Fort Athabaska

[Guest OURTREE2]

Hello,

I wonder if anyone has any information on the Fort Athabaska which was one of 17 ships sunk at Bari Port on December the 2nd 1943.

My Great Grandfather was Christopher Bedford Steel, who was a Fireman and trimmer.

Also if there are any crew photos these would be most welcome.

Thanks

Bye for now

Jessica

[kin47]

Hello Jessica

Here are the names of the five naval DEMS gunners lost in FORT ATHABASKA.

BALLARD ERNEST J. A/A.B. (DEMS) D/JX 392715

HARVEY ROBERT R. A/A.B. (DEMS) D/JX 392733

MCILVENNY JAMES A. A/A.B. (DEMS) D/JX 397011

READ SIDNEY T/A/L/SEAMAN (DEMS) D/JX 240027

WOODGATECYRIL W.T. A/A.B. (DEMS) P/JX 392506

don

[Guest]

The SS Fort Athabasca (note the spelling, search for info with both spellings) was a merchant ship owned by the Canadian Government but registered in Great Britain instead of Canada. These ships were owned by a crown corporation, Wartime Merchant Shipping Ltd., which chartered them to the British Ministry of War Transport. Six of these ships were lost to enemy action including the Athabasca. On 2nd December 1943 the Fort Athabasca was in the docks at Bari loaded and ready for departure carrying 76 tons of cargo, mail and 2 captured German 1000 rocket bombs. It was part of a large allied convoy of tankers, ammunition ships and supply vessels was at anchor in Bari (Adriatic Sea) with much needed supplies for the British, American and Canadian armies for their advance up the Italian mainland. The Liberty ship USS John Harvey (captain Knowles) had a cargo of liquid mustard gas bombs, (in case the enemy should resort to chemical warfare) and was guarded by a unit of the 701st Chemical Maintenance Company. 5 of the ships were Norwegian (Bollsta, Norlom, Vest, Lom and Salamis. About 20 enemy planes attacked and when one of the ammunition ships was hit and blew up, it started a domino effect of events. Ship after ship caught on fire. The ship next to the Athabasca blew up, and despite the crews’ heroic efforts, the 2 German bombs exploded killing 46 men out of her complement of 56.

Read more here:

http://www.mapleleafup.org/histories/scislowski/bari.html

http://www.rsa.org.nz/review/art2003november/article_3.htm