I've realised that I made a mistake in my earlier post, and it might be best to put it right rather than mislead someone. I said that there was no distinction between sources given to information on the plotting board: this was the case in Churchills 'War Board', which was kept up to date, but not in the Submarine Tracking Room, near Trafalger Square, run by Rodger Winn. Informat
Forum: General Discussions

The information you are after is in the National Archives, in Kew, west London. See file number: ADM 137/3292 'Loss of H.M.S. ARBUTUS 1917' TNA is closed for disruptive works to the reading room until the end of March. Hope this helps, Bruce
Forum: General Discussions

David, I do not know how much of the ULTRA material was useless, but I do agree that much incidental material was gathered in the hunt for the part that was valuable. During the pre-bombe days at BP, 'the more the better' was the rule because of the increased likelyhood of finding a crib, or way into the Enigma settings used. Somehow though I don't think that is what you were add
Forum: General Discussions

Simon, you might want to look at a file at Kew in the TNA archive: BT 373/248 This is a Board of Trade file, specifically : Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen: Merchant Seamen Prisoner of War Records; War of 1939-1945. It is part of a subseries within BT 373: VESSELS CAPTURED / DESTROYED BY ENEMY ACTION CONTAINING ALLIED MERCHANT SEAMEN: POUCHES RELATING TO INDIVIDUAL SHIPS CONTAINI
Forum: Warship forum

Terry, Rob is correct to warn that all logs were not kept, but you are in luck. ADM 173/19014 is the log for HMS Thorough from December 1944 and it is available for viewing. You might also find ADM 199/1867 of interest, as it includes the patrol reports for Thorough. Hope this helps, Bruce
Forum: General Discussions

Axel, Nothing wrong with your email, it's me: I'm laid up with 'flu and can't be trusted to think. I will contact you soon, Regards, Bruce
Forum: General Discussions

Axel, Contact me by the Private Message function of this forum. Regards, Bruce
Forum: General Discussions

Axel: The record of the attack and the convoy are in three files at the National Archives. ADM 1/14542 CONVOYS AND ESCORTS (27): HMS DIANTHUS: awards for convoy escort duty and attack on enemy submarine 1943 ADM 267/136 Dianthus 1940-1945 (includes damage to Dianthus) ADM 237/96 ON166 1943 Feb.- Apr. (the convoy) Hope this helps. Bruce
Forum: General Discussions

This might be useful to some who use this board... "Ancestorsonboard.com have added the 1940 to 1949 decade to the UK Outbound Passenger Lists. Passengers in this decade included 'Home Children' to Australia and war brides to North America. Records now include 20 million names within 137,000 passenger lists spanning 1890 to 1949." Bruce
Forum: General Discussions

Daniel, Perhaps you have already tried this file? ADM 137/3523 Loss of s.s. UGANDA, AYR and damage to MITRA 1918 ...at PRO Kew. HTH Bruce
Forum: WWI forum

Rob, Well said. Bruce
Forum: General Discussions

Jim, I think that date should read 8th (or maybe 9th) September 1944. Regards, Bruce
Forum: General Discussions

Jim, you have mail.
Forum: Warship forum

Jim, You are in luck. The following files are at the Public Record Office, Kew,... ADM 1/16168 ADMIRALTY and HM SHIPS - DAMAGE AND LOSS (31): : Findings of Board of Enquiry into loss of SS EMPIRE HERITAGE and RFA PINTO 9 September. Letters of appreciation of vigilance and promptitude in reporting sent to Master and Wireless Officer aboard SS JAMAICA PLANTER ADM 1/29940 Awards to 4 offi
Forum: Warship forum

Jo, Sorry nothing directly about your relative but this link would be a good place to start finding out about the sinking. Also you may find some help at... Hope this helps, Bruce
Forum: Warship forum

Paul, Well said. The old myths are bad enough without people trying their best to construct new ones, and besides, there are already enough ways to waste money. The thread started with a legitimate question concerning a book about U-boats, which seems to have been well answered. The rubbish about the next conspiracy appeared after Marco’s question was answered. There are still
Forum: General Discussions

Sorry, I have not seen these files, I found the references by searching the TNA catalogue. The manuals will have a description including performance. Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year Bruce Dennis
Forum: WWI forum

The National Aarchives in Kew, SW London, holds at least two manuals. The references are... ADM 186/369 Handbook for RNTF Torpedoes 18" Marks VIII and VIII* 1915 AIR 10/327 Handbook on Torpedoes, Marks VIII and IX 1918 Hope this helps, Bruce Dennis
Forum: WWI forum

So much for the promised sources. I can be a patient man, but patience is inappropriate when faced with a determined effort to deceive. Several people have kindly attempted to help answer some genuine questions by Marco about a dubious book, and you have entered the discussion, promoting your own far fetched story, accusing all who don’t agree of being blinkered or worse. You have exploi
Forum: General Discussions

Geoffrey, You said… ‘The clamour for "proof" and particularly "facts" which one observes from the various replies I have received is actually a clamour for "palatable facts".’ This is completely wrong, and the rude comments that follow cheapen the work of many people who are dedicated to establishing the facts, not proving preconceived theories. Whet
Forum: General Discussions

Hello Geoffrey, I suppose I am one of those contributors to this thread that “… stand on one or other side of the fence as to which version they believe.” I tend to disregard speculation and sensationalism in favour of old fashioned research. So much of what appeared earlier in this thread was demonstrated to be from unreliable sources that there is no reason to go over the same
Forum: General Discussions

MPC And the same to you, plus congratulations on earning your GGF medal. Seasons best to all, Bruce
Forum: General Discussions

Hello Paul, Maybe this link will help clear up the subject. Regards, Bruce
Forum: General Discussions

"Do Chara" will forever be words that belong to Barry, even though we never met face to face. My condolences to his loved ones. Bruce Dennis
Forum: General Discussions

Hello Pedro, I agree with the sentiment you express. U-boat net is a great place for serious research and it is sometimes infuriating to see this diluted with absurdities. However, what better place to disassemble myth and nonsense than in the atmosphere of a knowledgeable, reliable forum on the web? Every time another book or DVD appears ‘exposing’ Elvis and J Edgar Hoover living in a Ca
Forum: General Discussions

Hello Robert, Yes, that agrees word for word with the content of page 880, chapter xxxvi (pp872-906) of ‘The White House Papers of Harry L. Hopkins’, by Robert E Sherwood, my copy published in London 1949 by Eyre & Spotiswoode. Chapters in both works were entitled ‘The Final Mission’ but with different chapter numbers. In the (if I counted correctly) 16th post of this thread,
Forum: General Discussions

Happy birthday, and a special congratulations on 9000 threads in the General Discussions forum. Many happy returns, Bruce Dennis
Forum: General Discussions

Carlos, Thank you for directing me to your source in Roosevelt & Hopkins. ‘Roosevelt & Hopkins’ is an abbreviated, one volume work by Robert E. Sherwood that draws on information in Sherwoods more useful two volume work ‘The White House Papers of Harry L. Hopkins’, published in 1949. The passages to which you refer are in vol.2, chapter xxxvi, ‘The Final Mission’, and I a
Forum: General Discussions

Carlos, I am interested: what passages in ‘Roosevelt and Hopkins’ proves your point? Bruce
Forum: General Discussions

Yes, the fuel for the Me 163 Komet rocket fighter had this lethal quality. If not handled with absolute precision, spectacular eruptions resulted. I'm sure Barry is more stable than that. Bruce
Forum: General Discussions