# Commodore J.S. Commander



## deemac (May 21, 2009)

Can anyone shed any light on the details of the life of Commodore JS Commander, British Tanker Company.
I know he was Master of the ss 'British Ensign', in 1929 and that he retired in the early 50s ??, I think.


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## ray1buck1 (Sep 4, 2005)

I’m not sure this is the right person, there was a J S Commander returned to London 2nd February 1912 as a 2nd class Passenger aboard the “Mombassa” Official No 96082 British India Steam Navigation Co Ltd, having embarked Calcutta he was a mariner 
also 
Mr J S Commander returned to London as a passenger aboard the “Golconda” he travelled 1st class no occupation given arriving 5th June 1908 from Calcutta

There was a J S Commander age 18 (DoB circa 1886) an apprentice as crew aboard the “Benlarig” which arrived in Sydney NSW 11th February 1903 having sailed from Glasgow ( may have been from Walthamstow ?)

J S Commander was 1st Mate aboard the “Karoa” age 33 gave his place of birth as London the ship arrived Sydny NSW 10th May 1919 having sailed from Liverpool
Ray


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## deemac (May 21, 2009)

Thank you ray1buck1.
Your third entry sounds interesting and the time scale is in the ball park.
It sounds as though you have access to a census do***ent. I wondered if that would be a source for further investigation, but other searches for family seafarers proved elusive unless, by coincidence they happened to be in a British drydock at the time.
Do you know exactly how seafarers were handled in census returns if they weren't in the UK at the time of the census?

kr.


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## ray1buck1 (Sep 4, 2005)

Hello Deemac
just a little more
Hello
In answer to you post I found the information listed on the Ancestry web site as I have a subscription for the world wide 
what I found is limited as not all available info has been transcribed 

Joseph Story Commander born 1885 Walthamstow has a listing in the TNA Kew of his WW1 medal entitlement 
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...asp?Edoc_Id=8432208&queryType=1&resultcount=4

searching under the name Joseph Commander there are other entries for the “Karoa” in 1918 as 1st Mate and the British Energy 1939 as Master

He returned to the UK London aboard the “Kalyan” 14th January 1924 he was Master Mariner embarked Bombay 

16th ASugust 1924 a Joseph Commander arrived Southampton aboard the “Homeric” as a passenger from New York as a Deport (Presumably a DBS)
Ray


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## deemac (May 21, 2009)

Thank you.
At least I have a handle on him up to 1939.

You might be interested in my reasons for the search.
I served on the newer versions of the Br Ensign as 3/E in 1964 and the Br Energy as 2/E in 1967, but, on leaving the sea and settling in Essex, I bought an old house in 1974 which required restoration. In the loft were, among many curios, at least 150 copies of a bound essay entitled, 'Handling a Low-Powered Steamer in a Revolving Storm', by Captain J.S. Commander, Master SS British Ensign which won a Prize of £50 from the Thomas Grey Memorial Trust in 1929.
The coincidence was intriguing to say the least and much more has come to light of his unusual shoreside affairs.
But that's another story.

Thanks once again.
kr
deemac


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## Duncan112 (Dec 28, 2006)

Have you still got a copy that you could post, I'm sure many forum members would be interested


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## deemac (May 21, 2009)

OK Duncan112.
It might take some time to copy and I'll have to scan it into WP.
But, where do I send it?
It's 27 pages.
........................and it concludes'.......and his best position to avoid it'.
Says it all really


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## Duncan112 (Dec 28, 2006)

Reminds me of the passage in the IMarE book on marine machinery, there was a chapter devoted to fire fighting which began "The best way to avoid the disastrous consequences of a fire at sea is not to have one"!!

Perhaps Steve (Admin) might be willing for it to be published in the Directory section.

The Thomas Grey Memorial is administered by the Marine Society, http://www.marine-society.org/tgsm.aspx they may have additional information on Commodore Commander?


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## deemac (May 21, 2009)

Duncan112 said:


> Have you still got a copy that you could post, I'm sure many forum members would be interested


I hope this is ok. You're the Head Serang on these things, so perhaps you could place it in a more appropriate Thread or Forum Topic.
Sorry about the delay, but House sale fell into rough seas and I'm only just getting my head above water.


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## Duncan112 (Dec 28, 2006)

Many thanks, I've just started to read it and it appears straightforward and most readable (must be good if I, an Engineer can understand matters navigational!!)


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## Richard AC (6 mo ago)

deemac said:


> Can anyone shed any light on the details of the life of Commodore JS Commander, British Tanker Company.
> I know he was Master of the ss 'British Ensign', in 1929 and that he retired in the early 50s ??, I think.


I note the now, rather dated correspondence concerning the Master of the tanker British Ensign. I am interested in him as he appears to have been a postal historian. I own two Paquebot covers sent by him, and have seen several others. They are always small buff envelopes with a low value stamp of wherever he had been in port, then handed in at Aden or Rangoon for cancelling using the Paquebot system for mail posted on the high seas. He always has his FRGS letters after his name. How he became a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society I have no idea. You indicated in your old post that you had found more information about him. I wonder if that involved postal history?

Thankyou in anticipation.


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