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Hi Stuart - I remember Keila..
April 1943 I was in Cape Howe maiden voyage...loaded grain and Army tanks in Halifax and
homeward in convoy HX 233 we lost the convoy in atrocious weather conditions..
Returned to St John's NFL and I saw Keila berthed there.She had been there a long time with
engine problems.. I saw some of her Scottish crew ashore - she had a Red Ensign.
A week later we sailed and rendezvoused with HX 235 and arrived London 10th May 1943.
Another ship in convoy HX 235 was the Dutch tanker Clavella and in later years I found that
SN member Bernard McIver was a Radio Officer in her at the time..Small world!
Regards,
Stan
April 1943 I was in Cape Howe maiden voyage...loaded grain and Army tanks in Halifax and
homeward in convoy HX 233 we lost the convoy in atrocious weather conditions..
Returned to St John's NFL and I saw Keila berthed there.She had been there a long time with
engine problems.. I saw some of her Scottish crew ashore - she had a Red Ensign.
A week later we sailed and rendezvoused with HX 235 and arrived London 10th May 1943.
Another ship in convoy HX 235 was the Dutch tanker Clavella and in later years I found that
SN member Bernard McIver was a Radio Officer in her at the time..Small world!
Regards,
Stan
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Good evening Tony,
Thankyou ...Research with the help of the magic box and internet is
a great help in verifying the incidents in my memory.
At the time we were in St John's I remember drinking with crew from
another old tramp which was there, Clearwater..About two years later
I sailed with one of those lads lads from that ship.
Also a Dutch ship Madoera was there with her bows destroyed by a torpedo.
The crew had abandoned ship in four lifeboats but next day the crew of one
of the boats reboarded her and sailed her to St John's.
The rest of the crew numbering about forty were found frozen to death in the
boats three weeks later...RIP.
Stan
I
Thankyou ...Research with the help of the magic box and internet is
a great help in verifying the incidents in my memory.
At the time we were in St John's I remember drinking with crew from
another old tramp which was there, Clearwater..About two years later
I sailed with one of those lads lads from that ship.
Also a Dutch ship Madoera was there with her bows destroyed by a torpedo.
The crew had abandoned ship in four lifeboats but next day the crew of one
of the boats reboarded her and sailed her to St John's.
The rest of the crew numbering about forty were found frozen to death in the
boats three weeks later...RIP.
Stan
I
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Joined Keila as cabin boy late 1946 in Leith, Captains name was Doyle, wore a bowler hat and normal suit. We went to trois Riviers up the St.Lawrence and loaded pit props
for Glasgow,Scouse firemen and Scottish sailors, they had a big fight after returning on board one night and the Mounties were called in, Daddy Doyle then logged the lot.
I left her in Glasgow then went on the Deck Boys course on T.S Dolphin in Leith Docks. Was on deck a few years then back to Leith Nautical for my PMG and joined Marconi
Ern Barrett
for Glasgow,Scouse firemen and Scottish sailors, they had a big fight after returning on board one night and the Mounties were called in, Daddy Doyle then logged the lot.
I left her in Glasgow then went on the Deck Boys course on T.S Dolphin in Leith Docks. Was on deck a few years then back to Leith Nautical for my PMG and joined Marconi
Ern Barrett
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