We already know that the
Norwich City's name was painted in large white letters, on the bows and across the stern of the ship, see this photo taken about a year before her wreck:
http://tighar.org/wiki/File:Norwich_City_at_the_Burrard_Drydock_Co._for_Repairs_(7346).jpg ; it appears that the painted-on name was worn off by the time the Kiwi's showed up:
http://tighar.org/wiki/File:Norwich_City_in_1938_NZ_Pacific_Aviation_Survey_Photo.jpg. That's the starboard side of the ship; maybe the port side (which is what we can see in the aerial survey photo), did retain traces of the painted on name.
The
Norwich City was originally called the
Normanby, and the common shipyard practice at that time (and today as well) was to weld or rivet large metal letters spelling out the ship's name directly to the hull, so as to ease the frequent repainting required. We haven't been able to determine if the old name was removed and new metal letters were installed, I think it possible but not likely. However, people who explored the wreck before it became so deteriorated reported that ship's equipment with both names readable was still on board.
LTM, who tries no to mix things up,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 219 CER