# Merchant ships on D Day



## speno50

Hy,
I trying to research my father's involvement during D Day WW11 and would greatly appreciate any help out there.
His name was Captain Harry Spensley his vessel was the SS Hetton and he was at/on Gold Beach, Arromanche.
I have obtained various do***ents from UK Gov. Archives but they do not contain much detail.
Any knowledge or guidance would be much welcomed.

Regards and stay safe
speno50


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## wightspirit

If you haven't tried this site, there are a couple of pages on the Hetton: http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/hague/index.html

Dave W


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## speno50

*Thanks*

Hy,
thanks for that, I'll give it a try,

Cheers
speno50


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## Roger Griffiths

Hello speno 50 
Was your dad born 07/07/1913? 
Have you read a copy of the relevent 1944 Logbook/s of HETTON O/N 148068?
Have you seen the Movement Card For HETTON?

Regards 
Roger


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## speno50

Hy Roger,
thanks for your reply, yes that was his DoB. No I haven't read the log books, where will I be able to find that info please ?

Cheers
speno50


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## Roger Griffiths

Hello again,
You may already have this. My first reference is to his COMNO (Invasion of Europe 1944-1945) Pouch.
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C9434951

The 1944 Logbooks and Crew Agreements (there may be several) of HETTON 148068 are also in the British National Archive.
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C11070351

Her Movement Card can be downloaded from
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8652549
However, I doubt it will give more information (1944) than convoy.web

Do you have your dads Form CRS10?
This will tell you what vessels he sailed on together with dates and places of engagement and discharge from 1941.
As these records are stored alphabetically in blocks of 60 names, You would be best served by a personal visit to Kew or appoint a local researcher to look for you.

regards
Roger


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## price

I believe that Captain Leonard James Maloney OBE, was master of the Londonbrook which, I believe was the first merchant ship to go to Omaha Beach, I sailed as mate with Capt. Maloney in the 1960s, he was quite a character and a good seaman


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## kewl dude

20060930 I took the following pictures in an upper cargo hold aboard SS Jeremiah O'Brien when she was in San Diego for US Navy Fleet Week. Attached are five of the ten pictures I took depicting portions of the D-Day Fleet off a French beach.

IMG_0609-E.jpg (100.5 KB) 
IMG_0611-E.jpg (124.7 KB) 
IMG_0613-E.jpg (140.4 KB) 
IMG_0614-E.jpg (113.6 KB) 
IMG_0618-E.jpg (137.9 KB)

Greg Hayden


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## speno50

Hy Roger,
thanks for all your time and effort for providing the info. I'll sort through the details and links etc and see what I can find.
I don't live in the UK so if necessary I can use a researcher.

Regards and I'll let you know how I get on

speno50


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## harry t.

https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/medi...0/13_472-nhb-operation-neptune-d_day-book.pdf - Normandy - see some cuttings below, all the naval vessels are listed, not the merchantmen.

http://sunderlandships.com/view.php?ref=100732 – Wear built ships – SS. Hetton

couldn't get any further info on your dad's ship - regards Below; some of the invasion fleet assembling in Belfast Lough.


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## ChasD

*D-Day Landings*

A few photos from the family files. These are the activities of the Isle of Man ferry "Ben My Chree". Heavily involved with landing US , Canadian & UK troops at Utah, Arrow, Gold and Omaha beaches. Mostly loaded from Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton. We have the 'Voyage Cards' but they are in a format that doesn't seem to want to upload. Captain is Radcliffe Duggan. Chap in the 'White' coat is Field Marshal Montgomery. Other guys are leading chaps in the Canadian Armoured division. "Rudders Rangers" are believed to have been one of the US troops landed in the initial assault.


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## speno50

harry t. said:


> https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/medi...0/13_472-nhb-operation-neptune-d_day-book.pdf - Normandy - see some cuttings below, all the naval vessels are listed, not the merchantmen.
> 
> http://sunderlandships.com/view.php?ref=100732 – Wear built ships – SS. Hetton
> 
> couldn't get any further info on your dad's ship - regards Below; some of the invasion fleet assembling in Belfast Lough.


Hy Harry,
thanks for the info, greatly appreciated. Any snippet is useful in my "quest.

Cheers
speno


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