178.
Jan. 15, 2013

My father Frank served on merchant ships and was sunk by torpedo twice in the North Atlantic during WW2. Sadly, he died a few years ago never having talked about his experiences of the war. He was born and lived in Edinburgh and shipped out of various ports around the country. I am trying to find out the names of the ships that he served on during the war, particularly those that were sunk. I am hoping that one of your readers might have the answers or may be able to point me in the right direction.

Thanks,
Brian Passmore

177.
Dec. 23, 2012

I don't know if you have been aware of a long running campaign (70 years) that a medal should be awarded for Naval Operations in the Arctic delivering supplies to the Russians. It has been continually turned down by successive governments and many, I included, have long campaigned for such a medal to be given. They have been told that the Atlantic Star also covered service in the Arctic convoys, but many had not served in the Atlantic operations so would not qualify and in any case the areas are complete lt apart. I thought this may be of interest to you.

Prime Minister David Cameron said he was ‘delighted' by the decision to award medals to Arctic Convoy veterans. During Prime Minister's Questions yesterday, Mr. Cameron said Sir John Holmes recommended that there will be an Arctic Convoy Star Medal after a review. He said; “I am very pleased that some of the brave men of the Arctic Convoys will get the recognition they so richly deserve for the very dangerous work they did. I pay tribute to my right honourable friends and the members for Portsmouth North and Gosport and members of the house from all sides who campaigned hard over these issues and I'm glad we have reached a resolution and one that is proper and right.' He said more details will emerge in the New Year about how the veterans can apply for a medal. It was also agreed that members of Bomber Command will be awarded a Clasp for their Star.

Derek Hodgson, R.N.
(HMS Concord 1948-1950)

176.
Dec. 20, 2012

Excellent source of reference. Many thanks indeed.

C. D. G. Pyke,
Chester, UK

175.
Nov. 10, 2012

The reason for my writing this time is to ask you if there is any way of identifying the vessels depicted in the pictures below of my wife Penny's father Lt. Kenneth Horley, second from left in the main picture with a bunch of other officers, and on the (picture) left in the pair of them. It would also be good to know if anyone can identify the men as well. We think that the pictures were taken c.1925. Kenneth was axed in the “Geddes Axe” and placed on the Reserve List as a Lt. Commander, and we think was discharged in about 1936. He died in 1941. If you can provide any information please contact me through the webmaster. (michael@maritimequest.com)

Patrick Langrishe

174.
Nov. 2, 2012

I am doing research on 4 stacker passenger liners for a work of fiction that I am writing. Specifically I would like to speak with someone knowledgeable of the ship operations and ship systems/mechanics. I also require sources of information ship layouts. Specifically my characters need a way of sabotaging the ship so as to delay its arrival to port and I wish to be as accurate as possible so as to enrich my story. Any assistance would be appreciated.

David Vladyka

173.
Sept. 5, 2012

Few lines to thank you for this amazing site. Documents found there are amazing, such a lot of work and friendship relations, surely.

I'm a French writer, my last book is a novel based on the Pacific War theatre - in process of being published soon - as each historical text, it takes a long time to got the right documentation, then i've been looking over the net for months, and today I found your site.

Congratulations for all this amazing pages,
Jean Michel RiHET

172.
July 16, 2012

Just a quick note to say that your site is a ship lovers dream! The photos are clear and beautiful and everything is so well organized. The time and effort that you have put into the site is obvious.

Thank You!!
Dennis Costabile
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

171.
June 4, 2012

I am in possession of an old clock that has the following inscription on it:

PRESENTED TO NELLIE KENTLAND ON THE OCCASION OF HER LEAVING THE S.S. ATHENS FEB 1905.

Walter Charlton

170.
Apr. 22, 2012
Subject: USS Casco AVP-12

My uncle was on the USS Casco (AVP-12) Seaplane Tender of which he was a seaplane pilot.  My mother said he was a "rum runner" and the only survivor of his squadron (event unknown).  Does anyone have any information on this event or seaplane pilots or seaplanes in general? Thank you for any help you might be able to give me.

Sincerely,
Leronne Calvin-Wagner
Sacramento, California

169.
Apr. 17, 2012
Subject: Unveiling of Falklands SAS plaque.

A plaque commemorating those members of the SAS who lost their lives during the Falklands War in 1982 will be unveiled on the 19th May 2012 at 2pm in the Sun Room of the Allied Special Forces Grove at the National Memorial Arboretum.

On the 20th May 2012 the Falklands memorial will be dedicated at the Arboretum. More details about this can be obtained via their website www.thenma.org.uk

Hope that this is all of interest to your members.

Regards,
Mike Colton
Secretary
Allied Special Forces Association

168.
Feb. 22, 2012
Subject: Former Far Eastern Prisoners of War Conference.

We are announcing the next conference on former Far Eastern PoWs for Sept. 8/9, 2012. For anyone interested in this subject or interested in attending the conference please check our website for further details.

Mag Parkes
www.researchingfepowhistory.org.uk

167.
Jan. 26, 2012
Subject: Veterans

I would like to thank all veterans in wood county and around! God bless you all!

Chris Mays

166.
Dec. 13, 2011

Had a look at your site and quite liked it. It is hard to find anything on merchant ships. I have looked everywhere for pictures of the tugs, Warilla and Wooree. These were owned by Waratah Tug and Salvage Company during the 1960's. I myself served with the RAN on Sydney, Stalwart and Paluma. during the 1960's to 1970. The Warilla gave me good childhood memories as I often went out with her in Newcastle on jobs. Anyway, congrats on a good site.

All the best,
Wayne Cummings

165.
Dec. 1, 2011

I am wondering if you can help me please? I know my dad, Harry Binns, served in both the Royal and Merchant navies before and during the war, as a stoker. My mother told me that his heavy drinking was caused because his ship had been hit during the war and he saw a lot of his friends die but was able to help some until they were rescued. I know he had medals as I remember playing with them as a child, but I don't know which ship(s) he served on - is there anyway to find this out please. My mother spent some time in Portsmouth after they married during the war. My parents are both passed away, but we lost touch with my Dad after my parents split up in the '80's and I would like some tangible evidence of his war record for my sons and grandson if possible.

Kind Regards,
Vivienne O'Shea

164.
Oct. 6, 2011

I have a ships bell which has written on it--- CLARIDGE and the date 1849. Do you have any information available that would help me track down the ship it came from?

Thank you,
Darlene Smith
Vernon, BC, Canada

163.
Sept. 13, 2011

First class information on various related maritime sources of interest, you are to be congratulated on it's content and the conciseness contained there in. Well done I will be a regular visitor, many thanks. 

Bob Edgar
Lecturer, Reid Kerr College, Paisley, Scotland

162.
Aug. 20, 2011

Having found your site, it brought back many memories. In 1969 I visited my uncle Hans, in Gdansk with my father, as I speak no German I was only able to pick out a odd word or two, but I can remember him saying that he was made to enlist on a German battleship at the start of the war. He was, I believe, an engineer. My father said that he was wounded, and was interned in America until after the war ended, but he was not sure which ship he was on.

The story of the Graf Spee fits the bill though, any information would be gratefully received, my uncles name was Hans Stople, (sorry for the spelling, but I  don't know how it was spelled), he said that the captain ordered him to scuttle the ship by opening the sea hatches, and that they ran out of ammunition, or the ship would not have been captured. Hans lived for many years in Gdansk after the war, but after 1969, we lost all contact with him.

Regards,
Rudi Dymczynski

161.
Aug. 12, 2011

In June 1969 I was a Supplier in the Royal Air Force, and was posted to 1004 Signals Unit, HMS Jufair, BFPO63( Bahrain). At this time, I was a Senior Aircraftsman and 19 years old. I was in accommodation in the Old Navy HQ, HMS Jufair. To avoid boredom I joined the RAF Muharraq Diving Club down at RAF Muharraq, and trained in sub aqua. As Bahrain was not far from the oggin we made use of the RN dhows for getting to sea to go diving. We then started using RPL's of the RCT Maritime Unit based up the RAF ASR.

As I recall these boats were big enough to have 4x3 ton trucks as cargo and a landing craft type ramp at the front. I spent many happy hours on Sundays diving from this RPL. Also my unit used the services of 2 Sqn RCT for our daily transport needs. I must also give praise for the cinema run by the RCT, which used a whitewashed wall of the NAFFI for its screen. This is where I discovered Tom and Jerry cartoons, and above all the famous man  "FRED QUIMBY." Now 62 years old and retired after 27 years as a Guard on British Rail.

From S0595188 SAC Fisher J. E. 1004
Signals Unit, HMS Jufair, BFPO63.(6 June 1969 to 7 July 1970)

160.
July 22, 2011

I believe the tubular bridge in the background of the last photograph, on this page, was engineered and built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. He also designed and built the Great Eastern steamship. Your site is the best for period photos of many famous ships. I check for updates regularly.

Gary Thorson
Mesa, Arizona
Boiler tender US Navy 1961-1964

159.
June 29, 2011

I recently found that my late father possibly served time on HMS MTB-732, his name was David John Greengrass. I noticed the crew that died on the 28th 1944, was trying to locate the survivors list. David spent the rest of the war in Africa, he was in the Royal Marines Coastal services. I have spent over 10 years on my ancestry and have managed to go back to 1250 A.D. on the family name Greengrass. This would be a nice link if you have any information regarding David greengrass. David died in England 1989.

Regards,
Peter Woodward
Canada

158.
June 19, 2011

Do you happen to know the names of the Masters of SS Exterminator, SS Hybert, and SS John Randolph (All in QP-13)? Besides, I am looking for a long time now for the names of the Masters of SS Alcoa Ranger, SS Fairfield City, SS Navarino, SS Pan Atlantic, SS Troubador, SS West Gotomska, and SS Exford. (All in PQ-17; Exford and West Gotomska left the Convoy). And I nowhere can find the name of the Master of MV Cheshire, the ship that sailed together with the unfortunate SS Léopoldville from the UK to Cherbourg on Christmas eve 1944. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,
Pieter Graf
Netherlands

157.
Mar. 13, 2011

I am researching my family's history in WW 1, " Mc Kernon, " and stumbled across your site. I have already found some of the ships Edward Mc Kernon served on, and I look forward to spending many hours looking at your wonderful photos.

Thank you,
Marion Mc Larnon
Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland

156.
Mar. 9, 2011

Does anyone know of registers of sea captains or yacht captains for the 1920 & 1930 time frame?  I am researching Frank Max Frantzen who captained a number of yachts, including those for the Barklie Henry family and possibly the Kimball family.  He lived mostly in NYC and died in the Bahamas while sailing one of the yachts in 1937.  If anyone knows where I could find a registry for captains at that time, I certainly would appreciate it.

Karen S. Golden Rodgers
Manteo, North Carolina

155.
Jan. 13, 2010

I'm a WW2 vet who would like to correspond with anyone who was aboard a troopship when it sailed from Le Havre to New York arriving Jan. 1, 1946. One soldier I remember was Ed Curran. In the original "Perfect Storm" that we encountered he was in his bunk seasick for most of the voyage. I would like to hear from someone because I have written a story about our wild ride for my grandchildren... and also want to find out
the name of my ship. The first to go is memory!

Frank Walsh
Coos Bay, Oregon

154.
Dec. 13, 2010

I recently bought a used couch and found a package of old pictures in it. I am sure someone would like these back. Seems to be a reunion at DayBreak motel maybe. Sign says "Welcome USS Nevada Association SSBN-733 33rd Reunion  Aug. 13-16 1986 The year of the great comm:"  Another has a sign which reads "Nautilus Dining Room" with two men standing near the entrance. A smaller photo says "J.J. Fontenot 1987" on the back. Also a black and white photo of four sailors two are Petty Officers, don't know about the other two. If you can identify the owner or contact them, please let me know. 

Thanks
Diana