The Training Ship - T.S. Vindicatrix

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Jane Otto of East Berkshire College on behalf of Bill Davis and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

The first meal on the 'Vindi' was very good and plentiful but from then on we were always hungry. It was due to the training and a new way of life.
I served three months on the ship before 'passing out' as a merchant sailor who had never been to sea.
I had one week's leave - and that was it! We came back and continued our training and the usual practice was to be sent home to go on the 'pool' (like the sailor's labour exchange). Unfortunately, being an unlucky boy, I was discharged on 9th of the month and was sent to Cardiff to sign on the same day.
Everything was different from the training ship. We were offered as much as we wanted - eggs, bacon and all sorts. The other sailors were laughing and I couldn't understand why at first.
We duly sailed from Cardiff in a very bad air raid so we joined a convoy and off to Africa. It didn't take long before I was sea-sick. I felt very very bad. I had to carry on working as the jobs were allotted regardless.
I was on the bridge of the ship as lookout and was duly sick. I was told to go and get a bucket and mop and clean it up.
I sat out on the deck afterwards and said to myself 'what am I doing here? This is going to be my last trip.'
Like a good sailor I got over it and for five years I never looked back.

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