Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

My father was on the Alcantara and I have a painting of the sea battle sinking each other. I found your web site very interesting. Would like to hear any comments you may have. Many thanks.

Sandra

Did your father survive the fight with the German Raider Greif? which I trust he did, did he ever talk to your mother about this fight? and were any of his stories passed down to you?

If so, we would love to hear them, so we might share them via AHOY.

I am continually suprised at the messages we receive as a result of something I may have written about, that strikes a chord with someone out there in the big wide INTERNET, and they, as have you, get in touch. It is one of the wonders of both the net and an E-Mail facility that I really enjoy. 

The Captain of Alcantara paid a heavy price for steaming too close to the Raider before he really knew her true identity.

But that is not the last time such an indescretion came about, in WW2, our own HMAS Sydney steamed too close to the German Raider Kormoran before she became aware of the danger she was in, and in the subsequent fight Sydney steamed off on fire, never to be seen again, with her total crew of 645 lost. Here in Australia there are current moves afoot to go and search the

Indian Ocean for the wrecks of both Kormoran and Sydney.

I imagine the attached picture is a copy of your painting, if not Sandra, could you mail me a copy of your one please, and we will reproduce it on AHOY.

Thank you for your kind remarks about the site, my web master Terry Kearns in Atlanta Georgia who looks after our site is responsible for getting up on AHOY, my various scribblings and research.

Nice to hear from you and best wishes from both America and Australia.

Mac. Gregory.

hello Mac yes my father did survive the war afterward he worked as a removal man and doing a removal in Leeds Yorkshire came across the painting of the battle the lady of the house asked my dad of his interest when he told her he served on the Alcantara she gave him the painting .i am gobsmacked to see the picture as it is the same one as i have i thought there was only one more .as to his war stories he told me the Grief used to sail under a flag of convenience to get close to allied ships and then would drop tarporlins to reveal her guns and try to sink them .when the germans surrenderd at scapa flow and scuttled the fleet my dad was put aboard the flagship to try to stop it sinking but to no avail .he also met the old king who he said was a stuttering ------------ i will leave that to your imagination thank you for e/mail hope to speak again

hello again I was just wondering if you received my last e mail as I am just a amateur on the computer. I was dumbstruck when I received your picture as the one I have is the exact copy in a frame. I think I should explain the email address is in my wife's name but it was my father not hers

my name is malcolm/mally.He did tell me some tales of his time in the navy and at another time if you wish I will send them

All the best yours Mally

Hello,

Yes, I did get your last E-Mail, and we would be pleased to have your Father's stories, especially about the fight between Alcantara and Grief.

Just whenever you are ready.

Best wishes,
Mac. Gregory.

back to letters index