Merchant Marines WW2?

[Dennis]

Hi,

I've been told that a relative, who had enlisted in the Merchant Marine, was on board a vessel Empress Of Canada in 1943 when it was sunk by an Italian submarine in the South Atlantic. Is there a list of survivors?

regards. dennis

[Hibee]

Hi Dennis

Good luck with this but I suspect that, if any list exists, it would be of casualties.

Hibee

[Currie]

Hello Dennis,

I don't know if there would be a list of survivors anywhere. Maybe a list of passengers but I'm not sure where. The ship had been taken over by the Government at the outbreak of war and used for transporting troops etc. So I guess there would be no ticketing arrangements as in peacetime.

If you're not sure whether he survived it's probably best to first check the CWGC site http://www.cwgc.org Any Commonwealth War Deaths as a result of the sinking of the Empress of Canada should be recorded there.

Have you checked the WW2 Merchant Marine medal database at the National Archives. See also the 'Further Research' link. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/docu ... medals.asp

It seems there were 1,346 people on board and 392 died, 44 of those being crew members.

All the best,
Alan

[Hugh Stevely]

Here is a interesting link you might find some thing good luck or try Findmypast.co.uk/Military

empress of Canada it was torpedoed by the Italian sub Leonardo Da Vinci.The Emress of Canada was converted to a troop carrier during ww2.Over 300 Italian POWs were lost during this action.Survivors were picked up and landed in Durban and most transported back to the u.k via Liverpol

http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/


Orraverybest Hugh.

[Currie]

Thanks for that Hugh,

I’ve been to uboat.net before but hadn’t noticed the Crew Lists.

All the best,
Alan