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Thread: SS Calliope

  1. #1

    Default SS Calliope

    My great grandfather was in the RNR, and serving on the SS Calliope when she was torpedoed by a German U-Boat and sunk. I'm trying to find more information about its sinking and don't know where to start. I'm wondering if anyone on the forum has any suggestions?

    Also, I've found his RNR service record from 1905, but am struggling to find any more information about the ships he served on before then. He calls himself a 'merchant seaman' but I can't find any more other than this one service record. Would it be possible for him to have had more than one service record? Could he have joined the RNR at other times during his career?

    If anyone can help, I'd be very grateful.

  2. #2
    Famous for offering help & advice gortonboy's Avatar
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    HI,,Can you post his name..and when and where born ?

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    Famous for offering help & advice gortonboy's Avatar
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    Im sure you have this,,,but always best to post the basics,,

    July 12th, 1917, the British steamer SS Calliope, on a voyage from Sevilla to Newport, Montreal with a cargo of ore, was sunk by the German submarine U-155 (Karl Meusel), some 150 miles north of Madeira. Sunk with all 27 hands and posted as missing.

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    1917

    During the summer of 1917 U-155 made a 105-day cruise, commanded by Karl Meusel, leaving Germany around 24 May and returning on 4 September. During her traverse of the Northern Passage around the northern end of the British Isles and out into the Atlantic Ocean, she was stalked and nearly sunk by U-19 near Utsira Island, Norway.

    During her patrol she sank 19 merchant ships, most by either scuttling or gunfire. She attacked 19 Allied armed merchantmen but only succeeded in sinking 9 of them. Upon her return to Germany she had covered a distance of 10,220 mi (16,450 km), of which 620 mi (1,000 km) had been travelled submerged, one of the longest voyages made by a U-boat during World War I .

  5. #5

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    Thank you so much for that. I had the first piece of information, but not the second - it'll really help with further research.

    His name was John Hovelroude Anderson, and he was born on the 26th February 1879 in Dundee. I heard from my father that he was a whaler, which is very possible as Dundee was a major whaling port. The RNR service record covers some of the ships he sailed on from 1905 while he was doing his training. But I'm struggling to find out much more from the crew lists I have been able to track down.

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Severina View Post

    Would it be possible for him to have had more than one service record? Could he have joined the RNR at other times during his career?
    The answer to that question is probably yes. RNR ratings were assigned a new service number on each occassion of commencing a fresh period of enlistment in the Reserve. His official number was 3208/B which indicates to me that he had at least five years of previous service in the Reserve.

    He was awarded the British War Medal, 1914-15 Star and Victory Medal.
    Regards
    Hugh

  7. #7

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    Thank you very much for that, Hugh. I thought that might be the case.

    I wonder if you know where I might find his old service records?

    Best wishes

    Jane

  8. #8

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    Hello Jane,
    RNR records are incomplete. The records are held on microfiche at Kew in BT 377/7 and BT 164/20 with originals now held at the Fleet Air Arm Museum - https://www.fleetairarm.com/naval-aviation-research.aspx

    Regards
    Hugh

  9. #9
    Name well known on Brit-Gen
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    17 July 1917
    Calliope - Admiralty hired collier, torpedoed & sunk by U155 W of Gibraltor

    Naval Casualty:
    John Anderson Acting leading seaman RNR B3208

    extracted from: Royal Navy Roll of Honour - World War 1, by Date and Ship/Unit By Don Kindell

    https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=I...201917&f=false

    I cannot find an entry on CWGC.org however I understand that you may contact the 'office' to add a name.

  10. #10

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    Thanks, Hugh... I'll have another look and see if I can find any of his older RNR records. It's driving me crazy that it's taking to long to find out the ships he served on.

    Best

    Jane

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