SEVEN DAY HEAVENLY CRUISE

As Enjoyed By John Hunt, RAF Ismailia & El Firdan

The Empress of Australia

The date was Saturday the 4th of August when we left Rugeley – the year was 1951 – to proceed to St. Catherine’s Dock at Liverpool where the big ship awaited our departure, not to the Canal Zone but to the George Cross Island of Malta. Setting sail around 11pm we soon settled down in our hammocks for a nights kip. The following day was spent feeling our way around the ship getting familiar with how best to skive etc.

There were six of us who decided to make the most of our time aboard ship for our seven days trip to Malta and although well aware of the ‘Standing Orders’ that were posted every day we decided to ignore showing up for parades when the jobs were being given out but meal times and breaks were a different thing all together, after all it was a cruise so why not enjoy it.

We were told that the Bay of Biscay would be rough but it was like a ‘mill pond’, we never noticed it – playing cards, walking the decks, enjoying tea breaks, meals and cigarettes – it was the perfect way of spending those days of yore.

There was Peter, Brian (a real skiver and a true Londoner), Jock and Taff and the one mate who tagged along with me throughout my time in Malta and the Canal Zone, one Stan D’Silva. Talk about the Crazy Gang...we had an answer for everything during those seven days of heaven. Indeed, it would be good to have a reunion but in the main, remembering their surnames is beyond me.

Yes, the Empress of Australia has nothing but sweet memories. On reaching the Med we dispensed with hammocks and took to the decks to sleep – that was the life .... memories!

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