Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

Hello Mac!

Sorry if I sound a bit familar, but that's all I've got to go on!

Firstly, let me introduce myself.

My name is Clive Cornock and I live in Chester.

Part of your article on 'Royal Charter' is, I fear, incorrect - she was built by Crichtons at Sandycroft, just a few miles down the road from where I live - Crightons are still in business, but now as chainmakers !

I am related to Stephen Roose Hughes, though my late Grandmother's side of the family and she often told me of what she had been told of the wreck of the Royal Charter - how Stephen and his brother lost no small amount of money in having the victims of the wreck disinterred so that their family could have them buried elsewhere - trouble was, they never paid Stephen or his brother for the deed !

Grandma told me of how her mother (and other relatives) had great difficulty in lifting the kettles off the fires because the kettles were loaded with gold coins etc.....which were carefully hidden from H.M. Costoms and Excise Officers who were quickly on the scene-but not quickly enough, it would seem !

Still, the site of where the ship went down still makes me shiver - I'm now 62, but spent the first 2 years of my working life at sea before deciding that my life lay ashore.

Anyway, I thought that you might be interested in where 'Royal Charter' was actually built - I think that Alexander McKees book might also back me up on this fact.

Elsewhere on your excellent site, you mention the collision between 'Queen Mary' and H.M.S. Cuaracao - and I might be able to fill in one minute gap on this. My late father sailed with a man pre-war, I think his name might have been Robinson and he (Robinson) was on watch on the bridge of the 'Q.M.' when he heard (and felt) a load bang and a 'bumping' sound - from what my father told told me, Robinson (?) went to the wing of Q.M.'s bridge just in time to see one half of a warship going past - remember, Q.M. was far too big to 'zig-zag' - a fact seemingly lost on the rest of the flotilla sent out to escort 'Q.M.' home on the last leg - both Q.M. and the 'Elizabeth' were considered too fast to undertake this manoeuvre at speed and the warships seemingly had not been told of this fact.

The collision was kept under 'wraps' for the duration of the war and my Dad and I only learned of it in the 1950's - Dad wasn't too surprised (he being a ships captain himself) but he was incredulous at the fact that the Navy hadn't allowed for the speed of the liner - they nearly always sailed unescorted, their speed being considered too great for any sub to take them on with any level of certainty. Both liners of course, regularly visited Australia during the war and by the time the 'Elizabeth' made her maiden voyage, she'd already steamed more than 250,000 nautical miles - some maiden voyage in 1946 !!!!!!!

Must close - think I've got my facts straight ! Great site anyway !

Take care ! 

Clive,
 
Thank you for your interesting message, I believe that George Cramm of Sandycroft laid down the Royal Charter, and Gibbs Bright and Company took over the hull of this iron sailing ship  after the builder failed. My report indicates that William Patterson then completed the ship.
 
I will amend the intro to my article accordingly.
 
Regarding the Queen Mary and Zig Zagging, there is plenty of evidence indicating that she was zig zagging at the time of the collision eg the  
attached:
 

The Queen Mary

    Bigger than the Titanic, The Queen Mary was the pride of the Cunard Lines.  She carried many distinguished guests, and during WWII was converted to carry troops to the front.  It was during one of these troop carrying missions that one of the most horrific episodes of her history occurred.  On October 2, 1942 the Queen Mary was rounding Ireland on the last leg of her journey.  At this time, she was joined by the HMS Curacoa and 6 destroyers as she was within Luftwaffe range.  The Queen Mary was zig zagging in her course to make it difficult for U-boats in the area to target her.  Because of the zig zag pattern, the Curacoa and the destroyers were told to stay ahead of the Queen Mary.  The turbulence from all of the ships made a heavy wash and forced the ships to make minor adjustments in their courses.

    Down in engine and fire rooms of the Queen Mary, a slight bump was felt.  No one thought anything of it as the ship was unscathed and kept on its course.  The "bump" was the HMS Curacoa.  The slight change in course caused the Queen Mary to nudge the Curacoa's stern, sending the ship into the path of the massive ocean liner.  Because the orders were to continue on no matter what, the Queen Mary did not stop and snapped the HMS Curacoa in two.  Of 439 men aboard 338 were lost.

Sincerely,
Mac. Gregory.

Hi Mac !

Going back to the Q.M. bit, I got a bit confused in my thinking last night. Of course, she would have zigzagged once in, or approaching, Home Waters. I did read somewhere that their (Q.M. & Q.E.) practice was not to zig-zag when at full speed, their speed being considered sufficient for them to out-run any submarine attack, but there again, you learn something new every day !

I've remembered the name of the officer on watch at the time - it was Noel Robinson. I don't know if he's still alive - if he is then he will be well in his 80's.As a matter of fact, I used to live down the road from a Staff Captain Shimmin - who was on both of the 'Queens' at sometime in the 50's and 60's - he's now 93 so Noel may well still be alive !

I've attached an extract from Alexander McKee's 'The Golden Wreck' - no mention of her being built by Crichtons, but again I'm sure that I've seen it somewhere before !

Anyway, won't take up any more of your time - thanks for the most informative thing that's come my way for a few days !

Take care and enjoy the good weather - a friend of mine up in Brisbane (same surname, no relation though) tells me that she's 'suffering' in the heat - I've told her to send some of it over here-we could do with it right now !

back to letters index