Cut and Thrust

Life on the ocean wave as endured and enjoyed by beguiling seaman Joe Lambourne, who, despite humble beginnings, is propelled through the ranks of the Merchant Navy to become a Master Mariner; a debonair officer aboard the passenger liners to Australia and finally to become President of a large shipping enterprise in the US. Not all smooth sailing as the corrupt marriage, collusion, blackmail, extortion, life-threatening incidents and murder reveal. Sometimes humorous, sometimes contemplative, this account by an "officer and a gentleman" presents a very visual record of the daily antics and tactics of the less than endearing characters encountered both on board and on terra firma during the 1950s. Based on true experiences, but fictionalised, all names and places have been changed. About the author Harold Townsend served at sea for eighteen years, finally as ship master. His career in cargo ships and passenger liners and his post sea service occupation, connected with the shipping industry, provided him with varied and abnormally unusual experiences.The hero of the story came from humble beginnings but determination, a desire to achieve and the will never to give in, propelled him through the ranks of his chosen profession - the Merchant Navy - to eventually become a Master Mariner. He sailed on ships that were floating slums but in pursuit of becoming an officer and a gentleman he obtained a much sort after position in British passenger liners trading to Australia. To become an officer in these ships following strict voyage itineraries was the Mecca of most ship's officers. Good food, discipline, a suave, gentlemanly and well-educated officer class was what was expected. Life turned out to be much less attractive than envisaged and eventually he became disillusioned with the antics of his fornicating, partying and ersatz gentlemanly but hilariously humorous colleagues. Nonetheless, the life got to him and he became as macho and raunchy as everyone else, considering it to be an occupational hazard. Bored with marking time in a company where high promotion was based on dead-mans'-shoes' but still fired with ambition, he married for money, a venture he eventually was, for diverse reasons, forced to abandon.However, in a hush money deal with his father-in-law he acquired assets that enabled him to start afresh in the United States. Experiencing, collusion, blackmail, extortion, corruption, a life threatening incident and even murder he made it to become president of a large shipping enterprise. His good looks, personality and considerable merit, enabled him to climb the ladder of success. Unfortunately he lacked background and the professional/commercial contacts needed to make the big time. Undeterred, he turned to the female members of the ruling class to provide him with the final heave-up onto the pedestal of fame and fortune where he believed he truly belonged. The substance of the story is based on true experiences brought together and fictionalised. All names and places have been changed. The book is mildly historical in that it covers a bygone age and a life style of an earlier part of the twentieth century