Lost overboard by an idiot... (...or any other reason!)

[Randi]

Lost overboard

Janet Jaguar supported the suggestion* that it might be interesting to have a separate thread for lost overboard items.
I thought I would try to collate the various entries from elsewhere - I have done a search within 'Riveting Log Entries' and another one from the forum's home page, but I may easily have missed some entries...

Anyway, I'm starting one with this:

HMS Clio, Red Sea, 12 Feb 18

'One Coir Fender lost overboard by accident, also one anchor stock (40 lbs)'

Feel free to add any more you come across!

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*reply 1098 - second from the bottom

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The prequel: Lost overboard by an idiot

It's never seemed more apt - every single time HMS Carnarvon takes on coal, at least one coal bag is lost overboard by accident. Every single time. I've never seen such consistant 'accidents'...

You've got an entire work crew who have decided that really hate coaling and have found a way to vent steam - or coal. When they turn it into a team sport, their officers have no chance at all of stopping them. ;D

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On the Patia, they've started charging people random amounts of money for items which were deemed to have been lost overboard by 'neglect' rather than an idiot. These include:
(One Car Broom lost overboard by neglect & charged 7.0 for it.) and (One Wooden Bucket lost overboard by neglect & charged for 5/-.).

Still puzzling over the 'car broom'. ???

[Probably coir]

Link to archive of this discussion from the old forum

[Randi]

bad day on HMS Mantis:

Mark this day down as one of the worst in Old Weather history...

On 18 August 1919 the HMS Mantis lost overboard by accident a 50 lb box of chocolates

I sincerely hope the fishes in the Dvina River enjoyed their treat. I just don't know how they were able to function on board after this tragedy :-\

[Hanibal94]

At 06:50, the Northwind lost a bathythermograph - I presume overboard, because where else would it go?
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 9_0014.JPG

EDIT: The next day, they lost another at 02:00!
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 9_0015.JPG

[Randi]

This being the Northwind, it was lost while making observations.

Had it been the Concord, ...

[Michael]

[Hanibal94]

Manning, June 25th 1905:

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 5_0180.JPG

Noon to 4 PM: "Lost overboard one brass tube shield for Thompson sounding machine"

[AvastMH]

Manning, June 25th 1905:

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 5_0180.JPG

Noon to 4 PM: "Lost overboard one brass tube shield for Thompson sounding machine"

Sounds like a catastrophe for a traveling brass band

[Randi]

McCulloch, Sept 1, 1902:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorag ... 7_0075.JPG

8pm to Mid: "One teak deck bucket lost overboard"

[AvastMH]

They should be more careful - teak buckets don't grow on trees you know

[Randi]

[Hanibal94]

McCulloch, 30 Oct 1900:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorag ... 4_0164.JPG

At 17:30, the port side light went overboard in a heavy roll of the vessel, it having been improperly secured in the box.

[AvastMH]

I bet there was a long training session on securing lights into boxes the next day.

[Michael]

[Hanibal94]

McCulloch, July 5th 1912, last sentence of last paragraph:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorag ... 6_0101.JPG

Lost overboard two 30 lb drift leads, which were caught in rocky bottom.

[AvastMH]

McCulloch, July 5th 1912, last sentence of last paragraph:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorag ... 6_0101.JPG

Lost overboard two 30 lb drift leads, which were caught in rocky bottom.

I hope they didn't block up any nice little caverns that the fishes use

[espross]

USS Sacramento, 1923-02-03:

By order of the Cammanding (sic) Officer the following stores were thrown overboard having been condemned by Medical Officer as unfit for use; 172 lbs. frozen beef.

This wasn't the end of it. Unfit beef went into Cavite Harbor (Manila Bay) every day for four more days.

1923-02-04: 371 lbs.
1923-02-05: 100 lbs.
1923-02-06: 615 lbs.
1923-02-07: 417 lbs.

Presumably the sailors then altered their diet until the 12th of February, when we find the following entry.

At 11:45 received Ice Machine Cylinder with piston and set of rings in accordance with Job Order #3501-D-5902-3719 from Navy Yard, Cavite, P.I.

[Randi]

[Michael]

[Michael]

Years ago, when I was on a small crew of geologists, we had a similar problem. We were up in Canada's eastern Arctic, about 110 miles from Arviat, and 200 miles from Churchill. We had no radio, and no contact with anyone. Every three weeks or so, we would get a supply of food flown in. Once the snow had gone, Brian, who had a degree in biology, did not like the look of our meat, and he said that it was too dangerous to get food poisoning when we had no hope of rescue. So, he burned everything he deemed unfit. After that, it was fish, caught from the lake, canned meat, or we ate any fresh meat we got on a supply flight right away. Our boss also ordered only enough fresh meat for two or three meals. We had no refrigeration so food spoiled very quickly. We also had another problem. One time, they left our food order outside at the Churchill, Manitoba, airport for three days before the plane could bring it to us. A lot of the food was spoiled when it arrived.



This was our last flight until all the ice was gone from the lakes. The planes would leave on a runway and land on ice, but only if there was enough ice between Churchill and our location so they could land on something if there was a problem. They wouldn't come again until they could take off and land on water, and they needed all the lakes between us and Churchill to be ice-free for safety. If you're an airplane fanatic, this is a de Havilland DHC-3 Single engine Otter with a Pratt & Whitney rotary engine. When we arrived in late May, the ice on the lake was seven feet thick. We had to chop a major hole in the ice to get water. Our boss also used the hole to catch arctic char.

[espross]

Wow! That is some story--and what a great photo.

How do you even dig a hole in seven feet of ice? I suppose geologists would be equipped to dig, but I can't imagine you had that much gear way out there.

And how did it feel watching your food supply go up in smoke?