War Widow Looking for Information - Page 2

canadiancitizen · 07-05-2008, 04:22 PM

Did anyone notice that his CWGC obit says that he was " Royal Air Force " ?

Serving on a mine layer ? Odd don't you think ?

And if he was being "sent home " why was he on a working RN ship, not a troop carrier, or medical hospital ship ?

Surely such a ship wouldn't have bunk or hammock space for "extra bodies " would it ? Although the death toll seems quite high for that type of ship ?

Jim Bunting. Toronto.

Tom Canning · 07-05-2008, 05:46 PM

I have been unsuccessfully tracing the movements of 33rd British Gen Hospital and find that they served in Malta for a period prior to the Invasion of Sicily and so this might be yet another thread for the widow ...her husband might have been treated there.......? Service records MIGHT show that ...?

Tom Canning · 07-05-2008, 05:49 PM

Canadian Citizen .....and if he was being sent home - why was the ship sunk 45 miles EAST of Tobruk ....very odd ...!

Trincomalee · 07-05-2008, 06:19 PM

It was probably that German submarine from Das Boot !

The widow said she had been sent copies of a letter that an admiral had written to the surviving crew - I don't know whether that would have explained anything .

sapper · 07-05-2008, 06:36 PM

Remember that this was a period of great events. The injured would have been sent home in any way they could find. Nor is it the slightest bit unusual to find other services mixed in with the RN or any other services.
In those days, There was no standing on ceremony. If there was a way to do something ..Then it was used, no matter what.

The men from Europe were sent back on anything, Landing craft, hospital ship. Anything! If you were seriously wounded, with a need for a proper operating theatre? you flew home. I came back in a Dakota Hospital plane.
My best regards.
Sapper

craftsmanx · 09-05-2008, 12:52 PM

I would imagine that he was very likely to be casevaced from Malta to Egypt initially , so although he was on his way home he was not necessarily going by the most direct route as the Western Mediterranean was hardly the safest route from Malta.

Trincomalee · 09-05-2008, 01:08 PM

The widow said she had been notified that he was on his way home , but then received the telegram to say that he had died .

What were the ways to get home from Malta ?

poppypiper · 10-05-2008, 05:39 PM

I had the honour of playing my pipes at The malta memorial in November 2005. Just me. Everyone else was at the grand parade at the maqin cenotaph. I LAID A WREATYH IN MEMORY OF ALL THOSE COMMEMORATED ON THE
MEM ORIAL
Bill Jenkins
Liverpool

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07-05-2008, 04:22 PM	#11 (permalink)
canadiancitizen Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 14	Did anyone notice that his CWGC obit says that he was " Royal Air Force " ? Serving on a mine layer ? Odd don't you think ? And if he was being "sent home " why was he on a working RN ship, not a troop carrier, or medical hospital ship ? Surely such a ship wouldn't have bunk or hammock space for "extra bodies " would it ? Although the death toll seems quite high for that type of ship ? Jim Bunting. Toronto.

07-05-2008, 05:46 PM	#12 (permalink)
Tom Canning WW2 Veteran Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 447	I have been unsuccessfully tracing the movements of 33rd British Gen Hospital and find that they served in Malta for a period prior to the Invasion of Sicily and so this might be yet another thread for the widow ...her husband might have been treated there.......? Service records MIGHT show that ...?

07-05-2008, 05:49 PM	#13 (permalink)
Tom Canning WW2 Veteran Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 447	Canadian Citizen .....and if he was being sent home - why was the ship sunk 45 miles EAST of Tobruk ....very odd ...!

07-05-2008, 06:19 PM	#14 (permalink)
Trincomalee Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 166	It was probably that German submarine from Das Boot ! The widow said she had been sent copies of a letter that an admiral had written to the surviving crew - I don't know whether that would have explained anything .

07-05-2008, 06:36 PM	#15 (permalink)
sapper WW2 Veteran Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,490	Remember that this was a period of great events. The injured would have been sent home in any way they could find. Nor is it the slightest bit unusual to find other services mixed in with the RN or any other services. In those days, There was no standing on ceremony. If there was a way to do something ..Then it was used, no matter what. The men from Europe were sent back on anything, Landing craft, hospital ship. Anything! If you were seriously wounded, with a need for a proper operating theatre? you flew home. I came back in a Dakota Hospital plane. My best regards. Sapper

09-05-2008, 12:52 PM	#16 (permalink)
craftsmanx Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Staffordshire Posts: 12	I would imagine that he was very likely to be casevaced from Malta to Egypt initially , so although he was on his way home he was not necessarily going by the most direct route as the Western Mediterranean was hardly the safest route from Malta.

09-05-2008, 01:08 PM	#17 (permalink)
Trincomalee Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 166	The widow said she had been notified that he was on his way home , but then received the telegram to say that he had died . What were the ways to get home from Malta ?

10-05-2008, 05:39 PM	#18 (permalink)
poppypiper Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 13	I had the honour of playing my pipes at The malta memorial in November 2005. Just me. Everyone else was at the grand parade at the maqin cenotaph. I LAID A WREATYH IN MEMORY OF ALL THOSE COMMEMORATED ON THE MEM ORIAL Bill Jenkins Liverpool

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