Sunday, 9 August 2015

From Gibraltar to Liverpool via the City of Cairo - June 1940

Frank and the rest of Regiment, consisting of 157th and 159th HAA Batteries returned to England from Gibraltar on 12 July 1940.  Frank sailed on the Ellerman's Hall Line ship the S.S. City of Cairo. Frank sent a post card home to his Dad which is posted marked Liverpool, 12.15am 13 July 1940. The franking mark says "HELP TO WIN ON THE KITCHEN FRONT".

The SS City of Cairo was sunk later in the war on 6 November 1942 by the the German U Boat, U-68 1000 miles west of southern Africa in the South Atlantic.  Six life boats, led by Captain Rogerson (Rogerson joined the ship in Southampton on 22 July 1940), made their way across the open ocean to St Helena and were rescued on 19 November 1942 creating one of the epic survival stories of World War 2.

The ship was built in 1915 in Hull by Earles Shipbuilding and Engineering Co Ltd and was part of the Merchant navy in the First World War.  The wreck of the SS City of Cairo was located in 2013 and in 2015 the huge cargo of silver Rupees were salvaged from the wreck.  A memorial marker was placed on the wreck by the salvage company 100 years after the launch of the SS City of Cairo.



Frank wrote and posted one card and kept a second card as a souvenir of his voyage from Gibraltar to England in July 1940

Postmark - Liverpool 12.15am 13 July 1940

Frank's message on the post card.

Ellerman's Hall Line SS City of Cairo

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