General Discussions
This is the place to discuss general issues related to the U-boat war or the war at sea in WWII.
Re: Rotorua sunk by U-96
Posted by:
Billy1963
()
Date: January 01, 2014 12:44PM
Thank you both for your replies.
According to the Survivors Report statement given by the ships 4th Engineer after the Rotorua sank the U-boat came to the surface and appeared to pick something up out of the sea as well as taking photographs of the lifeboats. He also states the U-boat was fired upon by the tanker Cardita from the same convoy.
I have copies of Lloyd's and Tennent's and do not know how Tennent sourced the crew compliment in regard to those rescued. There are also discrepancies in the survivors statement as to the amount of people onboard the ship. He claims there were 122 crew including the Commodore and his staff as well as 20 passengers. As a 4th Engineer, I do not think he would fully knowledgeable on the full crew compliment. On the BBC Peoples War website regarding the loss, a report by the ships Second Purser states the ship had a compliment of 118 including the Commodore and his staff and 27 passengers. Casualties can be verified from records I have. The main thing is I can now disregard the sources refering to the two prisoners.
ALLEN, Able Seaman, LESLIE WALTER ALBERT, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 24. Foster-son of Eliza Barrow, of Sopley, Hampshire.
CLEGG, Chief Officer, DOUGLAS H., S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 37. Son of Alfred Joseph Clegg and of Elinore Emily Clegg (nee Hollington); husband of Ruth Eleanor Clegg, of Mount Eden, Auckland, New Zealand. Master Mariner, Merchant Navy.
DOOLEY, Assistant Steward, HERBERT JOHNSON, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 49.
DUNN, Greaser, MICHAEL, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 42. Son of James and Louisa Dunn.
HOSFORD, Greaser, LEONARD, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 27. Son of Eliza Hosford, of Stratford, Essex.
JACKSON, Watchman, HENRY, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 56. Husband of B. Jackson, of Leyton, Essex.
KAYE, Barkeeper, LEONARD, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 27.
KEENAN, Steward, GERALD JOSEPH, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 28. Son of Daniel and Rose Keenan.
KEMP, Master, EDGAR REGINALD HARRISON, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 49. Son of Percy and Emily Rachel Kemp, of Dartford, Kent.
MARTINSON, Fireman, JAMES NICHOLAS, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 31. Son of James Martinson, and of Frances Ann Martinson, of Canning Town, London.
MOORE, Greaser, THOMAS, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 57.
McGRATH, Fireman, JOHN THOMAS, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 30.
POLLOCK, Baker, EDWARD PRIMROSE, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 39. Son of Pearl Primrose Pollock; husband of Margaret Naomi Pollock, of Battersea, London.
PORTER, Second Officer, EDWARD, S.S. Rotorua (Pymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 26. Son of Edward and Catherine Porter; husband of Sheila Porter.
SINCLAIR, Third Officer, JOHN MCGREGOR, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 24.
Buried Ashore Sandwick Cemetery.
OTWAY, Ordinary Seaman, JAMES HERBERT, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 18. Son of Frederick Robert and Kathleen Otway; nephew of Celia A. Smith, of Sedgeford, Norfolk. Sec. M. Grave 2969.
Commodore/DEMS/Naval Staff
CARTER, Able Seaman, ERIC JOHN, W/3368 S.S. Rotorua.Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve 11 December 1940.
DANDRIDGE, Chief Petty Officer Telegraphist, JOHN JAMES, P/J 68144. H.M.S. President III. Royal Navy. (lost in S.S. Rotorua). 11th December 1940. Age 39. Son of William and Florence Dandridge; husband of Edith Gertrude Dandridge
FITZGERALD, Rear Admiral (Commodore 2nd Class) JOHN UNIACKE PENROSE, C B, H.M.S. Eaglet, Royal Naval Reserve. 11 December 1940. Age 52. Croix de Guerre. Son of Admiral Charles Cooper Penrose Fitzgerald and Henrietta Elizabeth Lilias Fitzgerald (nee Hewson); husband of Eugenie Beatrice Fitzgerald (nee Allport), of Port Hope, Ontario, Canada.
HEARN, Convoy Leading Signalman, CHARLES MORTON, C/JX 171142, Mentioned in Despatches, S.S. Rotorua, Royal Navy. 11 December 1940. Age 24. Son of George William and Frances Alice Hearn.
McCAFFERY, Convoy Signalman, ROY, C/JX 172031, S.S. Rotorua, Royal Navy. 11 December 1940.
McQUEEN, Able Seaman, ANDREW, X/3577. S.S. Rotorua. Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve 11 December 1940.
MULFORD, Supply Assistant, JOHN GUY, P/MX 57926, S.S. Rotorua, Royal Navy. 11 December 1940.
According to the Survivors Report statement given by the ships 4th Engineer after the Rotorua sank the U-boat came to the surface and appeared to pick something up out of the sea as well as taking photographs of the lifeboats. He also states the U-boat was fired upon by the tanker Cardita from the same convoy.
I have copies of Lloyd's and Tennent's and do not know how Tennent sourced the crew compliment in regard to those rescued. There are also discrepancies in the survivors statement as to the amount of people onboard the ship. He claims there were 122 crew including the Commodore and his staff as well as 20 passengers. As a 4th Engineer, I do not think he would fully knowledgeable on the full crew compliment. On the BBC Peoples War website regarding the loss, a report by the ships Second Purser states the ship had a compliment of 118 including the Commodore and his staff and 27 passengers. Casualties can be verified from records I have. The main thing is I can now disregard the sources refering to the two prisoners.
ALLEN, Able Seaman, LESLIE WALTER ALBERT, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 24. Foster-son of Eliza Barrow, of Sopley, Hampshire.
CLEGG, Chief Officer, DOUGLAS H., S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 37. Son of Alfred Joseph Clegg and of Elinore Emily Clegg (nee Hollington); husband of Ruth Eleanor Clegg, of Mount Eden, Auckland, New Zealand. Master Mariner, Merchant Navy.
DOOLEY, Assistant Steward, HERBERT JOHNSON, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 49.
DUNN, Greaser, MICHAEL, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 42. Son of James and Louisa Dunn.
HOSFORD, Greaser, LEONARD, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 27. Son of Eliza Hosford, of Stratford, Essex.
JACKSON, Watchman, HENRY, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 56. Husband of B. Jackson, of Leyton, Essex.
KAYE, Barkeeper, LEONARD, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 27.
KEENAN, Steward, GERALD JOSEPH, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 28. Son of Daniel and Rose Keenan.
KEMP, Master, EDGAR REGINALD HARRISON, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 49. Son of Percy and Emily Rachel Kemp, of Dartford, Kent.
MARTINSON, Fireman, JAMES NICHOLAS, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 31. Son of James Martinson, and of Frances Ann Martinson, of Canning Town, London.
MOORE, Greaser, THOMAS, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 57.
McGRATH, Fireman, JOHN THOMAS, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 30.
POLLOCK, Baker, EDWARD PRIMROSE, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 39. Son of Pearl Primrose Pollock; husband of Margaret Naomi Pollock, of Battersea, London.
PORTER, Second Officer, EDWARD, S.S. Rotorua (Pymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 26. Son of Edward and Catherine Porter; husband of Sheila Porter.
SINCLAIR, Third Officer, JOHN MCGREGOR, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 24.
Buried Ashore Sandwick Cemetery.
OTWAY, Ordinary Seaman, JAMES HERBERT, S.S. Rotorua (Plymouth). Merchant Navy. 11th December 1940. Age 18. Son of Frederick Robert and Kathleen Otway; nephew of Celia A. Smith, of Sedgeford, Norfolk. Sec. M. Grave 2969.
Commodore/DEMS/Naval Staff
CARTER, Able Seaman, ERIC JOHN, W/3368 S.S. Rotorua.Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve 11 December 1940.
DANDRIDGE, Chief Petty Officer Telegraphist, JOHN JAMES, P/J 68144. H.M.S. President III. Royal Navy. (lost in S.S. Rotorua). 11th December 1940. Age 39. Son of William and Florence Dandridge; husband of Edith Gertrude Dandridge
FITZGERALD, Rear Admiral (Commodore 2nd Class) JOHN UNIACKE PENROSE, C B, H.M.S. Eaglet, Royal Naval Reserve. 11 December 1940. Age 52. Croix de Guerre. Son of Admiral Charles Cooper Penrose Fitzgerald and Henrietta Elizabeth Lilias Fitzgerald (nee Hewson); husband of Eugenie Beatrice Fitzgerald (nee Allport), of Port Hope, Ontario, Canada.
HEARN, Convoy Leading Signalman, CHARLES MORTON, C/JX 171142, Mentioned in Despatches, S.S. Rotorua, Royal Navy. 11 December 1940. Age 24. Son of George William and Frances Alice Hearn.
McCAFFERY, Convoy Signalman, ROY, C/JX 172031, S.S. Rotorua, Royal Navy. 11 December 1940.
McQUEEN, Able Seaman, ANDREW, X/3577. S.S. Rotorua. Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve 11 December 1940.
MULFORD, Supply Assistant, JOHN GUY, P/MX 57926, S.S. Rotorua, Royal Navy. 11 December 1940.
| Subject | Written By | Posted |
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Rotorua sunk by U-96
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Billy1963 | 12/30/2013 07:22PM |
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Re: Rotorua sunk by U-96
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Re: Rotorua sunk by U-96
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