Posted 11 years ago
LOUMANAL
(436 items)
This large photographic Print of the Machigonne has a brass plate with, "MACHIGONNE-IRVINE KEENLEYSIDE APRIL 1940, so it is almost 75 years old.
The Machigonne, a 140-foot steam yacht, was built at Morris Heights, New York, in 1909 for civilian use (private? transport?). The Navy acquired her in May 1917 for World War I service and commissioned her the following July as USS Machigonne (SP-507). In 1918, her name was changed to SP-507. With the wartime emergency at an end, Machigonne was sold back to her former owner in june 1919.
In this photo, there is a fellow standing on the bow smoking a cigarette and the photo could have been taken in April, 1940. We bought this photo/print at a yard sale many years ago and we have been unable to find out anything about who the fellow is, nor who Irvine Keenleyside is. Was he the photographer, or the fellow on board and is this ship still in operation? Any help appreciated! RER (LOUMANAL)
Thanks blunderbuss2 and mustangtony for the love! RER (BOB)
The same photo can be found here: http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/170507.htm
It seems it appears in "The Armed Yachts of Canada", by Fraser McKee.
Maybe it is Hugh Llewellyn Keenleyside?
aka Hugh Llewellyn Irvine Keenleyside.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Llewellyn_Keenleyside
Thanks vetraio50 for your fast response and valuable research!! It appears that it was sold to the Canadian Gov't (HMCS GRIZZLY) after the photo was taken and this was it's final fate! The Hugh Llewellyn Irvine Keenleyside attribution for the artist certainly looks promising. (see links above) HMCS Grizzly at Esquimalt, British Columbia in September 1942. Because her German diesels had been damaged beyond repair during her delivery run, she was employed mainly as a static examination ship for the rest of her RCN service.
Photo from "The Armed Yachts of Canada", by Fraser McKee
Thanks AR8Jason! I wonder if the fellow aboard the ship was appraising the ship for the Canadian Government!! Great stuff!! Thanks
The April 1940 date possibly provides attribution for dating the photo in the photo archive of the RCN. Mr Keenleyside was a Canadian diplomat so he may very well be the purchaser for the Navy at the time. It certainly is the same photo, same boat! RER (BOB)