QUIBERON sailed north with her youngest ever Engineering Department. It consisted of the Chief Stoker, 6 POM(E)s, 4 LM(E)s, 3M(E)s and 36 M(E)2s.

You could see by the looks on faces who the married men were the day we left Sydney. In fact when we met Parramatta and Yarra on our way up, Ernie Barker was seen in a life jacket on bended knees trying to get permission from the 'Jimmey' to swim across and go back home.

A couple of days before we reached Singapore Fred "The Vulture" Emms received a telegram telling him he was a daddy! Soon after, our own baby "Shorty" Buttress had his day when he had to front King Neptune and his court!

We will admit the Seamen beat us in rugby when we reached Singapore, we were saving ourselves for the next game.

Christmas really arrived with a bang. Who was the stoker perched on top of QUEENBOROUGH's bridge delicately removing "Harvey" with a hammer and chisel?

Our big night was New Year's Eve and the Stokers party. A fast pace was set and it was obvious that some were more set on seeing the Old Year out than the New Year in. New Year's Day won't be mentioned for obvious reasons.

The same old faces of the Engineering Department look like staying a little while longer in QUIBERON and we would like to take this opportunity of wishing drafties the best of luck and fair sailing.

"Tex"