# SS Dynamo sunk April 1943 (Frank Herbert Barker)



## petdenken (Nov 11, 2011)

hello
FRANK HERBERT BARKER was 2nd Engineer on the SS DYNAMO when it was sunk on 17 April 1943 losing a crew of 7
The Ship was taking 400ton of mixed cargo from London to Hull and hit a mine in the Thames Estuary (recorded on the Shipwreck web site)
The ship was owned by the Ellerman Wilson Line operating out of Hull registered 1144044
My name is Peter Dennis born Grimsby 1930 and am the Grandson of Frank
Attached is a memorial to Frank in theTower Hill Gardens @ London
Attached is a photgraph of the SS Dynamo taken from an online website

Am interested in comments from any person who knew Frank or the SS Dynamo


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

*Incorrect Photograph*

Hello,
The photo you have is of DYNAMO ex KYLEBROOK ex HOMEWOOD official number *147785* built by R Williamson and Son Ltd Workington in 1926 Yard number 240.
http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/105848/title/dynamo/cat/510
The last crew agreement and logbook of DYNAMO o/n *144044* is lodged in the British National Archive in Piece BT381/2342
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...9052&CATLN=6&Highlight=,144044&accessmethod=0
A suvivors report is also in TNA piece ADM199/2145 page 37
There is a photograph of the vessel you are interested in the book "The Wilson Line" by John Harrower. ISBN 0 905617 72X
NMM also have a photo
http://www.nmm.ac.uk/cgi-bin/empower

Roger


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

If he was born 9th June 1881 then this may be his WW2 medal card held at Kew and can be downloaded for £3.50 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...ersearch&queryType=1&sortSpec=first_date+desc There appear to be two cards for the same man but suspect that it may be a duplicate or possibly he also has a card for WW1 that has been misfiled.

Regards
Hugh


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## petdenken (Nov 11, 2011)

*ss Dynamo - Frank Herbert Barker*

hello Hugh
this is all a new experience for me - the first time on ANY forum

Frank Herbert Barker was born in Winterton Lincolnshire 9 June 1879 > i have a copy of his certificate of baptism (born 9 jun '79 Baptized 15 Jul '79)
The census records also give birth of 1879
*Perhaps a typing error somewhere??*

Am I able to see the Record in the archives ? or do you need to purchase _ blindly - ?

kind regards
peter


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Hello Peter, and welcome.

Ok, F. H. Barker quoted in my post #3 appears to be the wrong one unless they have got his year of birth wrong - which has been known to happen.

This looks like his WW1 medal entitlement at Kew http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...asp?Edoc_Id=8411962&queryType=1&resultcount=1

There is nothing for WW2 under dob 1879 - he would have been entitled to them but that entitlement appears to not have survived. If the family were interested in getting hold of his WW2 medals then they would have to prove that entitlement with his service record [CRS 10] and movement cards.

With regard to these medal files you have to purchase blindly - £3.50. I am afraid the other records required to prove medal entitlement for WW2 are not as easy to get hold off but if you need advice just make another post. 

Regards
Hugh


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## petdenken (Nov 11, 2011)

hello Roger
wow! you have information - but for me it means asking you a few questions please
1. are you saying the photo is NOT my Grandfathers boat? perhaps a similar looking boat?
2. Crew Agreement/log & survivors report ? - can i see gthe content on line? or do i have to buy "BLIND"?
3. NMM also has photo - the link throws up "muscat empowered error" message
4. Book - I will look for this but again do i buy the book to look at one photo?
sorry about the questions
good to have some news
I have found the WRECKS.COM website - they list the SS Dynamo and pinpoint the "spot" giving lat/long & other details
With the incident occurring just of the English coast would the mine be a UK mine? or a drifintg German mine?
peter


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## petdenken (Nov 11, 2011)

hello Hugh
looking at the record entry this IS my Grandfather as it clearly state birth 1879 - but @ ROXBY (ROXBY is a village next to Winterton)
however the ref is for the world war 1 medeal card & not for the world war 2 medal card
I am very happy to see that record entry ; his ship hit a mine in 17th april 1943
Thanks for your comments & help
peter


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Hello Peter,



Hugh said:


> There is nothing for WW2 under dob 1879 - he would have been entitled to them but that entitlement appears to not have survived. If the family were interested in getting hold of his WW2 medals then they would have to prove that entitlement with his service record [CRS 10] and movement cards.


Unfortunately not all WW2 medal entitlements survive for various reasons. The process for when this happens means a little work for the family concerned and can be a little frustrating at times but at the end of the day well worth it when the medals arrive in the post. 

Regards
Hugh


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

petdenken said:


> hello Roger
> wow! you have information - but for me it means asking you a few questions please
> 1. are you saying the photo is NOT my Grandfathers boat? perhaps a similar looking boat?
> 2. Crew Agreement/log & survivors report ? - can i see gthe content on line? or do i have to buy "BLIND"?
> ...


Hello Again,
The photograph you posted is* NOT* your Grandfathers ship. I have attached a poor scan of the DYNAMO official number 144044 which is the vessel he sailed on. Ellerman Wilson did not purchase the vessel you posted until 1944 and her name was not changed to DYNAMO until 4/Jan/1946. It would probably be cheaper to purchase from NMM rather than buy the book although it is probably another shot of the vessel.
http://www.nmm.ac.uk/cgi-bin/empower?DB=ShipsPlansAndPhotos
Scroll down the page and search yourself.
You cannot see the crew agreement, logbook and survivors report online. You would be best served going to Kew yourself.
Was the mine British or German? You guess is as good as mine but an educated guess is, it was a German mine. At a guess dropped from an aircraft.
It is probable that the vessel was in an east coast convoy when lost. At a guess convoy FN9/97. She lost four crew and three gunners. Eleven crew and one gunner were saved. The convoy reports, which may give an idea who laid the mine, should be at Kew under code 97 for 1943 in pieces ADM199/557. ADM199/559. ADM199/560 and ADM199/702. Again you would need to go to Kew to view.

Roger


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## petdenken (Nov 11, 2011)

hello Roger
fascinating stuff? am so new to this type of research and struggle to understand but am trying hard
thanks for putting me right on the ss dynamo - yes i knew it was built 1820 ; thanks for the small photo of the 144044
i have bought the book (perhaps the wilson story is interersting) cost £5.0 inlc p&p from amazon 
have looked at the crews agreement/log bt 381/2342 and can find entries for the ss dynamo for several years incl 1943; should i be able to see names of the crew? plus log details ? online? or only at the Archives office at Kew ?
sounds like a trip to Kew in due course
Into hospital for a bit of major surgery tomorrow so will be offline for at least a week
thanks again
peter


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## Kerry McEwan (Nov 30, 2011)

Hi there
My name is Kerry and my mum's father, James Robert Holman was the adopted brother of Tommy Wall who was also killed when the SS Dynamo was sunk.
My e-mail address is [email protected].
http://www.doverwarmemorialproject.org.uk/Casualties/WWIInot/Memorial/HolmanJR.htm
http://www.doverwarmemorialproject.org.uk/Casualties/Civilians/SurnamesEtoH.htm
http://www.doverwarmemorialproject.org.uk/Casualties/WWIInot/SurnamesWandY.htm
I hope this is of interest to you!
Kerry


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## petdenken (Nov 11, 2011)

hello Kerry
thanks for your comments - i now am aware that my Grand dads memorial plaque can be seen at the Tower Gardens London
also that I should be able to view the last LOG and list of crew members if and when I am aBLE TO GO TO THE kEW aRCHIVES
thanks again

peter


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## Kerry McEwan (Nov 30, 2011)

Hi there
I hope you found the links interesting - Tommy Wall was held very dear in the hearts of mum's family. Her father was killed in Dover only two months after her parents married but, apparently, they really were like brothers. I'd be interested in hearing if you find anything else out, but know you've been ill, so best wishes for a speedy recovery...


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## petdenken (Nov 11, 2011)

*ss Dynamo 144044 Frank Herbert Barker*

hello Roger

At last I visited the Nat'l Archives last week and thoroughly enjoyed looking up the details of the SS Dynamo - and thanks for the various file references as these were very helpful 
I looked at the Survivors report; the crew list report; the list of casualties report from the interview of the ships Master Captain H Earnshaw
This last item is very poignant as it details what happened when the mine was struck [single line convoy 20 ahead and 4 astern on course and those ahead must have passed over the same spot; 2 explosions under the boiler room and sunk in 20minutes
All very sad to read but at the same time it is a "closure" on how my Grandad died
Thanks for all your patience and help
best regards
Peter Dennis [ex Grimsby]


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