# SS "Empire Scott" Murmansk 1943



## weebobby

My Father , Robert Thomson, was 3rd engineer on the SS Empire Scott from January to December 1943 (the year I was born).
He later died in Japan in 1947whilst 2nd engineer on the SS Fort Beauharnois and is buried in the British War cemetery in Tokyo.

I remember my Mother telling us that he had spent many months blockaded in Murmansk during the war and she blamed the hard time and short rations he experienced then for hastening his subsequent death in 1947.
Thanks to information gleaned from this excellent website, I have found the ship movement records for the Empire Scott in 1943 . It sailed from Loch Ewe to Russia arriving in Murmansk February 27th 1943 and only returned to South Shields in mid December so it looks like they spent almost 9 months in Murmansk.
I would really like to find out more about this period and wonder if anyone can help or point me towards any historical records about this vessel or others in a similar situation.


Bob


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## shipmate17

Hi,
id 1168650 Built 1941 by Readhead. South Shields. grt 6150. 1946. WALTER SCOTT. 1960. ZAFIRO. 1961. ORIENTAL. scrapped Hong Kong 18/8/63.
Cheers.


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## Roger Griffiths

EMPIRE SCOTT official number 168650 was part of Convoy JW 53 which sailed from Loch Ewe on the 15th Febuary 1943 The weather encountered en route was some of the worst encounted in the whole Arctic campaign and many ships were damaged. Unfortunatly, none of the convoy records have survived but a there is a good account here.
http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/jw53.html
EMPIRE SCOTT returned in Convoy RA54B she was commodore's ship and left Archangel on 26th November 1943 arriving in Loch Ewe 9th December 1943.
Ok so what happened in between. You guess is as good as mine, few records remain. You could look at the vessels logbook which is available from
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C11054065 
search via O/N. 
You should also read "NO LONGER REQUIRED" by the late Bill Linskey ISBN 0 9537285 0 1
Part Three of the book is entitled "The Frozen North" and tells of Bill's adventures when he was stranded in Archangel in the winter of 1942/43. Its interesting reading and will give you a flovour of what life was like in those desperate times.

regards
Roger


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## weebobby

Thank you for the information Roger, I have contacted the National Archives about the logbook copies and emailed the publisher about the book you mentioned. 
This is a great website thanks to you and others who respond so well to sometimes vague enquiries

Thanks again
Bob


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## MikejR

weebobby said:


> My Father , Robert Thomson, was 3rd engineer on the SS Empire Scott from January to December 1943 (the year I was born).
> He later died in Japan in 1947whilst 2nd engineer on the SS Fort Beauharnois and is buried in the British War cemetery in Tokyo.
> 
> I remember my Mother telling us that he had spent many months blockaded in Murmansk during the war and she blamed the hard time and short rations he experienced then for hastening his subsequent death in 1947.
> Thanks to information gleaned from this excellent website, I have found the ship movement records for the Empire Scott in 1943 . It sailed from Loch Ewe to Russia arriving in Murmansk February 27th 1943 and only returned to South Shields in mid December so it looks like they spent almost 9 months in Murmansk.
> I would really like to find out more about this period and wonder if anyone can help or point me towards any historical records about this vessel or others in a similar situation.
> 
> 
> Bob



Hi Bob

Am looking to find info about SS Empire Scott as I have found out my grandad (Albert Ramsey) was on this ship between 1941 & 1942. Also as am just starting to investigate I’d appreciate any advice or tips for getting information.
Thanks
Mike


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## Roger Griffiths

Hello Mike and welcome,
EMPIRE SCOTT sailed in three Arctic convoys. JW 53, A51 and RA54B more info can be obtained here





ConvoyWeb - Russian Convoys







www.convoyweb.org.uk




and here





Arctic Convoys - warsailors.com


Norwegian Merchant Ships in Arctic convoys, WW II, and names of other ships in the convoys.



www.warsailors.com




Just Google Arctic Convoys. theres a wealth of information on there.
Thr Crew Agreements and Logbooks of EMPIRE SCOTT (official number 168650) for the period, are available to read at the British National Archive





Search results: 168650 | The National Archives


The official archive of the UK government. Our vision is to lead and transform information management, guarantee the survival of today's information for tomorrow and bring history to life for everyone.




discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk





About your grandad. I have found Merchant Navy records for 5 A Ramseys. One born in North Shields, 2 in South Shields, 1 in Jarrow and 1 in Belfast. Which one is he? A date of birth would be helpful.

regards
Roger


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## MikejR

Hi Roger,

Thank you so much. I’ve been sent a photo from Grandads mert navy discharge book from 1953 and am hoping to get hold of this when I visit relatives soon. But I know his date of birth is 11 August 1911 in South Shields.

Mike


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## Roger Griffiths

Hello Mike,
This appears to be a record from your grandads "Seamans Pouch"
These Records relate to individual seamen filed together in a pouch. These do***ents may include application forms, certificates, identity cards (most with a photograph of the seaman), cessation do***ents and notifications of death.
You should be able to get hold of a copy fairly cheaply by hitting the "*Request a copy*" Button. TNA will then send a quote for copying. If this quote is something silly (There seems to be no common price) Let me know and I will try and extract the infomation next time I visit Kew.





__





R79181 RAMSEY A 11/08/1911 SOUTH SHIELDS | The National Archives


The official archive of the UK government. Our vision is to lead and transform information management, guarantee the survival of today's information for tomorrow and bring history to life for everyone.




discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk





What you really need his is form CRS10 This if you like is the office copy of his entire Discharge Book. It will tell you all the ships he sailed on from early 1941 and give dates and place's of engagement and discharge. If any where it should be here




__





Ramsay A to Ransden-Binks T | The National Archives


The official archive of the UK government. Our vision is to lead and transform information management, guarantee the survival of today's information for tomorrow and bring history to life for everyone.




discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk





These records are kept alphabetically in blocks of 60 names. Again hit the request a copy button and ask for a quote. Give your granddads full name, place of birth and DOB and importantly his Discharge A number* R79181*
The quote will be much more than for his Pouch as TNA will regard finding the exact CRS10 as* "research"*
and quote accordingly. Again if the cost is prohibitive, let me know. 

It would appear that your granddad did not claim his medal entitlement. ( Many MN seamen did not). Do you know if medals were awarded? 

regards
Roger


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## MikejR

Roger Griffiths said:


> Hello Mike,
> This appears to be a record from your grandads "Seamans Pouch"
> These Records relate to individual seamen filed together in a pouch. These do***ents may include application forms, certificates, identity cards (most with a photograph of the seaman), cessation do***ents and notifications of death.
> You should be able to get hold of a copy fairly cheaply by hitting the "*Request a copy*" Button. TNA will then send a quote for copying. If this quote is something silly (There seems to be no common price) Let me know and I will try and extract the infomation next time I visit Kew.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> __
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> R79181 RAMSEY A 11/08/1911 SOUTH SHIELDS | The National Archives
> 
> 
> The official archive of the UK government. Our vision is to lead and transform information management, guarantee the survival of today's information for tomorrow and bring history to life for everyone.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What you really need his is form CRS10 This if you like is the office copy of his entire Discharge Book. It will tell you all the ships he sailed on from early 1941 and give dates and place's of engagement and discharge. If any where it should be here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> __
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ramsay A to Ransden-Binks T | The National Archives
> 
> 
> The official archive of the UK government. Our vision is to lead and transform information management, guarantee the survival of today's information for tomorrow and bring history to life for everyone.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> These records are kept alphabetically in blocks of 60 names. Again hit the request a copy button and ask for a quote. Give your granddads full name, place of birth and DOB and importantly his Discharge A number* R79181*
> The quote will be much more than for his Pouch as TNA will regard finding the exact CRS10 as* "research"*
> and quote accordingly. Again if the cost is prohibitive, let me know.
> 
> It would appear that your granddad did not claim his medal entitlement. ( Many MN seamen did not). Do you know if medals were awarded?
> 
> regards
> Roger




Hi Roger,

I just wanted to say thanks and I've been able to get hold of my Grandad's discharge book and I have been buried in research. Am looking to produce mini do***entary about him and have started with this which is mostly about Bletchley Park but my Grandads story serves as a nice intro 



. 

I have however come unstuck and not sure what to do next with another ship he was on call 'Fort Simpson' all that is in his discharge book and the ships log is 'Special Operations of Europe'. I can post elsewhere in this forum but not sure how much that will help.

Mike


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