SS TABER PARK - sunk 13/03/1945 - Info Please

Hi I would be grateful for any info on the ship:-

SS TABER PARK MONTREAL Sunk 13/03/1945 - MERCHANT NAVY.

She was sunk following an engagement with a U-Boat in the North Sea.

Also would anyone have an image of plaque Chatham - 80, 2..... Ralph Kilshaw Please

Many thanks in Anticipation

 

Hi

2,878 tons

Canadian merchantman

built 1944 by the Foundation Maritime Limited of Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada

J.J. Parsons was Captain

Voyage from the Tyne to London with coal, part of Convoy FS1753

sunk by mine or german submarine off Aldeburgh near Great Yarmouth

24 crew and 4 gunners lost

32 on board

possibly sunk by a midget submarineKU-5 (a Seehund)

I have the below picture, not sure if it was from Ramacal's thread or not. If so credit to Ramacal,

Regards,

Graeme

 

German Midget submarine operations - U-boat Operations - uboat.net
Seehund (Type XXVII)
Summary of operation for March 1945.
29 (twentynine) sorties. - results:3 (three) ships totalling 5,267 tons sunk - these were 2,878 ton Taber Park on 13 March off Southwold, 833 ton Jim on 30 March south-east of Orfordness and the 1,556 ton Nelands on 26 March off the North Foreland.
2 (two) sank by MTBs
1 (one) sank by HMS Torrington
3 claimed by aircraft.
1 sank by HMS Puffin
2 unknown.
HMS Puffin rammed the Seehund which caused the torpedoes to explode and Puffin was so badly damaged that she was not repaired.



Seehund (Seal) - Midget Submarines - German U-boats of WWII - Kriegsmarine - uboat.net

TD

 

UK, British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960
Name: Ralph Kilshaw
Event: Death
Birth Date: 13 Aug 1913
Birth Place: St. Helens, Lancs.
Death Date: 13 Mar 1945
Death Age: 31


CK - it seems that your man was Royal Navy serving aboard a Merchant vessel for some reason

TD

Added



https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?11029

 

The link to the Chatham memorial posts was repaired a while ago?

I'll post a copy of Panel 80 and an enlarged image for the name. (shortly)

 

TD, he was a RN DEMS gunner there were 4 DEMS confirmed deaths and 24 merchant seamen. I have an unconfirmed death aboard that I cannot find any positive proof. H. Clifton b.1916 supposed to be armed forces according to my copy of the Deaths at Sea Register but I cannot find him on the CWGC or MN deaths.

ASHTON, Able Seaman, CHARLES, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
AUDFROID, Donkeyman, DOUGLAS JOSEPH, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
BEGG, Able Seaman, WALTER DICK, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
CLEGG, Radio Officer, JOHN ROWLAND, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
COX, Fireman and Trimmer, JOHN FRANCIS, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
CRAMMON, Cabin Boy, WALTER JUNNER, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
DENNIS, Second Officer, IAN CRAWFORD, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
DIXON, Able Seaman, SIDNEY, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
FREEMAN, Donkeyman, JOHN WILLIAM, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
GRANT, Boy, FRASER, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
HARRISON, Able Seaman, CYRIL, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
IRVING, Fireman and Trimmer, SIDNEY HEDLEY, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
JOLLY, Second Engineer Officer, DOUGLAS KERR, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
KANE, Fireman and Trimmer, RICHARD, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
McDONALD, Junior Ordinary Seaman, THOMAS, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
PHILPOT, Fireman and Trimmer, JOSEPH, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
PIESSE, Chief Steward, JOSEPH, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
RANEE, Cook, LESLIE MATHSALL, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
RECK, Fireman and Trimmer, JOHN, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
RUTHERFORD, Third Engineer Officer, FREDERICK EDGAR, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
RUTTER, Fireman and Trimmer, WILLIAM, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
SOUTAR, Boatswain, GEORGE ROBERT, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
THOMPSON, Chief Engineer Officer, WILLIAM MACKIE, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).
THOMSON, Ordinary Seaman, JAMES, S.S. Taber Park (Montreal).

DEMS Gunners

KILSHAW, Leading Seaman, RALPH, C/JX 249688. S.S. Taber Park. Royal Navy.
ALTHORPE, Able Seaman, ERNEST EDWARD, P/JX 335901. H.M.S. President III. Royal Navy.
CHAPE, John Wilkinson, Gunner, 3 Maritime Regiment RA.
WHETTON, Charles Henry, Gunner, 3 Maritime Regiment RA.
CLIFTON H. born Smethwick 1916?

Regards
Hugh

 

You have come up Trumps again, many thanks indeed

 

Admiralty War Diaries

 

Just for anyone looking in on this thread.
Jaap's attachment shows there were 32 crew but only 3 survivors including the master J.J. Parsons. Official records suggest there were 24 merchant seamen killed and 4 DEMS gunners, total = 28.
The Deaths at Sea Register does not show DEMS gunner Althorpe listed but does show another DEMS gunner - H. Clifton who does not appear as an armed forces casualty or a merchant seaman casualty on any memorials.
The conclusion must be that the DAS register is wrong (not for the first time) or there is an un-commemorated casualty from that ship.
The ship's official logbook should include the crew list including a casualties and deaths list and the 3 survivors. The logbook should be held at Kew in piece BT 381/3728.
I will continue to check my sources.

* added DAS Register for Clifton.

Regards
Hugh

 

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the site and looking for some help. My Great Grandad was Second Engineer Douglas Kerr Jolly. I was wondering if there were any pictures of the SS Taber Park and a picture or the co ordinates of where she was sunk.

Just going by a story I was told when I was younger by my Great Grandma, whilst at sea (location unknown) the ship came under attack by a German fighter plane, the plane was shot down I believe by my Great Grandfather whilst he was on deck on his break.
The Pilot survived and some of the crew rescued him and brought him on board. The chef cooked the Pilot a meal and went to feed him, in return the Pilot spat in the Chefs face and my Grandfather hit him.
My Grandfather was summoned to the Captains office expecting some form of disciplinary action taken against him but the Captain said "Well done Jolly, I would of done the same". Anyone have any other stories they were told?


Any response at all is appreciated though!

Cheers

 

https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?11029

TD

 

Hi cooler king. Ralph Kilshaw was my grandfather.Why do you need information about him?

 

Hugh,
This link of Canadian Merchant Seaman casualties shows Clifton - Deckhand - SS Tamer Park - Died 13 Mar 45.
Billy McGee’s List of Canadian Seamen lost in WWII
Tim

 

1939 REGISTER TRANSCRIPTION
30 Chamberlain Street, St Helens, Lancashire
NAME DOB OCCUPATION
Ralph Kilshaw 13 Aug 1913 Boiler Scaler Heavy Worker
Annie Kilshaw 29 Sep 1914 Unpaid Domestic Duties
Sorry, this record is officially closed.
Sorry, this record is officially closed.
Sorry, this record is officially closed.

 

Thanks for that Tim. I forgot to check Billy's list. I note he is shown as a merchant seaman but the DAS Register shows him as armed forces.
I don't see him commemorated by the CWGC on the Halifax Memorial. I will give Billy a call.

Regards
Hugh

 

Thanks again - much appreciated

 

Hello, My maternal grandfather was Charles Henry Whetton, who was a Royal Artillery gunner with 3 Maritime Regiment who died serving on board the SS Taber Park one week after his 25th birthday.

The SS Taber Park was sunk off the coast of Norfolk by a German midget submarine en route from Newcastle upon Tyne to London in convoy FS 1753, co-ordinates 52.22N 01.53E.

I'd be grateful for any more information myself, as that's about all I know. My mother was only 2 when he was killed and he never saw her before he died. He and my grandmother weren't actually married, and he was killed before he could return home and marry her. My grandmother married in the 1950s and my mother's biological father was never spoken of and she never asked - something she now regrets now that my grandmother has passed away. We don't have any photos of him and it would mean the world to have one, but any information at all about him would be wonderful to have.

 

Hi Toria

Welcome -

UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945
Name: Charles Whetton
Given Initials: C H
Rank: Gunner
Death Date: 13 Mar 1945
Number: 5050295
Birth Place: Burton-on-Trent
Residence: Burton-on-Trent
Regiment at Enlistment: North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’)
Branch at Enlistment: Royal Artillery
Theatre of War: At sea
Regiment at Death: Royal Artillery
Branch at Death: Royal Artillery

He was known as a DEMS gunner onboard a merchant ship. There are several family trees for him on Ancestry
Example:

Charles Henry Whetton
1920–1945
BIRTH 6 MARCH 1920 • Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire, England
DEATH 13 MARCH 1945 • At sea 52.22N 01.53E

I will send you a personal conversation

TD

 

Hello Toria and welcome,

CH Whetton was serving as a Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships (DEMS) gunner aboard TABER PARK when he lost his life at sea.
During the war Merchant Navy casualties were high and there was a need to provide defensive armament aboard a lot of those ships. The manpower came from mostly the Royal Navy but they were already pretty stretched and could not provide enough men so the Maritime Regiments were created to help with shortages. There were also some other army regiments involved and also merchant seaman gunners who would assist the military at the guns. The DEMS gunners were paid a nominal sum by the shipping companies and they wore civilian clothing whilst ashore. They were also classed as members of the crew of the ship and as such there are ways to search previous service aboard any Merchant Navy ships. My first advice to you would be to obtain his full service record and hopefully he may still have a surviving maritime card which would list the ships he served in (be aware that many of those cards have not survived). There are other ways to find out though using Merchant Navy records and should you wish to go down that route I can certainly advise you how to go about it. But first, I would advise the service record route if you wish to research this man.
In 1939, at the beginning of the war, he was serving in the North Staffordshire Regiment.

Regards
Hugh