# Marconi Radio Officer "GILBERT LESLIE LISTER"



## freddythefrog (Dec 15, 2007)

Am trying to find information/story of a Marconi Radio officer in WW2.
His name was GILBERT LESLIE LISTER---- BORN 1900 in KEIGHLY W. YORKS.
Apparently he was sent to Glasgow to join a Captured Italian ship who had discharged chrome ore. 
Apparently the ship had the italian code books and she qso'd with Rome as though nothing had ever happened, after rxing a msg they could not decode and it was sent again and could not be acknowledged the italians became suspicious something was wrong and was subsequently bombed it in the meddi and sunk. Apparently the other ships in the convoy knew it was an italian ship and do not know if the ship kept the same name or was given an EMPIRE ship name as a captured ship.
She was reloaded in glasgow for supplying stores for MALTA.
She Joined Malta convoy at greenock, apparently was attacked in meddi by italian/german dive bombers etc and sunk, survivors picked up and taken to POW camp in north Africa.
I believe HE and others escaped the camp, hid on the trains under tarpaulins
and eventually made there way to Egypt after many repairs to train and tracks on the way. anyone know or heard of this story please.?????
maybe some ex Marconi Radio officers may have heard it.?????
Believe he went on to be an GTZM inspector at liverpool depot.
I do not know name of his ship, the POW camp in N.Africa,.
If anyone has heard the story or if one was ever written or any film made
i would be grateful of any assistance or pointing me in correct direction please. Many thanks FTF


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

There's a G. L. Lister listed as an RO temporarily employed ashore at Liverpool Depot in the September/October 1947 edition of "Marconi Mariner".
I'll keep looking.
Cheers
Kris


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## freddythefrog (Dec 15, 2007)

Hyer Kris
Yes thats the guy we are after the "story" about his ship, escape from POW camp etc
if possible please. many thanks cheers FTF


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

He's listed as being a "Technical Assistant" at the new Liverpool depot in Pall Mall in the March - April 1948 edition of the Mariner.
There's a note under the Liverpool depot news in the January February 1949 edition "Congratulations to Tech. Asst. G. L. Lister and Mrs. Lister on the birth of a son on November 26th, 1948."
There are three Empire boats named after capture that might fit -
Empire Defender
Empire Patrol
Empire Warrior
All sunk in the Med by bombs or no reason given. Courtesy of Mitchell & Sawyer "Empire Ships of World War II".
Cheers
Kris


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## NoMoss (Mar 14, 2007)

I had an article in 'my' newsletter about Empire Defemder.
She was originally built in 1910 as Freienfels for Hansa Line, seized by Britain in Calcutta in 1914 and managed by Grahams & Co. 
1920 transferred to the Secretary of State for India, in 1925 renamed Hadiotis for a Greek company.
In 1929 as the Felice owned by Achille Lauro and again seized by the British at Haifa in 1940. 
As the Empire Defender she was sunk by Italian aircraft off Malta in 1941. On her way to Malta she was at one time sailing under Spanish colours and flag, later under Italian colours. 
The survivors were taken to a Vichy internment camp in El Kef Tunisia by an Italian warship. 
Some of the older survivors were released in 1942 but most remained for a further year.
Perhaps this is the ship mentioned above?


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

Sounds like the one, Ted. (Thumb)


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## freddythefrog (Dec 15, 2007)

TED and KRIS
Many thanks to you both for your fine efforts for suppying me with the info which we needed, certainly sounds like the right ship and story to me (EM. Defender)
You both have done a great job answering this question. BRILLIANT! 73's de FTF


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