Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 13

Article: Empire Endurance

  1. Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Battle - East Sussex
    Posts
    1,584
    Thanks (Given)
    104
    Thanks (Received)
    2053
    Likes (Given)
    124
    Likes (Received)
    1728

    Jump to Comments

    Empire Endurance

    12 Comments by Brian Probetts (Site Admin) Published on 1st August 2012 12:10 PM
    Just a short story, I had a uncle not much older than I, sailed in a shipcalled the "Empire Endurance", She had left Liverpool approx April1941, heading for the States, she was torpedoed and sunk, George Gibbons washis name, he was on deck, he had an old school mate aboard, working as aTrimmer, his name was Owen McCartney, Owen never had a chance being below deck,I had heard George felt so bad he was shouting for Owen, He had to be draggedinto the Skippers boat, He lasted for 16 days, but being delirious, he dranksea water, he died on the 16th day, which was his 21st birthday, my grandmotheralong with thousands of other mothers received a 6inx4inch certificate from theKing, being sunk his wages ceased right a way, People today, should know whathappened to seamen when their ship sank. A line was drawn across the pay-offbook, which meant the ship was no more.
    Just a great coincident to this story, many years later, My son-in- lawsfather, happened to be the Boson of the "Empire Endurance" during thetime George was sailing in her, His name was John Connolly, I never found outabout him being on that ship, till after he died, my son-in-law shown me his pay-offbook, and yes, it had the line drawn across the book, to denote the sinking ofthe ship. what a bloody way to treat men.
    yours sincerely Jack Stamper

    Brian Probetts (site admin)
    R760142

  2. Thanks Doc Vernon, Des Taff Jenkins, Captain Kong, cappy, N/A thanked for this post
    Likes Des Taff Jenkins, Peter Copley liked this post
  3. Total Comments 12

    Comments

  4. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Cebu, Philippines district of Punta Princessa.
    Posts
    1,856
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    39
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    36

    Default empire endurance

    a photo of Empire EnduranceEMPIRE_ENDURANCE.jpg
    Tony Wilding

  5. Likes Doc Vernon liked this post
  6. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Cebu, Philippines district of Punta Princessa.
    Posts
    1,856
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    39
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    36

    Default Empire endurance

    empire_endurance-ex-alster.jpgphoto from uboat . Net
    Tony Wilding

  7. Thanks Doc Vernon thanked for this post
  8. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Stockton-on-Tees
    Posts
    1,713
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    2436
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    2102

    Default

    Brian,

    I have two survivors reports from the Empire Endurance, I used for research in my latest book. I will resize them and send to you by email. Sad tale as twenty-three men died in one boat in the twenty days they were adrift, three of them on the day they were rescued. The ships Chief Steward having developed gangrene poisoning affecting his spine died in hospital five days after landing ashore and one other crewmember had all his toes amputated due to frostbite.
    "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)

  9. Thanks Doc Vernon, Des Taff Jenkins, Captain Kong, N/A thanked for this post
    Likes Peter Copley liked this post
  10. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    N. Wales
    Posts
    52
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    61
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    81

    Default Re: Empire Endurance

    Brian

    For the fullest information on this ship - see http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/881.html and http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchant...s/ship881.html

    Regards


    Laurie

  11. Thanks Doc Vernon, N/A thanked for this post
  12. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Stockton-on-Tees
    Posts
    1,713
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    2436
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    2102

    Default Re: Empire Endurance

    Like I mentioned, I have two Survivors Reports from this ship and unlike the U-boat.net, which is a great source of reference, a lot of the detail is taken from A.J. Tennent's book and not all entries on British losses give the fullest information from this book as do the original reports.

    I once believed all books written were gospel, until I started doing research myself and this why it is taking so long to finish my own latest work.Until I can eradicate the same mistakes many authors have done by believing what they have read as fact and turns out to incorrect. Will not be 100% perfect, but it will bloody close as possible to the official recorded facts.
    "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)

  13. Thanks N/A, happy daze john in oz thanked for this post
  14. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    southampton
    Posts
    8
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    12
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    21

    Default Re: Empire Endurance

    Empire Grace, 13, 478 tons, Built 1942 for Shaw Saville and commissioned by the government for troop transportation. 1946, re named ''Wairangi'' 1963, scrapped Faslane.
    No doubt many have reported over the years about their first experience of going to sea and of course it's something you never forget. I first went to sea on the Empire Grace in 1944 at the age of seven! We were to travel as a family to Cape Town to join our father who had been sent there by the Admiralty a year before and was sent to Simonstown naval base. Our mother, Edith Haisman, (nee Brown, a fifteen years old Titanic survivor in 1912) was to take us, her six children, to Swansea to join the ship there. I was can remember almost being trampled under foot on the station platform as hundreds of factory girls rushed to board our train as we arrived at Cardiff. On arrival at Swansea some time later, we spent half the night during black out looking for lodgings with the help of a policeman as I remember. We joined the Empire Grace before day break and sailed up the Irish Sea for Greenock to embark 500 troops for St. Helena. I believe we were the only children on board and can't remember any other passengers on board at that time. We had quite a convoy to accompany us down the Irish Sea and as kids, we were quite fascinated to see how they had continually changed their positions over night.
    One morning on rising early, my brother and I were surprised that our convoy had left us and had apparently headed for the Mediterranean Sea. Some 24 hours later, we were on alert at night and were told to sleep with our clothes on and on two occasions had to muster by the lifeboats with blankets and life jackets. Apparently there had been U-Boat activity reported and with a sizable troop contingent on board we were no doubt a valuable target. We had made many friends with the troops on board and were sad to see them go ashore in St. Helena. Whilst anchored off of the island I tasted my first banana with my elder sister grabbing it out of my hands and telling me that I should take the skin off first! On arrival in Cape Town several days later before disembarkation a ship's officer had said to my mother that she had nothing to worry about as a soldier on board ship had been allocated to each member of our family in case of ship wreck. Her reply apparently was, ''Why the hell didn't you tell me that before?'' The elder members of our family had always said how calm she was throughout the blackouts and alerts on board despite her facing another ship wreck this time with six of her children.
    Last edited by david haisman; 9th May 2015 at 01:16 PM.

  15. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Bolton UK
    Posts
    15,004
    Thanks (Given)
    20832
    Thanks (Received)
    11089
    Likes (Given)
    30414
    Likes (Received)
    37116

    Default Re: Empire Endurance

    Thanks for the story David,
    Very interesting.
    Cheers
    Brian

  16. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Cooma NSW
    Posts
    8,939
    Thanks (Given)
    10154
    Thanks (Received)
    5213
    Likes (Given)
    43982
    Likes (Received)
    26809

    Default Re: Empire Endurance

    HI David.
    Your Mum must have been a brave woman to have taken her and her six children all that way after her trauma on the Titanic as a fifteen year old, you would be very proud of her. Thanks for sharing your story.
    Cheers Des

    redc.gif

  17. Likes cappy, N/A, Captain Kong, Peter Copley liked this post
  18. #10
    gray_marian's Avatar
    gray_marian Guest

    Default Re: Empire Endurance

    #7, Thank you David for sharing your story. Social history, such a privilege to read, your mum must have been a stoic individual indeed.

  19. Likes Captain Kong liked this post
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •