City of Manchester WWII

[Dan Paris]

Hello, I am trying to find information on my late Grandad Bernard Berntsen who was on the City of Manchester in WWII. The fate of this ship is described below. I would like to know how to get information on his seamens registry or if there is a crew list for ths Manchester for this time. Are there any crew lists of the rescue boats Whipperpool or dutch liner Zaandam. any help will be greatyl appreciated.

CITY OF MANCHESTER official number 164262 built in 1935 (Ellerman Hall Line).
28.2.1942 Torpedoed and sunk by gunfire by Japanese submarine I-153 (Nakamura), in the Indian Ocean SE of Tjilatjap, Sumatra, in position 08.16S 108.52E while sailing independently on a voyage from Pekan, Malaya, to Tjilatjap, with 6400 tons of general cargo including military stores. The Master, Capt Harry Johnson, 126 crew, 17 gunners and 13 naval signalmen were rescued by US minesweeper WHIPPOORWILL, landed at Batavia and brought to Fremantle by Dutch liner ZAANDAM. 9 crew were lost.

Thanks

Dan Paris

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Dan
If his CRS10 has survived at the NA Kew then he would be in this Piece !
Best to try and go there personally,as otherwise its a heck of a runaround with them nowdays! You can try and order his Details but i cannot find his Seamans Pouch which i think you will need if ordering online!
Hope others will come up with more for you!
Welcome to the site!
Cheers

Record Summary
Scope and content Bersantie J A to Best R F
Covering dates 1941 Jan 01 - 1946 Dec 31
Held by The National Archives, Kew

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/c...EF=BT382%2F121

This is possibly his Medal Section too!?

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/d...&resultcount=2

Seems they have Crew List at the Canadian Archives for that Ship

http://www.mun.ca/mha/holdings/viewc...cial_No=164262

[Ray Buck]

Dan
The last Official log and crew agreement in the TNA for the City of Manchester official No 164262 is for the year 1941 ( which the early part of 1942 could be included as she probably sailed in 1941 ) in piece BT 381/1608
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/c...rue&UserType=0
if you decide to order the last crew agreement follow the instructions ask for the LAST crew agreement

Ray

[Ray Buck]

Dan
Can you give the date of birth for Bernard (Bernhard) Bernsten and place of birth or nationality there are Scandinavian spelling of the names did he have and additional name any Idea of his position on the ship was he and Able seaman ?
Ray

[Hugh]

Dan, Ray, Vernon,

Here is his seaman's pouch http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/c...accessmethod=0

I have some information re this ship. I have a thread going at Mercantile Marine about Ellerman's War Losses - see http://www.mercantilemarine.org/show...?t=1788&page=7 posts #66 through #76.

B E Bernsten was one of the prisoners of war from the ship - I have the PoW file.

Vernon that is the correct medal file his Dis A matches my information.

Regards
Hugh

[Ray Buck]

There is a Bernard Bernsten aged 23 with 4 ˝ years service as 8th Engineer signed on the “City of Manchester” in Birkenhead on the 29th October 1940 nationality was British, British Colonial, his height was 5’ – 11” and weight 161 lbs
The ship arrived in New York on the 16th July 1941 having sailed from Panama 10th July 1941
Ray

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Hugh
Amazing that as i tried a few times to get his Seamans Pouch up,and each time i got a page that said "That File does not Exist in the Archives!"
But that sure is it!
I wonder why this sometimes happens!>>
Cheers

[Dan Paris]

This is fantastic, thank you very much for your help, my mother Georgina Berntsen is off to the national archives to look through all of the documents and your assisstance will definitely help. I will update this forum at xmas when I return home to view the documents.

My grandfather was born in the Falkland islands where my Norweigien great grandparents moved to continue their whaling. This is why there may be Norweigien spellings. My parents are off to the falkland islands in February 2011 to meet family we have recently made contact with.

I am in the process of getting my seamens book now as I work as a HSQE officer on an offshore oil rig Jack up, but as it is classed as a MODU then we are classed under the panama registry and I need my seamens book as I will be classed as able seamen with survival craftman. this has spurred on my interest in my grandfathers history.

Thanks again and I wish you all seasons greetings

Dan