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Guestbook Messages 125-149 |
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136. I am trying to get in touch with CPO Shawn Taylor who I knew when I served on HMCS Saskatchewan. We went through Cornwallis together and were room mates at Nellie's block at CFB Esquimalt. I was saddened to see Huron go down. Cheers, |
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135. Sept. 2, 2009 Subject: World War II Monopoly I realize this is a little "off topic" but I thought it might be of interest to visitors the this site. In the Second World War, an increasing number of shot-down British airmen found themselves as the involuntary guests of the Third Reich, and the Military bosses were looking hard at ways and means to facilitate their escape. Now obviously, one of the most helpful aids is a map, showing the locations of 'safe houses' where a POW on-the-lam could go for food and shelter. Paper maps had some real drawbacks -- they make a lot of noise when you open and fold them, they wear out rapidly, and if they get wet, they turn into mush. Someone in MI-5 got the idea of printing escape maps on silk. It's durable, can be scrunched-up into tiny wads, and unfolded as many times as needed, and makes no noise whatsoever. At that time, there was only one manufacturer in Great Britain that had perfected the technology of printing on silk, and that was John Waddington Ltd. When approached by the government, the firm was only too happy to do its bit for the war effort. By pure coincidence, Waddington was also the U.K. Licensee for the popular board game, Monopoly. As it happened, 'games and pastimes' was a category of item qualified for insertion into 'CARE packages', dispatched by the International Red Cross to prisoners of war. Under the strictest of secrecy, in a securely guarded and inaccessible old workshop on the grounds of Waddington's, a group of sworn-to-secrecy employees began mass-producing escape maps, keyed to each region of Germany or Italy where Allied POW camps were. When processed, these maps could be folded into such tiny dots that they would actually fit inside a Monopoly playing piece. While they were at it, the clever workmen at Waddington's also managed to add: 1. A playing token, containing a small magnetic compass. 2. A two-part metal file that could easily be screwed together. 3. Useful amounts of genuine high-denomination German, Italian, and French currency, hidden within the piles of Monopoly money! British, Canadian and American air crews were advised, before taking off on their first mission, how to identify a 'rigged' Monopoly set -- by means of a tiny red dot, cleverly rigged to look like an ordinary printing glitch, located in the corner of the Free Parking square. Of the estimated 35,000 Allied POWS who successfully escaped, one-third were aided in their flight by the rigged Monopoly sets. Everyone who did so was sworn to secrecy indefinitely, since the British Government might want to use this highly successful ruse in still another, future war. The story wasn't de-classified until 2007, when the surviving craftsmen from Waddington's, as well as the firm itself, were finally honored in a public ceremony. (It's always nice when you can play that 'Get Out of Jail Free' card! ) -Author unknown Regards, Sandra Meacock |
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Great site, really enjoy all the pix's. I'm one of those Korean war vets. US Navy Aug 1950-May1954. VR22 NAS Norfolk, USS Midway, USS Wasp, USS Wright (Operation Main brace- TBM convert to: Mail, personnel,etc. Sept 1953-May 1954 aboard USS DES MOINES CA134. |
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I have been researching my Grandfather's navy career with Ellerman's/Hall Line since 1914. He was Frederick Emmerson. I managed with help to gain his service record and movement cards to enable me to claim the medals he did not manage to get in his lifetime. He spent a lifetime at sea, as so many did in those days, was torpedoed on the City of Bath and eventually retired as Chief Engineer in 1951. It has been fascinating getting to know someone through their records and fitting the stories that my father told me about their "adventures". I have still to find the second ship that he was torpedoed on... it could have been in between 1914- 1917 before he was posted to Mesopotamia in the Royal engineers Inland Water Transport. the Royal Engineers Museum is kindly delving into the information for me. You have a great site thank you and hope this may be of interest. |
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132. June 17, 2009 My father in law John Irvine served on the HMS Grey Goose 1942 to 1945. He is now 86 years young and very fit and well. He remembers a very good friend 'Spud' Murphy who was from Liverpool unfortunately after the war they lost contact. John (Johnny) lives in Belfast Northern Ireland and would love to hear any news of his fellow crew members of the HMS Grey Goose. Unsigned |
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Just found your site today and wish I'd found it last year when I was painting 1/6000 scale merchant ships. I've added it to my book marks for future use. Thanks for posting all the great data. |
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Was looking up some info for a friend when I came across your treasure trove of information. Needless to say I found what I was looking for. Many thanks. |
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I have a brass ship's bell that my father gave to me in the mid 1960s. He got it from a friend in San Francisco who was in the shipping business. I would like to know if there is a way to get information of what ship it might have been on. It says on the inside - Greenberg, SF CAL The size is approximately: 13" tall by 18" wide. It is hanging from a brass fixture. Please let me know your thoughts ! Thank you ! |
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128. We regret to announce the death of one of our brothers. Paul Sartwell, 94, died of a heart attack on 6 May 2009 in Kerrville, Texas. Paul, who served in World War II in Okinawa and then in China, was in the Inchon landing in 1950. He was seriously wounded in the battle for Seoul and spent the remainder of the war in hospitals in Japan and Bremerton, Washington. |
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Very great job congratulations. Photographs are very interesting. I found information about a Russian DDG 650 and I have found what I wanted. Regarding the French Navy I am looking for photographs of a destroyer called "DUPERRE" D633 this is a T53 Class. |
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What a great job! Your site is an extraordinary library of the sea, with amazing pictures. But I can't find some passenger ships ... What about Cunard's Berengaria (formerly built as Imperator)? And what about US Line's Leviathan (formerly built as Vaterland) and United States I found no datas about this large and quite famous liners. |
Reply: The answer to your question is an easy one, I do have photos of these and thousands of other ships, Regards, |
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Messages 125-149 |