Ceylon 1942 - East Africa Command?

[GlenB]

The troopship MV Muncaster Castle sailed from the Clyde on 2nd March 1942 bound for Freetown, Cape Town and Colombo but was sunk by a torpedo attack on 30th March after leaving Freetown.
The service records of some of the army personnel on board (my father included) state they were heading for an East Africa posting.
At that time with Malaya and Singapore having recently fallen to the Japanese, is it likely that Ceylon came under the East Africa Command? Or can anyone offer any other explanation please?

[stewey]

Kenya was also known as British East Africa I believe.

[stewey]

Doing a little more reading, I found the the port of Trincomalee in Ceylon was headquarters for the East Indies Command.

[237SJ]

Maybe the troops were disembarking at Cape Town?

[stewey]

As a matter of interest, it wasn't really a "troop" ship. It was a merchant vessel with passengers, a cargo, and some troops on it. It was what is known as a DEMS: defensively equipped merchant ship.

[stewey]

So, GlenB, are you one of these people who ask a question, expect answers, and then ignore them without responding? Most of us don't require effusive "thank you's", just an acknowledgement that you have read the answers. I see that you were active as of 22.55 tonight.

[GlenB]

Stewey - Yes I do apologise for not thanking you and 237SJ before now but I logged on tonight purposely to do that . No I am not one of those you describe and have always thanked those who have responded to any queries I have made. I do offer my sincere thanks and much appreciate the information and comments you both have given.

[stewey]

GlenB, did your father survive? There weren't really that many deaths in that sinking: "Four crew members, one gunner and 19 passengers were lost", and the German U-Boat commander left the survivors without any atrocity.

[GlenB]

Stewey. Thanks for your latest message. No my father in the RASC was posted "Missing at Sea". I have recently made contact with another whose uncle (in the RAMC) was also a casualty. Service records of both show that for the duration of the voyage their overseas service was East Africa hence the basis of my original query.

[stewey]

Good luck in your search, GlenB. I'm confused as to why a member of the RASC would be on the Muncaster, as it was strictly a DEMS with military personnel on board to man the guns. Read the attached link, if you haven't already, especially the part concerning the sinking of that ship.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/53/a2048753.shtml

Are you sure that you are researching the correct ship?

[GlenB]

Thanks for your continued interest, Stewey. I have confirmation from the MOD that Muncaster Castle was being used as a troopship and that my father was in fact on board. Presumably therefore all or most of the 265 'passengers' (of whom 246 survived) were members of the armed forces though I gather that the merchant navy did not classify those troops as passengers.

Thanks for mentioning the BBC website containing Tom Kay's War which I have in fact already seen.

I am sure the answer is out there somewhere, so I'll carry on looking.

[stewey]

GlenB, I find this "stuff" fascinating, and it sort of gives meaning to the people who were involved, dead or alive, so many years ago. My father was in the RN as a telegrapher and was transferred off HMS Hood about a month before it was sunk. Let me know, on this thread, of any other findings you come across...Good searching.

[GlenB]

Stewey. Thanks again. I'll let you know if any progress is made.

[GlenB]

Hello Again Stewey if you are there.
I have now had access to a file from the National Archives and from this it now seems virtually certain that the draft(s) heading for East Africa -probably Nairobi or possibly Mombasa -would as suggested by 237SJ, have disembarked at Cape Town and presumably moved on to East Africa by a separate voyage. HQ East Africa Command was I gather at Nairobi.
Thanks again to you and 237SJ for your interest and comments.