# Stanhope steamer PARRACOMBE sunk 1941



## Roger Jordan (May 9, 2008)

When the old-established London company Pyman Brothers Ltd gave up ship owning in 1940, it sold its last two remaining steamers to Stanhope Steamship Co Ltd, London. As is well known, the manager of this company was Jack Billmeir, who had enjoyed much financial success from running the blockades into republican ports during the Spanish Civil War. One of the steamers bought from Pyman was the 1928-built PARRACOMBE (4698 tons gross), which came from the West Hartlepool shipyard of Wm Gray & Co Ltd
I have seen a text that suggests that Jack Billmeir’s success at running blockades might have influenced the British Admiralty in its choice of PARRACOMBE to attempt an unescorted voyage to Malta in 1941. Although disguised as a neutral Spanish ship, and hugging the coast of North Africa, PARRACOMBE was targeted by Italian aircraft and on 2 May 1941, when 60 miles from Malta, she was sunk. 
I have data on the vessel and its loss and am only interested in establishing if Billmeir’s previous blockade success did in fact influence the choice of PARRACOMBE for this mission. I would be grateful to hear from any member of this forum who can provide relevant information on this.
Regards
Roger Jordan


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## ben27 (Dec 27, 2012)

good morning roger Jordan.yesterday,23:05.re:stanhope steamer,parracombe.sunk 1941.i have some papers about Stanhope steamship in the Spanish civil war.i will try to find them and get back to you,i was on the stanhill when she was wrecked in 1947,hope you find the information you are looking for,have a good day ben27


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## FILIPVS (Apr 20, 2011)

Roger Jordan said:


> When the old-established London company Pyman Brothers Ltd gave up ship owning in 1940, it sold its last two remaining steamers to Stanhope Steamship Co Ltd, London. As is well known, the manager of this company was Jack Billmeir, who had enjoyed much financial success from running the blockades into republican ports during the Spanish Civil War.


Billmeir had two ships in 1936. In 1939 he had 37... all engaged in the trade with Spain. So, yes he had "some" succes during Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). The price to pay was 7 ships sunk.

But in Spain the most famous british blockade breakers by their tenacity and audacity were the ss SEVEN SEAS SPRAY, SEABANK, and PHILIP M. all of them from_ Veronica SS Co_, Cardiff (1936).


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## Roger Jordan (May 9, 2008)

Hello ben27 and FILIPVS
Thanks very much for the responses to my enquiry. Although I know about the rise of the Billmeir empire and his successes in running the Spanish Civil War blockade, the question of whether or not the Admiralty was influenced by this success in attempting to get Parracombe to Malta is interesting. I suppose more weight would be added to this theory, which I had not read about before, if it can be established that the master and at least key members of the crew had already been involved in the blockade.
Regards
Roger


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## stan mayes (Jul 22, 2006)

Hello Roger,
I was in sailing barges before the war and I remember seeing the Parracombe
two or three times in Surrey Docks with cargoes of timber from Western Canada.
I find it strange that she was engaged in that mission as she had a prominent
clipper bow and would have been easily identified by the Italians..
There was also Wellcombe on the same trade and possibly they were chartered
by Furness Withy as they berthed on their quay.
Regards,
Stan


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## E.Martin (Sep 6, 2008)

Having read about Operation Temple and the loss of Parracombe believed mined
I think a run through to Malta was luck of the draw as it was almost a Suicide run.
Of all the ships that tried to get to Malta only one was successful and she was promptly sunk when she sailed from Malta .
My elder brother was AB on Empire Pelican which was sunk attempting to get through as was the Empire Defender the next day.
After them 2 ships were lost they stopped the solo runs.


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## Roger Jordan (May 9, 2008)

Hello Stan and E Martin
Thanks for your responses to my question. 
SM: With regard to the visits to the Surrey Commercial Docks, I have a note that suggests that both vessels were on "liner company charters in the 30s", so that would tie in nicely with a Furness, Withy charter. But in 1938 and 1939, both vessels were voyaging between Ocean Island and New Zealand and Australian ports, so it seems they were both involved in the phosphate trade for some time. The clipper bow was also popularly known as the "teapot bow".
EM: I think you are right that the selection of the vessel(s) trying the solo run to Malta was very much luck of the draw, but the outline of Parracombe, with its unusual bow, giving the impression that it was much older than it actually was, would be a good reason for trying to disguise it as Spanish. There were Spanish ships afloat at the time that did have such bows.
Thanks gentlemen for your comments; greatly appreciated.
Regards
Roger


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