Emergency Boat Drill
For the Caronia's crew, as on any British ship, emergency boat drills were regularly held. Most often they were held whilst the ship was at sea, although if there was an extended stay in port, they would be held there too.
There was usually a set time for these events, either at 11am or at 3.00pm. For us in the catering department the afternoon drills were especially not popular, not that emergency drills were ever looked-forward to. Basically, we'd be required to fetch our life-jackets and be present on time at our alloted boat station.
Unlike the passenger boat drills held under cover on the Promenade Deck, we'd muster in the open on the Boat Deck, regardless of the weather! Once we'd had our names checked as present, we'd then stand and witness the lowering of the lifeboats.
[Left]
An emergency boat drill in progress on board Caronia whilst at New York
[Photo: © Chris Griffiths 1965]
Only whilst the ship was in port would we actually clamber into the boats. Eventually, the command would come over the loud-speakers from the bridge to raise the boats and it wasn't until every boat was raised and fully secured that we'd be allowed to stand down. Sometimes the wait for the last boat raised would seem like an eternity.
The only exception to attending boat drills whilst the “Green Goddess” in port was if your watch was officially on shore leave, everyone else was obliged to attend. This quite unique photo was taken by Chris Griffiths recording a very unusual event - a crewman from the ship witnessing the lifeboat lowering from the quayside.
Daily Drills
Every day at sea, usually at 11am, there would be the ritual testing of the ship's watertight doors. The gear arrangement for opening and closing these very heavy steel doors was attached to a mechanical bell-striker that emitted a loud mournful clang every second or so.
Watching these chunky pieces of metal being closed the first time round was fascinating. However, the fascination soon wore off. The claustrophobic feeling that closing these doors caused will always remain with me and, probably like many others, I'd avoid being in or near the working alleyway at that hour if I could.
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