Karl Gustave Gustaf (Olson) Olsen (1902 - 1974)

Born 25 Oct 1902 in Seaforth, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Ivy Grace (Chadwick) Olsen — married 15 Dec 1932 in St James Church, Auckland, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 19 Oct 1974 at age 71 in Middlemore Public Hospital, Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Chris Tennent [send private message] and Geoffrey Carter [send private message]

Biography

Born in Liverpool, England, to John Marcus Olson, seaman and Jeannie Hilda Madeline Olsen (Née Bornwell). Karl lived on 11 Dinglebank Road, Mt Wellington, Auckland. He also lived in One Tree Hill. He worked as a steelworker and a seaman in the Merchant Navy from 1917 up until 1933 (though the dates of his events go back up to 2 years earlier). He lived in New Zealand for 45 years, arriving in January, 1918 in Auckland on the HMNZ Marama. He died at 73 years old of Bronchopneumonia, Carcinoma right lung and both kidneys. He was cremated at Waikumete on the 22nd of October, 1974.

"Off the Mumbles, near Swansea England, where the HM Hospital Ship was attacked and sunk i.e. Carnival Castle about March 1915 approximately, April 3. I was in the same area on the NZ hospital ship MARAMA. I left this and joined the Grehosa carrying supplies (food etc.) to naval base Gibralta and France. We were in a convoy of 25 ships. 5 approximately attacked and sunk. Also (on), SS Pansul (or Pansut)."

In 1929 he was on a ship called Niagra. In 1918, he was on the MARAMA in the port of Dunedin.

Karl was one of 25 crewmen rescued in 1926 during a hurricane off SS Antinoe by the liner President Roosevelt. A film made on the rescue ship is on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of6I5IRQJ1U and a longer "out take" version at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSRiskZj2mA. In both Karl can be seen wiping his face - in teh first film at about 24seconds, and in the second film he walks to the right and leans with a cigarette, and later is seated on the right on a bench with a headband

Sources

• Copy of Register of Marriage by Officiating Minister, Certified Copy of Entry in the Register Book of Deaths (family document)
• Application of War Veterans Allowance

• http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/660956.html - Possibly him

Note

Misspelled his name (Carl Gustave Olsen - Karl Gustaf Olson)