Merchant Navy Records.

[LOVAT#]

Susan,

The piece references I have supplied for Kew should give you details of his service.

When you obtain his CRS 10 it should confirm that he was aboard mv SURAT torpedoed and sunk by U-103 (Viktor Shutze) on 6th May 1941. After being torpedoed he was transported home on ANSELM as a DBS on a conveyance order leaving Freetown on May 10th and arriving in Liverpool 4th June 1941.

https://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/904.html

Regards
Hugh

[Susan Kitchen]

I'm very grateful for the information. Will i be able to find out at Kew what happened in 1945 when Lawrence sailed from Colombo to New York and why he did that? I believe he was on a ship called the Imperial Valley but not sure. Have not been able to find out anything about it. Wondered if the ship was not British. Anyway thanks very much for the trouble you have taken.

[LOVAT#]

Hi Susan,
Yes, he did sail on the IMPERIAL VALLEY arriving New York NY on 31 October 1945. I cannot see the full list but I suspect he was again travelling as a passenger possibly DBS. That could mean he was being transported home for various reasons including if a previous ship had been lost. The CRS 10 will tell you, I hope, as it will list all the ships he served in from Jan, 1941, including dates and places of engagement and discharge.

IMPERIAL VALLEY was a British registered vessel belonging to the Reardon Smith Line.

Regards
Hugh