Reference Ahoy-Mac's Web Log: You have a photo entitled Voltaire Prisoners Norman Hayes front row 3rd from rights, this photo also contains what i think is a picture of my father who was on the Afric Star which was sunk in the south atlantic in 1941.
His name was Raymond (Ben) Currie. The only other picture i have of him is one taken prior to WW2. Are there any names attached with this photo, please let me know. Also other Web sites where pictures from
Marlag und Milag can be viewed.
Thanks Ray Currie (Canada) .
/Afric Star/
Africstar 1926 1929 renamed Afric Star
<http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/bluestar.html#AfStar>.
1941
sunk by German surface raider Kormoran in Atlantic. 11,867
Just after 1300 on 29 January, /Kormoran/ encountered a
large
merchantman, which altered course on sighting the raider,
but returned
to her original heading after /Kormoran/ made no
aggressive moves.^[39]
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_auxiliary_cruiser_Kormoran#cite_note-Frame60-38>
Detmers instead waited until the distance between the
ships had
decreased before the raider altered course to intercept,
decamouflaged,
and ordered the merchantman to stop.^[39]
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_auxiliary_cruiser_Kormoran#cite_note-Frame60-38>
The ship did not comply, and after a warning shot elicited
no response,
/Kormoran/ fired for effect.^[39]
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_auxiliary_cruiser_Kormoran#cite_note-Frame60-38>
A distress signal was transmitted but jammed by the
raider, and after
unsuccessfully trying to break away from the faster German
ship, the
merchant vessel came to a stop and ceased attempts to
transmit.^[39]
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_auxiliary_cruiser_Kormoran#cite_note-Frame60-38>
The crew was ordered by signals from /Kormoran/ to abandon
ship, but the
merchant sailors did not comply until after the raider
resumed fire,
having observed an attempt to man the ship's stern gun.^[40]
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_auxiliary_cruiser_Kormoran#cite_note-39>
A boarding party identified the victim as the 11,900-ton
refrigerator
ship /Afric Star/, carrying meat and butter to England.^[41]
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_auxiliary_cruiser_Kormoran#cite_note-40>
The complicated configuration and damaged condition of
/Afric Star/
ruled against her capture as a prize ship; after capturing
code books
and other vital documents, and recovering 76 people,
including two
women, attempts were made to scuttle her.^[42]
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_auxiliary_cruiser_Kormoran#cite_note-Frame61-41>
The merchantman refused to sink, and /Kormoran/ had to use
shells and
torpedoes to send her to the bottom at 8°44?N 24°38?W? /
?8.733°N
24.633°W? / 8.733; -24.633
<http://toolserver.org/%7Egeohack/geohack.php?pagename=German_auxiliary_cruiser_Kormoran¶ms=8_44_N_24_38_W_>.^[42]
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_auxiliary_cruiser_Kormoran#cite_note-Frame61-41>
