At 0.800 in the morning of the 01st of June 1957 the Olvina H139 left St Andrews Dock and headed into the Humber, the start of her fishing trip to Iceland. It was a flat calm day and the sun was shining, we had placed all the ships stores away. I myself was Decky trimmer on this trip and was not required to take a watch, so as we left the Humber and rounded Spurn Point, I took the opportunity to enjoy the nice weather and went on the boat deck to read untill I was called for to trim the coal. Some of the other crewmen where also relaxing under the boat deck and I could hear their chatter when a loud scream of "man overboard " rang out. I looked overboard and saw the man in the water and immediately ran to the bridge informing the skipper, who put the wheel hard to starboard. The man in the water was our sparehand Brian Atkinson and on the glass like sea he was visible for sometime, but as the vessel came round and got close to him he vanished. We searched the area for over 6 hours, as did all other vessels leaving port that day, but to no avail. The Olvina then returned to Hull, We sailed again the next day but had to change some crew members as some refused to sail, and to this day I wished I had been one of them. On this trip our cook had to be landed at Iceland and we sailed without a cook, a few days later the mate also met with an accident and had to be landed leaving us another man short. On our return to Hull we then settled in debt bringing to an end the saddest trip of my fishing life.

I have tried to place these events in the back of my mind for many years but believe there should be a fitting tribute to my fellow shipmate.

Brian Atkinson: a good shipmate and friend, gone but not forgotten

Brian Calvert.