DEMS gunner losses

Hi Hugh,

Thanks for that. Lloyds had 12 crew lost, should have thought to compare with the 10 crew listed lost by uboat.net.

Yes agree it would be highly like considering the missing losses and Calvert and Hanson being from the same battery they were lost in this sinking. Confusing the RCN history 'No higher purpose' says sixteen killed in this sinking, with twenty survivors being picked up by HMCS Spikenard. Lloyd's lists 4 passengers, were they recovered?

Regards

Steve

 

Thanks Hugh, I hadn't picked up on the misfortunes of Convoy EN.35. convoy.web says that Runswick collided with Empire Squire. It doesn't mention any damage to Fidra and says Saltwick grounded after dragging its anchor near Peterhead. Presumably Saltwick had anchored due to earlier collision damage.

I despite the horrible sea conditions all the ships were later repaired, though only Runswick survived the war. Finnish Fidra was seized by US forces in St Thomas in December 1941, but then sunk as the Panamaian Tambour on 26th September 1942 and Saltwick was sunk on the 21st October 1943.

Regards

Steve

 

Tuesday 26th January 1942

ORR, James, Gunner, RA (3/2 Maritime Regt), 3064268, killed [PoM]
WOODGER, Sidney, Gunner, RA (3/2 Maritime Regt), 4622854, killed [PoM]

These two gunners were lost today. I wonder if they were lost with the sinking of S.S. Traveller which was lost with all hands. CWGC lists 50 crew and 2 RN gunners (though confusingly Lloyd's just says 26 crew). Any ideas?

Regards,

Steve

 

Steve,
I have 4 D.E.M.S. lost from TRAVELLER

ORR, Gunner, JAMES, 3064268, 3/2 Maritime Regt., Royal Artillery. (SS Traveller) 26 January 1942. Age 28. Panel 72, Column 2.
WOODGER, Gunner, SIDNEY, 4622854, 3/2 Maritime Regt., Royal Artillery. (SS Traveller) 26 January 1942. Age 28. Husband of Jennett Mary Woodger, of Rotherham, Yorkshire. Panel 72, Column 3.

The Deaths at Sea Register for TRAVELLER only names 52 dead but does not mention gunners' Orr and Woodger but does include the RN gunners
WALTERS, Luther, Act/Able Seaman, D/JX 238745
WILLIS, George, Ty/Act/Corporal, RM, PLY/17910

Regards
Hugh

 

Wednesday 27th January 1942

SHATFORD, Bernard, Bombardier, RA (5/3 Martime Regt), 5885710 [KETTERING (LONDON ROAD) CEMETERY]

No obvious shipping incident and a shore based burial, so I believe a accidental/illness related death for Bdr Shatford.

Regards,

Steve

 

I concur. Bdr. Bernard Shatford died at his home on 27-1-1942 although I cannot tell you the cause of his death. He was also wounded at sea earlier on 3.4.1941 while serving as a D.E.M.S. gunner with the Northamptonshire Regiment.

Regards
Hugh

 

Saturday 6th February 1942

DAVIS, Edwin J, Gunner, RA (6/3 Maritime Regt), 5191177 [BATH (HAYCOMBE) CEMETERY]

Shore based burial so possibly non-hostile death, but I note that the coaster Blush Rose was damaged in an air attack in UK waters on this day, so maybe he was lost in this incident. Any ideas?

Regards

Steve

 

Agree a non-hostile death. Casualty return notes him as 'died'. No casualties noted from BLUSH ROSE crew of 14.
Regards
Hugh

 

Monday 15th February 1942

FARRELL, Michael F, Gunner, RA (4 Maritime Regt), 1548901, killed [PlyM]

No obvious shipping loss for Gnr Farrell. Any ideas?

Regards,

Steve

 

Interesting that Farrell's RA Casualty card has cause of death as 'Heat Stroke' and Casualty list shows him as 'Died'. His attestation and Casualty List show him as McFarrell.

Tim

 

Hi Steve,

FARRELL, Gunner, MICHAEL FRANCIS, 1548901, 4 Maritime Regt., Royal Artillery. (SS City of Norwich) 15 February 1942. Age 32. Son of Patrick and Norah Farrell; husband of Edith Rose Farrell, of South Ascot, Berkshire. Panel 77, Column 3. (Died at sea from heat stroke)

He died at 8pm on 15.2.1942 while CITY OF NORWICH was sailing from Lourenco Marques to Bombay - position 7.52N 58.22E.

Regards
Hugh

 

Sunday 21st February 1942

COOK, Thomas E, Gunner, RA (6/3 Maritime Regt), 5575551, killed
HOWARTH, Cuthbert L, Lance Bombardier, RA (6/3 Maritime Regt), 1809245, killed
JOLLIFFE, Ronald, Lance Bombardier, RA (6/3 Maritime Regt), 5774616, killed

Gunner losses on this date. Gnr Cook and L/Bdr Jolliffe were lost with the sinking of M.V. Kongsgaard. Was Gnr Howarth also lost with this sinking? Any ideas?

Regards,

Steve

 

Steve,

KONGSGAARD - COOK, Thomas Edward Gunner 29 6/3 Maritime AA Regiment RA
KONGSGAARD - HOWARTH, Cuthbert Littlefare Lance Bombardier 21 6/3 Maritime AA Regiment RA
KONGSGAARD - JOLLIFFE, Ronald Lance Bombardier 20 6/3 Maritime AA Regiment RA

Regards
Hugh

 

Hi Hugh,

Thanks for confirming that.

Regards,

Steve

 

Friday 26th February 1942

SPRATLEY, Harold C, Gunner, RA, 1563418, (7/4 Maritime Regt), killed [PlyM]

Gnr Spratley was lost on this date. Possibly lost with the sinking of Dutch tanker Mamura, but there is some contradiction regarding the losses associated with this sinking. Lloyds says was lost with 50 crew and 6 gunners, uboat.net says lost with 52 crew and 4 gunners (but then lists 7 gunners, 2 RN and 5 Army) and the Dutch M/V loss website says 49 lost.

Other gunner losses on this date are;

BIRCH, Richard W, Gunner, RA, 1754818, (7/4 Maritime Regt), killed [PlyM]
BLUNDELL, George E, Lance Bombardier, RA, 1777110, (4/2 Maritime Regt), killed [PoM]
BUTLER, John A, Lance Bombardier, RA, 1777167, (4/2 Maritime Regt, RA), killed [PoM]
RANGER, Charles F, Gunner, RA, 1572867, (7/4 Maritime Regt, RA), killed [PlyM]
WHITTER, John A, Gunner, RA, 1725509, (7/4 Maritime Regt), killed [PlyM]

Plus AB Rickard and AB Wray from the Royal Navy. All the above casualties are listed by uboat.net.

So if I surmise that Lloyd's is correct and only four Army gunners were lost with the loss of Mamura, then it makes sense that they would all be from 7/4 Maritime Regiment. Which would seem to indicate that Gnr Spratley could have been lost with this sinking. Obviously if this is correct, I am then looking to find a loss to account for the deaths of L/Bdr Blundell and L/Bdr Butler, but can not see any other losses on the 26th. So a bit of a mess. Any ideas?

Regards,

Steve

 

Hi Steve,
This is indeed a bit of a mess, not helped by the lack of accounting for some crews on foreign vessels.
UK casualty reports have all six army gunners as being 'missing' in MALAYA 30.1.1942, then corrected to 'presumed killed in action' on or after 26.2.1942 still the theater is MALAYA which I think is incorrect but at the moment I cannot prove it. If we assume that Uboat.net have primary records to suggest that the 5 gunners were lost aboard then it is more than likely that gunner Spratley was also aboard but another that will need further research.

Incidentally, H.C. Spratley appears to have joined the RN in between the wars [1927] but was invallided out in 1928].
Regards
Hugh

 

Thursday 5th March 1942

RUTTER, John T, Lance Bombardier, RA (1/1 Maritime Regt), 3452609 [MATADI EUROPEAN CEMETERY]

No obvious shipping incident and a shore burial, so I believe L/Bdr Rutter died from a non-hostile cause. Any ideas?

Regards,

Steve

 

RUTTER, Lance Bombardier, JOHN THOMAS, 3452609, 1 Bty 1 Maritime A.A. Regt., Royal Artillery. (SS Empire Mica) 5 March 1942. Age 23. Son of George James and Rebecca Rutter, of Latchford, Warrington, Cheshire. Grave Ref. Grave 269. (Died at Matadi hospital, Congo, from a fractured skull after accident on board ship - fall from ship's gangway).

Regards
Hugh

 

Friday 6th March 1942

SMITH, Henry, Gunner, RA (3/2 Maritime Regt), 13023450, killed [PoM]

No obvious shipping loss. Maybe the Norwegian tanker Sydhav, but that loss doesn't appear to have resulted in any gunner casualties. Maybe he was lost in the chaos of the Singapore evacuation. Any ideas?

Regards,

Steve

 

Hi Steve,

SMITH, Gunner, HENRY, 13023450, 3/2 Maritime Regt., Royal Artillery. (SS Empire Woodlark) 6 March 1942. Age 24. Panel 72, Column 2. (Died from acute appendicitis)
His death was recorded when the ship was in position 17.47 N, 71.57 E, off the west coast of Bombay [Mumbai]. The ship arrived in Bombay that day.

Regards
Hugh