mfraser
4th December 2011, 19:14
Hello,
I am looking for information about my father's history with the Union Steam Ship Company, and will be grateful for anything anyone might recall or pointers to locations where archival information might be found (crew rosters, ship's cruise histories, company history for the 40's, 50's, and 60's, etc). If anyone actually remembers serving or working with my father, or served on a ship at the same time he was on board and has general histories about that ship at the time, that would be invaluable.
His name is Robert Fraser, though he prefers to be called Robin, and I believe he first joined the Union Company about 1942, though it may have been a year or two later. He already had his 2nd Mate's license at that time (he served as a cadet with the J & C Harrison Company and got his license in England), and his first job at the Union Company was as 4th Officer aboard the Maunganui. It's not clear how long he served aboard the Maunganui, nor what ship he went to next. He earned his 1st Mate's license in 1945 and his Master's license in 1948. In 1950 he joined the Royal New Zealand Naval Reserve as a Lieutenant, and from NZ Defence Force Archives I have some hints about his other Union company postings.
From RNZNR correspondence, it seems that in 1953 he was on the Tofua, in 1955 on the Monowai, and in 1957 on the Kaimai. In 1958 he became Wharf Superintendent in Auckland, and the Navy Office at that time recommended his retention on the active list in part based upon his having been "in command" with the Union company for the prior two years. From that I deduce that he was a ship captain from early 1956 or late 1955 until his shore appointment, and therefore was probably the captain of the Kaimai in 1957. Later in 1958 he was promoted within the RNZNR to Lieutenant Commander. He resigned his commission in 1964.
I know that he was still Wharf Superintendent in 1962, and probably held that post until he resigned from the Union company in 1966 to take a job with the Dillingham Corporation.
Actually, he did have a prior history with the Union company before 1942. As a teenager in the mid-30's he worked in their Auckland office as an "office boy", which later translated into finding a berth as "deck boy" to work his passage to England in 1937. I have no idea what ship that might have been, nor whether it was even a Union company ship. Likewise in 1942 he "worked his passage" back to New Zealand, but this time it was an "extra officer" aboard the NZ Shipping Company vessel Ruahine.
I would be grateful for any stories anyone might have about my father or the ships he served on, whether good or bad.
Best regards,
Matt Fraser
I am looking for information about my father's history with the Union Steam Ship Company, and will be grateful for anything anyone might recall or pointers to locations where archival information might be found (crew rosters, ship's cruise histories, company history for the 40's, 50's, and 60's, etc). If anyone actually remembers serving or working with my father, or served on a ship at the same time he was on board and has general histories about that ship at the time, that would be invaluable.
His name is Robert Fraser, though he prefers to be called Robin, and I believe he first joined the Union Company about 1942, though it may have been a year or two later. He already had his 2nd Mate's license at that time (he served as a cadet with the J & C Harrison Company and got his license in England), and his first job at the Union Company was as 4th Officer aboard the Maunganui. It's not clear how long he served aboard the Maunganui, nor what ship he went to next. He earned his 1st Mate's license in 1945 and his Master's license in 1948. In 1950 he joined the Royal New Zealand Naval Reserve as a Lieutenant, and from NZ Defence Force Archives I have some hints about his other Union company postings.
From RNZNR correspondence, it seems that in 1953 he was on the Tofua, in 1955 on the Monowai, and in 1957 on the Kaimai. In 1958 he became Wharf Superintendent in Auckland, and the Navy Office at that time recommended his retention on the active list in part based upon his having been "in command" with the Union company for the prior two years. From that I deduce that he was a ship captain from early 1956 or late 1955 until his shore appointment, and therefore was probably the captain of the Kaimai in 1957. Later in 1958 he was promoted within the RNZNR to Lieutenant Commander. He resigned his commission in 1964.
I know that he was still Wharf Superintendent in 1962, and probably held that post until he resigned from the Union company in 1966 to take a job with the Dillingham Corporation.
Actually, he did have a prior history with the Union company before 1942. As a teenager in the mid-30's he worked in their Auckland office as an "office boy", which later translated into finding a berth as "deck boy" to work his passage to England in 1937. I have no idea what ship that might have been, nor whether it was even a Union company ship. Likewise in 1942 he "worked his passage" back to New Zealand, but this time it was an "extra officer" aboard the NZ Shipping Company vessel Ruahine.
I would be grateful for any stories anyone might have about my father or the ships he served on, whether good or bad.
Best regards,
Matt Fraser