Hi,
My first posting here, and I was wondering if I could possibly try and dig out some more info on the MV Donerail, especially any photos of her before she was sunk. My Uncle (Jack Lyons) was onboard as a messman, and was killed by the shelling of this ship, by the Japanese submarine I-10 on or about the 9th of December 1941. He was just three weeks from his 21st birthday when he was killed.
I know the Donerail was originally called the Nordwahl, and was a 4,473 ton motor vessel, originally built in Denmark in 1924 by Burmeister & Wain and originally operated by Brown & Co of Copenhagen. She was taken over by the U.S. Maritime Commission, returned to service, and re-named MV Donerail, and operated by the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand under a Panamanian flag. She was en route to Vancouver, BC, when she encountered the submarine I-10, and was sunk by shellfire on the 9th of December 1941.
I would love to see some photos of the ship, and any further information greatly appreciated, to go with my Uncle's history. (he served with the Australian Merchant navy 1939-1940 before joining the US Merchant Navy and becoming a crew member of the Donerail). I have his two Australian service medals, and his US Merchant Mariner's Medal for being killed in action.).
Many thanks for reading this,
Best wishes
Bob
My first posting here, and I was wondering if I could possibly try and dig out some more info on the MV Donerail, especially any photos of her before she was sunk. My Uncle (Jack Lyons) was onboard as a messman, and was killed by the shelling of this ship, by the Japanese submarine I-10 on or about the 9th of December 1941. He was just three weeks from his 21st birthday when he was killed.
I know the Donerail was originally called the Nordwahl, and was a 4,473 ton motor vessel, originally built in Denmark in 1924 by Burmeister & Wain and originally operated by Brown & Co of Copenhagen. She was taken over by the U.S. Maritime Commission, returned to service, and re-named MV Donerail, and operated by the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand under a Panamanian flag. She was en route to Vancouver, BC, when she encountered the submarine I-10, and was sunk by shellfire on the 9th of December 1941.
I would love to see some photos of the ship, and any further information greatly appreciated, to go with my Uncle's history. (he served with the Australian Merchant navy 1939-1940 before joining the US Merchant Navy and becoming a crew member of the Donerail). I have his two Australian service medals, and his US Merchant Mariner's Medal for being killed in action.).
Many thanks for reading this,
Best wishes
Bob