Re: Ships that you have served on that had WWII history
Served on the following which had war service
s.t. Swanland (1914) served as a minesweeper in WWI and WWII
s.t. St, Benedict (1936) served as a anti submarine vessel and minesweeper in WWII
m.v. Samanco (1943) sailed outside convoy system as she was 15 knot service speed, served Atlantic/Medi
m.v. Sarmiento (1943) " " " " " " " " " " " " " "
s.s. Levenpool (1942) ex Empire Lionel saw service in Atlantic/Medi and Arctic convoys
All of the above suffered damage during their war service, the latter three still had war service fittings on them when I sailed on them
Also served on
m.v. Salinas (1948) during 1956 Suez invasion
Re: Ships that you have served on that had WWII history
La Cumbre, Burries and Marks, Galley boy, Mar. 18 1955-Jan. 11 1956. Told she was a combo aircraft carrier/cargo in WWll.
Rodney
Re: Ships that you have served on that had WWII history
The PORT VICTOR was HMS NAIRANA and the PORT VINDEX was HMS VINDEX. The Vindex was the only Port Line ship not named after a port because of her distinguished war record. The Port Pirie was laid in 1946 at Swan Hunter and scrapped in Spain 1972. The Port Sydney was laid 1954 and scrapped after various name changes as the Passenger liner Daphne at Alang in 2014 still with the same original Doxford engines driving her ashore
Re: Ships that you have served on that had WWII history
My first ship, Orient Line's 'Orion' had a colourful war career as a troop ship. Becasue of her speed she often sailed independent of convoys - not always though - as she had a collision with a naval escort that got too close to her bow when sailing in convoy. Her war damage repairs included the replacement of her teakwood taffrails. her 'squaddie' passengers had carved their names into the originals. She carried a section of the old carved taffrail mounted on the 'C' deck bulkhead as a war memorial.
Re: Ships that you have served on that had WWII history
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Alistair
The PORT VICTOR was HMS NAIRANA and the PORT VINDEX was HMS VINDEX. The Vindex was the only Port Line ship not named after a port because of her distinguished war record. The Port Pirie was laid in 1946 at Swan Hunter and scrapped in Spain 1972. The Port Sydney was laid 1954 and scrapped after various name changes as the Passenger liner Daphne at Alang in 2014 still with the same original Doxford engines driving her ashore
Thanks for the update see #18 which one did you sail on. Regards R.
Re: Ships that you have served on that had WWII history
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Roger Head
Port Vindex was converted in to an auxiliary aircraft carrier, and had a hell of a war, according to the photographs in the passenger hallway. Such a happy ship!
Roger Head
Dear Roger, My first voyage was on the Port Fremantle. She was built in 1928 and not a weld in her, everything riveted. It would make her 11 years old at the commencement of WWII. Im not sure she was converted to anything other than the cargo ship she was designed as. I joined her in Feb 1958... that makes her a 30 year old vessel at the time. As Deckboy my cabin was the most forward on the Port side. She was Fo'castle accomodation for the 'Crowd' and the Hawse Pipe ran through my cabin. My voyage was six and a half months literally around the globe, a great introduction to a life at Sea. Have no ideal how many years the Port Fremantle continued in service.
Michael Foster R683820
Re: Ships that you have served on that had WWII history
In 1959 I served as 3rd mate on SS Woldingham Hill and joined at Hamburg for a season on the Great Lakes when the Seaway opened.Company was Counties Ship Management.I seem to remember she was an ‘Empire Boat’ built at Canadian Vickers during the war.
The clock on the bridge was divided int 20 minute segments and was told this was for convoy work so that every ship in a convoy could steer a zig zag course in harmony.
Jim Domleo
R610327
Re: Ships that you have served on that had WWII history
Quote:
Originally Posted by
James Domleo
In 1959 I served as 3rd mate on SS Woldingham Hill and joined at Hamburg for a season on the Great Lakes when the Seaway opened.Company was Counties Ship Management.I seem to remember she was an ‘Empire Boat’ built at Canadian Vickers during the war.
The clock on the bridge was divided int 20 minute segments and was told this was for convoy work so that every ship in a convoy could steer a zig zag course in harmony.
Jim Domleo
R610327
If built in Canada she may have been an ex-Fort ships, Empire ships were normally built in UK, although some vessels of all descriptions seized from Germany and others were usually given 'Empire' as a prefix in their new name by MOWT.
The main difference between off-the-plan twixt and an Empire and a Fort, was that Empire built in the UK had a foc'le head and Fort built in Canada were flush deck foc'le. However there were two types of Fort vessels a circa 7500grt (akin to an Empire) and a 5000 grt which only had 4 hatches.
As usual reports differ and I stand to be corrected.
Re: Ships that you have served on that had WWII history
Hello Michael although you have addressed this to another Roger I will try and help. The vessels ie, HMS Vindex & HMS Nairana were built in 1942, The PORT FREEMANTLE as you know was built in 1928 and you joined her in 1958 there is as you say no history of her being converted for military purposes, i joined the PORT VICTOR in 1960 as a deck boy her accommodation was midships handy for peggies it was 6 berth the voyage being similar to yours. Keep well. R
Re: Ships that you have served on that had WWII history
June 1961 I joined Lamport & Holts SS Lassell an old Sam Boat. She started life as John J. McGraw then became Samariz then back to John J. McGraw and was sold to Lamport & Holt Line to become SS Lassell. I don't know what she did during wwII but she was launched in 1944, so she must have seen some action. I certainly saw some action on her in Montivideo and Rio to name a couple of ports.