SS (HMS) Malines Query

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by stevej60, Oct 1, 2020.

  1. stevej60

    stevej60 Active Member

    Hi Folk's,I was looking for something totally different on the CWGC website and noticed the burial of
    two unknown sailors in a local churchyard,not an unusual occurrence in cemeteries along the Tyne
    as no doubt many souls were recovered during wartime repair's.What surprised me is that the burial
    date 22/7/42 coincides with the torpedoing and beaching of the ship in the Med.Very strange entry.
    Casualty Details | CWGC
    Wiki has this.
    SS Malines (1921) - Wikipedia
     
  2. Richelieu

    Richelieu Well-Known Member

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  3. Ewen Scott

    Ewen Scott Well-Known Member

    Question? Are we actually talking about the same vessel?

    The Malines built in 1921 that you linked to was commissioned into the RN as HMS Malines in 1940. I’ve confirmed that with the book “Short Sea Long War” and it confirms her torpedoing in the Med in July 1942. After docking in April 1943 she didn’t return to the U.K. until 1945 to be scrapped. At that time she was still HMS.

    But the CWGC record refers to S.S. Malines, a merchant ship.

    So was another merchant ship built after 1940 and named Malines or was another vessel renamed Malines in the interim? You might be able to get a Ship Movement Card from the National Archives. These are free at the moment if you register. That might help clarify things.
     
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  4. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

  5. Richelieu

    Richelieu Well-Known Member

    The Grave Registration Report that Steve linked to states H.M.S. Malines, so the AHF info could well be correct Ewen. Do you know where she was scraped? Anywhere near Whickham?


    Edit: She was apparently broken-up very nearby, in Dunston, by Clayton & Davie in 1948.

    Malines 1921
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2020
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  6. Ewen Scott

    Ewen Scott Well-Known Member

    Yes. HMS not SS. My bad. Clearly need a trip to Specsavers.

    Very sad that the ship was dry docked in Alexandria in March 1943 for patching up and again at Falmouth in 1945 and they didn't find those bodies. She left Egypt under tow in May 1945 and arrived at Wallsend, via Falmouth, on 7 Nov 1945 where she was found to be beyond economic repair and eventually sold for scrap.
     
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  7. stevej60

    stevej60 Active Member

    Thank's folk's,that clarifies thing's my first thought was that the bodies were discovered during scrapping in 1945 I
    can only assume the CWGC did their homework and tied these men's death's to the ship's torpedoing in July 42 as
    you know many unknown burial's are not as specific.be interesting to know how many died in the incident and who was
    missing.
     
  8. stevej60

    stevej60 Active Member

    Last edited: Oct 1, 2020
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  9. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    From FMP:
    upload_2020-10-1_23-31-22.png

    Tim
     
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