Information about the SS London Valour

[Carolyn Popple]

Hi Everyone
I wonder if there is anyone who could help me with my question. My father served on the London Valour at the beginning of the 1960's. He told us that the ship was the first one to visit Cuba after the missile crisis and as such they had a delegation of VIPS welcome them into Havana. He has always maintained that the were photos taken of the crew with a number of the dignatories and he reckons they included Che Guevara and Fidel Castro. Unfortunately I have searched the internet for any information about this but surprisingly there is nothing much about this. The main information about the London Valour is it's tragic end in Genoa. It would be nice if I could find out a little more about this as our family were always interested in this story. He was always a little vague with the details. He reckons he was quite young at the time 21 or 22 and to him they were just a bunch of blokes with beards!
Thanks for your time.
Caz

[Keith at Tregenna]

A start on site would be Forgotten Tragedies:

Link: http://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/f...n-valour-4244/

LINK 2: http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/lof2.html

LINK 3: http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issu.../4805/page.pdf

LONDON VALOUR (1956-1970)

O.N. 187505 IMO 5211393
Built: 1956 by Furness Shipbuilder Co. Ltd., Haverton Hill-on-Tees.
Tonnage: 16,268g, 9,497n, 24,700 dwt.
Engines: Two steam turbines by Richardsons, Westgarth (Hartlepool) Ltd., Hartlepool double reduction geared to a single screw 8,200shp 14 knots.
Launched 12 June 1956 completed 6 December 1956 Yard Nos. 475 for London and Overseas Freighters Ltd.
18 December 1966 arrives in La Spezia, Italy for conversion into a bulk carrier.
9 April 1970 grounded and sunk in gale winds at Genoa with the loss of twenty crew members.
Salvage operations commenced in November 1970 and she was cut in two, the stern section was refloated but sank off Cape Corso. May 1972 demonition of the forepart commenced.

The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962

"London Valour"

LINK: http://www.oldsalts.org.uk/Cuba_trips.html

PIC AT: http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20...Valour-01.html

K.

[Carolyn Popple]

Hi Keith
Thanks for your help and the information. Its very interesting to find out a bit more about the ship and to see photos. Ive forwarded this info to my dad. He says he was in dry dock in La Spezia so I presume he was still serving on the ship a few years later when it had its refit.
Cheers
Caz

[Keith at Tregenna]

Pic here apparently of: 'London Valour' arrives alongside 'London Prestige' being Converted La Spezia Dec.1966

LINK: LOF-News: Latest News 2007

K.

[Keith at Tregenna]

LINK: http://www.teesbuiltships.co.uk/furn...valour1956.htm

K.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Regret, may be covering some old ground with regard to what you seek, hopefully some may be of use, although more on the Cuba connection may be found. For others interested I will continue to add facts and reports on her demise:

Hopefully some may help your self and dad, esp the pics, until we can find more.

K.

[Keith at Tregenna]

TRANSLATION:

The day of the Devil

This premise is the explanation of what happened forty years ago, in that infamous April 9, 1970 that he saw crashing on the breakwater of the port of Genoa, the T / N London Valour. Who was there can only remember him as "the day of the devil." 22 people perished in the sight of a city stunned, shocked and helpless before the terrible blows of the sea raised by a few hours in the wind veered from Scirocco Mistral reinforcement for each quadrant of the compass. In those extreme conditions, rarely seen by the Genoese, at little or no avail the many brave attempts to rescue the rescuers improvised.

K.

[Carolyn Popple]

Hi Keith
Thanks for so much interesting information. It was a tragic end to a ship that appears to have had an interesting history. It is ironic that it's demise came at Genoa. i visited there a couple of years ago and it seemed like a lovely calm harbour (It was August though). When you consider some of the places it had been to you would have thought it was one of the more safer seas.
Carolyn.

[Keith at Tregenna]

[QUOTE=Keith at Tregenna;67327]A start on site would be Forgotten Tragedies:

Link: http://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/f...n-valour-4244/ : Initiated by LOUIS THE AMIGO:

LINK 2: http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/lof2.html

LINK 3: http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issu.../4805/page.pdf

The day of the Devil both a quote and a translation: http://translate.google.co.uk/transl...26prmd%3Dimvns

K.