I was on the Arry from 73 to 74 and was the last but one to walk off the ship. I've been over to NY 6 times since 78 and apart from the last visit I went to see the ship whenever I was there.
On my first visit, the ship was still in the same state it was since it left the UK. The people there let me go below deck and I could see all the signatures still on the mess walls.
When I visited it in 2001, all the upper decks were covered over, obviously they couldn't muster enough boys to wash the decks every day. Now the ship is a museum, not really much to see though, you can't go below deck.
On my last visit I walked around the upper deck whilst filming with my camcorder.
To be honest, I heard about dreadful things that had gone on there, but when they announced the closing of the school, practically all teachers left leaving us to do what we wanted.
I heard that the ship was sold to the States for 70,000.
Andrew 46
Des A Hoskin. (105)
10-Nov-2007 18:35
This picture is more like the Arethusa I was on in 1959/63.
