RAYNER, Albert Leonard
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 October 1939 |
| Last Rank: | Fireman |
| Last Unit: | 2/1 Hospital Ship |
| Born: | Little Thurrock, England , 23 January 1901 |
| Home Town: | Gordon, Ku-ring-gai, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Seaman |
| Died: | Chronic obstructive airways disease. Congestive cardiac failure, Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia, 11 July 1987, aged 86 years |
| Cemetery: |
Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park, NSW Cremated, |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 10 Oct 1939: | Embarked Merchant Navy, Fireman, TRSS KATOOMBA. The records indicate for the engagement period that the TRSS Katoomba was doing continuous passenger transfers between Sydney (NSW) and Fremantle (WA) via the Adelaide. disengaged 19/01/1940. 102 days at sea | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Oct 1939: | Enlisted | |
| 13 Feb 1940: | Embarked Merchant Navy, Fireman, SS ALDINGA (S-379) According to the shipping records for the time required, it travelled on random consignment runs along the east coast around to South Australia. These ships were known as “60 milers” or “coasters” and travelled the coast supplying materials required to support the war effort. Disengaged 23/04/1940. 71 days at sea | |
| 2 May 1940: | Embarked Merchant Navy, Fireman, KOWHAI cargo vessel "coaster" Undertaking steel deliveries from Launceston and Newcastle. Disengaged 15/05/1940. 14 days at sea | |
| 21 May 1940: | Embarked Merchant Navy, Fireman, SS AROONA The Aroona was another “60 miler” and from the routes taken was likely supplying raw materials to the steelworks then returning steel to Sydney. With production ramping up steel was in great demand. Disengaged 28/07/1940. 69 days at sea | |
| 16 Sep 1940: | Embarked Merchant Navy, Fireman, SS LADY ISOBEL. While this may of seemed a standard freight run, delivering cargo along the coast by now was dangerous as German Raiders laid extensive mine fields off New South Wales, Hobart and in Bass Strait between the mainland and Tasmania. On November 7th and 8th two ships hit mines and sunk along the victorian coast, and by december another ship sunk after it sailed into a mine off Norah Head. Disengaged 16/12/1940 92 days at sea | |
| 31 Dec 1940: | Embarked Merchant Navy, TSS RONA (2). Cargo runs to Lucinda Port, Cairns, Townsville and Auckland. Depart Sydney and returns to Port Kembla. Disengaged 11/03/1941. 71 days at sea | |
| 12 Mar 1941: | Embarked Merchant Navy, Fireman, CORRIMAL (S-150) General Cargo ship completing deliveries between Brisbane, Newcastle and Melbourne multiple times. In November 1942 the Corrimal was requisitioned by Australian Government as part of the merchant navy fleet. James Patrick & Co, Sydney appointed as managers. By December 1944 the ship was purchased outright by Australian Government. After her service in December 1947 transferred to Australian Shipping Board and broken up at Homebush Bay Sydney June 1969. Disengaged 05/07/1941. 124 days at sea | |
| 9 Jul 1941: | Embarked Merchant Navy, Fireman, TSS ZEALANDIA. Known as ZED or Z, Zealandia’s requisitioning came about in June 1940, for troop transport and re-supply duties (800 troops and 1,800 in war supplies). “Zed” operated for some months generally into the Darwin area throughout 1941. She transported troops from Brisbane to Port Moresby, Sydney to Rabaul, carried Free French troops from Noumea, then in August brought Hong Kong and Manila evacuees to Australia. Disengaged 13/10/1941 97 days at sea | |
| 19 Nov 1941: | Embarked Merchant Navy, Merchant Navy , SS MUNGANA. Mungana only made 2 trips into Darwin but stayed more than a week each time. Her runs were along the east coast around to Whyalla and Port Pirie. With Japan now at war the threat of submarines and more mine fields to navigate compounded the pressures on the merchant navy crews. Disengaged 31/01/1942. 74 days at sea | |
| 4 Apr 1942: | Embarked Merchant Navy, Merchant Navy , QUEEN MARY (AM89). The Queen Mary was converted into a troop ship in 1940. Albert boarded the “Grey Ghost” as she was known, when she returned into Sydney in March, carrying American troops destine for the South Pacific. During 1942 she made four voyages, each taking about five days, from New York to Gourock, on the west coast of Scotland, each time carrying more than 15,000 US troops to join the European war effort. Historical achievements for the time period Albert Rayner was onboard: • May 11 - 16, 1942 First time more than 10,000 persons had travelled on any ship (9,880 troops, 875 crew New York to Firth of Clyde, Scotland). • August 2 - 7, 1942 First time a complete division was carried on any ship. First Armoured Infantry Division (15,125 troops, 863 crew). Disengaged 09/08/1942. 128 days at sea | |
| 30 Oct 1942: | Embarked Merchant Navy, Merchant Navy , SS HANYANG (X-8). On April 11, 1943 the SS Hanyang was escorted by HMAS Pirie as part of Operation LILLIPUT and arrived in Oro Bay. Attacked by Japanese D3A Val dive bombers escorted by A6M Zeros during Operation I-Go. Armed with a single 12 pounder gun on the stern and two 20mm cannons on the wings of the bridge plus depth charges, this was not enough to protect the ship even with HMAS Pirie as an escort. Killed in the attack was Trimmer Edwin G. Southan, with 5 other crew injuried in the attack. Able Seman Alexander Law died on the 8th May 1943, the day the ship docked presumably from injuries sustained. Also damaged was HMAS Pirie and MV Noora. Repairs were made and in May returned to duty between New Guinea and the east coast of Australia. Disengaged 08/05/1943. 191 days at sea | |
| 11 Apr 1943: | Involvement Merchant Navy, Merchant Navy , OPERATION LILLIPUT. The SS Hanyang, a 2987 ton defensively equipped merchant ship (DEMS), was operated by the United States Army. Its officers were British, its deck crew Australian, and its gunners United States Army personnel. It was armed with a twelve-pound gun on the stern and an Oerlikon gun on both wings of the bridge. On the afternoon of 11 April 1943, while enroute from Milne Bay to Oro Bay, New Guinea, with a cargo of ammunition, fuel and coal, the SS Hanyang and escort vessels were attacked by twelve Japanese dive bombers. The Hanyang was hit by two bombs and raked with machine gun and cannon fire. Both bombs pierced the upper decks then exploded, causing moderate damage, starting several fires, and disabling the steering gear. Edwin Southan, a trimmer, was killed and was subsequently buried at Oro Bay. Five other crewmen were injured. This piece of shrapnel came from one of the bombs. It was picked up by Able Seaman Alan Wickow, an Australian crewman aboard the vessel when the incident occurred. | |
| 23 Jul 1943: | Embarked Merchant Navy, Merchant Navy , The Reynella was an Italian ship that was seized by the Australian Government as a prize of war. Then called “Remo”, this passenger vessel was berthed in Fremantle a few days before Italy entered the war (10 June 1940). According to the ship movements it was used in conveys to Cape town, Bombay, Calcutta, and Colombo. This was at the height of the U boat operations. Disengaged 15/11/1943 | |
| 1 Sep 1944: | Embarked Merchant Navy, Fireman, Merchant Navy , SS MORINDA. During the Second World War SS Morinda was dive bombed by Japanese planes at Port Purvis (Solomon Islands) near Tulagi but remained undamaged. This was a regular shipping run and Albert completed three consecutive engagements from 01/09/1944 till 20/01/1945. | |
| 2 Mar 1945: | Embarked Merchant Navy, 2/1 Hospital Ship, HMAHS WANGANELLA. Acquisitioned in 1941 for the Allied war effort and converted into a hospital ship. Her wartime journeys accounted for over 250,000 nautical miles (464,872 km) and 13,875 passengers. Albert completed three constitutive engagements, with little shore time even though it docked in Sydney several times during the year. The ship never shut down and was always prepared to set sail at short notice. Ports visited were: Torokina (Bougainville Island) Lae (New Guinea), Jacquinot Bay (new Britain), Hollandia (RAF Papua), Morotai, Jarakan (East Java) Brunei,and Morotai, Brunei, Labuan (Malaysia), Disengaged 19/02/1946. 355 days at sea | |
| 23 Oct 1945: | Discharged |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Marc Rayner
Albert Leonard Rayner was an Englishman born in Grays, Essex on the 23rd January 1903 but for unknown reasons his war records have 1901 listed. His father Albert James (Jim) was a marine Engineer and his mother Ethel Hariot died soon after he was born. From all accounts Albert was more often than not in trouble and was raised by a Judge Turp who was not the kindest of men.
By the time Albert turned 20 years of age he was a seaman and he came to Australia where he jumped ship. -He had an uncle Bert Rayner who was married and living at Gordon and so he lived with them and got a job working for the Council (Kuringai).
In 1927 Albert married Ethel Elsie May Sheather and soon had a daughter Ann, but she died not long after birth. Then the Eldest son Leonard James was born in 1929 followed by John (Jack) Albert in 1932. The family lived in Vale Street Gordon until they were evicted during the depression.
After being evicted, Albert with the help of a couple of mates, built a corrugated iron and hessian humpy of 2 rooms on a large block at 54 Dumaresq St Gordon. It was eventually added on to, to give them nearly double the area, but it still had no water into the property, no electricity or sewerage and a dirt floor. Eventually the family with the help of the young boys lay down old newspapers with old lino on top. This was their home for the next 20years (until 1950 the year Leonard was married).
In 1938 Albert found regular work and went back to sea as a stoker / fireman on the coastal boats, so Ethel Elsie May taught him to read and to some extent write simple letters so they could communicate while he was at sea, as he had very little schooling as a boy. When War was declared all Merchant Navy man, and all shipping was taken over by the Government, and he was to serve in many different ships –60 milers and coastal runners to Troop Carriers and Hospital Ships for the duration of the war. Most merchant ships were running the gauntlet in the early years, alone without any Navy escorts and so the fear of the unknown was high. One career highlight was that he served on the Queen Mary, and in areas of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.
After the being in Darwin in early 1942, the threat from the Japanese became eminent, so the family made an air raid shelter in the backyard of Dumaresq Street during one of Alberts short shore leave. It was dug out by hand, large logs placed on top and the earth out of the hole placed back on top. The sons stocked it with a few essentials – medical and food supplies – but when it rained the shelter filled up with water, so the boys would have to bail it out and set it up again. Air raid practice in the suburbs of Sydney was a regular affair and occurred without notice, ensuring everything was blacked out, with air raid wardens walking the streets looking for any glimpse of light through curtains, but this wasn’t a problem for the family as they would turn the kerosene lamps down low and keep away from any openings. During these practices it was normal for sirens to be wailing and searchlights to be sweeping and lighting up the sky. The boys used to say the searchlights gave our location away more than any glimpses of light from our houses. Then one night when the sirens commenced, the family awoke in a sleepy state but decided it was another practice so we went back to sleep. Next morning they were to learn that Japanese Midget Submarines had entered Sydney Harbour and sunk the HMAS Kuttabul and that maybe two submarines had been sunk.
Albert signed on to the US Army Small Ship Section in 1942 and was on board the SS Hanyang in Oro Bay in 1943 when it was attacked by a Japanese air raid where he witnessed his shipmates die. Again he had experienced the horror of war first hand and was sent home to recuperate. Albert suffered dearly (now known as PTSD), waking up in the middle of the night with terrible nightmares. After a few months he was off again. By 1945 Albert signed up for back to back engagements on the HMAHS Wanganella Hospital ship. He spent 355 days at sea and we believe it was his way to manage the PTSD and help others.
During all of those war years Albert wasn’t home very much, but he survived the conflicts and was awarded 1939-45 Star, the Pacific Star with a Burma Clasp, the Atlantic Star, the War Medal and the Australian Service Medal.
After the war Albert remained a seaman on oversea ships, (a regular seafarer on Daylesford) and was away for long periods until he was eventually persuaded him to try and work with more time at home for mum’s sake so he decided to work on the coastal runs. – This was to continue until his second son John (Jack) was married in 1956 and was told by his sons that it was not fair to Ethel to be away so long now, so he reluctantly agreed to stay at home and get a shore job.
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