mnaguest
 1051 March 01 2008 at 21:02:00Full Name: Doreen Penelope Van Daele Email: penelope@vandaele.wanadoo.co.uk Home Town?: Crawley West Sussex Message Text: Hi to all I'm trying to find any info that I can of my late father, who passed away in 2000 in South Africa. Details are as follows:Aubrey Raymond Brown (known as Ray or Raymond)Born 22 July 1918 at Collinwood Street (his parents home address?) in Birkenhead. The family moved to Harpurhey, Manchester at a later date. Ray was the second of three children, the older sister named Mabel, his younger sister (by 13 years) was Doreen. Ray joined the Merchant Navy, probably in Liverpool, sometime between 1934 and 1936. (In August 1937 he attended the Duke of Yorks camp in Southwold, Suffolk). By 1944 he had risen to the rank of 1st or 2nd engineer. During his time at sea he travelled to the Far East, Hong Kong and Japan – this was pre-war. He also did crochet work, as the seamen had to have some sort of occupational therapy. During the Second War, the ships he served on provided support to the Navy. In late 1943 or early 1944 the ship he was on had to put in at Durban Harbour (South Africa), for repairs. (Private Roy Hubbard was in the army going to Sierra Leon to fight, when his ship was torpedoed off Durban - it could have been on this ship that Ray was serving or providing an escort for). At this time Ray met Jane Burnett Trueman, known as Jean, who was there on holiday with her parents. (The Trueman family immigrated to South Africa from Glasgow around 1921-1922).Ray then either resigned or was demobbed, and he moved to Johannesburg. He and Jean were married on 31st January 1945. Ray told his wife of having to rescue seamen whose ship had been sunk and were swimming in burning sea. He told of his attempt to rescue one man, whose burning skin came off like a glove. Shipping Lines Ray could have served on include: Union Castle Ellerman & Buchnan Royal Mail Line Ray’s father was William Ernest Brown; he too served in the Navy, and visited the Blue Mountains on one of his trips. William had two tattoos, one a ballerina and the other the Union Jack. The shipping line could have been the Blue Star. Grateful thanks to anyone who may have information for me. Penny 1052 March 01 2008 at 17:35:37 Full Name: George Wingfield Email: wingfieldg@aol.com Home Town?: Chester Message Text: This is an excellent website for anyone with an interest in the sea and associated activities.Well done to the founders and committee in its support for the veterans and all those seaman past and present! 1053 February 29 2008 at 15:54:26 Full Name: Neil Leitch Maclachlan Email: nmaclachlan@cogeco.ca Home Town?: Greenock, Scotland Message Text: Sailed with Blue Star Line 1950-1954 on Ausralia Star,Sydney Star & Napier Star,also with Standard Vacuum Transportation Co ,1954-1956 on Stanvac South Africa& Stanvac India. Any of my shipmates still around? Mac. 1054 February 28 2008 at 18:38:53 Full Name: Arnold Melhuish Email: arnoldmelhuish@blueyonder.co.uk Home Town?: Plymouth Message Text: I would like to get in touch with anybody who has connections with Russian convy JW51B Dec 42 - Jan 43. I am in particular ineterested in the whereabouts of the report of the Commodore's Yeoman, Len Matthews, in SS Empire Archer, The Commodore of the convoy was Commodore Robin Melhuish. Any MN or RN connections would be great. 1055 February 28 2008 at 17:18:20 Full Name: Rachael Salmon Email: rachael.salmon@tiscali.co.uk Home Town?: Aberystwyth Message Text: Hello. I'm trying to trace a Captain Tony Carter who was very close to a friend of mine in the 1970s. Her name is Stephanie Greenham. Can anybody help? Stephanie would dearly love to make contact with Captain Carter again. I believe he was based around Southampton but have no further details. Thankyou for any suggestions/help. 1056 February 28 2008 at 15:34:28 Full Name: Arnold Melhuish, Email: arnoldmelhuish@blueyonder.co.uk Home Town?: Plymouth Message Text: I am researching Russian Convoy JW51B Dec 42 - Jan 43. My cousin was the Commodore, Robin Melhuish, in SS Empire Archer.The convoy was the centre of the Battle of the Barents Sea (Lutzow and Hipper) in which Captain Sherbrooke RN won the VC. I am trying to trace the report of the Commodore's Yeoman, Len Matthews (he has since died) and it is not in TNA or IWM. I would love to hear from anybody who has any connection with that convoy, MN or RN. 1057 February 28 2008 at 00:59:41 Full Name: Steve Reiff Email: sreiff_99@yahoo.com Home Town?: Indiana Message Text: The Red Duster has proven to be a valuable resource. Researching the Bibby Line, specifically the DanubeI built in 1853 by J.& G. Thompson, Glasgow for the Bibbys. After being used as a Crimean War troopship,the Danube sailed for the Compagnie Generale Transatlantique. She brought my ancestor and 4 siblings to the USA in 1857, aged 6-16 from Wurtemberg. Their mother had died before passage. I am trying to locate any photo that my exist. According to another source the Danube I was renamed the Caravelle I in 1865 and sold to Dupuis-Robial, Bourdeaux in 1885. I would certainly appreciate any info regarding images of this ship if they exist. 1058 February 27 2008 at 16:24:27 Full Name: john meekin Email: jmeekin@googlemail.com Home Town?: eglinton co londonderry Message Text: anyone remember mv prospero the time the prop sheared off in n atlantic.some voyage that was. 1059 February 27 2008 at 13:28:06 Full Name: frederick hodder Email: far1192003@yahoo.co.uk Home Town?: YEOVIL LATE OF BRIDPORT DORSET Message Text: HI, brilliant site both for seamen and outhers, try allso a good site m-navydays.com you can scroll down to " the call of the sea " a short story about life in the M N AFTER LEAVING SEA SCHOOL i was at sea for sixteen years. allso top site to visit is " SHIPS NOSTALGIA " REGARDS fred hodder 1060 February 26 2008 at 21:11:08 Full Name: Gerald Strangward. Email: GAS737@AOL.COM Home Town?: PEMBROKE Message Text: just learning computing.70th birthday pressy.on deck deep sea 1954-1962 prior to that Newport pilot boats based at Barry Roads. more money as deck boy than app.pilot £2.10 shillings a week @ cheep fags I must say best years of my life. Great site will visit often dont be late on watch. 1061 February 26 2008 at 20:54:14 Full Name: Veronica Williams Email: vron25@gmail.com Home Town?: Australia Message Text: I am looking for some information including perhaps a picture of the Roxburgh Castle (1) built in 1837. Any ideas that may help? Thanks. 1062 February 26 2008 at 18:05:27 Full Name: john meekin Email: jmeekin@googlemail.com Home Town?: eglinton co londenderry Message Text: still looking for ex shipmates m .v. prometheus voy 1-12 ending 1971 1063 February 26 2008 at 03:15:50 Full Name: Ron Benbow Email: romabenbow@bigpond.com Home Town?: Perth Australia Message Text: I am making enquiries for a friend. She is making enquiries regarding her fathers wartime service in the merchant Navy during the ww2. He was Dutch, frmally a petty Officer in their navy. his name was Georgius de Haas. He married Dora Pugh in 1942 in Liverpool. Any info appreciated Ron Benbow 1064 February 26 2008 at 01:55:19 Full Name: Anthony Johansen. [AKA "Jo"] Email: anthony.j@rogers.com Home Town?: Ottawa, ON, Canada [Originally Bristol] Message Text: Served my time with Smiths of Cardiff, and was, at one time, an Apprentice on the "Samwinged". Another friend [a townie] was also an Apprentice on the "Samlamu" Both these ships were Liberty ships, of course, and I have it in the back of my mind that Smiths managed three altogether. Am I right or wrong? Can anyone help me here? I'm getting old, as you have already assumed! Regards, particularly to all at the MNA. Jo. 1065 February 25 2008 at 19:42:33 Full Name: Jacqueline Byrom Email: jackiebyrom@hotmail.co.uk Home Town?: Wigan Message Text: I would like to dedicate this e-mail to my father Charles Douglas Mee who served in the Merchant Navy from 1938 - 1954. Sadly my father died on the 18th February 08. His life in the Merchant Navy was one huge adventure and from the tales he told his children, he was lucky to survive beyond his twenties. My father served on many ships including: SS Radcliffe, SS Chemong, SS Marcella, SS Chemong, Orangeleaf, the list is endless. I know so much about my fathers life in the Merchant Navy as he has left behind a number of diaries containing information and events from the war. This includes his thoughts on the day war was declared when he was, at the time, in New York and was due to leave on a cargo ship to Liverpool the following day. Now that was a tale! Additionally he was a keen letter writer and photographer. I have about 100 letters written to him from other seamen (and lovers!)and photo's of himself, his ships, shipmates and the countries he visited. He was awarded several medals including one for bravery. We loved our father dearley and although he has now 'Crossed the Bar' I would love to keep his memory alive. Maybe in time I shall have his his letters, photo's and memoirs published. His funeral was dedicated to his life within the MN. My brother wrote a comprehensive Eulogy depicting his life at sea. His beloved Ink Spots played 'Whispering Grass' and if we had had enough time, planned to play 'What Shall We Do With A Drunken Sailor'. Finally, I once asked Father why did he think he survived so many attacks. His reply: I was always the one nearest the lifeboats! 1066 February 21 2008 at 05:33:43 Full Name: Geoffrey Woolley Email: geoffwoolleycranmore@yahoo.co.uk Home Town?: Osterley Message Text: Trying to locate Reg Hamlyn or Brother Peter, last known Teignmouth/South Devon Shipmate Sailed with Orient Line also Blue Star & Esso Tanker 1948/50 1067 February 14 2008 at 17:53:17 Full Name: Alan Bevan Email: alanclarebevan@tiscali.co.uk Home Town?: Ampthill Message Text: I sailed as Radio Officer on MV "Amarna" out of Liverpool in 1964. Can anyone remind me who owned her? Thanks 1068 February 14 2008 at 01:34:59 Full Name: Peter A Charman Email: pad 38@xtra.co.nz Home Town?: Camebridge New Zealand Message Text: Ahoy Am lookinh for a little help. Am doing my biography for the benefit of my children and grand children. I writing a chaper of my sea time from attending The vindi as a deckie back in june 1944.Later i ws on Nthatlantic convoys on the SS Bayano. I want to gift my Fathers medals from the first world war to my ganchildren together with my story. can anyone tell me A am i entitled to any war service merdals or the new mechant Badge.I have been through the regular channels at Kew archivesand in fact found my signature in copies of the Bbayano log books.However those records --no doubt for security at the time do not establish the ship was on the north Atlantic so they would not or would not help me.I still have My mn Log book and original M.n Identety card. Am over 80 now so donyt have a lot of time to traipse around and virtually gave up,but maybe some one could give me a short cut.Many thanks in Anticiptation Pete 1069 February 11 2008 at 21:01:30 Full Name: H. Hirst Email: haroldhirst@btinternet.com Home Town?: Chesterfield Message Text: Hii Can anyone help I was on a Tanker called Royal Crown in the fiftes, and am trying to find a photo on the web. If anyone can help please send info by E- Mail. Ive only found this site by accident, but find it interesting. Hoeing for some info H. Hirst 1070 February 08 2008 at 14:14:33 Full Name: Mike Beddie Email: mike09B@aol.com Home Town?: Peterhead Aberdeenshire Message Text: Grear site,sailed mainly with Ben Line frm 1963 then Hains Boat,Blue Star, Federal and landed up back with Ben Boats, last one Bendearg. Best years of my life 1071 February 08 2008 at 01:26:50 Full Name: Pete Smith Email: psmith5844@aol.com Home Town?: Napa,California Message Text: Vindy Boy sailed out of Soton 1953-59 mostly cunard. Was thinking about the troop ship that caught fire in the 50's was it Windrush? anybody remember the details? 1072 February 07 2008 at 07:11:28 Full Name: alan fraser Email: fintray@deliveryman.com Home Town?: hazelwood north .Australia Message Text: Isailed in the Ben Line in the earley sixties and looking for so of the crew of the Benledi 1965 1073 February 04 2008 at 07:39:55 Full Name: Kenneth Edward Berry Email: ken-rita@inspire.net.nz Home Town?: Tawa Wellington NZ Originally Liverpool Message Text: HiAll,Glad I found this site.I'm trying to find out about my mothers Dad,Thomas Edward Lunt,Engineer WW1.Ship sunk early in war he had both legs below the knees amputated.Mum was born 1913 Jan.He had married Nov 1912.His ship must have been sunk early in war as Mum's first Brother wasn't born till 1917.He was with a Liverpool shipping Co.He became an alcoholic and pretty bad times knocked the family around.Have tried everything if anyone might be able to help would be appreciated.My grand children want me to find out about him.The clock keeps ticking and time is becoming important.Best Regards Ken B 1074 February 02 2008 at 21:00:38 Full Name: Trish Gray Email: paulandtrishgray@hotmail.co.uk Home Town?: Beverley Message Text: My Dad was a gunner with the Defence Envoy for Merchant Shipping during W.W.2. I have been trying to find some information about the ships he sailed on. He remembers being on the St.Rosario, Fort Albany,and S.S.Pasteur.He is very lucky to be here going on what he says about his experiences! Please has anyone any information about any of the boats I mentioned. 1075 February 02 2008 at 17:10:03 Full Name: Jeff Glasser Email: jeff_glasser@btinternet.com Home Town?: Glastonbury, Somerset. Message Text: ex Vindi' boy,Oct.-Dec. 1964, catering, then Braemar and Kenya Castle's. R.M.S.Aragon,Ports Albany and Alfred, Brasil star. Left M.N. late '67. I'll answer most e-mails. << 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 >>
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