Reserve Forces > Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve
APO John Jenkins, HMS BALDUR
The Duck:
Hi,new to this forum but would be grateful for any information please.
I was wondering if you can tell me anything about HMS Baldour? I
understand it was a Royal Navy land station in Iceland - my interest is;
I'm told my father's brother PO John Jenkins RNPS died in 4th February
1941, having been washed over board and presumed 'perished at sea'. You
will appreciate my interest if Baldour was a land station. I'd really love
to hear what actually happened as another sailor was washed over board with
him and apparently was saved but I don't know if this other sailor
survived. Can you help, please. Thank you for time.
The Duck
spooks1959:
HMS BALDUR was the naval base at Reykjavik, Iceland. However the name ‘BLADUR’ encompassed many different ships and stations based in and around Iceland over the war years. BALDUR was an ‘accounting base’ which carried the pay and victualling accounts of other units in Iceland, including elements of the Royal Navy Patrol Service, two RN Air Sections at RAF Huitanes and RAF Kaldadarnes, n Admiralty signals station.
At the time of your relative’s death BALDUR was an accommodation ship moored in Reykjavik harbour- the vessel was previously named the S.S. St Clair; built in 1937 by Hall Russel Aberdeen, she was operated by the North of Scotland and Orkney and Shetland Steam Navigation Company until she was requisitioned for the war effort and renamed HMS BALDUR on 23rd October 1940.
Without knowing more about your uncle’s service it is difficult to say what he would be doing at the time of his death because the reference to ‘BALDUR’ on his commonwealth war graves entry is taken from his pay account details, not the actual ship he was serving on. As a member of the RN Patrol Service he would most likely have been at sea on one of the vessels listed below.
ICELAND COMMAND as at January 1941
Rear Adm R J R Scott AM Rtd
Accommodation ship, Reykjavik - BALDUR (Actg Capt H E Rendall Rtd) at Reykjavik
21st Anti-Submarine Group - anti-submarine trawlers ELM (Ty Lt E W C Dempster RNVR), HAZEL (Ty Lt R Thorne RNVR), WHITETHORN (Lt W G H Bolton RNR), WISTARIA (Sk A S H Robb RNR), all at Reykjavik
Minesweeping vessels – minesweeping trawler EBOR WYKE (Actg Ty Sk T E Olgeirsson RNR), VARANGA (Ty Lt G C Crowley RNVR), both at Liverpool refitting
Patrol vessels - Norwegian NORDKAPP, VESTFJORD (Norwegian crews), both at Reykjavik
Local defence trawlers - DOROTHY GRAY (Lt T Toft, SARNVR) at Reykjavik, DUCHESSE DE BRABANT (Sk C R Radford RNR) at Tobermory, EDOUARD VAN VLAENDEREN (Sk J C Ross RNR) dep Belfast 31 Dec, SABINA (Ty Lt I H Wymer RNVR) at Reykjavik, STRATHELLA (Pbty Ty Lt J C A Hammond RNVR) at Reykjavik, TRITELLIA (Ty Lt C H Wardroper RNVR) at Reykjavik, VIKING DEEPS (Ty Lt N F Davis RNR) at Reykjavik, Norwegian VAN OOST (Norwegian crew) at Reykjavik
Trawler - Norwegian HONNINGSVAAG (Norwegian crew) dep Reykjavik 18 Dec
Controlled minelayer - ALSEY (Pbty Ty Lt H A Inglis RNR) at Seidisfjord
Coast Watching Service – trawler SKYRACK (Ty S/Lt E S Plater RNR) at Reykjavik
Examination Service - examination ships DORADE II (Ty Sk J F Nuttall RNR), Norwegian JOKULL, RUNDHORN (both Norwegian crews), all at Iceland
Boom carrier - Trawler DEVON CITY (Cdr C A R Routh Rtd) at Hvalfjord
Boom defence vessels - BARCLIFF (Ty Lt R E Coad RNR), BARRHEAD (Ty Lt J R Alexander RNR), JAMES BARRIE (Ty Warrant Mech C W Alderson), SILANION (Ty Boom Sk R E Randall RNR), all at Hvalfjord, STALBERG (Ty Boom Sk H Aldridge RNR) arr Kirkwall 22 Dec
Source: http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4101-26RNHome.htm
The Duck:
Hi spooks, thanks for the reply. my brother is the one most interested in this topic. I will contact him over the weekend and see what information he has. Thanks again. The Duck
The Duck:
--- Quote from: spooks1959 on 19 July 2012 10:25:14 pm ---HMS BALDUR was the naval base at Reykjavik, Iceland. However the name ‘BLADUR’ encompassed many different ships and stations based in and around Iceland over the war years. BALDUR was an ‘accounting base’ which carried the pay and victualling accounts of other units in Iceland, including elements of the Royal Navy Patrol Service, two RN Air Sections at RAF Huitanes and RAF Kaldadarnes, n Admiralty signals station.
At the time of your relative’s death BALDUR was an accommodation ship moored in Reykjavik harbour- the vessel was previously named the S.S. St Clair; built in 1937 by Hall Russel Aberdeen, she was operated by the North of Scotland and Orkney and Shetland Steam Navigation Company until she was requisitioned for the war effort and renamed HMS BALDUR on 23rd October 1940.
Without knowing more about your uncle’s service it is difficult to say what he would be doing at the time of his death because the reference to ‘BALDUR’ on his commonwealth war graves entry is taken from his pay account details, not the actual ship he was serving on. As a member of the RN Patrol Service he would most likely have been at sea on one of the vessels listed below.
ICELAND COMMAND as at January 1941
Rear Adm R J R Scott AM Rtd
Accommodation ship, Reykjavik - BALDUR (Actg Capt H E Rendall Rtd) at Reykjavik
21st Anti-Submarine Group - anti-submarine trawlers ELM (Ty Lt E W C Dempster RNVR), HAZEL (Ty Lt R Thorne RNVR), WHITETHORN (Lt W G H Bolton RNR), WISTARIA (Sk A S H Robb RNR), all at Reykjavik
Minesweeping vessels – minesweeping trawler EBOR WYKE (Actg Ty Sk T E Olgeirsson RNR), VARANGA (Ty Lt G C Crowley RNVR), both at Liverpool refitting
Patrol vessels - Norwegian NORDKAPP, VESTFJORD (Norwegian crews), both at Reykjavik
Local defence trawlers - DOROTHY GRAY (Lt T Toft, SARNVR) at Reykjavik, DUCHESSE DE BRABANT (Sk C R Radford RNR) at Tobermory, EDOUARD VAN VLAENDEREN (Sk J C Ross RNR) dep Belfast 31 Dec, SABINA (Ty Lt I H Wymer RNVR) at Reykjavik, STRATHELLA (Pbty Ty Lt J C A Hammond RNVR) at Reykjavik, TRITELLIA (Ty Lt C H Wardroper RNVR) at Reykjavik, VIKING DEEPS (Ty Lt N F Davis RNR) at Reykjavik, Norwegian VAN OOST (Norwegian crew) at Reykjavik
Trawler - Norwegian HONNINGSVAAG (Norwegian crew) dep Reykjavik 18 Dec
Controlled minelayer - ALSEY (Pbty Ty Lt H A Inglis RNR) at Seidisfjord
Coast Watching Service – trawler SKYRACK (Ty S/Lt E S Plater RNR) at Reykjavik
Examination Service - examination ships DORADE II (Ty Sk J F Nuttall RNR), Norwegian JOKULL, RUNDHORN (both Norwegian crews), all at Iceland
Boom carrier - Trawler DEVON CITY (Cdr C A R Routh Rtd) at Hvalfjord
Boom defence vessels - BARCLIFF (Ty Lt R E Coad RNR), BARRHEAD (Ty Lt J R Alexander RNR), JAMES BARRIE (Ty Warrant Mech C W Alderson), SILANION (Ty Boom Sk R E Randall RNR), all at Hvalfjord, STALBERG (Ty Boom Sk H Aldridge RNR) arr Kirkwall 22 Dec
Source: http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4101-26RNHome.htm
--- End quote ---
Hi again spooks. I posted a request back in July 2012.
I have noticed that the page has been read about 2000 times but no one other than yourself has replied.
I'm wondering if maybe the information is classified for some reason.
If any one would like to reply I would be very grateful to hear any comments.
Best wishes.
The Duck.
PhiloNauticus:
Do you have a copy of his Service Record? If not, then it may well be a good idea to get it, as this may give detail of any 'loans' to ships based at Baldur.
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