Royal Navy in Trinidad, 1943

[Nick Colley]

Folks, I'm puzzled by this one. The sender and the censor are in the April 1943 Navy List as serving aboard HMS Kenkora. However, no such vessel, or establishment by that name is listed. An internet search has drawn a blank, as has Bill Garrard's list of shore bases, and no such name appears in Ray Sturtivant's FAA compendium. Also, 'HMS 716' means nothing to both myself and Mr.Google.

Any thoughts?

chrs
N

[Frank Schofield]

Nick

Found a KENKORA II listed in April 1944,with Lieut G.B. Butler RNVR in command
She was a A/S Trawler FY 049

Hope of some use

Frank

[Nick Colley]

Ah! ok, many thanks, Frank.

chrs
N

[Peter Harvey]

Nick,

We must have a different version of Google, https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/17259.html

Pete

[Robert Hurst]

Hi Nick,

I have also been looking at your cover and trying to find out some background for you. I too found reference to a George Beaumont Butler being the commanding officer of [i]Kenkora II[/i] from Feb/March 1943 to October 1944 ( https://www.unithistories.com/officers/RNVR_officersB3.html  ). The vessel is listed as being an Aux. Armed Yacht. The [i]Kenkora[/i] appears to be one of a class of 5 diesel-powered yachts built by the Bath Iron Works in the USA between the wars. The US Navy acquired the [i]Kenkora[/i] at the start of the War before passing it to the British to use (when and where this happened I have not been able to find).

An online copy of the [i]Red List of Minor War Vessels Abroad[/i] - 13 Dec 1944 (Issued by the Operations Division, Naval Staff at the Admiralty) states [i]Kenkora II[/i] was operating out of Port of Spain (accounting base 109 Benbow – Trinidad). (  http://convoycu49-1944.com/files/RED_LIST_Part_II_MINOR_WAR_VESSELS_ABROAD_-_13_December_1944_-_May_10_2019_Binder.pdf  - see page 63).

The cover bears postage of 32c. According to R.G. Wike's  [i]Airmails of Trinidad & Tobago[/i] (published by the British West Indies Study Circle in 1999) the civilian air mail rate of 32c per ½ oz to Jamaica came into effect on 15 January 1940 and lasted until 31 July 1945.

I hope the above is of help.

Robert

[Frank Schofield]

Nick

Two other sources confirm KENKORA II as an Armed Yacht, and I have just worked out where I got the word Trawler from

Linton in his massive book BRITISH & EMPIRE WARSHIPS  OF WWII, lists Armed Yachts under the main heading of Trawlers, Whalers & Drifters
so confused myself

Frank

[Nick Colley]

Chaps, that's formidable – many thanks.

Pete, I looked at the top entry in Google – 716 Squadron FAA, which did not exist at the time of this cover.  The next one was LCT 716, which seemed inapplicable. I decided at that point that if that's the best Google can do then I'm probably flogging a dead horse. I see the one below that, though, is your MTB 716 (it was off the bottom of my screen....).

Robert, I'm most pleased to learn the Red Lists are now on line. That should be a rich source of information. DO you know if the Pink Lists are also available? Actually, I suppose I could search that myself. Mind you, going on my past record, I may not succeed in finding them, even if they ARE there....... Thanks also for the snippet re the air mail rate.

Frank, not to worry. I wonder if Mr Linton served afloat? I suspect he might appreciate the difference between a trawler and a yacht!  I think I know which I'd prefer. :)

chrs
N

[Michael Dobbs]

Robert - you got in there before me with your unithistories.com website reference, plus much more information!  I was busy with other things and was going to return to that later but then found you had responded with a really full response.

Nick - I've found not to rely upon the top entries from Mr Google, but to look further down and even go as far as looking through for up to the first ten pages for any references - they can be hidden in other results.

Mike  :D