By registering with our site you will have full instant access to:
268,000 posts on every subject imaginable contributed by 1000's of members worldwide.
25000 photos and videos mainly relating to the British Merchant Navy.
Members experienced in research to help you find out about friends and relatives who served.
The camaraderie of 1000's of ex Merchant Seamen who use the site for recreation & nostalgia.
Here we are all equal whether ex Deck Boy or Commodore of the Fleet.
A wealth of experience and expertise from all departments spanning 70+ years.
It is simple to register and membership is absolutely free.
N.B. If you are going to be requesting help from one of the forums with finding historical details of a relative
please include as much information as possible to help members assist you. We certainly need full names,
date and place of birth / death where possible plus any other details you have such as discharge book numbers etc.
Please post all questions onto the appropriate forum
-
11th February 2017, 04:28 PM
#11
-
Post Thanks / Like
N/A thanked for this post
-
11th February 2017, 05:46 PM
#12
Re: Elders & Fyffes during war time
Chris your grandpa was only 16yrs on that particular document, just at the start of his career...Anyone who served in wartime has my eternal gratitude
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
11th February 2017, 08:19 PM
#13
-
Post Thanks / Like
Hugh thanked for this post
-
12th February 2017, 02:47 AM
#14
Re: Elders & Fyffes during war time
Anyone who gets a commission in the RN especially from the lower deck I raise my hat to them. I went through all the processes in 1951 and different ways of entering the RN. It was pointed out to me in no uncertain terms that a Dartmouth cadetship was well out of the question as depended more or less on your academic background and also your family background, your knowledge of at least one foreign language and being able to play one musical instrument. I also applied for entry as a boy seaman at 15 and was acceptable, however my old man would not sign his permission. I have sailed with various people of commissioned rank on them leaving the RN and generally found them out of touch with MN ways of working. The one I had the most respect for was a Portsmouth man who rose from stoker to Lieutenant and stayed at that rank until his discharge from the RN. He appeared as Ch.Engineer on the ship I was mate on, on his cert. of service he was entitled to. I don't particular know of his engineering knowledge but he was a good companion ashore. His wife had a hat shop in Portsmouth, and she used to say to him, Gerry when you were an ordinary matelot you were a gentleman, now you are an officer you are a pig. Characters like him have all disappeared now and the world is worse off for their going. He also sailed in submarines during the war, and knew Lt.Commander Kerrans of the Amethyst do in China. He also reckoned those Naval Attaches who were appointed to various embassies were put there as somewhere to put out of the way. His big hate however was Jaunties ( Naval Police). He was a real character and good shipmate. For those living in the Portsmouth area and may of known him his name was Gerry Fuchter. Cheers JS PS it was his claim to fame that he was the oldest commissioned Lieutenant in the Royal Navy. JS
Last edited by j.sabourn; 12th February 2017 at 03:11 AM.
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
12th February 2017, 12:52 PM
#15
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
13th February 2017, 04:05 PM
#16
Re: Elders & Fyffes during war time
Hi Hugh
many thanks for your reply yes that's my uncle. Ironically that same year as Tetela being torpedoed, his father,my grandfather was lost He was Chief Engineer on the SS Homeside a 4000 gt steam ship loaded with 7000 ton of iron ore due for the Tees. she was part of convoy Hg 51 or SLS 62? steaming from Pepel, Freetown. On the 28th January an SOS was received stating that she was taking water into No1 hold and the crew were taking to the boats and as nothing more was heard from her she was presumed lost Her position was 43,52N 18.40 W which i think was just north of the Azores?? in a storm?? with iron ore?
Last edited by Russ Lowdon; 13th February 2017 at 04:38 PM.
-
Post Thanks / Like
Hugh liked this post
-
13th February 2017, 07:25 PM
#17
Re: Elders & Fyffes during war time
Hello Russ,
I have sent you an email re your uncle and one will follow shortly with 3 cards for your grandfather including photo.
One of mine from last year - uboat.net - Re: SS Homeside mystery
Regards
Hugh
Last edited by Hugh; 13th February 2017 at 07:27 PM.
"If Blood was the price
We had to pay for our freedom
Then the Merchant Ship Sailors
Paid it in full”
www.sscityofcairo.co.uk
-
Post Thanks / Like
N/A thanked for this post
-
13th February 2017, 08:58 PM
#18
Re: Elders & Fyffes during war time
Originally Posted by
Hugh
Also shown is the ship which looks like SALSBURY in October 1945 but is shown as not registered so this ship may have had a name change.
Re my #7 The ship was the German SALZBURG see below.
Empire Mole was a 4,876 GRT cargo ship which was built by Deutsche Werft, Hamburg. Completed in 1939 as Panther for Laeisz Line. Towed to Copenhagen for completion by Burmeister & Wain. Completed in 1941, requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine, converted to an auxiliary cruiser and renamed Salzburg. Seized in May 1945 in the Kiel Canal, to MoWT and renamed Empire Mole. Sold in 1947 to Elders & Fyffes Ltd and renamed Reventazon. Sold in 1963 to Jade Co Inc, Panama and renamed Kimolos. Sold in 1972 to G J Krargeorgis Shipping Ltd, Greece and renamed Vassilia K. Scrapped in December 1973 at Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Regards
Hugh
"If Blood was the price
We had to pay for our freedom
Then the Merchant Ship Sailors
Paid it in full”
www.sscityofcairo.co.uk
-
Post Thanks / Like
N/A thanked for this post
Tags for this Thread
Posting Permissions
- You may not post new threads
- You may not post replies
- You may not post attachments
- You may not edit your posts
-
Forum Rules