# Uncommemorated British Merchant Seamen WWII



## Billy1963 (Jan 4, 2006)

The CWGC have not through any fault of their own omitted the names of many British Merchant Seamen lost on Norwegian ships from their records and is something I am looking into. Information from the Nortraship Archives, which are held at the National Archives of Norway (Riksarkivet) and published by the Maritime Museum in Oslo have been transcribed from 2 books by a well respected Norwegian contact of mine Siri Lawson, naming all casualties of different nationalities lost from these ships. The list contains a large number of British Merchant Seamen lost from the Notraships (ships placed in allied service during WWII) many commemorated on Tower Hill, but after cross referencing all the names from files I have from the CWGC, I find that 62 individual Merchant Seamen named below have no official commemoration who were killed in action between 1940-1944, the majority being recorded as "Boy" ratings. I have emailed the National Archives of Norway asking if they can send me any copies of official do***entation to back these findings so as to be able to submit to the relevant authorities in the UK. They replied saying they will deal with my request but this could take 6-8 weeks.

Hopefully enough do***entation can be compiled to satisfy the Commission to add these Seamen to Tower Hill, but previous work undertaken over the years has taught me how difficult it is to persuade the CWGC as their hands are tied by strict rules governing the recording of official war dead. I feel this project maybe a bit to big for my undertaking alone and am asking for any support from the MNA and as many local branches as well as Merchant Navy websites as possible. Support mainly by highlighting these facts at hand and bringing it to the attention of the media and public alike. Cost for some do***ents may come into it, but I'll take that in my stride if and when the time comes.

Lest We Forget

1940

RYAN, Deck Boy, FRANK EDWARD, D/S Bravore (Norway) 20th April 1940. Sunk by mine.

TORRES, Messroom Boy, DANEILSEN, D/S Bravore (Norway) 20th April 1940. Sunk by mine.

CAMERON, Galley Boy, ROBERT, D/S Keret (Norway) 22nd August 1940. Sunk by U-37.

LARKIN, Messroom Boy, JAMES, D/S. Diana (Norway) September/October 1940. Joint Arbitration Committee state sunk by mine.

BUTLER, Deck Boy, NORMAN, M/T Nina Borthen (Norway) 6th October 1940. Sunk by U-103.

HASLAM, Oiler, HENRY, M/T Nina Borthen (Norway) 6th October 1940. Sunk by U-103.

RICHARDSON, Deck Boy, JAMES, M/T Nina Borthen (Norway) 6th October 1940. Sunk by U-103.

SELF, Cook, GEORGE, M/T Nina Borthen (Norway) 6th October 1940. Sunk by U-103.

TAYLOR, Deck Boy, HORACE, M/T Nina Borthen (Norway) 6th October 1940. Sunk by U-103.

WILSON, Deck Boy, GEORGE, M/T Nina Borthen (Norway) 6th October 1940. Sunk by U-103.

CREMIN, Trimmer, TIMOTHY, D/S Dokka (Norway) 17th October 1940. Sunk by U-93.

GANNAWAY, Galley Boy, LIONAL, D/S Samnanger (Norway 2nd December 1940. Sunk by U-99.

CAESER, Able Seaman, JOCK? (Canadian) D/S Nyland (Norway) 5th December 1940. Disappeared.

1941

DAVIES, Galley Boy, LESLIE, D/S Brask (Norway) 15th January 1941. Sunk by Italian submarine Luigi Torelli 

DONNAVON, Oiler, MICHAEL, M/S Benjamin Franklin (Norway) 19th February 1941. Sunk by U-103

GOULDEN, Messroom Boy, MICHAEL, D/S Augvald (Norway) 2nd March 1941. Sunk by U-47.

SCARGILL, Messroom Boy, STANLEY, D/S Augvald (Norway) 2nd March 1941. Sunk by U-47.

HICKEY, Stoker, DENNIS, D/S Samlanes (Norway) 13th March 1941. Sunk by mine.

ALLEN, Messroom Boy, FRANK, D/S Hørda (Norway) 24th March 1941. Sunk by U-97.

OAKLEY, Cabin Boy, DEREK, D/S Hørda (Norway) 24th March 1941. Sunk by U-97.

ROBERTS, Junior Ordinary Seaman, HARRY D/S Hørda (Norway) 24th March 1941. Sunk by U-97.

BEENEY, Sailor, ARTHUR, D/S Profit (Norway) 17th April 1941. Sunk by mine

GUTHERLESS, Deck Boy, HENRY, D/S Polyana (Norway) 25th April 1941. Sunk by U-103.

KING, Trimmer, JOSEPH DONALD,(Canadian) D/S Christian Krohg (Norway) 10th June 1941. Sunk by U-108. 

O' REGAN, Stoker, WILLIAM, D/S Christian Krohg (Norway) 10th June 1941. Sunk by U-108.

LYNCH, Mechanic, WILLIAM, M/S Vigrid (Norway) 24th June 1941. Sunk by U-371.

SHIPLEY, Engineroom Boy, JAMES, M/S Vigrid (Norway) 24th June 1941. Sunk by U-371.

HILL, Galley Boy, WILLIAM, M/S Vigrid (Norway) 24th June 1941. Sunk by U-371.

SWEETMAN, Deck Boy, LESLIE, D/S Eikhaug (Norway) 7th September 1941. Sunk by E-boat S-52.

TURNER, Trimmer, CHARLES, D/S Eikhaug (Norway) 7th September 1941. Sunk by E-boat S-52.

BOTHA, Ordinary Seaman, E.P. M/T Barbro (Norway) 19th September 1941. Sunk by U-552.

DAVIES, Engineroom Boy, KENNETH, M/T Barbro (Norway) 19th September 1941. Sunk by U-552.

HUGHES, Galley Boy, WILLIAM, M/T Barbro (Norway) 19th September 1941. Sunk by U-552.

KRUAJER, Messroom Boy, SIMON, M/T Barbro (Norway) 19th September 1941. Sunk by U-552.

RICE, Messroom Boy, BERHARD, D/S Varangberg (Norway) 25th September 1941. Sunk by U-203.

WAUDBY, Trimmer, JACK, D/S Roy (Norway) 12th October 1941. Sunk by E-boat S-53

HANNAM, Messroom Boy, FONWICK, D/S Erviken (Norway) 16th October 1941. Sunk by U-558. 

SULLIVAN, Messroom Boy, EDWARD, D/S Erviken (Norway) 16th October 1941. Sunk by U-558. 

CHADWICK, Ordinary Seaman, JOHN, D/S Rask (Norway) 19th October 1941. Sunk by German aircraft.

HOWARD, Messroom Boy, LEWIS, M/T Fjord (Norway) 2nd December 1941. Sunk by U-557.

GOODWIN, Galley Boy, REGINALD, D/S Annavore (Norway) 21st December 1941. Sunk by U-567.

1942

DUFFY, Oiler, MICHAEL, M/T Nyholt, (Norway) 17th January 1942. Sunk by U-87.

HOPLAND, Galley Boy, HARRY, M/T Nyholt (Norway) 18th January 1942. Sunk by U-87.

BROMFIELD, Messroom Boy, THEODORE E. D/S Belize (Norway) 21st January 1942. Sunk by U-754.

HUGHES, Oiler, JOHN NORMAN, D/S Ringstad (Norway) 24th January 1942. Sunk by U-333.

DONACE/DONNASCHIE, Trimmer, JOHN. D/S Blink (Norway) 11th February 1942. Sunk by U-108.

GRAVES, Ordinary Seaman, REGINALD. D/S Blink (Norway) 11th February 1942. Sunk by U-108.

PAPPACENA, Galley Boy, A. NOEL? D/S Blink (Norway) 11th February 1942. Sunk by U-108.

DAVIDSON, Messroom Boy, W. N. D/S Ingerto (Norway) 12th February 1942. Sunk by U-578.

EAGLELSHAM, Galley Boy, CRAMFORD, D/S Ingerto (Norway) 12th February 1942. Sunk by U-578.

SHERIDAN, Saloon Boy, FRANCIS, M/T Finnager (Norway) 1st March 1942. Sunk by U-158.

PATTERSON, Messroom Boy, DENNIS, D/S Tolosa (Norway) 9th March 1942. Sunk by U-108.

ABBE, Saloon Boy, STANLEY, M/S Tyr (Norway) 9th March 1942. Sunk by U-96.

MOORE, Messroom Boy, RICHARD, M/S Tyr (Norway) 9th March 1942. Sunk by U-96.

DENNIE, Radiao Officer, JOHN, MT/ Svenør (Norway) 27th March 1942. Sunk by U-105

PORTER, Galley Boy, RONALD R. M/T Kollskegg (Norway) 6th April 1942. Sunk by U-754. 

McLEAN, Messroom Boy, PATRICK, D/S Fanefjeld (Norway) 9th April 1942. Sunk by U-252.

HOOD, Able Seaman WILLIAM A. D/S Taborfjell (Norway) 30th April 1942. Sunk by U-576.

HODDER, Trimmer, FRED, D/S Douro (Norway) 9th May 1942. Sunk by German aircraft

EBANKS, Messroom Boy, CLYDE, M/S Gundersen (Norway) 1st July 1942. Sunk by U-129.

DOLAND, Stoker, ANTONIO, D/S Fidelio (Norway) 9th November 1942. Sunk by E-boat.

TYNAN, Saloon Boy, JOHN (Australian), M/S Herstein (Norway) 1st July 1942. Died as prisoner on the Japanese Montevideo Maru when that ship was torpedoed and sunk by the American submarine Sturgeon (SS-187), about 65 miles west off Cape Bojeador, Luzon in position18' 37N 119' 29E. About 1050 allied POW's en route to Hainan Island lost their lives.

1944

PHILLIPS, Messroom Boy, LEON, D/S Isbjørn (Norway) 17th December 1944. Age 18, of 108 Ninian Park Road, Cardiff. Isbjørn capsized in a storm.


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## benjidog (Oct 27, 2005)

They *shall* be remembered Billy, and you are doing a great job in seeking official recognition.

I am sure that the membership would like to help however they can and I hope you will keep us updated with the responses you get.


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## scorcher (Jul 2, 2007)

Would it help to publicise this very worthy cause if members listed any photos of those ships listed? I have a neg of one which I would like to list with a link to this thread. Give me the green light and I will go ahead.


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## 126538 (Feb 24, 2015)

*Crew of Polyana*

Billy1963, 
I have recently come across your post whilst researching the death of my uncle Maurizo Zammit a Fireman on the Polyana sunk by U103 . 
I have also contacted the CWGC re Henry Gutherless .
I have some information that might be of interest if you care to contact me .


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## Sister Eleff (Nov 28, 2006)

Hello and welcome to the site Hiawatha. Billy1963 hasn't visited the site since December 2010. You may have to send him a Private Message or email through Ships Nostalgia to gain his attention.


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## 126538 (Feb 24, 2015)

Thank you , I will do this directly . 
Dr. Charles Zammit


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## ninabaker (May 4, 2012)

Very interesting. If there was any information about the home addresses of these brave souls, I could certainly arrange to get any Glaswegians written into the city's MN roll of honour book, which is part of the city's MN memorial in the city chambers.

nina


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## 126538 (Feb 24, 2015)

Thank you for the replies Sister Eleff and Ninabaker, it is difficult to navigate through the bureaucracy involved in this when based in Australia . Unfortunately I haven't been able to contact Billy1963 , but I am grateful for his post that led me here . 
_'' Polyana had left Sunderland with a cargo of coal on March 22-1941. Via Methil Roads and Loch Ewe, she arrived Oban on Apr. 3, leaving again on Apr. 7 for Freetown in the Gibraltar ''_
Ninabaker , it is a real possibility that Henry Gutherless may have joined the crew at any of these ports , from what I have been able to find out the name seems to originate in Yorkshire or at least there are some found there and noted in memorials to the fallen of WW1.
The staff at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission UK were helpful but they stated that, 
_''Our duties are confined to the commemoration of members of the Commonwealth forces who lost their lives during the two world wars. If Henry Gutherless was not a member of the forces, he would not fall within the Commission’s jurisdiction.''
_

I found this confusing as there is clearly a memorial to Merchant Seamen at Tower Hill in London . 

I managed to find two references to the Polyana and the crew that perished in her ,

http://www.warsailors.com/singleships/polyana.html

http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/883.html

Both sites refer to Henry as British , the Norwegian references to the Polyana only list Norwegian Nationals . Presumably the compilers of the list knew the nationalities of the crew involved and so did not include the foreign crew on their records ,
http://minnehallen.no/skip_2/polyana-ds

At the time Malta was of course under British rule and rightly so my uncle Maurizo was commemorated at Tower hill and in his home villiage of Gozo in Malta ,

It is a source of disquiet to me that of those three crew listed as British or British subjects, only Henry Gutherless is uncommemorated , perhaps he had no family to note his loss , as a 'deck boy' he was most likely of a young age and it is certainly unfair that his obviously short life should go unnoticed . He was a shipmate of my Uncle's , a young boy at sea at the start of his life , I would really like to see him have some mark in the world that shows he existed . 

The officer at the CWGC did suggest I ask this organisation for help , 

The Registry of Shipping and Seaman

PO Box 420

Cardiff CF24 5JW

I suppose this is a starting point but would certainly welcome any suggestions from members of this forum .


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Hello Hiawatha,
The information you have been given by the CWGC, if I understand it correctly, is wrong.
Billy is the best person to advise here as he is currently dealing with all non commemorated British Merchant Seamen.
Billy is currently offline at the moment but i have contact with him and will pass on this thread to him.
Regards
Hugh


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## Sister Eleff (Nov 28, 2006)

Hugh MacLean said:


> Hello Hiawatha,
> The information you have been given by the CWGC, if I understand it correctly, is wrong.
> Billy is the best person to advise here as he is currently dealing with all non commemorated British Merchant Seamen.
> Billy is currently offline at the moment but i have contact with him and will pass on this thread to him.
> ...


Hugh you are the best (Applause)


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## 126538 (Feb 24, 2015)

Thanks Hugh , hopefully something can be done for at least one of these men .


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

It is a difficult task that requires a lot of hard work and dedication as the CWGC will need proof from official sources before they will change the status of an uncommemorated merchant seaman. There is nobody better at doing that than Billy, he has a proven track record. Just bear with him for a while until he can get himself back online and I am sure he will be in touch.

Sister: thank you - very kind.

Regards
Hugh


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## WillyJamesMc (Feb 21, 2013)

By the end of the war, according to Lloyd’s 351 ships of the Nortraship fleet had been lost by direct enemy action, resulting in the deaths of over 3,500 Merchant Seamen. These casualties were meticulously recorded by The National Archives of Norway and published in two volumes of Sjøforklaringer fra 2. Verdenskrig Vol. I & II. (Maritime Inquiries from WWII), which consists of direct copies of official reports from ship losses recorded at the Norwegian National Archives. The publications, which I donated to the CWGC last year, included the names of hundreds of serving British survivors and over 900 Merchant Seamen of foreign nationalities recorded as dead/missing, which includes the names of 271 British Merchant Seamen killed. 218 British Seamen named in the publications as being killed are recorded with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial in London, while a further 13 are buried ashore in official war graves. Started in 2009 and finally in 2013 a successful application using extracts from the Norwegian publications were made to the CWGC in regard to three British casualties from the Norwegian ship D/S Blink (PAPPACENA, N. GRAVES, R. & DONNASCHIE, J.) who had been overlooked and after consultation with the Registrar of Shipping & Seamen, all three were officially accepted as war dead and are due to be commemorated on Tower Hill in due course, while two other cases are at present under review. The remaining casualties for some reason have also been overlooked by the Registrar of Shipping & Seamen of the day and at present are forgotten. In November 2015 a further ten of these cases were reviewed by the CWGC and finally accepted as war dead, while the others remain under review. Over 70 years since the end of WWII and still we battle for recognition for our war dead.

The details of those named below bar one are now registered on the official CWGC website.

ALLEN, Messroom Boy, FRANK, D/S Hørda (Norway) 24th March 1941.
GOODWIN, Galley Boy, REGINALD, D/S Annavore (Norway) 21st December 1941.
HANNAM, Messroom Boy, FONWICK, D/S Erviken (Norway) 16th October 1941.
HODDER, Trimmer, FRED, D/S Douro (Norway) 9th May 1942.
LEHANE, Stoker, MICHAEL, D/S Brant County (Norway) 10th March 1943
OAKLEY, Cabin Boy, DEREK, D/S Hørda (Norway) 24th March 1941.
O' REGAN, Stoker, WILLIAM, D/S Christian Krohg (Norway) 10th June 1941.
McGRORY, Messroom Boy, WILLIAM, D/S Christian Krohg (Norway) 10th June 1941.
McLEAN, Messroom Boy, PATRICK, D/S Fanefjeld (Norway) 9th April 1942.


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## WillyJamesMc (Feb 21, 2013)

RE: #8

The case of Henry Gutherless is at present under review by the CWGC after details sent to me from The National Archives of Norway was forwarded to the comission's commemoration team.


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## 126538 (Feb 24, 2015)

Have you heard anything further WillyJamesMc ?


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