SS OSWESTRY GRANGE
At 06.50 hours on February 12, 1941, SS Oswestry Grange (formerly Rhodesian Prince) was returning from Rosario in the unescorted convoy SL.64 when she was attacked with shellfire by the German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper. The position was 37.12N, 21.20W (about 400 miles S.E. of the Azores). The Oswestry Grange was hit in the engine room on the port side, damaging the bridge and the shelter deck. The crew managed to launch the lifeboats and thirty-seven survivors were picked up five hours later by SS Blairatholl and landed in Funchal on February 14, 1941. But the master's boat had been damaged and capsized and the master (Edgar Stone) and four crew members (including the fourth engineer) were drowned and are commemorated on Tower Hill, Panel 77 and the Canadian Halifax Memorial.
BURTON , Fourth Engineer Officer, SIDNEY WALTER, S.S. Oswestry Grange (London). Merchant Navy. 12th February 1941. Age 38. Son of Frederick Thomas Burton and Sarah Jane Burton; husband of Annie Muriel Burton, of Bedford.
EVANS , Fireman and Trimmer, JOHN WILLIAM, S.S. Oswestry Grange (London). Merchant Navy. 12th February 1941. Age 35.
FOLEY , Sailor, MONTE CECIL GEORGE, S.S. Oswestry Grange (London). Merchant Navy. 12th February 1941. Age 28.
STONE , Master, EDGAR, S.S. Oswestry Grange (London). Merchant Navy. 12th February 1941. Age 52. Son of Crosdaile Martin Stone and Ann Stone; husband of Emily Stone, of Appledore, Devon.
MACDONALD , Cook, JAMES, S.S. Oswestry Grange (London). Merchant Navy. 12th February 1941.
Commemorative data kindly provided by Billy McGee: http://www.british-merchant-navy.co.uk/.