
I returned in about 10 minutes. As I approached, Smithy greeted me with a smile and I couldn’t help noticing his remarkable facial resemblance to the American actor Glen Ford. “Come aboard to my cabin,” Smithy hesitated once again, “it’s okay, there will be no trouble.”
We and chatted. Smithy recalled how he had jumped ship some two years earlier in Brisbane, and had been riding with the cattle as a jackaroo ever since. .
“Are you hungry Smithy?” but without waiting for an answer. “Stay here, don’t leave the cabin, I’ll get you something from the galley, in the meantime, if you want a wash and brush up, just go ahead.”
The galley was just clearing up breakfast, but I managed to get some left-over eggs and bacon and a cup of coffee, sitting in silence while Smithy devoured it. I opened up the conversation again. “I know the ship’s doctor very well, he’s a good guy. I’ll ask him if something can be done for you.”
Smithy’s face lit up. “Would you really do that for me?”
“Yes, but don’t get your hopes up too high. You’ve worked at sea before?”
“I have as a seaman, and could do all the duties required by a deck hand. I still have my credentials; they are in my bed roll.” I found the doctor reading in his cabin. Quickly going over the reason for my visit I asked him what he thought the chances of getting Smithy aboard were. The doctor looked at me. “Is he the sort of person that you think would be reliable?”
“Yes, I do, he’s quiet and unassuming almost to the point of being apologetic. Having to tolerate the hardship of living in the bush, would I think, be an advantage.”
“Tell him not to mention the jumping ship episode, I’ll talk to the first officer. Come back and see me in about an hour. He would have to sign on soon because as you know, we are sailing this afternoon.”
I ran down to give Smithy the news and he was overjoyed at the thought of a chance to get home. “I’m sorry I’ve forgotten your name but I’ll call you Mac. Thanks' Mac for what you’re doing for me.”
After a wash and shave, and a change into some of my spare clothes, Smithy looked positively neat and tidy. An hour later I talked to the doctor. “I’ve seen the first officer, tell him to go up and introduce himself and if he comes across to him as genuine, he’ll sign him on.”.
It seemed no time at all before Smithy was back in my cabin. “I’ve signed on for the voyage home!” he shouted, his face beaming.
“Don’t tell anybody that you jumped ship, will you?” I reminded him, “and just one other thing. Glen Douglas and the Bosun Shaun McRae will have it in for you, do you realize that?”
“Yes, I do, but I can tolerate that provided I get home. I’m going ashore to get my things and then report to the bosun.” I watched him go ashore with mixed feelings.
Deck hands were making early preparations to cast off and taking a last look across the expanse of bush to the hills beyond, I went about my duties, happy to be at last on the way home.
The voyage along the coast to Brisbane was uneventful until word came along the grapevine that Smithy was being mistreated, Lampy did eventually bring to my attention that the bosun Shaun McRae, and Glen Douglas were giving him all the dirty jobs and unreasonable hours, that no one else wanted. So that was probably the reason I very rarely saw Smithy.
“What are they doing to you Smithy?”
“Look Mac, I don’t want any trouble, I can look after myself. You’ve done enough for me already.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“I can sort it all out for you, if you want me to.”
“Thanks Mac, but no. I can honestly deal with it.”
I left him, knowing that nothing was likely to get resolved, but I had promised not to interfere.
The following day however, I was going about my duties when one of the crew ran into my work station out of breath, telling me that there was a fracas in the corner of the aft well deck near the dispensary. I raced along the deck, but before descending the stairway I saw the bosun looking down into the corner next to the dispensary door. I glanced in that same direction.
Two of the deck crew had Smithy pinned down in the corner and Glen Douglas was crouched with his left knee in Smithy’s stomach, punching him with both fists. My mind exploded and jumping down the stairway four steps at a time my eyes focused on Douglas’s right thigh.
This was not the time to observe the Marquis of Queensbury rules and bounding towards him I kicked him violently in the thigh, propelling him screaming against the dispensary door. The two other deck hands scrambled away and I watched as Glen Douglas limped his way up the open stairway.
“Are you alright Smithy?”
“I’ll survive.” I helped him to stand up.
“Go straight to my cabin and wait for me,” Smithy was about to speak, “do as you’re told.”
Bounding back up the stairway I could see no sign of the bosun. He can wait I thought, as I made my way to Glen Douglas’s cabin. He was lying on his bunk groaning, holding his leg as I entered.
“If you touch me I’ll have you thrown in the Brig!”
I looked down at him in disgust. “You contemptible little sod, you should be taught a lesson. You’re the worst coward I’ve ever seen, hitting a man when he is being held down and can’t hit back!” My temper rose again and I punched Douglas in his injured thigh, bringing more screams of pain which were music to my ears. “I haven’t finished with you yet, but when you feel fit enough go up and see the bosun.”
It took me a while to find the bosun, he was in the forecastle head in Lampy’s work room. Lampy was standing at the bench and Shaun McRae was near the door. As I entered, he stepped back a couple of paces, probably wondering what I would do.
“So, this is where you’re hiding?”
“No, I’ve just come up to see Lampy about some repairs.”
“You’ve just watched a man being held down by your men and beaten up and you didn’t do a thing to stop it.” The bosun looked uneasy, glancing backwards towards Lampy. “I’ve just called on your mate Glen and given him a bit more to think about. Why didn’t you come down to watch that, it would have amused you!”
The bosun retaliated. “We’ll see to it that you spend some time in the brig!”
“No you won’t, and I’ll tell you why. We’re going to come to an arrangement, you and I!” Lampy moved towards the door, but I put up my hand. “Please stay Lampy, I want you to hear this.” I moved closer to the bosun and looked directly into his eyes. “You and Douglas have been giving Smithy all the dirty jobs and persecuting him, well that is going to stop, as of today. You will now give him good jobs and daytime hours!”
“And if I don’t?” I hesitated to make sure that what I had to say had the full impact.
“Do you remember the incident down in the hospital with the dead Bradshaw baby?” The bosun recoiled and Lampy stopped what he was doing. The room fell into silence, My last statement had achieved the desired effect. “If you don’t do as I ask, I’m going to every member of the crew and tell them that you were too scared to even lay eyes on the baby girl that died, and witness her being sewn into the canvas before her burial at sea let alone give a hand. You stood at the door, out of sight, frightened to come in. Lampy and I both know the truth of what happened, and we’ve never said anything to a soul, but it’s now pay back time!”
The bosun swallowed and looked again towards Lampy, but Lampy turned his back indicating that he did not want to be involved. “Well?” I shouted, “I want your answer right now, what is it to be?”
The bosun was struggling with the situation but he knew he had no control over it. If the crew learned that he was weak he would lose their respect and they would ridicule him behind his back, which would be the last thing he would want. “Okay,” he blurted out, “but no special treatment!”
“I don’t think Smithy would ever want that, just fair treatment. Glen Douglas will come to see you, tell him that Smithy is to be left alone. Like them, he doesn’t know about the Bradshaw baby and it will remain a secret between you, me and Lampy.
But I’ll give you warning, if anything happens to Smithy, all that changes.”
I looked directly into his eyes again and the bosun’s head was nodding.
Smithy was bending over the wash basin wiping the blood away from his nose and mouth which was still bleeding slightly. He looked up and smiled and I was happy to see that he had no teeth missing. “Where have you been?”
“Collecting on a debt. By the time you get back to your quarters it will be all over, you’ll get fair treatment from now on.”
Smithy moved towards the door and turned. “You’re a wildcat when you get upset aren’t you? Where did you learn to fight like that?”
“I didn’t, I just go for the easy target!” Both men laughed, and Smithy left to go to what I hoped would be an easier life from now on.
Left alone in my cabin I began to shiver, a reaction in the aftermath of what had happened. I knew that there would be more to come and the ship would be buzzing with all sorts of stories, but I also knew that what I had done had achieved the desired result.
Mid-morning on the following day, I was called up to the bridge to see the first officer. Whatever the consequences were, I knew that this officer was fair, so he was ready to take whatever came. They were alone in the cabin.
“I’ve seen the bosun and Douglas and the others first. When I agreed to take on the new crew member, I got the impression that there would be no trouble, and here we are only a few days out and trouble has arisen. Can you give me your version of what happened?”
I took a deep breath. “The day before yesterday Sir, I heard that Smithy was being persecuted by people that should have been supervising fairly. Yesterday, I was told that a fight was in progress down in the well deck involving Smithy. I ran down there to find him being held down while Douglas punched the living daylights out of him. I was so angry, I went down there and disabled him. To my disgust, some of the crew were just standing around watching. Smithy is a quiet, shy individual and in my opinion would never provoke anyone, especially to fight.”
The first officer smiled. “Dr. Carlisle seems to have the same view, and I do know that Smith is a good deck hand, he seems to know his job very well. Is there anything else Bonner?”
“Yes, Sir. I had a quiet chat with the bosun yesterday after the incident, and he believes as I do that there will be no further trouble.”
The first officer smiled again knowingly. “When I spoke to him, he seemed to have the same opinion, and if that remains the case there will be no further action.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
I left the bridge breathing a sigh of relief, but had it gone the other way he was prepared, as he had practically made up his mind now, that this would be his last voyage, and it would have only meant tolerating the situation until then. During the next few days I saw Smithy quite often as he worked on the deck, indicating that the bosun was keeping his word.
The ship called briefly in Melbourne and I had been ashore returning in the evening It was fully lit as I cleared the top of the gangway on to the deck. There was a crowd of crew members leaning over the rails which seemed odd, as though they were waiting for someone. As I walked on again, I heard Smithy’s name mentioned, which brought me to a halt. Turning to the nearest deck hand I asked him. “What’s going on, what are you all waiting for?”
“Didn’t you know? came the reply, “your friend Smithy has challenged the bosun, each one thinks he can drink the other under the table. They’ve been ashore at one of the hotels and we’re waiting for them to come back.”
My mind went blank. What the hell was Smithy up to? This was the last thing I wanted but before I had time to ponder the circumstances, somebody shouted. “There’s someone coming along the quay!”
I looked down to see the lone figure of Smithy making his way slowly towards the gangway. As he drew closer, I could see he had a broad grin on his face.
“Where’s the bosun?” the crew were calling out to Smithy.
“He’s coming!”
Hearing laughter from the upper deck, I looked up to see the ship’s officers, they were having a preview of what was to come. The scene on the quayside that everyone could now see was hard to believe.
Three of the deck crew including Glen Douglas, were heading uncertainly towards the gangway, one of them pushing a large wheelbarrow, and lying unceremoniously inside, his legs and arms hanging over the sides was Shaun McRae the bosun, completely stoned. Taking hold of his legs and arms they carried him up the gangway, and as they dropped him on the deck he rolled over and over like a sack of potatoes, finishing up on his back as he began to sing an incoherent song, in his native Gaelic.
All the men cheered as he was carried away. This was the bosun’s final embarrassment, witnessed by all and something he would have to tolerate for the rest of the voyage. Smithy’s eyes met mine and we both smiled, it wasn’t necessary to say a word. Smithy had delivered the Coup-de-grace which had been far more effective than my blackmail.
After casting off early next morning it seemed no time at all before, they were passing through the heads at the end of Port Philip Bay, and dropping off the pilot. They were now on their way Home to England via South Africa.
Early next morning I lay on my bunk trying to keep comfortable, when one of the deck hands burst into my cabin. “Smithy’s sick, could you come to his cabin now?”
Smithy was lying on the lower bunk and three or four deck hands seemed to be hanging around not knowing quite what to do. He looked terrible and he cracked a faint smile as I bent over closer to him. Sweat was pouring down from his forehead, and I could feel the heat emanating from his body. Turning to the nearest deck hand “Has anyone called the doctor?”
“No.”
Doc. Carlisle was in the officers dining-room having a meal. Looking towards the door, he beckoned me in. “Smith is sick doctor; he’s running a high fever.”
“Get someone to help you get him down to the hospital, I’ll be waiting for you there.”
Eventually Smithy was deposited on one of the hospital beds where Doc. Carlisle started to examine him. I went outside to the dispensary to wait and eventually Doc. Carlisle came out.
“He’s got malaria.”
“Can he be cured?”
“No.”
“Can he die from it?”
“Yes, but it depends how far advanced it is. He is a young man and will probably pull through okay.” The doctor looked across at me. “I’m afraid he can’t be left alone, so you’ve got your old job back again, referring to a prior incident. I’ll see to it that your duties are taken over.” Reaching into the medicine cabinet he gave Will a bottle of pills. “He must have them every four hours, day and night and also plenty to drink. His fever will come and go, sometimes he’ll be weak and immobile, other times he will be so violent you’ll have to strap him into his bunk to prevent him from hurting himself, especially during this weather we’re going through.”
I had hardly got back into the hospital before Smithy was swinging his arms and calling out, his fever was reaching its peak. Trying to secure him with the straps at first completely failed, and I caught a couple of glancing blows that sent me reeling. Finally getting him secured I was, by this time, not in very good shape himself, but
looking down at Smithy struggling in the harness, like a man in a straightjacket, I was beginning to wonder where it would all end.
The nights and days blended into one another as Smithy went from one crisis to another. The nights were the worst, the lack of natural light emphasized the depressing atmosphere. The evening of the third night during one of Smithy’s quiet periods without fever, I sat alongside his bed feeling completely exhausted from lack of sleep, my head jerking upwards every few minutes in an attempt to keep awake.
A gentle knock came from the door, it appeared hesitant as though the person was having second thoughts. There it was again, I got up and opened the door and I was shocked to see the bosun, Shaun McRae.
I beckoned him inside not quite knowing what to expect. The bosun walked on tiptoe over to Smithy’s bed, an action that I could never have envisaged from this big, heavy-set man. Smithy’s face looked thin and haggard, his eyes sunken, skin yellow from the tablets. The bosun looked across at me. “He’s very sick isn’t he, will he pull through?”
“Yes, he may start to get better in a couple of days when the bouts of fever stop. They are beginning to slow down now.”
“Is there anything I can get him?”
I was taken aback. After everything that had happened and from all previous impressions, I thought it impossible for this man to have any compassion at all. I struggled to answer his question without just saying “no.”
“I’m certain that if he could hear what you have just said it would give him a big boost,” I hesitated. “There’s not much any of us can do right now, but when he gets around to talking again, I shall tell him that you’ve been to see him.”
“You don’t look too hot yourself.”
“I’m just tired and hopefully in a couple of days, I’ll be able to catch up and get some sleep.” The bosun hesitated at the door and looked back at Smithy.
“When he gets back on deck, I’ll see that he gets it easy for a while, until he gets strong again.”
He disappeared through the door leaving me with my mouth and eyes wide open in amazement. What had just happened boosted my own willpower to see things through. My faith in human nature had also been restored.
After casting off early next morning it seemed no time at all before, they were passing through the heads at the end of Port Philip Bay, and dropping off the pilot. They were now on their way Home to England via South Africa.
It was my fourth night with very little sleep. On the fifth day Smithy sat up in bed not really knowing what had gone on during the last few days. It was all over, and I watched as his appetite returned.
The following day I went back to my own cabin and lay down on the bunk, closing my eyes I waited to sink into oblivion, but that was not to be. I could hear Doc. Carlisle’s voice in the distance. “Can’t you fall asleep? Here take this, it will help you.”
I woke abruptly, immediately aware that I may have missed a scheduled duty, but surely, they would have called me? Looking at my watch I concluded that I had hardly slept, a second look however, assured me that this was not the case. I had been asleep for over twenty hours.
What of Smithy? I need not have had any concerns as he was already up and about and the two men talked before finally parting to get their lives back to normality. The voyage home went without any problems.
Smithy was fully recovered by the time they docked in England, and we promised to contact one another at a later date. I signed off and went home to my family, which was now complete, as my father had returned from the war.
During the following week I travelled to London to get my formal discharge, and on my return realized the full implication of having no commitments for the immediate future.
No more voyages. Just an uncertain future.
A footnote:
Over the next couple of years, I visited Smithy and his family in Rugby quite a few times, with very memorable picnic days in Stratford on Avon.
When I met and married my wife Dorothy, I asked Smithy to be my best man, the consequences of which are described in the article about my wedding.