Paying tribute to our fallen in a lead up to 11th November

[Administrator]

VIA: Billy McGee.

1 November.

As my own way of paying tribute to our fallen in a lead up to 11th November, I will posting details from the 1st November of individual Merchant Ships lost on each day to coincide with the day in question to the run up to Armistice Day. The information comes from my unpublished work “The Sea is Their Grave” written and dedicated to nearly 2000 ships named on the WWII section of Tower Hill Memorial in London and how the 24,000 names of the men and women of the Forgotten Fourth Service have no grave but the sea.

…..at the going down of the sun, and in the morning….we will remember them!

1st November:



Passenger cargo liner Mendoza, 8,233grt, (MOWT, A. Holt & Co.) had been sailing independently on government service from Mombasa to Durban with over 250 military and naval personnel and bags of mail on board. On the 1st November 1942 70 nautical miles North-East of Durban and the ship was intercepted by U-178. Struck by one torpedo in number six hold the explosion destroyed the propeller and rudder killing three DEMS gunners and the ship began to settle rapidly by the stern. Ordering the ship abandoned, twelve boats were successfully being launched when a second torpedo struck the ship amidships; capsizing two of the boats, killing the occupants and the ship immediately caught fire and eventually sank in position 29’ 13S 32’ 13E. The survivors in the ten remaining boats set sail in a westerly direction and the following morning were spread over a wide area where the American ship Cape Alva came across the Master’s boat. As these survivors were being transferred over, the Master, last to leave the boat was knocked into the water by the heavy swell. Clinging desperately to a grab net, three of the Cape Alva’s crew climbed down the net in a desperate attempt to save him. Too exhausted to hang on, Captain Batho was carried away and the three men jumped overboard after him, but were unable to reach him and he was swept away to his death. Two other survivors including the ships Staff Captain and Second Steward suffering from terrible burns also died and were eventually buried at the Durban (Stellawood) Cemetery. One other boat was sighted the same day by the African naval whaler Nigel and these survivors were also landed at Durban. Seven of the remaining eight boats were picked up over the next few days by various ships, with some not being rescued until six days after the sinking before being landed at Durban. The eighth boat was never found and in total a further eighteen crewmembers including eight surviving crewmembers rescued from the R.F.A. tanker Eaglesdale and 122 military personnel perished in the sinking or died in the last boat.

Billy McGee.

Lest We Forget!!

[Administrator]

Billy McGee.

As my own way of paying tribute to our fallen in a lead up to 11th November, I will posting details from the 1st November of individual Merchant Ships lost on each day to coincide with the day in question to the run up to Armistice Day. The information comes from my unpublished work “The Sea is Their Grave” written and dedicated to nearly 2000 ships named on the Tower Hill Memorial in London and how the 24,000 names of the men and women of the Forgotten Fourth Service have no grave but the sea.

…..at the going down of the sun, and in the morning….we will remember them!





2nd November:

Cargo ship Foam Queen, 811grt, (British Channel Islands Shipping Co.) loaded with a cargo of coal at Goole for Poole joined the 16 ship Convoy CW-221, which departed Southend on the 2nd November 1943. On the evening of the same night off Hastings the convoy was attacked by German E-boats, sinking three ships including the Foam Queen. Hit in the stern by a torpedo the explosion detonated the ships ammunition locker, which disintegrated the whole of the stern section. Those still alive could only watch as everything aft of the ships funnel disappeared and witnessed the whole of the ships engine drop out and sink. With no other option the remaining crewmembers abandoned ship. Whilst in the water drifting on the only raft, the survivors came across one of the ships DEMS gunners who had been blown overboard. Seriously injured and suffering from two badly broken legs and the loss of an eye, he was hauled on-board the raft in the rough seas. Here one of the ships Officers who had also been injured and was suffering from sea sickness clung on desperately to the injured gunner as the small raft was buffeted by the waves until they were picked up sometime later by a motor launch and landed at Newhaven. It was discovered that nine crewmembers and two DEMS gunners had perished. The bodies of two men were later recovered at Dover and buried ashore. The fore part of the ship remained afloat and was eventually taken in tow to Dover where her remaining vital cargo of coal was discharged.
Cargo ship Baron Semple, 4,573grt, (H. Hogarth & Sons) loaded with a cargo of iron ore at Rio de Janeiro for the UK via Freetown sailed independently from Rio on the 25th October 1943 and was due at Freetown on the 7th November, but failed to arrive. On the 29th December 1943 the ship was officially recorded as missing/untraced with Lloyd’s and a Missing Ship Committee considered the vessel lost on the 30th October and a Joint Arbitration Committee considered her as a “war loss” German sources later revealed that a ship of the Baron Semple’s description was sighted North-West of Ascension Islands on the 2nd November 1943 and sunk by torpedo in approximate position 05’ 00S 21’ 00W. It is not known how many survived the sinking but nothing more was seen or heard of all sixty-two men on-board. The credit for her loss was given to U-848, who was herself lost on the 5th November after being attacked by three US Liberators.

Billy McGee.

[Administrator]

Billy McGee

As my own way of paying tribute to our fallen in a lead up to 11th November, I will posting details from the 1st November of individual Merchant Ships lost on each day to coincide with the day in question to the run up to Armistice Day. The information comes from my unpublished work “The Sea is Their Grave” written and dedicated to nearly 2000 ships named on the Tower Hill Memorial in London and how the 24,000 names of the men and women of the Forgotten Fourth Service have no grave but the sea.

…..at the going down of the sun, and in the morning….we will remember them!



3rd November:

Cargo ship Dagomba, 3,845grt, (Elder Dempster Lines Ltd) loaded with a cargo of West African produce including palm oil, timber and tin ore at Takoradi for Liverpool joined up with the 8 ship Freetown bound Convoy TS-23, which departed Takoradi on the 29th October 1942. As the ships past Cape Palmas, Liberia the Dagomba left the convoy after receiving orders to sail to Halifax, Nova Scotia via the West Indies and set course for Trinidad. On the 3rd November about 540 nautical miles South-West of Monrovia, Liberia the ship was intercepted by the Italian submarine Ammiraglio Cagni and after being hit by three torpedoes sank within three minutes in position 02’ 29N 19’ 00W, with the loss of five crewmembers. The survivors in two boats were questioned by the Italians and given provisions and after apologizing for sinking their ship gave them directions for land and then left the area. Twenty-five survivors were picked up after seven days by the Vichy French sloop Annamite and landed at Dakar and interned, only to be freed a couple a couple of days later when US forces landed at Dakar. The Master and twenty survivors were rescued eleven days after the sinking by the Portuguese sloop Bartholomew Dias, where unfortunately one crewmember (BENNETT, P.G.) died from his injuries and the effects of exposure shortly after they were picked up and was buried at sea. The remaining survivors were landed at Freetown. One other crewmember died in October 1944 from injuries and the effects of the Dagomba sinking and was buried at Liverpool (Ford) Roman Catholic Cemetery with full war grave status.

Cargo ship Kildale, 3,877grt, (Headlam & Son) On the 15th January 1940 on voyage from Santa Fe to Ipswich the Kildale detonated a mine two miles East from the Shiphead Buoy, off the Naze, killing the ships Chief Officer (HORN, D.). and the ship eventually limped into Ipswich to undergo repairs. After receiving temporary repairs, the ship left Ipswich with a skeleton crew for the River Tyne for permanent repairs. On the 3rd February 1940, 20 miles North-East of Spurn point the ship was intercepted by German aircraft and further damaged and had to be beached off Hail Sands Beacon the following day. After being re-floated, the ship arrived at Immingham on the 9th February where six bodies were landed ashore. Two other crewmembers would eventually die from their injuries in July 1940. After finally being repaired, the ship was placed back in service. On having sailed from Barahona, Dominican Republic with a cargo of sugar for London, the ship joined up with the homeward-bound 39 ship Convoy SC-6, which departed Sydney, Cape Breton on the 27th September 1940, arriving off the Clyde 12th October, having lost four ships from the convoy. On the 3rd November1940 while sailings in the coastal Convoy WN-29 for the final part of her trip the ship was attacked by German aircraft off the coast of Aberdeen. After being bombed and raked with machine gun fire, the ship sank in position 57’ 45N 01’ 45W killing one crewmember.



Billy McGee

[Administrator]

Billy McGee

As my own way of paying tribute to our fallen in a lead up to 11th November, I will posting details from the 1st November of individual Merchant Ships lost on each day to coincide with the day in question to the run up to Armistice Day. The information comes from my unpublished work “The Sea is Their Grave” written and dedicated to nearly 2000 ships named on the Tower Hill Memorial in London and how the 24,000 names of the men and women of the Forgotten Fourth Service have no grave but the sea.

…..at the going down of the sun, and in the morning….we will remember them!

4th November:

Cargo ship Hatimura, 6,666grt, (British India SN Co. Ltd) loaded with a general cargo including TNT, incendiaries and cannon powder at New York joined the 41 ship Convoy SC-107, which departed New York on the 24th October 1942. The convoy was first sighted on the 30th October and a number of U-boats descended onto the convoy. The first attack began on the 2nd November and within three days fifteen Merchant ships were lost and a further four damaged. Just after midnight on the 4th November the Hatimura was torpedoed and damaged by U-132 about 280 nautical miles South, South-East of Cape Farewell, killing two crewmembers and one DEMS gunner. Due to her volatile cargo the ship was ordered abandoned and the eighty-nine survivors were picked up by two American tugs and transferred the Convoy Rescue ship Stockport and landed at Reykjavik. Just over three hours later U-442 came across the abandoned vessel, hitting the ship with a single torpedo detonating the ship’s cargo. Unbeknown to U-442, U-132 was still in close proximity to the ship and the debris from the massive ensuing explosion hit and sank U-132 with all hands in position 55’ 38N 39’ 52W.



Cargo ship Trekieve, 5,244grt, (Hain SS Co.) loaded with a general cargo including manganese ore and two seamen sailing as DBS passengers at Bombay for the UK via the Seychelles and Durban, sailed independently from the Seychelles on the 27th October 1942. On the 4th November about 50 nautical miles East of Maputo, Mozambique the ship was intercepted U-178 and struck by one torpedo between the boiler room and cross bunkers killing three crewmembers, while collapsing the amidships accommodation. Developing a 30 degree list the ship was ordered abandoned in two boats and within thirty five minutes the ship disappeared beneath the waves in position 25’ 55S 33’ 35E. The U-boat then approached the survivors for questioning, but received no rational reply so within a couple of minutes left the area without offering any assistance. Both boats then came together and the survivors evenly distributed between the two boats and set course for land. The forty-seven survivors eventually made landfall twenty seven hours later and landed at Inhaca Island, Portuguese East Africa.

Billy McGee

[Administrator]

Billy McGee

As my own way of paying tribute to our fallen in a lead up to 11th November, I will posting details from the 1st November of individual Merchant Ships lost on each day to coincide with the day in question to the run up to Armistice Day. The information comes from my unpublished work “The Sea is Their Grave” written and dedicated to nearly 2000 ships named on the Tower Hill Memorial in London and how the 24,000 names of the men and women of the Forgotten Fourth Service have no grave but the sea.

…..at the going down of the sun, and in the morning….we will remember them!

5th November:

Passenger cargo liner Beaverford, 10,042grt, (Canadian Pacific SS Co.) sailed from Montreal with a cargo of food stuffs and general stores bound for Liverpool and joined up with the 37 ship Convoy HX-84 which departed Halifax on the 28th October 1940. On the 5th November 1940, the convoy was intercepted and attacked by the German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer. The convoy was ordered to scatter and the Armed Merchant Cruiser Jervis Bay turned to face the Admiral Scheer in a desperate attempt to give time for the convoy to break away. After twenty minutes, the Jervis Bay was lost with 190 of her 255 crewmembers. Although only armed with two small guns the Merchant ship Beaverford held the Admiral Scheer at bay for four and a half hours allowing the convoy to escape until she was finally sunk by torpedo in position 52’ 26N 32’34W, after initially receiving nineteen direct hits from ninety-three rounds fired from the Sheer's main and secondary armament and sank with the loss of all seventy-seven crewmembers and DEMS gunners. Her gallant action received no official recognition. The action taken by these two ships allowed thirty one ships to reach Britain with their vital cargoes.



Cargo ship Kenbane Head, 5,225grt, (Ulster SS Co. Ltd) loaded with a general cargo at Montreal and Sydney Nova Scotia for Belfast and Dublin joined the 38 ship Convoy HX-84, which departed Halifax, Nova Scotia on the 28th October 1940. On the 5th November, South-East of Cape Farewell the convoy was forced to scatter after being intercepted by the German Pocket Battleship Admiral Scheer. The Kenbane Head was met by the full force of the Sheer’s guns as the first three rounds from her main armament penetrated the ship’s cargo holds. This was followed by a second salvo striking the engine room, blowing off the funnel and destroying the gun platform on the stern. With the ship well ablaze and twenty-four men dead the Kenbane Head, settling by the stern was ordered abandoned and the ship finally sank in position 52’ 26N 32’ 34W. On the evening of the 5th November the British Merchant ship Gloucester City, which had dispersed from the outward bound Convoy OB-237 on the 2nd November had been listening to the unfolding nightmare after picking up a distress message from one of the stricken ships, stating they were under attack. Unperturbed the ships Master ordered all the steam they could muster and ploughing through heavy seas and storm force ten winds raced to the convoys last known position. Thirty seven hours later the ship arrived on a scene of utter devastation, with wreckage and lifeboats spread over a 15 mile radius. Gloucester City slowly maneuvered amongst the wreckage picking up the survivors from four of the sunken ships including the twenty-four survivors from the Kenbane Head and eventually landed them at St. John, New Brunswick.

Billy McGee.

Lest We Forget!!

[Administrator]

Billy McGee

As my own way of paying tribute to our fallen in a lead up to 11th November, I will posting details from the 1st November of individual Merchant Ships lost on each day to coincide with the day in question to the run up to Armistice Day. The information comes from my unpublished work “The Sea is Their Grave” written and dedicated to nearly 2000 ships named on the Tower Hill Memorial in London and how the 24,000 names of the men and women of the Forgotten Fourth Service have no grave but the sea.

…..at the going down of the sun, and in the morning….we will remember them!

6th November:

Cargo ship Chulmleigh, 5,445grt (W.J. Tatem Ltd) had been sailing independently from Philadelphia to Archangel with a cargo of government stores. During the crossing as the weather began to deteriorate and after sighting the North Cape of Iceland it became impossible to get an accurate fix on her position due to overcast skies and frequent snow squalls On the 5th November 1942, having received orders from the Admiralty to alter course they were sighted by a German reconnaissance aircraft, so their course was altered once again. Thirty minutes later during a blinding snow storm the Chulmleigh grounded at South Cape, Spitzbergen and immediately began to transmit a distress signal. The ships Master decided to temporarily abandon ship where one of the ships DEMS gunners fell into the freezing water and a desperate attempt to rescue him failed and by the time they reached him he had died from the intense cold. The Master and his senior Officers having remained on board the ship to ascertain if the Chulmleigh could be saved and when it became clear it was impossible the ship was abandoned in three lifeboats and shortly after leaving the ship Chulmleigh was attacked by German JU-88 aircraft of II./KG 30 based at Banak, North Cape and struck by two bombs At 15.58 hours on the 6th November, U-625 torpedoed the stranded Chulmleigh and shelled her using her deck gun. Later the wreck was again bombed by a lone German JU-88. One boat containing the Master, twenty-eight surviving crewmembers and DEMS gunners eventually landed ashore on the 12th November on an isolated part of Spitzbergen, but three men died shortly after coming ashore from the effects of exposure and frostbite. The other lifeboat containing twenty-nine survivors was never heard from again. Taking shelter in several wooden huts the men fell asleep and the following day it was discovered three more men had died during the night. Finding a stove in one of the huts the men managed to make their first meal in a week. With no medication those suffering from frostbite found themselves in a desperate situation as gangrene began to set in and over the next ten days thirteen men died. Several attempts by the ships gunners were made to reach help, but all failed. After seven weeks the smell of rotting flesh was almost unbearable as the survivors attended to each other’s wounds and on Christmas Eve one more seaman died. The remaining survivors were not found and rescued until 4th January 1943, by troops from the local garrison at Barentsburg. By then a total of the seventeen of the original survivors had died from a combination of frostbite, gangrene and hunger. The last remaining survivors eventually boarded the British cruisers HMS Bermuda and HMS Cumberland after two months in hospital and landed at Thurso on 16th May 1943. The Chulmleigh had originally been just one of many ships sailing independently and unescorted as part of “Operation FB” to supply Russia with much needed war materials. The ships Officers were given a £100 bonus and the crew £50 in advance as the operation was given a high risk, which was proved correct later as less than 50% of Operation FB got through. One British Merchant Seaman stated the FB stood for "Foolish Bastard" for volunteering.

Passenger cargo liner, City of Cairo, 8,034grt, (Ellerman Lines) had been sailing independently from Bombay to the UK via Durban, Cape Town and Pernabuco, Brazil carrying one hundred passengers including women and children and a general cargo including silver bullion. On the 6th November 1942, five days after leaving Cape Town the ship was sighted by U-68 South of St Helena and struck by a single torpedo and began to settle by the stern, As the ship was being abandoned in a orderly fashion, twenty minutes later a second torpedo struck and the ship sank by the stern in position 23’ 30S 05’ 30W. The U-boat then questioned a number of survivors and after giving direction to the nearest land uttered the phrase “Goodnight and sorry for sinking you” before departing. Seventy-nine crewmembers, three DEMS gunners and twenty-two passengers would eventually be lost over the coming weeks Over two hundred survivors were picked up by the British Merchant ships Clan Alpine and Bendoran on the 19th November. A further three survivors were found alive by the German blockade runner Rhakotis after five weeks in an open boat. One of these survivors died on board the Rhakotis a week later. The Rhakotis was herself sunk on the 1st January 1943 after being intercepted by the British Cruiser HMS Scylla, and one of the two crewmembers from the City of Cairo, Angus Macdonald was picked up by U-410 and spent the remainder of the war in Merchant Navy prison camp Milag Nord. The other crewmember from the City of Cairo Jack Edmead found himself adrift again and was rescued four days later by a Spanish fishing boat and eventually repatriated home via Gibraltar. Two more survivors, the ships Third Officer and a passenger, Margaret Gordon were eventually found by the Brazilian Corvette Caravelas after fifty-two days adrift. Sadly the ships Third Officer (WHYTE, J.A.) after recovering in hospital from this ordeal died when returning home on the City of Pretoria, when this ship was torpedoed and sunk with all hands on the 3rd March 1943. He was awarded a posthumous MBE. Margaret Gordon was awarded the British Empire Medal.



Billy McGee

[Administrator]

Billy McGee

As my own way of paying tribute to our fallen in a lead up to 11th November, I will posting details from the 1st November of individual Merchant Ships lost on each day to coincide with the day in question to the run up to Armistice Day. The information comes from my unpublished work “The Sea is Their Grave” written and dedicated to nearly 2000 ships named on the Tower Hill Memorial in London and how the 24,000 names of the men and women of the Forgotten Fourth Service have no grave but the sea.

…..at the going down of the sun, and in the morning….we will remember them!

7th November:

Cargo ship Roxby, 4,252grt, (Ropner Shipping Co.) loaded with a cargo of coal at Cardiff for Halifax, Nova Scotia via the Clyde joined the 62 ship Convoy ON-142, which departed Liverpool on the 30th October 1942. By the 7th November the convoy had been encountering severe weather and fell into total disarray and the Roxby ended up sailing alone as a straggler when intercepted by U-613, 770 nautical miles South-East of Cape Farewell, Greenland. Struck by one torpedo in the stern after peak, the explosion blew off the rudder and propeller and the ship immediately began to settle. Two lifeboats were quickly launched and within a few minutes the Roxby sank in position 49’ 35N 30’ 32W. Thirty-three crewmembers were lost; a number after their boat became swamped as the ship sank. The U-boat then appeared amongst the wreckage and after being told the name of the ship sped away leaving the thirteen survivors to their fate. Setting course for the nearest land nearly 800 miles away the boat made good progress using sail and also managed to get the boats engine running for a short time until the petrol ran out. At one point the weather became so bad it was necessary to put out the sea anchor, but the line parted and the boat required constant baling. After three days adrift, The ships First Radio Officer (McLAREN, G.A.I.) went insane and died the following day and was buried at sea. Later that night as the men began to grow weak from the bitter cold, a light was suddenly sighted on the horizon drawing closer and an attempt to attract the ships attention with a flash light only resulted in the ship steaming away, but luckily the ship altered course towards them once more and the twelve survivors were rescued by the neutral Irish Merchant ship Irish Beech and eventually landed at St. John’s, Newfoundland.

Cargo ship Glenlea, 4,252grt, (J. Morrison & Son) sailed from Cardiff and Belfast with a cargo of coal, and a general cargo including military trucks and joined up with the 62 ship Convoy ON-142 which departed Liverpool bound for New York on the 30th October 1942. Once clear into the North Atlantic the Glenlea was to leave the convoy and head for Suez via Durban. During the crossing the ship became a straggler from the main convoy and on the 7th November 1942 North of the Azores was struck by one torpedo between number one and two hold fired by U-566 and sank within six minutes in approximate position 50’ 00N 30’ 00W, taking the Chief Officer and Bosun with her. Two boats were successfully launched along with three rafts. After questioning the survivors in one of the boats the ships Master was taken prisoner aboard the U-boat and would spend the remainder of the war at the Merchant Navy prison camp Milag Nord. The Master’s boat now in charge of by the ship Third Officer, who was later awarded the MBE, in the boat holding eighteen survivors was finally found after twenty one days adrift by the passing Norwegian Merchant ship Thorstrand, but thirteen men had succumbed to exposure and one other crewmember (SULLIVAN, M.) died shortly after being rescued, and the three survivors were landed at New York on the 9th December. The second lifeboat in charge of by the ships Second Officer holding sixteen survivors including five DEMS gunners was never seen again.

Cargo ship Nottingham, 8,532grt, (Federal SN Co. Ltd) sailed independently from Glasgow on her maiden voyage for New York with a general cargo. Also on-board was a Captain Arthur Cooper from the Port Line shipping Co. who was en-route to Montreal to take up a post with the MOWT (Ministry of War Transport). On the 7th November 1941 at 22.34 hours (CET) the ship was intercepted by U-74 about 555 nautical miles South-East of Cape Farewell, one of fourteen U-boats operating in that area and damaged in the stern by torpedo after the Nottingham had earlier tried to ram the U-boat. The ship was hit by a second torpedo twenty-five minutes later and sank in position 53' 24N 31' 51W. No distress message was sent, though the Germans reported seeing lifeboats being launched, but these were never seen again. There were no survivors from her compliment of sixty-three.

[Administrator]

Billy McGee

As my own way of paying tribute to our fallen in a lead up to 11th November, I will posting details from the 1st November of individual Merchant Ships lost on each day to coincide with the day in question to the run up to Armistice Day. The information comes from my unpublished work “The Sea is Their Grave” written and dedicated to nearly 2000 ships named on the Tower Hill Memorial in London and how the 24,000 names of the men and women of the Forgotten Fourth Service have no grave but the sea.

…..at the going down of the sun, and in the morning….we will remember them!



8th November:

Cargo ship Benalder, 5,161grt, (Ben Line Steamers Ltd) loaded with a cargo of government stores sailed from Freetown on the 4th November 1942 in the 3 ship Convoy ST-40 bound for Takoradi. On the 8th November about 67 nautical miles South-West of Takoradi, U-161 fired four torpedoes at the convoy sinking one ship and damaging the Benalder, killing six crewmembers. The Benalder now lying dead in the water was then hit by a second torpedo twenty minutes later, but still remained afloat and U-161 left the area believing the ship would sink. The Benalder did not sink was eventually taken in tow and arrived at Takoradi the following day, but not before one other crewmember (MEECHAN, E.S.) died from his injuries and was buried at sea.

Cargo ship D’Entrecasteaux, 7,784grt, (MOWT, Ellerman Lines) loaded with a general cargo including copper at Beira for the UK via Table Bay and Pernambuco, sailed independently from Table Bay on the 10th October 1942. On the 8th November about 200 nautical miles North-East of Bermuda the ship was hit by a torpedo from U-154 and sank position 15’ 30N 57’ 00W with the loss of one crewmember and two DEMS gunners. The sixty-three survivors spent the next six days adrift before navigating their lifeboats nearly 250 nautical miles, coming ashore on the Island of Dominica, part of the Leeward Islands. The ship’s Master died in February 1946 and was buried with full war grave status at Barnmouth and Llanaber joint burial ground.

Tug Muria, 192grt, (William Watkins Ltd) detonated a mine 3 nautical miles North-East of Margate on the 8th November 1940 killing all ten crewmembers and sank in position 51’ 26N 01’ 27E. The bodies of the Chief Officer and Radio Officer were later recovered and buried ashore at Ramsgate & St. Lawrence Cemetery and Gravesend Cemetery.

Billy McGee

[Administrator]

Billy McGee

As my own way of paying tribute to our fallen in a lead up to 11th November, I will posting details from the 1st November of individual Merchant Ships lost on each day to coincide with the day in question to the run up to Armistice Day. The information comes from my unpublished work “The Sea is Their Grave” written and dedicated to nearly 2000 ships named on the Tower Hill Memorial in London and how the 24,000 names of the men and women of the Forgotten Fourth Service have no grave but the sea.

…..at the going down of the sun, and in the morning….we will remember them!

9th November:

Norwegian cargo ship Fidelio, 1,843grt (Mathias Hansen, Kristiansand) sailed in ballast to Southend bound for the River Tyne and joined up with the Methil bound 8 ship Convoy FN-861, which departed Southend on the 9th November 1942. Later that same evening the convoy was attacked by two German E-boats off Lowestoft. One torpedo hit the Fidelio, blowing the whole of the stern off killing seven men instantly. The twenty survivors including four British DEMS gunners quickly abandoned ship and watched as the ship sank and were picked up by a tug an hour later and transferred over to a British MTB and eventually landed at Great Yarmouth.

One of the casualties, one of the ships Fireman named Antoni Dolan from Kilgarlvan, Co. Kerry, his death was never reported to the Registrar General of Shipping & Seamen of the day, so his details were never passed on to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for commemoration as official war dead. He was just one of 60+ plus British casualties including another two Seamen from the Irish Republic lost from the Norwegian Nortraships of WWII. In 2019 their names were finally added to the Tower Hill Memorial in London, of which I was invited to unveil the new plaques.

Cargo ship Baltrader, 1,699grt, (United Baltic Corporation) loaded with a general cargo including wine at Seville sailed to the Clyde from Gibraltar in the 49 ship Convoy HG-45, arriving on the Clyde on the 26th October 1940. The ship was then routed to Methil to join up with the coastal 38 ship Convoy FS-330, which departed Methil on the 7th November. On the 9th November 9 miles South-East of Clacton-on-Sea the Baltrader detonated a mine and sank in position 51’ 40 N 01’ 18E with the loss of two crewmembers. There is no survivors report to indicate what happened to the surviving crew.

Cargo ship Carmarthen Coast, 961grt, (Coast Lines Ltd) loaded with a general cargo including granite and linoleum at Kirkaldy for London via Methil. On the 9th November 1939 in the North Sea just over 2 nautical miles off Seaham the ship detonated a mine killing two men on watch in the engine room and the ship sank by the stern in about ten minutes in position 54’ 51N 01’ 16W. The fifteen survivors of which six were injured abandoned ship in one of the lifeboats before the ship sank and were rescued by the Seaham Lifeboat. The mine had been laid by U-24 on the 26th October 1939.

Cargo ship Nurmahal, 5,419grt, (Asiatic SN Co. Ltd) sailed independently in ballast from Table Bay on the 15th October 1942 bound for New York and was never heard from again. The ship was officially recorded as missing/untraced on the 30th December 1942 and her fate was unknown until German records came to light. On the 9th November 1942 about 300 nautical miles East of Martinique the ship was hit by two torpedoes from U-154 and sank in less than thirty seconds in position 14’ 45N 55’ 45W. The U-boat then went to investigate the location in order to question any survivors, but all eighty-four crewmembers and four DEMS gunners had gone down with the ship.

[Administrator]

Billy McGee

As my own way of paying tribute to our fallen in a lead up to 11th November, I will posting details from the 1st November of individual Merchant Ships lost on each day to coincide with the day in question to the run up to Armistice Day. The information comes from my unpublished work “The Sea is Their Grave” written and dedicated to nearly 2000 ships named on the Tower Hill Memorial in London and how the 24,000 names of the men and women of the Forgotten Fourth Service have no grave but the sea.

…..at the going down of the sun, and in the morning….we will remember them!

10th November:

Tanker Cerinthus, 3,878grt, (Hadley Shipping Co. Ltd) had dispersed from the 68 ship Convoy ON-141and had been sailing independently in ballast to Freetown. On the 10th November 1942, 230 nautical miles South-West of Brava Island, Cape Verde a couple of minutes after midnight the ship was rocked by an explosion as a torpedo from U-128 found its mark. The order to abandon ship was given and two lifeboats were successfully launched though the ship remained afloat. A second torpedo also failed to sink the ship and U-128 spent the next ninety minutes pumping shells into the hapless ship, which finally sank in position 12’ 27N 27’ 45W. The two lifeboats became separated and the Chief Officers boat with eighteen survivors was eventually found on the 1st December after being adrift for three weeks by the naval sloop HMS Bridgewater and landed them at Freetown. The Masters boat which originally held twenty survivors was found on the 24th January 1943 by the American Merchant ship Kentuckian in position 11’ 22N 38’ 56W having drifted 758 nautical miles in a westerly direction from her position of loss. In the boat were six bodies and amazingly one survivor by the name of William Colbon, the ships Donkeyman who had survived seventy-six days adrift and after being rescued was eventually landed at Port of Spain where he weighed just over five stone, from his original thirteen stone. The deaths of the other men in the boat had been meticulously recorded and show they had gradually died one by one over the coming weeks while adrift, the last recorded death of that of the ships Second Officer (HARDAKER, H.) who passed away only one day before his would be rescuer arrived. William Colbon, who had lost his wife in an air raid on Liverpool two years earlier, was awarded the British Empire Medal for outstanding qualities of courage, fortitude and endurance, although he would never wear it.

Tanker Shirvan, 6,017grt, (Baltic Trading Co. Ltd) loaded with a cargo of gas oil on the Clyde for Hvalfjordur, Iceland joined the 4 ship Convoy UR-142, which departed Loch Ewe on the 6th November 1944. During the crossing, the convoy encountered atrocious weather and the four ships became separated. On the 10th November about 25 nautical miles West of Reykjavik the Shirvan was torpedoed and sank by U-300 in position 64’ 08N 22’ 50W, with the loss of sixteen crewmembers and two DEMS gunners. The Icelandic Merchant ship Godafoss from the same scattered convoy who had witnessed the torpedoing headed in the direction of the burning Shirvan in an attempt to pick up any survivors. This was against the rules of the Admiralty, but the ships Master chose to disobey this order and would seal his ships fate. The Godafoss was hit a short time later and sank within seven minutes taking fifteen crewmembers and ten passengers with her including two young doctors and their three children. The survivors from the Shirvan were eventually rescued by the naval tug HMT Reward and the Norwegian naval trawler RNoN Honningvaag and landed at Reykjavik. Three of her crew are buried in Reykjavik (Fossvogur) Cemetery.

Cargo ship Start Point, 5,293grt, (Cereal Trade & Shipping Co. Ltd) had been sailing independently from Barry to Freetown with a cargo of coal. On the 10th November 1942 the ship was intercepted by U-128 South-West of the Cape Verde Islands and sank rapidly in position 13' 12N 27' 25W after being hit by two torpedoes, with the loss of the ships Master. After questioning the survivors the ships Chief Engineer and Chief Officer were taken prisoner and the U-boat left the remaining survivors to their fate. The ships Second Officer, who had been responsible for the safe launching of the two lifeboats and was among the last to leave the ship took charge of both boats, ensuring that they kept together. Over the forthcoming days he also dealt with all the problems of navigation and discipline. On the twelfth day one crewmember died from exposure and was buried at sea. The following day the forty-seven survivors were rescued by the British Merchant ship Eskdalegate and landed at Pernambuco. The Second Officer was later awarded the George Medal and Lloyd's War Medal for Bravery at Sea. The two prisoners were eventually interned in the Merchant Navy prison camp Milag Nord where the ships Chief Officer died on the 5th April 1945 from “cancer of the colon” thirteen days before the camp was liberated and was later interned at Becklingen War Cemetery.

Billy McGee

[Administrator]

Billy McGee

As my own way of paying tribute to our fallen in a lead up to 11th November, I will posting details from the 1st November of individual Merchant Ships lost on each day to coincide with the day in question to the run up to Armistice Day. The information comes from my unpublished work “The Sea is Their Grave” written and dedicated to nearly 2000 ships named on the Tower Hill Memorial in London and how the 24,000 names of the men and women of the Forgotten Fourth Service have no grave but the sea.

…..at the going down of the sun, and in the morning….we will remember them!

11th November:

Passenger cargo ship Automedon, 7,528grt, (A. Holt & Co.) loaded with a general cargo including vehicles, aircraft, machinery and medicines for the Far East had sailed independently from Durban on the 29th October 1940. On the 11th November off Sumatra an unidentified ship was sighted ahead of the Automedon heading towards them. Believing the ship to be of Dutch origin the two ships continued on course, but when the two ships were less than 5000 yards apart, the unknown ship suddenly dropped her disguise to reveal her true identity, as that of the German commerce raider Atlantis and fired a devastating salvo at the Automedon destroying the bridge and midsection killing six of her crewmembers including the Master and injuring another dozen. A boarding party was sent on-board and the remaining crewmembers were taken on-board the raider as prisoners and later transferred to the Norwegian tanker Storstad, which had earlier been captured and taken as a war prize and landed in occupied France. A number of captured Merchant Seamen including one member of the Automedon’s crew managed to escape from a train while being transported to Germany and made it to neutral Spain. The remainder of her crew were sent to the Sandbostal Concentration Camp were eventually interned at the purpose built Merchant navy Camp Milag Nord, with her Chinese crew being interned at the notorious Hamburg Labour Camp for the duration of the war. Three Chinese crewmembers died in the camp and were eventually interned at the Rheinberg War Cemetery.

Cargo ship The Duchess, 798grt, (C. Rennoldson & Co.) On the 11th November 1940 off the West coast of Scotland in the Minch, sailing without navigation lights as per war time instruction the ship collided with the British Merchant ship Trefusis sailing on an opposite course. The force of the impact sank the small coaster with the loss of all of her eleven man crew. The body of the ship’s Chief Officer was eventually recovered and buried at Portree (Stronuirinish) Cemetery.
Tanker Ben Hann, 298grt, (National Benzole Co. Ltd) sailed in ballast from Fort William on the 10th November 1941 bound for Bowling and was never heard from again. The ship was officially recorded as missing/untraced on the 17th December 1941 after a raft and two lifebelts washed ashore 5 miles East of Port Ellen. A Joint Arbitration Committee considered her lost on 11th November 1941 and her loss to be "2/3rds marine & 1/3rd war loss” The bodies of five of the eleven crewmembers lost were eventually washed ashore.