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These images show life aboard Saint John during her many patrols.
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Liberty Ship Salvage: bottom, to the right~
Excitement Galore
on HMCS Saint John
The Twenty-first of August,
In the year of forty-four.
T' was plenty warm in the engine room,
The watch was twelve to four.
George said, "What a time I had
In Belfast, while on leave".
Steve said, "Not as good as I,
In Ballynerra, I could grieve".
Vic was smoking a rank old pipe
With tobacco that smelled like hay.
While Tom, of course, thought poker,
Said, "When do we get our pay"?
"Stop, the telegraph rung down,
We did a tuck and nip.
"Three Air Force Blokes, somebody cried,
Are in the briny deep".
Our Skipper brought the ship around.
It was a lovely night.
We heaved them. gently to the deck.
They'd been in quite a fight.
Six more of the crew, all brave men,"
They said,"Are gone, we know not where,
But as soon as we are well again,
We'll continue in the air".
The watch below are excited,
To tell you I do not need.
When the telegraph, it rang again,
"Hasten at full speed".
"Clear up the decks," the Captain cried,
And how those sailors ran.
And then he yelled down here below,
"Make all the smoke you can".
Now this is something new to us,
We knew it was no joke.
For usually it's, Clear Lower Decks,
And Stop That Blasted Smoke!
The shells were bursting all around,
Like the twenty-fourth of May.
We all thought sure our time had come,
To wait till judgement Day.
Our smoke screen was a perfect one,
The S. P. O. laid down.
And throttles they were open wide,
We surely went to town.
In half an hour we're in the clear,
The excitement it was over.
And we began to laugh and laugh,
Like children, at play with Rover.
This is the life of a sailor Folks,
Why they are free and easy.
This is the end of my poem too,
I hope you like them breezy.
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Belfast Refit - March 1945
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