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Thread: Empire Stanley

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    Default Empire Stanley

    Hi, I am Nelson Every. My Uncle was Henry William Carmichael Wood, known as Harry. I believe Harry joined the Merchant Navy on 4th October 1939 when in Sydney Australia. He served on several ships until 1942. Harry then joined the R.A.F. to train as a pilot. But switched back to the M.N. and enlisted on the Empire Stanley. Harry was to lose his life when they were sunk on 17th August 1943.

    I am now compiling a record of Harry and are searching for any information regarding the Empire Stanley, including photos and information regarding the sinking. There were suggestions that Harry and another seaman were taken aboard the German U-boat. Does any one have knowledge of this and is there any truth to this story? We know that this same U-boat was sunk on the 20th August 1943.

    Also, Harry served on the ship Ben-my-Chree making trips to evacuate troops from Dunkirk in 1940. I understand this ship made 3 crossings. Harry we believe made 9 crossings to Dunkirk so therefore made crossings on other ships. Can anyone advise me how I can search for these other ships.

    Regards Nelson

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    Default Re: Empire Stanley

    Hello Nelson
    Welcome and thank you for your question
    First up could you supply the DOB and Place please that will wittle it down some on searching.
    I will await that info first before i can say if there are records for him
    Thank You
    Cheers

    http://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/ask-the-forum/10354-mv-empire-stanley.html

    http://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/a...e-stanley.html

    From Keith at Tregenna

    From NA Kew https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ils/r/C8167496


    R202142 WOOD H W 19/08/1917 ELTHAM NEW ZEALAND

    Ordering and viewing options

    This record has not been digitised and cannot be downloaded.

    You can order records in advance to be ready for you when you visit Kew. You will need a reader's ticket to do this. Or, you can request a quotation for a copy to be sent to you.



    Reference: BT 372/228/114
    Description: R202142 WOOD H W 19/08/1917 ELTHAM NEW ZEALAND
    Date: 1913-1972
    Held by: The National Archives, Kew
    Former reference in its original department: R202142
    Legal status: Public Record(s)

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Ben-my-Chree_(1927)

    Last edited by Doc Vernon; 1st June 2019 at 04:34 AM.
    Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website

    R697530

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    Default Re: Empire Stanley

    17 Aug 1943
    The British merchant Empire Stanley is torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-197 south-south-east of Cap Sainte Marie, Madagascar in position 27?08'S, 48?15'E. The British corvette HMS Thyme (Lt. H. Roach, RNR) later picks up 9 survivors and landed them at Durban on 29 August.


    Ships hit by U-boats
    Crew lists from ships hit by U-boats
    Empire Stanley
    British motor merchant

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

    Aboard Empire Stanley when hit on 17 Aug 1943
    You can click on any of the names for possible additional information


    Name
    Age
    Rank
    Served on


    Alderson, R., Merchant Navy

    Chief Engineer Officer
    Empire Stanley


    Anderson, Wilfred M., Merchant Navy

    Storekeeper
    Empire Stanley


    Arnold, John Henry, Merchant Navy
    26
    Dayman
    Empire Stanley +


    Bailey, William Henry Ross, Merchant Navy
    18
    Passenger (Junior Radio Officer)
    Empire Stanley +


    Chatting, A.D., Merchant Navy

    Ordinary Seaman
    Empire Stanley


    Clarke, G., Merchant Navy

    Quartermaster
    Empire Stanley


    Coad, B., Merchant Navy

    Second Steward
    Empire Stanley


    Collins, W.A., Merchant Navy

    Able Seaman
    Empire Stanley


    Davies, David L., Merchant Navy

    Junior Engineer Officer
    Empire Stanley


    Dumble, Kenneth James, Merchant Navy
    15
    Galley Boy
    Empire Stanley +


    England, William Orlando, Merchant Navy
    22
    Able Seaman
    Empire Stanley +


    Fraser, John, Merchant Navy
    52
    Able Seaman
    Empire Stanley +


    Giles, Denis, Merchant Navy
    17
    Assistant Steward
    Empire Stanley +


    Haughton, John Alexander, Merchant Navy
    30
    Donkeyman and Greaser
    Empire Stanley +


    Head, H.M., Merchant Navy

    Third Officer
    Empire Stanley


    Hodgson, William, RN

    DEMS gunner
    Empire Stanley


    Howard, E.E., Merchant Navy

    Carpenter
    Empire Stanley


    Hudd, R., Merchant Navy

    Second Cook
    Empire Stanley


    Jensen, Lars, Merchant Navy

    Boatswain (Bosun)
    Empire Stanley


    Kemp, John Ernest, Merchant Navy

    Chief Radio Officer
    Empire Stanley


    Kenyon, Frederick, British Army
    28
    Gunner (DEMS gunner)
    Empire Stanley +


    Leaper, Stanley Victor, RN
    20
    Able Seaman (DEMS gunner)
    Empire Stanley +


    Mack, J.J., Merchant Navy

    Donkeyman/Greaser
    Empire Stanley


    Martin, James, British Army

    DEMS gunner
    Empire Stanley


    McCarthy, John Bernard, Merchant Navy
    22
    Sailor
    Empire Stanley +


    McCourtney, J., Merchant Navy

    Second Officer
    Empire Stanley


    McFlynn, F., Merchant Navy

    Fourth Engineer Officer
    Empire Stanley


    McLachlan, John, Merchant Navy
    36
    Chief Steward
    Empire Stanley +


    Mitchell, George, Merchant Navy

    Third Engineer Officer
    Empire Stanley


    Newcombe, B.A., Merchant Navy

    Cadet
    Empire Stanley


    Nish, G.M., Merchant Navy

    First Officer
    Empire Stanley


    Osborne, A.G., Merchant Navy

    Ordinary Seaman
    Empire Stanley


    Outen, G.J.N., Merchant Navy

    Cadet
    Empire Stanley


    Parfitt, Donald, Merchant Navy
    19
    Dayman
    Empire Stanley +


    Pilditch, Arthur John, Merchant Navy
    41
    Master
    Empire Stanley +


    Powell, Walter Robert, Merchant Navy
    17
    Cabin Boy
    Empire Stanley +


    Renwick, Charles, RN
    20
    Able Seaman (DEMS gunner)
    Empire Stanley +


    Roberts, L., Merchant Navy

    Donkeyman
    Empire Stanley


    Robertson, N.T., Merchant Navy

    Chief Officer
    Empire Stanley


    Rowland, William Francis, RN
    25
    Leading Seaman (DEMS gunner)
    Empire Stanley +


    Schofield, Thomas, Merchant Navy
    21
    Assistant Steward
    Empire Stanley +


    Sheehan, John, Merchant Navy

    Able Seaman
    Empire Stanley


    Snelling, John Edward, Merchant Navy
    21
    Junior Engineer Officer
    Empire Stanley +


    Stephen, Ian Campbell, Merchant Navy
    21
    Second Radio Officer
    Empire Stanley +


    Stoyles, Ellison, Merchant Navy

    Able Seaman
    Empire Stanley


    Strong, D., Merchant Navy

    Cadet
    Empire Stanley


    Tasker, Ernest, RN
    37
    Able Seaman (DEMS gunner)
    Empire Stanley +


    Thomas, Cyril, Merchant Navy
    36
    Able Seaman
    Empire Stanley +


    Tindale, Frederick Bruce, Merchant Navy
    18
    Cadet
    Empire Stanley +


    Urwin, G.,

    Passenger
    Empire Stanley


    Wheatley, Sydney James, Merchant Navy
    55
    Second Engineer Officer
    Empire Stanley +


    Whitfield, Richard George, Merchant Navy
    20
    Third Radio Officer
    Empire Stanley +


    Wood, Henry William Carmichael, Merchant Navy
    25
    Able Seaman
    Empire Stanley + Personal information,
    Son of Henry Alfred and Eva Emily Wood, of Eltham, Taranaki, New Zealand.


    Young, A., Merchant Navy.
    Last edited by Red Lead Ted; 1st June 2019 at 11:17 AM.
    {terry scouse}

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    Default Re: Empire Stanley

    Nelson, Click on this link I meant to include it in the post Terry.

    https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/search.php
    {terry scouse}

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    Default Re: Empire Stanley

    EXTRACTED FROM MY BOOK, SHIPPING COMPANY LOSSES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

    EMPIRE STANLEY (Captain A.J. Pilditch). Bound for Beirut from Lourenço Marques, sailed independently from Durban on 13 August, 1943. Torpedoed and sunk by U.197 (KrvKpt. Robert Bartels) at 3.50pm on the 17th when in position 27º08ºS 48º15ºE. Twenty picked up by the Socotra and landed at Bombay on the 27th. Nine picked up by the corvette HMS Thyme (Lt. H. Roach) and landed at Durban on the 29th.

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    Default Re: Empire Stanley

    Thank you all for your help. All very helpful. Am still hoping for a photo of the Empire Stanley and if anyone has knowledge about the 2 seamen who may have been picked up by the U-boat.

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    Default Re: Empire Stanley

    Quote Originally Posted by Nelson Every View Post
    Thank you all for your help. All very helpful. Am still hoping for a photo of the Empire Stanley and if anyone has knowledge about the 2 seamen who may have been picked up by the U-boat.
    Hello Nelson, I just googled Empire Stanley and this thread came up, while looking for information on him. I have found a photo amongst my late husband's family photos of your uncle , on the back it says Henry W C Wood, lost at sea 16th aug 1943. I have no idea what the connection might be.

    Susanne Proven

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    Default Re: Empire Stanley

    Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website

    R697530

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    Default Re: Empire Stanley

    From my book "The Sea is Their Grave"

    Cargo ship Empire Stanley, 6,942grt, (MOWT, Furness, Withy & Co. Ltd) loaded with a cargo of coal and one passenger bound for Aden and Beirut left Durban on the 13th August 1943 in the 11 ship Convoy DN-56, which dispersed the following day. On the 17th August 130 nautical miles South, South-East of Taolagnaro, Madagascar the ship was intercepted by U-197 and struck by one torpedo between number four and five holds. So intense was the explosion it blew the ships hatches clean off and the cargo of coal rained down on the U-boat conning tower. One lifeboat and three rafts were cut loose and many of the crew were forced to jump overboard as the ship rolled over on her beam ends and disappeared in less than three minutes in position 27’ 12S 47’ 25E taking nineteen crewmembers, five gunners and the one passenger with her. As the rafts and boat were picking up the survivors the U-boat came to the surface and approached the nearest raft enquiring the ships name and the whereabouts of the ships Master, to which they replied they did not know. As the raft drifted away from the U-boat, the ships Bosun witnessed one of the survivors being picked up by U-197, but did not recognize the man in question and the U-boat left the area. Twenty survivors were distributed between two of the rafts, which were lashed together, the other being abandoned and it was decided the small bridge boat should set sail for the main shipping lanes and soon departed Three days later the survivors on the rafts were found by the British Merchant ship Socotra after attracting her attention with smoke floats and a heliograph made from a biscuit tin and after rescue were eventually landed at Bombay. The same day these survivors were picked up, U-197 was sunk by two British Catalina flying boats with the loss of all hands including the man who had been taken prisoner. The other nine survivors in the boat were found twelve days after the sinking by the Corvette HMS Thyme, landing them at Durban.
    "Across the seas where the great waves grow, there are no fields for the poppies to grow, but its a place where Seamen sleep, died for their country, for you and for peace" (Billy McGee 2011)

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    Default Re: Empire Stanley

    Hello Susanne,

    Wow, you have a photo of my Uncle, amazing. Would you please email to me a copy of the photo and also the reverse side with the name. My email is nelson.every@yahoo.com

    Do you know the name of person who may have had this photo. I am currently compiling all my Uncles records and intending to make into a book.

    And if you are interested, I have a little information on the Empire Stanley that you may like. Also a report on the German U-Boats that were in the area at the time of the attack.

    Regards and a happy festive season, Nelson

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