Ships that you have served on that had WWII history

[Harry Nicholson]

My first ship was the trooper Dunera. I did two voyages east. She took part in the landings at Madagascar.
I was r/o on the Malabar (ex Samdee) a liberty, and on Mahanada and Marwarri, both ships had dodged torpedos. Marwarri took supplies to the Normandy campaign. She was the first ship to discover a magnetic mine. She was beached in shallows off the Mumbles and repaired. Marwarri was well rusted and porous when I left her in 1961

[Tony Taylor]

My first ship was the trooper Dunera. I did two voyages east. She took part in the landings at Madagascar.
I was r/o on the Malabar (ex Samdee) a liberty, and on Mahanada and Marwarri, both ships had dodged torpedos. Marwarri took supplies to the Normandy campaign. She was the first ship to discover a magnetic mine. She was beached in shallows off the Mumbles and repaired. Marwarri was well rusted and porous when I left her in 1961

Harry, that ship name rang a bell with me so I sorted through some pictures I inherited from a relative who had been on that vessel either before or during the war as he was in the army in Egypt before the the war started but I don't have any other details, it may also have been from another family member who was in the RAF after the war and stationed in Singapore for quite a while,DUNERA.jpgDUNERA.jpg

[John Swan]

Sailed on the Newbrough, Common Bros, out of the Tyne. Aug. 1954 to April 1955. She was built @Short Bros. Sunderland 3 cyl. Doxford engine. Launched 31/10/1940. Although not mentioned for any particular events in Commons history ( The trades increase. ) rumours on the ship were rife. The Mate, George Seagar, had supposedly been on her since new, he was a “ white “ Russian.( Fun and games in New York upon registering landing passes) One tale was that the ship was fitted with depth charges, only the Admiralty had mixed up the plans and got her speed wrong, upon testing at sea blew out all the crew’s wash basins in the after cabins. She was also rumoured to have been involved in Salerno landings. The Master when I was on her was George Black CBE, who later became Commodore Master, a real gentleman and great man. I also sailed under Capt Muir(1st trip ) & Capt Woodman both awarded MBE,s for war service. Never forget!

[j.sabourn]

#63 Sounds similar to the Avonmoor John , 3 cylinder doxford built Sunderland launched 43/44. Her claim to fame was the second ship into Singapore when the japs capitulated. Was on her 53 to 56. She was fitted with de gaussing so maybe they wanted to test it ? JS

[John Swan]

Still fitting de gaussing in 1953, it was fitted to Border Regiment when I joined her new at Greenock.

[j.sabourn]

I joined the Avonmoor in Avonmouth in June 1953 so assumed it had been fitted long before , judging by the rust on the casing as one of the many jobs scraping it and red leading before painting it with red boot topping. It was fitted to most new buildings long after 1953 to the Admiralty’s licence and beleive most of the cost was borne by them also. JS

[Rodney Mills]

I served on four. My first Port Jackson, then La Cumbre, Good Hope Castle, Athlone Castle, and Dunnottar Castle.

Cheers, Rodney

[Gerald Farr]

I joined my first ship in 1956 in the Queen Elizabeth Dock? at the entrance of the Manchester Ship Canal. Fifteen years earlier she had been launched as the tanker ss Empire Emerald, a fully riveted, triple expansion engined vessel built by the Furness Ship Building Co. Haverton Hill on Tees. Over the last few years I have found some of her wartime records which showed that she took part in many Atlantic Convoys and Russian Convoys. Being my first ship I was interested in finding out as much as I could about her. Peacetime storerooms in the centre castle still bore the legend "certified for gunners" and original plans displayed in the passageways showed that she had a heavy gun on the focs'le, a lighter gun on the poop and one mounted over the galley. Also on the midship boat deck on the outboard tafrails? there were still the mounting fittings for portable guns. She was also fitted with Paravanes for mine clearing, not as a minesweeper but to hopefully clear her own passage. During the war she was managed by C.T. Bowring & Co. (Bowring Steamship Company) and subsequently I sailed with a Captain and Chief Steward who served on her during wartime. Even as a little kid I was interested in the war as my Dad was away fighting and we didn't see him for five years so any books I could get hold of telling true accounts of what happened during that time I would buy with my pocket money or book tokens which I always asked for as my Birthday or Christmas presents, especially after the war. One that I bought about 1958 after I had gone to sea had an account of a convoy and much to my surprise the author wrote " and the especial target of the German ship Admiral Hipper was the brand new tanker Empire Emerald". Unfortunately coming to Australia I had to leave my books behind and I cannot remember the Title or author so I don't know which convoy he was referring to. I will come back with a couple more stories about this wonderful old ship when I have some more spare time.

[Barry Turrell]

SS Hororata, NZ shipping Company . I served on this for 3 voyages , HT and Ft , lasting about a year . IN the Seamans Mess she had an aircraft Propeller on the Bulkhead . Apparently during ww2 the crew managed yo save the crew of the aircraft this belonged to , which was shot down in The pacific (?) The propeller was presented to the ship in recognition of the crews bravery

[Clive Burrows]

One ship I served on was not used in the war but one of the US mass produced Victory Ships the "Salina Victory" renamed the Talthybius and operated under the Alfred Holt & Co Blue Funnel line (Dutch & UK flags) up until 1971. Did a couple of long (6 month trips) UK and Europe to Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, commie China, and Ceylon on the way back via the SA cape (1968~1969). 2 Westinghouse geared Steam Turbines, 2 Oil Fired Boilers 15-17 knots. Liberty Victory Blue Star & Flue.jpg