239245 Lt.Col F. L. "Frank" Rankin British Army Intelligence Corps from:London Lt.Col. Rankin was my grandfather and he passed away in 1972. He served as OC Troops on "Monarch of Bermuda" on a return trip and I have a letter from the Captain of the ship (whose signature I sadly can not read) to him dated 16th June 1946.
Grandad fought in WW1 and lost both his brothers in that war, so by the time WW2 came around he was a middle aged retired officer. He volunteered and was re comissioned as a Major, serving with the Intelligence Corps in Northern Scotland and later as a Lt Col on Troop transports. I suppose his height 6Ft 6inc and age leant him an air of authority among several thousand bored, nervous, and homesick young men.
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