Tribute to my Grandfather.

[Captain Kong]

You are starting to stutter Alf.
Cheers Cheers
Brian

[alf corbyn]

sorry brian this stupid 'puter dosn't understand delete, delete delete.

[robpage]

SS EXODUS formerly USS President Warfield

The ship was formerly the packet steamer SS President Warfield for the Baltimore Steam Packet Company. From the ship's launch in 1928 until 1942, it carried passengers and freight between Norfolk, Virginia and Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. During World War II, it served both the Royal Navy and the United States Navy; for the latter as USS President Warfield (IX-169).
After World War II, millions of Europeans were living under guard and behind barbed wire fences and without adequate medical care and other services in "displaced persons" camps within Germany and Austria. European Jews then began organizing an underground network known as the Brichah ("flight," in Hebrew), which moved thousands of Jews from the camps to ports on the Mediterranean Sea, so they could then be sent to Palestine by ship. This was part of what was known as Aliyah Bet or the "illegal immigration fleet," which were a series of attempts by European Jews to immigrate illegally to Palestine before and after World War II.[1] Originally the European Jews arranged transport to Palestine themselves. Later, they requested and received financial and other support from sympathizers elsewhere in the world. The boats were largely staffed by volunteers from the United States, Canada and Latin America.[2] Over 100,000 people tried to illegally immigrate to Palestine, as part of Aliyah Bet.

So I have doubts as to whether he would have been crew on that ship under normal conditions

[Captain Kong]

Hi Vernon,
I tried the Download of Incredimail as I cannot get Hotmail or MSN
A warning came up saying the site was a dangerous one.
?????
Cheers
Brian.

[Matthew Childs]

That does make it seem unlikely, but everyone i talk to in the family swear he served on it. I have sent away for his service records now, so i guess only time will tell, unless someone can somehow get a copy of the ships crew log?

[Matthew Childs]

Hey again guys, i was just searching through old posts and found i had actually posted on here previously back in 2010 about the same thing, in the post was the name of a ship my grandad served on that i had forgotten about.
the post can be found at the following link
http://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/m...andfather.html
The ship was the Tripolitania. Somehow someone on the post knew about and mentioned a "John Childs" who i am hoping was my grandfather. Is there any way of finding out how the member would have found out? This has gotten me really excited that i might find out some new info. I know he wasn't a big war hero or anything like that, but i really want to know more about his time in service so i can pay tribute to him more.
Last year i proudly stood at the local dawn service on Anzac Day with his medals on and hope to continue to do the same thing for many years to come. Really was a strange feeling.

[Ray Buck]

Hello Matthew

The information originally posted on John Childs was obtained from the ships manifest held on the Ancestry web site Quote:-
Matthew
There is a ships manifest for the “British Progress” which arrived New York 23rd August 1943.
A John Childs aged 18 had signed on 5th August 1943 in Greenock as a Deck Hand (which during the war years generally referred to DEMS gunners ) this was his first voyage, he was 5’ – 9” in height and 142 lbs, apparently he had a scar on palm of the hand, for ID he gave his Naval pay book, there were Army personnel also aboard as Deck hands (6 Navy and 5 Army) so may be a transcribing error
Ray
I note that there are several threads running on what I think is the same subject if so attached is the extract from the “British Progress” ships manifest it may of course not be your Grandfather if it is then the extract states hes was Naval



Ray

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Capt
Quote!Hi Vernon,
I tried the Download of Incredimail as I cannot get Hotmail or MSN
A warning came up saying the site was a dangerous one.
?????
Cheers
Brian.

Really dont know why you are getting that my Friend,as Incredimail is well known,and many use it in place of other programs!
There is also another one called Eudora http://www.filehippo.com/download_eudora/tech/1663/,you can try that if you wish,but Incredimail is more fun,i used it a while back but now that i have this new Puter and use Windows Live Mail,i dont use any other!
Dont know if Incredimail may conflict with the newer versions of Windows!??
Try this site from CNet as its a good and sage site!
Cheers
http://download.cnet.com/IncrediMail...-10972300.html
Cheers

[Matthew Childs]

wow thanks for the reply Ray.
does that mean he would have boarded in new york? if so then its not as my grandfather was english, or did the ship just go there?
is there any other info on that person? like his DOB?

[Ray Buck]

Hello Matthew
The “British progress” arrived in New York on the 23rd August 1943 having sailed from the Clyde presumably on or just after 8th August 1943, the majority of the 48 crew signed on in Greenock 5th August 1943 as did John Childs as a “Deck Hand” his 1st trip so there won’t be any record of ship prior to this date as he was Naval gunner there may be record which I’m not able to access
The ship sailed again with John Childs with a crew of 46 for the UK on the 28th August via Boston 5 men deserted 3 men signed on in New York
Ray