A (old) cadet expereince - 'good olden days'

[SURESH JAGADEESAN]

Dear all,

I have got one friend through another forum aged around 55 (he was a
chief officer when he quit sea service from SCI in 1991).

See below his writing, I was shocked to read some of the ragging he
had gone through.

"I am sure you can't have done cadet ships. During my time there were
no crew. Each work was carried out by the cadets on training.
Painting, chipping, fishoiling the derrick wires and crane wires,
washing the holds etc.The new comer gets ragged like hell. They beat
you up badly. One had to wash the boiler suits of the seniors. early
morning paste applied tooth brush must be ready.One had to clean the
cabins of seniors. He would look for the dust. If found would ask to
lick it out. One of the ships I had a tough time. We were 2 juniors.
16 were seniors. But sea-time-wise I was much more senior to all. But
I was junior aboard that cadet ship. I was asked to dance nude. The
other junior would hit me on the cheeks. I was made to kiss the feet
of all the cadets. I am sure had you been the one, you would have run
off. I couldn't sleep. I was hiding inside the lifeboat. It was so
horrible , I escaped by jumping overboard when the ship was alongside.
Do you know what seven heavens is, do you know what charlie charlie
is, do you know what casseopean chair is?
500 times press-ups keeping everyone's shoes on your back, crawl under
the chair 200 times. That ship was known as a terror ship. Two of the
cadets got charlie charlie and had to get operated. I could splice the
wires and ropes.One of the cadets during my time drank poison and
jumped overboard and died off the coast of South Africa. Another one
committed suicide by jumping overboard in Rotterdam. We had many cadet
ships. Many more bitter experiences I had. Branding with cigarettes.
Masturbating with sandpaper.Many cruel activities took place during
our days. Our stipend was RS.350 per month. I was the one who resisted
the ragging and made them change the attitudes.
fire fighting signals were taught by tying a string to your tool. one
pull more air, two pulls slacken the lifeline, 3 pulls pull me out."

Those who have done should be ashamed, they are not any less than a
Hitler character.

Human rights violence is prevalent in those days, but our seniors are
proud of their 'good olden days'



Best wishes
Suresh


--
Thanks and best regards
J.Suresh
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