Any Information required

[Alex Balfour]

Hi there, My Father, recently passed away age 90 yrs old and use to tell me about when he was a boy of 15 (he was born 18.10.1926) where he went to the Training School North Of England. I remember there used to be a blue book at one time showing all the flags and knots etc. We had a couple of photos when he was young and in the Navy and he would sometimes tell stories, of travelling around the world and one time sailed to New York and Singapore ?


Thanks Alex

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Alex
Yes as said please post as much info as possible so we can try and assist !
Sorry to hear of your Dad passing away! Take Heart and stay strong!
Cheers

[Keith at Tregenna]

Full name etc will help, any other info you can provide would be welcome.

Keith.

[Red Lead Ted]

Hi there, My Father, recently passed away age 90 yrs old and use to tell me about when he was a boy of 15 (he was born 18.10.1926) where he went to the Training School North Of England. I remember there used to be a blue book at one time showing all the flags and knots etc. We had a couple of photos when he was young and in the Navy and he would sometimes tell stories, of travelling around the world and one time sailed to New York and Singapore ?


Thanks Alex

hi, Alex, Sad to hear about your old dad, Most on this site especially deck officers and ratings are well aware of getting to learn the ropes although seaman prefer,, the term Bends and Hitches as oppose to knots. Although there where knots you were learned to tie, The old book of flags you will find in any good ships glossary {Explained } Just google it. Its nice to see a fresh face so to speak interested in the Merchant Navy of yesteryear this is what we all want to see more of especially amongst the young people of this country, I am sure the whole forum agree we need to keep the red duster flying, There is a flag you can start with that every British registered Merchant ship flew. Once the biggest fleet in the world of which your father was a part of i wish you luck in tracing as much of his past as poss Regards Terry.

[Alex Balfour]

Hi there and thank you for your interest to help,my father was called Alexander Balfour born 18.10.1926 in Methil / Methilhill Fife he went to sea age 15 so would make it 1941.Dundee has been mentioned by my Mother but she gets confused at times but believes that he went to the North of England for his training.He left the Merchant Navy around 21 yrs old (1947/48) when he met my mother.My Grandad I know a little about Peter Smart Balfour torpedoed by a uboat of Newfoundland 02/11/1941 serving on the SS Gretavale and my Great uncle Richard Balfour again torpedoed by a uboat off of Margate but it is information on my Father where I am desperate to find something.My dad going into sea may have been a result of his dad and uncle already serving but I dont know if it was when they were alive or lost at sea.

[Captain Kong]

Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart
Name Gretavale
Type: Steam merchant
Tonnage 4,586 tons
Completed 1928 - Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow
Owner Andrew Crawford & Co Ltd, Glasgow
Homeport Glasgow
Date of attack 3 Nov 1941 Nationality: British

Fate Sunk by U-202 (Hans-Heinz Linder)
Position 51° 21'N, 51° 45'W - Grid AJ 7849
Complement 44 (38 dead and 6 survivors).
Convoy SC-52
Route Baltimore - Sydney (29 Oct) - Loch Ewe
Cargo 6700 tons of steel and 17 lorries
History

Notes on event
At 04.54, 04.58 and 05.05 hours on 3 Nov 1941, U-202 attacked convoy SC-52 northeast of Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland and observed hits on two ships and heard a third. At 08.44 hours, a capsized wreck was sunk by coup de grâce, possibly that of one of the vessels struck during the first attack. However, the Flynderborg and Gretavale were sunk by these attacks.

The master, 31 crew members and six gunners from the Gretavale (Master Frank S. Passmore) were lost. Six crew members were picked up by the HMCS Windflower (K 155) (Lt John Price) and landed at St.Johns.




This is a listing of people associated with this ship.
We also have a detailed page on the British steam merchant Gretavale.


Aboard Gretavale when hit on 3 Nov 1941

You can click on any of the names for possible additional information




Name, Age, Rank, Served on,

Abdul Abdulla, , Merchant Navy 43 Fireman and Trimmer Gretavale +
Ahmed Nagi, , Merchant Navy 48 Fireman and Trimmer Gretavale +
Alum Mohamed, , Merchant Navy 46 Fireman and Trimmer Gretavale +
Baker, George Henry, Merchant Navy 41 Third Engineer Officer Gretavale +
Baker, James William Victor, RN 24 Able Seaman (DEMS gunner) Gretavale +
Balfour, Peter Smart, Merchant Navy 36 Donkeyman Gretavale +
Blaikie, John Blackwood, Merchant Navy 25 Assistant Steward Gretavale +
Brogan, William, Merchant Navy Fireman and Trimmer Gretavale +
Campbell, James Bell, Merchant Navy 21 Second Radio Officer Gretavale +
Cooke, James Vivian Deverell, RN 37 Able Seaman (DEMS gunner) Gretavale +
Crombie, Charles Robert Cooper, Merchant Navy 29 Fourth Engineer Officer Gretavale +
Dickson, William Graham, Merchant Navy 28 Second Cook Gretavale +
Dougall, John Birnie, Merchant Navy 21 Third Officer Gretavale +
Dow, Arthur, Merchant Navy 54 Donkeyman and Greaser Gretavale +
Dwyer, Alfred, RN 22 Able Seaman (DEMS gunner) Gretavale +
Fuller, Dennis, Merchant Navy 20 Sailor Gretavale +
Lewis, Frank, British Army 38 Gunner (DEMS gunner) Gretavale +
Logue, William, Merchant Navy 38 Chief Engineer Officer Gretavale +
Love, Iain Templeton, Merchant Navy 20 Assistant Steward Gretavale +
Lynch, Joseph Patrick, Merchant Navy 44 Donkeyman and Greaser Gretavale +
Macdonald, Angus, Merchant Navy 24 Cook Gretavale +
McGowan, George, Merchant Navy 40 Carpenter Gretavale +
McGregor, Daniel, Merchant Navy 32 Steward Gretavale +
McKay, John, Merchant Navy 49 Able Seaman Gretavale +
McLeod, Alexander Murray, Merchant Navy 34 Chief Officer Gretavale +
Meikle, James Wilson, Merchant Navy 40 First Radio Officer Gretavale +
Miles, Leonard Frederick Cameron, Merchant Navy 25 Second Officer Gretavale +
Morrison, Ronald, Merchant Navy 24 Sailor Gretavale +
Passmore, Frank Stanley, Merchant Navy 46 Master Gretavale +
Pearson, William, Merchant Navy 45 Boatswain (Bosun) Gretavale +
Ritchie, William Watson, Merchant Navy 56 Second Engineer Officer Gretavale +
Said Hassan, , Merchant Navy 44 Fireman and Trimmer Gretavale +
Saleh Mohamed, , Merchant Navy 45 Fireman and Trimmer Gretavale +
Sali Mohamid, , Merchant Navy 19 Fireman and Trimmer Gretavale +
Seed, Walter, British Army 28 Gunner (DEMS gunner) Gretavale +
Shagnir Ali Abdulla, , Merchant Navy 27 Fireman and Trimmer Gretavale +
Strutton, Robert William, Merchant Navy 16 Ordinary Seaman Gretavale +
Wright, Alan, Merchant Navy 21 Able Seaman Gretavale +

[Doc Vernon]

BT 391/5/69
Description:	Name: Balfour, Alexander. Service number: R302251. Place of birth: Methil. Date of birth: 18/10/1926.

Seamans Pouch

Name: Balfour, Alexander. Service number: R302251. Place of birth: Methil. Date of... | The National Archives

And his CRS10 which will contain a lot more in detail should ne here!

Baldwin J O to Ball Derek Edmund | The National Archives

[Keith at Tregenna]

BT 391/5/69
Description:	Name: Balfour, Alexander. Service number: R302251. Place of birth: Methil. Date of birth: 18/10/1926.

Seamans Pouch

Name: Balfour, Alexander. Service number: R302251. Place of birth: Methil. Date of... | The National Archives

And his CRS10 which will contain a lot more in detail should ne here!

Baldwin J O to Ball Derek Edmund | The National Archives

Thanks Doc, could this info help with the question ? My dad going into sea may have been a result of his dad and uncle already serving but I dont know if it was when they were alive or lost at sea.

k.



.

[Doc Vernon]

Deaths at sea, 1781-1968 Transcription

Learn more


Print transcription

First name(s)	P S
Last name	Balfour
Gender Male
Birth year	+_ 1920
Death year	1942
Death date	Jan 1942
Reported date	1942
Vessel name	Gretavale
Departure port	-
Series	BT 334
Box	0097
Record set	Deaths At Sea, 1781-1968
Category	Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory	Civil Deaths & Burials
Collections from	Great Britain, UK None

Name Ship

bALFOUR.JPG

Great uncle Richard Balfour

Need more info to find anything on him!
Place or date of Birth Ship etc! Thanks

[Marian Gray]

Hi there and thank you for your interest to help,my father was called Alexander Balfour born 18.10.1926 in Methil / Methilhill Fife he went to sea age 15 so would make it 1941.Dundee has been mentioned by my Mother but she gets confused at times but believes that he went to the North of England for his training.He left the Merchant Navy around 21 yrs old (1947/48) when he met my mother.My Grandad I know a little about Peter Smart Balfour torpedoed by a uboat of Newfoundland 02/11/1941 serving on the SS Gretavale and my Great uncle Richard Balfour again torpedoed by a uboat off of Margate but it is information on my Father where I am desperate to find something.My dad going into sea may have been a result of his dad and uncle already serving but I dont know if it was when they were alive or lost at sea.

Hi Alex, Thank you for the info requested. Is your mother's Christian name Jane per chance?
Will concentrate on your father first if you don't mind.

Name: Alexander Balfour
Arrival Date: 10 Dec 1944
Birth Date: abt 1926
Age: 18, Height:5'8'' Weight 143lbs, no tattoo, hernia scar
Gender: Male
Ethnicity/ Nationality: Scottish
Port of Departure: Methil, Scotland and Dundee, Scotland
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Ship Name: Samspeed [Bear in mind Alex, Ancestry can be askew sometimes on spelling & figures!]
Rank: SOS [Senior ordinary seaman] length of Service 1yr 3mths
Shipped or Engaged: Dundee

Name: Alexander Balfour
Arrival Date: 19 Mar 1945
Birth Date: abt 1927
Age: 18, Height 5'8'', W 160lbs
Gender: Male
Ethnicity/ Nationality: Scottish
Port of Departure: Newcastle on Tyne, England
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Ship Name: Samtrent
Rank: SOS.

Name: Alexander Balfour
Arrival Age: 19
Birth Year: abt 1927
Port of Departure: Singapore
Ship: Samtrent
Port of Arrival: Kure
Arrival Date: 1 May 1946
Race: British

Name: Alexander Balfour
Arrival Age: 19
Gender: Male
Birth Year: abt 1927
Port of Departure: Kure
Ship: Samtrent
Port of Arrival: Honolulu, Hawaii
Arrival Date: 15 May 1946
Race: British
Shipped or Engaged: South Shields.
Service: 3yrs...now has a tattoo on right arm