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By *Threatened Folly Beach house for sale *Three drown on Pensacola Beach; another drowns on Miami Beach *Four drown on Florida beaches *Drownings create tragic holiday: Rip currents, tourist-packed beach prove deadly mix *Labor Day Weekend Tragedies *Experts remind beachgoers that a shark attack is improbable History of Commander JC Morrow Dear Mr. Gregory My name is Melanie Comito, I am a Voluntary Instructor with the Australian Naval Cadet Unit, TS Morrow based in Geraldton, Western Australia. I was seeking to explore the history of Commander JC Morrow, after whom >our unit is named when I came across your Weblog and was wondering if you would have another other memories of Commander Morrow, other than that listed in your entry of the invasion of Japan. I do appreciate what time you may have to spare, I've long been a believer that too much of the knowledge of our previous generations is lost unnecessarily, so I guess my research into Commander Morrow serves two purposes ; one to provide my cadets with knowledge and two, to ensure that the life, lessons and experiences of such a man does not go un-heard. Many thanks for your time Regards
I will be pleased to let you have what I can find on Commodore James Cairns Morrow, he was a wonderful seaman and Naval Officer. In HMAS Shropshire, I was his Mate Of the Upper Deck as a Lieutenant RAN, over 1944/45. This meant I organised the work of all our seamen under his direction and ran the Commander's Office. I have been away in New Zealand and just came home last night, and will be in touch again with you soon. Regards,
Dear Mr Gregory, I am a long-time subscriber of SMML and have enjoyed your postings to that forum, and have looked over your website frequently -- it's a great resource. I am currently under training at HMAS Creswell and have been asked to put together a short history piece. We are asked to interview a former Naval member and base the historical piece on their information. The purpose of this email is to ask if you would be prepared to participate and assist me in my article. I note that you were in Jervis -- I am in Flinders Division, but hope that won't sway you one way or another! If you are happy to participate I am required to ask some questions, and will include them here to help with your decision. I am able to obtain most of this information from your website, but will type them out here anyway: period of service In addition, we have been told that no more than two cadets may requestinformation from any one source. So, if you have had anyone from Creswell contact you recently for information let me know and I will keep looking for someone! Thanks in advance for your time. Yours sincerely,
We are home again, and trust you had my brief response from NZ. here goes with answers to your questions: Period of Service. January 1936/September 1954. January 1936 Royal Australian Naval College until August 1939, when my Jervis Year was stopped from our final leave and sent off to join the fleet with the impending start of WW2. I went to Canberra briefly, then joined Australia in early September 1939 just after war was declared. She served in the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow, and did Atlantic Convoying. We were present at de Gaulle's abortive Dakar fiasco over September 23,24, 25 1940. You will find that story on my web site. In October 1940 we picked up 9 of a crew of 13 from a downed Sunderland from Coastal Command, again you will find that on AHOY. Australia was bombed in dry dock in Liverpool over December 1940, see Ahoy again for that story. The Jervis Bay incident took place during our time in the Atlantic. We spent a brief time with Admiral Somerville's Force H at Gibraltar, and he addressed the crew there. We escorted the largest troop convoy to leave UK early in 1941 to the Cape and Durban. I did my seamanship exam for A/ Sub in Colombo, in April 41, was promoted, and spent three glorious weeks in Ceylon waiting to return to UK for Sub's courses. At a rest camp in the middle of Ceylon we met a wealth English tea planter, who heard our Aussie accents, he had been badly wounded at Gallipoli in WW1, was picked up by an Australian soldier and carried to medical care, saved his life he declared, he wined and dined us over several days. Took passage back to UK in troopship Empress of Japan, in charge of the British Army, a ghastly trip, filled with Indian Troops to man AA defences in England. Our courses took place at Portsmouth, and in Brighton, at the latter, our hotel was bombed and the top floor hit, we were all fine, the Signals course took place at the former Rodean Girl's School, notices still read Should you require a Mistress during the night please ring! We certainly rang, all to no avail!! Sydney sunk by Kormoran November 1941, all her crew of 635 lost. I came home in the Blue Star ship Tuscan Star, via the Panama Canal, a story about this ship is on Ahoy. Arrived in Melbourne on Pearl Harbor Day, 7th. December 1941, at last, the result of the war now appeared certain, with the US involved final victory now a matter of time. Joined Canberra December 1941, and then in February 42 we took the last troops to the doorstep of Singapore called in at Batavia. 1942 was a horrendous year, Darwin bombed, Singapore fell, Perth sunk, Coral Sea, Midway, Japanese Sub attack Sydney Harbour 31st May/1st June 42, Canberra was at No1 Buoy and was lucky to survive, I was OOW at time, this story is on Ahoy too. Kuttabul was sunk with loss of 23 sailors. Battle of Savo Island when Canberra was sunk, at the start of the battle I was OOW in her, having been granted my Watch Keeping Ticket by Captain G B Moore, RAN earlier in the year, I guess I was the last to earn that in that ship. Again see Ahoy for all the details of Savo. Came home for two weeks leave, rekitted, and joined Adelaide as a watch keeper. To be continued. Mac.
Ian Hawkins' book about the destroyers during the Second World War Dear Sir, Mr Jim Sheffield, a friend in Lincolnshire, England has very recently indicated your very interesting website in Australia to me. My name is Ian Hawkins and I have strong connections with the Royal Navy. I have recently completed a book about the destroyers of the Royal Navy, United States Navy and the Merchant Navy during the Second World War. The book, an anthology of personal accounts by WW II veterans, is being published in London and in America shortly. A Royal Australian Navy Destroyer Commander, Warwick "Braces" Bracegirdle, retired to a small Suffolk village, Gislingham, in Mid-Suffolk, England, quite close to my village. He took part in the Pacific Naval War and in the Korean War. Sadly, he passed away about five years ago and was quite a "character," absolutely fearless. Another friend, Gerald Ayres, in Hampshire, England who lost three close relatives, including his father, while serving with Royal Navy in WW II, is very interested in the travels of the famous explorer Captain Cook, who I've noticed is included in your website. I look forward to your response. Yours faithfully, Ian Hawkins
Hello Ian, Thank you for your E-Mail, I would be delighted to correspond with you. Your forthcoming book would be of great interest to me, will it become available in Australia? I would love to see a copy. What a coincidence about Braces, as a watchkeeping Lieutenant RAN, I served with Warrick in HMAS Shropshire, where he was our Gunnery Officer as a Lieutenant Commander, over 1944/1945, and we were in Tokyo Bay for the Japanese surrender. The stories about Braces are legion, and should you be at all interested I could relate a few to you. Your friend Gerald may be interested in the fact that the National Maritime Museum at Darling harbour in Sydney, in concert with the National Library in Canberra have published a CD ROM of Captain Cook's Endeavour Journal. It is a wonderful work, giving his hand written journal pages and typewritten equivalent side by side. It reproduces hundreds of artworks including original botanical and zoological images and specimens. I can really recommend it to Gerald. As I have recorded on my AHOY site, I was fortunate enough when Aide-de-Camp to the Governor General of Australia, I was able to have Cook's original journal in my hands, it was a thrill indeed. Thank you for taking the time to write. Best Regards, Gary Williams, admirer of Count Von Luckner Sir, I just found your site. I have been an admirer of Count Von Luckner for about 25 years. I first was "introduced" to the Count and the story of the Seeadler in Papeete, Tahiti in 1979. As you are most likely aware, the 5" guns from the Seeadler are displayed in Bougainville Park in Papeete. I agee with E-mail writer that the story of "our Count" would make a great movie. I own the Lowell Thomas book, COUNT VON LUCKNER THE SEA DEVIL, I also have a copy of Von Luckners "OUT OF AN OLD SEA CHEST" and Von Luckner's Biography, THE SEA DEVIL. I am always thrilled to find new information on this fascinating man. To encourage the opportunity to "spread the word" of this great man and his story, I have displayed an 8"x10" photocopied and framed photograph of the Count in my office. Over the years many courious visitors to my office have inquired, who is that in the picture? What a thrill to share the story! I would very much like to "upgrade" this old photocopy of The Count with a real photograph reproduction. Can you or any of our fellow devotees help with this? I will close by saying, BY JOE, YOU HAVE ONE GREAY WEB SITE! Regards,
Thank you for your message, I am amazed at the amount of mail, I get from around the world about my work on the Count. He was indeed an amazing Naval officer, the likes of which may never be seen again. My Ahoy site is a joint work, I do all the writing, which my friend Terry in Atlanta Georgia, converts into the site that greets anyone who may take a look. We are I will send by separate mail a photo of von Luckner and its inscription which came to me from the US west coast, this gentleman picked it up at a flea market, and asked if I could authenicate the signature, I had an earlier photo of the Count and his wife which was signed, and these signatures are identical. I will E-Mail a copy of that one also. Again my thanks for your message. With best regards from both America and Australia. Mackenzie Gregory. Father aboard the Tuscan Star when torpedoed Dear Mr Gregory, I read with interest your article on the sinking of the Tuscan Star. My father was on the ship when it was torpedoed. He did relate the story to me and I remember him recounting the parts that you mention. Some time last year whilst working in Nigeria I struck up a conversion with a gentleman and it transpired that his father-in-law was also on the ship when it was torpedoed. Apparently his father-in-law was a on the ship as a gunner. The world is indeed very small. Best Wishes
My thanks for your message, I am continually suprised by thr number of people around the world that take the trouble to write about something that strikes a chord with them that I have written about on AHOY. This site is a joint effort with my friend Terry in Atlanta Georgia, he runs the site and without his expertise and dedication it would not happen, I do all the content. You are so right Vinny, the world at times is indeed a small place. Best regards, Family Sailed in liberty ship named Marine Pheonix Good evening, I am just getting started with my family tree. My parents and 3 children left New Zealand for Australia in 1948 ( I think). We sailed in a Liberty ship named Marine Pheonix. I have some info on Liberty ships in general, but was hoping to fine tune the detail to the specific vessell. Would appreciate any info or re direction you can offer. Thankyou for receiving this mail and any info that may be forthcoming. Dennis Worledge
By coincidence, we are just back last night from a visit to New Zealand, I will see what I can unearth about your Liberty Ship Marine Phoenix, and will be in touch soon. Regards, Hello Mac, I was really inspired by your site: Referred by Jim Bauer - WW2 Pacific. I'm fairly new to the web but coming across sites like yours make me realise it's a great way of maintaining and sharing our history. My father John (Barney) Barr served on HMAS Vengeance during the period of the royal tour 1953-54 - he was seconded as the press attache. I've been putting together a journal of his RAN career as a navigational officer and have come across some quite good photos of this period on Vengeance. If you would like a copy I'm happy to forward; one is attached. I have a question also, I'm looking for information on the Japanese submarine I-15. Fairly obscure, the WW2 site has some basics. Would you have any suggestions as to where I could go to find a rough idea of her travels through later 1941. I believe she was sunk in Dec 1942. All the best, Peter Barr
Thank you also for the attachment, very interesting, did you find the Royal I was involved in that exercise, the Queen sent a signed photo of herself to Rear Admiral Dowling, we made a large pantograph, traced the signature in chalk on the flight deck, then stood 600 sailors on it, and photographed the result from a chopper. A copy was lowered to the Gothic for Her Majesty, her comment "What a fine Royal forgery.!" Nice to hear from you.
I was delighted to hear from you, we have been away in NZ , only getting home last night. I will see what I can find on I-15, and will get back to you. Ahoy, is a joint operation between my very good friend Terry who lives in Atlanta Georgia, who runs the site and pputs up all my ramblings. We do get a lot of comment about things which people find there, and we appreciate receiving any mail about our site. Mac
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