"Captain of the Queen" by Captain Robert Harry Arnott, 1982 ISBN 0 450 04891 8

[Rob Lightbody]

This is the autobiograph of the most famous sea captain of them all.  Captain Robert Harry Arnott is master of the Queen Elizabeth 2, the largest and most luxurious passenger liner afloat.  Captain Bob, as he is affectionally known, first went to sea at the age of 17, with the Blue Funnel Line.  He was a humble midshipman then, but steady promotion followed.  CAPTAIN OF THE QUEEN tells the story of his full career, culiminating in that glorious moment when he was appointed Captain of the most famous passenger liner ever built.
This is a story told with a unique insight and affectionate recollection.  The most famous names in the world, from all walks of life, have sailed on the QE2.  People have been drawn back to its unique combination of elegance and comfort.
Many of the stories told are taken from the Captain's personal log, and the text is augmented with many illustrations from his own private collection

[Alan Snelson]

This is really worth a read. If you ever had the good fortune to sail with 'Captain Bob', reading this book is sure to bring back many memories.

I particularly enjoyed it as a lot of what was written related to my time on board and I could easily recall many of the incidents he writes about.

A true gentleman and a real gentle giant of a man. I can't ever remember hearing a bad word spoken about him.

[June Ingram]

Upon the passing of "Captain Bob", I have reread his book and came across the following.  It is in regard to Captain John Treasure-Jones taking Queen Mary on her final voyage to Long Beach and also in regard to Captain Bob taking Britannic to the breakers in Scotland.  This is a direct quote from Chapter 15.

"The last voyage of any ship, whether she's destined for dazzling dockside display or simply bound for the breaker's yard, is something of a funereal experience for those who have served on her and have come to regard her as a vibrant, living entity."