SS Fort Stager

[Administrator]

Posting for your info, we would be interested in any knowledge of the event. Would you know more or where to seek such ? It is an interesting piece and serves to remind all that behind the nanes of every ship and name is a story, a history and real life events.

"We were throwing out some of my Dads old papers out when I came across some news articles about the SS Fort Stager delivering pedigree sheep from Melbourne to Durban in 1946. There was an almighty storm through the Australian Bight and the ewes went into labour giving birth to 29 lambs which the crew had to spoon feed, the ship was 5 days late.

My Dad, Thomas, was just 15 when he joined the MN in 1939 and must have been the youngest 'Sparky' at sea. I wondered if anyone remembered the sheep event, it must have been almost light hearted compared with the horror of the War".

This is MN Maritime history and most important, hopefully to be recorded forever along with further infotmation that may be found or uncovered.

Fort Stager

1943 FORT STAGER, MOWT (Sir R. Ropner & Co). London
1948 U.S. Maritime Commission.
1958 Scrapped Baltimore


FORT STAGER

Type:North Sands

Tonnage:7,132grt

Dimensions:439.7 x 57.2

Builders:West Coast Shipbuilders Ltd., Vancouver

Delivery Date:February, 1943

Owners;Managers:U.S.W.S.A.; Sir R. Ropner & Co., West Hartlepool for M.O.W.T.

Post war History:1948: U.S.M.C.;

Broken up Baltimore 1958.

K

[Administrator]

There is a copy of the Fort Stager's 1946 Crew Agreements & Log Books at Kew in BT 381/3985, which would of recorded the incident.

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/c...accessmethod=0

Interesting fact for Fort Stager. Her Master became the last official British Merchant Navy individual to be granted war grave status from WWII.

LOVE, Master, PETER, S.S. Fort Stager (London). Merchant Navy. 30th December 1947. Age 53. King's Commendation for brave conduct. Son of Peter and Jane Love, of Birkenhead; husband of Elsie Love, of Birkenhead. Buried Bidston (St. Oswald) Churchyard, Cheshire.

Information supplied by Billy McGee

Its nice to see that the men of the MN have a place to be remembered, men like my Dad who put there lives on the line every day of WW2 without recognition. I have attached some info regarding the 'sheep transport' that may be of interest to you.
Best Regards
Keith

PLEASE SEE ATTACHED

K.

Attachments:

[Administrator]

IT'S ALL IN A DAY'S WORK FOR SEAMEN

ATTACHED:

Attachments:

[Administrator]

FORT STAGER II

ATACHED:

Attachments:

[lapearson]

Hi my name is Larry Pearson and just a quick note of interest. I have been doing some research into my family history and it turns out that the captain James Kerr baty is my first cousin 3x removed. Glad to see the pictures thanks for posting.

[Administrator]

Sir you are most welcome, found this of great interest myself, the info was past on by a another relative of a crew member.

Regards,

Keith.

[Tom Moffatt]

I would be interested if anyone had info on the Fort Stager during 1944. I am researching the Capt. - Stanley Richards - who was "mentioned in despatches" but I have no idea why. - Tom

[Administrator]

Have you tried the St Ives Museum:

LINK

The Hain Room:

"Edward Hain founded this famous local Steamship Company in St Ives in 1878. His father established a local fleet of merchant sailing ships one of which was the" Margaret Hain" The subsequent steamer fleet all bore the Cornish prefix "TRE" - Trewidden, Trelyon.

The curator may be able to help ?

K.

[Administrator]

Tom has provided the below, I add here in case anyone can assist further.

K.


His list of ships and voyages (from Lloyd's Masters list):

Boyne 129121
17/8/10 Aust
16/2/11 SA

Iser 95484
14/6/11 M
16/12/11

Coquet 120479
21/6/12 M
3/8/12
17/9/12 Cp

Zone 115968
29/5/13 M

Lena 115850
26/9/13 EI
27/3/14 M
6/11/14
15/4/16 For
22/9/16
20/11/16
17/2/17

Treneglos 137869
8/5/20 A
4/6/20 A - SA
17/9/20 SA
12/2/21
9/3/21 A
6/4/21 EI
9/9/21 EI – Cp
7/1/22
24/10/22 EI
28/2/23

Tregonell 142431
25/6/23 US
3/4/24 SA
2/9/24
14/1/25 EI
14/5/25 SA
25/9/25
2/2/26
15/4/26
25/6/26 SA - M
27/7/26 M - US
3/9/26 US - EI (v. Cp)
20/2/26 EI - SA
1/6/27 SA - UK
29/7/27 EI
14/12/27 SA
18/4/28
23/1/29 For
27/3/30

Nohata 149988
6/10/30 SA
13/2/31
12/5/31

Tresillian 148685
29/10/31 SA
5/2/32
20/7/32

Treworlas 147041
17/3/33 SA
10/7/33
23/10/33 A
14/1/34

Trekieve 142575
8/6/34 SA
13/9/34
17/12/34
11/4/35
29/7/35
11/4/36

Tremorvah 142566
13/6/36 NP
24/10/36 SA
25/1/37
29/4/37 Aust
8/9/37 SA
14/12/37 Aust
22/4/38

Treworlas 147041
29/6/38 Aust
5/12/38 EI
9/5/39

Trevarrack 142568
13/11/39 For
13/3/40
21/6/40

Lackenby 139250
18/12/41 For
8/5/42
4/10/42

Fort Stager 168432
17/5/43 For
15/5/44

Mentioned in Despatches for war services.
(L.L. Jan 12, 1944 p. 3, col. 4)

Cragpool 160756
17/10/44 For
28/12/44
23/3/45
26/5/45
9/7/45
1/8/45
26/9/45 M
22/10/45
5/12/45
12/2/46
25/7/46

Preston 167633
4/12/46 M
12/2/47
20/15/47
1/8/47
21/11/47