S.S. Empire Arnold

[Canovian]

Hi all

I have found that I had an Uncle who was lost after the S.S. EMpire Arnold was torpedoed by a U-Boat heading for Cape Town from Trinidad on August 4th 1942.

I am looking for pictures of this boat and having had no luck have turned to this forum to see if anyone can assist.

Any other information would be gratefully received, I have some from the Internet but think that mamybe some of the Forum Members could be able to help, further

My Uncle was James Symonds one of the nine crew who died that day, thankfully the majority of the crew were rescued.

The S.S. Empire Arnold was one of the Ropner Line of Ships, I believe their is a book about them does anyone know if this is a worthwhile buy?

many thanks

[Doc Vernon]

Dont know much on this Ship but here is a link that may assist you with more info!
It starts with Billy McGee's writup and there are other comments!
May Help
Thanks to Billy! (DeepSea)
Cheers

http://warsailors.com/forum/read.php...,1335#msg-1335

[Ray Buck]

I doubt if there will any photographs of the “Empire Arnold” as she was only completer in 1942 sunk August 1942

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_...sualty=2363788

http://www.hut-six.co.uk/cgi-bin/sxw...lue=1&pageno=1

Empire Arnold, steamship
LAIGHT, Charles H, Able Seaman, D/JX 333739, (President III, O/P), MPK
http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_...sualty=2482878

there is an account at
http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1999.html

There is a ships manifest for the “Empire Arnold” (This may not be the last crew agreement) which has a James Mark Symonds as an O.S. having signed on in West Hartlepool on the 18th May 1942 aged 21. with 1 ˝ years service
The ship arrived in New York on the 15th June 1942 having sailed from Hartlepool, she was expected to sail again on the 30th June 1942 for Alexandria
Ray

[DeepSea]

The book in question is possibly mine "Ropner's Navy" Information below is from the book on Empire Arnold. As Ray states due to the fact she was lost so early in her career, it looks as though no photograph exists. I did search for one myself during research for the book to no avail.

EMPIRE ARNOLD, (ON.168939) 7,045grt, built 1942 (William Gray & Co., West Hartlepool) for the MOWT managed by Ropner Shipping Co. Ltd. Torpedoed and sunk by U-155 500 miles North-East of Trinidad on the 4th August 1942 sailing independently after dispersing from Convoy E-6 from New York to Cape Town & Alexandria via Trinidad with a cargo of government stores and 2 passengers. Captain Frederick Tate was taken prisoner. 8 crew and 1 DEMS gunner killed. 51 survived. A number of survivors were rescued after 8 days by the Norwegian ship DALVANGER and landed at George Town, British Guinea. The Chief Officer, R.W. Thompson’s lifeboat with 24 survivors in navigated the boat 500 miles to safety. Captain Tate was removed from one of the lifeboats suffering from wounds. In September 1942 he was landed in Lorient and eventually interned at the Merchant Navy PoW camp Milag Nord where he spent the remainder of the war until the camp was liberated 28th April 1945.

Last Crew Agreements held at The National Archives in file BT 381/2200

Casualties:

BURKE, Fireman and Trimmer, JAMES, S.S. Empire Arnold (West Hartlepool). Merchant Navy. 4th August 1942. Age 26. Husband of Harriet Burke, of Liverpool.

CASSIE, Chief Engineer Officer, GEORGE, S.S. Empire Arnold (West Hartlepool). Merchant Navy. 4th August 1942. Age 37.

CUNNINGHAM, Fireman and Trimmer, JAMES JOSEPH, S.S. Empire Arnold (West Hartlepool). Merchant Navy. 4th August 1942. Age 37. Son of Patrick and Bridget Cunningham; husband of Elizabeth Cunningham, of Liverpool.

DAVIS, Fireman and Trimmer, JOSEPH, S.S. Empire Arnold (West Hartlepool). Merchant Navy. 4th August 1942. Age 42.

HAND, Donkeyman, JOHN ALEXANDER, S.S. Empire Arnold (West Hartlepool). Merchant Navy. 4th August 1942. Age 50. Son of William Hand, and of Elizabeth Hand, of West Hartlepool, Co. Durham.

HULL, Second Engineer Officer, REYNOLD NICHOLSON, S.S. Empire Arnold (West Hartlepool). Merchant Navy. 4th August 1942. Age 34. Son of George and Ida Hull; husband of Dorothy Hull, of South Shields, Co. Durham.

LAIGHT, Able Seaman, CHARLES HENRY, D/JX 333739. H.M.S. President III. Royal Navy. Lost in S.S. Empire Arnold. 4th August 1942. Age 27. Son of Frank and Ethel Kate Laight, of Cotteridge, Birmingham.

REED, Fourth Engineer Officer, JOHN, S.S. Empire Arnold (West Hartlepool). Merchant Navy. 4th August 1942. Age 21. Son of John Reed, and of Charlotte Reed, of West Hartlepool, Co. Durham.

SYMONDS, Ordinary Seaman, JAMES MARK, S.S. Empire Arnold (West Hartlepool). Merchant Navy. 4th August 1942. Age 21.

[Leslie White]

I have a letter dated August 21, 1942 - written to Capt. Henderson - The survivors of the SS Empire Arnold thanked him for resucing men from the ship after it went down. He was also presented with a silver cup. It is signed by 3 Individuals - A. Trotter, gunlayer and two others but I can't read their signatures.

It was my grandfather that rescued them.