Walter Page Thomson

....when I turned 16, I started work at Haig's of Markinch the whisky distillers. Sometimes the men I worked with would play tricks on apprentices. One day they said "Go and clean out one of the VATS". Well, thinking it was part of my training I promptly went inside. I had to be sent home. My sister wouldn't believe that I hadn't touched a drop of drink, but the fumes had got into my lungs and made me drunk!! I soon learned not to follow orders I was given. (Source: Walter Thomson - early life)

"....As I said I was always fascinated by engines. When I had saved a little from my wages I bought an old motor cycle from a farmer I knew. It had lain in his barn for some years. I took it to pieces bit bu bit and cleaned every part. I then put it together again. It took some 3 months, but I finally got it working. How thrilled I was when I took it on its maiden run, along the traffic free roads in Fife, and many more trips exploring places I had never seen before.

After discovering the miles around my home I hankered for somewhere abroad so I left my job (with good references, I might add) and drove down on my bike to Newcastle, abandoned it and joined a Merchant Navy ship as a stoker. The first glimpse of the engines with the great oiled pistons going up down, up down, took my breath away. I though some day I would wish to be in charge of the engine room and I did many years later when my promotion through from Stoker, Donkey, Able Seasman to 1st Engineer. I thought I was in heavean if only in the bowels of a ship!!" (Source: Walter Thomson - Early Years "Titled Love of Engines")