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Stan Mayes
14. Empire Unity This page describes Stan’s account of his voyages on the ship. There is a history of Empire Unity with photographs on the Benjidog website HERE. |
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Voyages on Empire Unity
During my time in the ship her Master was Captain M.Friskney his brother C.Friskney was 3rd Mate and the Chief Mate was J.Newbold.
Empire Unity opened 6 months Agreement of Articles at Stanlow on 4 August 1944 and later when she was at Thameshaven on 14 November 1944, an AB was paid off and I replaced him. So the ship was 3 months into the Articles.
Convoys TMC 40, BEC51 and TAM8
After signing on we sailed on 18 November 1944 in convoy TMC 40 to the Solent then continued independently for Swansea arriving on 24 November where we loaded petrol. We then joined convoy BEC 51 on 28 Novermber for the Solent, and from here to Thameshaven in MTC 52 arriving 1 December 1944.
We discharged our petrol then loaded aviation spirit and on 4 December 1944 we joined convoy TAM.8 at Southend for Antwerp. The ships were two British Liberty ships Samnesse and Samark, Empire Unity and two escorts.
Antwerp Antwerp was liberated by the British and Canadian Army on 4 September 1944 but the first ships did not arrive until nearly three months later as the Germans still had control of the Flushing area, and it was only after the RAF bombed and breached the dykes and flooded the island of Walcheren that the Germans surrendered.
There was also the huge job of clearing many wrecks of ships which had been scuttled in the port. The first ships arrived at Antwerp on 28 November 1944 and we arrived there a few days later on 5 December 1944 and berthed at Hoboken refinery a little upriver from the city.
Antwerp was suffering constant attacks by flying bombs and V2 rockets. In 135 days and nights more than 4000 V1s and more than 1700 V2s were launched towards Antwerp causing much destruction and many casualties. 3700 civilians were killed and 6000 injured.
On 16 December 1944 as we arrived there for the second trip, a V2 struck the REX cinema at 3.20pm. It killed 567 people and 291 were injured; 296 of them were Allied soldiers. The film was 'The Plainsman' - Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur. The front line was only 60 miles from there.
The last V2 fell on Antwerp on 27 March 1945.
Whilst discharging cargo at Hoboken, we seamen maintained watches as the river was tidal so we were checking the moorings, gangway and pipelines. Most of us did not venture into the city. There was a bar Blue Dove close to the refinery and we made that our local.
Convoy ATM 9
With discharging completed we sailed in convoy ATM 9 on 9th December for Thameshaven arriving there next day. This convoy was of 9 ships and 2 escorts. Cape Howe, one of my previous ships was in the convoy also.
Going to Antwerp and returning to the Thames each time, we sailed in mine-swept channels, but the Germans were constantly laying more mines by aircraft and E boats and there were many casualties. E boats also attacked the convoys during the hours of darkness.
Convoy TAM 18
Again we loaded aviation spirit at Thameshaven and sailed on 14 December in convoy TAM 18 of 19 ships and two escorts. Passing off Flushing next morning, the Fort Maisonneuve struck a mine and sank - three of her crew were killed.
We berthed at Hoboken and were there for six days, and during that time many V1s and V2s exploded in the city and districts and we heard often of the numbers of casualties.
Of course there was a flourishing black market trade. Coffee beans, cocoa and bicycle tyres were exchanged for watches, cameras and binoculars.
Convoy ATM 18
On 21 December we joined convoy ATM 18 for the Thames and Coryton and there were 14 ships and 2 escorts. We arrived at Coryton on 22 December we did not sail again until 28 December - I think I had Christmas Day at home with my parents. Grays was only 12 miles from Coryton but having lost my 1944 diary I cannot be sure.
Convoy TAM 32
So on 28 December 1944 we joined convoy TAM 32 with our third cargo for Antwerp. Arriving in the Scheldt next day we anchored as there was another tanker on the jetty and we berthed on 31 December. During our time at anchor we heard the constant explosions of V1s and V2s from the city.
So, today was New Years Eve 31 December 1944. At about 10pm, myself and two Geordie shipmates left the ship to celebrate the New Year in the Blue Dove. We were walking through the refinery when a V2 struck a petrol storage tank ahead of us and the resulting blast blew us off our feet - as a strong wind was blowing the flames in our direction and towards the ship we ran back to the ship and helped to disconnect the pipelines and to release the moorings. Before the engines could be started the ship was blown across the river by the strong wind and we grounded on the opposite river bank. With the ebb tide we were soon high and dry. The fire in the refinery attracted German bombers during the night and some of the bombs exploded in the mud around our ship. I remember it as a very uncomfortable night!
Refloating on the incoming tide at dawn we received orders to proceed to Thameshaven; we still had some cargo in the tanks. With other ships we formed into single file and steamed down river - New Years Day 1945.
The ships, according to Arnold Hague's Convoyweb site were Boltonhall, Elona, Empire Duke, Empire Gladstone, Empire Unity, Fort Brandon, and 5 Liberty ships - Joshua L.Chamberlain (US), Noah Webster (US), Samark (Br), Samnesse (Br), Sampa (Br), The Duke, Westmoor, and tug Queens Cross.
Half hour after getting underway, the ships came under attack by many German aircraft. As we passed the tanker San Roberto at anchor, a German aircraft attacked her and dropped three bombs - two misses but one exploded when it struck her topmast. The gunners of San Roberto hit the aircraft with cannon shells and I witnessed its destruction as it crashed into the riverbank and exploded.
I was in the gun crew of our Anti-aircraft gun at this time. The attacks on the ships continued for more than an hour and during this New Years Day the Germans lost 200 aircraft over Belgium - it was during the Battle of the Bulge. San Roberto had already destroyed a German bomber when attacked off the Norfolk coast during 1940.
During 1948/49 I made an eleven months trip in San Roberto - it was her final voyage as we took her to breakers in Blyth in November 1949. I am in contact with the 3rd Mate of San Roberto who was in her at the time of the attack at Antwerp.
Continuing in convoy, we arrived in the Thames 2 January 1945 and anchored to await orders. On the following day we berthed at Thameshaven and began topping up the tanks for another trip to Antwerp. During the 'panic stations' in Antwerp in getting the ship clear of the jetty I had injured an elbow when helping to release the pipelines. It was painful at first but I did not report it.
On the morning of 4 January 1945 it became painful so I asked the Captain if I could visit a doctor. He reprimanded me for not reporting it, but gave permission and reminded me that the ship would be sailing in afternoon. On seeing a doctor he told me to go to Romford hospital for an X-ray. Romford is about 20 miles from Thameshaven and involved buses and train. The results of X-ray was bruising but no damage to bones.
On returning to Thameshaven I found the ship had sailed, so I reported to Tilbury shipping office and was told that the ship would probably return to Thameshaven from Antwerp and to rejoin her then. So I went to my home in Grays and Empire Unity did return on 10 January and I reported aboard to Captain Friskney and he informed me that I would not be paid for the days I was adrift. I wonder if it would have been a different conclusion if I had not had an injury to my elbow. So I missed the 4th trip of Empire Unity to Antwerp
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Images
1. All images on this page were provided by Stan Mayes |
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Image 1 |
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Convoys TAM 46, ATM 43,TBC 47 and MH 6
On 12 January 1945 we sailed for Antwerp in convoy TAM 46 consisting of 17 ships of which 11 were Liberty ships. We arrived the following day and then lay at anchor for a few days as another tanker was on the jetty. We berthed at Hoboken on 20 January and discharged cargo and sailed on 22nd in convoy ATM 43. Off the Downs we joined in with a convoy from the Thames for Bristol Channel TBC 47 consisting of 5 ships and 1 escort. The convoy arrived at Milford Haven on 26 January 1945, and on the following day we sailed in convoy MH6 bound for the Clyde - but off Holyhead we left the convoy and entered the Mersey, then to Stanlow arriving on 29 January 1945. Here we loaded 10,000 tons of diesel oil and on 2nd February we sailed independently for Loch Ewe.
Convoy UR 153
From Loch Ewe we sailed in convoy UR 153 on 4 February in a three-ship convoy without escort for Iceland. The ships were Empire Unity, Toft and Ulla - the last two ships being Danish with British crews. I wonder how we felt at that time in having no naval protection?
We knew that just a few weeks before in that same area a three ship convoy also without escort was attacked by a U boat. The tanker Shirvan was sunk by U 300, and as the Icelandic ship Godafoss was rescuing survivors she was also sunk by U 300. A tug Empire Wold was on the way to the scene and she was also sunk by U 300 - there were no survivors from the tug.
We arrived safely at Hvalfiord on 9 February 1945.
Hvalfiord was a convoy harbour for the start of Russian convoys and also a base for the escorts of Allied navies involved in the Russian convoys. Heavy units of the Royal Navy were there and we refuelled some of them, then to anchor for a few days and then refuelled them again until our tanks were empty. While there we heard that another Icelandic ship Dettifoss had been sunk by a U boat.
For a run ashore it meant a 4 hour trip in a tug to Reykjavik - 6hours ashore and a 4 hour trip back. We found it to be very expensive in shops and bars and there was absolutely no sign of friendship from the Icelanders - it was a wasted day - and nobody went ashore for a second time. Thousands of US troops were based there at this time.
Convoy RU 154
So, with our tanks empty we sailed in convoy RU 154 of 3 ships - again with no escorts - on 20 February 1945. The ships were Empire Unity, Svanholm (ex Danish) and Lagarfoss (Icelandic). We all arrived safely at Loch Ewe on 25 February 1945 then we proceeded independently for the Mersey and arrived there on 29 February and paid off at Stanlow. We were 15 days past the 6 months Articles.
Empire Unity made another trip to Iceland and was returning when she was torpedoed by U 979..as she was light ship she remained afloat and returned to Iceland. She was later towed to UK, repaired and returned to trading. |
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Image 1 shows an extract of the ship’s log showing the Master’s entries about Stan’s absence and loss of pay. Stan says the Seaman’s Union investigated this but he can’t remember if he got paid in the end or not. |
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Basic Data: Empire Unity Type: Tanker Registered owners, managers and operators: John T. Essberger, Hamburg, Germany Builders: Deschimag Weser Yard: Bremen Country: Germany Yard number: 399 Registry: N/K Official number: 167396 Signal letters: N/K Call sign: N/K Classification society: N/K Gross tonnage: 6,369 tons Net tonnage: N/K Deadweight: N/K Length: 414.3 Ft Breadth: 55.3 Ft Depth: 32.9 Ft Draught: N/K Engines: Oil engine 4S.CSA - 6 Cylinders bore 27 9/16", stroke 55 1/2" Engine builders: A.G. Weser Works: Bremen Country: Germany Boilers: N/A Power: 488 NHP Propulsion: Single screw Speed: 10.5 knots Cargo capacity: N/K Crew: N/K |