'CANBERRA - A Berth In History'
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- Опубліковано 9 лип 2020
- From 'job number 1621' in a Belfast shipyard, launched in 1960, to sailing home to Southampton after serving her country as a troop and hospital ship during the Falklands Conflict in 1982, CANBERRA remains one of the nation's favourite ships. Find more of the P&O Heritage Collection at www.poheritage.com
Proud to have served on her throughout the Falklands War with The Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines Commando Forces, a great ship.
Salute! 🌹
Its a great honour and privilege to say Im one of the crew of the P&O Canberra ship (1993-1994), she’s really “The great white whale!”
Ships like the Canberra and the Oriana always spelled Glamour for me. When I lived in Sydney in the early 1970s, my parents would take we kids to Circular Quay to see these and other liners like the Arcadia, Oronsay and Orcades, along with any international ships berthed at the terminal. In 1984 I had the choice of cruising on either Oriana or Canberra; I chose the Oriana. I never regretted my choice, but always wondered what being on the Canberra would have been like. When she was scrapped, and the Oriana burned to a shell, it was the ending of a wonderful era.
I was fortunate to have sailed on Canberra thanks to my Mother. That was my favorite ship
I had the good fortune of serving her crew and passengers as a guide here in Norway. There was always a special buzz about the town when she arrived: «The Canberra is coming! Did you know!? The Canberra is coming!» As a man of the sea myself, I found it criminal that she was beached in Pakistan in 1997 and broken up for scrap. A beautiful Lady like that, a national monument and a War Hero - no less - with the most wonderful lines and practically Viking Sturdiness in heavy seas deserved far, far better. Soon really beautiful ships will all be gone, and our Cultural Heritage will be all the more poorer. But she will live on in this old Norwegian Viking Sailor's mind until the day I die as one of the fondest coastal memories I have. She was a Genuine Beauty of the rarest kind.
I was fortunate enough to do 6 cruises on this wonderful ship. My grandparents took me 5 times in the 80s then I had my honeymoon on her in August 1997 just before she was too be scrapped. Fantastic memories ❤️
Canberra was actually very fortunate in that her white color made her mistaken for a hospital ship. After the war, Argentinian pilots admitted when interviewed explained they were given orders not to attack Canberra because their commanders believed she was a hospital ship. Even so, bearing witness to horrible events such as Ardent must've been terrifying! Canberra was anchored near Ardent when the Argentinians attacked and saw the whole thing! She took on most of Ardent's surviving crew.
The Daily Telegraph headlined her as a legitimate target on the 16th April, so the Argentines had no reason to believe otherwise. I have talked to many pilots since who went for the first target, no matter what colour.
She truly was a great ship. She bridged a new way of sailing from liner to first cruise ship. She was beautiful and also a war veteran. You look at modern cruise liners today and think, how ugly. Not ships, just oversized shopping malls on the sea.
R.I.P. Canberra. When a ship meant something. When a ship was a ship. Thank you for your service
The Spirit class of Carnival cruises are beautiful ships. I have worked on board the Carnival Miracle and it was my favorite.
However, ocean liners do have sleaker lines and longer bows.
Cruised on her every year from 1986 to 1994 when I was a kid, Still have an emotional attatchment to that beautiful ship, Good times.
There was always something special about Harland & Wolff-built passenger vessels and the Canberra was a fitting yet poignant end to a long line of classic ocean going beauties built by the famous Belfast shipyard. She was a ship full of character and personality. H&W always built some of the prettiest ships of any age. Canberra was among the handsomest ships of the "Mid Century Modern" age. The Oceanic of 1899 was was one of the sleekest, most elegant vessels of the Victorian Era, the Olympic (and her ill-fated sister) by far the best looking 4-funneled liners ever created. It's a bygone era of travel, but the memory of those gorgeous ships lives on.
From the early 60s to 1969 I watched P&O ships, including the Canberra, sailing into and out of Vancouver harbour, Finally, when I was 19 in 1969, I sailed on her from Vancouver to Southampton. What an absolute adventure for a guy of 19 who was leaving home for the first time, the start of 6 years in Britain and Europe. In those days, it was so much more exciting to be on such a ship than it is today to be on one of the cruise liners. I will never regret my choice of making my trip to England on the Canberra! What a wonderful ship, and such a lifetime experience. Of course, I followed her course for years and years, including the Falklands, until I was so sad to hear she was broken up. Cabin E220 in 1969! Thanks for a wonderful video and history! Cheers, Carl
Meet any sexy women ?????
May I add one absolutely historic contribution by 'Canberra' not emphasized here?
At the end of the Falklands War Canberra returned 4,167 Argentina POWs to Uruguay. During the voyage 12 British Army officers gave talks in the concert hall, on subjects such as 'Freedom of Parliament', 'Free Press', 'Habeas Corpus'. No videos, no slides, just one man standing there, in uniform, talking.
It was standing room only in the theatre as troops from a country under a military dictatorship learned about the mechanics of democracy. One Argentine officer later said 'It was an education to hear the lectures: we knew nothing about these concepts - we determined to implement them when we got home.. And they did.'
So Canberra played a very real role in establishing democracy in a country of 44 million - quite an achievement.
I was on the ship and the POws were taken to Argentina [not Uraguay] to a port called Puerto Madryn. Also, the prisoners were guarded 24/7 and I know of no such lectures?
Have to agree with Brian here.
I was also on Canberra at the time and don't recall such freedoms like lectures.
And Puerto Madyrn was in Argentina.
In the early 70's, I had a small metal model of the Canberra. It held a special place to me since I thought it was the most beautiful ship I had ever seen. Like many Americans, I thought her name was pronounced as "CAN-BEAR-A". If I had a chance to sail on her, I would have had to take a deep breath and realize this was what I dreamed about all those years ago.
I brought my Seattle bride first class to New Zealand via Vancouver BC in 1972. I was fortunate to tour the engine room where I asked them concerning fuel consumption, 'one gallon every 19 feet.' We had a very special time that took 12 days. She was having engine trouble so her speed was down to 19 knots, every now and then she would puff a cloud of dark smoke, turbine trouble. We sat for meals with Mrs Z Matthews a very charming and widely travelled person whose husband had been stationed everywhere. He had been a major in Her Majesty's army. She had seen the best of sea travel, the so called 'Golden Age.' The other dignitary of note was Sir Denis Blundell on his way to become NZ's Governor General. I had also travelled on the old Oriana prior to that trip. Two very fine ships indeed. On a lighter note I had missed 'bangers' for four years, so seeing them on the breakfast menu I got excited and they duly arrived at the table. Well my wife wanting to share in my excitement wished a taste. Her comment. "And you missed these that much?" She didn't bother my selections again and my good fortune is we are still together.
My first ship, worked in the gift shops for Canberras farewell season. ..amazing memories
Emigrated to Australia as a 9 years old. Can still remember the cabin! C234.... and date of arrival Fremantle. 22nd Feb 1965. Many years later I also remember, as a Radio Officer, hearing her GBVC callsign on traffic lists the world over. You can't forget this ship!
My family would of been on that trip but we went to the east coast. I was a two year old so I don’t remember any of it. Mum and Dad and 4 boys aged 10,9,7 and me 2. We were in cabin B 320
Hello from Kiwiland. I worked GBVC many times from ZLB. Good times, beautiful ships, sadly the designs of recent decades are just monsterous hotels on a hull, no good taste at all.
What a nice surprise! I spent two weeks 1969/70 (New Year) on the Canberra. Recognised many parts of the ship including the bridge where we (with me as a young boy) were invited. Great memories, GREAT SHIP!
I recall my grandparents sailing to the UK on this Ship when Grandfather retired . I was 4.5. Now I'm 65. It was one significant childhood memories seeing them sail away ... seemed as if they were away forever. .That was 1962. Australia was a very different country . CR.
What a beautiful ship! I sailed in her in 1992. At one port, Cannes, where the Canberra was too big to dock, she had to anchor offshore. We took tenders to go ashore for the day trip to Monte Carlo. We were running a bit late back from our tour, the guide on the coach jokingly said the ship might have left without us. As we were getting closer to the dock, we couldn't see The Canberra! Apparently the weather had taken a turn for the worse and had caused the ship to drag it's anchor, so she moved further out to sea. The French authorities provided small vessels to get all the Canberra passengers to her. I was on the last but one small boat. It was pitch black by then, no lights and the boat was being tossed up and down - so scary! I was never so glad in my life to see anything - the Canberra! with it's lights blazing, in the distance, to rescue me - it was probably only 5 minutes, but it seemed like 5 hours!
Nostalgic memories of Canberra from when I was 6 and 7 during my family's time in Aden, admiring her from the port of Steamer Point.
I was there in that crowd, waiting to see my now husband, who was on watch til 12 midday. Barriers keeping us back, manned by police, suddenly my husband appeared, and the policeman let me thru the barrier for a few minutes, just so happy to have him home safely❤
I cruised on her three times post-Falklands. The most beautiful ship ever built.
I sailed on the Canberra in 1966 from Vancouver to Auckland- 5 glorious weeks on board. Such wonderful memories! Loved that ship!
Gorgeous graceful lines
Was on a school trip to Southampton historic bits and pieces. Had a fantastic tour of Canberra, fish and chip lunch and then onto an open top boat and went under the amazing bow of the new QE2. What an amazing pair of ships seen in one day.
I truly miss the Canberra, I loved my times onboard.
When I was a kid Canberra was the first ship on which I took a cruise. Happy memories tinged with sadness of seeing her being broken up. Even though that was inevitable.
I joined this beautiful ship in April 1965 as a First Class waiter .Commodore Dunkley was her commanding officer . She was a very comfortable ship and the facilities aboard for both First and Second Class passengers were of the highest standard The crew also had very good accommodation added to which thefood was very good, We were so fortunate to have travelled the world from Australia,New Zealand, United States including San Francisco,L:os Angeles .Acapulco.Mazatlan To name but a few. Because of promotion to Assistant Head Waiter in 1973 I was obliged to leave Canberra for another P and O ship Sun Princess sailing out of Los Angeles on American cruising,eventually becoming Hear Waiter. But it is the Great White Whale that I will always have the fondest and happiest of memories.RIP ,
Also remembered Restaurant Head Steward Leslie Eaton. Restaurant Barman Ronald Teagno. Restaurant Head Baran Mike Colins. Head Chef, Trevor Friday. Cricketers Tavern Barman Frank Brock . Senior Childrens Nanny Katie Hall. and Seniior Bars Manager Ken Marsden.
@@petercook4070 Mattie Doyle, Alan Bishop, John Pearcey, Gordon Allen. The list goes on.
Hope you are well.
@@petercook4070 Not forgetting Ken Oakley.
Commodore Dunkley??
My Grandmother died on the Canberra in 1972.
The news was broken to my mother by Brigadier Dunkley, commanding officer of Portsmouth Citadel Salvation Army.
One of the best documentories I have seen . Well done. So proud.
Came to Australia on the Canberra. Departed Southampton 26th January 1964.
So did I. I was 4
Left Australia on Canberra 1968
Me too 1964
1964 26 March on the Fairsky
I was 6 days old when Canberra was launched. I never knew that. And I just happen to be a liner geek. So Cool. Thanks for the video.
A brilliant documentary. My Father headed the then GEC Marine Department. As a young school boy (now 72), we went to Southampton to the King George V dry dock to await her arrival from Belfast prior to her Maiden Voyage. She had been fitted out in Belfast but I believe she had had delays and a large amount of weed had grown on her hull. We saw her arrive in Southampton water and then escorted into the dock where upon a fleet of rectangular punts with two men with long handle brushes on board, started to scrub her hull as the water was slowly drained. I remember being very disappointed at not seeing her on the stocks before we left, as they had to drain the water so slowly. My Father donned his white boiler suit and went on board to check over the work being carried out on all the electrical equipment that GEC had installed. GEC was a big customer of P&O for a lot of their Ships. When he came back to the car he reported that all the workman had come over with the ship frantically trying to complete her in time for her Maiden Voyage.
A great ship from an era unfortunately long gone. An era when national pride was reflected in the nations ships and buildings etc. Of all the ships that have visited my home port of Gibraltar she was my favourite without doubt.
I wonder how many of the nowadays floating tower blocks we have today, could pull out a service history like the Canberra's.
And the sad thing is, most if not all of our cruise ship are now built in foreign shipyards, for one reason or another, a sad situation at a national level indeed.
it is therefore appropriate to thank and celebrate Canberra, from her owners, designers builders, and all crew that have over her life time have served on her.
To a job well done !!!.
She's a top ship in my heart. I built a kit model of her as a young boy, and 20 years later watched from a ferry as she left Southampton, slipping through the water with barely a wake, whilst our little 'water bus' was experiencing the waves. There were several vessels in the channel, and lots of horns being blown :-)
She brought me to NZ back in Feb 1968 - we came via Capetown, rather that Suez due to the Midddle East wars at the time. Still remember the tickertape departure from Sydney, and that was a good few years after her first voyage. A magnificant ship!
Seen Canberra returning from Aus in South Atlantic doing 28 knots I was on Union Castle ship on the way to Cape Town she looked beautiful.
so did I from the Rotherwick Castle
I would've loved to have been able to even see this ship in person, let alone be onboard her at some point during her career. The world will always miss the Canberra.
Wow that brings back a few memories, we flew to Sydney then boarded the Canberra to Southampton spent summer in England and returned to NZ . A great geography lesson for a kid .
I watched this amazing documentary on the life of "Canberra", what an amazing and beautiful ship. I had the wonderful pleasure of migrating with my parents from the UK to Australia in 1965 aboard the SS Canberra, a 3 week and 2 day journey. I saw her for the last time leaving Melbourne on what was to be one of her last voyages. Canberra was the greatest ship that ever sailed the seas, a grand lady. Thank you so much.
I had a trip on the Canberra in 1973, from New York to Dakar and back. 14 day trip, cost me $500. Still have a few souvenirs from that trip. One fact that stuck in my mind, was the fuel economy: 8 FEET forward per GALLON of fuel.
My mum and brother did a short cruise on here between Melbourne and Sydney in the early 1980’s.
A wonderful ship and a great video. Thank you.
David Latham
I joined Canberra in 1961 as a crew member and became Assistant Head Waiter in the first class restaurant, I left Canberra in 1969. full of wonderful times on the great white whale. Brilliant Video
A wonderful looking cruise ship. So a great surprise when I found that one of the cine films I bought in a job lot of almost 100 films was a cruise onboard Canberra from 1966. That will be converted and edited and uploaded to UA-cam in the coming weeks. In the meantime will find more about the ship and your video will certainly help. Never saw it myself other than on film.
My grandad was chief riveter in harland and wolf, his last ship was the Canberra!!
His dad had the exact same job working on the titanic and Olympic
My parents took a cruise aboard Canberra from New York in 1973, I still have two P&O Canberra souvenirs they brought me back.
Sailed on Canberra in 1967, Auckland to Vancouver, a wonderful experience, even through a typhoon near Tonga
Today I still can't believe SS Canberra was scrapped. Shde was almost as famous as the QE2!
I was on the maiden voyage in 1961. It was a great ship, far ahead of its time. Great memories.
@@jonipitchfork3954 we embarked in July 1961 in Vancouver. It was the best voyage of my childhood There were 3 others.
Thank you for posting this interesting & well documented story of the SS Canberra.
At times - very moving and always informative! Thanks again. 👍👍.
I had the great pleasure of working on that fine ship!
I Absolutely Love the MS Canberra. Such an amazing ship.
Greetings from Norway 🇳🇴
What an amazing and graceful ship.
I never sailed in Canberra, never saw her in person, but she was THE ship even so.
On the fiftieth anniversary of the D-day landing I saw her on [black and white] TV whilst I was ill with shingles. I was surprised she was still in service considering there mess she looked after the Falklands, and that same day The BBC broadcast a special film about D-day called A Foreign Field with Alec Guinness, Lauren Bacall and Leo McKern. I was not at all well, and cried and cried at the sadness of it all.
Some how Canberra was woven into the Britain I remember from those days forty or so years ago. Just as Britain is no longer the great country it once was, we shall never see the likes of Canberra again. History that deserves to be remembered.
Thank you for showing this great film.
Best wishes from George
Beautiful video of the history of one of the nicest products of British shipbuilders in post WWII times. Another one was Queen Elizabeth 2. Also, Edward Elgar music at the end...
I loved driving across Sydney Harbour Bridge on my way home from work and you could see her funnels sticking out above the height of the road whilst she was alongside the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay in Sydney. Many many times. She used to put out a lot of smoke lol
I was lucky enough to do several cruises in her early days and she had a great atmosphere and beautiful design. I also cruised on the original Oriana she was built just before Canberra but she did not have the same atmosphere or feeling of the Canberra. Very touching video..
In the late 1950s I worked for a structural steelwork firm in Darlaston,
Walsall, West Midlands. We made the lifeboat davits for Canberra (the small cranes
that support and lower the lifeboats). George Daniels was the draughtsman
for the job.
As a child I was on the Isle of Wight and I saw can this enormous white ship. I'm 68 now.
Sailed on Canberra just once in August 1980 when I was 15 when a school cruise meant to be on SS Uganda was transferred to the Canberra. How lucky we were. It made a huge impression on me and didn't get the opportunity to be on a P&O ship again until 2012. I don't think I would have become the big fan of cruising that I am today without that first magical cruise on Canberra.
I came to new Zealand from London on that ship in 67 still bloody here so glad to be a kiwi
Fond memories from three cruises, 1992 to 1994. Although the interior changed over the years, the layout remained almost intact through the decades. Therefore the ship had quite a lot of original feel, unlike many other ships of the same vintage that were drastically rebuilt when they were converted to cruise ships. Canberra was a good sea boat, which I came to experience in 1993. There was no slamming at all in heavy seas, many modern cruise ships are far inferior in this respect.
The ship where I worked then was also in Port of Southampton when Canberra arrived from Falkland in 1982
My favourite ship. Why? Because it was the best looking ship. Better looking than even the lovely QE 2. It was those Funnels. It looked Thunderbird. Yes, thats an adjective . Futuristic, sleek, Those lovely arches down the sides. The rounded front looked a bit like the front of the Starship Enterprise. And then all the History she made. What a ship.
Sailed on the Canberra from Vancouver, San Francisco, Hawaii, Auckland in either 1960 or 1961 - maybe somebody can be more certain of the year than I am now? I was only 5 or 6 years old and travelling with my family from Canada to live in New Zealand. My father had been an engineer on the ill fated Canadian Avro Arrow project. After the Arrow was cancelled my father found employment in New Zealand and ship was the way to travel. It was an especially tremendous adventure on the Canberra for me and my two sisters! I remember seeing Walt Disney's new movie "One Hundred & One Dalmatians" in the Canberra's movie theater. (Just realized that 101 Dalmatians was released in 1961 - so we must have been on the Canberra in 1961.)
F247, Southampton to Auckland Jan/Feb 72, via SA and Perth, Melbourne (dock strike), Sydney. Emigrating to NZ as a naive 13 year old, first time out of the UK. What an adventure! Very fond memories. 49 years ago? No way!
I sailed on the Canberra in 65 at age 5 .
The SS Canberra was a beautiful and graceful ship. I was a member of the crew onboard the USS Canberra CAG-2 during Med cruises in 1961 and 1962. I think it was during the 1962 cruise the USS Canberra and the SS Canberra were both in Naples Harbor and exchanged Canberra to Canberra greetings.
Found memories of being on board. Sad that she is no longer with us. No other ship can take her place.
She was certainly very special.
Very distictive in white with the yellow and really pretty. Often moored in Sydney when I was a kid in the 60s and seventies. Didn't realize she was so large and so significant and quite so new when I fitst saw her in 1964. Interesting to see the Sydney entry where she passed the opera house only around two years into its construction.
Sailed on the Canberra 4 times in the 1980s remember her with so much affection.
I remember how sad I was, when she officially took her last Voyage. I was building her as a model at the time, so I had a somewhat close relationship, expecially to her beautiful Lines and the sleek funnels aft. When I think about it, I have to admit, P&O did the right decision to end her life there. She had driven past generations of more modern cruise ships, and this video describes how much of this success was owed to the great crew on board. She was kept safe and in perfect shape in her 37 years of service as the P&O Flagship. Relieable, memorable - simply magnificent.
Saw this magnificent ship berthed at Ballard Pier ,Bombay , India, during my schooldays in the 60s . Also the "Chusan" , "Himalaya" and other P&O Liners , towering above the jetty , awe inspiring sight.
Those were the days...
I travelled on the Himalaya from Bombay (as it then was) to Southampton in February 1965. A ship with a wonderful atmosphere, full of wooden panneling in the public areas and a grand staircase. It was slightly incongruous to find it full of young rather roudy Australians, not the sahibs and memsahibs that might have graced it in the 1930s!
Thank you for a truly splendid Documentary and amazing history lesson. Her appearance over San Carlos Water - memorable & unnforgetable !
Dame Pattie Menzies words, at Canberra's Christening, were fulfilled to the letter ! Thank God.
One of the most beautiful passenger ships ever built...
This is a true story I know this because I was there.
A good friend of mine was there, Kevin Barrett.
Been trying to spot him, but no luck.
Thank,you for,your service
Proud to have holidayed on her 9 times 1981-1997
Very well done, an enjoyable presentation. Thank You!
Memories of a beautiful time.
To me Canberra was the only ship, a true lady. Today's cruise ships are like container ships.
thoroughly enjoyed this!! thanks for uploading.
Very good, thanks.
Brilliant video thank u 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
I remember as an apprentice at the time 18 years of age, recalling the news and challenging news at at time, my very good school friend went on Canberra to war, I remember as a youngster watching the news and rembering my school friend with great interest how Canberra was, a wonderful ship with an amazing crew
The best looking ship in the world
I was on holiday in Majorca when I read the Canberra was making it's farewell visit to Palma so I hired a car and went down dockside just to say I had seen the great ship.
My home for 3 months way back. Around the world cruise. Brilliant!
It’s very sad P&O scrapped her after everything she went through, it would have been fitting if she had have been retired and preserved like the Queen Mary and the QE2.
14:35 , my dad travelled onboard Canberra when she was a two class ship and he told me the same thing, that first class passengers preferred spending time with second class ones!
I remember in the early 60's my grandfather would take us down to the port of San Francisco right near fisherman's wharf and we would see this beautiful ship docked at the port
Used to see Canberra in Gibraltar harbour as a young boy (1974-76) when dad was stationed there in RAF. Was fascinated by her and the Uganda.
Thank you for this, my grandad worked on her for many years
Gorgeous ship with a lot of history.
Superb documentary of a beautiful ship
Brilliant!
The Southern Cross had a rear engine room, it made a great ship, I sailed her as the Azure Seas, as she was renamed under new owners
My third P&O cruise and the first with my young family on Canberra circa 1990?. 7 days to Lisbon and the Canary Islands. A very rough crossing of the Bay of Biscay into a headwind, and emergency departure to Vigo overnight, a request for blood donors on board, Lanzarote cancelled due to weather, a return to Vigo instead. I remember the name of our Goanese cabin steward, Isidor Pinto. A great experience nevertheless and not deterred from cruising over the following years. My next cruise P&O Arvia, March 2023. 😊
Amazing story and all of it true
Excellent very moving!
Yes excellent film. Canberra was the first ship I cruised on in 1971. Still have my menu signed br the restaurant staff somewhere
Informative, personal, and professional. The ship and this film homage.
I was on board as a passenger on the positioning voyage taken from Southampton to New York in December of 1973. I shared a modest two berth cabin with a young and rather hip lecturer at Berkeley, San Francisco. I remember I payed £199 for the round trip, but the return was to be with Loftleidair via Reykjavik and Glasgow. This was an absolute bargain price, even in those days, and showed how desperate P&O were to avoid having idle cabin and restaurant crew before the much more profitable Caribbean cruising. However, no discounts were made for a small sports car that was travelling with me : I think this cost me more than the return ticket! In spite of the low cost there were few other passengers, about four hundred in all, the vessel therefore about a quarter full. It had already been converted to a one class liner, so all the public rooms were available for enjoyment, but there was no live entertainment and obviously enough the pool areas were closed.
A very good show about a great ship!
What a great show. What a great ship.