The USSR - 1954


The "Eastern City" arrived in Novorossiysk, a major naval port in the USSR, the Soviet Union, on 13th September 1954. In 1942, the town was occupied by the Wehrmacht but a small unit of Soviet sailors defended one part of the town for 225 days, until it was liberated on September 16, 1943 by the Russian Red Army. The heroic defence of the port by the sailors allowed the Soviets to retain possession of the city's bay, which prevented the Germans from using the port for supply shipments. Novorossiysk was awarded the title of a "Hero City" in 1973.

So we arrived there eleven years after its liberation from the Nazis but the evidence of the war was still evident. The first impression of the place was dilapidation and lack of money. There was no humour in the place, the officials were grim and solid. No cameras were allowed. Passes had to shown. The military were everywhere.

The ship was inspected and passed to load wheat for Brazil. The Mate thanked me for my help - I was chuffed. [I know that I did really well but then other Apprentices like John Hopkins, John Cann, Vic Pitcher and other Smith's lads did well and all went on to be Captains in various trades, the training was hard but the best!]

I went ashore to see the town. The first thing I noticed were tough Soviet troops holding hands. I was told that they were not queer [the word for 'gay ' in that era] but that they were buddies, a common practice in Central Asia. The beer was awful, even cold it was unfit to drink. I did not smoke but noticed that smokers had one third cigarette and the rest was a cardboard tube! They smelt disgusting! It did not seem a happy place. The pavements were lovely mosaics but broken, it could have been really nice but it was somehow depressed.

The wheat was loaded mainly by women in rough white coveralls, all very severe faced but the Chief Steward did try and give them some decent soap with no ulterior motive, he was not that way inclined. They were grateful but did not express it. Loading 10,000 tons of hard wheat from Russia's steppes was achieved in two days and we sailed for Rio de Janeiro.

And the praying mantis? this was to be seen in great numbers in this town.

And so I had gained another experience in this year that was proving to be a watershed.

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