Scotland's Navy

[vic mcclymont]

Scotland’s Navy
Yesterday all members received a newsletter informing us how the Merchant Navy saved England during WW2.
This posting is to redress the balance and show how Scotland’s Navy saved Britain (England) in both World Wars.
The Clan Line Steamers of Hope Street, Glasgow were are large merchant ship owning company,
with routes spanning the globe. In fact at one time they were the World’s largest merchant shipping company.
In WW1 company ships saw action on many fronts and were given the nick name Scotland’s Navy for their daring do.
A number of vessels, MacEewan, MacCorquodale and MacGillivary were requisitioned by the Australian government and given the prefix H.M.A.T.
H.M.A.T Macgillivary was used as a troopship at Gallipoli, she then transported a large number of Australian troops from Melbourne to Alexandria, before transporting the 8th battalion of the Australian Army from Alexandria to Mudros.
She also had the honour of leading four transports to the Gallipoli peninsular.
During her requisition period she carried many Australian troops to the various fronts. She was also used as a hospital ship, the most serious were disembarked at Alexandria, and the remaining wounded would remain on board for a period of up to 3 months. At one stage she had on board over 4,000 troops billeted in her holds.
Clan Line lost 21 vessels during the conflict, 52 Officers and 239 Seamen lost their lives in supplying the UK with food and goods in order for its survival.
In the Second World War the companies staff and ships more than acquitted themselves in the line of duty. Because of their superior speed many Clan Line ships when sailing in convoys approached their destination it was not unusual for the RN Commodore to order the Clan Line ships to leave the convoy and sail at full speed for their destination.
There are many reports of the audaciousness of the ships when faced with hostile enemy action.
One such report was that of the Clan MacQuarrie, she had been sailing a zig-zag course in order to throw off enemy submarines. During this manoeuvre Captain Douglas spotted what he believed was an U-Boat straight ahead. He order the ship course to be altered and aimed his ship at the offending U-Boat, the submarine dived. As the MacQuarrie reached the spot where the submarine was last seen, there was tremendous crashing noise her bows rose in the air, the whole ship shuddered. The conclusion was that she had rammed the submarine and probably sank it, but there was no proof. On arrival in Cape Town it was found that six frames on the port side and five on the starboard had parted from the ships side.
The damage was repaired and she completed her voyage.
For the efforts of the staff and in recognition of their efforts the RN allowed the Ships officers to wear the Admiralty style curl on braid of their uniforms.

[Braid Anderson]

I'm pretty sure P&O was founded by a Scot from Shetland also?

[Ivan Cloherty]

Ah, there's nothing like the sound of the pipes early in the morning, or was that flatuence, there's seems to be a lot of wind coming from somewhere. First it was the Yanks trying to write us out of history, now we have our fellow British Islanders doing the same, we've already been accused of not realising how great the Irish are, and that from a man who states publicly that the coast of Africa abounds the Pacific. Oh! Lordy! Lordy! cannot wait for the next episode.

[Braid Anderson]

Don't be so touchy Ivan, nobody's trying to write you out of history.

[cappy]

the truth is i have good scot ....irish welsh and english mates and friends.......i have come across bums and thieves from each of the above.......good and bad comes in all religions colours and nationalities .......i have the great pleasure in saying there are a lot more good than bad and i will settle for that.......but will be interesting to see if the tennis player is offered a knighthood he will accept or not ......look at our own lord pisspot......scoffed the idea for years .....but couldntget to buckinham palace quick enough......with no disrespect to anyoneof welsh scot or irish.descent regards cappy

[Ivan Cloherty]

Don't be so touchy Ivan, nobody's trying to write you out of history.

Not being touchy Braid, simply stating the facts as I see them, but somehow I don't think I'm alone. Each nation has a right to be proud of its heritage, but the sound of trumpets can be deafening at times.

[vic mcclymont]

I'm pretty sure P&O was founded by a Scot from Shetland also?

Correct. Arthur Anderson was the founder of P&O.

[happy daze john in oz]

I think most of British, note I did not say English, will find they have a bit of mixed blood in them. I was born in England with a mother from Sunderland. Now Cappy wil no doubt tell you that County durham is not part of the mainland but a county where only the best come from but when you see who he consorts with, wooden legs and all, you must wonder at his thinking. But to add to the dilema my great aunt was Scotish from Buchanans the whisky people, now where do I fit in?

[cappy]

were do i fit in john .......well how about under a shady tree in gods county ......now tyneand wear ..with a bottle of scotch ......on a sunny afternoon and mary next to you ....bless her ....swotting the flies of you with her wooden leg.....aha sailors dream

[Captain Kong]

Why not Forget all this Daft Stupid , "Our Side Best".

I think it is very childish for roughy toughy sailors to keep on about it,
Forget Wales, Forget Scotland , forget Ireland , and forget England.
Look at your Passports .
It says ...... BRITISH CITIZEN,...
Not welsh Scots Irish etc etc .
.
You cannot have two nationalities, Where does it end, Yorkshire is better than Lancashire. Glamorgan is better than Derbyshire, Bolton is better than Newcastle,.... Its bleddy barmy and Daft. and does it really matter??????

Brian. going back on the whisky on Monday evening.