I know that most service personnel from the Far East and the Pacific returned to the UK after the end of WW2 by sea, often aboard aircraft carriers...but did they head across the Pacific and through the Panama canal, or via the Indian Ocean and the Cape of Good Hope?
Some of the liberated POWs from Rangoon Jail voyaged home: Indian Ocean, Suez Canal then the Mediterranean.
In very general terms. FEPOWs were repatriated by sea to UK via Colombo and Suez or by sea to USA/Canada then by train to the east coast and sea to UK. I've not come across any using the Panama Canal. The very sick were often held over in India to recover. Some went via Australia. Due to shortage of shipping aircraft carriers were sometimes used as with their aircraft removed they were able to accommodate large numbers in the hangars. This and the subsequent links may be of interest: Transport Home Tim
Thanks lads. I was more thinking of non-POW and non-wounded personnel i.e my dad. He often spoke oh being on Indomitable, and also having visited Hawaii, but despite being based in Sydney and talking of his experience against the Japanese, it seems he never qualified for a Pacific Star, so if he was repatriated back to the UK via the westerly route then the only way he could have visited Hawaii was having served there
Yes, but they are virtually of no use as they only show shore bases that paid him, and no ships. It is a problem I have had for the last two years mate. Long story.
There are photos of pefectly servicable Corsairs, Avengers and Seafires being tipped over the side. Heartbreaking
My uncle served on HMS Implacable. It transported repatriated POW from Australia to Vancouver via Manila & Pearl Harbour in late 1945. HMS Implacable (R86) - Wikipedia You may need to have sight of RN Victualling Records for your father. There are several topics on the forum highlighting that they are the most useful RN documents to have sight of and how to obtain them, including - Advice Needed: RN "Naval Pay and Victualling Records" Forum member Hugh MacLean may be able to assist with further advice. Good Luck. Steve
Found this in an old file, it names the ships used to repatriate the 14th Army. They used Liners that were on regular mail runs from the UK to Australia, throughout the war I believe. Not sure which route they took but I'm sure someone on the forum will know or find out. I would be interested to know more as my uncle came back on Strathmore Embarked India 28.12 45 so she did several runs, the Newspaper cutting is from November 1945
Popeye1975 posted: Posted my late father's story about such an incident, aircraft engines, not planes in 2019 elsewhere. He was posted to HMS Beauly Firth, an aircraft engine repair ship and in the later stages (June 1945 onwards?) of the war they sailed to Australia, to join the Pacific Fleet. The ship's main role was to maintain aircraft engines, nearly all US-made. They reached 'X', bit hazy now, possibly Brisbane or Sydney and VJ-Day had happened. There was no need for the ship to remain, reinforced by having a large number of highly skilled engineers, so they set sail for home. At one point the intricacies of 'Lend-Lease' clicked in and the ship was ordered to dispose of all the US-made engines and more, so over the side they went. If the RN had retained this equipment the USA would have charged the UK for it. No equipment, no bill. This link has a more accurate history of what happened: H.M.S. BEAULY FIRTH
Funnily enough, I was watching the Footage Detectives on Talking Pictures TV yesterday afternoon - I lead a crazy life - and they showed some delightful, quite lengthy, colour home movie footage of Strathmore cruising around the Med pre-war. I turned to the missus and said “I bet that became a troopship”. She yawns when she’s wildly excited, at least that’s what I think it means. Anyway, had a browse for Strathmore and yep, there she was.
Hi...already got his P&V records, which like his official service docs only show shore bases. Not one ship was ever mentioned, this in spite of the fact that I know of four ships he went to sea and saw action in
Lots of interesting info in that link. In "Westward Bound: Part 2" I noticed this: (f) Each man gets— (a) One suit of clothes, (ii) One shirt (with two collars). (iii) One hat. (iv) One pair shoes. (v) One pair socks. (vi) One raincoat. (vii) One tie. They are all of very good quality. If you cannot get a suit that fits you, one is made for you; this takes about ten weeks. You hand in your greatcoat here. Anyone know if there was a standard set of clothes/suit and shoes that the government issued a contract for?
Extract from my site: Sergeant ACK-ACK: War Gratuity, Pay & Income Tax I have a copy of the British Forces weekly paper "Crusader" dated Sunday, May 27th 1945. The centre spread is an article called "Soldier into Civvy - it takes eight minutes". The military clothing depot issued the civilian clothes, and the entitlement was:- suit 1 raincoat 1 shirt 1 collars 2 tie 1 hat 1 shoes 1 pair socks 2 pair In addition, the serviceman could retain certain articles from their Army kit {although what exactly was not specified} I understand there was the option of either a 3 piece suit or jacket & trousers, although that is not mentioned in the Crusader article.. One of the larger suppliers of uniforms during WW2 had been the tailor "Burton" known at the time as "Montague Burton" (but not the owners real name). Burton also supplied many of the demob suits. So if a serviceman took the suit complete with hat, raincoat, shoes, socks, tie, shirt and collars, he was said to have The Full Monty. Many men felt uncomfortable wearing their demob suits, as they believed they had just swapped one uniform for another.
Men who had been in Burma, and then Malaya, after the Japanese surrender, often returned home to UK on troopships. These were often former cruise liners. These sailed from Singapore, and called in at Rangoon before going home via the Suez canal. I have records of how crowded these were as many men had been away from home for years and were due for demobilisation. Priority was given to former POWs so those not in this category had to wait until early 1946 before being allocated a sailing date.
As well as the fleet carriers, the following RN cruisers were also employed on trooping duties to the Far East in 1945/6:- Enterprise - 6/45-1/46 4 trips, Bombay, Colombo x 2, and South Africa. Devonshire - 6/45-1/46 Australia Berwick - 7/45-6/46 Australia x2, Colombo Suffolk - 8/45-7/46 Australia x2, Singapore Also a number of escort carriers:- Fencer Atheling Patroller Queen Rajah Range The Canadian manned Puncher was also engaged on trooping duties to Canada. Histories for most of the ships here RN Escort Carriers Home Page
My uncle and also my dad's twin was a Fepow in Thailand on the death railway and sailed home from Rangoon 11th October 45 on the SS Orbita arriving in Liverpool on the 9th November. I've added images of a card he received on arrival at Liverpool.