Pedestal

[Brian Probetts (Site Admin)]

Pedestal.jpg



Spotted today the narrowboat “Pedestal”, pic attached, moored in Pyrford Marina, Surrey, (near Wisley) with the “crossed flags” painted on the coachroof side and date of 15.08.1942.
Any idea of the significance?

[Evan Lewis]

Without research,offhand, think it may have something to do with the Malta Convoy

[Keith at Tregenna]

The date seems to relate Evan.

August 15, 1942 (Saturday)

Operation Pedestal ended in tactical disaster but strategic victory for the British.

K.

[Captain Kong]

The FEDERAL./ NZSC Ship Dorset, disabled by 3 near misses, engine room flooded, high octane gas on fire, abandoned.
in the Convoy to Malta in 1942, same convoy as the OHIO,
So I guess the owner of the barge will have a connection to that ship.
Cheers
Brian

NAVAL HISTORICAL BRANCH INFORMATION BRIEF
18
Annex C
Merchant Ship Casualties during Operation “Pedestal”
(contemporary assessment taken from Admiral Syfret’s Report)
Ship Date/Time Details

Ohio 2000/12 Mined or torpedoed in the Skerki Channel. Near missed
am and pm on 13th. Reached Malta.

Brisbane Star 2058/12 Torpedoed by T/B aircraft in the Skerki Channel. Reached
Malta.

Rochester Castle 0330/13 Torpedoed by E-boat off the Tunisian coast. Reached
Malta.

Melbourne Star No damage. Reached Malta.

Port Chalmers No damage. Reached Malta.

Empire Hope 2030/12 Bombed and set on fire. Abandoned. Torpedoed and
sunk by Penn after picking up survivors.

Waimarama 0730/12 Bombed and blew up. Ledbury picked up 42 survivors of
which 23 were from Melbourne Star, next astern from
Waimarama, who jumped overboard thinking their own
ship had been hit. Number of survivors recovered from
Waimarama was 19 out of 120. The senior survivor was
the 3rd Radio Officer.

Clan Ferguson 2055/12 Bombed and blew up. No known survivors.

Glenorchy 0400/13 Master of Brisbane Star states that she was torpedoed
and sunk possibly by E-boat. No known survivors.

Deucalion 1230/12 Near missed by bomb. Proceeded independently
escorted by Bramham. Torpedoed and set on fire by T/B
aircraft at 2120/12…. Survivors picked up by Bramham.
Blew up at 2300/12.

Santa Eliza 0500/13 Torpedoed by E-boat off Tunisian coast and set on fire.
Ship abandoned. Ship was bombed at 0530/13, blew up
and sank in 5 minutes. Survivors were picked up by Penn
and Bramham at 0600/13.

Dorset 1100/13 Dive bombed and hit, which started a fire. Engine room
flooded and Nos. 4 and 5 holds partially flooded.
Ship was abandoned. Lifeboat landed in Tunisia, Crew interned by the French Military
and handed over to Germans who sent them to POW Camp in Germany.

At about 1800/13 ships were again
attacked by Ju88’s and hit forward which started another
fire. Ships sank by the stern at 1920/13…. Survivors
picked up by Bramham.

Wairangi 0315/13 Torpedoed by E-boat. Engine room and No. 3 hold
flooded. Engines put out of action. Abandoned ship.
Survivors picked up by Eskimo at 0845/13. Wairangi’s
poop was still awash and Master is quite certain she
could not remain afloat.

Almeria Lykes 0315/13 Torpedoed by E-boat, just previously to Wairangi, with
whom she was in company. Scuttling charges fired at
daylight on 13th. Survivors picked up by Somali

[John F Collier]

I think you are right there Brian, it is a very nice tribute to somebody, I have the NZSco house flag framed and hanging
on the wall of my den it's a lovely reminder of good times from long ago. Cheers JFC

[Keith at Tregenna]

The one flag in the picture is NZS co any ideas as to the other one ?

Keith.

[John F Collier]

The one flag in the picture is NZS co any ideas as to the other one ?

Keith.

Federal Steam Navigation co Keith, NZSco & FSNco were amalgamated, the story is that the FSNco flag started as like
St Georges flag in the 1800s but the RN demanded it to be changed so a square of blue cloth was hastily sewn in the
centre, you can read the story online. Cheers JFC

[Captain Kong]

I sailed under that flag of Federal on the `KENT` Maiden Voyage, December 1960 to June 1961
A real good ship one of the very best I have sailed on, very happy ship, a tanker 66,000 tons, one of the biggest in the world at that time.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Thanks John,

I did come across something this morning, should have saved it, thought I would find it again easily.

Not to be and obviously wrong anyway.

Will add out of interest if I do come across it.

A few years ago, was in contact with a chap with a similar
vessel his was named Royston Grange in tribute.

Regards Keith.

[Captain Kong]

Royston Grange was one of Houlder Bros. and was later lost with all hands and passengers in the Plate after a collision with a tanker.
All their remains buried in a mass grave in Montevideo. families flown out for the funeral.