Redgate, Robert l.

Description

Robert L Redgate

Robert Lewis Redgate was born on November 14, 1921, in Pasadena, California. Per the 1940 Census Robert was 18 with a 14-years old, younger brother. Robert’s father was 55 and his mother was 45. Robert’s father had a high school education, while his mother had an elementary education. Robert’s father was born in Ohio and his mother was born in New York.

In Rye his family lived at 114 Theall Road and were members of the Presbyterian Church. Robert was a Rye High School Graduate, Class of 1939. He enlisted and served in the British-American Ambulance Corps during World War II.

In April of 1941 he was aboard the SS ZamZam when it encountered the “Tamesis”, a German raider, which proceeded to fire 17 shells into the helpless passenger ship causing considerable damage to the Zamzam, injuring some passengers, but not killing anyone. He survived the sinking of “ZamZam” in May 1941 and eventually returned to the US, because they were not yet at war with Germany.

Rye Men Aboard Sunken Steamer Safe in France
News that the Rye men aboard the
steamer, “Zamzam,” sunk by a German
raider in the South Atlantic were safe
in St. Jean De Luz, German occupied
French port, has converted sorrow into
joy. Early reports indicated the ship
was sunk with 140 Americans aboard,
including members of the British American Ambulance Corps unit bound
for Mombass in North Africa.
The Rye men are
George C. Finneran, 21, of 97 Apawamis Avenue, and
Robert Redgate, 19, of 114 Theal Road,
members of the ambulance corps;
Charles J. V. Murphy, of Brevoort
Lane, member of the board of editors
of ‘Fortune” magazine, bound for Capetown on a general assignment.
Others aboar dthe “Zamzam” were
Michael Kirchey Clerk, 21, and George
MacFarland Butcher, Jr., 21, former
residents. Clark is the son of Mrs.
Freda Kirchey Clark, editor of “The
Nation” and Evans Clark, executive
director of the Twentieth Century
Fund. Butcher is a former Rye High
School student and now lives in
Seattle, Wash

RYE, NE W YORK, FRIDAY, MAY 23, 1941

Zam Zam Survivors Relate Experiences to Lions Club
The experiences of Robert Redgate and George Finneran aboard the Egyptian steamer, Zam Zam, sunk by a German raider in the South Atlantic, were related by the two Rye men at the first fall meeting of the Lions Club yesterday at the Y. M. C. A. Both minimized the much vaunted German efficiency and predicted from their personal observation that a revolution was destined to break out in France. Another speaker was William Tripp, of Greenwich, who told what is being done there toward providing cigarettes for men in military service. Mrs. Elise Ayres, who is interested in organizing a Smoke Screen for Rye men in the service, was a guest.
RYE, NEW YORK, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1941 Rye High School Graduate, class of 1939

Robert Lewis Redgate married Gloria L Calamar (Calamari) on August 22, 1950, in Alameda, California. They had three children during their marriage. He died on March 27, 2002, at the age of 80.