John R Booth

[Darkie Booth]

Hi,

I believe John R Booth may be a distant relative of mine, but even if he is not, I have had contact with his Grandson and we'd like more details on him.

Does anyone know if the records at Kew (BT?) would have details on who his parents were?

He died, along with all hands, onboard the Norwood in Feb 1914, sunk by either a mine or torpedoed. I believe he was in the RNR, serving as a Fireman. He was from Aberdeen. The only details we have are from the commenwealth grave commission web site. We cannot find a death certificate, hence our request about Kew.

Can anyone help with our query?

Thank you,

Darkie

[Michael Lowrey]

Darkie,

I can provide you with a little more information: Norwood was torpedoed and sunk by the German minelaying submarine UC 29 on February 11, 1917 while on a voyage from Middlesborough to Aberdeen with general cargo. The 798 grt steamer was built in 1895. Official number 104509.

Best wishes,

Michael

[Darkie Booth]

Darkie,

I can provide you with a little more information: Norwood was torpedoed and sunk by the German minelaying submarine UC 29 on February 11, 1917 while on a voyage from Middlesborough to Aberdeen with general cargo. The 798 grt steamer was built in 1895. Official number 104509.

Best wishes,

Michael

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Michael,

Thank you, sorry for the typo. I did mean 1917. There seems to be conflicting reports on whether it was a torpedo or mine. The last I read supported the mine theory as the UC29, was seen off Ireland in too short a time to also have sank the "Norwood". Unfortunately I now cannot find the web site I read this! Below is the only details we have from the CWGC website;

BOOTH, Fireman, JOHN, S.S. "Norwood" (Aberdeen). Mercantile Marine. Presumed drowned 11th February 1917. Husband of Mrs. Booth, of 7, Hanover Lane, Aberdeen.

No death certificate, again conflicting reports on wheether a death cert would have been issued for lost at sea.

Thank you for taking the time to write,

Darkie

[Michael Lowrey]

Darkie,

I think we'll have to presume that Norwood was indeed sunk by UC 29 -- the attribution comes from the German official history by Admiral Arno Spindler, which is the only work to match German sinking claims against Allied and neutral losses. In my experience, reviewing the war diaries of U-boats, Spindler's attributions are extremely accurate (99.5%+). (Yes, U-boat war diaries do survive and are available on microfilm; I have many of these but not UC 29's.) Note also that German sources show UC 29's patrol station as being the Scottish east coast, not off Ireland.

Best wishes,

Michael

[Darkie Booth]

Michael,

Thank you for that information.

Out of curiosity do you have any details on the U96 which hit the "FJ Wolfe" my father, David Watson Booth Brechin, was serving onboard in 1942?

Best Wishes

[Michael Lowrey]

The F.W. Wolfe, part of convoy ON-127, was damaged on Sept 10. 1942 in the Atlantic by U 96.

For more on the WWII U 96, http://www.uboat.net/boats/u96.htm

and on the F.W. Wolfe http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/2140.html

MPL

[Darkie Booth]

Michael,

Thank you very much for the information.

My father died about 6 months ago. I just wish I'd had the photo of the FJ Wolfe to show him, and the fact that the U96 was the u-boat that the "Das Boot" story was based on. He would have been very interested, as I am.

Once again thank you,

Darkie.

ps If anyone else is reading this post, and knows of the details of the BT files at Kew, I'm still interested in what details they would hold, (parents?), on John R Booth.