SS Duke of York, Captain Rowland Vincent Adams

[Richard Pugh]

Hi Guys,
Researching a project for our local museum, at Harwich, Essex.
It involves the Maritime Collision off Harwich on 5th May 1953, "The SS Duke of York", and the USA vessel "Haiti Victory".
We have the actual incident fairly well documented, except for the Maritime Inquiry, and I believe an Inquiry was also going to be held in the USA?, or perhaps the documents I found were just them preparing for the UK inquiry?

The museum is going to put together an Exhibit on Capt Adams, and trying to fill in the gaps.

My main research is the life story of the Captain of the D of Y, Rowland Vincent Adams.
Born 9th April 1899. Portsmouth
Died 11th November 1979, Devon, aged 80 years.
I have his Second Mates Certificate, but have not found his Master Cert. or any other Maritime documents.

I have his Medals Listing for:-
WWI War Medal and Mercantile Marine Medal,
and
WWII 1939 Star, Atlantic Medal and War Medal.

He was also awarded an MBE in the Kings Birthday Honours List 1944, Do not have the Citation if there was one, but have found comments about he was involved in saving some Airmen?, prior to this date.

I have found that he was awarded the MBE, as above, but some documentation talks about an OBE, which I have not traced. Although now looking to see if an Obit exists, which may answer that one.

We have a photo of the Capt. on the D of Y, and also a photo say about WWI .


I don't have any details of the vessels he served on, but assuming he was involved in Convoys across the Atlantic WWII, hence the Atlantic Star.

If anyone can fill in any of the gaps, or point me in the right direction it would be appreciated.

Regards

Richard

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Richard
Thank you for the questions , and i am sure in a wee while our Hugh will come back to you with some good feedback. He is one of our main Merchant Navy Researchers here!
Cheers

[Hugh]

I have his Second Mates Certificate, but have not found his Master Cert. or any other Maritime documents.

Hi Richard and welcome,

I will have a look tomorrow but in the mean time his Master's Certificate

Regards
Hugh

[j.sabourn]

#3 How’s that for service , Hugh you must be congratulated on your skill and perseverance you apply to this site We all appreciate what you do I hope those who receive it do as well. Good sailing . Cheers JS

[Doc Vernon]

Think this is the same one ! Hope it helps too.
Cheers

tna_msea_bt350_00_08_000859.jpg

Ship 115933 Griqua
123738 Bloemfontein
133304 City of Mobile then Kentucky

These are taken from Ships Register , so hope that are correct

[Doc Vernon]

A bit more may help

tna_msea_bt348_28_52_285235.jpg

Ship 141927 Three names she had in Service Glenariffe Loriga Ocean Venus

137826 Glenamoy

Cheers

[Hugh]

Just a little more information for you.

Roland Vincent Adams b 9.4.1899 – Portsmouth. Dis.A 938222. Board of Trade Certificate of Competency [Master’s Ticket] 0013988. He appears to have served as follows – note, this is not a complete list of his service.

For WW2 you will need to obtain his form CRS 10 which will outline his service from January 1941 until leaving the service.

Regarding his MBE(Civ), usually for the Birthday Honours, there is no citation so we don’t know why he was awarded the MBE. There may be further information in the newspapers of the time. We also don’t know if it was for service on SHERRINGHAM or if he was just serving on her when the award came through.

SHERRINGHAM - British Cargo Ferry, London & North Eastern Railway. 1008 tons.
London Gazette 10 June 1944 – Birthday Honours LIST 1944
ADAMS, Rowland Vincent – Captain – MBE(Civ)


93850 - WRAY CASTLE 17.3.1914 – 24 July 1917 – Apprentice

Passed for 2nd Mate – September 1917

133309 – KAFUE – 10.10.1917 – 21.11.1917 – 3rd Mate
133309 – KAFUE – 23.11.1917 – 16.1.1918 – 3rd Mate
133309 – KAFUE – 18.1.1918 – 22.4.1918 – 3rd Mate
133309 – KAFUE – 23.4.1918 – 30.4.1918 – 3rd Mate
133304 – KENTUCKY – 5.6.1918 – 12.10.1918 – 3rd Mate
133304 – KENTUCKY – 7.11.1918 – 4.3.1919 – 3rd Mate
133304 – KENTUCKY – 7.3.1919 – 24.5.1920 – 3rd Mate
123738 – BLOEMFONTEIN – 5.1920

Passed for 1st Mate – July 1920

115933 – GRIQUA – 17.3.1921 – 2.9.1921 – 2nd Mate
115933 – GRIQUA – 2.9.1921 – 4.10.1921 – 2nd Mate
115933 – GRIQUA – 7.10.1921 – 6.2.1922 – 2nd Mate
115933 – GRIQUA – 3.3.1922 – 5.7.1922 – 2nd Mate

Passed for Master – October 1922

141927 – GLENARIFFE – 1.2.1923
137826 – GLENAMOY – 30.1.1924

Also please see the attached CR1 card - we had a discussion on this site a while back about whether Apprentices were given a Dis.A number while on Indentures. This is further proof that they didn't receive a Dis.A number until completion of their apprenticeship - at least back then. This may or may not have changed in later years but I like to give evidence of any statements I make on the matter.


Regards
Hugh

[j.sabourn]

It must have been different later then Hugh in 1953 apprentices did have a Dis A Book. They did however receive no discharges in it . I must have been one of the only apprentices slightly different as the master did give me a discharge by mistake after my first trip of 6 months . An apprentices seatime for second mate was on the back of his indentures which the master kept a copy of. A cadet was a totally different specimen he signed on and off the same as a seaman and free to change ships and company’s at will. The term cadet over the years has been applied to apprentices which is totally or was at one time a different rank.
I think Ivan will confirm this . Cheers JS

[Ivan Cloherty]

#8 Yes I can confirm that I received my Discharge Book upon joining my first ship as an Indentured Apprentice. No entries were made into it during my apprenticeship. The ships I served on, and the dates there-of were notated on the reverse of my Indentures as well as on a separate letter detailing the days and months on each vessel which actually counted as 'seatime' towards my certificates, as the joining and leaving dates were invariably different to the signing on and off dates of the Agreements.

It always struck me as odd, that in theory you could sign-on FG Agreement, cross the Atlantic, spend thirty days in port and everyone of those days counted towards 'seatime' yet at the same time a person could sign-on HT Agreement spend thirty days at sea going in and out of ports gaining practical knowledge (instead of cargo watching!) yet only 10 days counted towards 'seatime' that is if you fought to have it recognised.

[j.sabourn]

The same I believe for an engineer why did he have to have F.G. Seatime .What difference does it make to him what sea or waterway he worked on. There was some excuse for deck people as regards the navigational knowledge , but an engineer why ? Did you get any remission for attending pre-sea school Ivan ? If I had delayed going to sea another 2 months I would have got 6 months , but too keen to wait, and regret at leisure . Should have kept my weekend job going delivering the sausages and meat from the butchers on the bike. The money was better. JS