# Mystery Ships Help needed!



## jd101 (Dec 12, 2008)

Hey all i was wondering if anyone could help with my question below?

A colleuge of mine at work is trying to trace what her father JOHN ALEC KEATING did during the War 1939- 1945. She has managed to obtain some of his Merchant Navy Records and all she has is a list of ships he was on and dates, but thats all. She asked me to help because of my love of ships i havent manage to find much searching the net, well nothing definate anyway, so far we have the following ships which we know he served on and dates:
LIBERTY G 16/09/1943 TRANSFERING SAME VOYAGE TO 
SAMNESSE - 16/09/1943

ASCANIUS - 12/09/1944

FORT ST CROIX - 28/09/1944 - EMBARKED AT TILBURY

EMPIRE COAST - 24/5/1945

SAMUZON 20/12/1945

COLONEL CROMPTON 31/05/1946

M/V GRLRIFT DATE UNKOWN.

If any one could tell us more about any of these ships we would be greatful, Does anyone know what happened during their war service or what happened to them or have any photos? we would be very very greatful.

James


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

Welcome to the crew, James.
If your put the names of the ships into the search engine at Miramar it will give you some details of the ships.
http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz/
Enjoy the voyage


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## jd101 (Dec 12, 2008)

Thanks very much ill try it


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## treeve (Nov 15, 2005)

Try also the search on NA http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/search.asp
Enter BT for the reference section, and the ship name.
They will probably have the ship's logs etc, which you can order copies of at a fee (modest).
Remember that any records of ship names made on the CRS10 may not be spelt entirely correctly at the time it was made.
All the best, Raymond


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## R58484956 (Apr 19, 2004)

Greetings James and welcome to SN. Good luck with your request. Bon voyage.


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## BillH (Oct 10, 2007)

jd101 said:


> Hey all i was wondering if anyone could help with my question below?
> 
> A colleuge of mine at work is trying to trace what her father JOHN ALEC KEATING did during the War 1939- 1945. She has managed to obtain some of his Merchant Navy Records and all she has is a list of ships he was on and dates, but thats all. She asked me to help because of my love of ships i havent manage to find much searching the net, well nothing definate anyway, so far we have the following ships which we know he served on and dates:
> LIBERTY G 16/09/1943 TRANSFERING SAME VOYAGE TO
> ...


Here's two of them from my records on Blue Funnel Line

SAMNESSE Liberty class steel steamship.

O.N. 169690. 7,308g. 4,385n. 423.5 x 57.0 x 34.8 feet.
T.3-cyl. (24½", 37" & 70" x 48") engine made by the General Machinery Corporation, Hamilton, Ohio. 2,500 IHP.

9.10.1943: Launched as SIMON B. ELLIOTT by Bethlehem Fairfield Shipyard Inc., Baltimore (Yard No. 2250), for the United States War Shipping Administration. 
1943: Completed as SAMNESSE for bareboat charter to the Ministry of War Transport, (Alfred Holt & Company, managers), London. 
1947: Purchased by the China Mutual Steam Navigation Company Ltd., and renamed EUMAEUS. 
19.3.1952: Transferred to Glen Line Ltd., (£76,179), and renamed GLENSHIEL. 
10.7.1957: Transferred to the China Mutual Steam Navigation Company Ltd., (£34,836), and renamed EURYADES. 
20.3.1961: Sold to Bounty Shipping Company Ltd., Hong Kong, (Marine Navigation Company Ltd., London, manager), and renamed MARINE BOUNTY retaining Liverpool registry. 
25.2.1966: Whilst on a voyage from Chingwantao to Singapore with a cargo of coal, grounded at Hasiesian, China, refloated, but was driven ashore again, abandoned subsequently breaking in two.


ASCANIUS Aeneas class steel steamship.

O.N. 131312. 10,048g. 6,242n. 493.0 x 60.4 x 37.1 feet.
Two T.3-cyl. (24", 40" & 68" x 48") engines made by the shipbuilder, driving twin propeller shafts. 5,700 IHP. 14 kts.

29.10.1910: Launched by Workman, Clark & Company Ltd., Belfast (Yard No. 295) for the Ocean Steamship Company Ltd. (original planned launching on 7.9.1910 was cancelled). 
20.12.1910: Completed. 
21.12.1910: Trials and departed Belfast for Glasgow. 
14.8.1914 until 16.1.1915: Australian Expeditionary Force transport No. A 11. 
19.4.1915 until 30.7.1917: Australian Expeditionary Force transport No. A 11. 
31.7.1917: Taken under the Liner Requisition Scheme. 
1920: Returned to owner’s control. 
30.7.1944: Damaged with a torpedo by the German submarine U621 in a position 50.15N., 00.48W., in the English Channel but succeeded in reaching the River Mersey where she was subsequently repaired by Cammell, Laird & Company Ltd., at Birkenhead. 
1949: Sold to Cia.di Nav. Florencia S. A., Italy, and renamed SAN GIOVANNINO. 
1952: Demolished at Spezia.


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## BillH (Oct 10, 2007)

Another from my records on the United Baltic Corporation.

FORT ST. CROIX (1944 - 1946)

O.N. 169769. 7,160g. 4,245n. 424.6 x 57.2 x 34.9 feet.
Triple expansion 3-cyl. (24½”, 37” & 70” x 48”) 2,500 ihp engines manufactured by John Inglis Company Ltd., Toronto.

8.12.1943: Completed by Burrard Dry Dock Company Ltd., Vancouver B. C. (Yard No. 193) for the Government of the Dominion of Canada for bareboat charter to the Ministry of War Transport, London, (United Baltic Corporation Ltd., appointed as managers).
1946: Transferred to the Minister of Reconstruction and Supply (Government of Canada).
1947: Sold to Argonaut Navigation Company Ltd., (Quebec Steamship Lines Ltd., managers), Canada, and renamed ARGOVIC.
1949: Sold to Cia. Naviera Coranado S. A., Panama, and renamed VASSILIS.
1959: Renamed YIOSONAS.
1967: Sold for demolition.
22.5.1967: Delivered at Osaka.
10.8.1967: Sanoyasu Shoji K. K., commenced work.


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## jd101 (Dec 12, 2008)

Thanks Guys this is very useful )


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