HMS Ajax 1942/43

Discussion in 'Top Secret' started by John Patrick, Apr 2, 2020.

  1. John Patrick

    John Patrick troop movements March/April 1942

    My dad said he helped load gold onto HMS Ajax while stationed at HMS Africanda South Africa I would like to find if this is true
    Thanks
     
  2. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    The 1986 Autumn edition of the World Ship Society list of ships apparently has a list of all the ships used in WW2 for bullion transfers so it might be worth finding access to a copy. In April 1942 HMS Ajax was used to transport two parcels of diamonds from Russia so she was used to transport high value material but then so were many other warships.
     
  3. Orwell1984

    Orwell1984 Senior Member

  4. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Where did this info come from? After involvement in the Battle of the River Plate HMS Ajax was deployed mainly in the Mediterranean. On 6 Feb 42 she departed Suez via Cape of Good Hope for UK arriving Clyde 14 April. She then went into refit after which she returned to the Med. As far as I can see she never went near Russia. If the O/P's story is correct it looks as though the only time she could have picked up gold from South Africa would be on the passage to UK.

    Tim
     
  5. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    Bullions... Bullions !
     
  6. John Patrick

    John Patrick troop movements March/April 1942

    My dad always said that he loaded gold on HMS Ajax during the war he was posted
    HMS Afrikander 16.06.42 to 27.04.43 after that HMS Rockrose till 11.07.44 then posted HMS
    Pembroke (Chatham )
     
  7. Orwell1984

    Orwell1984 Senior Member

    That site seems to have incorrect information.
    HMS Ajax VII Cruiser General - HMS AJAX

    There's an itinerary here on this page.

    Note the stopover in Capetown, SA

    From it:
    Wonder if he met this fellow:
    Able Seaman Just Nuisance

     
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2020
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  8. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    I think it should read for Russia rather than from Russia. According to a report in Hansard Britain supplied large numbers of industrial diamonds sourced in South Africa. Ajax could well have carried them as far as Britain. The list contains a number of typos.
    Checking further the USSR did not produce diamonds until 1947 and was reliant on shipments from S Africa. Ajax could well have brought the parcels as far as the UK for onward shipment.
     
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2020
  9. John Patrick

    John Patrick troop movements March/April 1942

    As to Nuisance see attachment my dad is squatting next to Nuisance
     

    Attached Files:

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  10. Orwell1984

    Orwell1984 Senior Member

    Excellent! Thank you for sharing.
     
  11. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    The date on the list of bullion shipments is consistent with Ajax carrying diamonds from S Africa so it is conceivable that she also carried gold (but not intended for Russia). However the dates are not consistent with John Patrick's dad's posting to Afrikander as this begins two months after she arrived back in the UK. Where was he before Afrikander?
     
  12. John Patrick

    John Patrick troop movements March/April 1942

    HMS Ganges 10.02.42-16.04.42, HMS Pembroke 17.04.42 - 15.06.42
    shipped on RMS Queen Elizabeth to South Africa
     
  13. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    So he wasn't in S Africa when Ajax was last there. However it does seem that warships were used to carry very high value cargo from S Africa so perhaps it was another cruiser. That list of all bullion ships would be useful. Unfortunately I only have a copy of the index of World Ship Society's lists and not lists themselves.
     
  14. John Patrick

    John Patrick troop movements March/April 1942

    Thank you I was thinking the same, it would be interesting to know which one as I do not think the story my dad told me is not fully untrue
     
  15. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    According to the unpublished 'official history' of the Bank of England - The Bank of England 1939 -1945. Part II Appendix IV Gold Purchases, page 444, an arrangement was made with the Admiralty in 1941 to ship gold from Africa to London by warship. The first experimental shipments began in January 1942, by August 1942 the service was deemed very satisfactory and continued for the rest of the war.
    Bank of England Archives M5/534
    So loading a warship with gold in Simonstown would seem completely credible. The only question is which warship?
     

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