Stan Mayes

 

15. Duke of York

This page describes Stan’s account of his voyages on the ship. There is a history of Duke of York with photographs on the Benjidog website HERE.

Voyages on Duke of York

 

I signed on as AB on Duke of York at Tilbury on 14th March 1945.

 

The ship was in service from Tilbury to Ostend and we made one round trip daily - berthing overnight in Tilbury Docks to take in coal bunkers.

 

Apart from the many service personnel we carried, there were also many celebrities from the world of entertainment and some top bands and their vocalists:

 

· Henry Hall

· Norrie Paramour

· Oscar Rabin

· Joe Loss

· Harry Roy

· Carrol Gibbons

 

As we were approaching Ostend on 16 April 1945 a tanker Gold Shell of Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co  was struck by a mine when in a position one mile ahead of us. She exploded into a huge fireball with flames and smoke rising hundreds of feet into the air; There were many casualties.

 

During our occasional runs ashore in Ostend we saw bars and cafes being destroyed by fire and witnessed men and women having their heads shaved in the streets - they had been accused of collaboration with Germans during their occupation.

 

VE Day

 

The morning of 8 May 1945 we were preparing to leave the docks for another trip to Ostend when we were told the wonderful news that peace had been declared and the war in Europe was over..

Nearly six years of fighting, suffering and dying had ended....... It was VE Day - Victory in Europe 8 May 1945.

 

On hearing this news, many of the crew and service men and women went ashore to local pubs to celebrate and consequently the ships was late in sailing - but who cared?

 

A few more trips and I paid off at Tilbury on 24 May 1945.