WITH her distinctive three red funnels, the RMS Queen Mary was one of the grandest ocean liners in the world.

Built at John Brown's shipyard in Clydebank in the 1930s, she went on to offer the epitome of transatlantic travel, put in service as a troopship during the Second World War and was much loved by a host of celebrities including Clark Gable and Bob Hope.

Now a hotel in Long Beach, California, the Queen, as she is affectionately known, is getting ready to celebrate next May the 80th anniversary of her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York.

To mark the event, staff on board the ship, now owned by the City of Long Beach, are looking for people who have had a connection with her.

Did you work on the Queen Mary? Maybe you sailed on her? Do you have any mementoes of your time on the ship?

My father Alf Holt grew up in Dalmuir, served his time as an apprentice in the drawing office at John Brown's and went on to become second engineer on the great Queen, in charge of the engine room on the regular North Atlantic crossings in the 1950s.

He was wonderful memories of working on what was undeniably the grandest ocean liner in the world. And ostensibly running the engine room, he had a high-pressure role at a time when the length of the journey from Southampton to New York was all-important.

Years later he told stories of the big names he had seen on board, including Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, and the stormy North Atlantic seas that battered the ship on particularly bad crossings.

"We want to encourage readers who have had a connection to get in touch – we want to hear your stories and if you have things in the attic we would like to know what they are," said US documentary maker Dan McCue, who is working with the Queen Mary.

"Our aim is to preserve and enhance the historical value of the ship. Of the 1.5m people who still come to visit the Queen Mary, many come to touch in some small or large way history. It's the only ship of its kind in the world."

In his search for stories, Dan met 93-year-old Heather Beagley from Southampton who, as a 14-year-old girl, was on the maiden voyage with her parents.

Also on board on that trip were silver screen icon Olivia de Havilland and Scottish actor Jack Buchanan.

In America Dan discovered a war bride who crossed the Atlantic on the Queen Mary to start a new life, as well as a US serviceman who survived D Day and the Battle of the Bulge and came home on the ship.

"He was in the bow of the Queen Mary when she entered New York harbour and people were flicking the lights on and off to spell out 'V for victory' in Morse code."

If you remember being on board the Queen Mary, contact angela.mcmanus@heraldandtimes.co.uk of call 0141 302 7039.