Date of birth:

January 3rd, 1903 (Legerdorf/Schleswig-Holstein, Germany)

Date of death:

May 29th, 1963 (Gray Creek/British-Colombia, Germany)

Nationality:

German

Johann (John) Knackstedt was born in Legerdorf, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany on January 3, 1903. He immigrated from Germany to Gray Creek British Columbia, Canada, and died there on May 29, 1963. b. After 21 years living in the United States, he decided to return to German in the spring of 1941 but, due to the British tight control of the Atlantic sea routes he had to take the long route via Asia to Germany. c. In Japan he was hired as a German carrying merchant marine stocker cardholder, and was put on the German supply tender "Kulmerland," which also was formerly known as the "Steiermark." He was transferred to the "Komoran" before its battle with the Light Cruiser "Sidney" when both ships were sunk on November 19, 1941, and my father swimming in the pacific for two-days until rescued by a Japanese freighter and taken back to Japan. d. His second try getting to Germany was on the Tannenfels which broke the British blockade and slipped into the South Atlantic. There, she met the "Man of War Stier" to whom my father was transferred to. On September 27, 1942, the "Stier" was confronted by the U.S. merchant ship "USNS Hopkins" when both ships sunk each other. My father was picked-up from the sea by the "Tannenfels" and subsequently arrived at Royon, near Bordeaux, France on November 2, 1942, where he was discharged of his duties.

Career:
?: Kulmerland/Steiermark;
?: Komoran;
?: Frachtschiff Tannenfels;
?: Hilfskreuzer Schiff 23 "Stier".

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