Roy Gerstner


Hi Guys please see below The funeral is set for Thursday 28th August at 10:30 No dress code specified, however Family members will be wearing black so suits and black ties would probable be the order of the day. Thanks to Bob Blake who has had contact with Vels daughter. […]

Updated – Vel Athans Funeral Arrangements.   Recently updated !


I have been informed today, that Ex long employee, Chief Engineer and SuperintendentVal Athans passed away yesterday (11th August).My source who I have spoken with is 92 year old Malcolm Mcquire.At present I have no further information. If a picture comes up, this is a ‘glinch’….

Passing of Vel Athanassiadis   Recently updated !






Hi Roy, During the summer of 1964 aged 15 and still at The London Nautical School I managed to get leave and take a trip on the Avon Ranger (Avonmouth, Puerto Ordaz, Trinidad, Kilingholm). I shared a cabin with the deck cadet who might have been Welsh. It was a […]

Anyone Remember – Clive Heathmarsh




My apologies Neil, your e-mail got stuck somewhere and only just found it. Yes Roy still live just outside York  – Retired from the Sea in 2020 after being stuck onboard Sailing Around the World during Covid for 7 months – thought life was too short – work out well […]

Neil Woodburn (Ex Ch/Eng)


Recently had correspondence with Grandson – the threads below.. 1/ Hi there Roy, I stumbled across the LOF website, I was looking for information about the Ropner Lines SS Clearpool(my great grandfather Alfred Smith was master but died at sea in 1931 and was buried in Istanbul). His son (my […]

Commodore Alfred Smith