Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

Thank you for your lovely website - but I can't work out how to add to a thread! Or is the thread closed?

I would love to add that I recently discovered that some of my Belton family emigrated to Wilkes-Barre, PA; one of them, Edward Belton became an American citizen. He must have been visiting his family in North Wales as he was returning on the Athenia. I only discovered this when I read his obituary which mentioned his survival (which, naturally, prompted me to research the Athenia). Ellis Island also showed him sailing again, from Glasgow, a few weeks later on the Orizaba so I concluded that he was one of the survivors who was taken to Glasgow.

Imagine my delight, tonight, to read all about the incident, courtesty of some of your very generous contributors; the call for Americans to return home, the shortage of ships as some were commandeered for war use, the notice that war had been declared, the sighting of the submarine, the explosion, leaving of the ship, rescue and transfer to Glasgow, hospitality in the city, John F Kennedy, the Orizaba, return to New York and a letter of thanks to the Lord Provost.

As soon as possible I will add the story of Edward Belton to my own website, he was a miner who went to the coal fields in PA some time before 1906, but without so much background information the story of his life, as retold by me, would have been poorer.

Best wishes to you,
Hilary Belton
www.belton.me.uk

Hello Hilary,
 
Thank you for adding to our Athenia Pages, you are not able to add to the site other than through our Forum, at the top of our Home Page, click on Join the AHOY discussion.

I will ask my webmaster to add your letter to our Athenia Pages. I am continually amazed at the wealth of material about her sinking that has come my way since I first wrote about the tragedy of her demise.

The latest and very exciting letter was from Ruth in Canada, who is the Grand Daughter of a Polish mother of five children, with her husband, she and the children were all on their way from threatened Poland to make a new life in Canada.

She and three children all died that fateful night, her husband and two children survived, one of whom was Ruth's Mother.

Right now we are trying to sort out some documents in Ruth's possession, they seem to be in both Polish and the Russian language, and find the ship that finally took the three survivors from Scotland to land in Quebec on the 10th. of October in 1939.

When you finish your story, please send me a copy, we will add it to this letter from you. 

Also thank you for your generous remarks about AHOY, it is a joint effort, I do the research and writing, and Terry Kearns, in Atlanta Georgia, will turn that sow's ear into a silk purse that shows its face to the world in the shape of Mac's Web Log.

Nice to hear from you, please do send your story about Edward.

Best wishes especially for the close by Festive Season.

Mackenzie Gregory.