TROOP SHIP CROSSING - NEW YORK TO UK "MAY 1943" - THE QUEEN ELIZABETH

It would appear that the US destroyed all Troop Ship Crossing records in 1951. No one seems know why they did this, but there are no longer any records or passenger manifest for Troop Ships leaving New York for the UK.

However, I have since received information during my research that seems to point to the Queen Elizabeth having left New York on May 4th and arriving in the UK on May 11th, 1943, which matches the dates that my Uncle would have embarked/disembarked. What I am still missing is positive confirmation from someone who would have either sailed on this voyage or next of kin of someone who would have revealed in their personal stories, the name of the ship. All the Canadian RCAF and Army troops only state they embarked May 4th in New York and arrived May 11th. I have yet to find the story of someone who has actually name the ship???

If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated. There should have been 15,000 to 16,000 troops on this crossing - someone, somewhere must be able to reveal the ship's name?

 

Id try the alternative station/port...Britain are the record kings...

 

What unit was your uncle in? The name of the ship might be found in the unit's history.

 

He is typical of most Royal Canadian Air Force men that went to Europe. When they finished their BACTP training here in Canada, they were shipped to "Y" Depot Halifax, which was only a holding unit for EMBARKATION to the UK. They would then be transferred to the RAF (Royal Air Force Trainee Pool) for the trans-atlantic trip to the UK and into the RAF training stream. I have noticed that many of them either left directly from Halifax aboard a troop ship (in which case the Canadians have records) or many were sent from Halifax to New York for embarkation to the UK. All their records only indicate: Transferred from Y Depot to RAFTP for transportation to UK. That is the extent of the details in their records. The only way I think I will ever know for sure is when someone who went over on the 4th of May, 1943, survived the war and mentions the name of the ship in his story. Over 15,000 troops were crammed on the troop ships so I am certain I will eventually run across someone's story. The Queen Elizabeth travelled alone - not in a convoy.

 

Although the QE traveled alone, the voyages were still given convoy numbers. The May 5-11, 1943 voyage(New York-Clyde) was Convoy AT.42