S.S. Shantung / Sgt Donald Houston

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joppen46
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Re: S.S. Shantung / Sgt Donald Houston

Post by joppen46 » Tue Dec 27, 2022 10:13 am

Hi Again

I found this messeage on an norwegian merchant site, guest book, it was posted 2004 but the book is closed now.

".....Dec. 29 2004

From: A.H.BUTLER

SHANTUNG 1941

Hi FOLKS, seek your help.
I do voluntary research for folks,although i am ex MN one covers all aspects of services.
My MN Canadian friends rang me and ask if i could find about a CANADIAN AIR FORCE chap ROBERT ALBERT BISHOP R74699 that was lost on the SHANTUNG 25 12 1941 one can only take it for granted he was a passenger on this ship in convoy 165 bound from Halifax to LIVERPOOL and as you state in your web site that the ship was SHELLED, can you please tell me any details, which would be of help.
BEST WISHES.
HARRY H.BUTLER....."

I would like to find living relatives to Robert Albert Bishop R74699, RCAF, he was 19 years old when he drowned when SS Shantung sunk. Apparently he was from Vancover. Anyone have a clue how that could be done?

Regards
Jesper Jensen
Rörö Sweden
e-mail jensen.roro@gmail.com

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Re: S.S. Shantung / Sgt Donald Houston

Post by joppen46 » Tue Dec 27, 2022 11:46 am

https://www.rcafassociation.ca/heritage ... to-boothe/
When searching this memorial site I get the below

BISHOP, ROBERT ALBERT SGT(WAG) R74699. From Vancouver, British Columbia. Killed in Action Dec 25/41 age 19. Lost at sea when the S.S. Shantung was sunk, Sgt D. Houston was also killed. Sergeant Wireless Operator Air Gunner Bishop has no known grave, his name is inscribed on the Runnymede War Memorial, Englefield Green, Egham, Surrey, England.

Regards
Jesper Jensen
Rörö Sweden

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Re: S.S. Shantung / Sgt Donald Houston

Post by joppen46 » Tue Dec 27, 2022 10:29 pm

modell Shantung.jpg
modell Shantung.jpg (349.82 KiB) Viewed 7310 times
On the model of Shantung you can see the placment of the lifeboats, 2 on port and 2 on starboard. I know that a order went out to all Swedish ships to carry a loose liferaft on top of the cargo hatch. I do not know when this order was sent out. She was built on Götaverken in Gothenburg Sweden and launched in 1922, owned by Broström Line. 133 meters long, 17 meters wide. 5000 ihp 6 cylinder B&W machine. Speed 13 knots thats why she sailed in HX-165 convoy. HX where slow convoys out of Halifax, later New York. She had loaded general cargo and cotton in New Orleans, she then docked in Halifax Canada and borded 9 passengers. I only know the names of Bishop and Houston.
Last edited by joppen46 on Tue Dec 27, 2022 10:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: S.S. Shantung / Sgt Donald Houston

Post by joppen46 » Tue Dec 27, 2022 10:43 pm

tunaholm_1938_1.jpg
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The "Tunaholm" suposedly picked up the survivors and later some where transfered to "Gullmaren". But I have not found more info on this.

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Re: S.S. Shantung / Sgt Donald Houston

Post by Temujin » Wed Dec 28, 2022 1:44 pm

The following information is from Directorate of Movements files held in LAC Ottawa. Information below also confirms that 20 Survivor's from Shantung, INCLUDING 6 Pilots arrived in South America on Swedish Ship GULLMAREN

https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/ooci ... c5614/2572
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Re: S.S. Shantung / Sgt Donald Houston

Post by Temujin » Wed Dec 28, 2022 2:09 pm

More pages from Admiralty War Diaries which CONFIRM that Swedish ship TUNAHOLM has picked up survivors from SHANTUNG………ALSO first records confirms sinking of SANTUNG by British Aircraft on 2 Jan 1941
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Re: S.S. Shantung / Sgt Donald Houston

Post by Temujin » Wed Dec 28, 2022 2:17 pm

Also found this record of TUNAHOLM and GULLMAREN leaving Gothenburg 19 Dec 1941 on route to South America
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Re: S.S. Shantung / Sgt Donald Houston

Post by joppen46 » Thu Dec 29, 2022 7:33 am

Colombia.jpg
Colombia.jpg (2.82 KiB) Viewed 7258 times
This is Swedish Colombia, built 1930's. She made 15,2 knots thus maybe truting the Swedish flag and the speed to go outside the convoys. Could it be her in the war diary?

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Re: S.S. Shantung / Sgt Donald Houston

Post by Temujin » Thu Dec 29, 2022 10:29 am

joppen46 wrote:
Thu Dec 29, 2022 7:33 am
Colombia.jpg This is Swedish Colombia, built 1930's. She made 15,2 knots thus maybe truting the Swedish flag and the speed to go outside the convoys. Could it be her in the war diary?
I’m NOT positive that COLUMBIA is a Swedish Merchant ship in this case. This MAY have been HMCS Columbia, a Canadian Destroyer, ex US Destroyer and assigned to the Canadian Navy under Lend/Lease. She was NOT part of the escort, but may have been with another escort group at the time?? I’m checking to see if I can find anything.

HMCS Columbia was part of Convoy ON.40 which Depart Liverpool on 25 November 1941.
Dispersed on 4 December 1941 so she MAY have been in that area…….not positive, again searching for info

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Re: S.S. Shantung / Sgt Donald Houston

Post by Temujin » Thu Dec 29, 2022 12:52 pm

Temujin wrote:
Thu Dec 29, 2022 10:29 am
joppen46 wrote:
Thu Dec 29, 2022 7:33 am
Colombia.jpg This is Swedish Colombia, built 1930's. She made 15,2 knots thus maybe truting the Swedish flag and the speed to go outside the convoys. Could it be her in the war diary?
I’m NOT positive that COLUMBIA is a Swedish Merchant ship in this case. This MAY have been HMCS Columbia, a Canadian Destroyer, ex US Destroyer and assigned to the Canadian Navy under Lend/Lease. She was NOT part of the escort, but may have been with another escort group at the time?? I’m checking to see if I can find anything.

HMCS Columbia was part of Convoy ON.40 which Depart Liverpool on 25 November 1941.
Dispersed on 4 December 1941 so she MAY have been in that area…….not positive, again searching for info
Found a record of M.V. Columbia (Swedish merchant ship) being in VANCOUVER (I assume Canada) getting ready to sail to Russia, this was in Oct 1941…..so I don’t believe it could be possible it made it from the Pacific to the Atlantic in Dec 1941……it may have, still searching for any other records

Second record is permission to use American port (in the Aleutians, if needed depending on Japanese situation
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