Comments for Troopship Memories

Comment on About by Tim Roberts

Tim Roberts — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:47:05 +0000

In 1948 I sailed with my mother Joan, from Liverpool to Hong Kong on HMT Lancashire. We went via the usual ports of call: Gibraltar, Suez, Port Said, Colombo, and Singapore. Mum had secured an unaccompanied passage to join my father 14522016 Sgt Roberts, FW RAPC.

We lived in quarters on Victoria Peak and returned to the UK as a family, replete with baby brother Martin, on the Empire Orwell in 1950.
I must dig out the old photos.
Tim Roberts, Manchester.

ED: Thanks Tim, send any photos by .jpeg with captions and I’ll publsih to site.

Comment on Hello world! by Ron Sumner

Ron Sumner — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:49:25 +0000

Going through my fathers Army shipped out days, one of the many photographs is of the MV “WINDRUSH”. I have noticed all painted in one colour, (grey). I am trying to trace if (he) shipped out on this craft and returned on the “ORBITA” ship, from India.

Ron (5-11-2009)

ED: Thanks Ron for this Comment and the earlier one regarding your father (RIP). As mentioned in reply to others on this Blog, we are not a research platform and beyond hoping that someone with knowledge and/or historical detail will read this, we cannot assist.

Best of luck

Comment on Hello world! by RAY VINCER

RAY VINCER — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:07:19 +0000

Dear Readers,

I was a cabin steward on the Windrush when she caught fire and eventually sank in the Med. We were carrying 1,276 Service personnel, which included 200 of their families, both women and children. The ship had a crew of 222 personnel.

There is a book called “Women and children first”, the loss of the troopship, EMPIRE WINDRUSH. The book was compiled by Capt Bill Seybold, but sorry to say, it is now out of print. If anyone pushes hard enough, there may be a copy laying about in a library somewhere.

RAY VINCER 21-10-2009

ED: Thank you Ray, there are I’m sure many readers of this blog who will be interested to read your comments. Is there a ‘Windrush Survivors’ group who exchange Memoirs?

Comment on Hello world! by David Walker

David Walker — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:24:34 +0000

Thanks for your reply its much appreciated, I will pass on the info to my father. David

Comment on Hello world! by David Walker

David Walker — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:46:03 +0000

Hello after surfing for info for my father who served in the 2nd battalion the Green Howards around the early 50’s, I came across this site. He asked a question that I cannot find an answer for and hopefully some one can help.

He sailed from Liverpool to Port Said, Egypt in 1954 on the EMPIRE CLYDE does any one know how long the journey would have been?

Thanks

ED: Thank you for your inquiry David. We are not a research facility, with information of that nature, only personal experiences on the Empire Clyde in 1954 (by co-incidence). We took 8 days (19th Feb – 29th Feb 1954) actual travel port to port, Liverpool to Hamilton Bermuda. It was a very rough crossing, so in fact it might have been shorter in a calmer sea. My estimate would be for 8 – 10 days in your father’s case. Hope this helps.

Comment on Hello world! by Ron Sumner

Ron Sumner — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:55:09 +0000

Hi. I am reseaching my fathers army days in the 14 field regt: R.A, having served in India in the 1940s, sadly no longer with us, but left a cataloge in photos, to include a selection of the (ORBITA) ship, as said/written on the back, six snaps taken at Karachi Docks on October 26th 1947, with the lads on the dock ready to embark plus stores being loaded, all of his days have been recorded this way, giving an invaluable insight to time he had served, never wanted to talk about a lot.

RON

Comment on Hello world! by Sandra Wadhams

Sandra Wadhams — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:31:26 +0000

Researching family history I was quite excited to find this site. I have been looking for details on the Windrush. My parents met whilst both serving in the Indian Army. They arrived (Southampton? Liverpool?) in the UK on the Empire Windrush in November 1947 on India gaining independence. As my mother was expecting me at the time I suppose you could say I was a ’stowaway’! Parents were Sgts. Desmond and Shamrock Wells. If anyone has information or photos from this time I would love to see them on this site.

I believe the next voyage of the Windrush was the historic one, that there is absolutely loads of information on, via the West Indies.

Yours Hopefully

Comment on About by Raymond Sorrell

Raymond Sorrell — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:21:14 +0000

I sailed on the MV Georgic on the 7th March 1947 bound for Port Said, as a Member of the Royal Engineers, where we disembarked and were sent to Palestine to be involved in the incidents involving the Stern Gang, in August I returned to the UK sailing on the troopship Empire Halladale from Benghazi bound for Liverpool, does anyone remember these trips?

Comment on About by Technomarine

Technomarine — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 12:34:02 +0000

I sailed with my mother on the Orduna to Singapore in Oct 1949 when I was just 18 mths old. We returned to UK in Aug 1951. In Dec 1952 we sailed to HK on Empire Windrush and returned to UK in Aug 1955 on the Dunera. My father was in the Royal Signals during this period.

My mother who died last year kept all sorts of souvenirs especially of the Windrush journey and her old passport is a history on its own.

What I don't have are any details of the return trip from Singapore to UK in Aug 51. Is there a history anywhere of troopship journeys – e.g. at Imperial War Museum or similar. I would be very interested to know & hope you might be able help.

Best wishes

Paul Murray

ED: Thanks for the contribution Paul. The best hope for an answer here is that another will read your post and offer you more detail. We cannot offer research facilities, but others might be aware of other avenues to explore.

Comment on Hello world! by Suzy Clarke

Suzy Clarke — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 06:03:00 +0000

Hello, I am hoping you or someone can help me. My father Robert Clarke was on the Troopship Windrush when she sank. I know that he was an Army Medic and was serving in Egypt, Suez Canal Zone. Unfortunately I do not know which regiment. I do have a group photo however, not sure if that would help. I am also led to believe he may be entitled to a medal from his time in the Suez. How can I go about arranging for this if I don’t have any details of rank, serial number etc.
Back to the sinking, my father told me stories of how the French Foreign Legion took care of them, even enlisting with them for the day! Would love to hear from anyone who can help me.

Regards, Suzy.

ED: Hi Suzy, many thanks for your comment. Let’s hope that some response might rear up from our readers (few and far between unfortunately). Send me a .jpeg pix by all means, identifying your Pa and I’ll publish it straight away with a reference back to your comment. We do not publish email addresses for obvious reasons. As you can read also there are some comments about the Windrush on this site, but little cross conversation seems to flow.

We are not a research facility, so Military details etc will have to be pursued elsewhere. Good luck. Best Regards.