Dad’s wartime? Merchant or Royal Navy

[Robert George Young]

Love to know if your parents were in Navy?

The ships and experiences?

Thank you

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Robert
Good question and i hope that it will generate some good replies!

As for my side well, all of my Male Family side were mostly in the Army or RAF (RAF Being the predominant) Even me!

However my late Father did serve a while in the Royal Navy, but i have as yet not been able to trace his Service , but possibly because it was not long!?

Other than Dad, as said no others , except my Late Brother who was also in the Merchant Navy, and as well in the South African Air Force.
Cheers

[Peter Drake]

My father-in-law Walter Leonard BEN was on the convoy rescue ship Accrington during the war. He was part of the rescue boat crew and was involved in the fastest recorded rescue of the war when they picked up three downed aircrew from HMS Campania on 8th June 1944.I have the original report from the ships master,Capt Davison in which he thought that the carrier was HMS Emperor. Strange !

[Peter Drake]

For BEN read BEM bloody predictive text ��

[Keith Tindell]

My Grandfather was in Royal Navy, as a stoker, then MN until old age, both his sons went to sea, my father was Royal Marines fought ww2 and wounded, his brother was Royal Navy for the whole of his working life, fought in WW2 then in Military police. I went to sea, but my brother is a landlubber.

[Brenda Shackleton]

* Grandfather. MN. Bosun WW1. Lifeboat landed on coast of Libya . Kept as a slave for 8 months after ship was torpedoed in January 1916 ( SS COQUET ) Released in August 1916. SS QUEEN torpedoed in June 1918 off coast of Spain. Drowned. Commemorated on MN Memorial Tower Hill.

* Father. Master Mariner. SS COPELAND & SS GOODWIN Rescue Ships in Arctic & Atlantic Saved 361. Lloyds Silver Medal for Bravery at Sea and D.S.C.

* Uncle. Merchant Navy. Survived 3 sinkings. 2 torpedoes + 1 bomb.

* Uncle RN. Arctic & Mediterranean
Brenda

For Peter Drake # 3. Try and get a copy of Arnold Hague's book. "Convoy Rescue Ships 1940-1945" Published by World Ship Society. Usually a copy on Amazon. Excellent read and reference if you are interested in Rescue Ships. There's a lot about SS ACCRINGTON.

The Rescue Ships are largely unknown and forgotten. When the Rescue Service began, the Masters asked the Authorities to ensure that there was no publicity; neither in the Press nor on the Radio. Their work was dangerous enough without the enemy being made aware of their presence at the rear of the Convoys. (from my Dad's notes)
Consequently the Rescue Ships remained a secret throughout the War and beyond. Unknown and forgotten.
It's up to us, Peter to keep their stories and memories alive. The RS saved 4,1294 men. Men who were able to return to their families.

[John Arton]

My father went to sea in 1929 as deck cadet with Blue Star Line. In 1941 he joined the RNVR and was assigned to the deep sea rescue tugs, initially in Campbell town ( HMS Minoan?) Then later on in Milford haven. Over the years I have tried to find out about any of the towages he undertook during WWII but to no avail. The national archives do not appear to hold any records of the voyages or any of the salvages his tugs performed. He stayed in the salvage industry after the war working for overseas towing and then for Blands in Gibraltar before rejoining Blue Star where he ended up as captain, dying on board his ship leaving Durban when I was young, so I hardly ever knew him. On his family side there were a number of seafarers including a Blue Funnel chief engineer and even further back a relative who actually owned sailing ships.
Myself I went to sea as deck cadet in 1967 and had to give up in 2008 when I was master after suffering a stroke on board.
Rgds
J.A.

[Peter Drake]

Thanks Brenda I have a copy .Walt's photo is in the book next to page 109. He is the guy on the right. I also have his discharge book and a number of voyage reports for Accrington.

[Peter Drake]

Brenda sorry wrong book. I have both, the info I gave was from The Rescue Ships by vice Admiral B B Scjofield and LC OF Martyn Whoops

[Brenda Shackleton]

Hello Peter
The book that you are referring to is ,"The Rescue Ships" by Schofield & Martyn. Wonderful read and my Dad is on the same page as Capt. Davidson and your father-in-law. Slight mistake. Should read Captain W.J. HARTLEY . (William Joseph)

photos opposite p. 44 & 45 are taken in the Clyde (hence the calm waters) on SS GOODWIN in June 1944 for the magazine, "Illustrated"

Following p.76 is a photo of Chief Radio Officer, Horace Bell. He was with Dad on PQ18 to Archangel in September 1942. He wrote a blow-by-blow account of the 5-day battle and gave a copy to Dad, which I have. 215 Survivors on that trip.

opposite p. 141 is Capt. Augustus Banning. Dad was his 1st Officer on BEACHY. She was bombed and sunk 11th January 1944. Capt. Banning suffered a broken leg and Dad got him off the ship and into a lifeboat.

opposite p. 12. RS RATHLIN. Dad was 1st Officer under Banning. He left in June 1942 to sit his Master's Certificate and so missed PQ17. Picture below on that page is SS GOODWIN again and also top photo facing p.13.

p.56. Surgeon Lieut. Wilkins and his wife were at my parents' Wedding in Jan 1942 . I have photos of them !

p.85.Medical Officer Surgeon Lieut.-Commander W.H.C.M.Hamilton = Wybrants Henry Champagne Moorhead Hamilton . M.B:B.Ch: M.R.C.S: L.R.C.P Royal Navy. Mentioned in Despatches Feb 1943 (how's that for a Moniker !)

I really recommend Arnold Hague (post #6) I think that you would find it a very good reference.

All for now. I can answer most questions about Rescue Ships; they were an integral part of my growing up !
Brenda