We ask that on Saturday 25/11 that all may remember James(Jim) Edward Luen. 25th November 1939.
Jen Reynolds a niece of James (Jim) Edward Luen has been working with us on the Tregenna web site in compiling information on the first of hopefully over 600 names on the Barry Merchant Navy Roll of Honour. Here we report on her uncle Jim, a Merchant Naval Chief Officer of Barry. He died in 1939, on the 25th November off the coast of New Foundland / Nova Scotia. Jenny believes that Jim was very brave. She remembers being told that the Captain of the SS. Harlingen called for a volunteer to go over board during a severe storm with German U boat activity in the vicinity. He, Jim as Chief Officer on the HARLINGEN, went to release some tangled vegetation from the propeller.
He was able to do this and was hauled aboard with much cheering, then a wave crashed into the ship and he was washed overboard, and never seen again. He was apparently made a posthumous Captain. As Mr Luen was a serving Chief Officer he would of already had a Master's ticket. His details from the CWGC have him noted as Chief Officer. We are certain he was both highly respected and held in high esteem.
“I can recall the terrible tears and mourning in my home at the time”. Jen Reynolds.
At one time Jim cared for an albatross that landed on deck suffering from exhaustion, but recovered. There is a campaign to save the Albatross, spear headed by an Ellen MacCarthy. So impressed with his kind act, they asked permission to use the photograph in a brochure.
LUEN, Chief Officer, JAMES EDWARD, S.S. Harlingen (London). Merchant Navy. 25th November 1939. Age 43. Son of Albert Edward and Rebecca Luen; husband of Violet Victoria Luen, of Barry, Glamorgan. Father of Mary and June. Commemorated at Tower Hill Memorial, Panel 55.
“Jim and family used to live in WOY WOY, a bungalow at the bottom of Cold Knap Way, as you walked down to the Watchtower beach. Many people remarked on the strange name, but Jim and his wife Violet married in the town of WOY WOY in Australia. WOY WOY is and was next door to where I grew up. WOY WOY was built for Jim, Jim lived there next door to me.
”. Jen R.
Jim's eldest daughter, Mary married a South Africaan and has lived in South Africa since she was married. Youngest daughter of Jim, June lives in Symonds Yat. Lorraine Howard, daughter of Mary Luen who was daughter of Jim Luen who was drowned in 1939 recalls: “My grandmother, Violet, told me a story so like this when she visited us in South Africa when I was about 11 or 12 years old. I remember well where we were sitting and she recalled the story for me. She must have found life very hard as did so many others”.. Lorraine Howard.
200 wooden crosses Following this year’s Merchant Navy Association (Wales), Barry Branch, Annual Seafarers’ Service, which was held at The Barry Memorial Hall on Saturday, 15th September 2007. Members on behalf of the Branch laid down 200 wooden crosses at the Seafarers’ monument. The Stone memorial incorporates the names of Barry and Vale merchant seamen who have given their lives at sea during the two world wars.
My mum's cousin Jennifer Reynolds forwarded the article "200 wooden crosses" to me and it made mention of Jim Luen. He was my grandfather who was drowned when my mum was only 11 years old. We have always thought of him and the dreadful ordeal he and so many others at sea, had to endure in the 2 World Wars. My mum gave me a small wooden cross which someone gave her and it stands by my bed every night where I can look or hold it and it makes me feel nearer to her. She lives in South Africa now and I live in Ireland. Now my grandfather will have to be included in that cross. Thank you for that.
Barry and District News report:
Friday 1st December 1939
Tragedy on the high Seas
Barry Victim
News has reached Barry of the death on Saturday of Captain James Edward Luen, who was washed overboard from his ship off the coast of Nova Scotia. Captain “Jim” Luen as he was known to his large circle of friends in Barry, was the fourth son of Mrs. R. Luen of the cold Knap hotel, Barry and was a native of the town. Attended high street school before going to sea at an early age. During the last war he served for the duration with the Dover Patrol.
A keen artist, captain Leun held during 1937-1938 an exhibition of his work in the county hall, London. He was also the author of several books.
During the last voyage he saved the lives of two people, by performing an operation of the wireless instructions of a doctor in another ship.
He married in Sydney, Australia. Miss Violet Makepeace, fourth daughter of Mr. C. A. Makepeace, J P of Harbour Road, Barry and is survived by his widow and two daughters. The little missus Mary and June Leun, his mother Mrs. R. Leun and brothers. Merss Clive, Dudley, Brindley and Sidney Leun and Mrs. W. Herbert, Mrs. Davey and Mrs. N. Owen (sisters).
Apparently a young Jim Luen, walked out of school one day and was not heard of for two years until he came of a ship in Cardiff. Like so many had made what was known as a pier head jump.
NB: SS Harlingen was sunk just under two years later by U-75 on 5th August 1941.
Behind every name on the Barry – Merchant Navy Role of Honour is a person no longer with us, with family that both grieved and younger members that both still remember and grieve also. It is important that we remember and record the information before as with these brave men, it is lost forever. The intention is to make available to all such information and hope that in our future we may be able to have an interactive Roll of Honour. This, for both descendants and those that also remember and for those that care, to show that those that came after them, did not forget them and to record and preserve much of Barry’s Maritime History. We hope that in time Barry will be able to host such information and memory in a museum or similar for our town and peoples. Meanwhile we can only record and preserve such heroism and memory for such a time that not only does the town remember but can again rise to the occasion as with its own Memorial Hall and this time band together to raise the funds necessary to build such a museum / visitor centre etc to hold its past for our children and our heroes.
With a little help from: Keith Greenway@Tregenna.
www.ss-tregenna.co.uk hernamewas.ss@tiscali.co.uk
Jim Luen is one of over 600 names on the MN – BARRY Roll of Honour – All to be remembered in detail.
Example of future Museum entries: Hopefully, in a future museum, or at least on the internet on interactive pages, all on the Barry Merchant Navy Roll of honour, will be further remembered via access of each name, where all will be able to find additional information in tribute to all those lost. KG.
EXAMINATION ON OATH.
Relating to the death of James Edward Luen on the Harlingen
By name and address supplied.
I was on the bridge on the morning of 25th Nov 1939. There was a high sea and an E.N.E. gale.
At about 9.35a.m. the vessel shipped a heavy sea, and directly afterwards, I heard the First Mate Mr Luen, shouting for help, and could see him in the water about 100 feet to starboard. Four life bouys were thrown to him, and a raft was heaved over the ship's side at once, and I saw him grasp a bouy and get into it. The ship was kept as near to him as possible and on one occasion sighted. It was difficult for the look outs to see him on account of the heavy seas, and I wanted to swim to him with a line attached to a ***** which had been thrown to him and which fell short.
It was impossible on account of the seas and the distance and I was restrained. At 11.35 a.m. we came quite close to Mr. Luen and I could see he was unconscious. I volunteered again to go to his assistance and went over to the side to him. The water was extremely cold and owing to the ship rolling and the heavy seas it was difficult to reach him. As he was in a bouy and I was on a swimming bowline he was more bouyant than I was and although I managed to grasp the bouy twice I was unable to hold it. When the those at the other end of the line saw that I myself was in distress and that Mr Luen was by this time out of my reach they hauled me aboard and I was taken to the stewards room for treatment. I saw no more of Mr Luen who was undoubtedly lost by now. I’m satisfied that every possible effort was made to rescue him
Signed Roy Dudley Creser 29th December 1939
It was hand written and clearly faded so could not read, one word marked with stars
We at the Her name Was Tregenna web site remember Captain Care of Barry, South Wales and his crew of the SS.Tregenna, we further remember all with no known grave but the sea and those in particular at rest at Merthyr Dyfan. Churchill recognised that without the Merchant Navy all would have been lost and Kipling told that without the Merchant Men and Merchant ships – “Britain would starve”. The German determination to destroy our unarmed Merchant ships faster than we could build them was devastating and although every seafarers next voyage may have been and often was his last. Never did such ships fail to have full crews. The bravery of these good men kept our supply lines open and our forces armed, our people were both fed and free.
In all conflicts Merchant Men and Ships are called upon when our country calls, as a Town and Port Barry has always played its part. Few streets had no losses in both World Wars and the community grieved heavily. Pride in Barry! There is no doubt and this year 11/11 must have had its largest numbers attending in many years. With so many of the brave, no longer with us, it is marvelous to see the youth of Barry flying the flag. It has often been said ” Let them that come after us, remember us” Barry has shown that as a town and community it Remembers Greatly – Thank you Barry.
The Listener
14 March 1940
‘Man Overboard !’
By Commander A. B. Campbell
Do you remember what Kipling said of the men and ships of our merchant navy? No truer word was ever written than this ‘If anything hinders their coming – you’ll starve’; and believe me they get plenty of hindrances these days. Mines, U-boats, and planes are all directed to stopping our merchantmen from carrying raw materials and food-stuffs to this island of ours. We seldom hear of their work but I am privileged in as much as I meet many of them when they come ashore and at great difficulty, can be made to talk about themselves.
One day last month I saw a notice in a shipping paper to the effect that a certain officer ‘had been washed overboard and lost’. Just that bare announcement. I have a letter here from a sailor friend who tells me what actually happened on that morning. I will read you his letter. But I must omit any mention of names and places. Believe me this is an actual experience and this is what he says:
‘Perhaps the best thing I can do is to give you a plain untarnished account of the tragic end of our mutual friend and the best shipmate I ever sailed with’.
‘We were bound from Philadelphia to X to pick up a convoy. Yesterday we ran into some really nasty weather, wind force 8, and a dirty sea and swell. These ships almost stop themselves with a head wind and swell and we were making about three knots, when one of the forward ventilators worked loose and the starboard cable which as usual had been secured in hawser pipe with cement also broke loose. The first mate and the carpenter went forward to secure them. They had just finished the job and “Chippy” was still by the windlass whilst the mate had left the fo’c’sle head and was crossing the forward well deck when the first really heavy sea we had shipped came clean over the fo’c’sle head and flooded the well deck. Chippy saw it coming and hung on to the windlass but the first mate was taken seawards and was washed clean over the side’.
‘I was on the bridge at the time and the Old Man yelled “Look out for Chippy”. You can imagine our horror after seeing that Chippy was alright to hear the first mate calling for help twenty yards from the ships side. We immediately let go three lifebelts and I was aft and heaved a raft over side which had been constructed in case we were sunk by the enemy. The first mate managed to get a lifebelt on and then we swung around, but these ships carry their sway for a long time, and it was only with the greatest difficulty that we sighted the raft and subsequently the first mate’.
‘The Old Man deserves the greatest credit for the manner in which he managed to pick him up, especially the second time, for I regret to say that we were unable to get a line to him, because as soon as the engines were stopped we were (SOME TEXT MISSING )
“I was going to try and swim to him but he was a good quarter-of-a mile off, and the steward forced me into his cabin and locked the door. He was quiet right as I found out later… After the first mate had drifted past – and they tell me he was only twenty feet from the lifebuoy at one moment, and we had a line attached to that lifebuoy – the steward unlocked the door and I ran on to the bridge. The sea had by this time increased to such an extent that it was impossible to get a boat away and even if we had, we should never have picked it up again.
“Several of us went up the mast again, the ship having swung round I managed to spot him fine on the starboard bow. After the Old Man made a fine job of it for he brought the ship immediately to windward of him so that we drifted down almost alongside. By this time he was unconscious, probably dead, so the line throwing apparatus was useless. To see him drifting by with no chance of getting him aboard was terrible, so I stripped and I attached a bowline round my chest , but the men hung on to me and the steward ran up to the Old Man to ask permission to try to go over the side. The Old Man refused, but I wasn’t going to see the first mate go to his death without a chance, and I think the men must have been almost as frantic as myself.
‘Anyway, over I went. God it was cold. At one moment thirty feet in the air and the next thirty feet under water. The men daren’t slack away too fast in case I slipped out of the running bowline, there having been no time to make a proper job of it. Twice I had him in my arms, but the terrific seas and the ship rolling so so-heavily, that’s tightening the rope round my body and jerking me this way and that, tore him away from me and the men then hauled me aboard. My body was quite uncontrollable with the cold even in the comparatively short time I was in the water, so it is indeed a wonder that the first mate remained conscious as long as he did’.
‘The steward told me later that he ran aft just in time to see the first mate slip out of the belt and sink when he was just abaft the main mast’.
‘The Old Man took one more look round, and then resumed the passage. It was an hour before I could hold a cup to my lips, but hot blankets and massage did the trick, and a couple of hours in my bunk and then on watch again’.
‘This is the end of my sorry report, but I think you can read between the lines and experience with us the hopes and fears of that morning, The utter impotency and sense of bitter defeat, that each of us knew, who loved the first mate and finally gave up hope of rescuing him’.
That is all, just a sailors’ account of what to him is all in a day’s work.
"There are no graves: no crosses: No where a loved One can shed a tear: We should remember them." Barry’s own David Simpson
Also in memory of Mary, recently departed but loved and remembered by the Luen family.
As with you all we remember all, but how much of the personal lives and family etc are remembered, we attempt to record what we can now, before all is lost we ask that you may do the same. We will remember LEST WE FORGET, but some of the personal information that may still linger, will soon be gone forever. Please record what you can now.
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