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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: heywood on Tuesday 10 April 07 16:43 BST (UK)
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Hello,
I wonder can anyone shed some light here please. I have a realtive who is listed on the Commonwealth Graves Site as dying March 1916 - SS Boorara- a donkey man in the Mercantile Marine.
A cousin and I have both tried to get a death certificate with no results.
I have also tried 'googling' SS Boorara with very little information being there. I have seen references to it being torpedoed in 1918 and I am unsure as to whether there was also an Australian troopship of the same name- I am assuming that they are not the same ship.
I don't really know what to do next. I have emailed various authorities e.g. City Archives at Southampton where the National Archives site states there are records but to no avail and GRO but am not getting anywhere,
I am posting here in the hope that perhaps someone can at least shed light on the Boorara for us.
thanks in advance for any ideas
heywood
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hiya heywood,the boorara was originally the german freighter ss pfalz commanded by captain wilhelm kuhlken,she was captured in melbourne harbour on 5th aug 1914.
she was converted for use as part of the australian defence transport force.
on 17-9-15 she was rammed by the french cruiser kleber
in march 1918 she was torpedoed in the english channel but survived
on 23-9-1918 she was again torpedoed near yarmouth,she also survived this attack
on 24-6-19 she was transferred to the commonwealth government line
your rellie may have died of natural causes or his date of death is wrong [march 1916]or he was killed in the torpedo attack in march 1918 not march 1916
she was used as a troop transport at gallipoli,she also took turkish POWs from the dardanelles and in 1919 she took australian troops back home
mack
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what was your rellie name.
mack
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Hi mack,
He is Martin Duffy - he is on CWG site as a casualty of war- if you died of natural causes you wouldn't be on that would you?
It says SS Boorara (London). I had read some of what you have written re Australia.
He was Irish - although at that time a British citizen employment/ joining up.
He was my grandmother's brother.
I would be grateful of anything you can add or suggest - especially re his death certificate.
thanks
Kath
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he was serving at the time of his death,it doesnt matter how he died,hes still entitled to a war grave or commemoration,mack :)
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he was serving at the time of his death,it doesnt matter how he died,hes still entitled to a war grave or commemoration,mack :)
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thanks for that, mack, I didn't realise - never had to think about it before I suppose.
Now we have had a search for 1916 and 1918 for death certificate - so do you have any idea where deaths would be recorded if they were at sea.
thanks again - you've been very helpful. I will pass this info to my cousin (2nd) in USA found through internet (before rootschat).
Kath
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hiya heywood,ime pretty certain that martin was killed in the submarine attack on the 20-3-1918,also killed in the same attack was fireman ernest,allen drake,of australia,the boorara was registered in london,the CWGC have got the wrong date of death,thats why you cant find his DC for 1916,go on the great war forum and get hold of my buddy,terry denham,he will search the overseas death registers,he will explain how to get martins details ammended,good luck,let me know how you go on,mack
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will do and thank you so much
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thanks mack- terry has sorted it for me already!! what service- very much appreciated!
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So come on heywood tell !!!
Was he listed on the overseas index in 1918?
Was Mack right?
Wendi :)
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ah well- I don't know yet!! But Terry has checked with the others and confirmed that it is a mistake and will change the posting on Commonwealth Graves site.
He was one of 5 killed that day- another Irishman, then English and Australian.
I also emailed Ireland and they say that they possibly have the record there as:
"This office maintains a Register which has recorded Births, Deaths and Marriages of Irish Subjects who were serving with the British Forces throughout the world. These records would have been collected and returned by the military to the General Register Office on a routine basis and recorded under the Army Births, Deaths and Marriages Act (1879) in the Army Register held here. It is possible that we may have a record here. " (quote from email.
It's really different isn't it when the research becomes more than a name on a census etc.
I am wondering if he emigrated to Australia and signed on there!
thanks for the interest and sorry I haven't got a definitive answer- but am closer and know a bit more!
Kath
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Hi Kath
It's really different isn't it when the research becomes more than a name on a census etc.
A big resounding NO from me. I think this is where it just gets started. How interesting, 'cos although I didn't reply I had a good hunt for him with the available records online and could not find him.
Oh please keep us informed. As much as anything we learn from your new discoveries!!!
Wendi :)
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Thanks so much for looking - not sure what you mean by your resounding No - I think we mean the same thing.
He is the older brother to my grandmother and a few years ago - through another Duffy posting on the internet I received an email from a man who is my second cousin. Our two grandmothers were younger sisters to this Martin. Mine stayed in Ireland and her sister emigrated to USA.
We are now researching together.
Will keep you informed but it may be a few weeks now - we are going to try the Irish records office for a death certificate.
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LOL Kath,
YES we do mean the same thing...what I was trying to say is now, for you, is when it just starts to get interesting.
Great luck to you both, and we'd (as I'm sure your aware) would love to hear the outcome.
Wendi :)
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kath,when the boorara was torpedoed,capt buchanan didnt have time to bury any of the 5 crewmen who were killed,he transferred all the members of his crew to trawlers,and just kept enough men on board to get the ship back to southampton.
this is the interesting bit
fireman albert haithwaite was killed in this attack[drowned]his body was recovered and buried in southampton[holybrook] cemetery,in plot B.5.54,also buried in this cemetery are 3 unknown merchant seamen,terry denham may be able to tell you when these 3 men were buried,one of them could be martin.
mack
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my goodness - thank you!
It's been an apt day for this kind of research. My relative in USA mentioned another name from the CWGC site - from our family's area of Ireland (when we research it feels as though everyone was related to everyone in some way or another) - anyway this chap died in the Battle of Jutland on HMS Defence - hence I read about that this morning.
Then - taking my grandchildren out today- we ended up in the War Museum at Salford Quays!
thanks again- will contact Terry.
Kath
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What research!!!
fireman albert haithwaite was killed in this attack[drowned]his body was recovered and buried in southampton[holybrook] cemetery,in plot B.5.54,also buried in this cemetery are 3 unknown merchant seamen,
;D
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I know Wendi - just can't believe it- will keep you informed.
AND - Terry D has amended the posting on CWGC site! - has the right date now 1918.
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I know Wendi - just can't believe it- will keep you informed.
AND - Terry D has amended the posting on CWGC site! - has the right date now 1918.
fantastic,well done kath,in 48 hours you have gone from searching for info about martin too having him properly commemorated,great work by terry as well,mack
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wow, nice going! ( Mack, you're the best) Here's a photo of the Boorara
http://users.netconnect.com.au/~ianmac/coastal.html
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she was sailing for australia when she was attacked,she was carrying some general bits of cargo,but her main cargo was horses,mack
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thanks everyone for the help