Talk:HMS Menestheus

amenities ship HMS Menestheus

I have the following notes from my Father's Archive which adds to the Menestheus story.He was Master at Arms GL Thompson, MAA to the RN contingent.( "In late 1945 I took a ships company of 270 men adcross the Atlantic to join a ship being converted in Vancouver.We crossed Canada by special train ....The journey took 10 days.....After a delightful 3 months in Vancouver, recovering from 6 years hard fought war, we joined our ship and sailed to Kure, being one of the first British RN ships to reach Japan after their surrender. The vessel we joined was a large Merchant ship named Menestheus. The amenities included well appointed lounges, games rooms, bars( officers,NCO's and OR's seperated) cinema and a well equipped theatre and Royal Marine Orchestra. The internal brewery operated by Naafi staff could brew up to 1500 gallons of beer a day whilst in harbour....the ship sailed under the Red Ensign with a Merchant Navy Captain and mostly chinese crew, with all amenities controlled by RN and NAAFI Staff......Menestheus was berthed at a jetty in Kure.... Returning to Portsmouth, via Shanghai,where there were a lot of released war internees, mainly women and children, who had endured frightful hardships and it showed, ....,Hong Kong, Ceylon(sic), Port Said, Malta and Gibralta, 10 month after lea86.188.93.34 (talk) 16:02, 9 December 2016 (UTC)ving Canada".