My brother, mother and I boarded Thora Dan in Baltimore MD in June 1947 while at anchor in Chesapeake Bay. Following day, in harbor spent two days loading coal bound for Kalunborg Denmark.Crossing was a 14 day run sighting Shetland Islands after 12 at sea. All war time fittings had been removed. There were 13 passengers total. My brother and I were accepted by some of the crew to the degree that we had breakfast with them at 6am and with passengers at 8am. Introduced by crew members, to cigarettes, 1 /day and a cigar on Sunday. Several times I steered the ship, with compass reading done by the seamen on duty with hand signals as to which way to turn, always amazed when my steering input resulted in seeing the bow move to port or starboard. Spent time in the engine room on cat walks all aroud the engine seeing the propeller shaft turning what seemed slow 80+ rpm. The trip is still the subject of conversation when my brother and I visit.

Frank. Can only but agree with Malcolm a wonderful series of images. Thanks for posting.


Portway Sydney Australia.

Thank you very much for posting this and other fascinating photographs from the 1940's and 1950's.

HOKE SMITH survived the War and was sold in 1947, initially to Denmark (renamed THORA DAN) then to Greece in 1948, becoming SPALMATORI under the Panama flag, then MASTRO-STELIOS II (which I saw) in 1960, finally in 1965 becoming the South African owned WENDY H. She eventually arrived at Valencia, Spain, on 23.9.67 to be broken up

best regards. Malcolm Cranfield