In 1940, following the invasion of Poland, several Polish-flagged ships owned by the Robur coal company, were transferred to British control, and while retaining Polish flag, were managed by British companies involved in the coal trade. Two of these, the 1923-built ROBUR III (renamed KMICIC) and the 1930-built ROBUR V (renamed KORDECKI), were transferred in 1940 to the registered ownership of Alfred Falter and were managed by William Cory & Son Ltd, of London.
In 1946, Kmicic and Kordecki were renamed CHOPIN and COPERNICUS, still owned by Alfred Falter but now Panamanian flag. These two vessels had been sold on by 1949, but by then Alfred Falter had ordered a new vessel. This was the 4600dwt motor vessel ALFA, which was delivered by Wm Pickersgill & Son, Sunderland, in 1949 to Alfred Falter Shipowner Inc, Liberia, and managed from the Falter office in New York. This lasted for a couple of years and was sold on. From here the Falter name is no longer recorded in either Lloyd’s Register book or Lloyd’s Confidential Index, so, maybe, Mr Falter decided to give up ship owning. I would be interested to learn from any member of this forum who might have knowledge of this person, the nationality of Mr Falter and if, after 1950, his shipping interests came under a corporate title that did not include that surname.
Regards
Roger