The Strathallan Story

The Strathallan Story web site was conceived three years ago by the coming together of interesting elements which could be compared to a human jig saw puzzle. The original idea came from Jim Gormley a veteran of World War II and a proud member of the RAF Regiment. Jim was pining for his lovely wife, Sheila, who died in the millennium year after 48 years of marriage, and he opened his heart up to his next door neighbour, Robert Kennedy, by relating his adventures of being torpedoed on the 21st December 1942 while aboard the Strathallan Troopship in the Mediterranean Sea. Web site browsers can read Jim’s poignant story under “Survivors”.

As a matter of therapeutic interest, Robert carried out extensive research and attempted to build a web site; an exercise which gave Jim a new lease of life as he was essentially a modest family man but with a real story to tell. Not having the web site building skills, fate led Robert to Les Jones a Yorkshire born computer expert, who was also an ex soldier who saw service in Northern Ireland. As a labour of love Les commenced designing the web site which is seen today; a credit to his skills which may have cost thousands of pounds if done professionally. By chance, at the same time, Ken Chambers from Brighton, Sussex, was also researching the story of the Strathallan as an article for a newsletter called The Gloster Gladiator based in Gloucestershire; he was prompted into this by two colleagues Alf Blackett and Tom Samuel who were both survivors. Thanks to the internet, Ken established contact when he was advised by P & O of The Strathallan Web site, and Les incorporated Ken’s original story which had been published in the newsletter even before the Web Site came on air. Browsers can view Ken’s story under “The History of Strathallan” which added to and complimented the web site. Robert and Les were delighted to receive the extra information and so started an interesting relationship between the Web Site and The Gloster Gladiator.

This veteran’s organ has an interesting story to tell, not least because of the fact Jim Gormley was ex RAF Regiment and a contingent of them set sail from Gourock on the Clyde during 12th December 1942 aboard the Strathallan on her fateful journey. The Editor and Publisher of the Gladiator is Eric Papps ex RAF Regiment who hails from the beautiful middle England village of Ruscombe near Stroud in Gloucestershire. Assisted by Ken Chambers of Brighton and Brian Rich of Barry South Wales, both ex RAFR, Eric produces this near monthly Newsletter which has a circulation of over a hundred and is mailed in the main to ex RAF Regiment war veterans and their families, but also to others who have long become attached by continued interest after publication of their stories. As one reader so aptly wrote, “Another edition of your wonderful and interesting Newsletter; my wife and I always enjoy reading it, the items relating to wartime experiences and those relating to non-war life are equally interesting; they show so clearly how your group is holding together; a really remarkable thing and largely due to you. Thank you and your able assistants for keeping a non-Regiment chap on your list.”

Page 2>>