Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

Hi Mac,
 
I have just stumbled on your website from the UK and am particularly interested in the correspondence you have had with Richard Downer regarding his wife's connection with the Moresby family. (see "Father commanded the Northern Spray on Convoy ONS5")

My wife is also descended from Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby through one of his younger sons. In fact her maiden name was Moresby and Sir Fairfax was her great great grandfather. I would like to make contact with Richard Downer privately to compare family notes which would probably not be of interest to the world in general. I appreciate that you may not wish to give me his email address but am happy for you to pass mine to him.

Just for interest, my wife had an old aunt who died about ten years ago who had actually met Admiral John Moresby (Sir Fairfax's son). Amazing to think that John had served as a midshipman aboard HMS Canopus which was originally a French ship (Le Franklin) taken by Nelson at the Battle of the Nile. History is really very recent!

My father in law also served in the Royal Navy and was seconded to the New Zealand Navy just before WW2. He was at the Battle of the River Plate as a Lieutenant in HMNZS Achilles.

Some of the Moresby family settled in Australia and I think there are some family there although we are not in touch with them now.

The above account is my daughter's but you can contact me through it.

Best regards, 
Simon Raynes

This is a new one about Admiral Moresby which I have passed on to Richards Downer so he may respond if he so wishes.
 
We are fulfilling the function of a Post Office, and its nice if we are able to connect up people with a similar interest.
 
Best, 
Mac.

Simon Raynes

Mac,
 
Very many thanks for your response and the account of the River Plate battle. Sadly my father in law died in 1996 without ever saying very much about the battle. Coincidentally the pilot of Ajax's aircraft, Lt (later Captain) Duncan
Lewin, was many years later the managing Director of the Division of Hawker Siddeley (later part of British Aerospace) in which I then worked. Although I had dealings with him I did not know him well enough to be able to ask about his naval career. He also died some years ago.

I believe that some years after the war my father in law attended a reunion between members of the crews of the RN ships and of the Graf Spee. Unfortunately I do not know when or where that was although it was in the UK.

Best regards, and I shall follow your website with interest.back to letters index