I found this on another site ... wallowing at the bottom of the posts and thought maybe somebody may find it useful ! ... looks like a lot of work went into this ! Only one survivor .... just awful ! hwell: “... on November 23, 1942 (the Ceramic) left the Mersey for Australia, independently routed, with 378 passengers. Her subsequent complete disappearance was at first little publicised at home, due to the general censorship of shipping information, and the Admiralty assumed that she had been sunk without survivors from the 500 or so persons on board. It was learned a long time later that she had been torpedoed and sunk on December 6 in latitude 40 deg. 30 min. N., longitude 40 deg, 20 min. W, and that one survivor, a sapper of the Royal Engineers, had been picked up by the U-boat and taken to a German prison camp. The full story, as far as I know, has never been published.” SS Ceramic the untold story by Clare Hardy
Have you noticed White Star Line ships' names ended with 'ic'? Titanic, Britannic, Ceramic, Olympic etc. Not universal obviously but I always enjoy naming traditions etc - The White Star Line Fleet
Heres another snippet ! The original company bearing the name White Star Line was founded in Liverpool, England by John Pilkington and Henry Threlfall Wilson, The Oceanic Steam Navigation Company Thomas Ismay, a director of the National Line, purchased the house flag, trade name and goodwill of the bankrupt company for 1,000 pounds sterling on 18 January 1868, with the intention of operating large ships on the North Atlantic service. In 1870 William Imrie joined the managing company. As the first ship was being commissioned, Ismay formed the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company to operate the steamers in the process of construction. William Imrie is an often forgotten partner in the White Star line. He lived in Mossley Hill Liverpool and is buried at St Nicholas Church, Halewood. He attended St Margaret's Church, Toxteth and was one of its trustees. I did a bit of research a while ago on William Imrie - his adopted daughter became a nun and gave away all her worldly goods to the people of Liverpool ... she built a church ........... using the best materials money could buy ! St Mary of the Angels Church was built for the Franciscans (opened in 1910) by Amy Elizabeth Imrie, who was the adopted daughter of William Imrie (co owner of the White Star Shipping Line). It is claimed to be the finest example of Italian Renaissance architecture outside Rome. Known as the Liverpool Vatican, the marble of the church was brought to life by local Italian craftsmen.
Hi Annie I have the ww1 medals of one the captains of the ship Ernest kirkbank Irving DSC RD I do not have the info in front of me but I believe he was the captain in the mid thirties Amazing coincidence Cheers Tony :clapping:
