Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve by F.N.Goodwin.
This is the story of a young officer who was at sea throughout the Second World War.
He joined the Training Ship CONWAY in the Mersey in 1938 destined for the Merchant Navy. War intervened, and in 1940, on completion of his training, he became a Midshipman in the Royal Naval Reserve at the age of 17 and was appointed to H.M.S. CANTON, a P & O liner converted to Armed Merchant Cruiser. Subsequent appointments were to the fast minelayer ABDIEL, the cruiser SHEFFIELD, the battleship KING GEORGE V, the corvette TINTAGEL CASTLE, and finally, at the end of the war, the corvette ALLINGTON CASTLE on fishery protection duties as First Lieutenant, having by this time been promoted to Lieutenant. His descriptions of life as a Cadet and Midshipman brought back memories of my own experiences in the Royal Navy, but most of the book is taken up with the activities of his ships and with anecdotes. He has used his Midshipman's Journal effectively, although he kept one only... Read the original book review here
Associated topics
Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve by F.N.Goodwin. John Beck 01/05/2010
..HMS Canton Pauline Baggio 06/03/2012
....HMS Canton Val Hughes 02/01/2011
....hms canton john hawkins 07/03/2010
..SS Kurdistan (presidant 111) Edward waterman 05/03/2011
..R.E. HMS Canton Gary Glover 10/09/2009
..S S Kurdistan Beryl Talbot 18/10/2008
....Chief Engineer ss Kurdistan Ted Ashworth 07/12/2009
Add your comments
Please note: this is not an email facility, all comments are placed on
this page and on our Forum
Under no circumstances can we accept advertising from non-members.
|
Comment on this
Previous comments
Rebar Sulaivany
1/5/2010
I found this silent short video about this ship. I am from Iraqi Kurdistan and I had not heard before of a ship named after "Kurdistan". Does anybody knows the history behind the name?.
Here is the link to he video:
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=14746
H Bedddows
27/1/2009
My father served on HMS Canton until the of the war, he is still alive and in relatively good health I think he manned an AA gun amondst other things and spent most of the war in the Indian Ocean (India, Ceylon aand S Africa, if anyone wants to contact me my e-mail is:
haydnbeddows@hotmail.com
Kath
28/12/2006
Kathy,
The ministry of Defence deals with medals.
see: http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceFor/Veterans/Medals/
Colin Wood
4/12/2006
Ref the query about Tommy Loftus serving aboard the SS Kurdistan.
I'm afraid I don't know anything about Tommy but I have found in an old book, belonging to my long deceased father, a pen and ink drawing that looks to be of the good ship Kurdistan. The ship, so I understand, was owned by Common Bros of Newcastle upon Tyne, and I'm pretty sure that the funnel markings on the ship in the drawing are those of Common Bros. She doesn't look like a passenger vessel though. On the reverse is the following poem:
Scarred and rusted, fore and aft,
Rigging old and worn,
Buffeted and battered
By the sea's unsparing scorn,
Reeling up the channe
Through the mist and driving rain,
Here's the dammed old Kurdistan,
Coming home again.
Incidentally, I have had to spell dammed that way because the forum won't accept the correct spelling - says it's rude!
The poem is signed "Wee Wullie" and dated 20 Januay 1929. I would guess that Wee Wullie was Scottish and a friend of my father's who was a sea faring man at that time. I'm pretty sure, however, that my father didn't serve on the Kurdistan as there's no mention of it in his discharge book.
Happy to provide a copy of the drawing to the sender of the Tommy Loftus note but I need an e-mail address.
regards to all
Colin Wood
David Pearce
27/11/2006
HEllo anybodt who reads this and hopefully you can help me.
Im currently looking for some kind of manifest to show that my grand father, leslie richley, served on the HMS Allington Castle during the Russian Convoys.
Any help would be well, helpful and i would love you for it but not in the disturbing way! LOL.
My email is, maradonapelebest@yahoo.com
If your able to help then email ASAP please.
Many Thanks
kathy
10/11/2006
can anyone tell me how i can claim my grandfathers nedals.he was lost at sea in 1941 when a torpedo struck his ship.
tommy loftus
9/11/2006
does anyone know of the ship called ss kurdistan which was torpedoed in 1941 killing ten of its 66 passengers on board.tommy loftus my granddad was one of these men.thanks
John O Hagan
2/11/2006
My (late)Grandfather Johnny O hagan served on the HMS Canton, apparently a Petty Officer, He went to Africa and arrived home 1942 thats all the details I have, if anyone knew my grandfather or anything about him my email is marybailie@hotmail.com
DALE PARMENTER
28/8/2006
My mothers farther was the radio officer on the ss Derrynane sank in 1941. does anybody have any information about the ship.dale.parmenter@tiscali.co.uk
Graham Morgan
5/3/2006
ref K J Barrett MBE
ref Pauline Baggio
My (late) grandfather served on HMS Canton, his name was James Morgan and was one of the ship's electricians. Do you know/remember anything about him, and any info regarding the ships career in this time would be welcome by myself, my dad and uncle's. my email address is graham.morgan@ntlworld.com
Kindest regards.
John Johnston
31/1/2006
Any of you know my grandad johnny johnston?
email me on gandofini@gmail.com
K J Barrett MBE
21/1/2006
Further ref Pauline Baggio.
my e-mail address Lunsar@btinternet.com
K J Barrett MBE
21/1/2006
Ref Pauline Baggio
I served on Canton 1942/44 in the Indian Ocean and I could help Pauline with her quest for further information on Canton's war time service, up and til the time of her paying off to be converted to a troop ship
Pauline Baggio
6/8/2005
I was looking on the internet to see if I could find anything about the ship my Father served on during WW11.
He was on the Canton for many years spending time around India and Ceylon that I know of and was trying to find out more about the ship or people who served with him - probably all dead by now. His name was James Wise and rose to the rank of PO as far as I know.
shirley burnham
16/2/2004
your piece is very interesting! i have just finished editing a memoir by a man, born in Bridgend in 1916, who attended Smith's Nautical Training School, Cardiff, and then began his apprenticehip at the age of 15, going on to serve in WWII. it is an informative and entertaining read and i am sure a lot of people will enjoy it. i should much appreciate it if you could give me any pointers to seeking reviews and/or marketing his book which will be sold through a publisher's website.
best regards.
shirley burnham
|
