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THE M.V. CALCHAS

Launched on 27th August 1946 by Mrs Lawrence D Holt, the Calchas was built by Harland and Wolff Limited in Belfast.

Technical Data on Calchas indicates that she was a cargo vessel of 7,639 gross tons with a length overall of 487 feet 0 inches. Her 8 cylinder, 2 cycle, double-acting diesel engine gave her a service speed of 15 knots.

From her first voyage in 1947, Calchas was designated as the Company’s training ship, and she operated in this role until 1956. Calchas had accommodation for 22 midshipmen. Eighteen of them occupied the seamen’s house at the after end of the centrecastle, abaft No. 4 hatch, and the remaining 4 were housed in the half deck. Training was planned so that, on any one voyage, half the midshipmen were on their first trip on her, and the other half were on their second. There were only 2 professional seamen on board, the Bosun and the Carpenter, and so the midshipmen were responsible for undertaking all the other duties of a normal deck crew. Senior deck crew positions such as Bosun’s Mate, Carpenter’s Mate and Lamptrimmer were allocated to senior midshipmen on merit.

Calchas was not equipped with a schoolroom, nor did she carry a dedicated schoolmaster. Whilst on board Calchas, midshipmen continued to study through a correspondence course, which was designed, administered and assessed by the Company’s training department, and the ship’s officers would offer advice and help if requested to do so.

In 1955, Calchas carried 14 engineer cadets in place of firemen and greasers, but, after only a few voyages, this experiment was discontinued.

Photographs and anecdotes are a great way to show that midshipmen not only worked hard but played hard.

Any material that you would like to display would be most gratefully received.