Years later, John read about a tragedy from World War II. just came upon this site whilst browsing, My late father who passed away in 2004 was on the queen mary when she cut the curacao in half , he often told me of the event and how disturbing it was to his mates in the engine room,I think my dad was on deck when it happened Queen Mary, p. 77 42-12-11 Fort Dix New Jersey Americanunits of 2nd Armored Division in convoy; number not known Casablanca 42-12-24 The G.I. What a shame the names of the people in the images above are not recorded. Hello, Does anyone remember my Uncle Edward \john Wells (Ted ) from Dover who was one of those lost. See also the account of Francis S. Kalinowski, a Warrant Officer in the United States Army Air Forces, who was on board the Queen Mary at the time, first left in the comments. The two ships collided with each other at 2:12 pm. It was too dangerous as the threat of U-Boats was always present. HMS Curacoa was named after the island more usually spelled Curaçao – it appears this was the old spelling which had been used by four successive Royal Navy ships since 1809. my father was on the Queen Mary when this happened and saw the ship sinking. David Rand, Melbourne, Australia, my 3rd cousin was named Edward Howard who was on the H.M.S Curacoa ship.in 1942 Crew on the much larger Queen Mary felt only a small bump. My uncle, Ronald George Nicholls lost his life on 2nd October 1942 serving as a Stoker on HMS Curacoa. And sure enough, the Queen Mary sliced the cruiser in two like a piece of butter, straight through the six inch armoured plating. Now we are only convoyed by one destroyer and Flying Fortress. I don’t remember if he was aware of what happened then, or after the war. World War II Front Line Nurse was anchored at Pier 90. He told me the story back in the 60’s . Sadly, there is little recognition of the incident here so I’m writing a small item for the local community magazine. Harry described his lucky escape. January to June: The records of ships used to carry troops to their theaters of operations were destroyed intentionally in 1951. I have just explained the background of this event to my 2 very successful children, who are Scottish/German. That would make your mother-in-law my cousin. Gone was the famous black and white hull with orange-red stacks. This page is for the Curacoa, so i don’t wish to take up to much of it’s space on our family ties so if you would like to e-mail me direct then it would be easier to communicate. Has anybody else have items like this, and I also wondered what to do with them, as would not like them to be lost or thrown away. His name was Arthur Blott. Total round trip mileage was 37,943 miles. Her exterior was repainted battleship gray during World War II, and the Queen Mary served as a troop transport ship. Wiki: In March 1940 Queen Mary and Normandie were joined in New York by Queen Mary's new sister ship Queen Elizabeth, fresh from her secret dash from the Clydebank shipyards in Scotland. My Grandfather was a stoker on the Curacoa who died in the collision. After the end of the war, the liner continued to serve transatlantic line. He charged punching with one hand, knife in the other: Last seen taking on 40 Koreans, none survived, “I guess they didn’t know I was a marine:” PFC Edward Ahrens’ Last Stand, With Every Other Senior Officer Dead, the Battle Control Officer of the USS San Francisco Waded through Waist Deep Water to Save the Ship. My father, Francis S. Kalinowski, was a Warrant Officer in the United States Army Air Forces and was being transported the Queen Mary with his squadron at the time. 300 died and the incident was hushed up. R.I.P. After two year’s service aboard her, he left for another posting the day before the tragedy. This is his account from his diary: Friday, October 2, 1942 – R.A.F. Overall, I thought it would be neat to do a web site about troopships. "Captain" Will Kayne gave an overview of the history of the hotel and former ocean liner RMS Queen Mary, including her service as a troop ship during World War II. Run into light cruiser 2:15 P.M. Cut cruiser in two parts and cruiser boiler exploded immediately. He was born in Ireland in 1912 but came to Australia in 1925, could he have served aboard the QM? HMS CURACOA reunions until they stopped….I believe there was a Society at one time but that stopped in the70’s or 80’s due to lack of numbers. After being converted into a troop ship, the Queen Mary accidentally collided with a British cruiser named the Curacoa. So sad….. My gran’s brother was killed on the Curacoa aged 15 or 16, he lied about his age to join up. My father’s brother, Donald Eaton, was one of those lost. His theory is that the Curacoa likely/possibly detected a german submarine and was trying to guard the QE1. I was most interested to read Roy Hyde’s comment. johnbk1@blueyonder.co.uk, My brother thinks are father was aboard the curacoa in ww2 he was merchant seaman Dutch and was stationed in Scotland, he Was on the volendamwhen it was torpedoed around Ireland by u boat She sank six minutes later with a loss of 338 men – from a total crew of 439. During one trip across Atlantic, the ship crossed the ocean with record 16,683 troops aboard. All of the ship’s crew called on the alert to look out for “U” boats. World War II collision between troop ship Queen Mary and escort Curacoa after leaving Greenock. My mother said that the scars of the collision could still be seen on the QM’s bow. Beginning in December 1942, it did not end until April 1943. Dubbed, the “Grey Ghost,” the Queen Mary hauled as many as 15,000 men while playing a pivotal role in guiding the allied forces to victory. Naval History Net is the primary source for information about RN ships and casualties, http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-06CL-Curacoa.htm, http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1942-10OCT.htm#curacoalost, Is there a list of crew who perished on the ship Curacoa. Her first maiden voyage happened on May 27, 1936 when she reached the speed of 33 kn (61 km/h; 38 mph). The Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary, which had been called into service at the beginning of WWII, and had swapped their usual bold colours for drab grey camouflage. Thank you for your reply. I have some memorabilia from the ship. German troops endure Eastern Front trench warfare, The 1st of Chaos, 3183 | A Wilderness of Peace, 10th May 1943: The British prepare to discuss the War with the Americans. Queen Mary: 735th Military Police Battalion, as part of 12,326 American troops and 2,200 Navy personnel, and one lone Congressman. As his body was never recovered he is also commemorated on Portsmouth Naval Memorial. By the end of the twentieth century, nearly all long-distance transfers of soldiers were being done by air in military transport aircraft. My grandmother would never have Queen Mary mentioned in her house until the day she died. It was too dangerous as the threat of U-Boats was always present. is there a site where I can find a list of crew aboard the QM? His father never would talk about the war except to say that he was a stoker. 1944 World War II Troop Ship Crossings Last updated: February 23, 1999 - What's New? Today the ship serves as a tourist attraction featuring restaurants, a museum, and a hotel. "According to our [U. S. National Archives] records, in 1951 the Department of the Army destroyed all passenger lists, manifests, logs of vessels, and troop movement files of United States Army Transports for World War II." When I found my Uncle Henry’s name on the ship manifest for the Queen Mary on Feb. 22, 1945, I figured it wasn’t him. A cruiser called HMS Curacao met us 200 miles off the coast to escort us into Greenock. The RMS Queen Mary was used as a troopship throughout World War II and usually crossed the Atlantic without an escort, relying on her speed to evade the U-Boats. Page Three Photo Album - The Grey Ghost at War. My dad served on the Queen Mary, and a few times he told me of this story. This caused the Queen Mary to be referred to as the “Grey Ghost”. The three largest liners in the world sat idle for some time until the Allied commanders decided that all three ships could be used as troopships. Queen Mary and J. Holman, 735th MP Bn who was aboard : 45-06-19 She always spoke so fondly of him and I’m always very interested to read what happened to these men, such a traffic accident in the war. Rushed out on deck in time to see stern part of cruiser turn up on end and go down in icy waters. Did I read of acommemorative memorial to all lost in the tragedy on one of the Rita Location of story: Greenock to Egypt 1942/43. Hi there, Aidan Campbell. Since he was only 5’6″ he was relegated to a top bunk below deck. $5.39 + $0.99 shipping . King George V chose the name Queen Mary for the ship in honor of his wife. A strict order to keep moving and not to stop under any circumstances, even for salvation those who in distress. The RMS Queen Mary and the RMS Queen Elizabeth were two of the most famous converted liners of World War II. There were 2 of us on the poop deck on the aft of the ship and we were manning the 6 inch gun – in case we came under attack. nash017@hotmail.co.uk. They were traveling in a zigzag pattern and the Queen Mary was going so quickly that the cruiser could not get out of the way. (total of 14,777 troops & 893 crew) Task unit 31.29.1 escorted by US McClelland (DE-750) Berth L-52, Saipan, Marianas Islands: 45-06-20: S. Harding R.M.S. He was lucky to return to his family, which he found had moved house and he didn’t get their letter! My grandad was in the navy during WWII and stayed on after the end of the war to take American ships back to the USA. His best friend on board was a country lad and nicknamed my Dad “townie”, he was not such a strong swimmer as Dad and kep lagging behind. 1942 World War II Troop Ship Crossings Crossings - July Through December If you have information about a crossing, please submit your information. He was not able to tell them . Hi my grandads brother was on the ship when it went down George Bunday if any one knows of him. They thought they had been hit by a torpedo, but no one would tell them what happened because the voyage was top secret with radio silence. Where could we find the list of survivors? Wider than Panama Channel, she had to go around South America and Cape Horn when sailed on her last trip from Southampton to the port of Long Beach, California. In 1942, we heard that he had been killed, but there was no information about the collision with the Queen Mary. He ended the war working for the Royal Military Police. His Curacao in 1942 my father was his only brother and My Grandfather Royal Marine Ernest Davis also perished on Hms Curacoa. I could see her clearly as I was on the aft. We travelled out on the Queen Mary which was still kitted out as a troop carrier. HMT Queen Mary 10,389 troops and 950 crew sailed alone Gourock, Scotland 42-12-14 S. Harding R.M.S. I would like to be able to contact you and learn more about your family and maybe about what your father did before the Navy. He recuperated in Greenland due to oil on his skull, that effected him all his life. However, having visited most of the graves in the past week or so, I can say that the sailors are not forgotten. I know dad used to talk with our local GP who was on the QM at the time and had a lot of time for him. … also with some stories from 1945 (75 years ago) until September …. This was 22 days before I was born. ritareynolds77724@gmail.com, My uncle was on HMS CURACAO when she went down, but he was one of the lucky ones and survived. My Father Leslie John Chilton RNZN did one run to USA as a gunner on the Queen Mary in 1944, he said it was full of american wounded serviceman. Her luxurious interiors were stripped and placed in storage in New York and Sydney, Australia and painted entirely in grey. That's a princely sum of men by any stretch of the imagination I would say. Edward Sunley (Teddy). On 21 March 1940 the Queen Mary left New York Harbour bound for Sydney, where the plan was to convert her into a troopship. Queen Mary: 735th Military Police Battalion, as part of 12,326 American troops and 2,200 Navy personnel, and one lone Congressman. My Grandfather was on the Curacoa, he spent two hours in the sea and was lifted by an Irish vessel, he was a petty officer, his name was Frank Barrow, he is sadly passed away now, such a wonderful man, husband father and grandfather, God rest all their souls :), My Dad was on the Queen Mary on his way to war in world War two and landed first wave D Day. . My great uncle, James Docherty, Royal Marine, went down as a result of this collision. I said to my mate “You know she’s zig-zigging all over the place in front of us, I’m sure we’re going to hit her.” And sure enough, the Queen Mary sliced the cruiser in two like a piece of butter, straight through the six inch armoured plating. That he said was worse than anything. The Queen Mary was under strict orders not to stop for anything and continued on to Scotland, where she was outfitted with a concrete plug and sailed to Boston for more permanent repairs. Read more of this story on BBC People’s War. It does appear that your wife’s grandfather was indeed my father’s brother. My address is gordonwilson2@hotmail.com. This is a great record kept by Sgt Gerald Edward Hanson, RAF, Journey on the Queen Mary from Greenock to Egypt, 21.12.1942 to 25.1.1943. I have 2 Christmas cards from him from the ship, both to his mother. What was the most side ways lean (list) that the Queen Mary could withstand ? Queen Elizabeth RMS Queen Elizabeth, ocean liner of the Cunard–White Star line. It was the policy not to stop and pick up survivors even if they were waving at you. Acadia My father was on the Queen Mary. My late father-in-law told my husband he served aboard the QM in the merchant navy. Her luxurious interiors were stripped and placed in storage in New York and Sydney, Australia and painted entirely in grey. Sadly I have lost my Dad now! come to an end with the surrender of Japan there remained the enormous task of bringing home the thousands of military personnel scattered across the globe Graeme R BURBRIDGE. One of those who died on the Curacoa was George Percival Windsor Cunliffe, the father of Prof. Barry Cunliffe. My Grandpa Donald William Hoffman was in the Army and was upon the HMS Queen Mary when it struck the Curacoa and split that cruiser right in half. Lest we forget, all those good, dedicated, trusty men. I would be so grateful for anything. 300 died and the incident was hushed up. We could see our escort zig-zagging in front of us – it was common for the ships and cruisers to zig-zag to confuse the U-boats. We both grew up being told we were named in his memory. Their high speeds allowed them to outrun hazards, fore-mostly German U-boats, allowing them to typically travel without a convoy. As a child, I was very fond of him and exchanged several letters with him while he was in the Navy. My late father Walter Hull’s best friend was on The Curacao he often spoke about how sad he felt about loosing him that way. I think it gave him some closure after almost 60 years. Captain David Bowley please contact me regarding my father, Richard John Myers DSM. My Uncle Chief Petty Officer Roy Myers was one of the sailors lost on Curacoa in the collision with RMS Queen Mary in 1942. One day, 2 October1942, an escorting warship, HMS Curacoa, which had been sent to meet and protect the Queen Mary on her approach to Britain, misjudged the liner's speed and zig-zag. The two ships were a British response to the express superliners built by German, Italian and French companies in the late 1920s and early 1930s. July to December: The records of ships used to carry troops to their theaters of operations were destroyed intentionally in 1951. In this particular case however the escort was very, very close to us. Zig-zagging through North Sea at over 40 mph. Their high speeds allowed them to outrun hazards, principally German U-boats, usually allowing them to travel without a convoy. My Father was a stoker on HMS Curacoa and survived if anyone out there has any information I will be pleased to here from them as his Navy Record shows nothing. The Queen Mary sailed into Sydney Harbour on April 17, 1940 to spend two weeks being stripped of the last of her luxuries and refitted as a troop carrier, before … Find this Pin and more on Love the … A lovely plaque and another recently placed plaque from the Americans who have never got over this tragedy. We were returning to Glasgow from New York, which was a four / five day journey. Gone but not forgotten. Two destroyers turned back to pick up cruiser survivors. He wasn’t a sailor but volunteered from the pioneer Corp. 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