Comment on SS Empire Windrush
I was a telegraph messenger in 1936 and was based in Greenwich. In 1936 I boarded this ship Monte Rosa with many telegrams addressed to Nazi members who were arriving for a holiday and other reasons in this country.They were met by an organised collection of officals who had arranged for them to be taken by coaches to numerous cities in this country. All seemed to have clipboards, cameras and seemed to be purchasing every picture postcard they could find. At the top of the steel ship's ladder I was met by a smart member of the Hitler Youth, several of whom spoke English and I was accompanied to the purser's office. I made many journies to this ship and her sister ship the Monte Pascal whilst they were laying off Greenwich Buoys. The two ships alternated each week form Hamburg.. Frank Palmer aged 88
Comment on SS Empire Windrush posted 2008-07-01 by Frank Palmer from Abbey Wood, London
Comment on SS Empire Windrush
Empire Windrush was formally the Monte Rosa a German Cruise Ship on which the Nazi Party members had there holidays, later she was a German troop ship and was involved in the landing of German troops in Norway. Captured at Kiel in 1945 she was taken over by the UK Govt and used as a troop ship, not a steam ship as previously noted but a twin screw motorship.
Comment on SS Empire Windrush posted 2008-06-23 by Trevor Page from Kent
Comment on SS Empire Windrush
She was white and very big though not as big as a mountain which is what I expected. Let me explain. I was four and a half years old and we were being repatriated to UK from India preceeding Indian independance and the riots (I knew nothing of this background). My father told me the ship would be the biggest thing I could imagine. Mountains came to my mind. I have nothing but happy memories. of life aboard. The crew were friendly and played with me. One of the crew arranged a visit to the engine room - my father took me along. I remember being impressed by the noise and the smell. I loved it. Sleeping on board ship for me was a very cozy sensation - the sound of the engines thrumming away acted like a lullabye. I still find mechanical sounds very soothing. Though memory is fading I can still remember aspects of the journey to UK. I saw my first Walt Disney (Snow White) on board the Empire Windrush. I can recall seing some big fish racing the ship (dolphins). I was too young to appreciate many things that were going on around me but I have been left with many impressions which still come to me when I see a seagull or smell something . This was before 1948 . To me the Empire Windrush is a personal icon of my early childhood when everything was carefree and secure. I remember the news of her sinking which greatly saddened me.
Comment on SS Empire Windrush posted 2008-05-14 by E Morrison from Twickenham, London
Comment on SS Empire Windrush
Very useful and detailed information - really helped me.
Comment on SS Empire Windrush posted 2008-01-24 by Marti from London
Comment on SS Empire Windrush
This page tells me about everything I need to know about The SS Windrush - thank you!
Comment on SS Empire Windrush posted 2007-11-01 by ahasen from Luton
Comment on SS Empire Windrush
This most definitely is not an English icon. Predefined, politically correct, British possibly, but no, not ever, is it English! Remove it or I dare you, put it to the test, let the English vote!
Comment on SS Empire Windrush posted 2007-10-01 by Pauline from Devon and London
Comment on SS Empire Windrush
My father was a crewman on the Windrush and was on some of the trips bringing immigrants from the West Indies (I don't know if he was on the very first one). He took some cine-film which shows West Indians on board, which is all too short, as he seemed to have been more fascinated by the dolphins leaping up into the air at the bows of the ship! He took me over it once as a kid, and told me that all 'Empire' ships were captured German ships. I thought he told me that it was originally the 'Moldavia' but from your site it obviously wasn't. I do remember that at home we had some cutlery obviously 'nicked' from one of these ships, as they had the eagle and swastika engraved on them, underneath which was the letter 'M'. I also remember that he was upset when he heard about her sinking. As to other comments questioning whether she was an 'icon', I tend to agree, because although she was clearly a significant symbol, I would not go so far as to say that she was an 'icon'. After all, we don't call the first moon landing by 'Discovery' an icon do we?
Comment on SS Empire Windrush posted 2007-06-25 by Maurice Ferrara from Bedfordshire
Comment on SS Empire Windrush
I was a national serviceman on the windrush and sailed from southampton in october 1953 ostensibly en route to Korea, but this was changed to Malaya whilst at Malta. I remember being on troopdeck G2, which was down in the bowels of the ship. We had water rationing in the med, and had to stop at Malta-Egypt, and Aden. Looking back I would not have missed it for anything, even the crew selling us watered down drink (all I remember was that it was red, and tasted awful! Bingo was very popular, as there wasn't much else to do. We showered in salt water and had to use a special soap to get some sort of lather. There was also a special way of storing our bedding away (trust the army to think that one up,) also our deck won the best troopdeckon the captains round and were gifted a big iced cake. Ah what memories
Comment on SS Empire Windrush posted 2007-02-14 by Andrew Michael John Atkinson from Hounslow, Middlesex UK
Comment on SS Empire Windrush
I sailed on the Windrush. She was not a steam vessel but a twin screw motor vessel whose proper prefix under the British flag was HMT stand for His (or Her) Majesty's Transport as heowner was the Ministry of War Transport, Later Ministry of Transport.
Comment on SS Empire Windrush posted 2006-09-28 by B R Baggott from New Zealand.
Comment on SS.Empire Windrush
I joined the Windrush at Kure on her final journey, my destination was Hong Kong. My final purchase in Kure was a lovely black lacqured musical box complete with the usual Mt. Fuji motif. It was sent onboard before we left and was intended as a present for my mother. I left the ship at Hong Kong - the music box is still onboard...
Comment on SS Empire Windrush posted 2008-08-13 by Bryan Johnson from Liverpool