War, oil, and fist fights: The life of a merchant mariner

The following is a heartfelt tribute by Allan Bonner to the brave men and women who have served in defence of our freedoms. Written to commemorate Remembrance Day, Bonner’s stories capture moments of courage, sacrifice, and humanity amid the hardships of war. Through these historical snapshots, he honours the legacy of those who fought for peace and the values we cherish, ensuring their contributions will never be forgotten.

Allan-Bonner

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Merchant Mariners are rough and tumble people. In wartime, they’re in a rough and tumble world.

By 1942, Harold Bonner had sailed one summer on the M.V. Blue River, the largest grain carrier on the lower Great Lakes. His father, Septimus (the seventh child), was Chief Engineer. The same year, he sailed with his older brother, Hartney, on a sister ship, the Blue Cross.

On this oil tanker, the stoke hole was astern and above the engine room. When all was secure in the stoke hole, Harold would slide down a vertical steel ladder like you see in a submarine escape hatch in the movies. He likes to think it was just his ambition to learn that compelled him to visit the engine room. But it was only 100 degrees, and the stoke hole was about 120, so the cool, refreshing air was also a magnet.

The adventures of Merchant Mariner Harold Bonner aboard the M.V. Blue Cross during the war and how he became an officer
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The wartime engine room on the Blue Cross was short-staffed. Harold was asked to take the logbook from the engine room to the Chief, his brother Hartney. Hartney read the most recent entry by the Second, looked quizzical, and asked, “Can you take the watch?” Harold replied, “Sure can.” Hartney then asked Harold to send the Second to him, which Harold did when he returned to the engine room.

A few minutes later, the Second returned from his visit with Hartney with his hand across his mouth and blood dripping from in between his fingers. He asked Harold, “Do you understand you have the watch?” Harold did and thus became the second-highest engine room officer on the ship.

In docking the ship that morning, Harold did double duty as oiler and engineer with two crew short. He was seventeen and relieved when “finished with engines” was rung up on the telegraph.

In the afternoon, two Royal Canadian Mounted Police Officers (RCMP) boarded the ship accompanied by the Second with the missing teeth. The charge was assault and battery, and a conference was held before the Captain. The oil cargo was crucial to the war effort, so the agreed-upon remedy was the ship posting a bond and Hartney posting a personal bond of $25. Reaching for his wallet, Hartney clarified, “You want me to pay $25 because I hit him?” The RCMP officer replied, “Yes.”

“If that’s all it costs to hit the son of a bitch, I’ll take another one.” Before anyone could move, Hartney took two quick steps and decked the second again – this time with his left fist because his right knuckles had been skinned from the first encounter.

Hartney never had to pay $25.00 or heard more of the charge. It was war and the Chief was needed to keep the ship moving.

Whatever error in the log entry, Harold learned the value of precision in the written and spoken word. He also learned that a boxer could get away with leading with the right and following up with a left – with a few hours in between punches.

Allan Bonner was the first North American to be awarded an MSc in Risk, Crisis, and Disaster Management. He trained in England and has worked in the field on five continents for 35 years. His latest book is Emergency! – a monograph with 13 other authors on the many crises that occurred during the pandemic.

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