Info on ship required

[papa_smurf]

Just found out about another ship my Grandfather served on as a cabin boy (pre 2nd world war), and would like some information on her. The ships name is the SS Warma Castle, and heres the only photo I could find (the one in the background).

Any info would be greatly appriciated.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by papa_smurf

Just found out about another ship my Grandfather served on as a cabin boy (pre 2nd world war), and would like some information on her. The ships name is the SS Warma Castle, and heres the only photo I could find (the one in the background).

Any info would be greatly appriciated.

but could not find something like what I see in the picture, but I'll be in touch if anything shows up

[Sailor Steve]

The ship in the picture is not Warma Castle, but simply SS Warma. There is no listing for a ship of either name in The World's Merchant Fleets 1939, so the ship has to have either been renamed before the war, or carried a different name at the beginning of the war and been renamed Warma Castle during the war. Since you said your grandfather served on her prior to the war, I'm assuming the former is the case.

It wasn't built by any shipbuilder on the Clyde river, and neither name appears anywhere in the British Fleets List. I came across an Estonian Naval hero who was active in the period during and following the First World War by the name of Aleksandr Warma, and searched for the possibility of a ship registered with that nation named after him, but no luck.

Do you by chance have his official papers? Jimbuna has his fathers official book, and it lists every ship he served on, including the name, tonnage and home port.

Aside from actually walking into the place where they keep the actual records, I'm not sure what else can be done to find this ship.

[Platapus]

Wow, Steve. I am impressed.

[Flaxpants]

Good luck in finding more info on your grandfathers ship.

Whilst on the subject of grandfathers & ships, my grandfather was the radioman on HMS Ibis (U-99), a Black Swan class sloop which was torpedoed by an Italian aircraft 10 miles north of Algiers on 10 Nov 1942 whilst rushing to aid an aircraft carrier under attack. My grandfather did not survive this attack, 102 crewmen did. My father did some fairly extensive research into this a few years back and managed, with the Navy's assistance, to get in touch with many of the survivors and organise a reunion dinner. One of the survivors was a man named Rikki Fulton, 19 at the time, who later became a famous Scottish comedian.

Hope you don't think I'm hijacking your thread- hopefully my story will encourage you to dig deep into yours, it's amazing what you can uncover.

Have you tried http://navsource.org/

[papa_smurf]

The ship in the picture is not Warma Castle, but simply SS Warma. There is no listing for a ship of either name in The World's Merchant Fleets 1939, so the ship has to have either been renamed before the war, or carried a different name at the beginning of the war and been renamed Warma Castle during the war. Since you said your grandfather served on her prior to the war, I'm assuming the former is the case.

It wasn't built by any shipbuilder on the Clyde river, and neither name appears anywhere in the British Fleets List. I came across an Estonian Naval hero who was active in the period during and following the First World War by the name of Aleksandr Warma, and searched for the possibility of a ship registered with that nation named after him, but no luck.

Do you by chance have his official papers? Jimbuna has his fathers official book, and it lists every ship he served on, including the name, tonnage and home port.

Aside from actually walking into the place where they keep the actual records, I'm not sure what else can be done to find this ship.

Thank for that Steve, you probably right about the ship been renamed. I do know that my grandfather was taken off the ship by his grandfather just prior to the war. As for his official papers, im not sure if I can get hold of them due to my grandfather passed away last year, so might be difficult finding them.

Many thanks Steve, will help me focus my search

[papa_smurf]

Have found anoher ship called the "Walmer Castle", and the dates for her fit, but my grandma says it the the "Wama Castle" So im at a bit of a dead end

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Wow, Steve. I am impressed.

That I spent at least half an hour of my time and wrote a bunch of stuff just to say "I don't know"?

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by The Third Man

Have you tried http://navsource.org/

Unfortunately we're looking for a British merchant ship, and NavSource only covers American naval vessels.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by papa_smurf

Have found anoher ship called the "Walmer Castle", and the dates for her fit, but my grandma says it the the "Wama Castle" So im at a bit of a dead end

I just took a quick search on Arnold Hague's Convoy Website http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/index.html and there is no listing for either name, which means that no such ship ever sailed with a British convoy any time during the war.

Back to square one. Sorry.

[edit] I am beginning to wonder about your "Walmer Castle" lead. Too bad we can't ask him - he might have been able to tell us what type of ship it was, which could be of some help.

[papa_smurf]

I just took a quick search on Arnold Hague's Convoy Website http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/index.html and there is no listing for either name, which means that no such ship ever sailed with a British convoy any time during the war.

Back to square one. Sorry.

[edit] I am beginning to wonder about your "Walmer Castle" lead. Too bad we can't ask him - he might have been able to tell us what type of ship it was, which could be of some help.

Looking more like a dead end, oh well thanks for everyone's help.