BRYAN McCALL'S FAMILY HISTORY
My father, Captain McCall, was in command of the lake tanker s/s Pedernales when she was torpedoed, along with the s/s  Oranjestad (Capt. Morgan--father of Pauline & Bill Morgan) by U-156 Feb. 16 1942.  The Oranjestad sank at anchor - Capt. Morgan was rescued from the sea - and the Pedernales broke her moorings.  Her back was broken, and she drifted seaward--later to be taken in tow and beached near Sabaneta. My father and surviving crew members were later picked up drifting in a lifeboat. The midships section of the vessel was cut away and the remaining bow and stern sections were towed to drydock in San Nicholas and then joined.  My father sailed the much shortened ship to a shipyard in Baltimore where a new centre section was inserted. The re-built Pedernales returned to service in Aruba.  

  The re- assembled, stubby Pedernales on the left and the bow section on the right, before being re-attached to the aft section.

Another lake tanker of World War II interest was s/s Bachaquero. She had the distinction of being the first ever Landing Ship Tank --LST110-- sailing as H.M.S. Bachaquero and took part in the 1942 landings at Madagascar, landings in North Africa & also Normandy .  She was released by the Admiralty in 1955--re-converted to an oil tanker and joined the lake fleet in Aruba.

Dad was captain of the Bachaquero from approx. 1946 to 1949.
Just like Bill McMaster , Bryan also took a trip on the R.M.S. Tamaroa--
 
During the first year of War ,I was in school in Liverpool. As things were getting a bit hairy it was decided that I would return to Aruba. I met up with Hugh Chandler (son of Capt. Chandler, Lake Tankers) in Liverpool beginning of July 1940 and sailed from the River Mersey on R.M.S. Tamaroa; arriving in Curacao on 19th July and then by KLM to Aruba.

GO TO BRYAN MCCALL'S SCRAPBOOK

SEE BUNGALOWS  1501     59     467

RETURN TO LAKE TANKER FAMILIES DIRECTORY