Duke of Argyll - Help needed to obtain Commanding Officer’s name

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Temujin
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Duke of Argyll - Help needed to obtain Commanding Officer’s name

Post by Temujin » Sun Dec 16, 2018 1:59 pm

As many of you know, I have been building a “Juno Beach” Landing Tables document for years now. I “try” to find the Commanding Officer’s or Masters of the ships that took part. I have been successful of finding almost all of them except this one ship:

DUKE OF ARGYLL 1928
3604 g.t., 360ft x 53.1ft, twin screw, speed 20 knots. Launched 18th Apr.1928 by Wm. Denny & Bros, Dumbarton for the London, Midland & Scottish Railway Co's Heysham - Belfast overnight service. In 1939 she became H.M. Hospital Ship No.65 with capacity for 416 patients and 60 medical staff. June 1940 assisted in the evacuations from France. 1942 converted to Infantry Landing Ship and her lifeboats replace by landing craft. Used as a commando training ship. June 1944 based in the Solent for the Normandy Landings. Jan.1946 resumed commercial service on her pre-war route. 1955 renamed DUKE OF ARGYLL II to release her name for a new ship. 1956 scrapped.

If anyone has any suggestions of help to find who was in Command of the ship on D Day, I would be most appreciative.

Thank you

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Re: Duke of Argyll - Help needed to obtain Commanding Officer’s name

Post by Temujin » Sun Dec 16, 2018 2:03 pm

Additional Info:

SS Duke of Argyll - J19 was a LMSR ferry built in 1928 and fitted out as LSI in 1942. She was 3,743 tons, 358 foot long and was capable of 21 knots. She carried six LCA from 517 Assault Flotilla and had accommodation for 250 troops.

517 Assault Flotilla
LCA 692
LCA 706
LCA 818
LCA 834
LCA 836
LCA 1025

Mike Green
H+45 Minutes
1st Bn, Canadian Scottish Regiment - LCol F.N. Cabeldu

8 LCA's from LSI J18 - HMS Queen Emma
6 LCA's from LSI J19 - SS Duke of Argyll
8 LCA's from LSI J20 - HMCS Prince Henry


127 men - ‘A’ Company - Major Plows
18 men - Battalion Headquarters - Commanding Officer’s party
19 men - Battalion Headquarters - Second in Command’s party
8 men - Pioneer Section
127 men - ‘B’ Company - Major R. M. Lendrum
127 men - 127 Folding Bicycles from ‘D’ Company - Major Ewan
1 man - Headquarters 7 Canadian Infantry Brigade - Padre Note: ‘C’ Company landed at H Hour under command of Royal Winnipeg Rifles
Plus
2 men - a handcart from ‘J’ Section (7 CIB), 3rd Canadian Infantry Division Signals
3 men - Forward Observation Officer, 13th Canadian Field Regiment, RCA
3 men - Forward Observation Bombardment Office - Forward Observation Bombardment party F66, RN
5 men - ‘A’ Company - Reconnaissance party - Cameron Highlanders of Ontario (MG)
3 men for Traffic Control on the beach - 7th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment (17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars)
2 men - Canadian Press Relations Services
19 men - 14th Canadian Field Ambulance, RCAMC - Assault Section
49 men with 4 handcarts - 85 Field Company, RE
15 men with a handcart - 1 Field Dressing Station, RAMC - For Main Dressing Station
15 men with a handcart - 2 Field Dressing Station, RAMC - For Main Dressing Station
14 men - ‘A’ Company, 8 Kings Regiment. Beach Group - Reconnaissance party
2 man - Headquarters Company, 8 Kings Regiment - Beach Group
16 men - 242 Provost Company - One section for control of the exits

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Re: Duke of Argyll - Help needed to obtain Commanding Officer’s name

Post by Phil » Mon Dec 17, 2018 7:12 am

Have you tried contacting the Juno Beach Centre directly? Not sure what sort of hard copy records they might have on hand.
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Re: Duke of Argyll - Help needed to obtain Commanding Officer’s name

Post by Temujin » Mon Dec 17, 2018 9:39 am

Phil wrote:
Mon Dec 17, 2018 7:12 am
Have you tried contacting the Juno Beach Centre directly? Not sure what sort of hard copy records they might have on hand.
I have not Phil. Ive researched all my usual Known websites for info (Fold3.com, British National Archives, LAC, Lloyd’s of London Ship registry, gone thru all the Operation Neptune records, the UK and Canadian Navy lists etc etc). I’ve found lots of records on the ship, it was requisitioned as a “hospital ship” (Hospital Ship 65) at the beginning of the war, was converted to the LSI(L) just before D Day and was converted BACK to a Hospital Ship after D Day.

This is completely strange to me, as I have found EVERY other major ship Captain or Master and a LOT of the smaller landing craft, but cannot for the life of me, find the Master of this ship.

I have the ships “Movement Cards” from the British National Archives, and all its “Lloyds registration and ownership records” for that time period also.

Thank you for the suggestion.

Cheers

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Re: Duke of Argyll - Help needed to obtain Commanding Officer’s name

Post by Phil » Mon Dec 17, 2018 11:09 am

I have taken the liberty of sending an inquiry to the Juno Beach Centre, I'll update this thread if they have any information or tips.
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Re: Duke of Argyll - Help needed to obtain Commanding Officer’s name

Post by Ludford 101 » Mon Dec 17, 2018 12:44 pm

I can't even find a file for it in the Kew catalog.

There's book by Ken Ford called "Operation Neptune 1944: D-Day’s Seaborne Armada" which shows this ship as part of Assault Group J1, commanded by Captain Anthony Pugsley, RN https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Pugsley whose HQ was aboard the HMS Lawford.

The list of other ships in AG J1 might help: https://books.google.ca/books?id=9qqdCw ... ay&f=false

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Re: Duke of Argyll - Help needed to obtain Commanding Officer’s name

Post by Temujin » Mon Dec 17, 2018 1:29 pm

Ludford 101 wrote:
Mon Dec 17, 2018 12:44 pm
I can't even find a file for it in the Kew catalog.

There's book by Ken Ford called "Operation Neptune 1944: D-Day’s Seaborne Armada" which shows this ship as part of Assault Group J1, commanded by Captain Anthony Pugsley, RN https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Pugsley whose HQ was aboard the HMS Lawford.

The list of other ships in AG J1 might help: https://books.google.ca/books?id=9qqdCw ... ay&f=false
Thanks Ludford. I’ve seen both of those sources, they just confirm the ship was “there” and part of the Juno Beach landings, but no “master or commander” info.

The “Movement Card” from the Brit National Archives also confirm it was at Juno Beach, and its use as a Hospital ship prior (and after) this.

I also know it’s Chief Engineering Officer received an OBE award......I’ve been trying to see if the “Master” also received an award......but nothing so far. I’ve search Convoy web (at one time it was part of Convoy ETC 70 - England to Juno) but again can’t find anything

this is strange, like I said.....I’ve found every other ship and ship commander except this one. I’ve gone on other websites (eg ww2talk etc) and so far no one knows the answer.

Hopefully Phil’s inquires at the Juno Beach center will find something.

Unfortunately, their is “nothing” in the Operation Neptune, Force J Orders.....although it list almost every other ship commander....

So, it’s not a “ghost ship”....but its Master might be

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Re: Duke of Argyll - Help needed to obtain Commanding Officer’s name

Post by Temujin » Mon Dec 17, 2018 1:48 pm

The ship is listed in the ONI 226 that was published 7 April 1944
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Re: Duke of Argyll - Help needed to obtain Commanding Officer’s name

Post by Phil » Mon Dec 17, 2018 3:59 pm

Linking to the thread a WW2Talk.com to keep things connected,

http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/ss ... irk.52113/
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Re: Duke of Argyll - Help needed to obtain Commanding Officer’s name

Post by Phil » Mon Dec 17, 2018 4:30 pm

I also reached out to this site,

http://www.nauticapedia.ca/Articles/RCN ... _D-day.php

Which has quite a great list of RCN ships and commanders.
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