Arethusa II / Peking

[John]

The Peking was a steel-hulled, four-masted barque of the German company F. Laeisz, it was one of the last generation of windjammers used in the nitrate trade and wheat trade around the often treacherous Cape Horn. During a visit to Langdon Battery / Dover Coastguard recently, our host Ted Ingham showed us a fascinating film of the Peking sailing around the Horn in 1929 in treacherous storms - an amazing ordeal.

After being siezed by Italy for reparations in WWI, she was sold back to the original owners in the early 1920's and continued in service until 1932 when she was sold to Shaftesbury Homes for use as a training vessel at Greenhithe, being renamed 'Arethusa II'. (There was already a training vessel there named 'Arethusa').

In 1933, Arethusa II was moved to a new mooring at Upnor on the River Medway, where she worked as a children's home and training school. She was officially "opened" by HRH Prince George on 25 July 1933. Arethusa II remained here for many years and was a familiar site to locals, but in 1975 she was sold off to the South Street Seaport Museum in New York City, where she remains today under her original name.

Photographs below show the Arethusa at Upnor in the 1930's, still proudly bearing the name 'Peking'.

[John]

An advert in the January 1956 issue of 'The Navy' magazine.

Across the Arethusa gangway many boys have found the life they wanted, a life of happiness and service. Over 15,000 boys have already passed through the Arethusa to successful careers and there is a long waiting list ... donations are needed to meet continually rising costs, will you help one of the next 15,000?

[John]

An advert in the January 1946 issue of 'The Navy' magazine.

[pomme homme]

My maternal grandfather was educated/trained on the Arethusa (whether it was the I or the II, I know not) before going into the submarine service during the last war. Sadly I know nothing of his time on board as he died when I was very young. My mother and her brothers - all of whom are now dead - never spoke of this, beyond a bland reference to the fact, so I don't know if he never spoke to them of his time aboard the Arethusa or the fault is mine in failing to enquire of them as to this.

[pomme homme]

I've found an old photograph of my grandfather. He is in uniform, but unfortunately I cannot read the ship's name on the band of his cap. The best I can do, with a magnifying glass, is to produce HMS Act.... So I must deduce that this photograph was not taken when he was a cadet aboard the Arethusa (furthermore in the photograph he looks too old for this). Can anyone shed any light in my darkness?

[pomme homme]

........I think that his ship, at time the photograph was taken, may have been HMS Active. It appears that HMS Active was in company with HMS Hood in the Battle of the Denmark Strait when the latter was lost with nearly all hands. I can remember my mother telling me that witnessing the loss of the Hood moved my grandfather throughout the rest of his life, such that the playing of 'Eternal Father, Strong to Save' would reduce him to tears. I wonder if there are any forumites, more knowledgeable than me in matters naval, who can tell me whether the Active was engaged with the Hood in the Battle of the Denmark Strait and whether my deduction, from the cap band in the photograph of my grandfather, is on beam or not.

[alkhamhills]

Both HMS Hood and HMS Acive and other ships were involved in intercepting the Bismarck in May 1941 at the Battle of the Denmark Strait. HMS Hood was sunk on 24.5.1941. Churchill ordered the Navy to sink the Bismark, which they did on 26-27 May
Of 1418 men on Hood, only 3 survived. This would surely have affected all those who witnessed the sinking
Hope this helps, pomme homme

[pomme homme]

Thank you, alkhamhills. I think that I'm piecing things together little by little. But if only I'd asked appropriate questions more than forty years ago.........!

p.s. please forgive the fact that I'm straying beyond the ambit of this forum - but perhaps some can understand why this is.

[John]

There's no problem in straying on any topic - if it strays back again, then good. If it doesn't, then things may develop and become worthy of being split off into a new topic    In fact, if you have a suitable title, I'll split this one and put it in Military Personnel..

[pomme homme]

Thank you, John. But may I - to use a phrase which is common to the Canadian branch of my family - take a raincheck on this? If I should find any more information concerning my maternal grandfather, that might warrant pursuing the route that you suggest, then I will avail myself of your offer. Until then, I fear that it could prove to be a blind alley and thus not worthy of independent existence.