I sincerely hate to doubt a heroic story, but AFAIK there are no proofs that SS Beaverford was doing something besides trying to run from raider that chose it as next victim. The idea that she somehow tried to block the raider path didn't fit the timescale; the SS Beaverford was attacked just a hour after SS Kenbane Head, and about a hour before SS Fresno City was attacked. There were simply no time for prolonged action.
And German sources didn't confirm it either. The "Admiral Sheer" captain in his memories mentioned SS Beaverford only in passing as a ship with cargo of timber, that was proven hard to sunk by gunfire and therefore was torpedoed. While the battle with "Jervis Bay" was described in details and high praise to British sailors courage and determination.
With all sincere respect to the sailors who lost their lives on SS Beaverford, I doubt that they should be honored with likely made-up story.
Good Morning shipmates. Thank you CDR for this post.
“Compliance Officer” needed to manage our Shipbuilding Programs! Who agrees? Please write me a “Comment”. Thank you!
I’ve taken on AA County Permits & Inspections, Maryland, asking for a review of “Bulkhead Code Compliance - otherwise known as “Building Code” for “Bulkhead Repairs Land Side”. I’ve written Ms Theresa, Clerk at the Riva Road Permits & Inspections, I’ll be there Monday Morning! Very respectfully written, Nurse Jane
This just one of many individual acts of heroism by our great culture of merchant mariners and the "American Small Boy" destroyer eacorts defending the convoys. The lion's share of the destroyer escort crews were reservists fresh from their farms and small towns. They all suffered mightily to reinforce the Brits, who after the War voted Churchill out of office. So much loss and human suffering for such an ungrateful people.
What exactly "ungrateful" was in 1945 elections? Peoples respected Churchill greatly; they just didn't think Conservative party have a good program of post-war reconstruction (they recalled how poorly Conservatives handled pre-war era).
With the assistance of Capitalist America and the Communist Soviet Union, under Churchill's leadership, Great Britain defeated the Nazi/Fascist Axis Powers. In a free & fair post-war election, the Brits showed their gratitude by embracing socialism. Look at them now. But, hey...it was done democratically. Free to choose, free to choose, free to choose.
Should I remind you that Conservatives were in power for almost all interbellum - and the result was that Britain entered the next war under-armed, unprepared, and making utter mess of the European politics with Conservative's haphazard efforts to applease Hitler and Mussolini? From the 1940s British point of view, Conservatives demonstrated that they can't be relied on.
Labour/Liberal and Conservative parties were on again, off again in power between WWI and WWII with even the Conservatives embracing the welfare state much like RINO's of today. It is easily to pin things on one party while ignoring another. The concept of "Uniparty" is real.
Since 1922 till 1939, there were eight prime ministers in power, of which only two were labour (and one of them was forced to form national government with conservatives).
Great article, I am relatively new, so this may have been done already, but the story of the SS Stephen Hopkins is pretty amazing as well.
Liberty ship, 1 4in and a couple 40mm, sinks the heavily armed german raider Stier, she is sunk herself and the survivors spend 31 days at sea before landing on the Brazilian coast.
Off topic, but...at 14 I read Nicholas Monsarrat's The Cruel Sea. At 16 I was hospitalized for several days at the USPS hospital in New Orleans for pneumonia. The ward was full of older Merchant Seaman. They sort of adopted me during my stay. Good men, friendly, they had stories. At 17, I joined the Navy. At 18 I was an RD3 deployed in the early spring of 1967 on a top-heavy Dealey Class Destroyer Escort in a Carrier HUK Group to the North Atlantic. No, it wasn't convoy duty, but I got a mild taste of what it must have been like. I recall steaming in a column (Formation 1) with other small boys with 1000 yard spacing and not being able to see the ship ahead when we were both in a trough. Those Merchant Seaman and Sailors were braver than you can imagine. I got my sea legs and was never sea sick that cruise. Small victory. I stayed for another 24 years.
That the bravery of these men, all such men, are not taught in our schools - because all nations has its share of heroes - from any age, is a crime I lack the verbiage to express beyond cursing.
---
The M/S Stureholm met a dire fate. She was torpedoed by U 96 (a vessel with hundreds of merchant sailors' lives on her tally) on December 12th 1940, in the North Sea, when she was part of a convoy from North America to England, and was lost with all hands (she had a crew of 32). I looked it up, it's not as if I'm carrying that kind of knowledge inside my head - precisely because we haven't been taught any of it.
---
Indeed, I wouldn't be surprised to learn if the revisionism apparent in silencing all the tales of horror and heroism serves some clandestine and nefarious purpose.
Perhaps we would have fewer war-mongering politicians, pundits and business-men if war to them weren't abstraction but something deathly real.
Thank you for the charge of the SS Beaverford. "The brave never die, though they sleep in dust: Their courage nerves a thousand living men." - Minot J. Savage. A tip of the hat to the Canadians whose service has been sadly under-appreciated in WWI, WWII, and Korea. The Germans absolutely hated the Canadians who only came to fight, win and then go home. In the Battle of the Atlantic, the Canadian sailors were renowned U-Boat killers. And in Korea, the Canadians desperately held at Kapyong, saving Seoul and preventing an 8th Army disaster. Canadians are seemingly born to be (unsaid) heroes.
Loosely related, brought to mind the great, great novel and movie "The Cruel Sea". A must read/see for realistic moving story of seaman on convoy duty (British) in the North Atlantic.
POTUS announced today 3 January about 11:30 A.M. ,“We are taking over Venezuela for the time being…” Our temporary fifty-first State ? Okay, let’s hear what you think. Tonight is the “Wolf Moon”. Call me “Wolverine”! Respectfully yours NJ
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Fullbore. To the max. We can only salute and honor the memory. With your assistance.
Acta non Verba
KPS 🇺🇲 🌐⚓ 🇨🇦
I sincerely hate to doubt a heroic story, but AFAIK there are no proofs that SS Beaverford was doing something besides trying to run from raider that chose it as next victim. The idea that she somehow tried to block the raider path didn't fit the timescale; the SS Beaverford was attacked just a hour after SS Kenbane Head, and about a hour before SS Fresno City was attacked. There were simply no time for prolonged action.
And German sources didn't confirm it either. The "Admiral Sheer" captain in his memories mentioned SS Beaverford only in passing as a ship with cargo of timber, that was proven hard to sunk by gunfire and therefore was torpedoed. While the battle with "Jervis Bay" was described in details and high praise to British sailors courage and determination.
With all sincere respect to the sailors who lost their lives on SS Beaverford, I doubt that they should be honored with likely made-up story.
"Facts have nothing to do with Truth".
Think of it as a variation of the three bogatyrs. Everyone loves a ripping yarn.
Good Morning shipmates. Thank you CDR for this post.
“Compliance Officer” needed to manage our Shipbuilding Programs! Who agrees? Please write me a “Comment”. Thank you!
I’ve taken on AA County Permits & Inspections, Maryland, asking for a review of “Bulkhead Code Compliance - otherwise known as “Building Code” for “Bulkhead Repairs Land Side”. I’ve written Ms Theresa, Clerk at the Riva Road Permits & Inspections, I’ll be there Monday Morning! Very respectfully written, Nurse Jane
This just one of many individual acts of heroism by our great culture of merchant mariners and the "American Small Boy" destroyer eacorts defending the convoys. The lion's share of the destroyer escort crews were reservists fresh from their farms and small towns. They all suffered mightily to reinforce the Brits, who after the War voted Churchill out of office. So much loss and human suffering for such an ungrateful people.
What exactly "ungrateful" was in 1945 elections? Peoples respected Churchill greatly; they just didn't think Conservative party have a good program of post-war reconstruction (they recalled how poorly Conservatives handled pre-war era).
With the assistance of Capitalist America and the Communist Soviet Union, under Churchill's leadership, Great Britain defeated the Nazi/Fascist Axis Powers. In a free & fair post-war election, the Brits showed their gratitude by embracing socialism. Look at them now. But, hey...it was done democratically. Free to choose, free to choose, free to choose.
Should I remind you that Conservatives were in power for almost all interbellum - and the result was that Britain entered the next war under-armed, unprepared, and making utter mess of the European politics with Conservative's haphazard efforts to applease Hitler and Mussolini? From the 1940s British point of view, Conservatives demonstrated that they can't be relied on.
Labour/Liberal and Conservative parties were on again, off again in power between WWI and WWII with even the Conservatives embracing the welfare state much like RINO's of today. It is easily to pin things on one party while ignoring another. The concept of "Uniparty" is real.
Since 1922 till 1939, there were eight prime ministers in power, of which only two were labour (and one of them was forced to form national government with conservatives).
And I'm not exactly pinning the blame - I'm explaining why peoples in 1945 were skeptical about Conservatives ability to govern post-war recovery.
Great article, I am relatively new, so this may have been done already, but the story of the SS Stephen Hopkins is pretty amazing as well.
Liberty ship, 1 4in and a couple 40mm, sinks the heavily armed german raider Stier, she is sunk herself and the survivors spend 31 days at sea before landing on the Brazilian coast.
^ http://usmm.org/hopkins.html
https://www.maritime.dot.gov/history/gallant-ship-award/ss-stephen-hopkins
My uncle was killed in the battle. He was a seaman 2nd class in the Naval Armed Guard detachment.
sorrow not that such men died. Stand in awe that such men lived.
Oh my god. Five hours against a pocket battleship, armed with just two guns and grit and honour? 🫡
I think there is something you navy types say about wooden ships and Iron men… Thanks for sharing!
Off topic, but...at 14 I read Nicholas Monsarrat's The Cruel Sea. At 16 I was hospitalized for several days at the USPS hospital in New Orleans for pneumonia. The ward was full of older Merchant Seaman. They sort of adopted me during my stay. Good men, friendly, they had stories. At 17, I joined the Navy. At 18 I was an RD3 deployed in the early spring of 1967 on a top-heavy Dealey Class Destroyer Escort in a Carrier HUK Group to the North Atlantic. No, it wasn't convoy duty, but I got a mild taste of what it must have been like. I recall steaming in a column (Formation 1) with other small boys with 1000 yard spacing and not being able to see the ship ahead when we were both in a trough. Those Merchant Seaman and Sailors were braver than you can imagine. I got my sea legs and was never sea sick that cruise. Small victory. I stayed for another 24 years.
That the bravery of these men, all such men, are not taught in our schools - because all nations has its share of heroes - from any age, is a crime I lack the verbiage to express beyond cursing.
---
The M/S Stureholm met a dire fate. She was torpedoed by U 96 (a vessel with hundreds of merchant sailors' lives on her tally) on December 12th 1940, in the North Sea, when she was part of a convoy from North America to England, and was lost with all hands (she had a crew of 32). I looked it up, it's not as if I'm carrying that kind of knowledge inside my head - precisely because we haven't been taught any of it.
---
Indeed, I wouldn't be surprised to learn if the revisionism apparent in silencing all the tales of horror and heroism serves some clandestine and nefarious purpose.
Perhaps we would have fewer war-mongering politicians, pundits and business-men if war to them weren't abstraction but something deathly real.
Thank you for the charge of the SS Beaverford. "The brave never die, though they sleep in dust: Their courage nerves a thousand living men." - Minot J. Savage. A tip of the hat to the Canadians whose service has been sadly under-appreciated in WWI, WWII, and Korea. The Germans absolutely hated the Canadians who only came to fight, win and then go home. In the Battle of the Atlantic, the Canadian sailors were renowned U-Boat killers. And in Korea, the Canadians desperately held at Kapyong, saving Seoul and preventing an 8th Army disaster. Canadians are seemingly born to be (unsaid) heroes.
Such courage. Going beyond technology.
Thank you for this awe and remembrance of heroic sailors and seamen!
Fullbore!
Loosely related, brought to mind the great, great novel and movie "The Cruel Sea". A must read/see for realistic moving story of seaman on convoy duty (British) in the North Atlantic.
Good Afternoon Shipmates!
POTUS announced today 3 January about 11:30 A.M. ,“We are taking over Venezuela for the time being…” Our temporary fifty-first State ? Okay, let’s hear what you think. Tonight is the “Wolf Moon”. Call me “Wolverine”! Respectfully yours NJ