Written by Bernice Trick
Citizen staff
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Friday, 06 November 2009 |
Mel McConaghy shows his new book, The Stoker, which chronicles his life in the Canadian Navy. (Citizen photo by Brent Braaten)
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It was 1954 when the Cold War had shifted into high gear when Mel McConaghy of Prince George made the spur-of-the-moment decision that would change the rest of his life.
He spent the next 10 years sailing the seas as a seaman engineering mechanic and leading seaman engineering mechanic.
He's recorded his experiences over those years in a new book called The Stoker.
"Stoker? That's navy slang for an engineering mechanic, and sometimes we were called bilge rats because we were down in the bottom of the ship in the engineering spaces," said McConaghy.
Readers will find his book a wealth of his experiences from girls ( "I know you wouldn't know it now, but I was a pretty good looking guy back then") to the seven ships he served on to the countless countries he visited.
He'll tell you about hunting Soviet submarines on the west coast of Canada, maintaining an uneasy peace in the volatile Middle East and serving on all manner of seagoing vessels.
"Some were state-of-the-art and some were aging and antiquated," he said.
But his most memorable stint was sailing around the world on the Royal Yacht Britannia to Commonwealth countries. Aboard was England's Prince Philip who was doing ambassador work at each stop.
"We did 122 days on this voyage of which 107 were at sea. But I can tell you I wouldn't be one of those Royals for all the money in the world, said McConaghy, explaining that the Prince "was always in the spotlight; always having to smile whether he felt like it or not."
He said when Prince Phillip joined in the floor hockey games ,"he was very competitive, but pleasant enough," he said.
Readers will find The Stoker, which is a record of a time in history and of a life at sea, heartbreakingly sad at times as well as amusing.
McConaghy invites everyone to attend the launch and signing of his book on Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Books and Company where light refreshments will be served.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 06 November 2009 )
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