Details, where known, of all British and Commonwealth Radio Officers who lost their lives in the course of duty in both World Wars.
The details in the following list are due to the outstanding work carried out by former Radio Officers Peter J Barber and George V Monk with the able assistance of the Hon. Archivist of the ROA, Willie Williamson. This work is the copyright © of The Radio Officers’ Association and cannot be reproduced in any form without ROA permission. This permission will never be withheld for any reasonable request.
MEMORIAL REGISTER: RADIO OFFICERS KILLED AT SEA – 1939 TO 1945 (P-R)
847 PAGE, 2nd R.O. ARTHUR (20), SS CARLTON
6th January 1941
West of Ireland, the cargo ship Canton, 5162 tons (R. Chapman and Sons), Newport to Buenos Aires was sunk by the Italian submarine Calvi with the loss of twenty-nine of her crew.
848 PAGE, 1st R.O. JOHN WILLIAM (38), SS STANCLIFFE
12th April 1940
Off the Scottish coast the steamer Stancliffe, 4511 tons (J. A. Billmeir and Co.), Narvik to the U.K. with iron ore was torpedoed by U-37 and sank with the loss of twenty-two of the crew.
849 PARKER, 2nd R.O. GEORGE HEALEY (34), MV QUEEN VICTORIA
28th June 1942
East of Madagascar, the cargo-ship Queen Victoria, 4937 tons (T. Dunlop and Sons), South Africa to the Middle East, was sunk by the Japanese submarine I-10. There was only one survivor who spent the rest of the war in a Japanese POW camp. Thirty-two of her crew died.
850 PARKER, 3rd R.O. JAMES (21), SS TJISALAK
26th March 1944
The steamer Tjisalak was torpedoed and sunk 450 miles south of Ceylon by the Japanese submarine I-8. Three of the crew died when the ship was hit, of the 100 survivors, 95 were shot or tortured to death, including a woman passenger. Only five people survived including the 2nd Radio Officer. R.O. Parker was shot aboard the submarine.
851 PARSON, 1st R.O. REGINALD HENRY (43), SS AGNETE MAERSK 24th March 1941
In the North Atlantic, the ex Danish flagged cargo ship Agnete Maersk, 2104 tons, Clyde to Canada was sunk by the Italian submarine Veneiro. Twenty-seven of her crew perished.
852 PARSONS, 1st R.O. ENOS (41), SS EMPIRE MERLIN
25th August 1940
West of Scotland the U-48 attacked a homeward bound convoy, sinking the steamer Empire Merlin, 5763 tons (Ministry of Shipping), Port Sulphur to Hull. Twenty-six of her crew died.
853 PARSONS, 1st R.O. WALTER HAROLD (44), SS MANIPUR
17th July 1940
Off Cape Wrath the cargo liner Manipur, 8652 tons (T. and J. Brocklebank), Baltimore to London was sunk by U-57 with the loss of fourteen crew.
854 PATERSON, 2nd R.O. JOHN WATT (21), SS KIRNWOOD
10th December 1941
In the Northwest Approaches U-130 sank the cargo ship Kirnwood, 3829 tons (Constantine S.S. Co.), New York to the U.K. Fifteen of the crew died.
855 PATERSON, 3rd R.O. WILLIAM (19), MV BRITTANY
29th October 1942
Near Madeira, U-boats attacked a homeward bound convoy. U-5O9 sank the cargo liner Brittany, 4772 tons (Royal Mail Lines), the River Plate to the U.K. Twelve members of the crew perished.
856 PATRICK, 1st R.O. SYDNEY CUBITT MATTHEW (43),
SS KHEDIVE ISMAIL 12th February 1944
Off the Maldive Islands the troopship Khedive Ismail, 7513 tons (MOWT), British India S.N. Co.), East Africa to Colombo was sunk by the Japanese submarine I-27 with the loss of 1383 lives of which 137 were crew. The I-27 was itself then destroyed by the escorting destroyers, Paladin and Petard.
857 PATTERSON, 3rd R.O. ROBERT (17), SS SHAHRISTAN
29th July 1941
South of the Azores, the passenger/cargo liner Shahristan, 6935 tons (F. C. Strick and Co.), the U.K. to the Persian Gulf was sunk by U-371 with the loss of eight of the crew.
858 PAYNE (Seaman W/O) SAMUEL THOMAS (41), SS ARGUS
(Trinity House Service) 12th November 1940
Near the South Oaze Buoy the Trinity House Tender Argus was sunk by a mine with the loss of thirty-four of the crew.
859 PAYTON, 1st R.O. JOSEPH ALFRED WILLIAM (32), SS ULLAPOOL
13th March 1941
In the River Mersey the cargo ship Ullapool, 4891 tons (Ropner Shipping Co.) was sunk by a mine off Princes Landing Stage with the loss of fifteen of her crew.
860 PEASON, 2nd R.O. GEORGE ALBERT (29), SS ENGLISHMAN
22nd January 1941
West of Tory Island, the tug Englishman, 487 tons (United Towing Co.) was sunk by German aircraft with the loss of all eighteen of the crew.
861 PEASON, 2nd R.O. JAMES ELGIN (21), SS OBSERVER
16th December 1942
Off Brazil, the cargo liner Observer, 5881 tons (T. and J. Harrison), Turkey to the U.S. was sunk by U-176 with the loss of sixty-six of her crew.
862 PEARSON, 1ST R.O. JAMES OWEN (30), SS EFFNA
1st March 1941
Southeast of Ireland, the cargo ship Effna, 6461 tons (ex-U.S. Maritime Commission), Baltimore to Newport with steel was sunk by U-108 with the loss of thirty-three crew.
863 PEAT, 2nd R.O. HAROLD HEATHCOTE (19), SS DJURDJURA
13th June 1941
East of the Azores the cargo ship Djurdjura, 3460 tons (MOWT), Westbourne Shipping Co. Managers) Pepel to the U. K. was sunk by the submarine Brin (Italian). Thirty-two of the crew were lost.
864 PEEVER, 1st R.O. HARRY (49), SS CITY OF CAIRO
6th November 1942
South of St. Helena, the passenger/cargo liner City of Cairo, 8034 tons (Ellerman City Line), India to the U.K. was sunk by U-68. Eighty-two crew and twenty-two passengers died.
865 PEIRSON, 1st R.O. GORDON B (23), SS BRITISH VENTURE
24th June 1943
In the southern Persian Gulf, the tanker British Venture, 4696 tons (British Tanker Co.), Abadan to Bombay was sunk by the submarine I-27 (Japanese) with the loss of seven of her crew.
866 PENNINGTON, 3rd R.O. JOHN GORDON (20), SS CLAN MACTAVISH
8th October 1942
Off the Cape of Good Hope the cargo liner Clan MacTavish, 7631 tons (Clan Line), South Africa to the U.K. was sunk by U-159. Fifty-four people and seven survivors from the SS Boringia lost their lives.
867 PENNY, 2nd R.O. JOHN WALTER CHARLES (25), SS TURAKINA
20th August 1940
Northwest of New Zealand, the cargo liner Turakina, 9691 tons (New Zealand Shipping Co.), Port Pine and Sydney to Wellington and then the U.K. was sunk in an action with the commerce raider Orion (German) and thirty-five of her crew died.
868 PERRY, 2nd R.O. STANLEY (30), SS LLANDILO
2nd November 1942
West of South Africa, the cargo ship Llandilo, 4966 tons (E. Thomas Radcliffe and Sons), the U.S. to India was sunk by U-172 with the loss of twenty-one of her crew.
869 PETTIT, 1st R.O. PIERRE ETIENNE (34),
SS VILLE DE TAMATAVE 23rd January 1943
The Ville de Tamatave was commodore ship of convoy ONS 160 when in ferocious weather she sank without warning taking all hands with her. The commodore, Admiral Sir H. J. Studholme Brownrigge KBE, GB, DSO was the most senior officer on either side to be killed on active service.
870 PETTITT, 1st R.O. HAROLD (39), SS BRITISH VISCOUNT
3rd April 1941
Southwest of Iceland, U-boats attacked a homeward bound convoy; U-73 sank the tanker British Viscount, 6859 tons (British Tanker Co.), Curacao to Scapa Flow with the loss of twenty-eight of her crew.
871 PETTITT, 2nd R.O. HERBERT WILLIAM (27), SS WHITE CREST
24th February 1942
East of Newfoundland U-boats attacked an outward-bound convoy. The
U-558 sank the cargo ship White Crest, 4365 tons (Hall Brothers), bound for North America. Forty-one of her crew were lost.
872 PHELAN, 1st R.O. PATRICK (50), SS EMPIRE TURNSTONE
22nd October 1942
Southwest of Iceland, the cargo ship Empire Turnstone, 6113 tons (MOWT, Kay, Son and Co. Managers), the Tyne to Port Sulphur was sunk by U-621 with the loss of all forty-six crew.
873 PHILLIPPO, 1st R.O. CONRAD EUGENE DUNCAN (41), SS STORNEST
14th October 1942
West of Ireland the cargo ship Stornest, 4265 tons (J. Morrison and Son), the U.K. to Boston was sunk by U-706 with the loss of all forty-eight people on board.
874 PHILLIPS, 1st R.O. JOHN (29), SS BARBERRYS
26th November 1942
West of Newfoundland the cargo ship Barberrys, 5170 tons (Runciman London Ltd) from the U.S. to the Clyde was sunk by the U-663, with the loss of twenty of her crew.
875 PHILLIPS, 2nd R.O. REGINALD HORACE (35),
MV ARTHUR F CORWIN 13th February 1941
South East of Iceland the U-96 sank the tanker Arthur F. Corwin, 10,516 tons (Oriental Tankers Ltd) Aruba to the U.K. with the loss of all forty-six people on board.
876 PHILLIPS, 3rd R.O. RICHARD (18), SS EMPIRE BYRON
5th July 1942
Convoy PQ17, (U.K./U.S. to Murmansk), was ordered to scatter by the Admiralty in the knowledge that a powerful German force was at sea. The scattered convoy lost 26 ships, the worse disaster of the sea war. U-703 sank the cargo ship Empire Byron, 6645 tons (MOWT) the day after the order to scatter was given. Three of the crew were lost.
877 PHILP, 2nd R.O. DAVID HARLEY (18), SS SHAHZADA
9th July 1944
In the Arabian Sea the cargo ship Shahzada, 5454 tons, Mormugao to the Red Sea was sunk by the U-196, with the loss of eight of her crew.
878 PICKLES, 1st R.O. HARRY (38), SS BLAIRATHOLL
27th November 1942
The cargo ship Blairatholl, 3319 tons (C. Nisbet and Co.) was lost; thirty-five of her crew died
879 PICKMERE, 1st R.O. EDWARD CHRISTOPHER (25),
SS FORT LONGUEUIL 20th September 1943
South of the Chagos Island the cargo ship Fort Longueuil, 7128 tons (MOWT, Lancashire Shipping Co. Managers), Barry to Australia with ammunition was torpedoed by U-532 with the loss of all hands with the exception of two survivors. They drifted on a raft and were washed up on the island of Sumatra on the 1st February 1944 and were captured by the Japanese. Forty-five members of the crew died.
880 PILCHER, 2nd R.O. ROY HAMILTON (21), SS ANGLO-SAXON
21st August 1940
About 800 miles west of the Canary Islands the steamer Anglo—Saxon, 5596 tons (Nitrate Producers SS Co.), Newport to Bahia Blanca with coal was sunk by the commerce raider Widder (German). After the war the raider’s captain, Von Ruckteschell, was found guilty of failing to provide the safety of the ship’s crew. The court was told that the Widder had fired on the ship’s lifeboats. Thirty-nine of her crew died, two survivors drifted 2500 miles in 71 days landing in the Bahamas.
The ship was sunk by the German Armed Merchant Raider – WIDDER
The ships jolly boat floated free and seven of the crew boarded it including R.O. Pilcher who was badly injured. On the 1st September 1940 Pilcher died and was committed to the deep `. Later four crew
died.
The jolly boat sailed and drifted until 31 October 1940 when it
grounded on the shore of Alabaster Bay, Eleuthera, Bahamas. Two
seamen survived, having voyaged 2,275 miles in 72 days. This
jolly boat is now at the Imperial War Museum. London.
881 PLACE, 1st R.O. EDMUND BOWES (30), SS EMPIRE CITIZEN 2nd Feb. 1941
South of Iceland the U-107 sank the cargo ship Empire Citizen, 4683 tons (MOWT), Liverpool to Rangoon with the loss of seventy-eight lives.
882 POLLOCK, 2nd R.O. JOHN BRIAN (19), SS TWEED
8th April 1941
Near Pepel, the cargo ship Tweed, 2697 tons (Transitus Shipping Ltd) bound for the port from the Mersey was sunk by U-124 with the loss of three of the crew.
883 POMEROY, 2nd R.O. PETER (18), MV CORNISH CITY
28th July 1943
South of Madagascar, the cargo ship Cornish City, 4952 tons (Sir W. Reardon Smith and Sons), East Africa to the Middle East was sunk by the U-177. Thirty-one members of the crew lost their lives.
884 POOLE, 1st R.O. REGINALD EDWARD (38), MV NARRAGANSETT 25th March 1942
Northwest of Bermuda the tanker Narragansett, 10389 tons (British- Mexican Pet. Co.), Port Arthur to the U.K. was sunk by U-1O5 with the loss of all forty-nine people on board.
885 PORTEOUS, 1st R.O. ALEXANDER (45), MV SAN VICTORIO
16th May 1942
West of Granada the tanker San Victorio, 8136 tons (Eagle Oil and Shipping Co.), Aruba to the U.K. was sunk by U-155. There was one survivor. Forty-four of her crew lost their lives.
886 POUNTAIN, 3rd R.O. CLAUD ERIC (31), SS STONEPOOL
11th September 1941
East of Cape Farewell U-boats attacked a homeward bound convoy; U-207 sank the cargo ship Stonepool, 4815 tons (Sir R. Ropner and Co.) from Halifax. Thirty-one of her crew perished.
887 PRESTON, 3rd R.O. JACK (21), SS FORT CONCORD
12th May 1943
North of the Azores, the cargo ship Fort Concord, 7138 tons (MOWT), Canada to the U.K. was sunk by U-403. Twenty-nine of her crew were lost.
888 PRICE, 2nd R.O. HUGH MONTAGUE (22), SS ROXBY
7th November 1942
In mid-Atlantic U-boats attacked an outward-bound convoy; U-613 sank the cargo ship Roxby, 4252 tons (Ropner Shipping Co.) the UK to Halifax. Twenty-eight crewmembers died.
889 PRICE, 2nd R.O. JOHN LAING (23), MV OTINA
20th December 1942
In the mid Atlantic, the tanker Otina, 6217 tons (Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co.), the U.K. to New York for orders was sunk by U-621 with the loss of fifteen of her crew.
890 PRIOR, 1st R.O. MICHAEL (46), SS TABARISTAN
29th May 1941
Near Freetown, the cargo liner Tabaristan, 6251 tons (F.C. Strick and Co.), Persian Gulf to the U.K. was sunk by the U-38, with the loss of seven of her crew.
891 PRITCHARD, 2nd R.O. CLARENCE MARCUS (28), SS TRIBESMAN
1st December 1940
In the central Atlantic, the cargo-liner Tribesman, 6242 tons (T. and J. Harrison), Liverpool to India, was sunk by the German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer with the loss of fourteen of the crew.
892 PROCTER, 3rd R.O. ERIC (21), MV FISHPOOL
26th July 1943
The cargo ship Fishpool, 4950 tons (Sir R. Ropner and Sons), was sunk in an air attack on Syracuse. Twenty-eight of her crew died.
893 PROVOST, 2ND R.O. AUREL (21), SS PLM 22
27th June 1941
West of the Canary Islands, the cargo ship PLM 22, 5645 tons (MOWT, E.R. Management Co, Managers), Pepel to the Tees was sunk by U-123 with the loss of thirty-two crew
894 PURCELL, 3rd R.O. PATRICK (19), MV SEAFORTH
18th February 1941
Northwest of Ireland, the cargo ship Seaforth, 5459 tons (Elder Dempster), West Africa to Liverpool was sunk by the U-103 with the loss of all forty-nine crew and ten passengers.
895 PURDY, 2nd R.O. BRIAN (19), SS HELENA MARGARETA
8th April 1941
South of the Azores the U-107 attacked a convoy sinking, amongst others, the cargo ship Helena Margareta, 3316 tons (Euxine Shipping Co.) the U. K. to Takoradi with the loss of twenty-seven of her crew.
896 PUTZ, 2nd R.O. ALBERT LESLIE (19), MV EMPIRE COMET 19th February 1942
In the Northwest Approaches the cargo ship Empire Comet, 6914. tons (MOWT, Dodd Thompson and Co. Managers) was sunk by U-136. Thirty-seven of the crew perished.
897 QUIGLEY, 1st R.O. JOHN JOSEPH (41), MV EMPIRE STAR
23rd October 1942
North of the Azores, the passenger/cargo ship Empire Star, 12656 tons (Blue Star Line), the U.K. to South Africa was sunk by U-615 with the loss of thirty crew and six passengers.
898 QUILL, 2nd R.O. JOHN (20), MV KING MALCOLM
31st October 1941
Off Newfoundland, the cargo ship King Malcolm, 5120 tons (Dodd Thomson & Co.) was sunk by the U-374. Her crew of thirty-four and four gunners were all lost in mountainous seas.
899 QUINN, 1st R.O. HAROLD WILLIAM (37), SS AVOCETA
25th September 1941
A north bound convoy near the Azores was attacked by U-boats. U-203 sank the cargo liner Avoceta, 3442 tons (Yeoward Bros.), Lisbon to Liverpool. Forty-seven crew and seventy-six passengers died.
900 QUINN, 2nd R.O. PETER PAUL (20), SS NANCY MOLLER
18th March 1944
South of Ceylon, the cargo ship Nancy Moller, 3916 tons (Moller Lines), Durban to Colombo was sunk by the submarine I-165 (Japanese) with the loss of four of her crew.
901 RACTLIFF, 2nd R.O. CHARLES ARTHUR SAMUEL (26),
SS TREBARTHA 11th November 1940
Of f Aberdeen German bombers sank the cargo ship Trebartha, 4597 tons (Ham Steamship Co.), London to Philadelphia with the loss of three of her crew.
902 RADFORD, 2nd R.O. JOHN HARRY (18), SS CREE
21st November 1940
West of Ireland, the cargo ship Cree, 4791 tons (Muir Young Ltd), Pepel to Workington with iron ore was sunk by U-123 with the loss of all forty-three of her crew.
903 RAE, 1st R.O. WILLIAM (41), SS ROBERT L. HOLT
4th July 1941
West of the Canary Islands, the cargo liner Robert L. Holt, 2918 tons (John Holt and Co.), the U.K. to West Africa was sunk by U-69. She was lost with all hands. Forty-two of her crew died.
904 RAITHBY, 3rd R.O. GORDON (19), SS LINDENHALL
7th November 1942
After leaving Trinidad the cargo ship Lindenhall, 5248 tons (West Hartlepool S.N. Co.), Rio de Janeiro to the U.K. was sunk by U-508 with the loss of thirty-eight of her crew.
905 RAMSAY, 1st R.O. JAMES MILLER (32), SS RUPERRA
19th October 1940
In the Northwest Approaches, U-boats attacked a homeward-bound convoy. The U-46 sank the cargo ship Ruperra, 4548 tons (J. Cory &andSons), New York to Greenock and Leith. Thirty of her crew perished.
906 RAMSAY, 3rd R.O. JOHN JAMES (32), SS KING GRUFFYDD
17th March 1943
In mid-Atlantic U-boats attacked two convoys 120 miles apart. In one convoy U-338 sank the cargo ship King Gruffydd, 5072 tons (Dodd Thomson & Co.) the U.S. to U.K. with the loss of twenty-four of her crew.
907 RASMUSSEN, 1st R.O. HAROLD JULIUS (34), MV PETER MAERSK
7th December 1942
West of the Azores the cargo ship Peter Maersk, 5476 tons (MOWT, A. Holt and Co. Managers), Liverpool to the Middle East was sunk by the U-185 with the loss of all sixty-seven people on board.
908 RATCLIFFE, 2nd R.O. HERBERT (24), MV EDWY R. BROWN
18th February 1941
South of Iceland, the U-103 sank the tanker Edwy R Brown, 10455 tons (Oriental Tankers) with the loss of forty-eight of her crew.
909 RATHBONE, 2nd R.O. WILLIAM ARTHUR (24), SS TREGARTHEN
6th June 1941
In the north Atlantic the cargo ship Tregarthen, 5201 tons (Hain SS Co.), South Wales to Jamaica was sunk by the U-48. Forty-two members of the crew died.
910 RAWSON 2nd R.O. HUGH GEORGE (21), MV KING LUD
8th June 1942
Off Madagascar, the cargo ship King Lud, 5224 tons (Dodd, Thomson & Co.), was sunk by the submarine I-10 (Japan). She was lost with all hands, a crew of thirty-nine including gunners.
911 READE, 1st R.O. NORMAN HUTTON (34), SS BENLOMOND
24th November1942
East of the River Amazon the cargo ship Benlomond, 6630 tons (Ben Line) the Middle East to the U.S. was sunk by U-172 with the loss of forty-six crew, there was only one survivor.
912 REED, 1st R.O. LEONARD FRANK (31), MV DARKDALE
22nd October 1941
The fleet oiler Darkdale, was sunk by U-68 off Jamestown St Helena Island whilst at anchor, with the loss of forty-one crew.
913 REES, 1st R.O. DEWI (29), MV FORT RICHENPANSE
3rd September 1941
West of Ireland, the cargo ship Fort Richepanse, 3485 tons (MOWT, Canadian Pacific SS Co. Managers), Montreal to Liverpool was sunk by U-567. Twenty-six of her crew died.
914 REES, 3rd R.O. EDWARD (20), MV QUEEN VICTORIA
28th June1942
East of Madagascar, the cargo-ship Queen Victoria, 4937 tons (T. Dunlop and Sons), South Africa to the Middle East, was sunk by the Japanese submarine I-10. There was only one survivor who spent the rest of the war in a Japanese POW camp. Thirty-two of her crew died.
915 REES, 1st R.O. JAMES GILBERT (26), SS HARPALYCE
25th August 1940
West of the Hebrides U-124 sank the steamer Harpalyce, 5169 tons (J. and C. Harrison), Baltimore to Hull with steel. Thirty-five of her crew were lost.
916 REES, 2nd R.O. JOHN IVER (26), SS CLAN MacARTHUR 11th August 1943
Near Mauritius the cargo liner Clan MacArthur, 10528 tons (Clan Line), Glasgow to Mauritius was sunk by U-181. From a complement of 151 only 99 were picked up by a French Sloop.
917 REES, 3rd R.O. VINCENT LLOYD (26), SS KOHINUR
15th November 1940
Off West Africa, the cargo ship Kohinur, 5166 tons (Asiatic S.N. Co.), Port Talbot to Alexandria and Port Said with Military stores, was sunk by the U-65, with loss of nine of her crew.
918 REEVES, 3rd R.O. ARNOLD (19), MV CHARLES L D
9th December 1942
Southeast of Cape Farewell, the cargo ship Charles L.D., 5267 tons (ex French Flag), India to the U.K. was sunk by U-553. Thirty-six of the crew died.
919 REGAN, 1st R.O. BENJAMIN CECIL (25), SS BREIVIKEN
4 July 1943
The Norwegian ship Breiviken was torpedoed and sunk by U-178 in the Mozambique Channel. She was bound from Durban to the Gulf of Cambay with a cargo of coal. She sank in three minutes, no W/T report transmitted.
920 REGAN, 2nd R.O. DOUGLAS E (21), MV HARPAGUS
20th May 1941
South of Cape Farewell U-boats attacked a homeward convoy; the cargo ship Harpagus, 5173 tons (J. & C. Harrison) Baltimore to Bristol Channel was sunk by the U-98 with the loss of twenty-five of her crew.
921 REID, 2nd R.O. JAMES (23), SS NAIRUNG
16th August 1944
Off East Africa the steamer Nairung, 5414 tons was sunk by U-662 with the loss of sixteen of her crew.
922 REID, 2nd R.O. LESLIE MAYNE (22), SS STORAA
3rd November 1943
Off Hastings German E-boats sank the cargo ship Storaa, 1967 tons (MOWT), London to Bristol. Eighteen of her crew died.
923 REID, 1st R.O. RICHARD ARCHBOLD (39), MV KOLCHIS
22nd November 1940
This vessel was a Greek registered ship. Whilst on passage from Sydney NS to Cardiff with a cargo of grain she was torpedoed and sunk by U-123 in the North Atlantic with the loss of all hands.
924 REID, 1st R.O. ROBERT (39), SS SULACO 19th October 1940
South of Iceland, the steamer Sulaco, 5389 tons (Elders and Fyffes), Avonmouth to Nigeria was sunk by U-124 with the loss of sixty-seven of her
925 REID, 3rd R.O. ROBERT (17), SS NAIRUNG
18th August 1944
Off East Africa the steamer Nairung, 5414 tons was sunk by U-662 with the loss of sixteen of her crew.
926 REID, 3rd R.O. ROGER ANTHONY LYON (24), SS CAPE ST. ANDREW
13th November 1940
West of Ireland the cargo ship Cape St Andrew, 5049 tons (Mitchell Cotts and Co.), the Tees to India was sunk by U-137
927 REILLY, 1st R.O. ROBERT (29), SS TEMPLE MOAT
23rd February 1941
Southwest of Iceland, U-boats attacked an outward-bound convoy; the U-69 sank the cargo ship Temple Moat, 4427 tons (Lambert Brothers), bound for the U.S. She was lost with all hands, forty-two persons.
928 REILLY, 2nd R.O. WILLIE (17), SS GANGES
6th April 1942
A convoy of ships from Calcutta was attacked in the south Bay of Bengal by a Japanese surface force and carrier aircraft; five ships were sunk amongst which was the cargo ship Ganges, 6246 tons (James Nourse Ltd), Calcutta to South Africa. Three members of the crew died.
929 RESIDE, 2nd R.O. DONALD MCKAY (22), SS CARLIER
11th November 1943
This was a Belgian registered ship of 7217 tons. Sunk by German aircraft off Oran, North Africa. Seventy-two crew and passengers lost.
930 REYNHART, 2nd R.O. VICTOR WALLACE (26),
SS LANCASTRIAN PRINCE 11th April 1943
East of Newfoundland, the cargo ship Lancastrian Prince, 1914 tons (Furness Withy and Co.), the U.K. to the U.S. was sunk by U-404. Thirty-seven of the crew perished.
931 REYNOLDS, 1st R.O. DERRICK A (21), SS NORHAUK
21st December 1943
The cargo ship Norhauk, 6086 tons (Norwegian registration), struck a mine in the Straits of Dover and sank with the loss of eleven of her crew.
932 REYNOLDS, 2nd R.O. FRANK ALFRED (19), SS NAILSEA COURT 10th March 1943
South of Iceland, the cargo ship Nailsea Court, 4946 tons (Evans and Reid), Beira to London was sunk by U-229. Forty-four of her crew died. There were only four survivors.
933 RHODES, 2nd R.O. ALAN (25), SS TREMODA
27th August 1941
West of Ireland, the U-557 attacked an outward bound convoy; sinking the cargo ship Tremoda, 4736 tons (Ham SS Co.,) bound for West Africa. Twenty-six crew members and six gunners lost their lives.
934 RICHARDS, 2nd R.O. EMLYN EDWARD (29), SS CANFORD CHINE
8th February 1941
In the North Atlantic the cargo ship Canford Chine, 3364 tons (Chine Shipping Co.), the Clyde to Buenos Aires was sunk by a U-boat (thought to be the U-52) with the loss of all thirty-five of the crew.
935 RICHARDSON, 3rd R.O. ERNEST (20), MV EMPIRE COMET 19th February 1942
In the Northwest Approaches the cargo ship Empire Comet, 6914. tons (MOWT, Dodd Thompson and Co. Managers) was sunk by U-136. Thirty-seven of the crew perished.
936 RICHARDSON, 2nd R.O. RONALD (17), SS BELCREST
15th February 1941
In the North Atlantic, the cargo ship Belcrest, 4517 tons was sunk by the submarine Bianchi (Italian). Thirty-six of her crew died.
937 RICHARDSON, 3rd R.O. THOMAS WILLIAM VICTOR (19),
SS SVEND FOYN 21st March 1943
In a North Atlantic convoy in severe storms with winds to Force 11, sub-zero temperatures, snowstorms and 40-foot waves, several ships were damaged by ice. The Svend Foyn, a tanker of 14795 tons plunged to the bottom after striking an iceberg. Twenty-four of her crew died.
938 RICHES, 1st R.O. CLAUDE DERRICK (18), SS EMPIRE IMPALA 11th March 1943
Southeast of Cape Farewell the cargo ship Empire Impala, 6116 tons (MOWT) the U.S. to the U.K. was sunk by the U-591 as she picked up survivors from the cargo/passenger liner Egyptian. There were only three survivors. Forty-one of her crew died.
939 RILEY, 2nd R.O. ALFRED (29), MV JAMAICA
7th March 1943
A Norwegian registered ship. Torpedoed and sunk by U-221 in the North Atlantic with the loss of nineteen crew and two passengers.
940 RILEY, 3rd R.O. MAURICE (18), SS LULWORTH HILL 19th March 1943
West of Lobito the cargo ship Lulworth Hill, 7628 tons (Counties Ship Management Co.), Mauritius to the U.K. was sunk by the submarine Da Vinci (Italian), Forty-seven of her forty-nine crew perished.
941 RILEY, 1st R.O. SYDNEY (39), SS EAST WALES
16th December 1942
Near St. Paul Rocks the cargo ship East Wales, 4358 tons (Gibbs and Co.), the U.S. to the Middle East was sunk by U-159 with the loss of seventeen of her crew.
942 RIMMER, 3rd R.O. RONALD (17), SS ARDANBHAN
27th December 1940
South of Iceland, the cargo ship Ardanbhan, 4980 tons (Arden SS Co), Hull to Mar del Plata with coal, was sunk by the Italian submarine Tazzoli, with the loss of all her crew.
943 RISH, 3rd R.O. (Supernumerary) BERNARD (19), SS CITY OF PRETORIA
3rd March 1943 (Returning DBS from New York)
Southeast of Cape Race the passenger cargo liner City of Pretoria, 8049 tons (Ellerman Lines, New York to Liverpool was sunk by U-172 with the loss of all one hundred and forty five people on board.
944 RISK 2nd R.O. WILLIAM (29), SS PENNINGTON COURT
9th October 1942
Southeast of Cape Farewell the cargo ship Pennington Court, 6098 tons (Haldin & Philips), St. Johns N.B. to the U.K., was sunk by the U-254 with the loss of all forty crew.
945 ROBB, 2nd R.O. DOUGLAS BANKSHAW (21), SS NEWTON ASH
8th February 1943
South of Iceland, the cargo ship Newton Ash, 4625 tons (C. Strubin & Co.),
St. John’s N.B. to the U.K. was sunk by U-402. There were only four survivors from a crew of forty-three.
946 ROBERTS, 1st R.O. GEORGE SELBY (27), MV ATHELBEACH
7th March 1941
South of Iceland U-70 and U-99 attacked an outward-bound convoy.
U-99sank the tanker Athelbeach, 6568 tons (Athel Line), Greenock to
New York with the loss of seven of her crew.
947 ROBERTS, 1st R.O. JOSEPH JAMES RAY (44), SS HOLMSIDE
19th July 1941
Off the Cape Verde islands the cargo ship Holmside 3433 tons (Burnett SS Co), bound for Pepel was sunk by U-66. Twenty-two of her crew were lost; there were sixteen survivors.
948 ROBERTS, 1st R.O. MICHAEL FRANCIS (44), MV VICTOR ROSS
2nd December 1940
In U-boat attacks on convoys this day the U-43 sank the tanker Victor Ross, 12, 247 tons (British Mexican Petrol Co.), Liverpool to New York with the loss of forty-two of her crew.
949 ROBERTSON, 1st R.O. GIDEON THOMAS (32), SS JURA
9th February 1941
A convoy bound from Gibraltar to the U.K. was between Portugal and the Azores when it was attacked by U-37 and a flight of five Focke-Wulf Condor aircraft. The German aircraft sank the cargo ship Jura, 1759 tons (Glen and Co.), Huelva to Aberdeen with iron ore, with the loss of seventeen crew.
950 ROBINSON, 1st R.O. CYRIL GEORGE (26), SS EMPIRE OAK
22nd August 1941
Off Portugal the ocean tug Empire Oak, 482 tons (MOWT), the U.K. to Gibraltar was sunk by U-564. Thirteen members of crew died.
951 ROBINSON, 3rd R.O. HARRY (16), MV SUTLEJ
26th February 1944
West of Diego Garcia the cargo ship Sutlej, 5189 tons (J. Nourse Ltd), Red Sea to Australia was sunk by the submarine I-37 (Japanese) with the loss of seven crew.
952 ROBINSON, 2nd R.O. JOHN ERIC (18), SS BRITISH RESOURCE
14th March 1942
South of Nova Scotia, the tanker British Resource, 7209 tons (British Tanker Co.), Curacao to the U. K. was sunk by the U-124. Forty-two members of the crew lost their lives.
953 ROBINSON, 2nd R.O. KENNETH W (21), MV DARLINGTON COURT 20th May 1941
South of Cape Farewell U-boats attacked a homeward bound convoy; the Darlington Court, 4974 tons (Haldin and Phillips), the U.S to the U.K was sunk by U-556, with the loss of twenty-five crewmembers.
954 ROBINSON, 2nd R.O. RONALD (19), MV CALIFORNIA STAR
4th March 1943
Northwest of the Azores, the passenger/cargo liner California Star, 8300 tons (Blue Stan Line), Australia and New Zealand to Liverpool was sunk by U-515 with the loss of fifty-one people.
955 ROBSON, 1st R.O. ALBERT VICTOR (43), SS EMPIRE GOLD
18th April 1945
West of the Bay of Biscay, the tanker Empire Gold, 8028 tons (MOWT) was sunk by U-1107. Thirty-seven of the crew died.
956 ROE, 3rd R.O. THOMAS HAROLD (19), SS ANGLO PERUVIAN 23rd February 1941
Southwest of Ireland, U-boats attacked an outward-bound convoy; the U-95 sank the cargo ship Anglo Peruvian, 5457 tons (Nitrate Producers SS Co.) heading for Boston. There were only seventeen survivors. Twenty-five crewmembers died.
957 ROGERS, 2nd R.O. GLYN KENDRICK (20), SS BRADFYNE
22nd November 1940
In the Northwest Approaches, U-100 attacked a homeward-bound convoy sinking, amongst others, the Bradfyne, 4740 tons (Sir W. Reardon Smith and Sons), Montreal to London with grain. She was lost with all thirty-nine hands.
958 ROGERSON, 1st R.O. GARNET WILLIAM PHILIP LITTLE (30),
SS BIDBURY 2nd September 1940
The U-46 sank the cargo ship Bibury, 4616 tons (Capper Alexander and Co.), outward-bound south of Cape Verde Islands with the loss of thirty-six of her crew.
959 ROMEUF, 1st R.O. JACQUES (42), SS CHARLES L.D.
9th December 1942
Southeast of Cape Farewell, the cargo ship Charles L.D., 5267 tons (ex French Flag), India to the U.K. was sunk by U-553. Thirty-six of the crew died.
960 ROSE, 1st R.O. FREDERICK WILLIAM (50), MV PORT GISBORNE
11th October 1940
In the Northwest Approaches, the cargo liner Port Gisborne, 8390 tons (Port Line), New Zealand to Belfast and Cardiff, was sunk by U- 48 with the loss of twenty-six crew. This comprised half the ship’s company, the remainder were rescued by the tug Salvonia.
961 ROSS, 2nd R.O. ALEXANDER TYRELL (19), SS EMPIRE LAKELAND 11th March 1943
In the Northwest Approaches U-boats (unidentified) attacked a New York to U.K. convoy sinking the cargo ship Empire Lakeland, 7015 tons (MOWT, Blue Star Line, Managers) with the loss of fifty-six of her crew.
962 ROSS, 1st R.O. WALTER MATHESON (47), SS CERAMIC
7th December 1942
West of the Azores, the passenger/cargo liner Ceramic, 18713 tons (Shaw Savill and Albion Line), Liverpool to Australia was sunk by U-515. There were 656 passengers and crew on board; there was only one survivor.
963 ROTHWELL, 1st R.O. THOMAS HOLMES (32), MV SILVERPALM
9th June 1941
In the North Atlantic, the cargo ship Silverpalm, 6373 tons (S. J. Thompson), was sunk by U-101. She was lost with all hands, fifty-four crew, eleven gunners and three passengers.
964 ROWAN, 3rd R.O. JOHN MALCOLM (21), SS EMPIRE AMETHYST
14th April 1942
South of the Dominican Republic, the tanker Empire Amethyst, 8032 tons (MOWT) was sunk by U-154. Forty-one of the crew died.
965 ROWE, 1st R.O. GEOFFREY CUTHBERT (31), SS DERRYNANE
12th February 1941
Near the Azores the heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper (German) encountered a Freetown to U.K. convoy of 19 ships and sank, amongst others, the cargo ship Derrynane, 4684 tons (McCowen and Cross Ltd), Lourenco Marques to Immingham with iron ore. All thirty-three members of the crew died.
966 ROWLAND, 2nd R.O. ALFRED (20), SS NAPIER STAR
18th December 1940
South of Iceland, the passenger/cargo liner Napier star, 10116 tons (Blue Star Line), Liverpool to New Zealand was sunk by U-100 with the loss of sixty-three crew.
967 ROWLAND, 1st R.O. PERCY ERIC (42), SS BALTISTAN
27th February 1941
West of Ireland the cargo liner Baltistan, 6803 tons (F.C. Strick), bound for South Africa with military stores was sunk by the submarine Bianchi (Italian) with the loss of twelve of her crew.
968 ROWLANDS, 1st R.O. OWEN (33), SS CAPE HORN
14th May 1941
There is no record of this ship being destroyed by enemy action. It is assumed that this officer lost his life when the ship was bombed by enemy aircraft in Port Said on the above date. Three other members of the crew also lost their lives.
969 ROWLATT, 2nd R.O. FRANCIS WILLIAM (48),
SS EMPRESS OF CANADA 14th March 1943
Off Sierra Leone the troopship Empress of Canada, 21561 tons (Canadian Pacific SS Co.) Durban to the U.K. with 1892 on board, including 499 Italian POW’s was sunk by the submarine Da Vinci (Italian). Three hundred and ninety-two people died. The survivors were picked up by the destroyer Boreas, the ocean boarding vessel Corinthian (Ellerman Lines) and the corvettes Crocus and Petunia.
970 RUFFEL, 3rd R.O. FRANCIS DAVID (19), SS TREBARTHA
11th November 1940
Of f Aberdeen German bombers sank the cargo ship Trebartha, 4597 tons (Ham Steamship Co.), London to Philadelphia with the loss of three of her crew.
971 RUMSEY, 1st R.O. HECTOR ARCHIBALD (40), SS RUTLAND
30th October 1940
South of Rockall the cargo ship Rutland, 1437 tons (Leith, Hull and Hamburg Steam Packet Co.) a straggler from convoy HX82, was sunk by U-124. Twenty-four of her crew perished.
972 RUSHTON, 3rd R.O. JOHN HARTLEY (21), SS EMPIRE SKY
6th November 1942
Off North Russia, the cargo ship Empire Sky, 7455 tons (MOWT, Claymore Shipping Co.), the U.K. to Archangel was sunk by U-625 with the loss of all forty-one crew.
973 RUSHTON, 1st R.O. NORMAN (44), SS KNITSLEY
12th December 1942
Off Lowestoft E-boats attacked a north-bound convoy sinking, amongst others, the cargo ship Knitsley, 2272 tons (Consett Iron Co.) with the loss of eleven crew.
974 RUSSELL, 2nd R.O. DENNIS BRYANT (21), SS NEWFOUNDLAND
13th September 1943
Near Salerno the hospital ship Newfoundland, 6791 tons (Furness Withy passenger liner) was damaged by German aircraft and was sunk by gunfire on the 14th September. There were no wounded on board but twenty-three people perished including all the medical staff and many of the officers.
975 RUTH, 2nd R.O. VICTOR EDWARD (22), SS EMPIRE STEVENSON
13th September 1942
Southwest of Bear Island, He-111’s attacked a Russian bound convoy. They flew in line abreast and dropped their torpedoes simultaneously, hitting eight ships including the cargo ship Empire Stevenson, 6209 tons (MOWT). Forty of the crew died.
976 RUTHERFORD, 2NND R.O. JOHN (26), SS CITY OF GUILDFORD
27th March 1943
Near Derna, the passenger/cargo liner City of Guildford, 5157 tons (Ellerman City Line), Alexandria to Tripoli was sunk by U-593 with the loss of all one hundred and twenty-seven people on board.
977 RYAN, 1ST R.O. JOSEPH LAWRENCE (43), MV RIO BRAVO
2nd November 1944
In Ostend roads the tanker Rio Bravo, 1141 tons, outward bound was sunk by a German E-boat. Fourteen of her crew died.
978 RYRIE, 1st R.O. DONALD BREMNER (41), SS SOUTHERN EMPRESS
13th October 1942
Northeast of Newfoundland U-221 attacked a homeward bound convoy, sinking, amongst others, the ex factory whaling ship Southern Empress, 12398 tons (C. Salvesen) the U.S. Gulf to the Clyde on Admiralty service with the loss of twenty-eight crew and twenty passengers.