Chapter One

Edward Paige's parents, Roland and Mary, were on the platform of Grimsby's railway station. As he leaned out of the train's window, the cool breeze ruffled the blond hair atop his lean, six foot frame. They had said their goodbyes on the platform; a hug and kiss from his mum, a handshake from his father. Finally, the train started moving away from the station, but he continued to look back. His mother's brimmed hat was slightly askew atop her shoulder length hair, and her arms held her coat tight against her slim body. She had a damp linen handkerchief scrunched up in her hand which she lifted to give a final wave. His father, cap over his short-cropped dark graying hair, arms straight down at his sides, stood motionless close by her side, watching.

Edward returned the wave, pulled up the window by its thick leather strap until the latch slipped under its lower edge, and then settled down in his seat. In one way he was thankful that the uncomfortable goodbyes were over. He was also a little fearful of the fact that he was now alone on his way south, to London.

His destination in London was the office of The Anglo Saxon Petroleum Company, soon to become Shell International Petroleum Company, at Ibex House in The Mineries. There, he was to pick up travel documents for his journey to the south of France to join his first ship, a Shell Tanker, as a Deck Apprentice. It was early December, 1955. The weather was grey and cold, which fit quite well with how he felt inside. He was sixt