Jump to content
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

hmt hunsbrook


Guest tom baker

Recommended Posts

Guest tom baker

can any body tell me more of this ship theHMT Hunsbrook(london),i know it was originally called the Annaburg

and seized by Britain @ Suez in1914. my Great grand father was a fireman /trimmer and was saddly

killed on board in 1917,his name was Joseph James Wallace.Thats all i know,it would be great to find out where he was buried andof what wounds he died of,i hope that someone will know of a lead to find more info

regards, Tom.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tom,

Not much i'm afraid but here goes:

Deutsche-Australische Dampfschiffs Gesellschaft, Hamburg

Annaberg built 1909 but in 1914 was seized by Britain at Suez, renamed HMT Hunsbrook, 1919 was stranded at Walvis Bay. 4,463 tons.

Hope this helps.

Roop

Source. http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/ge..._australian.htm

Edited by KONDOA
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tom

He is comemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London, which means he has no known grave. Perhaps he was buried at sea. His death certificate may show more detail.

If you have not already seen it, he is listed on the Commonwealth War Graves site. Click on the link.

http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/casualty_...asualty=2969655

Terry Reeves

Edited by Terry_Reeves
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hunsbrook was torpedoed on December 22, 1917 15 miles NE of Trevose Head by a as yet unidentified U-boat. Three killed, including the person you're interested in. The steamer was beached and later repaired.

Best wishes,

Michael

Edited by Michael Lowrey
Link to comment
Share on other sites

According to British Vessels Lost at Sea 3 lives were lost in the attack on 22 Dec 1917, but no names are given. Hunsbrook was 4,463 grt.

Best wishes

David

Link to comment
Share on other sites

HUNSBROOK

G. Heyn & Sons; 1909; rebuilt/repaired by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson;4,463 tons; 400-8x52-5x25-7; 523 n.h.p.; triple-expansionengines.The British cargo ship Hunsbrook, was wrecked in 23 ° S., 14° 22' E., on November 7th, 1919, while on a voyage from Barry to Reunion, carrying a cargo of coal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Roop,

There's no contradiction here; we're all talking about the same ship. Originally German, comes under Birtish control in 1914. Now about the shipping company: G. Heyn & Sons (aka the Ulster Steamship Company) was the parent of the Head Line, which named its ships XXXX Head (Orlock Head, Torr Head etc). Judging by Tennent's British Merchant Ships sunk by U-boats in the 1914-1918 War, the exception to this was captured German ships G. Heyn & Sons operated for the Shipping Controller. Obviously Hunsbrook would qualify (the names seem to all be HUN...).

Now the Hunsbrook was torpedoed (or mined) on December 22, 1917 with the loss of three lives. She wasn't sunk though, just damaged. Judging by your post, I woud surmise she was repaired by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson. Then in 1919, she's wrecked.

Best wishes,

Michael

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes Michael, I initially thought we had two ships but realised the torpedo didnt sink her.

Forgot to mention the photo comes from the Australian State of Victoria Archives and the info from Dictionary of Disasters at Sea

Page 332

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/cdasm.56/dictionnaire/001.pdf

Roop

Edited by KONDOA
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest tom baker

dear micheal,would you the have the grid ref of the attack and where it actually beached afterwards.

i suppose it was on the cornish coastline.

regards tom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tom,

I don't have much more. British Vessels Lost at Sea 1914-1918 just says beached and Lloyd's War Losses doesn't provide details either. I would presume it would have been somehwere on the Cornwall coast if she broke for Padstow after being hit.

The Trevose Head light is at 50°33'N 5°02'W. 15 miles NE would be about 50°22'N, 4°51'W or so.

Am trying to determine which U-boat was responsible. So far no luck, which in itself is significant, as one of the possibilities is a boat that was sunk while on patrol.

Best wishes,

Michael

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello all,

according to SPINDLER the attacker was U 60 (Kptlt. Schuster), as I did't have her KTB I can't confirm, but should be right.

Michael: Do you have this diary?

Oliver

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oliver,

I do indeed have U 60's KTB. Had actually meant to check it over the weekend but grabbed the microfilm roll with U 61's KTB instead. Will check it probably on Saturday...

Best wishes,

Michael

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have examined U 60's KTB and can confirm she was the U-boat that torpedoed Hunsbrook. I can add that the submarine's CO thought that the steamer would sink from the torpedo hit and decided not to finish her off with an additional torpedo. Have a scan of the KTB entry as a TIF file if anyone is interested.

Best wishes,

Michael

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have examined U 60's KTB and can confirm she was the U-boat that torpedoed Hunsbrook. I can add that the submarine's CO thought that the steamer would sink from the torpedo hit and decided not to finish her off with an additional torpedo. Have a scan of the KTB entry as a TIF file if anyone is interested.

Best wishes,

Michael

michael

i would extremely interested although idont know what is on there but all info is super

regards tom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

michael

i would extremely interested although idont know what is on there but all info is super

regards tom

KTB = Kriegstagebuch = war diary = essentially, in this case, the submarine's log entry describing the action. In German, of course, though typewritten and easily translated. It's one of the only primary source descriptions of what happened. (The only one from the German side.)

E-mail me and I'll send you the scan...

Best wishes,

Michael

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There may be reports in the local papers.

Redruth library have these & are VERY helpful.

Terry Knight

Principal Librarian, Cornish Studies

Cornish Studies Library

The Cornwall Centre/ Kresenn Kernow

Alma Place

Redruth

Cornwall

U.K

TR15 2AT

email: cornishstudies.library@cornwall.gov.uk

The website seems to be down (www.cornwall.gov.uk/libraries)

Kath.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 12 years later...
On 03/12/2005 at 18:36, Terry_Reeves said:

He is comemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London, which means he has no known grave. Perhaps he was buried at sea. His death certificate may show more detail.

If you have not already seen it, he is listed on the Commonwealth War Graves site.

JOSEPH JAMES WALLACE 

As at this date [29/12/2017] CWGC now have revised his entry from Tower Hill Memorial to Falmouth Cemetery, but not yet erected a headstone.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2969655/wallace,-joseph-james/

There seems to be a burial entry 13/27 for Falmouth Cemetery - buried 31 December 1917

R.I.P.

pge00005.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

TAKAKE, K.

Also a Fireman & Trimmer from same ship at nearly same time so quite likely they knew each other.

Now also recognised by CWGC as buried at Falmouth Cemetery - likewise not yet erected a headstone

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2968959/takake,-/

Burial entry 13/47 below - buried 14 Jan.1918

R.I.P.

pge00007.jpg

 

Edited by Matlock1418
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...