CWGC added the following casualty to its database today. PAPPACENA, Noel F. F. Galley Boy Merchant Navy, S.S. Blink Died 11.02.42 Commemorated: Tower Hill Memorial, London NOT FORGOTTEN
I submitted Noel's details to CWGC about seven month ago and received this reply this afternoon. http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/ca...20NOEL%20F%20F Dear Mr McGee, I am writing to you further regarding the non commemoration by the Commission of Galley Boy Noel F F Pappacena. You will be pleased to hear that the commemoration has been approved and I have made arrangements for the name to be added to the Tower Hill Memorial in due course. I will be in contact with you again when this has been completed. Thank you again for bringing this gentleman to our attention and your interest in the Commission. Yours sincerely Sharon Daly Commemorations Assistant From "The Sea is Their Grave" Cargo ship Blink, 2,701grt, (K. Th. Einersen) loaded with a cargo of phosphates at Tampa, Florida and Charleston bound for Ipswich had been assigned to join up with the 31 ship Convoy SC-70 at Halifax, Nova Scotia. On the 9th February 1942 the Blink left Charleston sailing independently and without escort. Two days later about 152 nautical miles East of Diamond Shoals, Cape Hatteras in the early hours of the morning, U-108 who had fired two torpedoes at the ship the day before which missed the target found herself in a favorable position for another attack. The first torpedo struck the ship in number two hold on the port side, but failed to explode and exited through the starboard side. One minute later a second and third torpedo detonated in the engine room killing a number of her crew and the ship stopped dead in the water. The only surviving lifeboat was launched as well as one raft (eyewitness report states it is believed that Noel was one of the occupants of this raft), but the raft and its two occupants were never seen again as the ship finally sank in position 35’ 00N 72’ 27W. The remaining survivors in the lifeboat set sail for land, but due to heavy seas the boat overturned and one crewmember was drowned. The following day after the sinking another six men died from exposure and although two ships were seen close by, their desperate signals went unnoticed. By the 13th February the boat had capsized on several occasions as more men succumbed to the bitter cold. Baling became impossible and the remaining survivors were forced to sit in the boat with freezing water up to their chests and one by one the men began to die. On the 14th February the lifeboat was finally sighted by a lookout from the American Merchant ship S.S. Munroe. Only six men were picked up alive from the twenty-three original survivors in the boat, which had drifted over 100 nautical miles of treacherous sea. Lest We Forget
Unfortunately this is just the tip of the iceberg. The following list are the names of a further sixty-one British Merchant Seamen, mainly boy ratings who died on the free Norwegian (Nortraships) ships during WWII. All are officially recorded with The National Archives of Norway, but as yet have not been officially accepted by the British Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 1940 RYAN, Deck Boy, FRANK EDWARD, D/S Bravore (Norway) 20th April 1940. TORRES, Messroom Boy, DANEILSEN, D/S Bravore (Norway) 20th April 1940. CAMERON, Galley Boy, ROBERT, D/S Keret (Norway) 22nd August 1940. LARKIN, Messroom Boy, JAMES, D/S. Diana (Norway) September/October 1940. BUTLER, Deck Boy, NORMAN, M/T Nina Borthen (Norway) 6th October 1940. HASLAM, Oiler, HENRY, M/T Nina Borthen (Norway) 6th October 1940. RICHARDSON, Deck Boy, JAMES, M/T Nina Borthen (Norway) 6th October 1940. SELF, Cook, GEORGE, M/T Nina Borthen (Norway) 6th October 1940. TAYLOR, Deck Boy, HORACE, M/T Nina Borthen (Norway) 6th October 1940. WILSON, Deck Boy, GEORGE, M/T Nina Borthen (Norway) 6th October 1940. CREMIN, Trimmer, TIMOTHY, D/S Dokka (Norway) 17th October 1940. GANNAWAY, Galley Boy, LIONAL, D/S Samnanger (Norway 2nd December 1940. CAESER, Able Seaman, JOCK (Canadian) D/S Nyland (Norway) 5th December 1940. 1941 DAVIES, Galley Boy, LESLIE, D/S Brask (Norway) 15th January 1941. DONNAVON, Oiler, MICHAEL, M/S Benjamin Franklin (Norway) 19th February 1941. GOULDEN, Messroom Boy, MICHAEL, D/S Augvald (Norway) 2nd March 1941. SCARGILL, Messroom Boy, STANLEY, D/S Augvald (Norway) 2nd March 1941. HICKEY, Stoker, DENNIS, D/S Samlanes (Norway) 13th March 1941. ALLEN, Messroom Boy, FRANK, D/S Hørda (Norway) 24th March 1941. OAKLEY, Cabin Boy, DEREK, D/S Hørda (Norway) 24th March 1941. ROBERTS, Junior Ordinary Seaman, HARRY D/S Hørda (Norway) 24th March 1941. BEENEY, Sailor, ARTHUR, D/S Profit (Norway) 17th April 1941. (Accepted 15th May 2014 for War Grave Status GUTHERLESS, Deck Boy, HENRY, D/S Polyana (Norway) 25th April 1941. KING, Trimmer, JOSEPH DONALD,(Canadian) D/S Christian Krohg (Norway) 10th June 1941. O' REGAN, Stoker, WILLIAM, D/S Christian Krohg (Norway) 10th June 1941. LYNCH, Mechanic, WILLIAM, M/S Vigrid (Norway) 24th June 1941. SHIPLEY, Engineroom Boy, JAMES, M/S Vigrid (Norway) 24th June 1941. HILL, Galley Boy, WILLIAM, M/S Vigrid (Norway) 24th June 1941. SWEETMAN, Deck Boy, LESLIE, D/S Eikhaug (Norway) 7th September 1941. TURNER, Trimmer, CHARLES, D/S Eikhaug (Norway) 7th September 1941. BOTHA, Ordinary Seaman, E.P. M/T Barbro (Norway) 19th September 1941. DAVIES, Engineroom Boy, KENNETH, M/T Barbro (Norway) 19th September 1941. HUGHES, Galley Boy, WILLIAM, M/T Barbro (Norway) 19th September 1941. KRUAJER, Messroom Boy, SIMON, M/T Barbro (Norway) 19th September 1941. RICE, Messroom Boy, BERHARD, D/S Varangberg (Norway) 25th September 1941. WAUDBY, Trimmer, JACK, D/S Roy (Norway) 12th October 1941. HANNAM, Messroom Boy, FONWICK, D/S Erviken (Norway) 16th October 1941. SULLIVAN, Messroom Boy, EDWARD, D/S Erviken (Norway) 16th October 1941. CHADWICK, Ordinary Seaman, JOHN, D/S Rask (Norway) 19th October 1941. HOWARD, Messroom Boy, LEWIS, M/T Fjord (Norway) 2nd December 1941. GOODWIN, Galley Boy, REGINALD, D/S Annavore (Norway) 21st December 1941. 1942 DUFFY, Oiler, MICHAEL, M/T Nyholt, (Norway) 17th January 1942. HOPLAND, Galley Boy, HARRY, M/T Nyholt (Norway) 18th January 1942. BROMFIELD, Messroom Boy, THEODORE E. D/S Belize (Norway) 21st January 1942. HUGHES, Oiler, JOHN NORMAN, D/S Ringstad (Norway) 24th January 1942. DONACE/DONNASCHIE, Trimmer, JOHN. D/S Blink (Norway) 11th February 1942. Accepted 20/12/2013 for War Grave Status. GRAVES, Ordinary Seaman, REGINALD. D/S Blink (Norway) 11th February 1942. Accepted 20/12/2013 for War Grave Status. PAPPACENA, Galley Boy,. NOEL D/S Blink (Norway) 11th February 1942. Accepted 3/12/2013 for War Grave Status. DAVIDSON, Messroom Boy, W. N. D/S Ingerto (Norway) 12th February 1942. EAGLELSHAM, Galley Boy, CRAMFORD, D/S Ingerto (Norway) 12th February 1942. SHERIDAN, Saloon Boy, FRANCIS, M/T Finnager (Norway) 1st March 1942. PATTERSON, Messroom Boy, DENNIS, D/S Tolosa (Norway) 9th March 1942. ABBE, Saloon Boy, STANLEY, M/S Tyr (Norway) 9th March 1942. MOORE, Messroom Boy, RICHARD, M/S Tyr (Norway) 9th March 1942. DENNIE, Radiao Officer, JOHN, MT/ Svenør (Norway) 27th March 1942. PORTER, Galley Boy, RONALD R. M/T Kollskegg (Norway) 6th April 1942. McLEAN, Messroom Boy, PATRICK, D/S Fanefjeld (Norway) 9th April 1942. HOOD, Able Seaman WILLIAM A. D/S Taborfjell (Norway) 30th April 1942. HODDER, Trimmer, FRED, D/S Douro (Norway) 9th May 1942. EBANKS, Messroom Boy, CLYDE, M/S Gundersen (Norway) 1st July 1942. DOLAND, Stoker, ANTONIO, D/S Fidelio (Norway) 9th November 1942. 1944 PHILLIPS, Messroom Boy, LEON, D/S Isbjørn(Norway) 17th December 1944. Age 18, of 108 Ninian Park Road, Cardiff. Death recorded in the Deaths at Sea Register for January 1945, page 409. Case under review.
Another two from my list accepted today from the Norwegian ship D/S Blink. They do not show up on the CWGC site just yet, but received the following email. Dear Mr McGee, I am writing with reference to the above named casualties John Donnashie and Reginald Graves. I have today heard from the Registry of Shipping and Seamen who have informed us that the two casualties in question will be commemorated in the same way as the late Noel Pappacena. Kind Regards Sharon Daly Commemorations Assistant
Nice one Billy; Im still awaiting my usual message from CWGC when I will make a separate announcement
The list of names above are now finally being fully reviewed by the CWGC. After checking their own records they have actually found the names of almost half and are now under review. I have been asked to supply documentary evidence of the reaming names, which I have aquired through the National Archives of Norway in the form of deceased record cards and will be submitted once time and work permit.
Just an updated to say that details of all the cases above have been documented from records found at Kew and the National Archives of Norway and submitted to the CWGC for review. Hopefully they will all be officially commemorated in time for the 70th Anniversary for the end of WWII in 2015.
Email from the CWGC. Finally had another ten names accepted for official commemoration as war dead. More to follow....I hope. Dear Mr McGee, We have recently been instructed by the relevant Service Authority that the following casualties qualify for commemoration as Commonwealth war casualties. These are as follows:- D/S BRANT COUNTY – Michael Lehane D/S DOURO – Fred Hodder D/S FANEFJELD – Patrick McLean D/S ANNAVORE – Reginald Goodwin D/S ERVIKEN – Fonwick Hannam and Edward Sullivan D/S HORDA – Frank Allen and Derek Oakley D/S CHRISTIAN KROHG – William O’Regan and William McGrory. Kind regards. Sharon Daly Commemorations Assistant
