Merchant Navy Radio Officers

Robert Cobb, Radio Officer, 1943-52

 Robert Cobb trained at LTTC Earls Court, and obtained the Special PMG in August 1943. He sailed on Tudor Star and Marvia, and then on the Norwegian tankers South America, Torborg, and Chr. Th. Boe.

     In 1946, he went back to college, this time the LRC in Chiswick, and obtained his 2nd Class PMG. He then joined the British Courage, British Unity, Thaumastus, and the Shell supertanker Caperata, where he ended his service in January 1952.

     On April 6, 1944, Robert was torpedoed on the South America, when  the U302 (Capt. Herbert Sickel) sank the South America and Ruth1. Both crews were picked up by Rescue Ship Goodwin (Capt. W.J. Hartley, DSC) and landed at Gourock, Scotland.

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     A quite surprising sequel to this story is that in March 1994, while searching Service Pals on teletext, Robert saw a signal calling for crews, or survivors, from Rescue Ships. This resulted in his meeting up with Robbie Roberts (H/F/ D/F officer on  Goodwin), 50 years after the South America was sunk.

     Finally , a most rewarding experience for Robert was when he was invited back to Norway for 5 days in 1995 as guest of the Norwegian Govt. and British Embassy, Oslo, to commemorate the Liberation of Norway which took place on 7th May 1945. He was one of 20 British Veterans (and the only M.N. Representative) and as a result of this event, he met up with several wartime colleagues whom he had not seen for the previous 50 years.

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