LAURENS FAMILIY
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The following information about the Laurens Family comes from Robert Colquhoun October 13, 2006 The Laurens family was on "permanent release" in Manila. I have answers to two of my questions. Thanks to Diane Hess McCorkle, who was also on board, I now know that the ship I crossed the Pacific on in April 1945 was the 'Torrens'. Further research reveals that she was a Norwegian merchant ship (that rang a bell), converted into a US troop-ship. She could carry 2000, had her own hospital and operating theatre, and was heavily armed. As such she had taken part in the invasion of the Philippines in December 1944. Our crossing to San Francisco took nearly five weeks partly because she went far south (almost to New Guinea), picking up military personnel along the way. Towards the end of her life she was sold to a Greek company and ended her days in a Chinese scrapyard in 1970. The boy I was friendly with on the 'Torrens' was almost certainly Paul B. Laurens, a Belgian of my age. Lou Gopal found him for me on a 1944 roster he has. I also have the full names and ages of his parents. They were not in Camp but on restricted 'permanent release' in Manila (which fits with my recollection). If Paul Laurens or anyone connected with him ever sees this, I hope they will get in touch with me. Robert Colquhoun E-mail robcolquhoun@waitrose.com  or would like to be added to my POW/Internee e-mail distribution list, please let me, Tom Moore, know. Thanks! |