Vale Comrade

Max Best, Charlie Bell, Charlie Hayfield, Gordon Solomon, Tor Linquist, Les Stuart, Kurt Lux

Max Best: Union Man

Max Best was a Balmain and Seamen's Union identity, hard as granite but to those who knew him a shy and private man with a good sense of humour. He passed away in Sydney in March.

Balmain - the then working class suburb of docks, wharves, shipbuilding and ship repair yards and many factories - suffered the wrath of the Depression and Max was reared in those disastrous economic times. The philosophy of that dark period was "Do the best you can" and learn to look after yourself physically from a very early age. Max learned and lived the hand dealt to him.

His parents insisted he do a boot making trade as an alternative to the seafarers, wharfies, painters and dockers, shipbuilding and repair and other harbour jobs that awaited most locals.

While Max absorbed the requirements of the boot trade, his self-taught skills in carpentry and building saw him as expert as any tradesman. His fine finishing work belied his strong physical approach to tough and heavy jobs. He was always pretty fit and was still punching the heavy bag for 12 two-minute rounds at 64. Thankfully it was the leather bag copping it and not us.

Max was a great family man. Betty - a Balmain girl - and Max were young when they married and Betty was still looking after Max as illness caught up with him. They had two children, Lynnette and Gary who spent many years at sea before joining the Sydney and Botany Bay tugs where he is still employed. His grandkids gave him great joy and love as he watched them grow.

Max worked on the wharves and docking before spending 25 years at sea where he worked in the engine room. His last ship was the Conara.

A great union man and firm supporter of the Seaman's Union and its policies, Max was a regular at the Columbus Sydney picket line for years.

If you were worthy of Max's standards as a friend there was no limit to the extent he would help out under any circumstances.

Max was a great sportsman, footballer and swimmer and played in the Balmain and NSW water polo premiership teams. He was a private person and had the private funeral he requested. He was a very well respected and popular man.

Pat Geraghty

Pat 'Taffy' Sweetensen

Charlie Bell: Film Shows

Charlie was born on July 27 1917. He never knew his father and his mother died when he was 10, leaving his grandmother to raise him.

Charlie lived through the Depression as a child and had various jobs before joining the wharf. These included concrete pipe construction worker, grocery boy at Stillmans, truck driver, axe handle maker, nurseryman and many jobs utilising his carpentry skills.

He met and married the love of his life "Billie" in Cairns in October 1938 and they were together for 59 years. Their children, Val, Brian, Judith, John and Ron are with us today, as are their children and grandchildren.

Following the ways of his uncles who spent their lives on the wharves, Charlie commenced work on the Cairns waterfront in 1937. He was a trustee of that Branch for many years and played an active role in organising strike relief functions, picnic days and May Day celebrations.

The Cairns Wharfies' Picnic held at Kuranda was a highlight, filling two and sometimes three steam trains for the journey up the range - a day not to be missed and one in which Charlie played a major role.

May Day floats and banners were his specialty. One of his first floats in 1958 was in the shape of the then recently launched Sputnik. It was, I'm told, a great success especially as Lassie the family dog was the pilot. By the way Lassie was a beagle, but that was Charlie's humour.

During the 1950s and 1960s the Waterside Workers' Federation was very active in social and political affairs. It was around this time that Charlie made a recommendation to the branch to purchase a 16mm movie camera - which they did.

Charlie became quite skillful in the operation of this unit and despite pressure from local theatres and the Council against Sunday screenings, he continued to show union films and social documentaries which were greatly appreciated by the locals, members and visiting seafarers. In fact demand was such that he was showing double features on Sunday night, as well as during the week; even setting up a weekly film evening at Cairns Hospital.

Work on the Cairns waterfront was seasonal, so to keep the family clothed and fed, he and Billie worked their fish traps at several sites including Port Douglas, Double Island and Mowbray. They also ran a food outlet at the Cairns show for eight years, their slogan being "Eat well at Bells".

Charlie's compassion came to the fore when a young lad, Larry Westmore from the Tablelands had a freak accident, resulting in permanent damage to his limbs. Charlie organised local boxing and wrestling tournaments where local celebrities such as Tiger O'Shane, the Sumaru Brothers and Buddy Williams took part. These tournaments helped finance Larry's ongoing medical and educational expenses.

When the bulk sugar facilities came to North Queensland and with his family to consider, Charlie transferred to Brisbane. Arriving in November 1964, the first place they stayed was at Judy's shop at Torwood. From there they moved to the Bulimba Hostel, while Charlie built their home at Johnston Street. Charlie and Billie helped by their kids built all the homes the family lived in and many more.

While at the hostel, Charlie and Billie organised a social club, which was a resounding success. Judith Durham of The Seekers fame made her debut at one of the concerts.

Valuable contributions to international friendship were made at their home in Johnston Street. Workers - usually seafarers - from all over the world were guests in their home.

Naturally during his time with the Waterside Workers' Federation, Charlie was involved in many disputes and industrial campaigns that helped shape work practices and conditions that members enjoy today. These disputes along with actions for peace and disarmament laid the foundations for many social changes, not only in Australia but also around the world and on that, we should all reflect.

Charlie had a wealth of experience on the waterfront, having worked in Cairns and Brisbane and made seven or eight trips to Tassie for the apple season. When he retired, he left quite a gap.

Charlie retired in 1978 but kept active by joining the Retired Waterside Workers' Association. This is where I met Charlie and appreciated his expertise with carpentry tools and a paintbrush - truly amazing.

As an official of the branch, I found his assistance both on May Day and at club functions was invaluable and a request for help was never refused.

Charlie often used the line "I'm only a POW" and when people invariably asked the question, he would say - Poor Old Wharfie. Charlie, you were never a poor old wharfie, rather a Proud Old Wharfie, and I along with many others were proud to have you as a mate and comrade.

Charlie you were a true stalwart of the Union movement and it was entirely appropriate that you chose May Day to say goodbye.

Goodbye Charlie - loving father to five; loving grandfather to 11; loving great grandfather to 25 and loving great, great grandfather to 2.

A friend to all who passed your way - what a legacy. Charlie, you will be missed, but never forgotten.

Vale comrade

Read by Col Davies

Charlie Hayfield: Love of the Sea

Charlie Hayfield died on June 20 after a long and courageous battle against cancer. Charlie knew he was going to have to beat the odds to survive and reminded all of his well-wishers that it was a 15 rounder.

His determination and fortitude during the illness were an inspiration to all - including his family, friends, comrades and medical staff over that period.

Charlie was born in Birmingham, England in 1948 and he first went to sea as a deck boy and a member of the National Union of Seamen on the Haines tramp steamer Trepan. This first voyage was to last 14 months and it took him all around the world, giving him a love of the sea which would last all his life. After numerous adventures on all sorts of ships, he finally made his way to Australia and fell in love with the place. He also fell in love with Wendy, promptly married her and went on to have three sons - Craig, Ryan and Tom - who, along with Wendy were the light of his life.

Charlie found a job as a rigger on Cockatoo Island to support his growing family. He was then offered a job with the Maritime Services Board and ended up on the pilot tender and cutter at Watsons Bay.

Charlie was the first SUA member to be appointed to a Cutter Master's job and he did that job with great distinction for the rest of his life. His seamanship and boat handling abilities were legendary and he was a great trainer of numerous others.

He was also the first of the cutter crew to be trained as a port officer when the Pilot Service was deprivatised. His sense of humour and great way with people made his comrades' entry into that workplace later on so much easier.

Charlie's funeral was held in a packed church at Narrabeen and a large crowd of family, friends and workmates met afterwards at the Dee Why RSL to celebrate his life over a few drinks. Charlie's legendary stories were retold and many a tear was shed recalling the personal impact he had on such a wide range of people.

On Sunday July 6 there was a paddle out at Dee Why point in remembrance. Many of the important elements of Charlie's life were represented. As Wendy and the family watched from the point a large number of surfers paddled out into a circle, flanked by the surfboat. His sons then presented a wreath to the cutter crew and with a roar of engines the boat took off to deposit the wreath at the pilot boarding ground off the Heads in Sydney where Charlie had spent much of his working life.

Fair winds and following seas Charlie - you were an absolute champion.

Gordon Solomon: Leadership

I knew Gordon very well and he was also a friend of my father Joe, who worked with Gordon in various roles and shared in his great passion for our merchant navy. I also have worked with and am a great supporter of the work of the Merchant Navy Association and its various affiliates.

Gordon's leadership within that framework was essential to its success and standing. A number of our longstanding retired members have had a close affiliation with the Association and Gordon's work.

Gordon was an articulate and widely respected advocate for the merchant navy and in particular for recognition of the role of the merchant seafarer during Australia's engagement in hostilities, especially the Second World War. Gordon believed the merchant seafarers' role in that war earned them accreditation as the fourth arm of Australia's defence.

Gordon's work, with others, was instrumental in gaining both recognition and rights for those seafarers - a long, arduous and frustrating labour of love. It is pleasing to note that Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard at the MUA's National Conference announced that Australia would have a Merchant Navy Day in September in recognition of the contribution played by merchant seafarers. This is one of the fortuitous legacies of the work Gordon and his colleagues have undertaken over many years of highlighting the important role of merchant seafarers and their industry and service.

A minute's silence was held at our monthly meetings as a mark of respect for Gordon's work and his passing.

On a personal note Gordon was a wise and compassionate man, whose approach and general demeanour was of quiet dignity and decency. He was an important mentor and inspiration for many of my ideas and actions on behalf of the MUA in this area. He always presented with immaculate detail and personified the highest professional and moral standards that underpin the service he loved and was committed to. I greatly admired him, as did all who had the fortune to know him and he is and will continue to be greatly missed.

Our deepest condolences and sympathies go to Gordon's family on his passing.

Vale Gordon Solomon, now at peace.

Paddy Crumlin

MUA National Secretary

Tor Lindquist: Old Salt

Tor Lindquist, the epitome of a sailor's sailor has finally "paid off" from our shrinking fraternity of "old salts". His seagoing pedigree was unsurpassable and of course now unobtainable. Born in Finland in 1921, he died in Melbourne in April 2008 age 87.

At the age of 15 in 1936 Tor sailed on a Baltic sailing craft out of Lovisa. In 1938 he joined the four-mast barque Passat and did two round the world voyages in her until 1939. He got out of Finland during the "Winter War" and got to Scotland via Norway where he joined the Lawhill, another four-mast barque.

War was raging on the high seas by then and sailing ships were sitting ducks, but the Lawhill sailed down to Montevideo and on to South Africa. Finland by this time was added to the Axis powers and therefore as an enemy was taken as a prize. However South Africa had no real able seaman (meaning able to hand, reef and steer) to man her, so the whole crew after signing "guarantees" were resigned on Allied articles and sailed throughout the war across the Indian and Pacific Oceans without enemy incident, often calling at ports in the Spencer Gulf and the West. She was the lucky Lawhill.

Tor married in 1941 in South Africa. He sailed on Scandinavian vessels internationally until 1955 when he and his wife came back to Australia. Tor shipped out of Melbourne on the coast, a big change from plying around the world in sail where he rounded Cape Horn seven times.

When the restoration of the three-mast barque Polly Woodside began in Melbourne, Tor took the permanent paid task of master rigger. Without him, the project would have never been completed. Rigging any sailing vessel is an art and to rig such a vessel in this era without cranes and the shipyard backup of the period was phenomenal. One can produce this in theory from plans but to attain it in practice was amazing.

Tor completed it "hands on" with many volunteer SUA members, using tackle on tackle. She had the lower three masts stepped, as many would have remembered, when as the bunker ship Rona, she tied up alongside all coal burners visiting Melbourne. Tor and his "crew" put up the topmast then the topgallants and finally sent up and crossed all the yards. All were then rigged with fore and aft steelwire stays set up taunt in deadeyes and lanyards. Then came the running rigging, miles of cordage and a myriad of blocks etc.

Later Tor cut out all the sails and hand sewed them. Tor retired from that job in his seventies but he did not cease his calling. His every finger - being a marlinspike - refused to loosen their grip and for many more years he put in countless voluntary hours maintaining the Polly right up to a few weeks before his end. Tor received the Order of Australia for his efforts and dedication to our country's role in maritime history.

All of a sudden leukemia caught up and overcame him, his mighty energy and strength drained away and he died in his sleep. A legend has passed on, his spirit we know transferred to a great wandering albatross hatched at the moment that he left us. This bird as ordained in the law of all sailors will soar with Tor forever above the seas of the southern oceans. Tor leaves behind only his widow, Vicky, from a 67-year marriage. Some of our members living in the area such as Shaun Breen will guarantee her future and comfort.

Tor Lindquist was a great yet humble man amongst his shipmates and associates. He will be sorely missed.

Max Wood

Life Member

LES STUART

AGITATOR

Les joined the coal section of the Melbourne Branch of the Waterside Workers' Federation after he left the army in 1949. At that time there were 700 coal workers in the port and it wasn't long before Les became their Honorary Secretary. He was known to the coal barons and ship owners as "The Washing Machine" because he was such an agitator on the job.

Les, the grandson of Victoria's first Mines and Water Minister was raised in Upper Ferntree Gully where he was dux of the local school in 1932. He took up boxing at 15 with a friend whose father, a sports writer, urged the boys to visit a city gym. Although he was severely beaten at first he persisted with his technique and went on to become a top bantamweight, winning 24 of his 26 fights, including a 12 rounder at Leichhardt Stadium.

The coalies enjoyed the best wages and conditions in the port at the time because of Les' leadership skills. Les was much loved by all wharfies because of his charity work in the port, running turns and taking up collections for sick and disabled members and their families.

In 1961 Les was the leader of the campaign committee for Charlie Fitzgibbon in Melbourne and played a major part in getting him elected as our general secretary. Les held the wharfies spellbound at meetings on the job and stopwork meetings and he had 70 meetings in the ports of Melbourne, Geelong and Portland during the five-week campaign.

Charlie Fitzgibbon held that position until he retired 22 years later. He turned out to be one of Australia's greatest trade union officials. As well as being our general secretary he was the senior vice president of the ACTU and president of the dock section of the International Transport Federation (ITF).

In 1964 Les was elected president of the Melbourne Branch and federal councillor. In 1965 he resigned as president and was elected secretary (the only member ever to have held both positions in the branch). He retired from the executive in 1971 and went back and carried his hook until he retired off the wharf in 1979.

During his time in office Les was recognised by the courts and other union officials as the most competent workers' compensation officer the branch ever had, at a time when the Compensation Act in Victoria was the worst in the country. In our 40 years of knowing Les he did everything to make sure that those entitled to compensation received it.

Les was around in the hard days, when you had to go into the compound for a job each morning with up to 1,000 other wharfies or more competing for the same jobs. The casual system then was degrading, the foreman would get up on a box and pick out his Bull Gangs, a system that was out to divide the members, a system that was not only known to the employers but also encouraged by them.

During his time as president Les played a major role in helping Fitzgibbon move the Federation from the inhuman casual system to the 'Permanent System' in 1967-68. At that time there was a lot of opposition to permanency from certain elements within the Federation. We had three stopwork meetings in the ports of Melbourne before carrying it. At the third meeting was Harry Bridges, president of the Long Shoremen's Union. His speech helped convince members to give it an honest try as they had done in the USA.

With permanency came the best industrial superannuation fund in Australia - a fund that current members now enjoy. Permanency saved the union from destruction. The same people in the port, who opposed it, even opposed the starting up of a credit union, now second to none in any industry in the country. Les was a fighter and gave strong leadership as he stood up for what was right for wharfies no matter what the odds, and there were plenty around in those days.

Les took on training boxers with the same passion he showed fighting the ship owner. He trained many fighters including two Australian champions Leo Young and Tommy Collins and a Commonwealth titleholder Bobby Dunne. They were all wharfies in the port. When Les undertook to train a boxer he told them, "I want three things: Dedication, Discipline and Loyalty" - the same commitment he gave to his union. He wanted them not only to be better boxers but better people, as he did with everyone he met. All his boxers used to say that to have Les in your corner was worth two rounds.

Les stood about 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed in at just under eight stone, but to the wharfies in the port of Melbourne he was a giant of a man who had the gifts of an actor, an artist and a philosopher combined with a great sense of humour. He used all these gifts to help change the face of the waterfront forever. He will be remembered for the courage and compassion that he showed to us all, and his love of God and his fellow man.

The Victorian branch expresses its sincere sympathy to his wife Grace, his six children Lindsay, Teresa, Mary, Bernadette, Michael and Gerard and his nine grand children and three great grand children.

Archie Arceri, past State Secretary and Federal Councillor

Jim Beggs, past National President

KURT WALTHER LUX: MILITANT

Whyalla members will be saddened to learn of the passing of retired member Kurt Walther Lux who has been residing, since retirement, at Mt Barker in the Adelaide Hills.

Kurt was a member of the Port Adelaide Branch of the MUA Veterans' Association until severe illness prevented his attendance.

He was not an easy man to get to know but during his illness we became firm friends and engaged in long political discussions. He was a militant trade unionist with very strong feeling about his class position.

Kurt often referred to John Howard as "that little rat" and fortunately survived long enough to be able to smile when told of the little rat's demise.

My wife Marcia and I attended a very beautiful service in the Adelaide Hills where Kurt's sons made fine contributions about their father.

Rex Munn

Port Adelaide MUA Veterans' Association