From Baird Maritime:
A self-published book by an American great-grandmother, this biography of her father is a really great read.
Fortunately for the author, her father was a good and prolific letter writer. He had a great and fascinating life. Born in Germany in 1882, he went to sea at 16 and by 1914 was Chief Mate (First Officer) on a German cargo ship which was captured in the Philippines by a British destroyer. He and his ship spent the First World War interned in Australia. Tough for a young, ambitious and energetic father of two.
At the end of 1919 he returned to Germany having lost 40 percent of his body weight. His family had suffered badly also and the German merchant marine was largely destroyed.
By 1925 the family had emigrated to the United States. His trials continued as his German master mariners qualification was not recognised. It took another five years for that problem to be rectified.
Then followed some amazing adventures including commanding a warship in the Colombian Navy. By the outbreak of World War II he and the family were all naturalised American citizens. After some early unpleasantness he served with distinction as an officer, then master, of a series of merchant ships in the north Atlantic on convoys. His competence was tested when his ship was torpedoed but he brought it home. Much decorated he was, ironically, commissioned finally as a Commander in the US Navy Reserve.
Tragically, his life was cut short in 1947 thanks to a mis-diagnosed melanoma.
A very personal but very inspiring story of a good man who never gave up.
Ordering Information:
Ursula McCafferty