Looking for info on my grandfather / his vessel

[Gemma Sweeney]

Hi,

I'm trying to find some more information about my grandfather and his time as a merchant Navy seaman. I've seen online scans of his CR1 / CR2 at Find My Past, which give a vessel number, but I'm finding different ship names with the same number!

His name was Frank Cooper, born 1903 in Yorkshire. The CR2 has a date stamp of 3rd Sept 1925 and gives a discharge number of R2455. Name/number of ship given is 135175. I can't make out what the rank or rating says. There are some other handwritten numbers and dates on the back of the card - other vessels?

My mother says he was a (chief?) stoker.

Does anyone have any more information please? Pictures, crew lists?

Many thanks,
Gemma

[Keith at Tregenna]

Firstly an Hello.

Did Frank survive WW2?

Just a start point.

Regards Keith.

[Gemma Sweeney]

Yes he did, he passed much later in 1979.

Thanks

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Gemma
Welcome and I hope you may be able to get more info here!
The Ship O Number 135175 is the Port Napier Registered London 1912 Steam Diven

Official Nos: 135165 Grelwen, 135172 Ingleby Cross, 135174 Eboe, 135175 Port Napier,... | The National Archives

Hope this may assist a wee bit

[Gemma Sweeney]

Fabulous, I did see that but wasn't sure as I saw a different name with that number too! Many thanks for confirming

I've also seen Port Napier come up as a minelayer in 1940, can there be multiple vessels with the same name? (Apologies, I'm sure there's a newbie guide I should go and read, will look!)

[Captain Kong]

PORT NAPIER, OF 1912 TO 1938,
Description
Built as HAWKES BAY for Tyser Line by Workman & Clarke in 1912. Twin screw steam. Speed 13.5 knots. Length about 152 metres. GT 8491. Name changed when Tyser Line merged to form Commonwealth & Dom
Dominion Line.
Gemma, click on photo and you will be able to print it.
Cheers
Brian

[Gemma Sweeney]

Brilliant! Thank you so much! My mum will be thrilled to see this

[Frederick Lacey]

Port Napier. 1940. Will be interesting to know if Frank was involved with this..

Port Napier...Built 1940.. 8947 Tons. Lost 1940..Minelayer..Blew up Kyle of Lochalsh.

[Gemma Sweeney]

I saw that too, but the different dates and names are very confusing! Seen other Port Napier photos but they're clearly not the same ship.

Sunk in 1943? Mersea Island Museum - Blackwater Ships

[Doc Vernon]

To describe HMS Port Napier as a floating bomb when she was tied up to the pier at Kyle of Lochalsh on 27 November, 1940 was almost an understatement. Just loaded into her six holds were 550 sea mines and 6000 shells for her 10 anti-aircraft guns.
Port Napier, 498ft long with a beam of 68ft, was being built as a cargo steamer for the Port Line when she was taken over by the Government and converted to a naval minelayer during the final stages of her construction.
The loading of mines into the new ship's holds had just been completed when a fire broke out aboard. All efforts to put it out failed and the blaze grew larger and larger. The evacuation of the people of Kyle and of Kyleakin on Skye on the other side of the narrow neck of Loch Alsh began at once.
Everyone in the naval base realised that when Port Napier blew up she would level every house within miles. Despite this, Navy tugs pulled her well out into the loch before casting her adrift. Moments later, a massive explosion blew part of her sky-high and bits of superstructure landed on the shore of Skye. But, amazingly, none of the mines went off.
The ship tipped over on to her starboard side and sank. Her port side just showed above water. There she lay with her mines until 1955, when a Royal Navy salvage team took off most of the plating of her port side and lifted out the mines. Out, too, came 4000 anti-aircraft shells.

HMS Port Napier - WikiVisually