Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

Very interesting to read of Arthur Burland's reminiscences aboard Rangitata in convoy HX348. It seems he was witness to the demise of the "Empire Gold" and its master, my late grandfather, Henry Cecil Cansdale.

Arthur comments that it must have been one of the last ships to be torpedoed in the Atlantic during WW2; the tragic irony of which is not lost on our family as he left his widow, Kate Adelaide, with three children aged under five, of which my father (also Henry) is the eldest. The loss was further confounded for a number of years by the occurrence of an administrative error which ommitted my grandfather's name from the Mechant Navy Roll of Honour in London. I'm happy to report that this was corrected in time and for the first time this year, my father and I visited his gravesite in Pornic War Cemetery, France.

I wonder if you have any information on the four survivors who were picked up from the Rescue ship "Gothland" or any other information on the "Empire Gold's" short life? (My father actually recalls being  onboard the ship and being presented by the crew with a  matchstick model of an aeroplane when it visited the Tyne). Alas, we know little else of the ship or indeed of the father and grandfather we lost.

With kindest regards for a most interesting website.
                                                                        
Graeme Cansdale
                                                                        
Newcastle, England.

P.S. Pornic War Cemetery is situated approx. 20km south of St. Nazaire, Brittany, France. Of the 300 or so graves there, a large number are from the   "Lancastria" sinking of June 1940 - I've read there was at least 3500 lost yet, it seems such a huge disaster is little known. Lest we forget all those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Wars.

Graeme, here is a small note about Empire Gold.

'EMPIRE' SHIPS

These were merchant ships built during the war for the British Ministry of Shipping. All were given the prefix 'Empire' as were ships requisitioned or taken as war prizes i.e. the Italian hospital ship Leonardo da Vinci became the Empire Clyde. A total of 196 Empire ships were sunk by various means in WWII. The first ship to enter the port of Cherbourg after its liberation was the Empire Traveller carrying ten thousand tons of gasoline for the US Forces. The last Empire ship sunk was the 8,028 ton tanker Empire Gold, torpedoed by the U-1107 on April 18, 1945.

I have not been able to find the names of those picked up by Gothland.

My piece on the sinking of Lancastria is here in case you are interested, I agree, her loss was one of the worst disasters in Britain's Maritime History,

but is little known.

Your kind words about AHOY are much appreciated.

Best wishes,
Mac Gregory

Empire Gold explodes

Hello Mac,

I've been in touch with Graeme and am awaiting a reply. I thought you may want to add the following to the Empire Gold link on your site.

Regarding the loss of the Empire Gold. As far as my records go, Captain Henry Cecil Cansdale has always been on the CWGC register as he is on my files, which I accumulated some years back:

CANSDALE, Master, HENRY CECIL, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 46.  Husband of K. A. Cansdale, of North Shields, Northumberland. Buried Pornic War Cemetery. Grave/Section 1. G. 1.

I also have an interest in this ship as 14 of those killed came from near where I live. I have photo copies of her original Crew list for her last voyage. About three years ago I made contact with a Mr R. Curtis whose Brother died 21 days before the ship was lost. Mr R. Curtis's brother George died from "Respiratory Failure" 8th March 1945 and I believe was buried at sea (George Curtis is not commemorated on Tower Hill). For some reason Mr R. Curtis had signed off the ship in Philadelphia 22nd December 1944 before the loss of Empire Gold. He was still deeply affected by the loss of this ship and his brother and was not prepared to talk on the loss of either his brother or the ship, but only to confirm details I had compiled for a Book of Remembrance I wrote some years back detailing local Merchant Navy losses from WWII.

Tower Hill Memorial Panel 41.
 
BANKS, Boy, JOHN, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 17. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Banks, of Southwick, Sunderland, Co. Durham.
 
CHAMBERS, Cabin Boy, CLARENCE, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 17. Son of Octavius and Margaret Chambers, of Norton-on-Tees.
 
COAKLEY, Deck Hand, EDWARD, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 22. Middlesbrough, Yorkshire.
 
COLLINS, Fireman, JOHN, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 28. Son of Richard and Mary Collins, of Bandon, Co. Cork, Irish Republic.
 
CONYER, Junior Ordinary Seaman, JEFFERSON, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 17. Cardiff. 
 
COUTTS, Fourth Engineer Officer, CHARLES FREDERICK, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 25. Son of Charles Frederick Fraser Coutts and Agnes Coutts, of Willington Quay, Wallsend, Northumberland.
 
DAVIES, Able Seaman, GERALD GLYNDWR, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 20. Swansea.
 
DENNIS, Assistant Steward, WILLIAM ALBERT, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 24. Son of William Henry Dennis, and of Lilian Ellen Dennis, of Truro, Cornwall.
 
DEWS, Able Seaman, CLIFFORD, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 25. Son of Claude James Dews and Eliza Jane Dews, of Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex.
 
DOBSON, Third Radio Officer, GEOFFREY, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 17.
 
DOYLE, Boatswain (Bosun), WILLIAM JOSEPH, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 50.
 
FISHER, Fireman, JOHN, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 25. Stockton-on-Tees. Dublin.
 
FOX, Pumpman, JOHN, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 38. Middlesbrough, Yorkshire.
 
GREEN, Donkeyman, ERNEST, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 62. Son of William and Annie Green; husband of Mary Ann Green, of Whitby, Yorkshire.
 
HARRISON, Cook, BENJAMIN WHITELY, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 21. Born Middlesbrough. Husband of Doris Harrison, of Gateshead, Co. Durham.
 
HARRISON, Assistant Steward, JOHN ALFRED, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 23. Middlesbrough, Yorkshire.
 
HOLT, Second Radio Officer, HARRY, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 21. Son of Harry Holt, and of Mary Jane Holt, of Edgeley Park, Stockport, Cheshire.
 
IRVING, Assistant Cook, ARTHUR, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 20. Son of Mrs. H. Irving, of Middlesbrough, Yorkshire.
 
JONES, Third Officer, ROBERT CHARLES, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 22.
 
JONES, Chief Engineer Officer, ROBERT HENRY, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 58. Son of Robert Jones and of Elizabeth Jones (nee Morris); husband of Florence Jones, of Liverpool.
 
KINGHORN, Cadet, DONALD GEORGE, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 17. Son of William George and Florence Meta Kinghorn, of Heaton, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
 
LEONARD, Cabin Boy, HORACE, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 17. Son of Sarah Bradley, of Middlesbrough, Yorkshire.
 
MAY, Able Seaman, MICHAEL, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 22. Son of Michael and Esther May, of Greenock. Renfrewshire. His brother John also fell.
 
MOORE, Donkeyman, CHARLES HENRY, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 35. Son of John and Ellen Moore. Southampton
 
OGLE, Able Seaman, ANDREW WILLIAM, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 25. Son of Andrew and P. Ogle, of North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire.
 
RADMORE, Chief Steward, RONALD ALBERT, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 42. New York.
 
ROBINSON, Senior Ordinary Seaman, THOMAS, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 21. Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Robinson. of Comberbach, Cheshire.
 
ROBSON, First Radio Officer, ALBERT VICTOR, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 43. Son of John and Anne Robson; husband of Gladys Robson, of Westerhope, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
 
ROGERS, Fireman, JOHN, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 29. Liverpool.
 
SCOTT, Second Engineer Officer, HENRY, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 47. Husband of Queenie Scott, of Shirley, Southampton.
 
SCULLY, Fireman, WILLIAM, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1942. Age 40. Worthing, Essex.
 
SMITH, Senior Ordinary Seaman, FRANK, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 19. Son of Jane Elizabeth Smith, of Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire.
 
SMITH, Sailor, JAMES CAIRNS, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 40. Son of Mrs. I. M. Cooper, of Invergowrie, Angus; husband of Ivy Smith, of North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire.
 
TANEV, Carpenter, GEORG, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 36. Middlesbrough, Yorkshire.
 
TUDOR, Donkeyman, WILLIAM RICHARD, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 44. Brambles Farm, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire.
 
WALTON, Second Officer, EDGAR, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 22. Son of Edgar and Jane Walton; husband of Joan Walton, of Low Fell, Gateshead, Co. Durham.
 
WHEATLEY, Storekeeper, ARTHUR FLETCHER, S.S. Empire Gold (London). Merchant Navy. 18th April 1945. Age 24. Son of Walter Frederick Wheatley, and of Jennie Beck Wheatley, of Loftus, Yorkshire.
 
DEMS gunners Portsmouth Naval Memorial
 
HALSEY, Petty Officer, HARRY FRANCIS, P/JX 228240. H.M.S. President III. Royal Navy. (lost in S.S. Empire Gold). 18th April 1945. Age 29. Son of Francis William and Harriet May Halsey, of Tooting, London.
 
HARDCASTLE, Able Seaman, RONALD, P/JX 395577. H.M.S. President III. Royal Navy. (lost in S.S. Empire Gold). 18th April 1945. Age 21. Son of Crabtree and Eliza Hardcastle, of Thornhill, Yorkshire.
 
JONES, Able Seaman, ARTHUR HENRY, P/JX 396492. H.M.S. President III. Royal Navy. (lost in S.S. Empire Gold). 18th April 1945. Age 36. Son of Evan David and Mary Jones; husband of Violet Jones, of Walton, Liverpool.
 
TUCKER, Able Seaman, LEONARD, P/JX 334738. H.M.S. President III. Royal Navy. (lost in S.S. Empire Gold). 18th April 1945.
 
TYERS, Able Seaman, JOHN KENNETH, P/JX 443856. H.M.S. President III. Royal Navy. (lost in S.S. Empire Gold). 18th April 1945. Age 20. Son of Ernest and Agnes Tyers, of Broxtowe, Nottinghamshire.
 
Survivors:
 
DOBSON, Chief Officer, GEORGE. Age 32. Amble.
 
KAY, Third Engineer, DENIS. Age 24. Hartlepool.
 
SCHOFIELD,  Fifth Engineer, HERBERT. Age 25. Halifax.
 
SLATER, Junior Ordinary Seaman, TERENCE. Age 17. Whitby.

Rgds Billy McGee

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