Guestbook

Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club recently hosted The Rohna Memorial to commemorate the sinking of HMT Rohna, of which my Grandfather was the Master. 9 ILCAs competed over 3 races. The trophy is ‘Gunghi’s Helmet’ - my grandfather wore a soup tureen into battle since his melon was too big for available helmets. My grandfather drank rum so we had a tot of rum post-race ’to HMT Rohna and those who sailed on her’. Lest We Forget Dennis Hume Grandson of T.J. Murphy

My grandfather from my mother side that I or my mother have never met was Weldon W. Wald. My grandmother was pregnant with my mother when the Rohna was sunk on Nov. 27,1943. This tragedy left my mother to never know her father or to have a father her whole life. There was a post on 6/26/00 by a Lewis E Wald Jr. that said he knew what happened and how Weldon Wald had died. I would love to be able to tell my Mom Karen Covington about her father. If someone can answer this question I would be very grateful. Thank you, Paris Balch

Hi. I am Donald Thrasher's oldest granddaughter. I never knew what really happened to my grandfather. He was killed when my Mom was a baby. This brings Him to life. Thank you so much.

My father's closest brother Ernest N. Smith perished that day and the family never knew until years after Dad died. I only wish Dad could have known as it haunted him his entire adult life. His other brother was a POW in Germany and the family didn't know his fate either though he survived but suffer seizures from head beatings he received while captive. Grandma wrote her congressmen asking that Dad be sent home as at the time the fate of both dad's brothers were unknown. They gave Dad orders to go home from Alaska and when he arrived at the train station in Chicago some body tapped on his shoulder while he was waiting for his next train. It was his youngest brother the POW who had been also sent home as the Allies had found him. None of the family knew uncle Everett had been found so that was quite the surprise when both of them got off the train in Flint. There was always that faint hope that uncle Ernie would be found. On my only trip to Europe I managed to get to the Med in Spain and look out across that sea in the direction where uncle Ernie had perished and if Dad's spirit was there with me which I felt it was I said, We now know. Rest in peace Dad......

My Great Uncle, Donald I Johnson, died on the HMT Rohna. I heard as a child he died in the Mediterranean Sea after a submarine attack. I did not know the truth until last week when I found newspaper articles in the Rockford Register Star newspaper archives (Illinois) with basic details of his service that included his unit number. On a whim I googled the 853rd Engineers + World War II. We had no idea - I am positive his parents and siblings all died without knowing what really happened! Thank you for publicizing this story.

My father, Raymond McCarville, was the Chief Boatswain’s Mate on the USS Pioneer. According to his records, he was the captain of the center gun, turret #2. Like the others, he never spoke of his service. He’s been gone since 1985 but it’s amazing to find out some of what he went through!

Hi! I discovered this website while doing research about my maternal grandpa's brother, Pvt. (Isaac) Paul Dawson. I didn't know he existed until around 2015, and I wish I had found this site then so that I could have had a better chance of finding a SC survivor to ask about him. All of my first cousins agree, our grandpa only told them that he had a brother who died in the war. As he died in 1999, we're not entirely sure he knew of his brother's fate. Any information anyone has about Paul would be greatly appreciated. His siblings have since passed away, as have many of his nieces and nephews, but a few still remain. Thank you for maintaining this site and for all the information!

My father Joseph Raymond Fears ww2 stationed in what we now call Iran was supposedly on the Rhona in July before it was blown up in November. I can't find any info. That the ship went there. He was with the 730th Railway Battalion company A track maintenance. His Birthdate is April 28,1920 Ada, Oklahoma and his death date is May 11,2012. Wenatchee, Wa. Can anyone help me?

My uncle was killed on this ship Pvt Willis Fisk. My dad use to tell me stories about him, you and uncle Bill as kids. Never met you uncle Willis, but I remember you every Memorial Day. Rest Easy Uncle Willis, till me meet, your nephew, Ralph Fisk USA SFC (ret).

My grandmother's fiancé, Ermal Robert "Bob" Lynn Pfc 35497704 was a casualty of the Rohna. When I was a child, I helped my grandmother research the disaster (the book and new reports were coming out at the time, around year 2000) and write her recollection of her whirlwind romance in 1943. She kept each letter and postcard that Bob wrote her, newspaper clippings, and photos, as well as a letter from his friend, Kenneth Guilbault Pfc 31213251, who survived. Bob wrote about his training in many locations including Madison, Wisconsin, where he met my grandmother, Ellen Zobrist. He wrote about being on duty for many long hours and longing to be home to visit his family and his love. He also wrote about hanging out with his friends "Kenny" Guilbalt and William "Bill" Norrod whether it was seeing a movie or enjoying time off base in town. Ellen's writing also referenced a man named Manos, who was with Kenny and Bob as the troop ship was in trouble. Bob could not swim, so he certainly was swept under by the large sea swells. However, the telegram Ellen received simply said "missing in action". She looked for answers long after the sinking and has a letter from the Official Historian of the Royal Navy in 1959. She also has a letter from Andrew Fetsko, who saw one of Ellen's articles in a VFW magazine. It was not until 1944 that Ellen met Bob's mother, Margaret. Bob also had a sister named June, and his father passed away in a farming accident when Bob was around 9 years old. From Ellen's writings, it sounded like the Lynn family attended the Church of God in Mitchell, Indiana, and that Bob had an interest in racing cars and farming, like his father, before enlisting in the Air Force. He would send his government checks home to his mother. There are many small personal details in my grandma's writings but seeing that family members of the few individuals Bob knew may see this, I thought I'd write to let them know that my grandma was so moved by the events of 1943 that she shared these artifacts with my family decades later and held on to the memories of her first true love, Ermal Robert Lynn, until her death in 2003.

Thinking of you all on the Anniversary and keeping the memory alive. Dennis Grandson T.J.Murphy Master of HMT Rohna

Good Afternoon. I am humbled by all these stories and the bravery of every soul aboard that ship. My grandfather, Peter Xanthus, was part of the 31st Signal Heavy Construction Bn. who survived the Rohna but has since passed (2008). I never really spoke with him of his experience and I regret that now but I wanted to reach out here to see if anyone has any stories about him. Were you with him in the water or on the ship when it got hit? Or maybe a family member of yours has spoken of him? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and God Bless.