Dear All, This is my first post on this section of the forum. Could anyone help me with information about the circumstances of Ian Graham's death please. He is one of the 76 names on the Perth Academy War Memorial, and I am helping a group of students at the school with their research. The only information I have found is on a website called: Naval-History.net, which gives the following details: July 1943, Invasion of Sicily (‘Husky’) Northney GRAHAM, Ian M., Able Seaman, C/JX 3?54147, drowning, died. My question mark, the number is one digit out from the one on the CWGC records. CWGC. Name: GRAHAM, IAN MAURICE Initials: I. M. Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Able Seaman Regiment/Service: Royal Navy Unit: H.M.S. Northney Age: 20 Date of Death: 10/07/1943 Service No: C/JX 254147 Additional information: Son of Alice Graham, Abernethy, Perthshire Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: III. C. 13. Cemetery: SYRACUSE WAR CEMETERY, SICILY. Many thanks, Dave
H.M.S. Northney was a series of shore bases on Hayling Island for Landing Craft & Combined Ops personnel. Therefore, If he's buried at Syracuse War Cemetery then there's a good possibility he was stationed on board a Landing Craft used to land the British or Canadians on Sicily. With regards to the difference in Service No's it appears that the original Graves Registration Report, Concentration Report & Headstone Schedule all reference the 354147 number. Only the Register uses the 254147 number, and its likely here is where the CWGC copied the details. You could always message the CWGC to re-check their details and confirm what is the correct number
Ian Maurice Graham in the UK, British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 Name: Ian Maurice Graham Event: Death Birth Date: 14 May 1923 Birth Place: Edinburgh, Midlothian Death Date: 10 Jul 1943 Death Age: 20 See attached - number shown as C/JX 354147 - accidental drowning TD
