The ships that kept us afloat

QUESTION

An earlier answer stated that Henry Kaiser designed the Liberty ships. Is this true? LIBERTy ships were mass-produced cargo carriers built during World War II to provide much-needed merchant tonnage. They were designed by British shipbuilders J.L. Thompson’s of Sunderland, the first ones being built in that area.

The accommodation and cargo gear design were modified to suit productionline methods of welding and prefabrication in the United States.

Basically, they moved the accommodation into one unit rather than two separate units as per the original design. The main engine was designed by North East Marine (NEM) of Sunderland.

Eventually, 18 American shipyards, of which Henry Kaiser’s was one, and 20 American marine engine builders were involved in the production of 2,704 Liberty ships, all built using the J.L. Thompson-designed hull and North East Marine main engine.

The Thompson design and NEM engine were taken to the U.S. on a 1940 Trade Mission led by J.L. Thompson and Harry Hunter of North Eastern Marine and construction began in the U.S. in 1941. British yards had been building them before 1939.

The first three new U.S. shipyards constructed for building these ships were partfinanced by the British Government.

At the outbreak of war in Europe, American shipyards weren’t geared to build merchant ships; records show that only two dry cargo vessels had been built in the U.S. between 1922 and 1937, although many tankers, passenger ships and naval vessels had been built.

The Liberty ship had an unwarranted reputation for breaking in half. In fact only 52 out of the 2,704 built suffered structural failure, some because of poor steel and not the welding as was commonly thought.

Not all those that foundered could be put down to the incorrect steel, as ships founder for a variety of reasons.

The North Atlantic in winter is a cruel place, the cold and aggressive weather having adverse effects on steel if the correct formula has not been used, causing it to become brittle and fracture with dire consequences.

All vessels built in the U.S. and sailing under the British flag had the prefix SAM (Superstructure Aft of Midships) in their Sailing to victory: A Liberty ship unloads names, those built in the UK had Empire in their names and those built in Canada had Park in their names.

The Empire and Park were built on the original split accommodation 1939 design by Thompsons, the only difference between these two types were that the Empire ships had a raised foc’sle and the Park ships were flush decked.

A lot of Liberty cargo vessels were used as tankers during the war and not having the usual profile of a tanker, with bridge midships and engines aft, didn’t become a prime target for U-Boats. Ivan Cloherty (ex-British Merchant Navy),

Torquay, Devon.

QUESTION

In the Newcastle upon Tyne area I have seen the following hot food vans parked up in laybys: The Frying Scotsman and Only Foods And Sauces. What others are there? THERE’S Jason’s Donervan in Leeds and The Frying Scotsman in Bridgwater.

Ian Parks, Carlisle. I RECENTLy saw one parked up in a layby near Weston-super-Mare. It was called A Snack In The Mouth.

S.P. Foulkes, Shepton Mallet, Somerset. I OFTEN smile at the one on Hattersley Roundabout at the end of the M67 en route to Glossop in Derbyshire. It’s called Big Baps.

C.P. Dawson-Jones, Fleetwood. THERE is Egg On Ronnies on the road to Cardiff airport and Breakfast In Bread near Glynneath, not far from Swansea.

ron John, Maesteg, Bridgend. NEAR Bristol on the A38 there is a hot food van called Breakfast At Timothy’s.

Sue Varcoe, Cheddar, Somerset.

QUESTION

Who was Dolly Gray, subject of the 1899 Spanish-American War song, popularised during World War I? DOLLy Gray wasn’t based on any one woman, it was a name conjured up to portray the many women who saw their men go off to war. It was a generic name, akin to Tommy Atkins.

It was sung from the perspective of the soldier trying to comfort his partner, telling her all will be well and giving his reasons for leaving: Goodbye Dolly I must leave you, Though it breaks my heart to go Something tells me I am needed, At the front to fight the foe See, the boys in blue are marching, And I can no longer stay Hark, I hear the bugle calling, Goodbye Dolly Gray.

Sadly, he never returns, as recorded in the poignant last verse when the soldiers are marching back into their town. Hear the rolling of the drums, Dolly Gray Back from war the regiment comes, Dolly Gray on your lovely face so fair, I can see a look of fear For your soldier boy’s not there, Dolly Gray For the one you love so well, Dolly Gray In the midst of battle fell, Dolly Gray With his face toward the foe, As he died he murmured low I must say goodbye and go, Dolly Gray.

The song was written by Americans, Will D. Cobb (lyrics) and Paul Barnes (music) in 1899 for the Spanish-American War and became a vaudeville hit.

The song was introduced to British music halls in 1900 and it was used as a marching song during the Boer War. The first of many recordings was made in 1901 by Canadian Harry Macdonough. Noel Coward used it in his 1931 play Cavalcade.

The song was particularly popular during World War I, and a memorable version was recorded at the time by Australian music hall legend Florrie Forde.

The song featured in movies Lawrence Of Arabia (1962), Alfie (1966) and Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969).

In the Sixties it was recorded by musical comedy act Bruce Lacey And The Alberts and surprisingly by the British hit-making beat group the Mojos in 1967 — up to then they had recorded great self-penned rocking material, though singer Stu James put in a fine vocal as usual.

Danny Darcy, reading, Berks.

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