Hi, I was wondering if anyone would have details of how long the hospital ship SS Leinster was frozen in during 1940, Iceland? was it stuck in Eyjafjordur? The 4th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment roll of honour mentions that on the 3rd December 1940 RSM George William Bostock died on board the hospital ship SS Leinster during the Norwegian campaign, and he is buried in the Akureyri Cemetery, Iceland just near the head of the Eyjafjordur. My great uncles photo's contain a picture of the grave not long after the burial in Iceland. Any help would be appreciated. Regards Paul
Paul, I can only find this little snippet at the moment, but it is may 1941. It does however state that the Ship was usually moored there. 'The Battleships HMS Devonshire and King George V visited Akureyri.' (May 1941) This was the month when the German warships Bismark and Prinze Eugen met Devonshire and King George V and H.M.S. Hood in naval battle in the Straights of Denmark between Greenland and Iceland. Hood was destroyed by the Bismark's first salvoes with only 3 survivors. The Hospital ship Leinster normally moored in Akureyri harbour pulled out on 24th May to care for any wounded survivors. There weren't any. From: Iceland Regards Tom
Hi Tom, Thank you for that link, I didn't know that a ship was a regular at Akureyri, and I remember my great uncle talking about the Hallams. Regards Paul
on the 3rd December 1940... ...died on board the hospital ship SS Leinster during the Norwegian campaign The Norwegian campaign was over on June 10th 1940 when the Norwegians surrendered. According to Delaforce's Polar Bears it says 4th Lincs posted to Iceland 3 weeks after their return from Norway. They lived in tents at Akureryi & given do it yourself Nissen huts it says on page 16.
Nothing to do with Iceland but the Hospital Ship Leinster was damaged on 24 February 1944 off Anzio in an air attack.
