Mersea Island Museum - Blackwater Ships


Ship:      COLIN P. KELLY JR.
Arrived:30 September 1945
Departed:15 April 1948
Career:7 April 1947 listed by Jeff Curtiss as being in River Blackwater.
Mined 51.22N 2.35E 4 June 1945. Broken up Rotterdam April 1948.
From Oyster Company ledger:
- 27 October 1945 Compensation 3 wks 4 days Runciman (London) Ltd.
- 15 December 1945 Compensation 7 wks 3 days
- 16 March 1946 Compensation 13 wks
- 15 June 1946 Compensation 13 wks
- 27 July 1946 Compensation 6 wks
- 14 September 1946 Compensation 7 wks
- 14 December 1946 Compensation 13 wks
- 15 March 1947 Compensation 13 wks
- 14 June 1947 Compensation 13 wks
- 26 July 1947 Compensation 6 wks
- 13 September 1947 Compensation 7 wks
- 13 December 1947 Compensation 13 wks
- 31 March 1948 Compensation 13 wks
- 15 April 1948 Compensation 2 wks 1 day.

Background to COLIN P KELLY JR extracted from article by Stan Mayes on www.shipsnostalgia.com, written 6 August 2011
"I was working in FORT GLOUCESTER in Tilbury 5th June 1945 when the Liberty ship COLIN P. KELLY JR. arrived in the docks under tow. She was very deep in the water. The previous day COLIN P KELLY JR had had been mined off Ostend. She was bound for Antwerp with food from the US - it was 3 weeks after the war in Europe ended.. Her engine room was flooded and splits were in her foredeck. Her funnel had 8 swastikas painted on it - indicating 8 aircraft destroyed in attacks...
"On 7th June in FORT GLOUCESTER we left Tilbury on a run job to Sunderland and returned to Tilbury and our homes on 12th June. On 17th June I went to Tilbury Docks to join CONAKRIAN. In meantime COLIN P. KELLY had discharged her cargo and was in drydock for survey.

"In recent years I researched COLIN P. KELLY JR and proved her claims of destroying 8 aircraft. She arrived at Palermo on 10th July 1943 during invasion of Sicily and between 10th and 14th more than 50 attacks were made on the port. Kelly shot down six and damaged four others. Her only casualty was an Armed Guard - DEMS gunner - who was wounded. No ships were lost.
"11 May 1944 - COLIN P KELLY was in a convoy arriving at Algiers with 490 Troops from the US aboard. Many Luftwaffe attacked the ships and Kelly destroyed 2 of them. A total of 13 were shot down with no losses to ships.

"Colin P.Kelly - at Tilbury. Following her survey she was towed to the Tyne for repairs but was declared a CTL."

Bud Shortridge navalmerchantshiparticles.blogspot.co.uk adds the following:
August 29, 1945 - Towed to Sunderland, England and 'sold.'

Shields Daily News 1 Oct 1945 COLIN P KELLY JNR Sailed River Wear 01-01-45 under tow of tug ATR IV for River Blackwater
15 April 1948 sailed River Blackwater for Rotterdam in tow tug GANGES [ George Swieszkowski - Lloyds List ]

Tonnage:7,176 gross
Built:1942
Type:Liberty ship
Owner:U.S. Government
Official No:242695
ID2242695

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