Jacket blurbs

.TRINITY HOUSE pilots board ships, from small coasters to giant oil-tankers and liners, bringing them into harbour and taking them to sea again, in daylight and darkness, fair weather and foul, throughout the seasons of the year. What kind of men arc these pilots, whose cap-badge is the anchor and the lion with drawn sword. What is the real nature of their work. What do they feel about ships and their fellow-men , How are they prepared for their profession, which is always responsible, and sometimes arduous and dangerous? PILOT ABOARD answers these questions, and
tells of much else besides.
When John Radford entered the Pilotage Service he had been at sea for nearly twenty years, sailing all over the world in the Merchant Navy. Being also a trained officer in the Royal Naval Reserve, he knew the work of the fleet at sea, the thrill of night-firings in battleships, the excitement of tactical manoeuvres in destroyers.
During the Second World War he served in an armed merchant cruiser, and later became Fleet Compass Officer at Scapa Flow. Retiring from the Navy as a Commander, be returned to full- time pilotage in 1946. Today he pilots ships of every type and tonnage into Southampton Water—including the famous Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth.
PILOT ABOARD is part of his life story. The cadet of 1916, firing round for round against a U-boat, becomes the senior pilot of today, bringing a deeply-laden foreign vessel, in fog, and at night, safely to anchor in the crowded waters of the Solent. John Radford is a master of his profession, and an uncommonly good writer as well.
ILLUSTRATED BY 2 CHARTS AND 23 PHOTOGRAPHS
36s net
Jacket design by Louise Elliott

JOHN RADFORD first went to Sea as a cadet in 1916, and from the earliest days was determined to become a Trinity House pilot. He gained experience in all kinds of ships, and sailed in every ocean of the world. At the age of twenty-five he qualified as Master and Extra Master, and was commissioned into the Royal Naval Reserve. In 1935 he resigned his appointment with the Cunard Line to realize his ambition and enter the Pilotage Service.
In 1939 he joined for duty in the Navy; he retired in 1946 with the rank of Commander, after five years' war service afloat. Today he is the Senior Trinity House Inward Sca Pilot for the Isle ofWight Pilotage District, and the first Selected Inwards Pilot for the Cunard Line and the Shaw Savill and Albion Line'. He has completed nearly fifty years of sea-going and thirty years of pilotage.
He is also the author of PILOT STATIONS OF THE BRITISH ISLES, now incorporated in Brown's Nautical Almanac, and has written articles and stories about the sea for The Wide World Magazine, The Trident, the Nautical Magazine, Blackwood's, and many other publications.

Contents

Illustrations

SS. Orissa, built 1895
The mighty Orduna,' built 1914
John Radford's Indentures as an apprentice
Royal Fleet Auxiliary War Krishna
H.M.S. Rodney at battle practice
Certificate of John Radford, Master Mariner Sub-Lieutenant J. Radford, R.N.R.
Cunard Line Royal Mail Steamer Berengaria
A Union Castle liner, and bucket dredger at work, in the Solent
H.M.S. Dunluce Castle at Scapa Flow
Isle of Wight Auxiliary Sailing Cutter Selsea
S.S. Ardgantock and Yarmouth (Isle of Wight) lifeboat
Trinity House cruising Pilot Cutter Kihnar
Trinity House Pilot Launch Vigia
Shaw Savill liner Northern Star
Extract from log-book of the Northern Star
S.S. Antilles among Solent pleasure craft
Esso Lancashire, built 1962
Cunard Line Royal Mail Steamer Queen Mary
Commander J. Radford and Captain E. A. Divers
John Radford's Pilot Certificate
Trinity House, Tower Hill, London
The Master, Deputy Master, Wardens and Elder Brethren of Trinity House, 45th. anniversary