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« on: Wednesday 25 February 09 21:22 GMT (UK) »
My Grandfather (Stephen Henry Sharpe No5329589 CSM for the 2nd Bn Royal Berkshire regiment) was travelling back from India in the Autumn of 1939 with my Granmother and 6 children, one of which was my father (now deceased). They travelled by train from Lucknow to Bombay where they boarded HM Troopship Nevasa and sailed to Mombasa. I have a printed card showing there position on the 4th of Sept 1939, 103 mile short of the equator.
They transfered to another ship probably in Mombasa and on the 19th Oct at 19:30 hours there was a "large thud and bump" and in the confusion life boats where launched and 3 of the children were drowned and a man (J Clarke) in attempting to rescue what was believed to be a small child was washed overboard and also drowned.
As far as I can tell from my grandfathers hand written account of the event the ship had not been in any danger.
What I am trying to find is the name of the ship (Saga......? ) and the official record of the event to establish what happened and the names of the lost souls.
How would I go about this?