Warsailors Forums

Hello everyone!

I'm asking for your help in the identification of the merchant vessel in the background:



According to some sources it may be an ore carrier of american or italian ownership under greek flag.

The photo was been taken on the 8th August 1964 at a small anchorage NW of cyprus during a turkish air raid against the patrol boats.

Thank you!

Is this off the port of Polis?
The Liverpool Echo, 8 August 1964 reported

There was still confusion over last night's flight of jets. The Cyprus Government said the four jets strafed Polis harbour, hitting an Italian cargo ship, which had just taken on a load of copper ore. A spokesman for the British-owned copper mines said that the master of the boat, the St. George, radioed this message to the mines after the incident: "Safe at 1930, after being machinegunned. Crew safe." The Italian Enbasasy said the ship was hit.

However:
1) I have not been able so far to identify this "St. George", looking also as "San Giorgio" and "Aghios Georgios" variants.
2) there may well have been more than one ship in the area. The photo doesn't look like a ship which has just been loaded.

Probably Lloyd's List would have more detailed information, but editions for that period are not available on-line, only in London, I think.

It is true that the commanding officer of "Phaethon" reported manuevering between two american ships. The Turks claimed that there was an italian ship under greek flag which they strafed with a second wave after the previous wave let "Phaethon" burning.

It is also true that Karavostasi-Kokkina lays east of Polis. Around Polis a battle took place between another patrol boat and aircraft (possibly of the second wave) in the same afternoon.

Judging from the stern it could be a pre-WW2 ship.