TROOPSHIPS 1939 - 1961

[seaweed]

DEVONSHIRE official number 166272
Arrived Southampton 22/June/1959 Sailed 3/7/1959
Arrived Malta 10/7/59 Sailed same day
Arrived Tripoli 11/7/59 Sailed same day
Arrived Limassol 14/7/59 Sailed 16/July/1959

I guess  1/July/1959  was the date that your father embarked. She underwent voyage repairs at Southampton between 22/6 and 3/July/1959

[seaweed]

CITY OF EXETER official number 136297
As far as I am aware she was still sailing as a merchant passenger ship in 1941
Her movement card which should tell you for certain and give details of her movements is available to download.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D8649697

[Rudolf H B]

Hello,

here are two photos of SS CITY OF EXETER (Ellerman Lines; launched in 1914 / scrapped in 1950)
http://www.exetermemories.co.uk/em/_transport/namedexeter.php

In 1940 she met the German Raider C:
"On 2 May, she met the British passenger liner SS City of Exeter. Rogge, unwilling to cause non-combatant casualties, declined to attack. Once the ships had parted, Exeter's Master radioed his suspicions about the "Japanese" ship to the Royal Navy."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_auxiliary_cruiser_Atlantis

Rudolf

[a chesters]

Thank you both for that information. Seaweed, I will follow up the archive information you gave me.
Rudolf, your wikipedia mention brings vague memories about the Atlantis. I have this feeling that the captain was a German sailor, not a nazi, so was as much of a gentleman as was possible during the war.

Again, many thanks

A Chesters

[Rudolf H B]

@ A Chesters,

your feeling is right.

"Rogge also was one of the few German officers of flag rank who was not arrested by the Allies after the war. This was due to the way he had exercised his command of Atlantis."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernhard_Rogge

As far as I know, the ship had from time to time several hundred "guests" in the freight rooms and Rogge handled all occurring problems absolutely correct.

Rudolf

[pkennedy173]

DEVONSHIRE official number 166272
Arrived Southampton 22/June/1959 Sailed 3/7/1959
Arrived Malta 10/7/59 Sailed same day
Arrived Tripoli 11/7/59 Sailed same day
Arrived Limassol 14/7/59 Sailed 16/July/1959

I guess  1/July/1959  was the date that your father embarked. She underwent voyage repairs at Southampton between 22/6 and 3/July/1959

Thank you for your quick answer. Very helpful indeed. So Dad reached Cyprus 55 years ago today.
Peter.

[sre]

Hi Seaweed

Do you have the Empire Ken (Limassol to Southampton) for December 1955, I believe she docked in Southampton 1st/2nd Jan 1956 ....

Regards
sre

[radstockjeff]

Empire Ken  (formerly SS Ubena German East Afrika Line)
Southampton to Mombassa June 1951
Lots of memories on this voyage but these are abiding ones.

Sandstorm at Masawa (Eritrea) - had to make sure the vents were closed otherwise you got a cabin full of sand.

Swahili lessons to prepare us for life and communication in Kenya - one 4 year old lad got fed up and went walkabout- he found an opened tin of red paint and a paint brush and amused himself by painting the funnel!

Severe storm in the Indian Ocean between Aden and Mombassa causing us to slow right down and lose a couple of days on that leg of the voyage.

Happy days

radstockjeff

[seaweed]

Hi Seaweed

Do you have the Empire Ken (Limassol to Southampton) for December 1955, I believe she docked in Southampton 1st/2nd Jan 1956 ....

Regards
sre

Arrived Limassol 17/Dec/1955 from Algiers Sailed 18/12/55
Arrived Port Said 19/12/55 Sailed 20/12/55
Arrived Southampton 29/12/55 Sailed 10/Jan/1956 after voyage repairs.