Lapland (1942) Baltic Type Carrier - COMNO

[Stefan Hay]

Yes Doc his actual dates on board were 26/05/44 - 6/10/44 and I've finally found a photo of her!Lapland1942.jpg

[Doc Vernon]

Good stuff there!
More info will be found at the NA on the Ship and Crew here!
Cheers

The National Archives | Search results:167031

[Hugh]

Hi Stefan,
LAPLAND as far as I can see was operating in the Arctic theatre during this time. I cannot see her on the list of ships for Operation Neptune. However, I have not seen a COMNO pouch yet that has been incorrect so am a bit puzzled.
Any chance you could put the documents up to take a look?
There are a number of things you can do to find out. First check her movement card in BT 389. Usually they are downloadable but I cannot see an individual one for LAPLAND. There may be one in BT 389/19 but you would need to check at Kew. You could also look at page 20 and 21 of the ship's official logbook as ports of departure and arrival were usually noted by the ship's master. The file is BT 381/3037

The other thing to remember is that COMNO covered not only 'D Day' but beyond so he could have been there after 6th June. His CRS 10 should also tell you what ships he served in similar to the discharge book and that can be got from Kew as well if it has survived. All these files are best viewed by visit or by a researcher as expensive to obtain on line.
Regards
Hugh

[Stefan Hay]

Thanks Doc, that's brilliant. I have a reader's card at Kew and the 1944 records my be able to shed some light on things. Thanks to you and all the old shipmates on here I've made massive progress today.
Kind regards,
Stefan

[Stefan Hay]

Hi Hugh,

Attached are the documents I copied at Kew last Friday, hope this helps.

Regards,
StefanGWillaimsLapland2.jpgGWilliams Baranda.jpgGWilliamsPouch1.jpgGWilliamsPouch2.jpgGWilliamsSSLapland.jpg

[Keith at Tregenna]

Not certain if this will help but, may be of interest ? K




Combined Merchant Navy Operations (COMNO)

When my pal Ron Wood and myself had decided to go to Glasgow to look for a job on a deep sea ship in December 1943 we were asked by the shipping master at Tilbury Pool office if we would volunteer for 'Special Duties'- no details were given. We both agreed and a large V was marked on the cover of our ID Cards and embossed. Arriving at Glasgow we signed on Neritina and made a voyage, paying off on 1st May 1944 at Liverpool.

As we were paying off, the crew were asked by a Royal Navy officer for volunteers for 'Special Duties'. Some crew members volunteered and them, Ron and I were told to report to our local shipping office as soon as our leave had expired.

During my leave I saw scores of strange types of ships and craft all heavily armed at anchor in the Thames, and Tilbury Docks was full of ships loading army equipment. So I knew that soon there would be a big operation.

Following our leave and reporting to Tilbury Pool we went to Sheerness and had an intensive gunnery course of four days and were then given travel vouchers for Glasgow and told to report to the COMNO office there - we were now on 'V' Articles.

Recollections Stan Mayes

[Hugh]

Hi Stefan,
Getting late but will reply some time tomorrow evening unless you get further information.
Suffice to say at the moment that i can confirm now that the ship was at Normandy
Regards
Hugh

[Stefan Hay]

Hi Hugh, and all other contributors. I still haven't found the records that would show Grandad's involvement with D-Day but, with a little help from friends on here and records at KEW, this is the story so far:

George Williams, R18373, Service Records found to date:

SS Pikepool, O.N. 127453 21/02/39 – 13/03/39, Galley Boy, (Middlesbrough Home Trade), Merchant Navy Continuous Certificate of Discharge Book
SS Pass of Melfort, O.N. 149702 01/04/39 – 31/08/39, Ordinary Seaman, (Middlesbrough – Cardiff Home Trade), Certificate of Discharge Form
SS Akenside, O.N. 140680 07/09/39 – 22/09/39, Ordinary Seaman, (Middlesbrough – North Shields Home Trade), (Ship Lost Torpedoed off coast of Norway by German U-Boat 7 on 22/09/39), Merchant Navy Continuous Certificate of Discharge Book
M.V. King William, O.N. 160516 03/01/40 – 30/04/1940, Ordinary Seaman, (Foreign Travel), Merchant Navy Continuous Certificate of Discharge Book
M.V Alnwick, O.N. 161595 15/05/40 – 08/07/40, Ordinary Seaman, (Middlesbrough – Newcastle Home Trade), Certificate of Discharge Form
M.V Alnwick, O.N. 161595 08/07/40 – 17/12/40, Ordinary Seaman, (Newcastle - London Home Trade), Certificate of Discharge Form
M.V Alnwick, O.N. 161595 17/12/40 - 31/12/40, Ordinary Seaman, (London – North Shields Home Trade), Certificate of Discharge Form
SS Widestone, O.N. 141489 04/01/41 – 25/05/41, Sailor, (Foreign Travel), Merchant Navy Continuous Certificate of Discharge Book
SS Widestone, O.N. 141489 26/05/41 – 27/08/41, Sailor, (Foreign Travel), Merchant Navy Continuous Certificate of Discharge Book
SS Widestone, O.N. 141489 28/08/41 – 31/12/41, Sailor, (Foreign Travel), Merchant Navy Continuous Certificate of Discharge Book
M.V Alnwick, O.N. 161595 09/01/42 – 07/07/42, Able Seaman, (Ayr – Anderson Home Trade) Merchant Navy Continuous Certificate of Discharge Book
Empire Guidon, 23/07/42 – 31/10/42, Able Seaman, (Ship Lost Torpedoed by German U-Boat 504 off coast of South Africa on 31/10/42), Merchant Navy Continuous Certificate of Discharge Book
Grandad was commended in the London Gazette on 13th April 1943 in relation to the above for brave conduct in the Merchant Navy and was issued with a Bronze Oak Leaf Emblem by the Central Chancery.
Elizabeth Plassey, 18/01/43 – 14/07/43, Able Seaman, (Foreign Travel), Merchant Navy Continuous Certificate of Discharge Book
Runswick, 09/08/43 – 29/02/44, Able Seaman, (Foreign Travel) Merchant Navy Continuous Certificate of Discharge Book
Baranda, O.N. 147573, 16/03/44 – 17/05/44, Able Seaman, (Foreign Travel), Merchant Navy Continuous Certificate of Discharge Book and CRS 2 from COMNO Pouch
SS Lapland, O.N. 167031 24/05/44 – 06/10/44, Able Seaman, (COMNO Special Operations) CRS1 and CRS2 from COMNO Pouch
SS Hartlepool, O.N. 162759 21/02/45 – 20/06/45, Able Seaman, (Foreign Travel) Merchant Navy Continuous Certificate of Discharge Book
Whitley? No details. Just a scribbled name in Merchant Navy Continuous Certificate of Discharge Book
Leeds? No details. Just a scribbled name in Merchant Navy Continuous Certificate of Discharge Book
Westwood, O.N. 164826 11/01/46 – 19/01/46, Able Seaman, (Newcastle – Sunderland Home Trade)
Discharged from Merchant Navy 24/01/46

Grandad was also a trained Gunner for 20mm calibre machine guns (trained in Halifax Nova Scotia in 1943)
As well as telling me that he was involved in D-Day, and that he was torpedoed 3 times, (I can only find 2 records), he said that towards the end of his time in the MN he was involved in repatriation of British prisoners of war form Japanese camps?). Grandad was a very quiet man and not an 'Uncle Albert', so I have no reason to doubt him. I live with him for 3 years and it was during that time he opened up to me about the war. He didn't even tell my Gran or Mum about his time at sea. He died in 1991 and I still miss him!

I’ve managed to find photos of most of his ships, but can’t find one for Empire Guidon, Elizabeth Plassey and only found the Baranda when she was still called Juliet Duff.

Also don’t know anything about the Whitley or Leeds?

What I find amazing about all of this, is that my Grandad couldn’t swim!

[Stefan Hay]

Sorry just realised (using magnifying glass!) The Elizabeth (Plassey) is wrong it's the Elizabeth Massey, 18/01/43 – 14/07/43, Able Seaman, (Foreign Travel), Merchant Navy Continuous Certificate of Discharge Book

[Hugh]

Hi Stefan,
LAPLAND sailed in convoy EBM4 - 22 to 24th June 1944 (Milford Haven - Seine Bay).
She sailed in convoy FBC70 - 1st to 3 rd Sept 1944 (Seine Bay to Bristol Channel).
Regards
Hugh