Hi Steve, Not NAVARINO but the rescue ship ZAAFARAN. The CWGC have got his date of death incorrectly recorded as 4 July - should be 5 July. He was the only loss from ZAAFARAN after being bombed by German aircraft. He was presumed drowned after falling from his lifeboat. SCOTT, Gunner, VICTOR, 1512271, 7/4 Maritime Regt., Royal Artillery. (SS Zaafaran) 5 July 1942. Age 23. Panel 77, Column 3. Regards Hugh
Sunday 5th July 1942 CRAIG, John, Gunner, RA (1/1 Maritime Regt), 1590942, killed [PoM] WESTERBY, William, Bombardier, RA (2/1 Maritime Regt), 2081780, killed [PoM] Multiple shipping losses on this date; Empire Byron was lost with three gunners (Frost, Howard and Jones) and River Afton was lost with two (Carver and Kirk- Listed by CWGC on 4th), but have not been able to place Gnr Craig or Bdr Westerby. It is possible that one may have lost with the Avila Star, which is recorded by Lloyd's as being lost with 45 crew (CWGC identifies 43 crew and 1 OR RM gunner). Any ideas? Regards, Steve
Hugh will no doubt be along with the answer. Meantime I note that his Service No. is 2087180. Casualty lists show him 'Missing, believed prisoner of war' subsequently amended to 'Died of wounds' and this is cause of death shown on RA Casualty card. Date of wounding not shown but it may not have happened on 5 Jul 42. Tim
Hi Steve, Bombardier Westerby was lost after the U.S. steamer HONOMU was sunk after the order to scatter convoy PQ17. WESTERBY, Bombardier, WILLIAM, 2087180, 2/1 Maritime Regt., Royal Artillery. (SS Honomu) 5 July 1942. Age 40. Son of Charles Stoddard Westerby and Ann Ingham Westerby, of Sunderland, Co. Durham. Panel 71, Column 3. CRAIG, Gunner, JOHN, 1590942, 1/1 Maritime Regt., Royal Artillery. (SS Avila Star) 5 July 1942. Panel 71, Column 2. Regards Hugh
Looks like an interesting story. According to uboat.net there were survivors of the sinking. Some were picked up from liferafts by a RN minesweeper and another escort vessel on 18 Jul. Others (5 crew and 3 gunners) were rescued from a lifeboat by U209 on 28 Jul and taken as prisoners to Norway. This one supposes is the reason that Westerby was originally posted 'missing believed POW'. 2 Officers, 8 crew and 1 gunner had died of exposure in the lifeboat. Depending on the accuracy of uboat.net this gunner sounds like Westerbury as of the 4 gunners onboard Honomu 3 were saved. This must have been a terrifying ordeal for the survivors - one lot 12 days on rafts and the others 22 days in a lifeboat. Honomu (American Steam merchant) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat.net Tim
Monday 6th July 1942 OWEN, Edward, Gunner, RA (1/1 Maritime Regt), 3717710, killed [PoM] Multiple losses on this day, but the only sinking with gunners I haven't been able to identify, is the Amercian merchantial Pan American. This ship is recorded by Lloyd's as being lost with 19 crew and 7 gunners and the USN Chronology says lost with 18 merchant seamen and 7 Armed Guard sailors. CWGC identifies one Canadian MN OR and one RN OR gunner being lost in the sinking and three USN sailors are recorded on the Cambridge Memorial, so was Gnr Owen one of the other unidentified gunners? Any ideas? Regards, Steve
Owen was awarded a MiD (Posthumous). For bravery while serving in Defensively Equipped Merchant Ship on passage to Malta. London Gazette 8 Dec 42 Supplement 35815 Page 5347. Tim
Hi Tim, I think the entry in the London Gazette is incorrect. Gunner Owen was awarded a Posthumous MiD [source Seedlies List of awards to the Merchant Navy] London Gazette 8 December 1942 - for service during North Russian Convoy PQ17 in July 1942, during which the ship was torpedoed and sunk. SS OLOPANA. American, Cargo Tramp. Matson Navigation Co. 6069 tons. Built in 1920. Torpedoed by U-255 and sunk in the Barents Sea on 8th July 1942. Three other gunners were also awarded BEM's. I also note the date of death in UK sources as being incorrect. OWEN, Gunner, EDWARD, 3717710, Mentioned in Despatches, 1/1 Maritime Regt., Royal Artillery. (SS Olopana) 6 July 1942. Age 30. Nephew and adopted son of Anne Jane Owen, of Penmon, Anglesey. Panel 72, Column 1.
Tuesday 21st July 1942 NIGHTINGALE, John F, Lance Bombardier, RA (6/3 Maritime Regt), 3970510, killed [HORNCHURCH CEMETERY] No obvious shipping loss or incident to relate to the loss of L/Bdr Nightingale and shore burial, which would seem to indicate an accidental/illness cause of death. Any ideas? Regards, Steve
Hi Steve, his casualty card states he died from an accident. No details yet as to what the accident was but does not appear to be shipping related at this stage. Regards Hugh
Thursday 30th July 1942 WELCH, John, Gunner, RA (1/1 Maritime Regt), 4268877, killed [PoM] No obvious shipping loss to associate with the death of Gnr Welch. Danmark was sunk on this date, but that sinking does not appear to have resulted in any personnel losses. Any ideas? Regards, Steve
From my sources: WELCH, Gunner, JOHN, 4268877, 1/1 Maritime Regt., Royal Artillery. 30 July 1942. Age 26. Son of Benjamin A. and Jane Welch; husband of Beatrice Mary Welch, of Kingston, Somerset. Panel 72, Column 1. Died as a result of heavy seas [accident]. No confirmed ship yet but was aboard the Dutch THEMISTO in early May 1942 so may or may not have happened on that ship. Regards Hugh
Saturday 1st August 1942 PARK, James, Gunner, RA (1 Maritime Regt), 1774934 [SIMON'S TOWN (DIDO VALLEY) CEMETERY] No shipping incident to relate to the death of Gnr Park and a shore burial, so I believe his death is accident/illness related. Any ideas? Regards, Steve
Hi Steve, PARK, Gunner, JAMES, 1774934, 1 Maritime Regt., Royal Artillery. 1 August 1942. Age 35. Son of William and Elizabeth Park, of Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland; husband of Agnes C Park, of Whitehall, Hamilton. Grave Ref. Naval Allotment Row D. Grave 37. Died at Simon’s Town, South Africa - cause of death malaria. Regards Hugh
Wednesday 5th August 1942 SISTERSON, George, Bombardier, RA (6/3 Maritime Regt), 4464151, killed [ChM] No obvious loss to associate with the death of Bdr Sisterson. Dutch ship Spar was sunk on this date, but that sinking is recorded as only being lost with 3 crew. Any ideas? Regards, Steve
Hi Steve, he drowned aboard the CAM ship, EMPIRE OCEAN. British Cargo Tramp. MOWT/Wing Management Co. 6.765 tons. Built in 1941. Converted to CAM ship. W/T message received requiring assistance on 4th August 1942. Grounded approx. 1/2m of Shingle Hd, Newfoundland, refloated but sank on 5th August 1942 in position 47.1N, 52.50W en-route to St John's N.F. SISTERSON, Bombardier, GEORGE, 4464151, 6/3 Maritime Regt., Royal Artillery. (SS Empire Ocean) 5 August 1942. Age 27. Son of Thomas and May Sisterson, of South Shields, Co. Durham. CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL Panel 67. Column 1. COLLINS, Able Seaman, JOHN HENRY, P/JX 266817. Royal Navy HMS President III. (SS Empire Ocean) 5 August 1942. Age 32. Son of Michael and Melinda Collins; husband of Winifred Louise Collins, of Bromley, Kent. PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL. Panel 63. Column 2. Regards Hugh
Hi Hugh, Thanks for that. I had AB Collins as being lost with Empire Ocean, but hadn't picked up on Bdr Sisterson. Curious that two gunners were lost in the sinking, but no crew. Regards, Steve
Indeed, Steve. Both gunners noted as drowned. The circumstances may be noted in the ship's official logbook held at Kew in piece BT 381/2027. Regards Hugh
Friday 14th August 1942 PYGOTT, William E, Gunner, RA (4/2 Maritime Regt), 4695385, killed [PoM] THORNTON, Bertie, Gunner, RA (4/2 Maritime Regt), 4695436, killed [PoM] DAVIES, Lloyd E, Gunner, RA (5/3 Maritime Regt), 3772748, killed [ChM] THOMAS, Harold, Gunner, RA (5/3 Maritime Regt), 3652788, killed [ChM] WATSON, John A, Lance Bombardier, RA (5/3 Maritime Regt), 2089944, killed [ChM] STYRING, Thomas L, Lance Bombardier, RA (7/4 Maritime Regt), 895124, killed [PlyM] All were probably lost with the sinking of S.S. Arabistan. Lloyd's says carried 57 crew and 10 gunners, of whom 1 was taken prisoner. I believe the prisoner was the ships Chief Engineer Officer. CWGC lists 56 crew and 4 OR RN gunner deaths, so I believe these six gunners were the other casualties. Any ideas? Regards, Steve