Hi all, apparently my dad Pte T Moffatt 4469002 DLI was sent home from the far east, possibly Bombay on the 5th feb 1945 and according to his service docs he embarked on something called SS (30-Q).arriving back in UK on the 14 march 1945. Can any of you magicians out there tell me anything regarding that journey. much obliged for any help I can get. Perhaps a little late to wish all a merry christmas but hopefully a truly better Happy New Year in a few days time. All the best Geordie
Hi Geordie Welcome aboard Can I suggest you scan the document and then upload here so it can be read in context, as its possible you may have misread the information. TD
Welcome Assume that was a convoy back home. Also if you would like to post his full docs others might be able to assist you further we do have DLI experts on the forum who hopefully will be along shortly to assist for your further research you have possibly seen this Search the Catalogue - Durham Record Office
According to Arnold Hague database (ConvoyWeb) there were no convoys leaving Hong Kong (as he seems to be sent there for an ITC course 28 Jan 1945), in fact none were leaving or arriving for 5 days either side of 5th Feb 1945 Bombay has several ships departing but they were all sailing 'Independently' Mon Feb 5, 1945 FORT ST JAMES Independent .. GAMARIA Independent Tue Feb 6, 1945 BRITISH DUCHESS Independent .. TEGELBERG Independent Wed Feb 7, 1945 ARONDA Independent .. FELIX ROUSSEL Independent .. FORRESBANK Independent .. MALOJA Independent .. SONTAY Independent .. TAKLIWA Independent Thu Feb 8, 1945 CARDIUM Independent .. CITY OF EXETER Independent .. EMPIRE SYMBOL Independent .. ORONTES Independent .. STORANGER Independent .. WILLIAM BEAUMONT Independent Fri Feb 9, 1945 CARNARVON CASTLE Independent .. CITY OF DERBY Independent Sat Feb 10, 1945 BRITISH GLORY Independent .. OCEAN TRADER Independent .. OCEAN VALLEY Independent I also cannot find any convoys during WW2 anywhere in the world that were designated 'SS' List of Allied convoy codes during World War II - Wikipedia List of Allied convoys during World War II by region - Wikipedia TD
thanks Thanks TD, what do you reckon if I said SS could of been Steam Ship ??? maybe or???? on the service papers it looks an awful lot like SS. if dad left on the 5th as stated then perhaps Fort St James/Gamaria could be a winner, Thanks again and I hope you have managed your Boxing Day dinner ...inbetween )
By wandering around the ConvoyWeb site i have come across this Convoyweb Extras S.S. Calcutta - Singapore (Military). (Cancelled) If you look on that site they will show each ships movements so the ships listed above can be rtraced and I think Fort St James syaed around the Far East during 1945 so it would not have brought your relation home TD
Russian Convoy PQ8, January 1942 - from this site the was a ship which apparently was part of SS1 Steamer TAI SANG (3555grt), formerly of convoy SS.1, was sunk on a Dutch mine at 0-55N, 103-35E. So checking that : https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?59246 located in the Far East The deduction could be made that Convoys SS were Far East and if there was a Convoy SS1 then there could be others TD
Can you copy the rest of his record From what is uploaded he would appear to be in the process of being repatriated (repat). His unit was still fighting in Burma at his time and so perhaps he had a wound or medical problem that meant he would be sent back to India and then repatriated to UK. It may have been he was shipped back with a few other on a ship that would be travelling independently, I can cant see the need for a convoy. Perhaps the '30-Q' is someones interpretation of the SS ? ships name, it could well have been an Asian n or Far East named ship that started his trip home TD
lots of info TD ) but... how could an english pte be sent on an ITC to Hong Kong 28 jan 1945 when the said place was over run and controlled by the japanese until they surrendered on 15th Aug 1945 ??? just wondering like(
According to the records you have posted he was sent to the Infantry Training Centre at Deolali, India on 28 January 1945 pending repatriation to UK. (UK written on the record does look like HK!)
Repatriated in 1945 the record reads casualty `in the field` yet he isnt in the casualty lists on findmypast ? Was he extra regimentally employed because the 2nd DLI as TD states were in Burma . Only 2 nd DLI were in that theatre . Interesting . Whats written below the cut off on the page? Kyle
Hi Kyle Cant make contact with you via this site, maybe your settings have changed, but to let you know Jim is aware of this thread TD
Thanks Kyle, the piece missing wasnt cut off I only thought I needed to put the part about the convoy. I can add the whole piece,no probs)
Sorry about that TD . Contacted him a minute or so ago and he told me the pair of you had spoken earlier. He could only suggest that `SS (3O-Q) may have been a radio /code rather than inputting a ships name? He also wondered the reasoning behind the soldiers return and if he had previously served with 2 DLI or had been with another unit on attachment? Hello Geordie , no I meant cut off as in the displayed portion . It was suggested, if there was a definate return date you might be able to work backwards and see which convoy it was ? Do the records confirm he was 2 DLI or is he attached to another unit or Staff HQ perhaps ? Its a long way from the main DLI battalion. Thanks Kyle
Knowing when he went out to India will help you know whether he was 'time expired' as having been overseas for a number of years. It would also help to see if he was in hospital just before this episode or his medical fitness changed just before the end of 1944 Always helps to have sight of the full set of papers rather than the odd page as the clue is often on another seemingly un-related page.
Hi Skoyen, dad was definatly over there for some years,he was in what they called PYTHON when sent home. I shall have to reduce the size of the jpegs to get them online. Back in a jiffy.