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Thread: A Merchant Seaman's experiences ( Sidney Hollinrake )

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    Default A Merchant Seaman's experiences ( Sidney Hollinrake )

    In 1941 when I was 16 I decided to join either the RAF or the Royal Navy and told the recruiting officers that I was 17. However I was turned down due to my eyesight not being good enough and not wanting to join the Army where I would end up digging trenches in the Pioneer Corps I decided to apply for the Merchant Navy. Ten days after this I was sent to a college in Westminster where I was trained to be an assistant cook.
    The first ship that I served on was the “Empire Rain” which left Southampton on the 23rd of December 1942 bound for Antwerp loaded with aviation fuel, shells and bombs. When we arrived in the port we could hear the gunfire of the German Army on the outskirts of the town. They were firing V2 bombs and I had a couple of close encounters in the town. My first was when a bomb hit a fuel dump which was just two hundred yards away from where I was causing an enormous explosion. The second was when I decided not to go to a cinema on the basis that the film was not in English and the cinema was hit by a bomb killing five hundred Canadian soldiers. I helped to dig out the bodies afterwards. This was as near as I ever came to experiencing the war first hand.
    After this we went to Ghent which was very different as there was no sign of the war. We sailed there along a very narrow canal with barely room to pass on either side and the banks were lined with kids all cheering and waiting for the chocolate bars that we threw to them!
    I made several more trips on the Empire Rain and then moved to a French made ship the “Louis Pasteur”. This ship was never finished and left the port where it was made with a 5 degree list to starboard which could be seen even when the ship was in port.
    We would start our trip by joining a convoy of sometimes up to 50 ships and when we got to Deal and Dover we would all go our separate ways. The risk of submarines was always present but we did not dwell on it. The only action that the ships could take to avoid them was to always take different routes which zig-zagged around and to have no lights on deck at night. I got used to finding my way around in the pitch black. I remember once that one of our escort ships caused a panic when their radar detected something underneath the water. They dropped a couple of depth charges only to discover that it was only a large school of fish!
    After this I joined the “Aquatania” and we made many trips on this vessel as a troop carrier to Halifax in Nova Scotia which at that time was a very tiny place with two main streets and only three buildings made of brick. However we did see some other more interesting places and once spent ten days in Sydney which at that time had beautiful unspoilt beaches. We also sailed with Churchill on board to New York where we collected President Roosevelt and transported them both to Bermuda for a conference. They and all their staff occupied the top deck and there was no access for anyone apart from the crew who were their serving staff. They were guarded by the Canadian Army who patrolled the decks. The only glimpse I got of either of them was when they came onto and left the ship.
    After that I served on the “Carnarvan Castle” and the “Windsor Castle” which took troops backwards and forwards to Cape Town in South Africa via Grand Canaria. It was very hard work being a ship’s cook as we had to prepare meals for 5,000 troops and 1,200 crew three times a day. In our time off we were allowed a ration of 1 pint of beer a day and had to produce a card which would be stamped when we bought it.
    I eventually left the Merchant Navy after the end of the war when the bigger ships were recalled from active service back to their original roles as cruise liners and the Merchant Seaman’s pool was signed off. All in all I crossed the Atlantic 128 times during my spell with the Merchant Navy and really enjoyed this period of my life.


    On behalf of BBC News Website permission

    Last edited by Doc Vernon; 24th September 2019 at 06:19 AM.
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    Default Re: A Merchant Seaman's experiences ( Sidney Hollinrake )

    How did he get to Antwerp in 1942, must have been under German flag. Was not Louis Pasteur a passenger ship believe in WW2it was operated by .Cunard. You Castle men would know if said ships could could carry that number of people.

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    Default Re: A Merchant Seaman's experiences ( Sidney Hollinrake )

    Not sure on all this just got the Story from the BBC with permission to post it on site.
    As for the Number of Crew and Personnel carried in larger UCL Ships during that time I can only say that it may well have been possible, as Troop Ships were so over crowded of that I am aware,having been on a Troop Ship when being sent to Aden on the Dilwara.
    It was Murder there were so many crammed into the Cabins ,and to sleep at times was almost impossible.
    Cheers

    A snippet from report of Dunera during the War

    "The ship was an overcrowded Hell-hole. Hammocks almost touched, many men had to sleep on the floor or on tables. There was only one piece of soap for twenty men, and one towel for ten men, water was rationed, and luggage was stowed away so there was no change of clothing


    Dear Mr Vernon


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    Last edited by Doc Vernon; 7th February 2023 at 08:38 PM.
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    Default Re: A Merchant Seaman's experiences ( Sidney Hollinrake )

    That would have been the old Windsor, but yes with the way in which troops were berthed on such ships it would be possible to carry 5,000.
    The cargo holds were big and no doubt hammocks could have been slung there.
    On the later ships such as the new Windsor of 1960, some had been built in a manner, so we were told, that part of the superstructure could be removed to create a flight deck so they could be used as aircraft carriers.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
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    Default Re: A Merchant Seaman's experiences ( Sidney Hollinrake )

    The old Queen Mary carried 18,000 US Troops on one voyage.

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    Default Re: A Merchant Seaman's experiences ( Sidney Hollinrake )

    John, remember hearing the same story when I sailed on the Vaal, superstructure could be easily removed for conversion to an air craft carrier.
    Vic

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    Default Re: A Merchant Seaman's experiences ( Sidney Hollinrake )

    Very interesting Doc..

    Regards,

    Keith.

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    Default Re: A Merchant Seaman's experiences ( Sidney Hollinrake )

    On the GEORGIC that was the last of the White Star Liners, she became a troopship in WW2 but was sunk at Suez by bombing.
    She was recovered back to UK and three years later emerged as the Super Trooper.
    She had cabins for the Troops, Ten to a cabin in bunks. and could carry 3,000/
    When I was on her in 1955, we carried 3,000 Emigrants, £10 Poms to Australia, ten to a cabin, all females in one cabin and ten males in another cabin. Families split up
    Then we loaded 3,000 Australian Troops to Malaya and 2,500 French Foreign Legionnaires from Viet Nam leaving 500 dead on the beach.

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    Default Re: A Merchant Seaman's experiences ( Sidney Hollinrake )

    Must be getting his dates or ship mixed up as the Empire Rain was in Philadelphia in December 1942. Also the V2 rocket was not used until 1944. Empire Rain was in Antwerp in early 1945.
    "Across the seas where the great waves grow, there are no fields for the poppies to grow, but its a place where Seamen sleep, died for their country, for you and for peace" (Billy McGee 2011)

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    Default Re: A Merchant Seaman's experiences ( Sidney Hollinrake )

    Empire Rain actually arrived at Baltimore between the dates 10th and 12th of July 1941 as far as I can see ??
    Which makes it quite feasible that he was on her from So'ton in 1942 to Antwerp ??

    She was also in Hull Dec. 1941 ,so again shows that possible in Soton on the date given by writer?? But of course these dates as seen although correct does not mean that the Ship was not also in Phille on the Year given by Billy as I do not have the follow up Docs after Hull ??
    Cheers



    I just happened funnily enough to have quite a few Ship Movement Cards in my collection


    Added
    Yes just found another Card and Soton Dec 1944 departed for Antwerp arrived Antwerp January 1945

    In hindsite I think the Writer just made a Typing error on the Year! Or possibly like many of us Age and loss of exact memories that happened so long ago.
    Last edited by Doc Vernon; 24th September 2019 at 10:26 PM.
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