Hi - I'm looking for some information on liberty ships used during the Normandy landings, specifically the SS John A Sutter. I've found some basic details, but am looking to a little more, specifically sailing dates and landing in Normandy (I'm researching a family member who sailed to France on the ship and I'm looking to pinpoint dates for his embarkation and disembarkation). Any help gratefully received.
Have you checked ot the ConvoyWeb site? Arnold Hague Ports database Call up the Ship Search. Type in the ships name and you get a list of the convoys she sailed on. Looks like her first D-Day sailing was on 7 June from Southend. Thereafter a shuttle back and forth until released from duty on 13 Aug 1944.
Loaded London, left Thames 0600 7th, ETA Sword 8th (Convoy ETM2) [ETM = England, Thames, Mechanised Transport.] Ship Number MT22
Thanks Roy, I think he landed around 20th July, so a little later than that. Is there any way of confirming which units were onboard each run?
ETM39 is the most likely then. Arrived in the Seine Bay 18th July. Left again in FTM44 on the 21st July. Good luck with the search.
Hi Red, Sorry, I don't know which units were carried on each voyage. Trux has posted a vast amount of information about each of the beaches elsewhere on this site, well worth a look. Good luck, Roy
Thanks Ewen, though looking a little further in to this, I think I may have been working with the wrong ship! Will keep hunting.
I will send them shortly, but perhaps we can narrow things down further? Are you sure of the date and the flag of the ship and that it was a Liberty, if so I suggest you go onto convoyweb and check out convoy ETM41 (below), which arrived on 20 July - it will be listed under shorter convoys. If you use the convoy finder section of convoyweb, you will see all the convoys that arrived on the chosen date. Good luck, Roy Depart Southend on 19 July 1944. Arrive Seine Bay on 20 July 1944. Hague's records contain 14 merchants and 4 escorts (14 ships TDS) Vessel Pdt. Tons Built Cargo Notes CHARLOCK ESCORT 19/07 - 20/07 CLEMATIS ESCORT 19/07 - 20/07 COTTON MATHER (US) 7,200 1942 EMPIRE GENERAL (Br) 7,359 1944 EMPIRE PITT (Br) 7,086 1944 FORT CREVECOEUR (Br) 7,191 1943 FORT PIC (Br) 7,150 1943 HUBERT HOWE BANCROFT (US) 7,176 1942 INDIAN CITY (Br) 7,079 1944 JOHN E WARD (US) 7,198 1943 JOSEPH N NICOLLET (US) 7,176 1943 LOOSESTRIFE ESCORT 19/07 - 20/07 MEYNELL ESCORT 19/07 - 20/07 ROBERT LANSING (US) 7,176 1943 SAMBALT (Br) 7,219 1943 STANRIDGE (Br) 5,975 1943 VANCOUVER CITY (Br) 7,261 1942 WILLIAM CARSON (US) 7,176 1943
Thanks Roy, that's really helpful. I think, digging into this further, I'm less confident about 20th as a date. It is mentioned in the service records, but I'm struggling to make this fit with other records and of course the weather. Dates of 19th (Embarkation) and 23rd (Disembarkation) are also in the service records and these seem more likely. I'm fairly sure his company left before the rest of the battalion (which sailed on the John A Sutter) and probably sailed with their brigade (71st). Beyond that, I'm struggling to pinpoint the ship which, as I know he sailed with Americans, I'm assuming would be a liberty ship.
Hi Red, I will give it some thought. 4 days seems a long time to be on a ship for that trip, but not impossible. Any clues as to the name or number?
Looking at the Sutter's schedule between June and Aug the journey was 1-2 days. Leave one day arrive the next so it depends on the time of sailing / arriving. Then there was generally 2-3 days to load and 2-3 days to unload. But on her first trip she was 10 days in the Seine Bay area unless there were trips missed off ConvoyWeb.
