In
the fifties when I was assistant Manager in our Port Elizabeth office I was
busy. The job was new. The Port was congested and ships stayed much longer than
normal. Sometimes three alongside at the same time.
They expected me to visit in the morning and late afternoon apart from being
present when they docked at 6 in the morning or left at 11 at night, after
which I spent a few hours in the office reconciling cargo receipts with
tallies. Bills had to be ready at 8 in the morning so that shippers could get
their cargo receipts into the bank by 9 and the credit available for new wool
purchases. (we loaded a lot of wool in P.E.)
In
between there were Port meetings to attend, customers to be contacted to get
their business, office work to be done like statistics, correspondence, cargo
lists, freight receipts to be signed etc. etc.
If
the Manager was away I had to attend to the Netherlands Consulate where a
couple of Dutchmen visited every day.
Business
was brisk and the company often had to charter extra ships to cater for the
demand. Especially when congestion kept vessels tied up in
the bay waiting to come alongside.
One
of those ships was the m.v. ADRIAN a German ship
belonging to Reederei Komrowski
in Hamburg. We had that ship for a year or so and she made most of her voyages
to Africa.
Her
Captain Meckmann was a most correct gentleman and his
crew efficient. However it was custom to also have one of our own officers on
board as a so-called super-cargo, keeping an eye on stowage and cargo care.
Anyhow,
one day I walked into Capt. Meckmann's cabin
complaining that I was absolutely worked off my feet. The Captain spoke to me
in a fatherly manner: "Herr Janzzen, praize you lucky. After ze war I waz demobbed from the Kriegsmarine
and could not get work ( U boat commanders were being
investigated) I waz staying wiz my cister in Hamburg and every morning zaw
people goink to work, returning in the late
afternoon. But I just had to zit and vatch and could
do nottingk useful. Desperate I packed some clozing and went to the docks where I signed on as a wireless operator on a
dirty Greek tramp sailing to New York. I waz
ze happiest man in the wurld,
doing something uzefool again!" (I
indicate an accent but only for literary effect. Herr Kapitän
spoke very good English.)
I
have always remembered that story and restrained my complaints about my
workload from then on. As I got to know
the P.E. job I managed to organise my time better and overall I enjoyed my
career in shipping very much indeed! Met lots of interesting people and saw
many exciting places.
Australians
don't like work very much especially on a nice sunny day or weekend. Whenever
they complain to me I ask: "if you don't like your job can I have
it?" That makes them think and we end up with having a good laugh! If I
get a chance I tell the Meckmann story.
Another
way to sooth their pain is to say: "thank you for working on a Sunday,
(late or on holidays) to enable me to get a crate of beer or
whatever." They look at you in astonishment
and then smile!
And
that's what everybody likes: Enjoy the job and receive the odd pat on the back.
Mind
you, employers are often pretty boorish. When I got promotions they would
confirm the better job in writing and end the letter: We hope that in your new
position you will continue to look after the company's interest or similar
platitudes. As if I could not quite be trusted with the new responsibility!
They did not mean to insult me but they did not know any better!
Last
but not least. M.v. "Adrian" served Becks
beer which is different from the Dutch/South African or Australian brews. I got
to like it and even nowadays I buy the odd bottle when
I can afford it and think of the Adrian and its Captain. Good chap!
P.S.
Obviously he was vindicated of any war crimes.
Anton
Jansen