Wrecks with family connections

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audission

Contributor
Messages
108
Reaction score
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Location
London, UK
# of dives
200 - 499
Has anyone ever done this?

i.e. looked for a wreck once crewed by a family relative, and dived it?

(One of my forebears was lost on a long forgotten wreck in WW2 that I'd like to locate and dive one day.)
 
Same. My Dad survived the sinking of his ship in ww11 off tobruk Libya . He died when I was young and I would love to find the wreck and dive it. It is hms sikh
 
Sounds really cool. My family served in the US Navy for WWII, Korea and Vietnam, but no one ever involved in a sinking. If you can do this, go for it.

Safe diving to you.
 
I have two grand uncles who served in the Cunard line and other lines through WWI, with wrecks that I would love to dive:

Andrew Cockburn (1871 – 1955) was on the Campania, Lusitania, and Aurania the wrecks of which are all know and divable – the Campania is off of Scotland in the Firth of Forth in about 120’, the Lusitania is at 330’ off the South of Ireland, and the Aurania is off of near Tobermory on the Isle of Mull in 40-100 feet. Andrew went on to become the Chief Engineer on the Mauritania and was the Chief Engineer when she won the Blue Ribon for the 2nd time. He was torpedoed on both the Lusitania, and Aurania.

The other grand uncle, Alexander Cockburn (1877 – 1951), was an Engineer on the freighter Avristan which was Torpedoed off Ushant Dec. 7, 1916 - Lat 47 degrees 13' N, Long 5 degrees 12' W. (Bay of Biscay) by U-21 (most likely UB-21). The depth should be around 200 feet or so, but the wreck has never been identified. Alexander was injured in the sinking and had to stay on land from then on.
 
I am still working on my fathers' history, he served on a submarine in ww2 with his younger brother. My father has passed (25+ yrs ago) so I can not ask him. I have gone to Rome Italy and have spoken with my Uncle. (Dad's Bro) When he tried to get a copy of my father and his millitary records, he was told he never served nor did my father. I know my father served as I have recently come across his discharge records that he kept. (all in Italian) Let alone all the scars I saw when he was alive! I was given a name of the sub by my Uncle who is of sound mind. I neglected to ask for a hull number, after-thought.

I have searched but can find no records of this sub! I have even contacted Rich Kolher and he was able to give me a lead but to no avail.

So untill I get to Rome once more or find more info, I will not be diving this sub anytime toon soon.

See you topside! John
 
My Dad, like a lot of the fathers in Rogers City Michigan, sailed on the Great Lakes freighters in the early 50's. He sailed on the Bradley, changing boats the year she sank (1958) with the loss of 33 men. Most of those men were from town, and Dad lost a lot of friends. He took a land job in 1957. In 1965 we lost the Cedarville in the Straits of Mackinaw along with 10 of her crew. Growing up there was always somebody in my grade school class who's Dad or brother went down on one of those boats.
About 3 years ago I had an opportunity to dive the Cedarville, and it was a special experience, almost like entering a shrine. I don't suspect I will ever dive the Bradley, but I know I will go back to the Cedarville soon.
 
Noneof my family members were in a wreck incident. But several years ago, after locating the center of wreckage of the Steamer Atlantic lost at Fishers Island in 1846 I did quite a bit of correspondence with a gentleman whose Great Great Grandfather: Charles Partridge survived the wreck. His female traveling companion did not. It addded a very personal note to the story.
 
I am still working on my fathers' history, he served on a submarine in ww2 with his younger brother. My father has passed (25+ yrs ago) so I can not ask him. I have gone to Rome Italy and have spoken with my Uncle. (Dad's Bro) When he tried to get a copy of my father and his millitary records, he was told he never served nor did my father. I know my father served as I have recently come across his discharge records that he kept. (all in Italian) Let alone all the scars I saw when he was alive! I was given a name of the sub by my Uncle who is of sound mind. I neglected to ask for a hull number, after-thought.

I have searched but can find no records of this sub! I have even contacted Rich Kolher and he was able to give me a lead but to no avail.

So untill I get to Rome once more or find more info, I will not be diving this sub anytime toon soon.

See you topside! John

John:

Really interesting and about your Dad and Uncle. I know the Germans kept really detailed records, but I'm not sure how the Italians did their record keeping. Could the Italian Consulate help you in your search? Since getting back to Rome may be difficult, searching on the internet might be worth a try. Are you sure the sub sank? With your Dad's discharge papers and maybe a little help from your Uncle (pictures - his discharge papers) about the hull number, you may be able to find out the history. Good luck in your search. I really enjoy WWII history, so if you find out anything, and could post it, that would be cool.

Safe diving to you.
 
Noneof my family members were in a wreck incident. But several years ago, after locating the center of wreckage of the Steamer Atlantic lost at Fishers Island in 1846 I did quite a bit of correspondence with a gentleman whose Great Great Grandfather: Charles Partridge survived the wreck. His female traveling companion did not. It addded a very personal note to the story.

George Bass, the father of underwater archaeology, also had an ancestor on the Atlantic.
 

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