Hi all To Spidge, Liverpool Annie, Geoff, &Dave Barlow & others, I have found a gentleman who travelled on the same ship as my brother, Laurence Collins, but he did not know him. It was the SS Nieuw Amsterdam, a dutch luxury liner,-launced in 1937 converted to a troop ship and survived the WW2. Thanks for your help Ray-Berky Boy
Ray, The movement card for NIEUW AMSTERDAM (1939 - 1945) is held at the British National Archives in piece BT 389/40 available to download for £3.50. Regards Hugh
I hope you find what you're looking for Ray ! Please let us know if you find anything pertinent ..... I'm sure we'd all be interested ..... I know I would !! Annie
Hi Annie, Yes I am pretty sure that the ship was the Nieuw Amsterdam-I picked up a lot on the ship from "Google" but there was so much (other than the one I was looking for) I had to refine the search to Nieuw Amsterdam-1937. The other ex RAAF member is 86 years old, and has a very clear memory of the ship, it sailed from Melbourne on his sister's birthday, and arrived in US on another sister's birthday-so can't forget the dates. Also I was able to find the journey on the document from the Archives (British)-though hard to read. The only thing missing from my brother's story (?)is still trying to trace relatives of two of his crewmates.-both RAF-I have traced 6 out of 8, which I suppose is prety good after sixty odd years-I will keep trying though. THanks for your help & interest-Ray (Berky Boy)
Hi Ray (berkyboy), I'm not sure if you have received/seen my two messages yet. I am Des McGonigle's nephews son (he was my great uncle and you have been in contact with my dad)...I have been making inquiries elsewhere on the net and I have been informed that "RCAF records contain much more information than either RAF or RAAF records and if someone pulls up P/O Armour's file in Ottawa you will be able to locate the 1945 addresses of the next of kin of both gunners." ...so there is hope to track them down yet!! Thor PS. have a look at the two messages I sent you!...the above info is included but there is some other stuff as well!!
No Thor, for some reason I have not been able to trace your previous messages. Yes, I have been in contact with your dad, perhaps if you got my address from him, you may be able to send them to me direct-Berky boy
Hi all, after a further 3 years of research, I have finally got some of the answers I was looking for After he had successfully completed all the necessary courses, in order to receive the Wireless Badge, and Air Gunner Badge, Laurie was appointed Sergeant-wireless Air Gunner. On the 8 September 1943, he was transferred toNo.1 ED (Embarkation Depot) situated at the Melbourne Showgrounds in Ascot Vale, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, awaiting orders for movement to Great Britain. On 27 September 1943, trained personnel to be sent to the European War Zone, and other personnel, (who had only received initial training in Australia and were posted to Canada for further training under the EATS agreement), boarded two troop trains at the Ascot Vale rail station. Although the total movement was cloaked in secrecy, it was difficult to disguise the fact that this was a large movement of troops-in particular with the men waving arms and caps as the train moved through the suburbs past the city stations (Flinders Street and Spencer Street Stations). This was particularly evident when the trains were “parked” for some time in the Flinders Street Railway yards, waiting to change direction in order to travel on the Port Melbourne railway line. Before boarding the troop train, each member was given a specific travelling number, and was allocated to a particular group, under very strict instructions not to get out of the allocated order given to each man. The order was to be used for the entire time; in the loading and unloading of the trains, the order to march to the ship and to obtain entry on to the ship. Obviously this was to ensure the most expeditious means of moving such a large number of men, quickly and efficiently The train arrived at Port Melbourne Station Pier and after disembarking, in the correct order, they were marched up the ship’s gangplank. At the top, they were met with an officer who had the official list and the allocated area of the ship where they would be quartered. Each man’s name was marked off the list, and with his “allocated group” was escorted to their particular “cabin”. The accommodation was of a mixed variety, with some in cabins (up to 18 personnel) with other areas where larger areas were used in dormitory type situation. Toilet facilities were not always easy for those in the larger areas; smaller groups had their own. (See the story on Niew Amsterdam in Google) The ship was named “The Nieuw Amsterdam”, a large Dutch Passenger Luxury Cruise ship, which had been converted as a troop carrying vessel, operated by the British Government. The ship reached Melbourne via Capetown, South Africa, and was carrying American Servicemen and German Prisoners of War. It was capable of travelling 30 knots, with a cruising speed of 20 knots. The ship left Port Melbourne at approx 4.30 pm on 27 September, just to in time to reach “the Rip”” (a narrow waterway allowing the ship to travel from the reasonably quiet Port Phillip bay to the open rough waters of Bass Straight) about meal time. This was their first of many “exiting times” through the month long trip. They travelled across the Tasman Sea and the first port of call was early on Saturday morning at Wellington New Zealand. The next leg was through the Pacific Ocean, continually changing course so as to make things “difficult” for any submarines to get a fixed target for their torpedoes. This movement made it very difficult for passengers to be able to travel in “comfort” for such a long sea voyage. The ship arrived in San Francisco Bay on 16 October 1943 in very heavy fog, so heavy that it was difficult to see Golden Gate Bridge-a wonder of the world to these very young men on “the adventure of a life time”-many not to return and relate the story to their loved ones. Laurie continued to Fort McDowell, a transit camp for American Servicemen. Port McDowell became San Francisco Port of Embarkation, together with Fort Mason, The Oakland Army terminal, and Cape Stoneman. This was a busy period in the Fort’s history as more than 300,000 soldiers were shipped to the Pacific theatre through Fort McDowell, as well as handling other nation’s personnel in transit.. (I have spoken to an RAAF man who was on the same voyage as Laurie, but did not know him. His recollections on the voyage was that "it was anything but luxurious") I have not been able to trace any details of his movements from 18 October 1943 until he arrived in United Kingdam on 9 November 1943. I have his service record in GB & his crews 28 sorties with RAF 101 Squadron until he was shot down & killed, 16 Janary 1945 Thanks to all, berkyboy
