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A forum for the Allied Warships section.
Re: queen of bermuda
Posted by:
Richard Spencer Tanner
()
Date: December 06, 2009 04:24PM
"HMS Queen of Bermuda was classified as an Armed Merchant Cruiser (in peace time the vessel had been a luxur Cruise Liner operating between New York and Bermuda). Whilst on the Queen, Frank travelled all over the Atlantic escorting convoys. Some of the places he visted were; the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Jamaica, Bermuda and St Halina. During this period they sailed into the mouth of the River Plate and saw the remains of the German pocket-battlewhip Graf Spree (destroyed on the 17th December 1939).
Sometime around September 1941, orders were received to sail to Norfolk, Virginia, there the Queen was to be modified. Here she had a funnel removed and a catapult airraft fitted in its place. After the refit they set sail for Bermuda where the flight crew, for the newly installed aircraft, joined the ship.
From Bermuda they set course for Halifax, Nova Scotia, where they were to join a convoy bound for England. Unfortunately, whilst leaving Halifax, the ship ran aground on rocks and was so badly damaged that she had to return to New York for repairs. This gave the crew three months shore leae and Frank took this opportunity to see some of America's world famous sights (the crew returned to the ship about two days after the Japanese attack on the US fleet at Pearl Harbor). During her time in New York the Queen was turned in to a troop ship, and after conversion sailed to Rekevick, Iceland, witht he first contingent of American troops sent to that country during World War Two. Here the GIs were replaced with British troups who were taken to Greenock on the Firth of Clyde. At Greenock more British soldiers joined the ship which was soon on its way again, bound for Durban, South Africa.
The following few months involved more convoy duies in the South Atlantic. One convoy took them into the Western Appraoches and they all thought that they were going home, however, a signal came through telling them to 'turn about' and head for Port Taufiq (near Suez, on the Red Sea coast). They had to sail the long way around via the Cape of Good Hope and the Horn of Africa. At Port Taufiq they picked up some Australian troops and were told to make all speed for Freemanal, Australia. After spending one week in Australia, they sailed back to Durban. From here they travelled on to Newfoundland and finally arrived back in the UK at Greenock. After his leave he returned to Greenock and sailed in the Queen of Bermuda to Southampton where the crew were paid off."
Sometime around September 1941, orders were received to sail to Norfolk, Virginia, there the Queen was to be modified. Here she had a funnel removed and a catapult airraft fitted in its place. After the refit they set sail for Bermuda where the flight crew, for the newly installed aircraft, joined the ship.
From Bermuda they set course for Halifax, Nova Scotia, where they were to join a convoy bound for England. Unfortunately, whilst leaving Halifax, the ship ran aground on rocks and was so badly damaged that she had to return to New York for repairs. This gave the crew three months shore leae and Frank took this opportunity to see some of America's world famous sights (the crew returned to the ship about two days after the Japanese attack on the US fleet at Pearl Harbor). During her time in New York the Queen was turned in to a troop ship, and after conversion sailed to Rekevick, Iceland, witht he first contingent of American troops sent to that country during World War Two. Here the GIs were replaced with British troups who were taken to Greenock on the Firth of Clyde. At Greenock more British soldiers joined the ship which was soon on its way again, bound for Durban, South Africa.
The following few months involved more convoy duies in the South Atlantic. One convoy took them into the Western Appraoches and they all thought that they were going home, however, a signal came through telling them to 'turn about' and head for Port Taufiq (near Suez, on the Red Sea coast). They had to sail the long way around via the Cape of Good Hope and the Horn of Africa. At Port Taufiq they picked up some Australian troops and were told to make all speed for Freemanal, Australia. After spending one week in Australia, they sailed back to Durban. From here they travelled on to Newfoundland and finally arrived back in the UK at Greenock. After his leave he returned to Greenock and sailed in the Queen of Bermuda to Southampton where the crew were paid off."
