# Looking for my father



## Alison Haycraft (11 mo ago)

My father - Cyril Willets Haycraft - sailed on the MV Speybank that was captured by the German ship 'Atlantis' in 1941. He may have been the Master or the First Mate. He was affectionately called 'Bub'. Long shot but does anyone have any information regarding him, the capture of the ship and what happened to the crew who I believe were sent to as prosoners of war to Germany?


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## Biggles Wader (Jul 18, 2013)

Banklineonline is a website that contains masses of stuff about the company including the Speybank sinking.


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## Alison Haycraft (11 mo ago)

Thank you for that pointer to Banklineonline. I have now looked there but although there is plenty of information about the Atlantis, I can only find that 17 people were taken off the Speybank when captured - no names, of course! Knew it was a long shot as we are talking over 80 years ago!


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

Alison, Years ago I read the book: THE CRUISE OF THE GERMAN RAIDER by Joseph Slavick. That was at least 65 years ago, but I remember it was a good book. Just checked Amazon and they have a copy for sale:


*The Cruise of the German Raider Atlantis Hardcover*

Slavick, a captain with the US Air Force, recounts the adventures and victories of one of Germany's warships that, disguised as a merchant vessel, captured or sank 22 merchant ships, broke enemy codes, and got hold of valuable intelligence material from the British in a 655-day campaign during World War II. Annotation (c) Book News, Inc., Portland, OR


Stephen


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## wightspirit (Feb 15, 2008)

His Prisoner of War records are held by the National Archives, here
Name: Cyril [W] Haycraft . Date of Birth: 1912 . Place of Birth: [unspecified]. Service:... | The National Archives and here Name: Cyril Willetts Haycraft . Date of Birth: 17/12/1912 . Place of Birth: Cheam,... | The National Archives This might help: Speybank | The National Archives

None is downloadable so it means a visit to the archives. His POW cards will probably have his photograph, fingerprint and personal details, and the various camps he was detained in.

Speybank was a 5154 ton motor ship, on voyage Rangoon for Port Elizabeth, Canada and New York. Sailed Cochin 25 January 1941. Crew of 60 were all taken prisoner. According to Lloyd's War Losses she was captured by the raider Scharnhorst or Gneisenau. Arrived Yokohama 18 August 1942. Renamed Dogger Bank as a German ship. Torpedoed and sunk by unidentified submarine 3 March 1943. However. some of this information is contradicted - see here:





Motor Vessel SPEYBANK built by Harland & Wolff Ltd. in 1926 for Bank Line Ltd. - A. Weir & Co., Glasgow, Cargo


Motor Vessel SPEYBANK built by Harland & Wolff Ltd. in 1926 for Bank Line Ltd. - A. Weir & Co., Glasgow, Cargo Torpedoed in error by U.43 in 29.15S - 34.50W on passage from Japan, Singapore and Djakarta to Europe with rubber and vegetable oil.



www.clydeships.co.uk





That should keep you going for a while...

Dave W


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Nice post Dave!

regards
Roger


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Hello and welcome,
Looking at Lloyd's War Losses Vol II, quoted by Dave, I think the information is incorrect. SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU were nowhere near this position when SPEYBANK was captured by ATLANTIS.

On 31 Jan 1941, the *Speybank* was captured by the German raider *Atlantis* (Kpt.z.S. Bernhard Rogge) in the Indian Ocean. A prize crew led by Paul Schneidewind brought the ship to Bordeaux on 10 May. Taken over by the Kriegsmarine and converted to the auxiliary minelayer *Doggerbank (Schiff 53)* (KptLt Paul Schneidewind). In January 1942 the ship left France, laid mines off South Africa in March/April 1942 and then proceeded to Japan.

SPEYBANK or DOGGERBANK as she was known in March 1943 was torpedoed and sunk by mistake by U-43.


You may wish to check this file at Kew - BT 373/308 it is the prisoner of war file for the SPEYBANK and it will contain a nominal roll of captured crew most of whom were Asian seamen.
Your father was sailing aboard the ship as Chief Officer and he along with the crew were interned in the Merchant Navy POW camp Milag Nord at Westertimke, Germany. 










Regards
Hugh


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Hello and welcome.
His Medal listing. If you do not hav his medals, let us know. Someone wil explain how to apply for them.
He was awarded the Africa Star, Atlantic Star, !939-1945 Medal and the War Medal.









regards
Roger


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## Alison Haycraft (11 mo ago)

Thank you all SO much for this wealth of information! I am delighted to have so much to follow up on. Sadly, my father died in 1961 so as I was only a child then I never got to know him or talk about his life at sea so I am most grateful for the time you have taken to pass on these details. Ali Geller (nee Haycraft)


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

More of the story of SPEYBANK...

*The Ship with five names*

by
Charles Gibson
3.67 · Rating details · 3 ratings  · 2 reviews
The story of how Speybank, a British tramp ship, was captured by the Germans, converted into a disguised minelayer Doggerbank and used for one of the most daring operations of World War II.


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## Alison Haycraft (11 mo ago)

Thank you too, Stephen. I shall pursue that lead too. Ali


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Your father would come across the man who captured him and his ship later in the war.

A large proportion of those prisoners held at Milag were there because of the raiders. A further link between the commerce raiders and Milag was the coincidence that after losing his ship to HMS DEVONSHIRE, Korvettenkapitän Bernhard Rogge, captain of the ATLANTIS, became Milag camp commandant.


Alison Haycraft said:


> I can only find that 17 people were taken off the Speybank when captured - no names, of course! Knew it was a long shot as we are talking over 80 years ago!


From my files, I can identify the 17 European crew members who were taken aboard ATLANTIS, the remainder being Asian seamen.
A. Morrow – Master
W.C. Haycraft – Mate
C.R. Eaddy – 2nd Mate
M. Smith – 3rd Mate
H.M. Kenny-Levick – Ch-RO
B.C. Brickles – 2nd RO
G.L. Duncan – Ch-Eng
J. Russell – Snr 2nd Eng
A.J. Forbes – Jnr 2nd Eng
E. Berry – 3rd Eng
J.A. Marsh – Jnr 3rd Eng
I.C. Ryan 4th Eng
W.M. Schoular – Jnr 4th Eng
T.F Gibson – Apptce
J.A.E. Barnes – Apptce
R.D. Williams – Apptce
J. Glass - Carpenter

Regards
Hugh


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## Alison Haycraft (11 mo ago)

That is most amazing, Hugh. Thank you so much for forwarding this information. What a coincidence that the very captain who captured Speybank should end up in the same camp as my father!! I have just unearthed some of the letters that Daddy wrote home whilst imprisoned and intend transcribing them. Not sure what I will do with the originals yet but hope that they will shed some light on life in Milay from 1941 to 1945. Thanks again. Ali


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Hello again,
Some years ago, I researched the Fleetwood trawler CALDEW who's crew was captured in September 1939. The majority of the crew were incarcerated in Milag until the camp was liberated in 1945.
I built up a fairly large portfolio, including a magazine artical with several photographs of the camp.
If you would like copies, just send your e-mail address via personal message and I will send to you.
regards Roger


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

​Thanks Roger - reminded me to check files again on PC - found a file on mainly Marlag but here is a plan of both camps.
Marlag [below left] contained the Royal Navy prisoners and Milag contained Merchant seamen.










Regards
Hugh

​


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## Union Jack (Jul 22, 2009)

My admiration and compliments to all of you who have provided the OP with such a wealth of helpful and interesting information.

Jack


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## Union Jack (Jul 22, 2009)

The OP may also be interested in The story of the minelayer Doggerbank since it sheds some additional light on the SPEYBANK's history.

I also can't help thinking that at least some Germans disproved the old saw that Germans have no sense of humour when they decided to exchange one "Bank" name for another.

Jack


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## Alison Haycraft (11 mo ago)

Thank you for this. I am overwhelmed by the amount of information you have all supplied and the generous spirit in which it was give. My grateful thanks to you all. Alison


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