ss Robert L holt

[charleneblackburn]

hi i am looking for any information on a ship called SS Robert L Holt my great uncle J Blackburn was on this ship which was sank by u boat 69 in 1941, a family member recently found his name upon the war memorial at tower hill in London, any information would be a great help thanks

[Keith at Tregenna]

Name: BLACKBURN, JOHN
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Assistant Steward
Regiment/Service: Merchant Navy
Unit Text: S.S. Robert L. Holt (Liverpool)
Age: 23
Date of Death: 04/07/1941
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 88.
Memorial: TOWER HILL MEMORIAL

LINK: CWGC :: Casualty Details

LINK: CWGC :: Certificate

LINK: Panel at Tower Hill: http://www.benjidog.co.uk/Tower%20Hi...ockforest.html

K.

[DeepSea]

From my book "They Shall Grow Not Old...."

Cargo ship Robert L. Holt, 2,918grt, (John Holt & Co. Ltd) had sailed from Liverpool in ballast for Warri, Nigeria in the 45 ship Convoy OB-337, which left Liverpool on the 20th June 1941 and dispersed eight days later. The Robert L. Holt, which had been acting as the Convoy Commodore ship dispersed in position 48’ 17N 20’ 40W about 730 miles from the Island of Graciosa in the Azores and set up a zigzag pattern and course for Africa. The ship was never heard from again and in August 1941 A Joint Arbitration Committee considered her lost between the 2nd & 9th July by “War Causes” Information picked up from German sources stated the ship had been sunk by gunfire from a U-boat July 3rd. A report from U-69 later stated that on July 3rd the U-boat, which had been returning to her home base after a 65 day patrol having used up all up all her torpedoes after sinking six Merchant ships, encountered the ship North-West of the Canary Islands. U-69 surfaced and decided to attack the Robert L. Holt using her deck gun. The Merchant ship armed with a small mounted stern gun took up the challenge and so began a two hour battle for survival. Out gunned the Merchant ship was pulverised after the U-boat fired off 102 high explosive rounds and 34 incendiary rounds from her deck gun, 220 rounds from the 20mm gun and 400 rounds with the MG34. At 06.50 hours (CET) the burning ship slipped beneath the waves in position 34’ 15N 20’ 00W. It is not known how many men if any managed to abandon ship, but the U-boat slipped away and left them to their fate. The Captain forty-one crew, eight DEMS gunners, the Convoy Commodore and his six naval staff all perished.

[Sue Humphries]

Hi i would like to know where i could find out service records or details for my grandfather who lost his live aboard the Robert L Holt on the 4th July 1941. He was a Chief officer and his name was Matthew Charles Atkins or where i could find a memorial for him. I would appreciate any information . Thank you

[DeepSea]

Sue,

Keith has already pointed out the MN crew lost from the Robert L. Holt are commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial in London (see attach. photo courtesy of the benjidog site)

As your Grandfather was killed in 1941 his service records should be in the following at Kew.

BT 382. The Fifth Register of Seaman’s Service 1941 to 1972.

Records of individual Merchant Seamen's sea service details are held in alphabetical surname order. These details include the following information: Name of seaman, Date and place of birth, Discharge (Seaman’s) book number, Rank, Details of the ships on which he served. These include:

Name of ship and official number, date of engagement (Joining ship), Date of discharge (Leaving ship), whether ship was a foreign going of home trade vessel, and records in some cases National Insurance contributions. Details shown in these records are similar to those contained in an individual seaman's discharge book.

His file should be held in BT 382/49 covering the surbames "Athoe C N R to Atkins W J"

See link for viewing and ordering options

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[Keith at Tregenna]

Hi i would like to know where i could find out service records or details for my grandfather who lost his live aboard the Robert L Holt on the 4th July 1941. He was a Chief officer and his name was Matthew Charles Atkins or where i could find a memorial for him. I would appreciate any information . Thank you

Hello Sue, I do hope that you are able to follow the advice of Deep Sea and find all that you seek.

Hopefully and trying to help re: Where I could find a memorial for him. I notice that you are Bedford way and not to far from London, if by chance you are able to visit the Tower Hill memorial, you would find Matthew recorded and remembered.

If you were to go, we could guide you to the plaque for the ship and crew that mentions your grandfather. Although the gardens are open nearly everyday, many do journey to London and Tower hill once a year for the Annual Commemoration Service that occurs on the nearest Sunday to Merchant Navy Day.

MERCHANT NAVY DAY: is on the 3rd of September - Every Year.

This year and in just a few weeks time: The Annual Commemorative Service takes place on September the 4th.

The Tower Hill Memorial, London commemorates men and women of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who died in both World Wars and who have no known grave. It stands on the south side of the garden of Trinity Square, London, close to The Tower of London.

If you are not able to attend it is possible to arrange a remembrance by post and your words will be displayed within a sea of red ensigns on the day. Details of this can be posted again if required.

Meanwhile, you can fairly easily search on line the CWGC records and print out the details held in perpetuity for Matthew amongst the many.

Hopefully the following links will guide you and others.

LINK: :: CWGC ::

SEARCH OUR RECORDS.

LINK: :: CWGC ::

FILL IN ALL KNOWN DETAILS

LINK: CWGC :: Casualty Results

HIS NAME IS A HYPER LINK TO HIS DETAILS.

LINK: CWGC :: Casualty Details

PRESS THE CERTIFICATE BUTTON FOR A PRINTABLE TRIBUTE, IN THIS EXAMPLE TO YOUR GRANDFATHER.

LINK: CWGC :: Certificate

Hope this may help yourself and others.

K.

[Sue Humphries]

Thank you so much for this information. I did'nt know much about his sealife but recently visiting albert docks and the museum has inspired me to find out what happened to him. My Mum was only 5 when he lost his life , so any details she had were vague. It has touched me and made me feel already i know more about him. Thanks again Sue

[Wygant Allegra]

Hi i would like to know where i could find out service records or details for my grandfather who lost his live aboard the Robert L Holt on the 4th July 1941

[Gulliver]

Hi i would like to know where i could find out service records or details for my grandfather who lost his live aboard the Robert L Holt on the 4th July 1941

This is a Spammer.He/She/It has partly copied post # 4 in this thread...

[Max Johnson]

Hi.

My Grandfather was once Captain of the Robert L Holt. Not when she was lost; my grandfather survived for another year before being torpedoed. His name was George William Kennerley, and I'm looking for any information concerning him and the ships in which he served.

You might like to see this. It's an ashtray presenented to him by (I suppose) his officers.

I'm sorry it's not much help - but it's a small connection. I hope our grandfathers knew and liked each other.

Best wishes.

Max Johnson.
(Heysham)