Merchant Navy

The Russian Convoys - Part 2

Christmas Day, the German Battlecruiser Scharnhorst was at her anchorage in Lang Fjord, an offshoot of...

PQ 16 - Chapter 1

Consequently three ships were constructed which were fitted with special heavy-lift derricks, and these...

Goodbye “Pinna” (an account of her final days and our escape)

During the first two or three days after landing in Singapore I “acquired” a sextant and a book...

A Diary of a Russian Convoy

The Aircraft Carrier releases some Hurricane's and they speed away to intercept the Germans but...

My Dad's War

Malcolm MacAskill and Willie MacKay saw the boat coming to the sands. The submarine that torpedoed the...

A Look Back at My Life and Service in the Merchant Navy

January 1941 North Africa and Gibraltar many ships sunk by limpet mines, Lt Crabb R.N. later Navy Diver...

The Russian Convoys - Part 1

I was third Radio Officer; it was my second vessel since joining the Merchant Navy. It was made up of...

PQ16 - Chapter 2

'Jerry' now thought it was time to visit this place, and for the first time since the beginning of...

The Voyage of the Settler Part III

Not only was the navy heavily involved in the battle for Crete but when the battle was lost a large number...

A TEENAGER'S WAR IN THE MERCHANT NAVY

We were quite impressed that these included 7 enormous casks of wine for the Poilu's litre per day and...

'Dad's Bit in the War - 1939-1945

At 9.40a.m. On 17.7.1940 the Fellside hit a torpedo and sank with the loss of 12 men out of a crew of...

Voyage 59 HMT "Cameronia" 12 December 1942 to 06 February 1943

At the time George was a Steward with the Anchor Line and engaged in wartime service on the...

PQ16 - Chapter 4

This was also the day that the Chief Officer was suspended from duty by the Ministry of War Transport, and...

Four personal years of WW2

The Opawa went out via Jamaica-Panama Canal to Sydney then on to Aukland and returning the other way via...

How I ran away to sea !

I spent the night on the S.S. Hopecrown and on Monday morning began asking round for jobs and had 3 offers...

Laurence Scott’s Recollections of War Serving in the Merchant Navy

The Javanese Prince was torpedoed and sunk on her next trip across the Atlantic. My two years on the...

The Sinking of HMS Edinburgh

I learnt after that he had taken passages on HMS Niger which ran into our own minefield off Iceland and...

Tom Scotland MN (part1)

After this I became thoroughly disgruntled with my job and in September, 1941 came my chance to return to...

WW2 Merchant Navy Service: Onboard SS Essex Trader

Tom Scotland MN (Part 2)

Upon reaching Bristol and visiting the Shipping Office I queried both my wages and leave entitlement, and...

Autobiography of a Leamington Sailor, Bertie Usher

I went to Piwhelli in N. Wales, to a Naval training base, which was Butlins holiday place, and was taken...

Tales of a Merchant Seaman

Jack Prior Service Number : R240374 Merchant Navy : Deck Hand — Quarter Master Decorations: Atlantic...

Torpedoed whilst in Convoy

One of the great Merchant Vessel owners in Liverpool were T & J Harrison and their fleet was known as...

The Sole Survivor

Within minutes of arriving home I had discovered that the ship had been an aging unit of the British India...

Mixing with the Enemy: Memories of the Merchant Navy

After we had discharged our coal, we were bound for Melillia on the north coast of Africa, Spanish Morocco...

The Sinking of the Empire Mica - Dougie Davidson MBE,MN

The crew were mainly from the Bristol and Falmouth Pools and I recollect that the Bristol lads were, Dougie...