This is my first post so I'd like to say hello to everyone and I'm sure it's a happy ship. But the purpose of my 'being here' is to seek the help of members who may have witnessed a tragic incident that took place about 1957 in New Plymouth, New Zealand.
This is a plea for information from 'Liverpool Retired Merchant Seafarers'.
We publish a quarterly newsletter that keeps members up to date with local/international maritime events. We also trace the history, where we can, of events that they experienced during their sea-going days. They are encouraged to contribute their own stories of home and abroad and one such tale that was brought to our attention concerns the freighter 'British Monarch' that ended in tragedy.
It is of two young local girls swimming in the harbour at Port Taranaki in New Plymouth, New Zealand, whilst the ship was discharging her cargo of Phosphate at the quay. For some reason the girls got into trouble and called for help. At the same time two young apprentices were on deck of the British Monarch and were attracted by the girls call for assistance. Both of the boys (aged about 16) responded immediately, and without any thought for their own safety, dived in the water and made a heroic effort to save the girls. Thankfully both girls were saved, but tragically one of the apprentices was drowned and buried in a small churchyard that overlooked the harbour.
I have been given the task of finding out the boy’s name and the churchyard where he was buried. Some of our members make the occasional visit to New Zealand and if we can identify the boy’s name and church, they could make arrangements to visit the grave and give a fitting commemoration to a young and maybe forgotten hero. It could well be that the girls or their families have tended the grave over the years but we have no knowledge of this.
Therefore does anyone remember the sorrowful incident with clarity?
Can anyone identify our young hero?
Was there a mission to Seamen in Port Taranaki?
We would like to know the name of the churchyard and if it was reported in the local paper.
Any information regarding this would be much appreciated
Thanks,
Rainbow
This is a plea for information from 'Liverpool Retired Merchant Seafarers'.
We publish a quarterly newsletter that keeps members up to date with local/international maritime events. We also trace the history, where we can, of events that they experienced during their sea-going days. They are encouraged to contribute their own stories of home and abroad and one such tale that was brought to our attention concerns the freighter 'British Monarch' that ended in tragedy.
It is of two young local girls swimming in the harbour at Port Taranaki in New Plymouth, New Zealand, whilst the ship was discharging her cargo of Phosphate at the quay. For some reason the girls got into trouble and called for help. At the same time two young apprentices were on deck of the British Monarch and were attracted by the girls call for assistance. Both of the boys (aged about 16) responded immediately, and without any thought for their own safety, dived in the water and made a heroic effort to save the girls. Thankfully both girls were saved, but tragically one of the apprentices was drowned and buried in a small churchyard that overlooked the harbour.
I have been given the task of finding out the boy’s name and the churchyard where he was buried. Some of our members make the occasional visit to New Zealand and if we can identify the boy’s name and church, they could make arrangements to visit the grave and give a fitting commemoration to a young and maybe forgotten hero. It could well be that the girls or their families have tended the grave over the years but we have no knowledge of this.
Therefore does anyone remember the sorrowful incident with clarity?
Can anyone identify our young hero?
Was there a mission to Seamen in Port Taranaki?
We would like to know the name of the churchyard and if it was reported in the local paper.
Any information regarding this would be much appreciated
Thanks,
Rainbow