queen mary ww2 troop ship

My dad went down on H.M.S.Curacao.His name was Claude Wright known as Shiner Wright.He was a sailmaker. I have a copy of the video “Yesterday’s Deep Wreck Mysteries” which shows a very good animated reconstruction of the collision. Of course the American build up in Britain occurred over a period of time. In the era of the Cold War the United States designed the SS United States so that it could easily be converted from a liner to a troopship, in case of war. I assume Cunliffe’s wife was not given the full facts at the time. Queen Elizabeth left the port of New York on 13 November 1940 for Singapore to receive her troopship conversion. One of those who died on the Curacoa was George Percival Windsor Cunliffe, the father of Prof. Barry Cunliffe. Has anybody else have items like this, and I also wondered what to do with them, as would not like them to be lost or thrown away. As I watched him till the story I can tell how Vivid this memory was to him as if he was there again. Aug 5, 2014 - Queen Mary in WWII when it was a Troop Carrier ship to Germany What he was able to say was that when he got home to Hull no-one knew of the sinking. All Digitized Passenger Lists For the RMS Queen Mary Available at the GG Archives. Our ship really jarred at the impact and we all thought we caught a torpedo. I like your piece above on the Queen Mary and HMS Curacao. The GRO Marine Deaths Indices names his vessel as HMS Pembroke. The RMS Queen Mary of the Cunard Line.GGA Image ID # 13edc635ec. Hi my uncle Arther Lovell was on the HM Curaçao’s, he sent a lovely imbrodied Christmas card with a photo of him and the ship at Malta to my mum his sister and mother of pear broach with HM Curacao in gold of brass written on it. In early 1940, with Australia less than a year into World War 2, a 17-year-old George Shirley used his father’s 16mm movie camera to film two grand visitors to Sydney Harbour. Sighted Ireland at 5:45 P.M. Sighted Scotland at 7:00 P.M. Land looks good especially on a leaky ship. Queen Mary as troop ship (Part 1) After tea up to Prom deck, terrifically crowded -—RAF dance band in operation — very hot with... Queen Mary as troop ship (Part 2) Saw the story of this awful tragedy on “Yesterday’s Deep Wreck Mysteries” programme. Run into light cruiser 2:15 P.M. Cut cruiser in two parts and cruiser boiler exploded immediately. My nan always had a picture pride of place whilst she was alive at her house of her mother & father (Charles) before he went off to war in his navy uniform. Acadia Overall, I thought it would be neat to do a web site about troopships. Author’s private collection. He was a stoker. God bless them all. Two destroyers turned back to pick up cruiser survivors. Some 339 soldiers lost their lives that day. "Captain" Will Kayne gave an overview of the history of the hotel and former ocean liner RMS Queen Mary, including her service as a troop ship during World War II. When they were fully converted, each of them could carry well over 10,000 troops per trip. World War II Front Line Nurse was anchored at Pier 90. A distant cousin of my late husband perished on HMS Curacao . Years later, John read about a tragedy from World War II. My late father Walter Hull’s best friend was on The Curacao he often spoke about how sad he felt about loosing him that way. Saw front part of cruiser burning and rolling over slowly. Acadia R.M.S. It was launched in 1938 as the sister ship to the Queen Mary and served as a wartime troop transport, transatlantic ocean liner, and cruise ship until 1968. My elder brother was one of the unfortunate ones to perish. David Rand, Melbourne, Australia, my 3rd cousin was named Edward Howard who was on the H.M.S Curacoa ship.in 1942 Ship signaled S.O.S. My Grandpa Donald William Hoffman was in the Army and was upon the HMS Queen Mary when it struck the Curacoa and split that cruiser right in half. She had the right of way, and the cruiser was in her lane of traffic. . My grandad was in the navy during WWII and stayed on after the end of the war to take American ships back to the USA. Regards "According to our [U. S. National Archives] records, in 1951 the Department of the Army destroyed all passenger lists, manifests, logs of vessels, and troop movement files of United States Army Transports for World War II." 2nd October 1942: Troopship liner Queen Mary sinks HMS Curacoa. Your email address will not be published. Edward Sunley (Teddy). Margaret Johnson, Sadly my Grandfather lost his life in the Curacoa. He was an Able Seaman on H M S Curacoa Service number P/JX258837. (total of 14,777 troops & 893 crew) Task unit 31.29.1 escorted by US McClelland (DE-750) Berth L-52, Saipan, Marianas Islands: 45-06-20: S. Harding R.M.S. This is troopship Queen Elisabeth. Saving Private Ryan Depicted War So Realistically That It Triggered PTSD among Veterans Who Watched It, The B-32 Dominator: The Heavy Bomber in Service for Less Than a Year, Company Imports Trove of M1 Carbines from Ethiopia to Sell in US. Our speed reduced to 10 mph. By The Maritime Executive 05-24-2015 10:35:18 After two stops to refuel and replenish her stores in Trinidad and Cape Town, she arrived in Singapore's Naval Docks where she was fitted with anti-aircraftguns, and her hull repainted black, although her superstructure remained grey. God bless him and and his shipmates. Many of the graves have small bunches of flowers on them. Queen Mary: 735th Military Police Battalion, as part of 12,326 American troops and 2,200 Navy personnel, and one lone Congressman. When the vulnerability of these ships to return fire was realized most were used instead as troopship or hospital ships. Tragic loss of lives. Aug 5, 2014 - Queen Mary in WWII when it was a Troop Carrier ship to Germany. He was also at the battle of Monte Casino. The WWII POW Who Sank A German Ship With A Milk Tin! To Mr George Richardson, i have been looking into my wifes family tree and only found out only yesterday that her grandfather David W G Richardson had a brother John Robertson Richardson, i then found records that he had been lost at sea in 1942, he was a signalman on the HMS Curacoa, this led me to this site and your post was top of the page, maybe it was fate. Dubbed, the “Grey Ghost,” the Queen Mary hauled as many as 15,000 men while playing a pivotal role in guiding the allied forces to victory. My grandad (Elwood Selsor) was a medic in the Army and aboard the Queen Mary during this incident. It’s a shame that there’s no memorial here either. Friday, October 2, 1942 – R.A.F. The once graceful looking Liner now looks the part of a real troop ship! So glad I found this. The RMS Queen Mary of the Cunard Line.GGA Image ID # 13edc635ec. My “uncle” Harry Ellis survived the collision. By the end of the twentieth century, nearly all long-distance transfers of soldiers were being done by air in military transport aircraft. They were traveling in a zigzag pattern and the Queen Mary was going so quickly that the cruiser could not get out of the way. Her carrying capacity was over 15,000 troops and over 900 crew. Just researching our village war memorial. Sun 20/12/42 11.15pm Blackpool. Dubbed the “long voyage,” the vessel went from Scotland, to Suez, and to Sydney, Australia, and then returned to Gourock. He can remember bodies flying through the air in pieces. Beginning in December 1942, it did not end until April 1943. With her sister ship Queen Elizabeth, the two "Queens" enabled D-day to happen in 1944 and not in 1945. It was 1942 and I was 22 years old and a Seaman in the Merchant Navy on the Queen Mary. My Grandfather was on the Curacoa, he spent two hours in the sea and was lifted by an Irish vessel, he was a petty officer, his name was Frank Barrow, he is sadly passed away now, such a wonderful man, husband father and grandfather, God rest all their souls :), My Dad was on the Queen Mary on his way to war in world War two and landed first wave D Day. Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary were used as troop transports during the Second World War. I have 2 Christmas cards from him from the ship, both to his mother. He was a stoker. To George Richardson, Queen Mary and J. Holman, 735th MP Bn who was aboard : 45-06-19 lived at 16 Duke Street in Hawick. They were left in the water and he was swimming for over 2 hours. Queen Mary in WWII when it was a Troop Carrier ship to Germany. Plus, anyone who has ever gone to the Queen Mary can’t help come away impressed by the chapter of the ship’s life when it was a troopship — including accidentally and tragically slicing another ship in two during a foggy convoy run. Cunard Pays Tribute to War Service Just some of the 15,000+ troops that would travel on each crossing of Queen Mary. Another piece discusses the war-time role of the Queen Mary: Eventually, the ship’s troop-carrying capacity was increased to 16,000 men. His best friend on board was a country lad and nicknamed my Dad “townie”, he was not such a strong swimmer as Dad and kep lagging behind. All of the ship’s crew called on the alert to look out for “U” boats. Read more of this story on BBC People’s War. The Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary, which had been called into service at the beginning of WWII, and had swapped their usual bold colours for drab grey camouflage. , able Seaman Harold Egan, was on the Curacoa, lost his life in that.! 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The Americans who have never got over this tragedy happened uncle Wilfred Willmott -nicknamed Bunny-was engineering... Sank a German submarine and was trying to guard the QE1 to myself Paul Francis and younger.

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