THE 1966 SEAMEN’S STRIKE

Two months after winning a 96-seat majority in the 1966 General Election, Labour’s Harold Wilson was faced with a national emergency. The National Union of Seamen, not known for its recent militancy, wanted a 40-hour week for its members and £60 (about £990 today) a month for an able seaman. Rebuffed by the employers, the NUS called a national strike on 16 May. Within weeks, 20,000 seamen were out, disrupting much (but not all) of the shipping to the Scottish islands. The new government declared a state of emergency, setting up a naval operation to relieve island communities. But they were initially careful not to be seen as trying to break the strike:

‘The navy launched Operation Shortbread last night. Three warships, the coastal minesweepers Belton and Witton and the boom defence vessel Leymoor, sailed from ports on the West of Scotland carrying supplies to the Western Islands. On board were bread, milk, paraffin and perishable groceries. First call was made at Tobermory on the island of Mull by H.M.S. Belton, which had set sail from Oban. Her captain, Lieut.-Commander D. J. Bird, said: “We are carrying only essential supplies. I am acting under very strict instructions.” The minesweeper then left with supplies for the islands of Coll and Tiree before going on to Barra and South Uist in the Outer Hebrides. “Operation Shortbread” is under the command of the Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland, Vice-Admiral Sir David Gregory, whose headquarters are at Pitreavie Castle, Dunfermline.’ (Dundee Courier, 19 May 1966, p. 9)

Difficult waters

‘Meat, sausages and bread were landed on the pier and local merchants took the goods away. The Belton took aboard mail for Coll, Tiree and Lochboisdale. A retired Tobermory sea captain, Mr Calum Robertson, joined the ship to guide her through the difficult island waters. Although the seamen’s strike has caused no severe shortages on Mull so far, a converted tank-landing craft is expected to put out from Oban today with drums of petrol. Before the Government moved, emergency measures were already in operation. Bread and other essentials were being taken into Mull by boat from Oban to Grass Point, and oil and petrol in barrels by puffer. B.E.A. were flying supplies from Glasgow to Islay, Barra, Tiree and other islands, but the expense of using air services was stressed on Islay, where it was reported that a charge of 2s 6d [about £3 today] was being made for a loaf of bread. Lewis Hospital, Stornoway, has only seven days fuel supply left, but dockers have agreed to unload any that can be shipped to the island.’ (The Scotsman, 19 May 1966, p. 1)

‘As the seamen’s strike entered upon its fourth day, two more ships of the Royal Navy were ordered by the Government to join in Operation Shortbread and carry supplies of essential foodstuffs to the Western Isles. They were the minesweeper, H.M.S. Wasperton, and the boom defence vessel, H.M.S. Barrage. The minesweeper will operate between Oban and Mull, and the other ship from Kyle of Lochalsh. Five ships of the Royal Navy have now been brought in to ensure supplies to the Islands. Three other vessels, the coastal minesweepers, Belton and Wotton, and the boom defence vessel Laymoor, were brought into operation on Wednesday. Belton left Oban to supply the islands of Coll, Tiree, Barra and South Uist.’ (Inverness Courier, 20 May 1966, p. 7)

Bread Supplies Low

‘In the Western Isles, with Operation Shortbread running into weather difficulties, supplies of fresh bread were diminishing on several islands, and housewives were concentrating on home baking. A spokesman for the Scottish Home and Health Department said that the Operation Shortbread fleet would have a backlog of supplies to cope with, but most of the islands were not seriously short of food. At Oban, three minesweepers taking part in the operation, Belton, Wotton and Wasperton, were stormbound. Eight tons of supplies were loaded on Belton, which is due to sail for Barra and Lochboisdale this morning. The Wasperton will take on supplies today for Mull, Coll and Tiree. The 49-ton MacBrayne ferry Loch Tascaig, which is unaffected by the strike—her crew are not N.U.S. members—continued to run between Oban and Lismore yesterday despite the bad weather. The sea, however, was too rough for Mrs Henrietta Spencer (68) to make her usual run to Mull by launch with food, supplies, mail and passengers. Also weatherbound yesterday was the Stornoway fishing boat Girl Norma, which has been bringing in 1000 gallons of milk a day since the strike began.’ (The Scotsman, 24 May 1966, p. 5)

‘The strike has now gone on for 40 days—a Biblical length of time—and both the general secretary of the National Union of Seamen and the chairman of the Shipowners’ Federation said after yesterday’s session that it was too early say if any progress had been made. There had been an exchange of views, which would be further explored the next day. Plans are being worked out for augmenting the emergency services to the Scottish islands, as a consequence of the Prime Minister’s statement in the House of Commons on Monday … In the Western Isles, defence vessels will provide a regular service for the carriage of essential supplies … There will be three sailings a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from Oban for Mull, Coll and Tiree … Up to now, goods have not been taken on service vessels on their return journeys from the islands, but the Government has now decided that agricultural produce, excluding livestock, and if possible fish, may be carried on service vessels. In addition, the vessels have been authorised to transport some essential industrial materials to the islands, to the extent that capacity is available.’ (Inverness Courier, 24 June 1966, p. 7)

The 47-day strike ended on 30 June after the employers tabled an improved pay offer.

It would be interesting to hear about this period from anyone who remembers grey warships tied up at the Gott Bay pier.

Dr John Holliday