SS Banalbanach sunk 7 Jan 1943

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by juliahambly1, Dec 16, 2009.

  1. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Panel from my photo collection

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  2. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    Memorial Scroll to 2343566 Edmund Howe Smith of 1st Air Formation signals who died in the sinking

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  3. anthony christie

    anthony christie New Member

    Hi

    my great grandfather was John u christie who died on this ship.I was just wandering if every person that died received a scroll?and if so how or where can I view this?
     

    Attached Files:

  4. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    I think everyone was entitled to them, but not sure if they were automatically issued or if you needed to request them - if he did have one it would have gone to his next of kin
     
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  5. anthony christie

    anthony christie New Member

    thanks,,have you ever visited Tower Hill in London?
     
  6. brithm

    brithm Senior Member

  7. brithm

    brithm Senior Member

    Passengers died in the sinking of the ship RAOC, RASC, Royal Artillery & RASC
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  8. brithm

    brithm Senior Member

    Crew killed in action 7th January 1943

    Benalbanach, steamship
    BORLAND, Albert, Gunner, RA, 2209459, (2/1 Maritime Regt, RA, O/P), killed
    CARTER, Henry J, Ty/Act/Leading Seaman, RNVR, (DEMS), C/LD/X 4052, (President III, O/P), MPK
    COLE, Hugh D, Convoy Signalman, C/JX 234034, (President III, O/P), MPK
    COLLARD, Ronald E, Convoy Signalman, C/JX 234035, (President III, O/P), MPK
    COX, John T, Convoy Signalman, C/JX 269612, (President III, O/P), MPK
    CURTIS, Alfred P, Act/Able Seaman (DEMS), C/JX 235854, (President III, O/P), MPK
    EVANS, John T, Act/Able Seaman (DEMS), D/JX 230384, (President III, O/P), MPK
    HENDRY, James H W, Gunner, RA, 2824959, (1/1 Maritime Regt, RA, O/P), killed
    HOBBIS, John C, Act/Able Seaman (DEMS), D/JX 306300, (President III, O/P), MPK
    LAW, James F, Act/Able Seaman (DEMS), C/JX 335709, (President III, O/P), MPK
    MATHARS, Henry W, Act/Able Seaman (DEMS), D/JX 345008, (President III, O/P), MPK
    MCKENNA, Joseph P/, Gunner, RA, 3319565, (2/1 Maritime Regt, RA, O/P), killed
    POLLARD, William, Act/Able Seaman (DEMS), C/JX 333167, (President III, O/P), MPK
    RUDD, James E, Act/Able Seaman (DEMS), C/JX 338273, (President III, O/P), MPK
    SIMPSON, William J, Gunner, RA, 4755161, (1/1 Maritime Regt, RA, O/P), killed
    SMITH, George, Lance Bombardier, RA, 3456485, (1/1 Maritime Regt, RA, O/P), killed
     
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  9. brithm

    brithm Senior Member

    Sinking of the Benalbanach January 1943

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  10. brithm

    brithm Senior Member

  11. ltdan

    ltdan Nietenzähler

    For the sake of completeness:
    The attack was carried out by He 111 of KG 26 (Löwen Geschwader) from Grosseto/Italy airbase
    He111_H_III.KG_26.jpg Wappen Kampfgeschwader 26.jpg

    You probably won't find much more about this even in the war diary of the Kriegsmarine
    Extensive picture collection:
    Kampfgeschwader 26 "Löwen" (KG 26)
     
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  12. Hugh MacLean

    Hugh MacLean Senior Member

    Also in the interests of completeness, Robert has missed one of the MN casualties in this list. There were actually 44 merchant seamen killed on this ship. The omission from the list above is:

    DUNSHIRE, DAVID. CABIN BOY. S.S. BENALBANACH (Leith, Scotland). Canadian Merchant Navy. 7th January 1943. Panel 23. (Halifax (Can)).

    The Chief Officer in his report to the Admiralty Trade Division stated there were 57 crew missing. During wartime the crew also included the military D.E.M.S. gunners. So, if they signed the articles of agreement they were borne on the ship's books as crew. 44 MN, 8 RN D.E.M.S., 5 MRA D.E.M.S made up the total crew deaths to 57. Note 3 RN convoy signalmen also died aboard but would not be classed as part of her crew as they were not permanently attached and didn't sign the articles.

    Lloyd's War Losses Vol I gives 340 as the losses for the military passengers however, sources differ on this.

    Regards
    Hugh
     
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  13. BlueLancer

    BlueLancer Member

    Further to this thread would anyone have a copy of the manifest for SS Benalbanach. I am researching its journey from England to its sinking as interested in the 17th/21 Lancers who were also killed when she sank. There seems to be quite a disparity into which aircraft actually sank the ship, an eye witness account states 5 Italian torpedo bombers with alone bomber striking the ship with two torpedoes yet in Eagles over the Sea, 1943–45: A History of Luftwaffe Maritime Operations, by Lawrence Paterson it records a flight of 17 Heinkel's HEIII from Kampfgeschwader 26 (KG 26) "Löwengeschwader" (in English Bomber Wing 26 aka "Lions' Wing" by virtue of its insignia) based in Grosseto, Italy.
     
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  14. Steve49

    Steve49 Boycott P&O...

    As Hugh says, in addition the 44 MN crew losses, there are various different casualty/personnel accounts for this sinking.

    Lloyd's war losses says 57 crew, 17 gunners and 389 Army passengers onboard, of whom 44 crew, 13 gunners and 340 passengers lost (but doesn't mention the RN signallers).
    Book Shipping company losses says 57 crew and 353 passengers killed
    Book Utmost spirit says 40 survivors (plus had been carrying 375 passengers)
    Book Luftwaffe aerial torpedo aircraft and operations says 463 onboard, of whom 397 lost

    For information the Brookwood Memorial lists 2 Officers and 141 OR killed as onboard Benalbanch, plus has another 82 OR lost on this date who were probably onboard as their units match with identified casualties. There are another 10 casualties buried at Bone War Cemetery and 110 others remembered on the Medjez-el-Bad Memorial most of whom were almost certainly lost in the sinking, but I haven't yet been able to confirm their presence onboard (ADM358/3060 will probably shed some more light when I get a chance to see it).

    In addition to the crew and passenger deaths, CWGC lists 8 OR RN and 5 Army gunners and 3 RN signalers lost with the sinking.

    Regards,

    Steve
     
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  15. Hugh MacLean

    Hugh MacLean Senior Member

    The ship's chief officer reported that he thought the aircraft that attacked them was an 'Italian machine probably of the S.M.79 class'. Although he only saw 5 planes he was told there were 16 aircraft making the attack and that some of them were high level bombers.

    His report was written not long after the attack and he only states that he thought the aircraft was Italian. He was the chief officer on the ship but probably not an aircraft recognition expert. Other more up to date research certainly seems to agree on the HE 111 from (KG26) out of Grosseto Italy, whether it involved any Italian aircraft, I cannot say.

    Regards
    Hugh
     
  16. BlueLancer

    BlueLancer Member

    Thanks Steve, I hope I can now create a comprehensive list of the crew and troops. Would anyone have a list of the stores carried as I know the 17th/21st Lancers were expecting some new Grant tanks but I don't know if they were on board the ship.
     
  17. BlueLancer

    BlueLancer Member

    Thanks Hugh that seems to confirm the details in Lawrence Paterson's book
     
  18. Hugh MacLean

    Hugh MacLean Senior Member

    To be able to account for all of the crew including the survivors and the D.E.M.S. gunners then you would need to obtain a copy of the Ship's Official Logbook or rather the shore-side copy as the physical log was lost with the ship.
    This file is held at TNA Kew in piece BT 381/2585 there are other files to account for missing military troops not carried as members of her crew, namely ADM358/3060.

    The ship was carrying 800 tons of ammunition, 68 tons of petrol, 300 tons of Military Stores and 136 vehicles.

    Regards
    Hugh
     
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  19. BlueLancer

    BlueLancer Member

    Once again thanks Hugh the links are very helpful

    Steve
     
  20. Juha

    Juha Junior Member

    As for an extra confirmation of that He 111Hs from KG 26 sunk the ship
    SS Benalbanach is not mentioned in the lists of Ships sunk by S.79 Sparviero torpedo-bombers in the Savoia-Marchetti S.79 Sparviero Torpedo-Bomber Units by Marco Mattioli, Osprey Combat Aircraft 106 (2014), S.79s carried only one torpedo on their combat sorties anyway,
     

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