Letters

HECTOR JOHN MCKENZIE Stoker PettyOfficer on Escort when she was on the rescue of ATHENIA survivors

HMS ESCORT/ATHENIA

May 2, 2012 9:25

Hi Mac.

just trolling on the net and was surprised to find so much about the ESCORT. My father was on Escort when she was on the rescue of ATHENIA survivors. He was Stoker PettyOfficer HECTOR JOHN MCKENZIE. My brother is named after him and he has a tankard and cigaret case and a blanket with the shipping company name in blue on it. The blanket was to replace the one he used/lost in the rescue.

Dad was on the Escort when it was sunk by the Italian submarine MARCONI and was on watch in the boiler room and was killed when the torpedo struck. He was one of two men lost. I was 8 years old but at ANZAC DAY I am sad after 70 years.

Ironicaly I was drafted to Royal Navy Submarines in 1953 and served on HMs/ms SEASCOUT, TEREDO, TALLYHOE, TOTEM, TEREDO, TUDOR.. and ANDREW 

Was involved in the Suez crisis on TUDOR in OPERATION MUSKETTER.

I am in touch with Len Tribe whose father was on Escort.

Cheers
Ron Mckenzie now in Perth West Australia. 


Ron,

Thank you for your mail.

ESCORT PLAYED A BIG PART IN PICKING UP SURVIVORS FROM ATHENIA, PROBABLY OF THE ORDER OF 300 PEOPLE. ITS A PITY THERE IS NO CONSOLIDATED LIST OF SURVIVORS SAVED BY THE 3 RN DESTROYERS.

Regards,
Mac.


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