# EMPIRE UNITY - A voyage in a tanker during WW2.



## stan mayes (Jul 22, 2006)

Antwerp - City and Port.
Captured by Canadian and British Forces 0n 4th September 1944.
100,000 German soldiers defended Walcheren at mouth of Scheldt,
delaying the advancement of our Army so the RAF bombed the *****
and flooded the land..
Nearly three months to clear the Scheldt of mines and wrecks and the 
first convoy -TAM6 arrived in Antwerp on 2nd December 1944.
From the day of Liberation, Antwerp was under constant attack by many V1 and V2 missiles causing many casualties and much damage..
EMPIRE UNITY - a tanker -MOWT and managed by Hunting and Sons.
I joined this ship at Thameshaven on 14th November 1944 -she was
halfway through 6 Months Agreement.
We made a coastal trip to Swansea- loaded 10,000 tons of petrol and returned to the Thames and joined TAM 8,the third convoy into Antwerp.We arrived on 5th Dec.and berthed at Hoboken refinery.
Our 2nd cargo from Thameshaven in TAM 18.Berthed Hoboken 16th Dec
3rd cargo from Thameshaven in TAM32 - Berthed Hoboken 29th Dec.
Each trip to and from Antwerp took us through swept minefields and there were many ship losses as the Germans laid more mines during 
the dark hours.
As I mentioned,Antwerp was under prolonged attack by V1 and V2 missiles,also by the Luftwaffe and we experienced much of it.-Discharging petrol at Hoboken on 31st Dec 1944 - New Years Eve..
At 10pm two shipmates and myself left the ship to celebrate New Year
at Blue Dove bar outside the refinery- as we left the jetty a V2 rocket
struck a storage tank ahead of us and the resulting blast blew us off our feet...a huge fire ensued and with a strong wind blowing flames toward us we ran back to the ship and assisted in disconnecting the pipeline and releasing the moorings.
Before the engines could be started the wind blew our ship accross the
river and we grounded on the opposite riverbank and were soon high and dry with an ebb tide.
The fire attracted many Luftwaffe bombers during the night and some bombs exploded in the mud around us-it was a very uncomfortable time.
The front line was only 60 miles from there.
I will continue after smoko....


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## stan mayes (Jul 22, 2006)

I have just wasted 40 minutes typing the rest of this -then the screen went blank.
Stan


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Hurry up Stan, I'm hooked already!!(LOL)(Applause)


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

Oops! Don't you just HATE it when that happens.(Cloud)


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## stan mayes (Jul 22, 2006)

Refloating at dawn we received orders to proceed to the Thames with 
5,000 tons of petrol still in the tanks.
Sailing down river in single file with other ships we came under attack by many
Luftwaffe aircraft and as we passed the tanker San Roberto at anchor an aircraft
dropped bombs and a bomb struck her fore topmast and exploded.Her gunners shot down the attacker and I witnessed it as it exploded on the river bank.
I have been in correspondence with the 3rd Officer of San Roberto at that time.
This was New Years Day 1945 and many German and Allied aircraft (300?) were
destroyed on this epic day..it was during the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium.
Arriving in the Thames we lay at anchor for two days then berthed at Thameshaven to top up our tanks with more petrol.
Durring the time we had hurriedly disconnected the pipeline in Antwerp I had injured my elbow and at times it was painful so I asked the Chief Officer if I could
go ashore to see a Doctor to which he agreed and he reminded me that the ship 
would sail in a few hours.
The Doctor sent me to a hospital in Romford about 15 miles away for an X ray.
Three hours to get there from Thameshaven then a wait and when I returned to the ship she had sailed.
I went to Tilbury Shipping office and produced the hospital report (no damage to bones just heavy bruising) and I was told to rejoin ship on her return.
I lived at Grays with my parents at the time so I went home.
Reporting to the ship on her return from Antwerp the Captain told me he was not paying me for the five days I was 'adrift' -his words.
I did not expect to be paid as my wages were shared by the crew as shorthand money.The Seamens Union later made a claim and I was paid..
Rejoining ship we again went to Antwerp and this time we discharged some cargo
at Hemixem and the rest into canal tankers. A ten days job.
Each time we went in convoy to and from Antwerp we sailed in swept channels but
during the night more mines were laid by fast German naval craft and from the air
With final discharge of cargo we were ordered to join a convoy for the Mersey.
At Ellesmere Port we loaded 10,000 tons of diesel -sailed independently for Loch Ewe and from here in a convoy for Iceland.
At Hvalfjord we saw many Royal Navy units at anchor and we supplied them with 
diesel.A few days at anchor and we repeated the bunkering process.
With our tanks empty we returned to the Mersey in convoy and paid off - 28th Feb 1945.
As an A B my wages for the five days was £4.
Empire Unity was returning from another trip to Iceland when she was damaged 
by a torpedo from U 979 - but she made port.


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## stan mayes (Jul 22, 2006)

Sorry for the delay Chris.I had to have a break from one finger typing -it
is very tiring.
I trust it was worth the wait.
I will post an extract on Gallery of the Captains remarks when I failed to rejoin ship.


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## stan mayes (Jul 22, 2006)

I have posted in gallery under Empire Unity Life Onboard Chris....
Stan


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## John Dryden (Sep 26, 2009)

Dark days on those trips Stan being so close and inland as Antwerp is.I only went there once and it took ages to get there,remember it well because I was on the bridge as a cadet for the whole passage.So it brings it into perspective getting the Empire Unity to discharge her cargo under that duress .
JD.


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## Coastie (Aug 24, 2005)

stan mayes said:


> Sorry for the delay Chris.I had to have a break from one finger typing -it
> is very tiring.
> I trust it was worth the wait.
> I will post an extract on Gallery of the Captains remarks when I failed to rejoin ship.



I was only joking, Stan and yes, it was worth the wait. I hope your finger gets better shortly!!(Jester)

Just one thing though, when you came up to the Mersey, which way would you go from there, through the channel or up the North Sea and around Scotland? I presume it was the more direct route of through the channel, up the Irish sea and past here, but with everything that was going on at the time............!(Thumb)

Thanks for posting that image, I'll go and have a look now.


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## stan mayes (Jul 22, 2006)

Chris -
The Channel was opened to shipping from June 1944 following the 
Normandy Operations so was the safest route to the Mersey.
Shipping was still being attacked on the East Coast.


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## Klaatu83 (Jan 22, 2009)

"As an A B my wages for the five days was £4."

0.8 Quid a day for sailing a tanker into a war-zone, and the military always complains about how Merchant Seamen are overpaid!


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## R58484956 (Apr 19, 2004)

*Stan*, Many thanks for your narrative on the *Empire Unity*, as usual, full of facts and dates.


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## Stumps (Aug 5, 2009)

Very interesting story ,Stan. I can accept having your wages 'docked' but, i'd have taken exception to the word 'adrift' - has a totally different conotation to 'absent seeking medical treatment'. 

By the way I heard stories from others who were on those Antwerp convoys that you had to watch the Scheldt pilot liek an Hawk and in fact British Naval Control 
insisted armed D.E.M.S., be posted on the bridge to shoot the pilot should he try and put the ship aground as German saboteurs had infiltrated the pilotage service and several ships had been put aground. Did you hear or experience any of this ?

By the way , the royal Marines taking of Walcheren is worth reading. Blimey, how they stormed ashore in the face of all that lead I shall never know..


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## stan mayes (Jul 22, 2006)

Stumps,
Of course we heard many rumours during the first days of the Liberation.
Go to the Seamens Missions for your beer - as some bars may pollute your beer.
Don't trust women in bars -as most of them were German sympathisers.
We soon disregarded all that -it was mostly rumours.
Of pilots I never heard of anything that you mention.
Most convoys were of six to ten ships in single file on the Scheldt
and I think only the lead ship had a pilot -the other ships followed him.
Naturally there were no shipping movements during the dark hours.


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## sidsal (Nov 13, 2007)

Good to hear of your experiences again Stan. You must have a guiding angel looking after you. You have such an accurate recollection of dates and facts that you must be unique.
Cheers
Sid


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## stan mayes (Jul 22, 2006)

Thankyou Sid,
I still have my Sub Book from 1942 recording subs drawn in ports and dated
plus tobacco issues,soap,matches etc. - also many diaries.
I get much help also from Arnold Hague's book -'Allied Convoy System' and 
his Convoy Web.
And as for a guiding angel I must agree... San Emiliano - sunk on the trip after
I left her,only seven survivors.
Largs Bay - mined and damaged on trip after I left her.
Empire Unity- torpedoed and damaged on trip after I left her.
But I wasn't a Jonah - British Merit was torpedoed and damaged before I 
sailed in her.
Prosit
Stan


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## stan mayes (Jul 22, 2006)

Antwerp -
During the time we made trips to Antwerp there were many tragic incidents
caused by V1 and V2 missiles among them being - 27th November 1944 in 
centre of the city,Teniers Square... hundreds of British and US troops and their
tanks and vehicles passing through when a V2 rocket exploded among them 
about midday. Casualties were 126 dead and 309 injured.
On 16th December as we arrived at Antwerp a V2 struck the Rex Cinema at 3.20pm.. more than 1,100 people were watching the film 'The Plainsman' with Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur.
Casualties were 567 dead and 291 injured.
296 of the dead and 194 injured were British,Canadan and US soldiers..
All cinemas and theatres stayed closed after this tragedy and no more than 50
people were allowed to congregate.
More than 4,000 V1's and more than 1,700 V2's were fired towards Antwerp
in six months.
Stan


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## Stumps (Aug 5, 2009)

Thanks for that additional information, Stan. As usual ,Stan, people somewhat exaggerate when relating stories ,but, that's what I was told. Perhaps the bloke had what was called 'Fog of War' . Anyway, 'contaminated beer' ? Blimey, after a few pints of some of those Belgian beers I would'nt have know any difference nor cared!


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## vectiscol (Oct 14, 2006)

Fascinating stories, Stan. I never knew that V1 and V2 rockets were fired at continental targets - you learn something every day.


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## stan mayes (Jul 22, 2006)

From Antwerp on a clear day we could see the vapour trails of
V2 rockets as they were fired towards London from V1 and V2 bases
near The Hague.Nearly 50 miles from Antwerp.
Antwerp had 200 guns positioned on the outskirts of the city primarily for 
shooting at V1 Doodlebugs..of more than 4,000 fired at Antwerp -about
2,000 were destroyed before reaching the city.


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