Help finding ancestor

[Sonja Brown]

Hi - I am researching my family history on my Father's side and found his cousin Leslie McDonald served with the Merchant Navy as a steward on board the Oropesa which was torpedoed in 1941 and sadly Leslie died aged only 18. I just wondered how I could find out more about him if anyone can help.

[Captain Kong]

Keep looking in Sonja, one of our experts will soon provide information for you. Please give as much information as possible, e.g.
place of birth, date of death and any other ships he sailed on.
They are good but sometimes takes a while.
Cheers
Brian
Final voyage and sinking[edit]



SS Oropesa is located in Oceans around British Isles

SS Oropesa



Approximate position of Oropesa's wreck

LESLIE McDONALD, Steward, S.S. Oropesa (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 16th January 1941. Age 18.


The destroyer HMS Westcott, which with two Royal Navy tugs rescued 143 survivors
Oropesa left Suez on 30 November with Convoy BS 9A, which dispersed off Aden on 5 December.[21] On 12 December 1940 Oropesa left Mombasa in Kenya, calling at Beira, Mozambique, on 19 December and Cape Town on Christmas Day.[4]

On 16 January 1941 at 0356 hrs Oropesa was southeast of Rockall in the Western Approaches when the German Type VIIC submarine U-96, commanded by Kptlt Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock, hit her in the stern with one G7a torpedo. Oropesa did not sink immediately, so U-96 waited and at 0440 hrs fired another torpedo, but that malfunctioned and went in circles. U-96 fired again at 0503 and 0559 hrs, this time hitting Oropesa beneath her bridge and amidships. The liner capsized and sank at 0616 hrs.[4]

The Master, Harry Croft, 98 crew, a DEMS gunner and six passengers were killed. The Royal Navy tugs HMS Superman and HMS Tenacity and W-class anti-submarine destroyer HMS Westcott rescued 109 crew, one DEMS gunner and 33 passengers and landed them at Liverpool.[4]

[Sonja Brown]

Thanks Brian. All I know about Leslie McDonald is that he was born about 1922 in Liverpool and was a steward aboard the Oropesa and died when it was sunk in January 1941.

[Captain Kong]

I HAVE JUST ADDED A BIT ABOUT THE SINKING Sonja. above.
Cheers
Brian

[John Albert Evans]

Sonja,

If you haven't already got one here is a photo of the SS Oropesa....oropesa.jpg.

Good Luck.

John.

[Captain Kong]

Leslie McDonald Merchant Navy. British

Born 1923 Died 16 Jan 1941 (18)

Roster information listed for Leslie McDonald




Ship
Oropesa Steam passenger ship Steward 16 Jan 1941 (+) U-96
SS OROPESA (January 16, 1941)
Passenger liner of 14,118 tons (Capt. H. Croft) built in 1920 at the Cammel Laird shipyard at Birkenhead for the Pacific Steam Navigation Company. In 1921 she was chartered to the Royal Mail for the Hamburg-Southampton-New York service. In 1931 she carried the Prince of Wales and Prince George to South America. In September, 1939, the ship was taken over and converted to a troopship and on January 16, 1941 while en route from Mombasa, East Africa, to the UK, was sunk by three torpedoes from the U-96 (Kptlt. Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock) about 100 miles off County Donegal, Ireland. Of the 249 crew and passengers on board, 113 were killed.

From google.

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Sonja
Welcome to the site!
If his CRS10 (Seamans Papers) still survive I think I am correct ib saying that they could be found in this Link,
A visit to Kew would be the best to do.
Cheers

McDonald L


Reference:
BT 391/71

Description:

McDONALD J to McHUGH W L


Date:
1944 Jan 01 - 1945 Dec 31


McDONALD J to McHUGH W L | The National Archives

[Hugh]

If his CRS10 (Seamans Papers) still survive I think I am correct ib saying that they could be found in this Link,

Two things Vernon. Firstly, CRS 10 files are not held in piece BT 391 that is for COMNO pouches, 1944. You know that CRS 10 files are held in piece BT 382.
Secondly, Leslie McDonald died in 1941 so there will obviously be nothing for him in 1944 series and there will be no CRS 10 for him as the BT 382 series starts from Jan 1941, the month and year he was killed in service.

Regards
Hugh

[gray_marian]

#1, Sonja, Could only find this excerpt below from Find My past [FMP]

Deaths at sea, 1781-1968 Transcription
First name(s) Leslie
Last name McDonald
Birth year 1923
Birth place L/pool
Death year 1941 Missing presumed drowned
Death date 16 Jan 1941, Ship sunk by enemy action
Age 18, Steward, 17, Pan St, L/pool
Vessel name Oropesa official no:143667 Official C+D [tick above the c]
Departure port -
Series BT 334
Box 0098
Page 56

[Doc Vernon]

Two things Vernon. Firstly, CRS 10 files are not held in piece BT 391 that is for COMNO pouches, 1944. You know that CRS 10 files are held in piece BT 382.
Secondly, Leslie McDonald died in 1941 so there will obviously be nothing for him in 1944 series and there will be no CRS 10 for him as the BT 382 series starts from Jan 1941, the month and year he was killed in service.

Regards
Hugh

Oooops! My Boo Boo Hugh
Sorry about that I should have checked !
Thanks again for putting me straight! (Into a Jacket LOL)
Cheers


Apologies to Sonja as well!
Cheers