THE ICELAND TUGS AND CREWS

PAGE LAST UPDATED 29-1-2010

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SEVERAL LONDON OWNED OR MANAGED TUGS WERE BASED AT REYKJAVIK IN ICELAND DURING WORLD WAR TWO. THIS HAD BECOME AN IMPORTANT CONVOY ASSEMBLY PORT, ESPECIALLY IN RELATION TO THE CONVOYS TO RUSSIA. AMONG THE TUGS BASED HERE WERE GONDIA, TANGA, EMPIRE WOLD, EMPIRE BETSY AND EMPIRE PIPER.

THIS PAGE IS DEDICATED TO THE CREWS WHO SERVED THERE AND ESPECIALLY TO THE CREW OF THE EMPIRE WOLD, ALL OF WHOM WERE TRAGICALLY LOST TO UNKNOWN CAUSE 10TH NOVEMBER 1944.

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I AM PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH VISITORS A COLLECTION OF PHOTOS WHICH HAS KINDLY BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO THE SITE BY THORUNN ELISABET GREEN. THORUNN IS THE DAUGHTER OF OSWIN HARRY GREEN AND WAS ONLY NINE MONTHS OLD WHEN HER FATHER TRAGICALLY DISAPPEARED WHEN THE EMPIRE WOLD WAS LOST TO UNKNOWN CAUSES ON 10-11-1944 OFF ICELAND. HARRY GREEN HAD ALSO SERVED IN ICELANDIC WATERS IN TANGA AND GONDIA. MANY OF THE PHOTOS ARE TAKEN ON VARIOUS TUGS IN ICELAND DURING THIS TIME AND THORUNN WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR ANY FURTHER INFO ON ANY OF THE PICS. SOME OF THE OLD HANDS MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE A GUESS AT WHICH TUG THE CREW PIC IS TAKEN ON BY DECK FITTINGS ETC. PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN. I HAVE NUMBERED ALL THE PICS TO MAKE ANY REPLIES EASIER. THORUNN HAS LIVED IN ICELAND ALL HER LIFE, WHERE HER MOTHER IS STILL ALIVE, BUT DID VISIT UK SOME YEARS AGO TO MEET TWO MEN WHO WERE AT HER FATHERS WEDDING, ONE WAS HARRY ARNOLD [CAPTAIN BLOOD], THE OTHER WAS GEORGE 'SPIKE' GREGORY. ALF DUNLOP WAS ALSO VERY KIND TO HER FATHER. MANY THANKS IN ADVANCE TO ALL THOSE WHO CAN SUPPLY FURTHER INFO.

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TG2; OSWIN HARRY GREEN in Iceland. Photo T Green colln.

Photo believed taken on TANGA.

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TG3;The wedding of Oswin Harry Green and Maria, in Iceland . At rear left is Harry Arnold. On the right is George 'Spike' Gregory.

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TG8; TANGA in Reykjavik harbour during WW2. Photo T Green colln.

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TG9. Tug crew in Iceland WW2?????? Photo T Green colln,

Not sure if this is taken in Iceland. Certainly do not think it is one of the tugs mentioned above [if it is a tug] because of those side alley covers - Tug. Other opinions welcomed.

28-1-2010 Hi Tug,reference picture TG9 in the Iceland tugs section this could be the foredeck of the "JAVA".When I was about 12 I went with Dad on the JAVA stationed at Harwich going out to rescue airsea rescue craft that broke down.I remember the ladder to the enclosed wheelhouse on the port side and the hatchway leading down to the fore cabin where I was very seasick after eating buttered toast prepared by the fireman.She had the small half rounds and the wooden mooring posts.If you have a good magnifying glass you may be able to see the name on the forward bulkhead behind the forward cabin hatch.I tried.I must admit this is a long shot and several of that class of tug had the half rounds but did not have the enclosed wheelhouse put on during the war. We used to lay at the Trinity House quay.Regards Harold Russell.

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TG10; Harry Green playing accordion, Iceland WW2. Photo T Green colln.

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TG11; Tug crew Iceland WW2. Photo T Green colln.

Thorunn suggests Harry Green on left, Alf Dunlop on right and Harry Arnold sitting at front. Is this Tanga?????

1-2-2010 Thorunn tells me that she has received an email direct from Jane Cox [Daughter of tugman Peter Rayfield] saying that the guy at the back in the centre is her grandfather John Boyd, the Engineer, that he was on crew of Tanga in Iceland and he also kept a diary in which he mentions that Harry Green had become engaged to an Icelandic girl.

26-10-2010; Adrian Wotton thinks that the guy in the centre of the pic without a hat and in front of John Boyd is Ted 'Tubby' Wotton.

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TG13. Photo T Green colln.

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TG14 Harry Green on left with lifebelt. Photo T Green colln

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TG15 Front left; Harry Green. Photo T Green colln.

24-8-2010 The photograph TG15 was almost certainly taken on Empire Wold as the crew member standing back left is my uncle John Harry Morris (known as Jack). - John Vane

16-6-2014 Rear right is Fred Fothergill - Ray Fothergill.

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TG16. Photo T Green colln.

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TG17. Photo T Green colln.

25-9-2010; I have just been looking through the Iceland Tugs and crew page and discovered a photograph of my father, photo tg17. He is on the left in the back row alongside of his mate Spike Gregory. My Dads name is Tom Morgan and he was a fireman on the Gondia,Dad died in 1987. Terry Morgan.

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TG18. Photo T Green colln. Is that Harry Arnold sitting on deck??

3-8-2010:-

Iceland Tugs what brilliant research and photos I thought I would let you know that yes indeed that is Harry Arnold "Captain Blood" sitting on the deck of picture TG18, he was my Grandad I will print this page and show my Mum she will love it Thank you.

Dionne Green.

29-1-2012

To DIONNE GREEN. Just seen your comment Re HARRY (Blood) ARNOLD , I knew this man very well, he was a great person. I was in Gravesend a few years ago and walked into the Termnus Tavern and half expected him to be sitting at the bar. If you are his granddaughter and your surname is Green then your mothers name must be Shirley. I met my first wife at Shirley and brians? wedding reception in the old church hall at the top of Galley Hill. My wife was Harry's brother Bill's daughter Mary.Harry always had time for a young Waterman & Lighterman who pestered him for trips out on his tug Yours John Moore.

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