# Vale GZMN



## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

65 years ago today....







Vale David Broadfoot GC.

http://maritimeradio.pro/radio-officers/david-broadfoot/index.htm


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## R719220 (Oct 5, 2011)

Thanks Troppo

I was an 11 year old boy at the time but it was one of the memories that remain. I seem to remember (could be wrong) that somewhere, either on SN or elsewhere on the internet was a recording of the QSO between GPK and the Princess Victoria, but can't remember where.

Possibly one of the many influences on my great desire to go to sea.


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

Thanks - the actual recording would be hard to listen to, but fascinating...


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## Riccarton (Mar 23, 2009)

I lived in Stranraer at the this time and knew several of the people who lost their lives including one to whom I had spoken the previous evening.
The following day viewing the North Channel from Portpatrick the sun was shining and the sea was flat calm.
The Princess Victoria had experienced trouble previously in severe weather with a number of vechicles, including milk tankers breaking loose.
Around the same time there other vessel which sailed from Stranraer, Princess Maud, encountered severe seas on leaving Loch Ryan and headed north to shelter off Arran before being able to complete the crossing.
I inhereted several of David Broadfoot's books, including one volume of the Admiralty Handbook of Wireless Telegraphy.


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## Robert M Hughes (Oct 16, 2010)

*Reminder of Bravery*

Thanks for that Troppo - proud to be in some association with that Hero .
Bob


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

Riccarton said:


> I lived in Stranraer at the this time and knew several of the people who lost their lives including one to whom I had spoken the previous evening.
> The following day viewing the North Channel from Portpatrick the sun was shining and the sea was flat calm.
> The Princess Victoria had experienced trouble previously in severe weather with a number of vechicles, including milk tankers breaking loose.
> Around the same time there other vessel which sailed from Stranraer, Princess Maud, encountered severe seas on leaving Loch Ryan and headed north to shelter off Arran before being able to complete the crossing.
> I inhereted several of David Broadfoot's books, including one volume of the Admiralty Handbook of Wireless Telegraphy.


When I was a kid (50's) each year my Old Dear who was Irish would take me _'home'_ for the school summer holidays from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire and then on to Co. Limerick by rail.

I'm sure one of the ships we crossed in was the Princess Maud, a British Railways ferry I think.

Would that be the same ship on a different run ... ?


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## beedeesea (Feb 28, 2006)

Yes it would, Bob. Enjoyed a bad rep with the punters, seasickness-wise.
I don't recall ever hearing a recording of the radio traffic during the Princess Victoria sinking, although I think that there's a transcript of it somewhere on line.

Brian


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## R719220 (Oct 5, 2011)

beedeesea said:


> I don't recall ever hearing a recording of the radio traffic during the Princess Victoria sinking,
> 
> Brian


I'm sure you are right Brian, can't find anything. Having had a scan around there are several live recordings of distress traffic and I think I may have been thinking of one in particular and that is the Holland-America liner Prinsendam which sank in the Gulf of Alaska in 1980. Ageing brain!!!


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

Not quite in the same league, but also 65 years to the day, GKZ was part of the East Coasts floods of that time. 

The attached is a copy of the last page of the WT log at GKZ. Earlier that day, there are entries in the log of GPK working the distress. The other shows the main WT/RT transmitter at GKZ afterwards with the tide mark clearly showing.

David
+

The files were .bmp, so had to save as pdf - the only thing I could think of to view them here.


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

_"Station flooding. Closing operations."_

Pretty dramatic situation.


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

R719220 said:


> I'm sure you are right Brian, can't find anything.


Yes, the radio messages are referred to in detail in the official report on the sinking - but the actual verbatim transcripts would be interesting to read... 

A brave, brave man.


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