SS OPORTO

SS Oporto was carrying a cargo of 1500 tons of copper sulphate, 413 tons of seed potatoes and mail from Liverpool to Seville. At 05.30 hours on March 13, 1943 she was torpedoed by U-107 in position 42.45N, 13.31W. Only four crew members were picked up by the HMS Spiraea , transferred to HMS Gentian (K 90) and landed at Gibraltar. The master and thirty-six crew members are commemorated on Tower Hill Panel 76. Only two of the seven gunners are known.

BAKER, First Radio Officer, SYLVESTER HAROLD, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 20

BATTERSBY, Fireman and Trimmer, THOMAS, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 31. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Battersby; husband of Elizabeth Battersby, of Liverpool.

BESSON, Cook, HAROLD EUGENE, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 34. Husband of Sarah Agnes Besson, of Roby, Lancashire.

BIRD, Master, FRED, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 40. Son of Alfred and Isabella Bird; husband of Doris Isabel Bird, of North Fenham, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

BROWN, Cadet, NEVILLE LIONEL WHITEHEAD, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 16. Son of Oliver Whitehead Brown, and of Edith Brown, of Prestatyn, Flintshire.

CADDICK, Fireman and Trimmer, EDWARD JAMES, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 46. Son of James and Catherine E. Caddick; husband of Annie Caddick, of Liverpool.

CASSON, Chief Officer, JOHN HENRY, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 34. Son of William and Alice Casson; husband of Edna Casson. of Hull.

CHARITY, Cook, WILLIAM HERBERT, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 24. Son of Herbert James Charity and Helen Charity; husband of Phyllis Winifred Charity, of Hereford.

CROOKS, Carpenter, ROBERT STANLEY, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 45.

DONNELLY, Fireman and Trimmer, JOHN, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 29.

DUFF, Fireman and Trimmer, JOHN, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 20. Son of Andrew and Winnefred Duff, of Huyton, Lancashire.

FLYNN, Deck Boy, MICHAEL FRANCIS, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 18. Son of Michael and Mary Flynn, of Broseley, Shropshire.

FREEMAN, Assistant Steward, ARTHUR HECTOR, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 19. Son of May Lilian Freeman, of Wavertree, Liverpool.

FURLONG, Fireman and Trimmer, EDWARD, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 33.

GREENLEAF, Boatswain, EDWARD, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 46. Son of John and Mary Ann Greenleaf.

HALL, Assistant Steward, FRANK, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 21. Son of Samuel Hall, and of Margaret Hall, of Anfield, Liverpool.

HOWARD, Able Seaman, JAMES, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 23.

JOHNSON, Second Engineer Officer, CHARLES HENRY, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 41.

JONES, Chief Steward, NORMAN HARDCASTLE, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 36. Husband of Isabel Jones, of Bootle, Lancashire.

KEARNS, Fireman and Trimmer, MICHAEL JOSEPH, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 26.

MASON, Chief Engineer Officer, HARRY, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 52. Son of William and Frances Mason; husband of Ivy Mason, of Willerby, Yorkshire.

MILTON, Donkeyman, GEOFFREY, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 36.

MURPHY, Third Officer, PAUL JOSEPH, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 23.

NICHOLSON, Able Seaman, FRANCIS, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 36.

NIND, Fireman and Trimmer, DONALD, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 49.

PAYNE, Donkeyman, JOHN ARTHUR, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 55.

PUXLEY, Second Officer, WILLIAM RAYMOND, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 29. Son of William Henry and Annie Mary Maud Puxley; husband of Kathken Beatrice Puxley, of Oxford.

RAYNOR, Fourth Engineer Officer, MATTHEW GEORGE, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 30. Son of George Charles and Mary Elizabeth Raynor, of Kirkdale, Liverpool.

RIDINGS, Third Engineer Officer, NORMAN, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 22. Husband of Evelyn Ridings, of Daubhill, Bolton, Lancashire.

SCALES, Cadet, GORDON, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 17. Son of James and Harmah Elizabeth Scales, of Thornaby-on-Tees, Yorkshire.

SENIOR, Able Seaman, GEORGE ALBERT, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 26. Son of Elizabeth Senior; husband of Mary Senior, of Liverpool.

SHEARER, Junior Ordinary Seaman, DENIS NORTHOUSE, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 17.

SHIELDS, Trimmer, JOHN, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 18. Son of Peter and Julia Shields, of Liverpool.

STODDERN, Able Seaman, CLARENCE, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 30. Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Stoddern, of Truro, Cornwall.

VERNON, Fireman and Trimmer, GEORGE GERRARD, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 30. Son of James and Louisa Vernon; husband of Theresa Vernon, of Wallasey, Cheshire.

WELSH, Donkeyman, CHARLES DOUGLAS, S.S. Oporto (Liverpool). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1943. Age 30.

HOGG, Able Seaman, JAMES HENRY, D/JX 333065. H.M.S. President III. Royal Navy. lost in S.S. Oporto. 13th March 1943.

BREWSTER, Able Seaman, PHILIP, P/JX 335909. H.M.S. President III. Royal Navy. (lost in S.S. Oporto) 13th March 1943. Age 19. Son of Harold and Jane Brewster, of Bottesford, Nottinghamshire.