[Jingles]

Member


Join Date: Oct 2013

Posts: 1




I am looking for information about the crew of the Registan (British steam merchant) - my Uncle, Wynford Owen Davies on board,(he was a Butcher second class!!) He was aboard, when the ship was sunk off the coast of Cornwall in 1941, and survived. He put his survival down to the fact he was wearing a 'fishermans wool' knit jumper, that my Aunt had knitted for him. It stretched down to his knees - but kept the water close inside, just that bit warmer!I know little more about his life at sea, as he didn't talk about it, -the things he had seen etc., but I have been doing the family tree, and would love to know, was this his only ship? Did he serve on the Registan after she was repaired.?? How can I find out these things, and his discharge number?I hope someone can help me? Thank You.

 

[audierne]

Good evening Jingles,
Lloyd's list vol 1, page 544 states that a "Registan" was sunk on September 28th 1942.
British; 6008 grt; Basrah & Table Bay for Trinidad & Philadelphia ;
(diverted to St Thomas) ; cargo: 1,319 general ; Position 12 37 N. , 57 10 W. ; by a submarine ; 46 crew & 10 gunners : 11 crew & 5 gunners lost.
I am no expert at navigation, but the position given seems to me to be somewhere in the Atlantic, off the Leeward Islands.
I am wondering whether it is the same ship since the date and location are so much at variance.
Good luck !
Help is on its way,
Regards,
Gerard

 

[audierne]

Further to the above,
Roger Jordan in "The World's Merchant Fleets 1939" page 522 :
"Registan" (Strick line) was requisitioned 13.9.1940 as OBV (Ocean Boarding Vessel) HMS Registan. Returned 11.41.
page 508 : Sunk By U332.on 28.9.42
Kenneth Wynn in "U boat operations of the Second World War" Volume 1 page 221 states that Registan was sunk "East of Barbados", on 29.9.42
Regards
G.

 

[Hugh MacLean]

Hello and welcome,

HMS REGISTAN was bombed and damaged on 27th May 1941 and towed back to Falmouth by the tug GOLIATH. She was later rebuilt and was returned to owner in November 1941 and entered service again as a merchant vessel. She was torpedoed and sunk by U-332 on 29th September 1942.

http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2223.html

Regarding your uncle, I can see no online records for him but the best place to find out would be to obtain his CRS 10 (service record from Jan, 1941) held at Kew in piece BT 382/450

This file is best obtained by visit to Kew or by getting someone to visit on your behalf.

Regards
Hugh

 

[Rio Neuquen]

My grandfather was de Captain of SS Rio Neuquen.
In 1942 picked up the survivors of HMS Registan. They where attacked 2 days before in Atlantic Ocean near Venezuela by an U boat.
I have a oar signed by all survivors of HMS Registan

 

[Jingles]

Thanks Hugh, this is my best lead yet!!!

 

[Scelerat]

My grandfather was de Captain of SS Rio Neuquen.
In 1942 picked up the survivors of HMS Registan. They where attacked 2 days before in Atlantic Ocean near Venezuela by an U boat.
I have a oar signed by all survivors of HMS Registan

You couldn't list the names of the officers of the "Registan" (ex HMS Registan, ex Registan) that you have, could you? Some of the names might be familiar to me.

 

[Jingles]

Registan

Think my Uncle was involved in the incident off the south coast of England, when the ship was damaged, and towed to port for repairs. Survivors were picked up by other ships>

 

[CornwallPhil]

Hi Jingles,
I am an historian who's been looking into HMS Registan as part of my research into Cornwall in WW2.
The information I have on your uncle for the incident of 27th May 1941 is that he was in the Storekeeper's Room amidships when the first attack occurred at about 10:12pm. During the second attack (which inflicted the most damage & started the fire) he took cover by entering the midships messdeck. He abandoned ship after the wounded had been lowered off about 12:25am on the 28th. He was clinging to timber in the water when picked up by HMS Vansittart some time after 2:20am. He was then one of those who joined the Captain in reboarding the ship and was onboard the still burning vessel as it was slowly towed into Falmouth. It was then discovered there was still a large UXB onboard! There were then two Boards of Enquiry into the events of that night and your uncle gave evidence to the second of those.
I am sorry I have no information on the rest of his career but I hope the above helps.

 

[CornwallPhil]

To the relative Frank who contacted me.
You left no means of me replying other than posting publicly on here. Please contact again.

 

[A.D.FROST]

To the relative Frank who contacted me.
You left no means of me replying other than posting publicly on here. Please contact again.

Send him a private message via this site(Thumb)

 

[CornwallPhil]

Send him a private message via this site(Thumb)

Have tried that. It merely says Unregistered user with no contact details!

 

[hufflepuff]

Hi Cornwall Phil
Very interested in your knowledge
I am trying to find out more about the sinking of HMS Registan in May 1941 as my father, Basil Williams was on board. He only ever spoke once about having to row ashore on a lifeboat. I have gathered there were two boards of enquiry about the incident - is it possible to get transcripts of these to get a more detailed account of what happened? I think he said they came ashore at Sennen Cove but not sure if this could be correct

 

[CornwallPhil]

Greetings Hufflepuff.
Your father was one of 18 who rowed ashore in the lifeboat. It came ashore in a small cove near Gurnard's Head which is towards St Ives from Sennen. It's about 12km from Sennen.
He was in the wardroom when the first attack came. He reported to the bridge and was heavily involved in the action thereafter. One can imagine that some of the scenes he witnessed that night would lead to a reluctance to talk about the experience.
Your father gave brief testimony to the first Board of Enquiry and a detailed account to the second Board of Enquiry. If you send me a personal message with an email address I can forward the relevant pages as your father gave a fairly detailed account of getting away on the lifeboat. The full do***ents are available at the National Archives in Kew.

 

[Bill Forster]

Petty Officer Arthur Ruthven Atkinson (1896 - 1941)

PO Atkinson was killed when when the Ocean Boarding Vessel, HMS Registan, was bombed off Falmouth on the 27 May 1941.

Brief details of his earlier service in the RN can be seen here: http://vandwdestroyerassociation.org.uk/HMS_Vimiera/Mediterranean.html

Can anybody put me in touch with his grand daughter, Margaret East, who provided these photographs a few years back?

Her mail address has changed!

Bill Forster

 

[CornwallPhil]

Hi Bill,
Perhaps Frank Donald, the contact link, on the HMS Vimiera website can pass on details.
All the best
Phil

 

[Laurie Ridyard]

Details of SS Registan and a partial crew list when she was sunk by U 332 can be found here.....

http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2223.html

Jingles , if you enter your Uncle's name on that site search , you may find more details.


Laurie.

 

[Henry777]

Thank You To Everyone Who Contributed To This Thread

Greetings Hufflepuff.
Your father was one of 18 who rowed ashore in the lifeboat. It came ashore in a small cove near Gurnard's Head which is towards St Ives from Sennen. It's about 12km from Sennen.
He was in the wardroom when the first attack came. He reported to the bridge and was heavily involved in the action thereafter. One can imagine that some of the scenes he witnessed that night would lead to a reluctance to talk about the experience.
Your father gave brief testimony to the first Board of Enquiry and a detailed account to the second Board of Enquiry. If you send me a personal message with an email address I can forward the relevant pages as your father gave a fairly detailed account of getting away on the lifeboat. The full do***ents are available at the National Archives in Kew.

The other day I started to help my friend with her family tree. She started to tell me about her grandfather who unfortunately was killed on the Registan in 1942 not only was he a crew member, but he was also 63 years of age. Now hopefully through this link we will be able to find out much more about him and his ship, so thank you all very much. My friend's grandfather lived in Falmouth and today his great-great-grandchildren still walk up and down the high street.

 

[CornwallPhil]

The story of HMS Registan is told within the historical novel A Place And A Name set in Cornwall in 1941. For more details check out the following:
A Place And A Name
The Locations page has a photo of the grave plot at Falmouth