Genealogy Chat

Hi I've just got my Certs in the post (god i felt like a kid in the candy shop) Yes NEWBIE to GR Anyway, on my grandfathers marriage cert it has that he was a Royal Navy cook on HMS Repluse If you have heard of this ship, can you tell me anything about it. He was married 18th August 1928 - I do know he went off to dunkirk at some point and it was bombed, but not sure if it was on this ship. Many Thanks Annie

Have you been in touch with the Royal Navy yet? They have all sorts of Archives, and may well have all his personal and Service details on file. Good hunting, Jim

thanks jim i will google for royal navy Annie

Thank you jim I found it, its called HMS Repulse (couldn't read the writing on the cert). Anyway i even managed to get some pics too.... Annie

I googled 'HMS Republic' (including the inverted commas) and found 11 (ish) hits of which this is the most interesting, I think... HMS Baltic It's the ship the rest of my Dunganville ancestors arrived on in December 1920. If the name of the ship rings a bell, it was the RMS Baltic that rescued 15 hundred passengers from the sinking H.M.S. Republic after it was accidentally rammed by the 'Florida' in the North Atlantic in 1909. Historic Rescue... On January 23rd 1909 she picked up 1260 passengers and crew after a collision between the Liners Republic and Florida. The Baltic rushed to the rescue after getting a message over it's newfangled wireless telegraph. It was the first time the wireless had been used for an S.O.S - which was then known as a C.Q.D. Just an hour away from docking in New York, the Baltic turned around and then landed the survivors at New York the next day. It was an amazing rescue. The radioman on the Republic, Jack Binns, stayed at his telegraph key right until the sea was washing into the radio shack, and was highly regarded as a hero. The passengers on the Republic went by lifeboats to the less damaged Florida, but it was a much smaller ship, and grossly overloaded. In an unprecedented action, all 1260 passengers and crew were ferried by lifeboats to the Baltic when it arrived and taken aboard. It was one of the most dramatic rescues ever - but was overshadowed just 3 years later by the Titanic disaster. Only 5 people died in the incident. Two passengers on the Republic, and 3 crewmen on the Florida were killed in the collision. Some other items corroborate this. Christine

The only thing that puzzles me is that this 'Republic' was a White Star liner, so I don't understand why she was 'HMS' and not 'SS'. Christine

Hi christine Thanks so much for looking that up for me, i feel awful now as i gave the wrong name as i couldn't read the cert. It was the HMS Repluse, i will change the header right now:-) Thanks again Annie

Annie, Type in HMS REPULSE IN SEARCH THE WEB BOX, THEN SEARCH AND CLICK ON BRITISH NAVY SHIPS HMS REPULSE 1916 _ 1941 INFO AND PHOTOS ON THE SITE,REGARDS GORDON

Hi Annie There was also a submarine built called HMS Repulse; it was built in Barrow in Furness. Don't know if this helps? Patricia

Hello Annie During the Second World War, on 10 December 1941, HMS Repulse and her sister ship the Prince of Wales were sunk by the Japanese. My uncle was one of the lucky survivors, he was a 15 year old Naval Cadet, serving on the Prince of Wales. I believe over 840 men perished. If you google 'HMS Repulse' you will find lots of information. Regards - Carla

AT least we know which ship we're after! That old script doesn't half confuse things at times. Doing the Google thing, one of the first links is.. http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-fornv/uk/uksh-r/repulse.htm It's a goodie. Christine

HMS stands for His Majesty Ship, as in Royal Navy, S.S. stands for Stream Ship, if it belonged to the White Star Line, It was properly a Ship that was Commission/ taken over by the Government, as when the UK is in a 'state of War' all ships whether, they are Royal Navy or Mechant Navy, fly under the same flag, and are treaded as one. My late father was in the Mechant Navy, working for the White Star Line, when war broke out. He ended up with goodness how many medals for his part in the Russian/Atlanic convoys. My brother who is also in the Mechant Navy, is always called upon when we have had all these recent wars, like the Falklands,Iraq, etc . hope this helps?? are you sure your rellie was in the Royal Navy and not the Mechant Navy, it would explain why he was on the HMS Repulse.......Lilly