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[The Duck]

Hi,new to this forum but would be grateful for any information please.
  I was wondering if you can tell me anything about HMS Baldour? I
understand it was a Royal Navy land station in Iceland - my interest is;
I'm told my father's brother PO John Jenkins RNPS died in 4th February
1941, having been washed over board and presumed 'perished at sea'.  You
will appreciate my interest if Baldour was a land station.  I'd really love
to hear what actually happened as another sailor was washed over board with
him and apparently was saved but I don't know if this other sailor
survived.  Can you help, please.  Thank you for time.
The Duck

[spooks1959]

HMS BALDUR was the naval base at Reykjavik, Iceland. However the name ‘BLADUR’ encompassed many different ships and stations based in and around Iceland over the war years. BALDUR was an ‘accounting base’ which carried the pay and victualling accounts of other units in Iceland, including elements of the Royal Navy Patrol Service, two RN Air Sections at RAF Huitanes  and RAF Kaldadarnes, n Admiralty signals station.

At the time of your relative’s death BALDUR was an accommodation ship moored in Reykjavik harbour- the vessel was previously named the S.S. St Clair; built in 1937 by Hall Russel Aberdeen, she was operated by the North of Scotland and Orkney and Shetland Steam Navigation Company until she was requisitioned for the war effort and renamed HMS BALDUR on 23rd October 1940.

Without knowing more about your uncle’s service it is difficult to say what he would be doing at the time of his death because the reference to ‘BALDUR’ on his commonwealth war graves entry is taken from his pay account details, not the actual ship he was serving on.  As a member of the RN Patrol Service he would most likely have been at sea on one of the vessels listed below.

ICELAND COMMAND as at January 1941
Rear Adm R J R Scott AM Rtd

Accommodation ship, Reykjavik - BALDUR (Actg Capt H E Rendall Rtd) at Reykjavik

21st Anti-Submarine Group - anti-submarine trawlers ELM (Ty Lt E W C Dempster RNVR), HAZEL (Ty Lt R Thorne RNVR), WHITETHORN (Lt W G H Bolton RNR), WISTARIA (Sk A S H Robb RNR), all at Reykjavik

Minesweeping vessels – minesweeping trawler EBOR WYKE (Actg Ty Sk T E Olgeirsson RNR), VARANGA (Ty Lt G C Crowley RNVR), both at Liverpool refitting
 
Patrol vessels - Norwegian NORDKAPP, VESTFJORD (Norwegian crews), both at Reykjavik

Local defence trawlers - DOROTHY GRAY (Lt T Toft, SARNVR) at Reykjavik, DUCHESSE DE BRABANT (Sk C R Radford RNR) at Tobermory, EDOUARD VAN VLAENDEREN (Sk J C Ross RNR) dep Belfast 31 Dec, SABINA (Ty Lt I H Wymer RNVR) at Reykjavik, STRATHELLA (Pbty Ty Lt J C A Hammond RNVR) at Reykjavik, TRITELLIA (Ty Lt C H Wardroper RNVR) at Reykjavik, VIKING DEEPS (Ty Lt N F Davis RNR) at Reykjavik, Norwegian VAN OOST (Norwegian crew) at Reykjavik

Trawler - Norwegian HONNINGSVAAG (Norwegian crew) dep Reykjavik 18 Dec

Controlled minelayer - ALSEY (Pbty Ty Lt H A Inglis RNR) at Seidisfjord

Coast Watching Service – trawler SKYRACK (Ty S/Lt E S Plater RNR) at Reykjavik

Examination Service - examination ships DORADE II (Ty Sk J F Nuttall RNR), Norwegian JOKULL, RUNDHORN (both Norwegian crews), all at Iceland

Boom carrier - Trawler DEVON CITY (Cdr C A R Routh Rtd) at Hvalfjord
Boom defence vessels - BARCLIFF (Ty Lt R E Coad RNR), BARRHEAD (Ty Lt J R Alexander RNR), JAMES BARRIE (Ty Warrant Mech C W Alderson), SILANION (Ty Boom Sk R E Randall RNR), all at Hvalfjord, STALBERG (Ty Boom Sk H Aldridge RNR) arr Kirkwall 22 Dec

Source: http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4101-26RNHome.htm

[The Duck]

Hi spooks, thanks for the reply. my brother is the one most interested in this topic. I will contact him over the weekend and see what information he has. Thanks again. The Duck

[The Duck]

HMS BALDUR was the naval base at Reykjavik, Iceland. However the name ‘BLADUR’ encompassed many different ships and stations based in and around Iceland over the war years. BALDUR was an ‘accounting base’ which carried the pay and victualling accounts of other units in Iceland, including elements of the Royal Navy Patrol Service, two RN Air Sections at RAF Huitanes  and RAF Kaldadarnes, n Admiralty signals station.

At the time of your relative’s death BALDUR was an accommodation ship moored in Reykjavik harbour- the vessel was previously named the S.S. St Clair; built in 1937 by Hall Russel Aberdeen, she was operated by the North of Scotland and Orkney and Shetland Steam Navigation Company until she was requisitioned for the war effort and renamed HMS BALDUR on 23rd October 1940.

Without knowing more about your uncle’s service it is difficult to say what he would be doing at the time of his death because the reference to ‘BALDUR’ on his commonwealth war graves entry is taken from his pay account details, not the actual ship he was serving on.  As a member of the RN Patrol Service he would most likely have been at sea on one of the vessels listed below.

ICELAND COMMAND as at January 1941
Rear Adm R J R Scott AM Rtd

Accommodation ship, Reykjavik - BALDUR (Actg Capt H E Rendall Rtd) at Reykjavik

21st Anti-Submarine Group - anti-submarine trawlers ELM (Ty Lt E W C Dempster RNVR), HAZEL (Ty Lt R Thorne RNVR), WHITETHORN (Lt W G H Bolton RNR), WISTARIA (Sk A S H Robb RNR), all at Reykjavik

Minesweeping vessels – minesweeping trawler EBOR WYKE (Actg Ty Sk T E Olgeirsson RNR), VARANGA (Ty Lt G C Crowley RNVR), both at Liverpool refitting
 
Patrol vessels - Norwegian NORDKAPP, VESTFJORD (Norwegian crews), both at Reykjavik

Local defence trawlers - DOROTHY GRAY (Lt T Toft, SARNVR) at Reykjavik, DUCHESSE DE BRABANT (Sk C R Radford RNR) at Tobermory, EDOUARD VAN VLAENDEREN (Sk J C Ross RNR) dep Belfast 31 Dec, SABINA (Ty Lt I H Wymer RNVR) at Reykjavik, STRATHELLA (Pbty Ty Lt J C A Hammond RNVR) at Reykjavik, TRITELLIA (Ty Lt C H Wardroper RNVR) at Reykjavik, VIKING DEEPS (Ty Lt N F Davis RNR) at Reykjavik, Norwegian VAN OOST (Norwegian crew) at Reykjavik

Trawler - Norwegian HONNINGSVAAG (Norwegian crew) dep Reykjavik 18 Dec

Controlled minelayer - ALSEY (Pbty Ty Lt H A Inglis RNR) at Seidisfjord

Coast Watching Service – trawler SKYRACK (Ty S/Lt E S Plater RNR) at Reykjavik

Examination Service - examination ships DORADE II (Ty Sk J F Nuttall RNR), Norwegian JOKULL, RUNDHORN (both Norwegian crews), all at Iceland

Boom carrier - Trawler DEVON CITY (Cdr C A R Routh Rtd) at Hvalfjord
Boom defence vessels - BARCLIFF (Ty Lt R E Coad RNR), BARRHEAD (Ty Lt J R Alexander RNR), JAMES BARRIE (Ty Warrant Mech C W Alderson), SILANION (Ty Boom Sk R E Randall RNR), all at Hvalfjord, STALBERG (Ty Boom Sk H Aldridge RNR) arr Kirkwall 22 Dec

Source: http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4101-26RNHome.htm

Hi again spooks. I posted a request  back in July 2012.
I have noticed that the page has been read about 2000 times but no one other than yourself has replied.
I'm wondering if maybe the information is classified for some reason.
If any one would like to reply I would be very grateful to hear any comments.
Best wishes.
The Duck.

[PhiloNauticus]

Do you have a copy of his Service Record? If not, then it may well be a good idea to get it, as this may give detail of any 'loans' to ships based at Baldur.

[The Duck]

Thanks for your reply Phil.
Sorry, I don't have the service record or any other info. Trying to find out about my Fathers brother.
All I have is the bit below.
Cheers: The Duck.


 
5 February 1941
 
Baldur
 JENKINS, John M, Act/Petty Officer, RNPS, LT/JX 218537, MPK

[PhiloNauticus]

Service Record may be obtained from the MoD

See:
https://www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records#service-records-of-deceased-service-personnel

[The Duck]

Thanks for that, My brother has tried there and to date has had no luck.
Will try again though.

[rickles23]

Hi,
 
One of the ships that I am researching took over from St. Clair and was renamed HMS Baldur.
 
She was Princesse Marie-Jose:
 
1923 s/s Princesse Marie-José
1940 HMS Southern Isles
1941 HMS Nemesis
1943 HMS Baldur
1945 HMS Nemesis
1945 s/s Princesse Marie-José
Served during WWII as a training ship, HMS Southern Isles and then as an Accommodation/Base vessel in Iceland as a replacement for HMS Baldur ex St. Clair.
Photographs attached.
Regards
 

[The Duck]

Thanks for the info rickless23

Still looking for any info on APO Jenkins.
If you find anything I would be very grateful if you could pass it on.
Regards. The Duck

ps. sorry for the delay in replying, only just noticed your post.

[JVRirchie]

Hi all.
Some  mentioned Baldur way back but my father served in that regiment in Iceland under the name Baldur first in Hnífsdalur/ Ísafjord that was look out station then in Hvitanes in Hvalfjord were allt convoys resupplied near Reykjavík. His Port Division was Portsmouth P/JX 210596.
On the 12 of Mars 1941 he and another navy man from Hnifsdal were suddenly called and ordered to to go on Minesweeper from Isafjord.
I was wondering if they were replacing those two mentioned earlier that got lost at sea. 

I have few wartime ships mentioned in his War time Certificate of service, Victory was one but I could not find that ship.
Fortitude was another and 3 entries on Baldur then one ship I am having hard time reading  but this is nearest i could get. HMS  Boehrane II (Alahester) ? 

Most of the mines were out of Westfjords but my father served some time trying to blow up runaway mines and in his Diary he said they used 500 rounds to blow one up. Must have been rough sea.   

[PhiloNauticus]

If you could scan and post up a copy of his service record, someone should be able to work out the ships names etc...