Boat/ship tragedy query

[treesa]

Hi,

picking up the lines of enquiry again!!

I have a relative who died (reg.q1 1942) Lancashire at sea, on the 'Vespa'. I have googled the name but I get mostly Vespa motorbikes or it comes up with 'Vesper'.

Any help appreciated, as I don't know where to look

[Night Owl]

Hi Treesa

Are you sure its spelt Vespa and do you know if it was a Royal Navy or merchant vessel? The only things I can find are about a RN destroyer called HMS Vesper which was on Atlantic convoy escort duty in 1942.

If you Google "HMS Vesper" (including the ") quite a lot of information comes up

[treesa]

Thanks for your reply. That's just it, I don't know which it is - Merchant or Navy.The death reg. just says 'At sea' and 'Vespa'

I have looked at some of the site for HMS Vespa and it could be that, but I still haven't found anything which names my relative..yet!

[Night Owl]

Is he listed on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website?

http://www.cwgc.org/

[Uncle John]

If you buy the certificate you should get a bit more detail.

[treesa]

Thanks for yor replies. I can't get on CWGC site, and will continue to try. I was hoping that there would be some info online, but I may buy the cert. I don't think it would contain a great deal, but as it was a 'death at sea' I will continue to look online.

[Inahaystack]

Hi,

picking up the lines of enquiry again!!

I have a relative who died (reg.q1 1942) Lancashire at sea, on the 'Vespa'. I have googled the name but I get mostly Vespa motorbikes or it comes up with 'Vesper'.

The HMS Vesper was in a major collision with HM destroyer Vivacious in 1942 - maybe this is how your relative lost his life ? or maybe it was during the battle of the Atlantic ?

However, here is a link to loads of information about that particular ship .

http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-09VW-Vesper.htm

Hope this helps,

Nina

[SueNSW]

There was a London based tug called the Vespa (at the time) requisitioned by the Admiralty from 1940 till 1945

There is a post war photo of her on this site - with the name Markrock

http://www.lighteragetugs.co.uk/GENERAL---KNIGHT.php

Cheers
Sue

[Inahaystack]

There was a London based tug called the Vespa (at the time) requisitioned by the Admiralty from 1940 till 1945

There is a post war photo of her on this site - with the name Markrock

http://www.lighteragetugs.co.uk/GENERAL---KNIGHT.php

Cheers
Sue

That's interesting Sue, I wonder if it was being used as a Liberty Boat?

Cheers, Nina

[SueNSW]

Probably being used in her "normal" role as a tug I would have thought - I'm intrigued at the death reference given by the OP though - as q1 1942 is likely a GRO death reference - but Lancashire isn't a GRO registration district

A name might help to pin it down

Cheers
Sue

[treesa]

Thanks very much for the ref to the tug. I think it likely it would be this tug, as I have since found out my ancestor was in the Merchant Navy. So it is great to have something to add. The ref is a GRO ref, he died at sea off the Lancashire coast, so it seems he died on the Vespa.

Thanks very much for finding the 'Vespa tug - no idea how you did, as I couldn't find anything about it!