The renowned and well documented Merchant Navy Rescue Tug “Turmoil” skipper’s 1952 Order of the British Empire for the attempted salvage of the sinking cargo vessel “Flying Enterprise” off Lizard’s Head, Cornwall, and Great War April 1918 Mention in Despatches, inter-war Courtauld family luxury yacht and Second World War Armed Yacht “Virginia” commander’s group awarded to Lieutenant Commander F.D. ‘Dan’ Parker, M.B.E., Royal Naval Reserve, formerly a Leading Deck Hand in the Mercantile Fleet Auxiliary. In January 1952 Parker, from Southampton, Hampshire, became a hero in the public eyes through the efforts of the global media for his part in the attempted salvage of the cargo vessel “Flying Enterprise”. The ten days spent by his rescue tug “Turmoil” fighting a Homeric battle in attempting to tow the listing vessel to port ended on 10 January 1952 when she sank in the Western Approaches to the English Channel. People around the world had latched on to the efforts, which resulted in Parker, his First Mate and the skipper of the “Flying Enterprise” becoming household names. Parker was appointed an M.B.E., whilst Captain Carlsen of the “Flying Enterprise” was awarded a Lloyd’s Silver Medal for Meritorious Service and received a ticker-tape parade in New York City on 17 January 1952. Kenneth Dancy, the Mate of the “Turmoil”, was awarded the Order of Industrial Heroism Medal by the Daily Herald newspaper. Despite being unsuccessful on this occasion, in all during his time in command of “Turmoil” between 1947 and 1955, Parker saved over 20 vessels, mostly in the Irish Sea. He sadly fell from the bridge ladder and died in a tragic accident whilst still in command in August 1955. Parker had been at sea since before the Great War, in which he received a relatively scarce award of a Mention in Despatches to a rating in the Mercantile Fleet Reserve, this being awarded to him in April 1918 for his gallant and distinguished services. He went on to qualify as a Master on steam vessels, and during the 1920’s to 1930’s skippered for a number of wealthy private yacht owners, being the master of Sir Stephen Courtauld’s yacht “Virginia”. Courtauld, who together with his wife Virginia turned Eltham Palace into the most renowned Art Deco building in Great Britain, was a renowned philanthropist who travelled widely, and he had “Virginia” specifically built to match his tastes. Parker had command during the Courtauld cruise to the Far East and Australia during 1937 to 1938. Parker was also the first commanding officer of “Virginia” when she was requisitioned by the Admiralty for the Second World War and saw service on anti-submarine and minesweeping duties. He however ended the war on pilotage duty with Naval Party 1730. Sent over to Germany, he was the Chief Pilot at Brunsbuttel at the mouth of the River Elbe, and responsible for the navigation of this river down to Hamburg.
Group of 7: The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Member, M.B.E., 2nd type, Civil Division, this with its Instructions for Wearing card and housed in its Royal Mint fitted presentation case; 1914-1915 Star; (F. PARKER. A.B., M.F.A.); British War Medal and Victory Medal with Mention in Despatches Oakleaf; (F. PARKER. L.D.H. M.F.A.); 1939-1945 Star; Atlantic Star with France and Germany Clasp; War Medal.
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine.
Together with the following large quantity of original documents and ephemera:
Original Appointment Warrant for the Ordinary Member of the Civil Division of the Order of the British Empire, inscribed to: ‘Captain Frederick Daniel Parker, Merchant Navy’, and dated 5 June 1952.
A fine studio portrait and coloured photograph of the recipient in uniform as a Captain in the Merchant Navy, as taken by Studio Morath in Liverpool.
A superb presentation silver cigarette case, the inside heavily gilded and most attractively engraved: ‘Presented to / CAPTAIN F.D. PARKER, / by STAVROS S. NAIRCHOS / and WORLD TANKERS CORPORATION, / in grateful appreciation of assistance given to / S.t. “WORLD CONCORD” / and her crew, / during their distress / in the Irish Sea / on 27th: November 1954.’ Hallmarked on both sides for Birmingham with date letter ‘E’ for 1954, and bearing makers details for W H Manton Ltd of Birmingham. This together with its protective wallet and housed in its fitted presentation case by Biggs of Maidenhead.
Presentation silver cigarette box, engraved with the recipient’s initials: ‘F.D.P.’, and further engraved: ‘from W.S. Ward.’, bearing hallmarks for London with date letter ‘l’ for 1926. Possibly gifted to Parker for his services as one of the crew aboard the steam yacht “Surprise” which was owned by the Australian coal mining magnate Godfrey N. Williams, and made a round the world cruise during 1925-1926.
Tunic medal ribbon bar representing his Great War awards and including the half-size M.I.D. emblem.
A large quantity of original newspaper cuttings, relating to the recipient, his service, incidents in his career, and rescues at sea that he undertook.
A very large quantity of loose original photographs relating to his career, well over 100 original images, including ships served on or else involved with, both wartime and civil career images.
The book ‘Turmoil” by Ewart Brookes, hardback, first edition published 1956, 180 pages, complete with dust jacket.
The book ‘The Flying Enterprise’, by Brookfield, Newton and Smith, from the Famous Ships series, paperback, 22 pages.
The book ‘Carlsen of the Flying Enterprise - the Great Epic’, by Gordon Holman, paperback, 76 pages.
A large folder, this recently put together from original photographs and other researched images, detailing specific ships that Parker either sailed or was aboard. This album, recently put together and labelled on the spine ‘Captain Dan Parker’ details as follows: 1) the steam yacht “Surprise” which was owned by the Australian coal mining magnate Godfrey N. Williams, and made a round the world cruise during 1925-1926, Parker being documented as aboard her. It seems that he received the above detailed presentation cigarette box for this trip. 2) the steam yacht “Iolanda”. 3) the steam yacht “Zara” which Parker was aboard during a cruise in the Mediterranean in 1932. 4) the steam yacht “Virginia” named after Virginia Courtauld and owned by the Courtauld rayon manufacturing family, which travelled out to the Straits Settlements in 1937, with Parker as her Captain. With the outbreak of the Second World War this vessel was requisitioned from the Courtauld’s by the Royal Navy, with Parker, as her peacetime captain, being taken on as her first commanding officer, she being used as an anti-submarine vessel. 5) the rescue tug “Dexterous”, which Parker commanded; 6) the rescue tug “Turmoil” which Parker commanded in the Irish Sea when operating from Liverpool. 7) the liner S.S. Colonial which was driven onto the rocks of the Argyllshire coast during a storm in September 1950. A number of original images show the vessel aground on the beach. Parker was involved in attempts to salvage her; 8) the tanker “World Concord” which broke its back during a storm in the Irish Sea in late November 1954, for which Parker wa involved in the rescue of the crew, for which he was presented the above detailed silver cigarette case, as gifted to him by Stavros S. Nairchos and his company, the World Tanker Corporation. Parker skippered the rescue tug “Turmoil to bring in the back half of the tanker. 9) the final section details images of Parker in service, and also the loves of his life, and his death as the result of an accident at sea on 8 August 1955. The bag of this album has inserted into it a painted temporary plaque with the wording: ‘This porch light was installed by Edith Parker to the glory of god and in loving memory of her husband Captain Dan Parker Master of the Ocean Rescue Tug “Turmoil” who died at sea as the result of an accident 8th August 1955.’
A large folder, this recently put together from original photographs and other researched images, detailing specific events concerning the loss of the cargo vessel S.S. “Flying Enterprise” which sank on 10 January 1952 in the Western Approaches of the English Channel after some three weeks of attempted rescue and salvage. This was a famous incident, which was well covered at the time, and Parker had command of the rescue tug “Turmoil” during this event, being subsequently decorated with the Order of the British Empire for his efforts during this incident. 79 original photographs, detailing the final days of the vessel as it foundered, the subsequent press briefings and dignitaries met by Parker, and his trip to Buckingham Palace to receive his award. Also a number of images detail the subsequent exhibition which was held in Falmouth Art Gallery and titled the ‘Flying Enterprise Exhibition’ and ran from 12 January to 13 February 1987. Some of Parker’s effects that are now including here, appear to have been displayed for this exhibition.
A large folder, this recently put together from original ephemera and documentation, all relating to the loss of the cargo vessel S.S. “Flying Enterprise” which famously sank on 10 January 1952 in the Western Approaches of the English Channel. This album contains 1) some 33 original telegrams congratulating Parker on his attempts to save the vessel, and also on his appointment to the Order of the British Empire for his actions; 2) a large quantity of original letters praising Parker and his crew for their actions during the rescue of the crew and the attempted salvage of the “Flying Enterprise”. over 70 letters, from various organisations and well wishers, to include the City and Citizens of Southmpton; The Mercantile Marine Service Association; the Falmouth Harbour Commissioner’s Office; the Isbrandtsen Company who owned the “Flying Enterprise”; The Royal Naval Association; Transport and General Workers’ Union; various newspapers to include the Daily Graphic; The Dailly Telegraph; one specifically from 14 January 1952 was sent to his wife, thanking her for her efforts in handling press briefings in the absence of her husband whilst he was at sea performing his exploits, this being signed by the editors of now less than 8 newspapers; 3) Documents relating to his appointment to the Order of the British Empire for his actions involving the “Flying Enterprise” - to include: 10 Downing Street letter notifying him of the Prime Ministers intention to nominate him, dated 5 May 1952; Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood letter informing him of the upcoming investiture on 24 July 1952, dated 24 June 1952, with investiture ticket; Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood transmittal letter for the above detailed Warrant of Appointment for the Order of the British Empire, typed details to: ‘Captain Frederick D. Parker, M.B.E.’; 14 original letters of congratulations on his award, one being on House of Commons paper from his M.P., The Hon. Greville Howard, M.P.; 11 original telegrams congratulating him on his award. 4) the final section is concerning his death at sea in an accident on 8 August 1955, to include: some 40 original letters from various organisations and persons, and including one from the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood to his widow, this dated 12 February 1959, this being written so late owing to his widow having made a donation to the Order of the British Empire Chapel in St. Paul’s Cathedral, and some 6 original telegrams concerning the same.
A large folder, this recently put together from original ephemera and documentation, all relating to Parker’s life. This includes: 1) importantly an original page from the log / travel book of “Virginia”, as own by Sir Stephen Courtauld, the philanthropist well known for his travels. This covers a holiday / cruise made by the Courtauld family and friends between 25 November 1937 and 27 February 1938, when sailing in the Far East and down to Australia and then up to Saigon, Siam and Malaysia. 2) His official naval report for his initial naval command of the armed yacht “Virginia”, covering 12 January to 31 July 1940; 3) another for the “Virginia” covering 1 August to 29 August 1941; 4) one for his command of the minesweeping trawler “St Adrian” from 1 November 1941 to 31 March 1942; 5) one for his service in H.M.S Clio from 1 April to 18 September 1942; 6) one for his time with the trawler “Inverforth” from 26 October 1942 to 29 March 1942; 7) and one for his time with minesweeper Saltburn from 1 April 1943 through to 5 April 1945. 8) Order of Release from Naval Service, dated 26 July 1945; 9) Admiralty Campaign Medal Award Slip confirming entitlement to ‘4’ awards; 10) a quantity of original letters and related ephemera concerning his romance, engagement and marriage to Miss Edith Summer; 11) a quantity of letters of recommendation for his services; 12) a quantity of original documents concerning his effecting the securing and safety of the former U.S. Liberty Ship and merchant vessel, “Robert H. Harrison:”, that Parker came to the aid of during his time aboard the Rescue Tug “Turmoil”, this including a full account of the incident and another account readied for publication and titled: “Cheating the Sea of Its Prey” This incident occurred on 18 April 1947, and published in British Ropes Ltd House Magazine, which also detailed Parker’s exploits in the “Flying Enterprise” incident in January 1952. Also a video cassette, this with unknown content.
Frederick Daniel Parker, known as Dan, was born on 21 December 1891 in Southampton, Hampshire, the second of ten children of Edward and Lucy Parker. He devoted his life to the sea as a merchant seaman, and with the Great War saw service as an Able Seaman later Leading Deck Hand with the Mercantile Fleet Auxiliary, which is now the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. This contains civilian-crewed ships providing vital logistic and operational support to the Royal Navy in times of conflict. During this war, Parker and two of his brothers, Alfred and Jack, saw service aboard the Admiralty requisitioned merchant vessel H.M.S Atalanta, she being an armed yacht used for minesweeping duties between June 1915 and February 1919. It was most probably for his gallant and distinguished services aboard Atalanta on minesweeping duties that Parker was awarded a Mention in Despatches, his award being published in the London Gazette for 5 April 1918. This is a rare award to a Mercantile Fleet Auxiliary rating.
In the aftermath of the war he continued as a merchant seaman, and passed as a 2nd Mate on 3 June 1919 and as a 1st Mate on 17 January 1921, and he then passed his exams for his Masters ticket, all for steamships, on 28 September 1925. He then found himself employed aboard various steam sailing yachts owned by wealthy individuals and families, and in doing so he sailed round the world during the 1920s and 1930s. He was aboard the steam yacht “Surprise”, owned by the Australian coal mining magnate Godfrey N. Williams, during this vessels round the world cruise in 1925 to 1926, and was aboard the steam yacht “Zara” in the Mediterranean during the Summer of 1932. During this voyage, he skippered the vessel, and during this cruise he met Miss Edith Summer, who was employed by Mrs. Gerard D’Erlanger, formerly Miss Edythe Baker, a famous American pianist of the day. A whirlwind romance developed and they became engaged in September 1932 and were married at Holy Trinity Church on Sloane Street, London, on 21January 1933.
After this, Parker found himself in the employ of the Courtauld family, who had made their money through the manufacture of rayon. He was appointed the skipper of their steam yacht ”Virginia”, named after the wife of Sir Stephen Courtauld. At this time the Courtauld’s were refurbishing Eltham Palace, their family home and now a famous London tourist attraction. It is the most significant Art Deco building in Britain. Parker accompanied the family on various holiday cruises, they being avid travellers, and he was still the skipper of the “Virginia” when it was requisitioned by the Admiralty on the outbreak of the Second World War, becoming her first wartime commander.
When they sought to commission a yacht, the Courtauld’s initially approached Camper & Nicholsons, the firm that had pioneered the introduction of diesel engines on large yachts. However, in hand with the new technology, that firm had also introduced an entirely new style that the Courtaulds could not reconcile themselves to as they aspired to a yacht of classic elegance. When Virginia was launched a contemporary commentator made the point eloquently: “Few will deny that the steam yachts built before the war had a more graceful and pleasing appearance than many of the motor yachts that have been designed during the last decade. But the M. Y. Virginia, with her clipper bow, her long overhanging stern, her raking masts and funnel and her top gallant focs’le, fully upholds the traditions of steam yacht design for beautiful vessels. The features named, however will cause no surprise when it is known that this 712-ton yacht was designed by G. L. Watson & Co….” Virginia was built at the Dalmuir yard of William Beardmore & Co. on the upper Clyde and launched in June 1930. The use of diesel engines and certain other design features such as the full beam deck house forward on the main deck allowed the designers to include significantly more interior volume than had been possible on previous yachts of this style. For the interior decoration the Courtaulds turned to the Marchese Malacrida who would later be responsible for many of the interiors at Eltham Palace. Unlike the exterior profile the interior was as cutting edge as their home ashore. “Virginia” would eventually survive the war, unlike most of her contemporaries, and during the 1950s, when owned by the newspaper baron Viscount Camrose, she was still one of the largest yachts in commission. She ended her days as a floating casino in Sierra Leone until a fire signalled her demise.
An original page from the log / travel book of “Virginia” is included with Parker’s archive. This covers a holiday / cruise made by the Courtauld family between 25 November 1937 and 27 February 1938. Initially it covers the flight of the Courtauld’s, who departed Southampton on 25 November and were at Karachi some four days later, and at Bombay the following day, 30 November. On 1 December they travelled on by air to Cochin where they met up with Parker in the “Virginia” yacht. On 5 December they sailed to Colombo, and whilst the owner and guests travelled overland from the West to East coasts of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) the ship sailed round the south coast and met up with the Courtauld’s at Trincomalee. They sailed from there to Penang where they arrived on 16 December, and then sailed in to Deli in Sumatra. Trips ashore with interspersed with days at sea, and by 24 December they were at Singapore, before travelling on to Batavia over Christmas and Boxing Day. Now in Java, whilst the owner and guests went overland, Parker and the yacht sailed round to Surabaya where he picked them up on 4 January 1938. They then sailed on to Bali, and by 10 January were at Komodo Island, before sailing on to Dilli Island and to Timor. They then sailed over to Northern Australia and were at Darwin on 16 January, where they made a visit to Bathurst Island and sailed on to Thursday Island followed by Port Mort Moresby in Papua New Guinea. Arriving there on 23 January, they then re-crossed the Banda Strait and as of 1 February were at Banda Neira.. As of 12 February they were at Sandakan, and then sailed on to Saigon, where the owner and guests got off to travel overland to Cambodia where they visited Phnom Penh and Angkor Wat. The yacht meanwhile sailed from Saigon to Siam and to Bangkok, and from there to Penang where it arrived on 27 February. The log ends at this stage, and it is assumed the Courtauld’s flew home. The is quite possibly the last long distance trip that Courtauld’s made,
With the outbreak of the Second World War, Parker was commissioned on 1 October 1939 as a Sub Lieutenant into the Royal Naval Reserve, and then continued into his pre-war position as the skipper of the H.M. Armed Yacht “Virginia”, as she was now an Admiralty requisitioned vessel, being employed on anti-submarine and minesweeping duties. He operated from the base ship Eaglet, the naval base at Liverpool, and served in the Irish Sea area. Parker was appointed to temporary Lieutenant no 1 August 1940, and was then given command of the armed yacht St. Adrian from 28 June 1941, when still operating out of Liverpool. Parker remained in command of St. Adrian through to 4 June 1942. He was then posted to the minesweeping training establishment Lochinvar at Port Edgar on the Firth of Forth, and then transferred to Edinburgh to Granton Naval Base for service with Claverhoouse II, the shore base there, being posted to this establishment on 8 October 1942, and then joined the Auxiliary Patrol base Gipsy for service in command of the minesweeping trawler H.M.T. Inverforth from 26 October 1942. Promoted to Acting Temporary Lieutenant Commander on 31 March 1943, he was immediately given command of the Hunt-class minesweeper Saltburn, and remained in command of her through the period which witness Normandy and the invasion of North West Europe. On 6 April 1945 he was transferred to Royal Albert for duty with Naval Party 1730, and assigned to pilotage duty, being then sent over to Germany, on his being appointed to be the Chief Pilot at Brunsbuttel at the mouth of the River Elbe for the navigation of this river down to Hamburg. Parker remained so employed with the immediate surrender of Nazi Germany and through to 26 July 1945, when he was sent home, being released from service on 28 September 1945.
Released from service service, and presumably owing to a lack of ready cash being around, he did not return to work for the wealthy, but instead joined the Overseas Towage and Salvage Company as 1st Mate of the rescue tug “Tumoil”. Whilst he would not be continuously employed with her, he was Master of the rescue tug “Dexterous” for two years from 26 November 1947, he was appointed the Master of “Turmoil” from 28 November 1949, and would remain as such for the rest of his career, becoming world famous whilst in command of her, he having save the lives of numerous crew and salvaged some of the merchant vessels which “Turmoil” was called to assist in times of distress whilst operating in the Irish Sea and the Western Approaches to the English Channel, none less that the attempts to rescue the stricken cargo vessel S.S. “Flying Enterprise” during January 1952. It was whilst he was the 1st Mate and acting skipper of the “Turmoil” that he was involved in the saving of the former U.S. Liberty Ship and merchant vessel, “Robert H. Harrison:” in April 1947. An article on this incident and titled ‘Cheating the sea of its prey’ was published in the British Ropes Ltd House Magazine. By the time of the “Flying Enterprise” incident, Parker had rescued some 20 vessels in distress, but this particular incident would grip the worlds media, and make Parker a household name.
“Flying Enterprise” was a 6,711 GRT cargo vessel owned by the Isbrandtsen Company of New York. On 21 December 1951, under the command of Henrik Just Carlsen, she left Hamburg, Germany, bound for the USA. Among her cargo was 1,270 long tons (1,290 t) of pig iron and 486 long tons (494 t) of coffee, 447 long tons (454 t) rags, 39 long tons (40 t) peat moss, twelve Volkswagen cars, antiques and antique musical instruments, typewriters, 447 long tons (454 t) of naphthalene as well as ten passengers. There is speculation that the cargo also included gold and zirconium. Four days later, on Christmas night, she encountered a storm in the Western Approaches to the English Channel. Afterwards, it was discovered that she had suffered structural damage and a crack was found across the weather deck from a rogue wave. The cargo then shifted. An SOS was issued on 28 December, by which time she was listing 45 degrees to port. British flagged vessel MV Sherborne and USS General A.W. Greely responded, Sherborne being first to arrive, early in the morning of 29 December. Carlsen, however, was reluctant to evacuate passengers and crew to a British ship. Sherborne was asked to remain on station in case the situation deteriorated before an American ship arrived. The situation did deteriorate, just as USS General A W Greely arrived mid-afternoon and both ships sent lifeboats to pick up passengers and crew. The crew and passengers were evacuated with the loss of one life (a male passenger). Captain Carlsen remained on board. After passengers and crew had been evacuated, MV Sherborne was released and continued her voyage to Manchester.
By 2 January 1952, the USS John W. Weeks had arrived and relieved the merchant ships/. The following day, the tug Turmoil arrived, guided by the searchlights from USS John W Weeks, but found it impossible to take the Flying Enterprise in tow. The tug's mate, Kenneth Dancy, was then transferred to the Flying Enterprise on 4 January, by which time the list had increased to 60 degrees. The ship was taken in tow on 5 January, when she was some 300 nautical miles from Falmouth, Cornwall. On 6 January, USS Willard Keith relieved the John W Weeks and the French tug Abeille 25 also joined the rescue effort. The tow line parted at 01:30 on 10 January, with Flying Enterprise 31 nautical miles south of The Lizard and 41 nautical miles from Falmouth. Later that day, the Turmoil was joined by the Trinity House vessel Satellite and the tugs Dexterous and Englishman. Carlsen and Dancy finally abandoned ship at 15:22 hrs and were picked up by Turmoil. The Flying Enterprise capsized and sank, stern first, at 16:10 hrs to whistle, siren and foghorn salutes from the flotilla. The salvage attempts were criticised as the ship might have been saved by heading for the nearest safe harbour, Cork, rather than Falmouth. A public house in Cork, Ireland, is named the "Flying Enterprise" after the ship.
The passengers on board Flying Enterprise were Nicolai Bunjakowski, Nina Dannheiser, Maria Duttenhofer, Rolf Kastenholz, Leonore von Klenau, Curt and Elsa Müller and their children Liane and Lothar, and Frederick Niederbrüning. All survived except Bunjakowski, who drowned during the rescue. An exceptionally rare violin by Vincenzo Rugeri was lost to the sea when the ship sank.
The attempt to save the “Flying Enterprise” captured the worlds attention, it being done at great risk and in heavy seas, and required incredible skill from Parker in his position as commander of the rescue tug “Turmoil”. The fact that the vessel was listing whilst being towed so far, was testament to his skill. Parker had already save one large merchant vessel from this same storm, and have safely deposited it at Falmouth, had headed straight back out to do what he could for the “Flying Enterprise”.
For his efforts, Parker became a celebrated hero, and he was appointed a Member of the Civil Division of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, awarded to him in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, as published in the London Gazette for 5 June 1952. Parker was presented with his decoration by Her Majesty The Queen in an investiture held at Buckingham Palace on 24 July 1952.
In addition, Captain Carlsen was awarded a Lloyd’s Silver Medal for Meritorious Service in recognition of his efforts to save Flying Enterprise, and received a ticker-tape parade in New York City on 17 January 1952. Kenneth Dancy, the Mate of the “Turmoil”, was awarded the Order of Industrial Heroism Medal by the Daily Herald newspaper and an illuminated citation from the American Institute of Marine Underwriters. In addition the ships owners made payments in respect of the bravery of the Turmoils crew – £750 to Captain Parker, £500 to Dancy and £1,250 to be distributed among the 26 crew; the gifts presented by the US Ambassador Walter Sherman Gifford.
This was not to be Parkar’s final rescue, and he was again front pages when he came to the aid of the Liberian Tanker “World Concord” owned by the World Tankers Corporation after she broke in two during a heavy gale in the Irish Sea off Pembroke on 27 November 1954, for which he received the above described and superb presentation silver cigarette case from the shipping owner Stavros S. Nairchos.
Sadly in the following year, whilst still in command of “Turmoil”, Parker died at sea in a tragic accident, when on 8 August 1955 while on a voyage to Hamburg, he fell from the bridge ladder and sustained fatal injuries. Following a large church service at Bitterne Parish Church and Crematorium, his ashes were scattered on Southampton Water on 13 August 1955.
The story of the “Flying Enterprise” continued to gain interest however. In 1960, some $210,000 of the $800,000-worth of cargo was salvaged from Flying Enterprise by the Italian company Sorima. Under a confidentiality clause in the salvage contract, further details of the recovered cargo were not released. In 1976 author Bjarne Bekker published "Flying Enterprise & Kurt Carlsen" that told the life story of Carlsen and his efforts to save the Flying Enterprise. Carlsen was buried at sea at the Flying Enterprise's final resting place on 8 February 1990 after a journey to Japan in a safety box on SS Jutlandia.
In June 2001 British technical divers, rediscovered the lost shipwreck of Flying Enterprise almost 50 years after she had sunk. Deep wreck diver Leigh Bishop had researched the whereabouts of the sinking and obtained information from British government departments on the wreck's approximate location. His photographs were enough to positively identify the wreck as that of the Flying Enterprise. In 2002 the Danish expedition company No Limit Diving and the Danish filmmaker Lasse Spang Olsen aired a documentary, The Mystery of Flying Enterprise, to commemorate the 50th year of the sinking. Later Bishop worked with US divers John Chatterton and Richie Kohler to film the wreck for a 2005 episode of the History Channel's Deep Sea Detectives. This became the deepest wreck dived of the 56 episodes made.
The wreck now lies resting on her port side in a depth of 84 metres on the seabed of the Western Approaches to the English Channel. Bishop recovered artefacts from the site, which went on display for many years to the general public in the Cornish Maritime Museum.
Speculations about a shipment of zirconium, intended for use in the first nuclear submarine USS Nautilus, but registered as pig iron, were discussed in a 2002 Danish television documentary Det Skæve skib. According to this documentary, information regarding the cargo is still (in the year 2002) regarded as confidential and details are not available from the CIA, FIA, Coast Guard and/or US Navy. On the other hand, there appears to have been no secret that the US Atomic Energy Commission was acquiring zirconium, so it is not clear why any of these organizations should actually have information related to the Flying Enterprise. In the interview with Bekker, Carlsen tells him that yes the ship had a zirconium cargo and that it came from the German nuclear energy project. While there seems to be no reason to doubt the first statement, the origin of the zirconium is questionable as the German nuclear energy program was not very advanced. It has been speculated that the zirconium instead came from Philips in Eindhoven, the company that had the first patent on a process to obtain high purity zirconium, and that the buyer was one of the companies intending to bid for a contract with the US Atomic Energy Commission.
Hammond Innes fictionalized the story with “The Wreck of the Mary Deare” published in 1956, about a decrepit and drifting freighter found by a salvager. A movie by the same name was made in 1959 and featured Gary Cooper and Charlton Heston. The plot features a salvager (Heston) boarding a drifting freighter with only the first officer onboard trying to run the ship by himself (Cooper). After the ship is finally caught up on some rocks, the two survive but Cooper has to face a court of inquiry which does not go well. Cooper and Heston then go on to investigate the sunken cargo, supposedly high-quality American aircraft engines.
