TROOPSHIPS 1939 - 1961

[Malcolm33]

Hi Seaweed,
     Mention of the Empire Orwell brings back a vivid memory of one New Year when I sat with others on a stretcher group in the Foyer by the Purser's Office.     
     I wonder if you could check for me whether that would have been New Year 1953 or New Year 1954 - when she was in Aden?    I think it must have been the night of 1952/1953 as I don't recalling a feeling of 'I'll be going home soon' which wasn't until I embarked on the Georgic around Feb/March 1954.
     We didn't have to manipulate a stretcher that night.  It was much more serious.  We had gone on board to carry Oxygen Bottles for a Blue Baby which we took off the ship and up to RAF Hospital, Aden.    We had a long wait and it was rather a sombre mood as everyone was thinking about the babe and whether it would survive.   We must have been there an hour or more when suddenly all ships in the Harbour sounded their horns to herald in the New Year.    I think someone remarked, Never mind we can celebrate New Year in the UK in three hours time.    The Ambulance had to be stopped half way up the mountainside road to the hospital while the Medical Officer revived the child's heart which had stopped.   I think the family were on their way home from Hong Kong and often wonder if it survived to live a long life.
     Malcolm

[Redd]

Thank you very much for the information. It is a very kind offer of yours to share it so freely.

Jules.

[seaweed]

EMPIRE ORWELL official number 180806 Arrived in Aden 31/December/1953 and sailed 1/January/1954
I tried a quick search to find the vessel logbook for the period which may have given an account of the circumstances of the babies plight. Sadly, it seems the logbook has been lost or destroyed.

GEORGIC Sailed Singapore 25/Feb 1954
Arrived Columbo 1/3/54 sailed same day
Arrived Aden 6/3/54 sailed same day
Arrived Port Said 10/3/54 sailed 11/3/54
Arrived Liverpool 19/3/54 Disembarkation finished at 0930 19/3/54 The vessel was then returned to here owners having ceased Trooping activities.

[ScouseBoy]

I guess I will be mentioning a fact most of you know when I say that the Queen Mary once carried 16,000 troops. From New York to either Glasgow or  Liverpool I guess?

And another funny troopship story.  Apparently a troopship from New York arrived Liverpool  on or about VE day.   So  they were given  the order to return the troops  straight back to New York.

But  the really funny bit is  that they were the first US forces  to return home from Europe.

They received a Heros  Welcome, Bands playing,   Fire boats  discharging water jets,  Fireworks, The full Nine Yards.             The only action they had  seen was in Liverpool  ... .

[Malcolm33]

EMPIRE ORWELL official number 180806 Arrived in Aden 31/December/1953 and sailed 1/January/1954
I tried a quick search to find the vessel logbook for the period which may have given an account of the circumstances of the babies plight. Sadly, it seems the logbook has been lost or destroyed.

GEORGIC Sailed Singapore 25/Feb 1954
Arrived Columbo 1/3/54 sailed same day
Arrived Aden 6/3/54 sailed same day
Arrived Port Said 10/3/54 sailed 11/3/54
Arrived Liverpool 19/3/54 Disembarkation finished at 0930 19/3/54 The vessel was then returned to here owners having ceased Trooping activities.

    Many thanks Seaweed, so it was closer to my end of tour.    That's a shame, no logbook.    So it would have been on the 11th March 1954 that the surface of the Med outside of Port Said would have been littered with KD bush jackets and shorts.    I think I was off the ship around 8.30am.  I know we were up well before dawn to get a look at Blighty and first sight were the Liver Birds, then when the early morning light came howls of catcalls and whistles from the side of the ship as everyone caught sight of the first Teddy Boys who were strolling along the quayside.

[Redd]

Hello again Seaweed,

I hope you don't mind me asking for one other one please?  It is for the SS Cameronia.  I am going by service record dates so they may be a couple of days out.  Left the UK 16/17th March 1947 and arrived Egypt 31st March/1 April 1947.

Thank you very much.

Jules.